Bed decision (1 Viewer)

[Gillus]

Hi all

Opinions please. We are still looking for a Motorhome. We originally thought we wanted an overhead bed so we didn't have to make a bed every night. We use to have a small vw camper and the bed making use to do my back in and it was a pain to do anything else once the bed was down. Which do you all prefer, is it easier to make up beds or are we better looking at the fixed ones? Any particular motorhomes you would recommend with easy bed making (my only other stipulation is that it has an oven)
Any advice welcome

 

[MikeD]

We use a pair of duvalay's in the new motorhome. Takes just a few moments to set up and put away.

Pain to store though - lol

 

[Deleted member 29692]

The first time we hired one it had an over cab bed. That was the one any only time! We both said never again.

Our current van has a fixed island bed at the rear and that's going to be a non negotiable essential if/when we change it.

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[Puddleduck]

Personal choice I think.

Having had both, I like a bed that doesn't have to be made up, apart from the nuisance of making it up at night and having to store the bedding during the day, a bed made up of cushions is not always comfortable.

Our next van has a fixed transverse bed at the back, a drop down bed in the centre and a "make up" bed in the dinette.

You can retro-fit an oven if you need one

 

[Minxy]

Before deciding what bed you want, decide HOW you intend to use the MH as that will determine if you need the large storage locker/garage that a fixed bed gives you, or if you want more lounging space, a bigger kitchen, separate shower etc ... what sort of places you want to go to is important and how long you want to stay in each location.

We've had coachbuilts and now have a PVC as we wanted a 'slimmer' vehicle to take to the places we want to go rather than be restricted due to the wider coachbuilt MHs.

An oven can be retrofitted into most MHs/campers so IMV it shouldn't be a deal breaker.

 

[Gillus]

It seems some of the foreign makes i.e hymer don't seem to to have ovens just hobs is this always the case?

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[Minxy]

The first time we hired one it had an over cab bed. That was the one any only time! We both said never again.

We did exactly the same! We hired one with a rear lounge and the first night used the overcab bed ... it was horrible! Next night we made up the lounge bed and the dogs were put in the overcab bed!!!

 

[MikeD]

It seems some of the foreign makes i.e hymer don't seem to to have ovens just hobs is this always the case?

I am not an expert but yes I think it is. British built vans usually have a full cooker/oven (at least both of the ones I bought have) but mainland european built vans only have a couple of rings or so.

 

[Puddleduck]

It seems some of the foreign makes i.e hymer don't seem to to have ovens just hobs is this always the case?

An oven is an optional extra on some European built vans. And as already mentioned you can retro-fit.

Don't forget you can have fixed rear bed(s), over cab and drop downs, either in the centre or over the cab.

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[Gillus]

Thanks for your comments about the overhead cab we were having doubts

 

[Deleted member 29692]

It seems some of the foreign makes i.e hymer don't seem to to have ovens just hobs is this always the case?

No it isn't.

Our Rapido has a hob, oven and grill.

 

[WynandJean]

When we first saw the overcab bed in ours we said,"no way are we sleeping in that!" What with climbing ladders and all. Anyway we climbed up to see what it was like. Well it turned out to be a big (bigger than at home) comfortable bed with no stowing away of bedding. No bedmaking. And in the morning just tilt the edge of the bed and it's out of sight. Never slept anywhere else since. And just 5 steps - more than twice that many at home.

Oh -and Jean's has a knee replacement!

Wyn

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[Minxy]

When we first saw the overcab bed in ours we said,"no way are we sleeping in that!" What with climbing ladders and all. Anyway we climbed up to see what it was like. Well it turned out to be a big (bigger than at home) comfortable bed with no stowing away of bedding. No bedmaking. And in the morning just tilt the edge of the bed and it's out of sight. Never slept anywhere else since. And just 5 steps - more than twice that many at home.

Oh -and Jean's has a knee replacement!

Wyn

... but some of them aren't as big as yours Wyn ... er, the overcab bed 'height' that is!

 

[TheTwoOfUs]

We have had a fixed bed in a shortish coach built motorhome and although it's convenient it takes up a lot of room during the day and at nights when you just want to lounge about. We currently have a drop down A class which is always made up and ready to lower into position. The one down side is that because it's transverse one of us (me) has to climb over the other. We got fed up of having to sit upright in the dinette area when we had the fixed bed and that's why we changed it.

 

[WynandJean]

... but some of them aren't as big as yours Wyn ... er, the overcab bed 'height' that is!

That's true. Better check the size. "Size matters" they say.


Wyn

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[Anthea M]

We hired an over cab bed MH but the ladder was like a bunk bed one and uncomfortable, we bought a French bed style which was comfortable but wanted a bigger garage so have had two transverse bed ones. The last two had ovens which I have never used except as a cupboard!! We bbq or one pot cook or eat out! It is our holiday after all and when we tried the oven in the 2 nd van it was useless! But some people love them!

 

[tonka]

Ours is a rear "u" longe that makes up into a big king size bed.. Takes us about 90 seconds, yes sad that we timed it once as loads of people kept saying about how long it took... Benefit is we have a nice big lounge for the daytime. If we are on a long stay somewhere or travelling a lot we leave it made as a bed.
We also have the overcab bed but wife wont sleep there so its often the grandkids and me and the grandson up there.
Have front dinette as well so always somewhere to sit and eat no matter what we do with rear lounge.. OH and that makes another bed as well. Best of all worlds..

Autotrail apache 700.. ps.. It's for sale
www.apache700.myfreesites.net

 

[Hils and Glenns]

Love our Hymer drop down bed. We sleep better in it than we do in our bed at home. Down side - nowhere to put a glass of water. I sleep on the inside because I don't get up for a p in the night. We have friends with a french bed. She sleeps on the side with the cut off and says its difficult to turn over in the night because there's no where for her feet to go.

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[sedge]

Have to say we both found the over cab bed in the Bessacar comfy, actually more comfy than the French bed in the Pilote. I couldn't cope too well with the ladder and having to have the loo door open all night (since I'm the one that has to get up several times a night to use the loo)

Fixed beds are exactly what we said right at the start - usually a waste of space. Yes you have a dinette and the cab chairs if they turn - but nowhere we can both 'flop' full length if we want to.

 

[buttons]

Hi and Welcome.........

 

[mjltigger]

We couldn't cope with over the cab.. edgy ladders, can't see the telly, can't sit up with a cuppa in the morning etc.

We now have a rear dinette in a PVC that makes up a transverse. We leave the bed made up most of the time and spend our time outside but if the weather isn't great or we want a TV afternoon we can turn it back into xomfy lounging space.

We are looking to go up in size again when funds allow and will be looking for a rear U shape lounge and a front dinette or a fixed rear and a front lounge.. Depending on how much funds allow

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[Badknee]

We were sure we wanted a fixed bed but decided they took up too much daytime room. In our Wentworth we have two long couches to sit/lounge on during the day and just roll the bedding out to sleep. I have to get up a couple of times in the night so the singles work really well for us as we won't climb a ladder to get in and out of bed.

 

[Langtoftlad]

Fixed bed...
Perfect for falling into after a night in the pub
Perfect for reading in bed
Perfect for that afternoon nap .

 

[hilldweller]

We originally thought we wanted an overhead bed so we didn't have to make a bed every night.
Any advice welcome

Space wise they are hugely efficient, equivalent to a MH 2 metres longer for the same living space. We've used ours for 10 years now. Two problems, not much headroom and you need to be able to manage the ladder.

A-Class vans have similar with a drop down bed with better headroom but still a ladder.

Rear fixed bed, sometimes have a small ladder but they take up a huge floor area for use about 33% of the day. That lost floor area can cause a loss of living area that you use 66% of the day and give you poor lounge space. Lounge space is vital for bad weather.

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[Bacchus]

Drop down for me every time.

I'd like a fixed island double but don't want to lug an extra six feet of van everywhere, drop down seems the best compromise.

 

[DiggerJon]

Over cab bed for me - at the moment until my dodgy knees can't make the steps! It's the most comfortable bed I've got with its mattress topper, it is permanently made up and it frees up the rest of the van to use all day. However, it is only me using the MH.

 

[Spidey]

We have just changed from a drop down electric bed (very comfy with topper on) to a fixed french bed. We changed to allow more room and for a fixed bed. We got fed up of everyone going to bed abd getting up at the same time. The bed lowered over siting area. We went up to 7m and have large lounge and French bed. The bed has a corner piece that unfolds to fill in the cut off. But tbh found the cut off fine as the bed is large. The compromise ( always one ) is we have lost the shower cubicle which was handy for storage. We now have a lovely garage though

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[Camdoon]

Dutch ovens can be used in bed as well

We have an island bed so there is no waking up SWMBO as I tend to go to bed an hour later and the wife is up half an hour before me. It also keeps the van tidier as there is a sleeping area, garage, kitchen area, wash/toilet area and front lounge. If something does not fit in its respective area it is a candidate not to go. Great being able to stop for half an hour and have a snooze.

 

[Spidey]

We liked the idea of being able to nap during ebday

We didn't have an oven in the last van and kind of missed it. We bought a remoska type appliance which worked well. However in the new van we have a tec tower which gives a small oven and grill. It seems to work well. We were told by our dealer that Rapido put an oven in the british vans and charge £700 to not have it included!

 

[cranky]

The first time we hired one it had an over cab bed. That was the one any only time! We both said never again.

Our current van has a fixed island bed at the rear and that's going to be a non negotiable essential if/when we change it.

This