Layout Types (1 Viewer)

[Mrs.Mallard]

This may be a stupid question but why are some layouts deemed British and some Continental? Why is there a difference in preference and what are the pros and cons?
I am completely green never stayed in a MH!

 

[Hel999]

I think the continental layouts tend to have a fixed bed and less lounging area. I guess it depends where you are planning visiting - british wet weather means a large comfy lounge area for rainy days is a must for many

 

[philw111]

There aren't really any pros and cons. Whatever layout works for you is the one you want - ignore the descriptions

Welcome to the forum

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Jim]

Hi Mrs Mallard. Traditionally the Brits liked a U-shaped lounge set up that gives a large lounge thats made into a large bed along with a large kitchen with an oven, this layout was rare across the channel but it did exist. However these days there are no real distinctions between motorhomes made here or on the continent and most makers have diverse layout options. Welcome to the Fun

 

[Bazzermc]

Brits have easily accessible full ovens, continentals have high unusable small ovens, or at least that was our finding........
Also door can be on the other side.........
Welcome and enjoy.......

 

[Lenny HB]

A lot of British vans are caravans on wheels they have never evolved into proper Motorhomes, U shaped lounges, that you have to do a jigsaw to make the bed up each night, IMO best avoided. They are also very good at including water ingress & damp as a standard feature.
Continental vans nearly always have a fixed bed & table, generally have better cab seats that the standard Fiat, Merc offering, much more suited to touring rather than parking on a site for a week.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[TerryL]

If you get yourself a copy of "Practical Motorhome" they list 24 different layouts in their "Buying a Motorhome" feature towards the back of the magazine - useful for some ideas. As already stated it "UK" or "Continental" have become blurred together and most manufacturers have variants of each.

Jim, our revered leader sells an excellent tome on buying a motorhome. Checkout the shop.

It's important that you check out as many different layouts as you can - a show or a couple of big dealers is probably best. Getting this basic choice wrong could ruin any enthusiasm you've got, as well as being very expensive.

 

[Allanm]

Our British built Motorhome has a "French Bed"!

 

[ballinue]

Hi All Just new to this site, can anybody tell me where I can get measurements for to convert a Citroen relay 2.2 into Camper-van that would
give the lay out for the interior bed / sink / etz

Thanks

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[The Boofles]

Hi Mrs Mallard - totally agree with TerryL - we are newbies too to motor homing and were convinced that we wanted a fixed bed layout. After a lot of visits to dealers/shows we changed our mind totally.
It's a big investment so take your time x

 

[Mrs.Mallard]

Thanks The Happy Couple and TerryL! Have ordered said book

 

[peterc10]

My advice would be to not be dogmatic when deciding what layout you want. When we were looking for our last motorhome I new exactly what I wanted to buy, a 6m long A class with overcab bed and end kitchen. We ended up buying a 7.2m coachbuilt with 2 single fixed beds and "continental" lounge. And we have not regretted it.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[mitzimad]

Hi All Just new to this site, can anybody tell me where I can get measurements for to convert a Citroen relay 2.2 into Camper-van that would
give the lay out for the interior bed / sink / etz

Thanks

you will get more response to this question on the sbmcc forum a wealth of info for self building

 

[Anthony496]

A lot of British vans are caravans on wheels they have never evolved into proper Motorhomes, U shaped lounges, that you have to do a jigsaw to make the bed up each night, IMO best avoided. They are also very good at including water ingress & damp as a standard feature.
Continental vans nearly always have a fixed bed & table, generally have better cab seats that the standard Fiat, Merc offering, much more suited to touring rather than parking on a site for a week.

Wow broard statement

Our 496 is exactly the layout for our family (rear lounge) , we have three kids, try keeping them in a small euro front lounge when it's raining. Everyone has there own needs no point in slating a particular layout just because it doesn't suit you. Best avoided??? Yes perhaps if you MH alone! I'll just let the misses know we haven't bought a proper motorhome

Horses for courses.

By the way welcome Mrs mallard !

 

[Dave K]

Wow broard statement

Our 496 is exactly the layout for our family (rear lounge) , we have three kids, try keeping them in a small euro front lounge when it's raining. Everyone has there own needs no point in slating a particular layout just because it doesn't suit you. Best avoided??? Yes perhaps if you MH alone! I'll just let the misses know we haven't bought a proper motorhome

Horses for courses.

By the way welcome Mrs mallard !

I know the French and German manufacturers are seen as the must haves in MH's but I can't imagine trying to relax sitting in that dining area that they seem to all have, we've got a rear lounge in our Swift and love the fact we can stretch out and relax if the weather is naff or whilst watching the telly in the evening, as you say horses for courses but with our weather comfort has to be a big consideration

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Speve]

I know the French and German manufacturers are seen as the must haves in MH's but I can't imagine trying to relax sitting in that dining area that they seem to all have, we've got a rear lounge in our Swift and love the fact we can stretch out and relax if the weather is naff or whilst watching the telly in the evening, as you say horses for courses but with our weather comfort has to be a big consideration

We have recently changed to a Hymer Exsis i698 and I took out the fixed table and we use a folding one which suits us well gives you loads of lounging space.

 

[Lenny HB]

I know the French and German manufacturers are seen as the must haves in MH's but I can't imagine trying to relax sitting in that dining area that they seem to all have, we've got a rear lounge in our Swift and love the fact we can stretch out and relax if the weather is naff or whilst watching the telly in the evening, as you say horses for courses but with our weather comfort has to be a big consideration

Don't know what you are missing, nothing more comfortable than Augti captain seats up front, perfect for lounging when reclined.

Don't agree with Speve I wouldn't buy a van without a fixed table.

As for using they van in naff weather don't do that, 35° where we are at the moment.

 

[Dave K]

Don't know what you are missing, nothing more comfortable than Augti captain seats up front, perfect for lounging when reclined.

Don't agree with Speve I wouldn't buy a van without a fixed table.

As for using they van in naff weather don't do that, 35° where we are at the moment.

That's where we're all different isn't it, I wouldn't buy a van with a fixed bed but what suits our needs doesn't suit others, it'd be boring if we were all the same

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Ja63]

Our British built Motorhome has a "French Bed"!

Huh...that's nothing......ours has a Japanese microwave!!

 

[Mrs.Mallard]

Sounds better than a Japanese bed or a French microwave?

 

[Allanm]

I know the French and German manufacturers are seen as the must haves in MH's but I can't imagine trying to relax sitting in that dining area that they seem to all have, we've got a rear lounge in our Swift and love the fact we can stretch out and relax if the weather is naff or whilst watching the telly in the evening, as you say horses for courses but with our weather comfort has to be a big consideration

Thats what put us off, that and steps up to the rear bed over a garage, that most seem to have.
Although a garage would be nice, I would feel like I was sleeping in a coffin, memories of sleeping in a 2 berth VW camper with a low roof come back to me.......

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Lenny HB]

Huh...that's nothing......ours has a Japanese microwave!!

More weight and a waste of space, why would anyone want to eat nuked food on holiday.

 

[Lenny HB]

Thats what put us off, that and steps up to the rear bed over a garage, that most seem to have.
Although a garage would be nice, I would feel like I was sleeping in a coffin, memories of sleeping in a 2 berth VW camper with a low roof come back to me.......

Thats why we brought one with twin beds over a garage if you don't like twin beds plenty of vans with a island beds over a full sized garage, and the front drop down beds are very comfortable & German vans don't come with damp as a standard feature.

 

[Allanm]

......... & German vans don't come with damp as a standard feature.

They do if you Google "Damp in Hymer Motorhomes" or look at the numerous similar threads in these forums........

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[etap]

It is very difficult to buy the correct MH with the correct layout first time, trying them out by hiring doesn't necessarily help because a week or so is not enough time to access your needs, if this is a once off purchase not to be repeated then I would go for those things you would feel happy with ie cooking facilities, shower toilet facilities, driving position,length of MH, and ensure the sleeping arrangements are suitable for you and comfortable.
Everyone's tastes are different ,and like cars every make of MH has at sometime either broken down or had problems.
Etap ( good luck)

 

[Lenny HB]

They do if you Google "Damp in Hymer Motorhomes" or look at the numerous similar threads in these forums........

nearly all the google results refer to damp checks if you Google damp Swift or AT you hundreds of answers about soggy vans.
Hymer's do sometimes get damp but usually in old vans, not like Swift and AT where they send them out of the factory sodden.

 

[Ja63]

More weight and a waste of space, why would anyone want to eat nuked food on holiday.

Sense of humour bypass???

We usually take a home made curry with us and zap it in the microwave to heat it up. Also, use the packet microwave rice as it is perfectly good and saves on mess. I take frozen chicken pieces for our two little dogs and use the microwave to defrost it and I like a milky coffee so heat the milk in a mug rather than in a saucepan....saves on washing up.

The microwave is empty during the journey so I suppose I could use it for storage if we were short but as there's only two of us in a nearly 8 metre van, we haven't filled the cupboards that we have got yet.

Our motorhome has a gross weight of 4.5 tonne....a piddly microwave hasn't made much difference!

As a few people have said, no particular layout or spec fits all....it depends what you want in your own van!

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Allanm]

nearly all the google results refer to damp checks if you Google damp Swift or AT you hundreds of answers about soggy vans.
Hymer's do sometimes get damp but usually in old vans, not like Swift and AT where they send them out of the factory sodden.

Those two makes do get their fair share of damp.

 

[Lenny HB]

Sense of humour bypass???

Think you need to go to Specsavers, didn't you notice the smiley

Anyway wouldn't want to fit a bigger inverter and more batteries just to run a microwave.

 

[Dave K]

nearly all the google results refer to damp checks if you Google damp Swift or AT you hundreds of answers about soggy vans.
Hymer's do sometimes get damp but usually in old vans, not like Swift and AT where they send them out of the factory sodden.

That must be why there are so many on the roads, we're all trying to dry them out.....