grumps147
LIFE MEMBER
Hi folks,
after deliberation on both the change from tugging, what layout and what features were essential for our future needs we went for the Autotrail Apache 700SE which was collected on 8 July.
I have decided to try and keep up with a long term review, so here are the first comments.
The handover was comprehensive. I even managed to remember most things, apart from the media centre that is. Still, we hopefully have a long time to play with that.
The first thing was to get use to the size. Many years ago now I had my class 1 HGV through the need for occasional emergency use, and have driven a variety of large vehicles but never regularly. I did drive a Movano 3 litre and a big mercedes van regularly over a 3 year period, but they were not as long or as wide as this.
I have to say that the drive home (once I had reversed on the petrol station as I parked the wrong side for the filler) was extremely pleasant. The door mirrors, with a large upper and smaller lower mirror provided excellent visibility to the rear. At slow speed reversing the camera allows enough visibility to see if anyone walks behind - but in low light you have to concentrate to see clearly even with the infra red lighting provided.
Another couple of runs out to get used to the size, and also the gearbox/speed and I then felt fairly confident that I had adjusted to the length/width. Don't expect Mercedes quality gear changing, its clunky at times. We will see in the long term if that is me or if it is clunky at times. However speed wise I think its brilliant. We can cruise all day at 60 (wind permitting). This gives rise to 2 issues.
Firstly, at over 3500kg then on single carriageway roads the speed limit is 50mph when the national limit applies - jus the same as the caravan but something I will have to be careful of. Secondly, we largely travel on motorways on lane 1 (the nearside), and I noticed on one heavily rutted section some movement that required correction. It was not windy, but I had to reduce speed to 50 to control it. Once out of the rutted section away we went again at 55-60 with no problems.
I tried everything out at home, and last week we went for a week away, as quite a few have said site based so any problems could be addressed quickly.
That week away is another post.
after deliberation on both the change from tugging, what layout and what features were essential for our future needs we went for the Autotrail Apache 700SE which was collected on 8 July.
I have decided to try and keep up with a long term review, so here are the first comments.
The handover was comprehensive. I even managed to remember most things, apart from the media centre that is. Still, we hopefully have a long time to play with that.
The first thing was to get use to the size. Many years ago now I had my class 1 HGV through the need for occasional emergency use, and have driven a variety of large vehicles but never regularly. I did drive a Movano 3 litre and a big mercedes van regularly over a 3 year period, but they were not as long or as wide as this.
I have to say that the drive home (once I had reversed on the petrol station as I parked the wrong side for the filler) was extremely pleasant. The door mirrors, with a large upper and smaller lower mirror provided excellent visibility to the rear. At slow speed reversing the camera allows enough visibility to see if anyone walks behind - but in low light you have to concentrate to see clearly even with the infra red lighting provided.
Another couple of runs out to get used to the size, and also the gearbox/speed and I then felt fairly confident that I had adjusted to the length/width. Don't expect Mercedes quality gear changing, its clunky at times. We will see in the long term if that is me or if it is clunky at times. However speed wise I think its brilliant. We can cruise all day at 60 (wind permitting). This gives rise to 2 issues.
Firstly, at over 3500kg then on single carriageway roads the speed limit is 50mph when the national limit applies - jus the same as the caravan but something I will have to be careful of. Secondly, we largely travel on motorways on lane 1 (the nearside), and I noticed on one heavily rutted section some movement that required correction. It was not windy, but I had to reduce speed to 50 to control it. Once out of the rutted section away we went again at 55-60 with no problems.
I tried everything out at home, and last week we went for a week away, as quite a few have said site based so any problems could be addressed quickly.
That week away is another post.