Hi everyone. I am new and a rank.....

[Becky]

beginner looking for motorhome suitable for me and my spaniel for most of the time, but with occasional forays with son, Daughter-in-law and grandson.

Been studying the various types available and have been advised in the usual salesman-type ways... Yes Madam, that 7 metre single decker bus is ideal for a lady (Neisman & Bischoff, please forgive spelling) for example.

 

I like the Autotrail Starburst, the Dethleffs Globebus I3, the Burstner Aviano something or other, the smaller one. These seem to be available locally, which I feel is a relevant point. Easier for service etc.

 

As a general principle, I think I should chose the smallest vehicle that fulfills my needs, as this should be more affordable and easier to drive.

 

Am I on the right tracK? And has anyone any other pointers or useful points I should be aware of?

[panagah]

Hi and welcome.

I am sure you will find all the answers to your questions coming your way. Firstly though to help, do you intend to drive the van as your only vechile?

 

If you want a van conversion or a coachbuilt will also help you be pointed in the right way.

I like your idea of the most suitable van and then getting the smallest to fit that. If thats the case then I would recomend the timberland selceion of van conversions. I saw some at the show this wkend and have to say they are extremely thought out. However as you say you intend to take your family on occasions you may have to go bigger, if so timberland also do the fantastic Burstner. This van IMO rocks. well built and well thought out. But of course a hefty price tag to come with it.

I found the timberland people very helpful and would be worth a chat for you. If you go to the Peterborough show in April I am sure there will be numereous dealers selling there wares and this will give you a good opportunity to have a good look around.

Best of luck with what you decide to buy and enjoy the experience of looking its not something you get to do often, and keep us informed.

[Becky]

I plan to keep my car and use the van only when I want to go away. I am retiring in a week or so, and I am very keen on photography and intend to travel round the UK to begin with and get some nice landscapes and any wildlife I can spot. And practice driving & parking the thing!!

 

Camera equipment can be bulky. I looked at van conversions and they seemed expensive for their size. Also, I consider the bathroom size and convenience (pun?) very relevant. So, a coachbuilt or an A-class. But these are expensive!!

 

New/second hand; any pros or cons either way?

[Hymer C 9.]

Hi Becky, wellcome to the forum and as Panagah says I am sure you will get plenty of help on the forum, any individual questions you want awnsering keep putting them on the forum, because this is where you will get honest opinions and not just sales mens talks good luck and wellcome again. Carol.

[Brian Kirby]

Before you can find what you want, you will need to analyse what you intend doing.  The range of types and sizes of vans on offer is enormous, and many of the things people refer to on here, will not quite mean what you may think they mean.  Silly questions, perhaps, but have you camped, caravanned, or motorhomed before?  If no to all, your problem is going to be entering a world that, at present, exists only in your imagination.  I do not mean that in a disparaging way, it is just that imagining what you will do, how, and when, is your only present option.  Most of us find, one way or another, that when we move from thinking about how we might use our vans, to actually using the one we've just bought, things do not quite work as anticipated. 

As a very unkind generalisation, forget what nice sales folk tell you!  Most don't own/use motorhomes, and of those who claim to have done so, many merely doss in them during motorhome shows, rarely using the on-board facilities to their full potential.

Next thing I'd say, is don't rush your decision.  Try to meet, and talk to, people who are using motorhomes, to see what they think is important, and what they think good, and bad about their own van.  You will quickly become aware that there are motorhoming "types".  Some like fixed beds, others consider them a waste of space.  Some always use their on-board washroom/toilet, others hardly ever.  Some couldn't survive without an oven, microwave, etc, others make do quite happily with just a hob, others again eat out most of the time and only use the "kitchen" for breakfast.  Some must have satellite telly, others despise it.  Some always use campsites, others consider them a complete waste of money, and wild camp whenever, and wherever, they can.  Some must have a "lounge" for feet up lounging, others don't see the point.  This is not just an arcane list of human foibles, because all these things are catered for in the design of motorhomes, but they cannot all be assembled into a single motorhome.  Thus, there are choices to be made, and the van that is right for you will be a distillation of your preferences.  Not the ones you may presently think you'll have, but those you find suit you best as you travel around.  For this, you will need to go forth and travel.

So my next suggestion would be, to be prepared to find the van you start off with does not seem quite so ideal after a year or two, as you first thought it would be.  Many of us change vans after we get to find out what we actually do, as opposed to what we thought we'd do.  I do not mean give up on the thinking and just leap blindly in, just don't put all your resources into a gleaming, new, one shot, right for all time, first purchase.

The best idea, probably, is to analyse as far as you can, and then visit a motorhome show or two - the outdoor ones where a lot of motorhomers congregate - tour around the parked vans and, when you see one you know is close to your ideal layout etc, knock on the door and ask if they can spare you a while.  You'll be amazed how many will, and will give you chapter and verse on their van.

Next, I'd say hire something close to what you think you want for a week or so before you buy anything.  You'll learn a lot about driving and using a van, and much of what others have said will begin to make more sense.

Finally; I'd say buy a good used van first, use it as much as possible, and from that you'll know what it is you really want.  You may hit the jackpot and keep your first van because it turns out ideal: if that happens, happy end to story!  Otherwise, you'll have gained a used van to trade against the one you then know you really want, so that will get you the best price short of a private sale, and you can then order you shiny new replacement confident that it will be as close as is achievable to your, by now proved, ideal.  Allow two years for that final stage, and in the meantime, enjoy whatever you get, and good luck with your search.

[flicka]

Hello Becky and welcome to the forum.

You will get plenty of good advise as there are a lot of knowledgable people on here.

It is important to have a look at as many layouts as possible, to try and to form a short list. One useful magazine is Which Motorcaravan (sister to MMM) it has a page showing the layout styles. Then followed by vehicle dimensions.

IMHO a 7m could prove a bit on the big side, if I interpet your needs correctly.

there are a whole raft of new low profile coachbuilts introduced to the market this year and could suit. The Dethleffs Globus or their new Summer Edition. as example.

The Autotrail Starburst should read either Autocruise Starburst or maybe Autotrail Tracker.

Others in this style from UK manufacturers are Autosleepeer Neuvo, Ace/Swift/Bessacarr group, & Lunar group also do sub 6m long Low profiles.

Amongst others from the continent are Adria, Hymer, TEC, Rapido, Auto Roller.

regarding servicing on a local basis have a look at the commercial Vehicle garages francises in your area as main car Dealers will not be able to accomodate Motorhomes, but don't stick rigidly to a local M/H dealer if he is not a dealer for the M/H Convertor you decide suits you best.

[tamworthkamper]

If you are looking for a buget coachbuilt the eldis and compass range are very good are you looking at new or second hand ? As someone else said try and get to peterborugh show and take the family who will travel with you then you can see how you all fit in . Good luck they not that hard to drive and if you join one of the clubs you can go on a training day to learn how to reverse and park it also there sites are cheaper .

[tamworthkamper]

If you are looking for a buget coachbuilt the eldis and compass range are very good are you looking at new or second hand ? As someone else said try and get to peterborugh show and take the family who will travel with you then you can see how you all fit in . Good luck they not that hard to drive and if you join one of the clubs you can go on a training day to learn how to reverse and park it also there sites are cheaper .

[Patricia]

Hi Becky, I am relatively new to the forum too (but not to motorhoming) and certainly find it interesting and lively. I think Brian Kirby's answer should be very helpful. Certainly your first van is not always what you hoped for! We chose an Autosleeper Symbol first time and were initially thrilled with it. But when retired we went away for longer periods and found it very cramped for clothes etc meaning we were always scrambling on the floor to get in the lower spaces. As you get older it is the getting up again which presents the problems. We also found that the petrol version was very expensive to run (20/21 to the gallon) and the over cab bed is definitely not designed for two adults only children!

When my husband died I panicked about driving a 6.3m coachbuilt on my own although I had driven it for the last year or so of his life he was always there if I got in a mess! I seriously though of downsizing but have kept the van, not least because we had fitted a lot of expensive equipment and I was offered insulting money even against a new one.

 

My van is an Auto-Trail Cheyenne 635 with overcab bed (for 2 adults), a nice lounge area where there is plenty of room for visitors and with the door open you feel in touch with nature. There is a good fire which actually faces the lounge area which is cosy on winter nights and air-blown heating which runs on electric as well as gas. The kitchen is well designed and then the bathroom is full width at the back with a separate shower. The van is very well insulated and even in Spain in the summer I can leave the dog inside while I go for a swim and she is perfectly comfortable (I leave a cool fan on too). As you can see I go abroad in the van for long periods which means jumpers and coats as well as shorts and t-shirts so storage space is essential.

As an aside you might be interested in the club I eventually joined as it can be lonely on your own. It is the New Companions Club and is for lone campers. I was worried about joining but have found it really good. Lots of laughs and you can either do your own thing or join in as you wish. Many have lost their husbands or wives and are very understanding. If you would like to know more please contact me.

I forgot to say that one of the first things my family did was to have a good reversing camera fitted! I also have a sat-nav. You certainly miss the co-driver. Good luck

[Becky]

Thank you , all of you, and especially Brian & Patricia.

 

There is so much I don't know!!

 

I caravaned as a child; every holiday for most of my childhood was in the 'van. When I first had children we had a caravan for a while. For the last few years I have sailed. But things didn't work out as planned ( across the Atlantic to the Caribbean) and my ex-partner and I are just selling the boat.

 

So to learn of the club Patricia belongs to is a revelation. I need to find out more bout that.

 

Brian's comments, backed up by others is also very helpful. I have tried to distill my needs down to the basics. Drive round the UK and get photographs. Visit wild places and get pictures of the wildlife.

 

But I also want to get to the beautiful places abroad, so I foresee traveling (driveability & economy) as further priorities.

 

So I would at the moment favour a good bathroom, a good kitchen (to save on restaurants), a fixed bed, the cab seats included in the accommodation, and not too long to make parking easier.

 

Then I have heard that over-cab accommodation increases the wind resistance/fuel demand. But that is salesman talk. Seems logical though.

 

So, a second-hand 'van to find out what I want. And be prepared to change. Makes sense!!

 

But what about depreciation?

[Patricia]

Have sent you a personal email about the club. You are very welcome to get in touch. Of course the club is another opportunity to speak to like-minded people and glean information before you buy. Lots of the female members drive quite big outfits or tow their own caravans.

 

Forgot to say we bought a good secondhand which had £5K worth of extras fitted with only 5k miles on the clock. Be prepared to lose a lot of money when selling and if to a dealer take as many extras off as possible. They will not include these in the offer price. Another very good reason for staying with the same van.

 

Yes, high winds are problematic but keep the speed down or if too bad park up and enjoy a leisurely rest. It is also a matter of confidence in your ability to hold the vehicle stable - the first crosswind frightened the life out of me! Ordinary main or side roads are also more comfortable than motorways in these conditions. I also have air-rides fitted.

 

As for fuel economy I usually get 29/30 to the gallon from the 2.8 Fiat Ducato engine which is slightly above average I think.

 

Forgot to say that of course the overcab bed can be left made up so when solo you effectively have bedroom, lounge, kitchen and bathroom. That's if you are agile enough to climb up and down - I manage the up bit but the down is more problematic now and my son-in-law has threatened that if I use it he will notify the local fire brigade!

[Becky]

hi Patricia, thank you for your e-mail. I tried to reply but it wouldn't go. So i will try again. There were some problems with my ISP (talktalk)

 

Regards Becky

[Becky]

hi Patricia, thank you for your e-mail. I tried to reply but it wouldn't go. So i will try again. There were some problems with my ISP (talktalk)

 

Regards Becky

[J9withdogs]

Hi Becky, and welcome to the mad-house!

 

Another good way of meeting like-minded people are the Camping & Caravan Club or Caravan Club local rallies.

 

They tend to meet on farms etc which are a bit more off the beaten track.

 

I travel solo, except for the dogs, and love the freedom!

 

Join us on Chatterbox for less serious topics of conversation (lol)

[colin]

Usualy for complete novices I recomend renting to see what works for you, but as a sailor I would think you have a good chance of spotting layouts that don't work for you. Personaly I think the idea of keeping it small is good, most panelvan conversions I can think of have small bathrooms and only a few offer four berth, the I3 is fairly compact for a four berth, but I think it may have a small bathroom.

[Brian Kirby]

Becky - 2008-03-18 10:00 AM ............. Drive round the UK and get photographs. Visit wild places and get pictures of the wildlife. But I also want to get to the beautiful places abroad, so I foresee travelling (driveability & economy) as further priorities. So I would at the moment favour a good bathroom, a good kitchen (to save on restaurants), a fixed bed, the cab seats included in the accommodation, and not too long to make parking easier. ...........But what about depreciation?

Patricia

First, thank you, and you are welcome.  Second, from what you say, I think you should try to keep to 6 metres max length.  Much above that causes parking problems at supermarkets etc, especially in UK.  Consider also width.  Those wild places are often down narrowish roads, and the majority of motorhomes are pushing 2.3 metres wide, plus mirrors.  This can be problematic.  There are now quite a number of motorhomes with "Van" in their name, which tend to be narrower and it seems it may be worth your while to investigate these.  They are little wider than the vans on which they are based, and white vans can get to most places!  Van conversions come in to the same size bracket, but they do tend to be quite a bit more expensive.

Depreciation?  It is always there but, as a generalisation, motorhomes depreciate more slowly than cars of equivalent price, and all motorhomes depreciate more slowly, in percentage terms, than cars.  The biggest hit, as with cars, is after the first year of purchase with a new van.

[snobbyafghan]

I have to recommend the Romahome dimension 2

 

http://www.romahome.com/

 

Romahomes don't get mentioned much here but we've been very happy with ours since getting it last August (and the French loved it..!).

 

It has a 4 burner hotplate and oven so plenty of cooking opportunities, blown air diesel heating, a bathroom with shower (small but more than adequate for 1); a good build quality (not always the case with UK MH's) and is very manouverable. I find it easier to park than our car - the turning circle is excellent.

 

Main drawback for you is the lack of a permanent bed. We don't find the 5 minutes it takes to put up the beds is a problem and feel that a permanent bed is lengthening the vehicle unnecessarily - we prefer the manouverability of the shorter wheelbase outweighs the advantage of having a permanent bed.

 

I'm hoping to take longer trips once I've got my dongle sorted out (!) so that I can keep up with work whilst away and then the compactness will be tried to the limit - I'm thinking of getting a lightweight, drive-away awning to give more working space.

 

Whichever way you go, I wish you good luck and happy MHing.

 

Doug