RACER101
Free Member
- Jul 17, 2011
- 5
- 0
- Funster No
- 17,371
- MH
- Deciding What To Buy
- Exp
- Just Starting
Just starting to gather advice & information to help us decide on our first MH (aiming to be on the road in early Spring 2012).
Our basic requirements are a 2 berth coachbuilt and it looks as though our budget will be enough to get us a low mileage model less than 3 years old.
My first question is what engine & chassis combination to go for and the related issues of performance & fuel consumption are at the forefront of my mind.
Having driven a lot of miles in an lovely old Merc Hymer (belonging to a friend) I know only too well how tiresome / stressful it can be to drive an asthmatic, underpowered vehicle that struggles to keep pace with traffic.
The 130 Multijet TDI seems to be commonly available and the figures for power, torque & fuel consumption look pretty impressive...............but is it actually as good as it seems in real world everyday usage? Does it have any known weaknesses that I should be aware of? I understand these engines are sometimes 'chipped' for more power & torque. Are the claims genuine or just 'snake oil', how do insurance companies react and are there any real world benefits to be had from doing it?
What other engine/chassis combinations are worth considering and, perhaps more importantly, which ones should be avoided at all costs? Bear in mind that I will probably sometimes be towing a lightweight trailer & car (less than 750Kg).
Any advice and personal experiences will be very gratefully received
Thanks in advance,
John
Our basic requirements are a 2 berth coachbuilt and it looks as though our budget will be enough to get us a low mileage model less than 3 years old.
My first question is what engine & chassis combination to go for and the related issues of performance & fuel consumption are at the forefront of my mind.
Having driven a lot of miles in an lovely old Merc Hymer (belonging to a friend) I know only too well how tiresome / stressful it can be to drive an asthmatic, underpowered vehicle that struggles to keep pace with traffic.
The 130 Multijet TDI seems to be commonly available and the figures for power, torque & fuel consumption look pretty impressive...............but is it actually as good as it seems in real world everyday usage? Does it have any known weaknesses that I should be aware of? I understand these engines are sometimes 'chipped' for more power & torque. Are the claims genuine or just 'snake oil', how do insurance companies react and are there any real world benefits to be had from doing it?
What other engine/chassis combinations are worth considering and, perhaps more importantly, which ones should be avoided at all costs? Bear in mind that I will probably sometimes be towing a lightweight trailer & car (less than 750Kg).
Any advice and personal experiences will be very gratefully received
Thanks in advance,
John