Coach built V 'A' class. (1 Viewer)

Shrimp

Funster
May 27, 2015
3,962
32,906
Bedfordshire, UK
Funster No
36,573
MH
Hymer B584
Exp
Long time
What do you think?
Coach built you loose a bit of space up the front, seats don't always swivel very successfully & the body is wider than the cab!

'A' class, looks like a caravan with the engine inside but you can use almost all the space, swivel seats work, the width of the cab is the width of the body! Me? Biased? No!
 
Oct 29, 2008
5,024
5,804
West Yorkshire
Funster No
4,712
MH
PVC
Exp
since 2008
A Class, usually large dash and feels bigger to drive, Expensive for certain servicing especially engine etc. Some parts dearer, i.e. mirrors, lights etc.

Our coach class has swivel seats that swivel completely, may be narrower at cab level but Luton and rest of body is the same as an A class.
 

Forestboy

LIFE MEMBER
Jul 31, 2007
5,023
8,338
Forest of Dean
Funster No
46
MH
A Class Hymer B694 tag
Exp
9
A class every time for us had a coachbuilt didn't like it sold in less than a year.:eek:
Space is like payload no such thing as too much.:D

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
Aug 6, 2013
11,941
16,532
Kendal, Cumbria
Funster No
27,352
MH
Le-Voyageur RX958 Pl
Exp
since 1999
A class here too. Apart from the reasons already stated it means I have the convenience of a ready-made bed without having to have a fixed bed.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

PeteH

Free Member
Nov 22, 2007
6,853
9,029
East Riding of Yorkshire
Funster No
900
MH
Rapido, 999M.
Exp
18+yrs plus 25+Towing
Would LOVE another "A". But financially the extra 10 grand for the same year. build and layout?. Not on. :(
 

Dave K

Free Member
Mar 24, 2015
1,311
2,477
Somerset
Funster No
35,561
MH
Pilote P740C
Exp
Since 2013
Have never stepped into an A Class that we liked , poor utilisation of all that space is a motorhome crime , and before the A Class mafia go off on one its just my opinion !

I think the same, I've never walked into one where I think they've made the most of the room, most of the spare space seems to be between the driver and the windscreen :D

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

funflair

LIFE MEMBER
Dec 11, 2013
19,199
29,887
Guisborough
Funster No
29,351
MH
MORELO palace
Exp
since 2012
Only ever had the one van and it's A class, can't see us changing to anything else any time soon, we like the view out of the big front window and the way the driving area is integrated into the rest of the living space, with only the habitation door there are no cold spots up front, helped of course by the full insulation and double glazed cab side windows.

Martin
 

funflair

LIFE MEMBER
Dec 11, 2013
19,199
29,887
Guisborough
Funster No
29,351
MH
MORELO palace
Exp
since 2012
I think the same, I've never walked into one where I think they've made the most of the room, most of the spare space seems to be between the driver and the windscreen :D
On Fiats and Merc's you are right there is a lot of dashboard, for me it's only IVECO that have got it right as far as the driving position is concerned.

Martin
 

PhilG

Free Member
Mar 8, 2016
1,582
4,089
leicester
Funster No
41,924
MH
euramobil 810
Exp
since birth
A class every time for us had a coachbuilt didn't like it sold in less than a year.:eek:
Space is like payload no such thing as too much.:D
Too true.. and i went with the 4 Berth layout in my Euramobil , so that with the seats swivelled and we got a full lounge, rather than having the 4 seat diner . And having the TV on the dash works well too.. Had teh same one as a coachbuilt and the cab space didnt work for me.

on the flip side , its like driving a conservatory.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

DuxDeluxe

LIFE MEMBER
Jul 10, 2008
14,627
72,223
Planet Zog
Funster No
3,243
MH
A woosh bang van
Exp
since 2008
A class for us. The extra space was a revelation. We would never go back........
 
Jun 16, 2013
1,228
820
Wiltshire
Funster No
26,522
MH
Low Profile Hymer CL 554
Exp
Since May 2014
I thought i always wanted an A class but after looking around a few we didnt like the driving posistion. We went with a coachbuilt, we have the same lounge as an A class so cant see much difference apart from cab area.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

Lenny HB

LIFE MEMBER
Oct 18, 2007
52,685
147,593
On the coast in West Sussex
Funster No
658
MH
Hymer B678 DL
Exp
Since 2008 & many years tugging
On our first A Class would never have any other type of van now, not only is there more space up front there it also gives a nice illusion of being even bigger. Hymer have a neat trick don't know if any other converters do, they offset the passenger seat only a couple inches but gives a lot more room.
The windscreen further away makes the cab cooler in hot weather. Flat side make it easier to manoeuvre in tight spaces and when reversing

Don't get the argument about driving poistion, steering wheel, seat, dash and front bumper are are the same layout as a standard van. People who criticise them usually have never owned or driven one. When we brought our first van we were looking at A Classes, the x250 had recently come out and at the time thought not much point in having an A Class as the x250 cab was much wider than previous models and the screen deeper, how wrong we were.

Edit: A Class is a proper Motorhome not a body cobbled onto a chassis cab.:ROFLMAO:
 

GWAYGWAY

Free Member
Sep 6, 2014
4,213
3,305
Dover
Funster No
33,216
MH
Hymer ML I 580
Exp
4 years
I have joined the 'A' class owners but when I look under the bonnet it is a nightmare of inaccessibility You cannot do anything even the oil top up is via a long tube, can't see the engine hardly at all and change a fanbelt would be a nightmare, I have a slot about 10 inches over the top of the radiators etc to just see in. However it has a warranty for a couple of years. It is great to drive though and a lot more usable area inside with no step down. They must be built over the complete chassis unit as the body just covers everything.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

Forestboy

LIFE MEMBER
Jul 31, 2007
5,023
8,338
Forest of Dean
Funster No
46
MH
A Class Hymer B694 tag
Exp
9
Unless you do your own servicing can't see engine access is much of a problem. Personally apart from checking fluids I have no interest whatsoever in getting under the bonnet. The guys who do my maintenance are professionals and have no issues working on it nor do they charge any more.
Another urban myth me thinks.:whistle:
 
Aug 6, 2013
11,941
16,532
Kendal, Cumbria
Funster No
27,352
MH
Le-Voyageur RX958 Pl
Exp
since 1999
I have joined the 'A' class owners but when I look under the bonnet it is a nightmare of inaccessibility You cannot do anything even the oil top up is via a long tube, can't see the engine hardly at all and change a fanbelt would be a nightmare, I have a slot about 10 inches over the top of the radiators etc to just see in. However it has a warranty for a couple of years. It is great to drive though and a lot more usable area inside with no step down. They must be built over the complete chassis unit as the body just covers everything.
My previous A class was an FFB with letterbox bonnet opening. I changed the exhaust manifold & clutch (on two different occasions!) without much difficulty.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
Jul 5, 2013
11,713
13,681
Tunbridge Wells, Tunbridge Wells, UK
Funster No
26,797
MH
A class
Exp
Since 2013
My first motorhome was a C class. My new one is an A class. I would never go back. Just prefer the feel when I am in driving in and lounging in it. And prefer the look of it both inside and out. Much prefer the view out of the front too. In the C class I felt I was looking through a letter box.

The idea that there is wasted space at the front is wrong, The relationship between the seats, the dash, the front wheels and the front of the motorhome is identical to the equivalent C class. The only difference is that you have a shorter external bonnet and a longer internal dash top. But that extra space and width means the drop down cab bed can be further forward and much lower and wider than its equivalent in a C class.
 

mustaphapint

Free Member
Oct 9, 2015
580
778
Worcestershire and Brittany
Funster No
39,344
MH
A Class
Exp
Just starting
A class for me too. If you're going to drive something that's over 7 feet wide you might as well have the same width at the front and take advantage of the extra space. It's also less doors to bother about. We only ever use the habitation door.
 

Terry

LIFE MEMBER
Dec 27, 2007
11,904
8,969
Lincolnshire
Funster No
1,075
MH
A class
Exp
Can't remember ;)
Having owned all 3 types -A-class -coach and of course PVC plus a couple of Ambulances that I converted I still like both my last ambulance and the PVC (y)The A class is a lovely roomy van lots of room but for me it is simply not how I use a van -yes the space is great but I like feet up lounging and using the van just like I use the car -bigger is not always better the PVC has everything in it that the A class has except size -A class ok for entertaining but limited as to where it goes -PVC limited on entertaining but goes anywhere :)I have not mentioned CB simply because they vary so much in size that depending on how you use a van would depend on the size of CB you bought which also applies to the A class -PVCs rool (y) for me yet I may end up making more money on the A class than any van I have owned :LOL:Thanks @Munchie ;)
terry
 

Adbt

Banned
May 19, 2015
673
1,018
Cheshire
Funster No
36,435
MH
Bailey Approach 740 SE
Exp
2008
On our first A Class would never have any other type of van now, not only is there more space up front there it also gives a nice illusion of being even bigger. Hymer have a neat trick don't know if any other converters do, they offset the passenger seat only a couple inches but gives a lot more room.
The windscreen further away makes the cab cooler in hot weather. Flat side make it easier to manoeuvre in tight spaces and when reversing

Don't get the argument about driving poistion, steering wheel, seat, dash and front bumper are are the same layout as a standard van. People who criticise them usually have never owned or driven one. When we brought our first van we were looking at A Classes, the x250 had recently come out and at the time thought not much point in having an A Class as the x250 cab was much wider than previous models and the screen deeper, how wrong we were.

Edit: A Class is a proper Motorhome not a body cobbled onto a chassis cab.:ROFLMAO:

And there you have it folks , took a while but it's arrived , if you don't own an A Class you are not a proper motorhomer . all the smilies in the world can't disguise the arrogance . Perhaps the proper motorhomers would like to go and form their own community website ? " Proper Motorhome ( A Class Owners only ) Funsters perhaps ?

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

Join us or log in to post a reply.

To join in you must be a member of MotorhomeFun

Join MotorhomeFun

Join us, it quick and easy!

Log in

Already a member? Log in here.

Funsters who are viewing this thread

Back
Top