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Motorhomes and campervans


Kingster

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Chris I bought one of these trailers http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Lider-1300kg-Braked-Single-Axle-Car-Transporter-Trailer-only-1595-00-/221378609375?hash=item338b3180df:g:xEIAAOxy69JTBzui

The A frame can be removed in 5 minutes and slides underneath the trailer

Fitted legs to each corner an the westfield sits on top of the trailer in the garage.

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Ah, I see your rookie mistake now, what he should have said was pick a budget and double it, but only admit to having 3/4 of what you plan to spend, as we'll spend the rest for you anyway ;)

 

Do you work in software sales by any chance..? 

 

That is the sort of twisted logic I am faced with every week.

 

And +1 to all of those saying you do this sort of thing because its the call of the heart and not the head. Do it because you want it, not because a spreadsheet tells you its sensible...

 

Face it, as Westie owners, we're not really well placed to give anybody sensible advice...

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Even Terry Everall has bought one now and he's from Yorkshire :-)

My wife and I have had several now over the years and started off with simple van conversions for the first 2 before upgrading to coachbuilt versions

The main points as I see it are:-

B&B is cheaper but over several weekends away in season can affect cash flow where as a long term purchase of a motorhome is usually done on long term finance making the cost bearable.

Once the good lady of the house wants to start coming away with you, the standard of the décor needs to be substantially improved from that just for a bloke :-)

Unless buying a brand new one, depreciation is low on a motorhome if cared for properly

Unless it small enough to use for everyday use, its another vehicle to tax / insure / park up on driveway etc

If towing with it, you need to be careful on the towing weight capacity and also the fitment of the towbar (not all rear ends of motorhomes are structurally upto the job of fitting one without a lot of work and expense)

Having your own creature comforts whilst away has lots of advantages

Also double as holiday accommodation but usually means restricted to UK or Europe (not a problem to us)

Economically they defy logic but their advantages make them worthwhile IMO. I cant see us being without one for a good few years now

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You might like it so much, you end up living in it - I did (maybe a bit too large for your needs though) :)

 

parking-campingcars.jpg

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OK, here's my latest thought - still trying to get the nod from SWMBO though:

 

Aims are roughly as follows

  1. get the wife more involved in my away days (I know that sounds daft, but I actually like my wife - and besides I can have non-wife away days any time I like cos we get on a treat and never have any hassle)
  2. get to more trackdays - as I am a fair distance from most circuits, that involves motorways and overnighters - neither really suited to the westy
  3. do the above with a dog in tow - hence the reason we can't do it together now without dog sitters (who already work overtime for us!) and why hotels are a bit harder to find
  4. get a weekend-away vehicle for fun - we like camping anyway, so a 'glamping' upgrade is a bonus

So after digesting the comments made so far, I think we could do OK by getting a 'day van' without a high roof (less expensive and plentiful) - or even convert one. Add a decent awning for the stand-up cooking space (maybe using our existing camping gear) and that way we have loads room and a comfy bed in the van. Also have a porta-potti are in the awning (seen a few with that space - though not sure how she'd feel about that!)

 

A day van should tow better than a coach-built older motorhome and could conceivably be used as a daily driver (considering I only do 8-10k a year)

 

Initially, i might look at a cheaper end van to kickstart the idea and next year when my current tin-top lease is over, use the funds available to get a much nicer one (assuming we both like the idea).

 

Sound like a plan?

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An awning with a decent wind break seems to make a world of difference - did you see how popular they were at Silverstone? (Or obviously, you can get the awnings with full sides.

 

Portaloo tents are available too...

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Wow, not seen those before - well, obviously, i may have seen someone with one, just hadn't realised they'd got so "advanced", that's a cracking piece of kit for a day van. Potentially transforms the whole experience.

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Wow, not seen those before - well, obviously, i may have seen someone with one, just hadn't realised they'd got so "advanced", that's a cracking piece of kit for a day van. Potentially transforms the whole experience.

Yep my thoughts exactly
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Sorry forgot to say Chris, when I work out how to upload photos I can put some up of my Iveco interior. When I was "tasked" with making one my wife certainly wanted a good quality one, which I did do.

 

Getting all the right bits, swivel seats ( I have two bases and a swivel pedestal base left) cooker sink etc was easy enough if you know where to look. Getting it to fit was harder and I found going around various shows with a tape and camera was a great way of honing the design so it works.

 

I spent £2k in total on the conversion bits, but as I said all high end. Took me a year to do, because I was doing other things at the same time, realistically Three months should see it done next time.

 

Also bear in mind, if it is a van you are limited to some lesser speed limits. If however you get it changed to Motorhome on the V5 you are not. It is easy to do, but you must have a 6ft bed in it as a fixture to qualify. Send a few pictures and it is sorted. You need to watch the all up weight as well, depending upon the base vehicle which must factor in the car and trailer.

 

I could go on, but ventilation is a key one otherwise they get wet with condensation, to get right. If I can be of any help give me a shout 

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Just be aware that most tracks specifically exclude dogs from them. Even on track days they are a big no.

Hmm didn't realise that. Bummer

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