Evening Campers....

[Buzz Billsberry]

Hi all 

I’m looking for help in buying a motorhome,now I know a lot of the SS competitors run these mobile houses and I’m looking for assistance as its my first adventure into ownership. 

I’m basically looking at a 4 or 6 berth 2008-2011 rear lounge...so what’s the do’s and don’ts .... especially for the heating gas,electrics etc...also your opinions on which brands to stay away from etc....mechanically I know my beans but not sure on body work, impact damage and all the rest. I appreciate that an inspection from a qualified personage is the ideal route but I still need to know the basics and what to look for before I start spending money on a ‘lemon’.

 

Any help will be appreciated and I’m sure I ll buy or offer you a alcoholic bev at one of the many rounds I will attending this year...not bad from a Yorkshireman :-)

cheers,

 

Buzz

[Terry Everall]

Hi Pete

What  class are you intending coming out in ?

Good luck with the camper hunt. If you dont need 6 berth then I would stick to 4 berth. Front wheel drive on a Fiat Ducato chassis will probably most cost effective.but make sure you can get a correct tow bar fitted to the chassis. 

[Kevin Pullen]

Don’t buy British(quality not as good and suffer from damp) go German if you can afford it

like buying a Westy go and look at as many as you can

get a current up to date damp test/habitation cert

rwd is better than fwd if your intending towing especially out of paddocks and fields

solar panels and big batteries, gas and electric fridges and cookers

ours has centre dinner rear shower/toilet, king size double over cab two full size bunks that go up for more storage and lounge can convert into another double and single

remember if you lounge is also the bedroom you will have to make up/ strip down every day

[Alan Cutler (Adge) - Dorset AO]

Be sure to check payloads. Some have a very low payload, in an ideal world check unladen weight on a weighbridge, and compare to max. gross weight. Some manufactures figures are a little "imaginative".

[DamperMan]

My advise is don’t get caught out on the wish list and end up with a monster to big to use of anything else.    The smaller you go the more useful it is.  Parking and driving in most of cornwall is a nightmare in these motorhomes. . Small non coach builts based on a  let’s say a T4-5-6  although don’t offer the space are will be more than able to tow a westy in a trailer.   4 adults and you’d need to be friendly.  6 and they need to be in an awning!   But other than height restrictions will go where your average family saloon will.    They will do closer to 40 not 20 mpg.    Add an awning... cook on a bbq.   If you want a toilet in a room (not just a portapotty under the Seat your usually starting at transit medium to long wheelbase size vehicles.    Again parking is becoming more of an issue but coriour vans make it everywhere so general drivability is still good.      

[John Loudon - Sponsorship Liaison]

Whatever you buy, make sure it has been regularly habitation checked (the tester issues a certificate to the owner much like an MOT but for safety of gas / electric / water / damp etc). LED lighting is a great benefit as it minimises the drain on the leisure battery when not hooked up to electic.

As said above, German brands are usually best. The vast majority are FWD Fiat Ducato. There are a few RWD Sprinter and Transits around but nowhere near as common. Don't be tempted by anything less than a 2.3 motor as it wont pull the dick off a chocolate moose. Mine is Fiat Ducato 130 Multijet with a 2.3 engine and tows nicely but you wouldn't want less.

The other thing to be aware of is that if you plan to use it for motorsport activities, you may find a rear garage or belly lockers useful for storage etc. This will however to an extent dictate the layout of the motorhome and may compromise your rear lounge wish.

The next major thing is to absolutely be certain that a towbar can be fitted. Some rear chassis are just extended with flimsy material and are unsafe to mount towbars on. Whilst on about towing, check and double check that the plated towing capacity is sufficient for a car and trailer. Some are plated as low as 800kg.

The payload is also important as this dictates the weight of the kit that you can carry in the motorhome before it is considered overloaded eg - the VIN plate will show a maximum gross weight and an unladen weight. the difference is the payload. Some motorhomes have stupidly low differences and wouldn't allow much kit to be taken onboard legally

 

[Buzz Billsberry]

Hi John 

 

Thanks for the advise its come in pretty handy and I've followed your advise

 

Buzz

[Buzz Billsberry]

I Just want to thank everyone for their advise I think I've found a decent one more to what will suit our needs. Its a Auto trail 2.3 10 plate with rear lounge and 6 berth with six seat belts its done low miles and is pristine inside and out and will suit us for UK touring a couple of holidays away a year with the TVR and of course visiting the SS and watching you fine boys compete!

 

Buzz

[Arm]

Check the tow capacity on the Autotrail, Not many can tow much of a trailer,

[Mark Stanton]

My last van was an Auto-trail Apache 700 - rear lounge / 6 berth - sounds similar layout  

[Buzz Billsberry]

Hi Mark

 

thats the same model. You towed your Westynwith that iirc....I’ll be looking to tow The TAmora which is 1050kg  I’m just waiting to heard back from the dealer who thinks max weight tow weight is 2000kg so that’ll be ok...we’ve also found an Eddis 180 which is 2000kg and 500kg van carrying capacity 

 

Buzz

 

 

[Arm]

Hi Buzz . Get to see the motorhome chassis plate as evidence. We found several nice Autotrails we wanted but all had a max 1050 kg tow capacity. I even rang up Autotrail and asked which models or of a way round it and they said few of their vans and no chance to replate. !

[Arm]

Just looked it up on the Autotrail website and max tow capacity is 1250 kgs for the current version of the van, If I remember correctly the previous were the same.

[Buzz Billsberry]

Thanks for the info that’s interesting.....I’ll keep you posted....

 

Buzz

[Kevin Pullen]

Also remember it’s the trailer and car weight combined