Motorhome Advice (again...)

[Andy Banks]

8 hours ago, BigSkyBrad said:

That one you're looking at is 7.5 metres, and due to the north-south island bed, there's an awful lot hanging out past the back axle - and then hang bikes on the back or a-frame something? - it's got more a**e than Kim Kardashian!

Good point, can see us in some modern day version of Carry on Camping...

[BigSkyBrad]

ALL campers are a compromise. Want all the features and space? – you’re be driving a block of flats! Want something compact and nimble/capable? – you’ll be sleeping standing up and barely have a pot to p**s in!

 

Don’t want to put you off because camper vanning is a great lifestyle, but it takes plenty of research and some soul searching - £55k is a lot to spend, only to realise the van you bought is the one you shouldn’t have. Also at that money, you really have to use the hell out of it, otherwise it becomes a very expensive driveway ornament and unlike Westfields they will depreciate.

 

On a couple of holidays back to NZ with my Scottish wife, we hired campers to show her around (different sizes/features), and another trip we borrowed my parent’s converted bus. From that we figured out what features we needed and what we could compromise on when it came to our first build.

 

 

 

This has blown air heating and new ones have wet! Q: What on earth is all that about?

 

Wet heating is just like your house central heating, with water (glycol mix) running around in a radiator system (and sometimes under-floor), and usually heated by a diesel burner. Blown-air can be either electric (240v) or diesel,  propane is a bit old-school.

[Jude - The Mad Widow]

14 hours ago, AdgeC said:

Find its great sport watching others taking hours getting pitched up!

 

Agreed! Off to a music festival on Wed, Park up, wine out... Watch the campers... 

[Steve (sdh2903)]

This has come up a few times and we've always backed out due to the big upfront investment required.

 

For 55k i cant help but feel you could buy a really nice caravan and a really nice tow car and keep a degree of flexibility once pitched (and spend a fair bit less than 55K). Ok the depreciation may be a bit more than a campervan.

[Davep1]

Do you really, really need one that big?

You will obviously get 100 different replies - but the best option is to hire one for a few days first, which may seem expensive, but at that price it could be an expensive mistake.

However, you wont regret it, we wouldnt be without one now, but we chose a quite small, 4wd one to use all year round in all weathers.

 

Best of luck,

Dave.

[Kingster]

With such a long camper you’d pay double on the ferry crossings to Europe. Check out the van that @Martyn Vann - Joint Warwickshire AO has. It’s a corker!

[Andy Banks]

6 hours ago, Jude - The Mad Widow said:

Agreed! Off to a music festival on Wed, Park up, wine out... Watch the campers... 

 

That's the ticket 

[Kingster]

I think this is the one Martyn has - it's like a Tardis, much bigger inside than it appears out!

 

 

[jeff oakley]

No one needs a big motorhome but having space is good. Size is relative in the UK any big motorhome has a downside as parking and say in Devon just driving is not easy.

 

My mate has just bought a brand new Thor american RV, to say it is big is an understatement, it has a full double bed, bathtub. Four huge slide outs and four LCD tv's one of them outside under the awning. As it is in the US it is easy to drive, easy to park and not out of place and this is just for the two of them and dog.

 

8 mpg on diesel and the gen set has an engine bigger than a focus and there was one bigger that this with a twin rear axle but even he said it was too big to justify, like he can justify this one.

[Kit Car Electronics]

As you've discovered, it's really all about the layout and the storage . I took a career break with my wife in 2003 and lived in this for 18 months:

At a little over 10m, it took some careful planning... 

We later swapped to a 6m Hymer A class, which I'd argue is the perfect size for 2, but when kids arrived we changed to caravans. Much as I like the current caravan, I'll be changing back to a 7m motorhome as soon as the kids are bigger and finances allow. 

No matter how much you research, you really wont know what suits you best until you try - so really assume the first one is just to allow you to work out what the second one should be... 

[SootySport]

I rented a  3 berth motor home many years ago when I had three little uns , just to try out if they practical for family holidays.  

So rent one Andy for a week and see if you and SWMBO like the lifestyle first.

[CraigHew]

For sat nav, buy and download Co Pilot.

We use that over the navara built in unit and our £300 tomtom unit.

 

CoPilot allows size and weight of your vehicle and routes you accordingly.

 

We use it with our 7m caravan and so far, including a month in France, no small single track lanes or cul-de-sacs etc...

 

From memory it's about £35

[Kingster]

13 minutes ago, CraigHew said:

For sat nav, buy and download Co Pilot.

 

Hmmm - I have to come out on the side massively against Co Pilot. 

 

I know we all have our opinions but I very nearly jumped up and down on my iPhone in frustration and disgust because of the way Co Pilot ruined day 3 of our Austrian tour. I hate it with a passion 😁

[CraigHew]

5 hours ago, Chris King - Webmaster and Joint North East AO said:

 

Hmmm - I have to come out on the side massively against Co Pilot. 

 

I know we all have our opinions but I very nearly jumped up and down on my iPhone in frustration and disgust because of the way Co Pilot ruined day 3 of our Austrian tour. I hate it with a passion 😁

don't know your details but it's only as good as how you configure the settings...😀

[Kingster]

12 minutes ago, CraigHew said:

don't know your details but it's only as good as how you configure the settings...😀

Nooooo it’s just very, very bad! 😁

 

Bottom line, it took me in one direction, for 150 miles then I took a break and it then decided to reroute me back to the start (150 miles in the wrong direction ) in a country I didn’t know on roads I didn’t recognise.

 

At home I’d have figured it out, but abroad when it REALLY counted it screwed me over and will NEVER be forgiven.