We are looking to buy our first motorhome in the next couple months but we're struggling to know what to chose. We don't have a big budget so are thinking mid 80's to early 90's but dont know where to start. Should we look for fibreglass bodies or aluminium bodies? Are any more prone to damp than others or rusting. What should we look out for. Any advice will be great please.
I need advice please if possible (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter scottp
- Start date
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Camping Gaza
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- May 7, 2016
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Low budget = private seller. (usually) So... do your research.
1. Read up on here loads of great info.
2. Don't freak out about damp or rotten floor stories use your common sense
3. Buy a damp meter and use your nose
4. There are some scams on e bay so watch out, if its too good to be... you know!
5. Get a good base vehicle, all the caravan stuff can be fixed or added on to.
6. look at Hymers as a brand for longevity
7. Dont rush it.
8. Don't be beguiled with looks and stupid gadgets all that can be replaced re covered or replaced, or even replaced! (did I mention replaced?)
10. Again ask on here, its the best place for all advice.
1. Read up on here loads of great info.
2. Don't freak out about damp or rotten floor stories use your common sense
3. Buy a damp meter and use your nose
4. There are some scams on e bay so watch out, if its too good to be... you know!
5. Get a good base vehicle, all the caravan stuff can be fixed or added on to.
6. look at Hymers as a brand for longevity
7. Dont rush it.
8. Don't be beguiled with looks and stupid gadgets all that can be replaced re covered or replaced, or even replaced! (did I mention replaced?)
10. Again ask on here, its the best place for all advice.
Welcome aboard
Ambilkate
LIFE MEMBER
Hi & welcome to Fun
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Mickey.
Cal54
LIFE MEMBER
Good morning and welcome. Your first consideration should be the layout, get this right 1st time and you will save yourself a lot of heartache and money! Once you have decided how you want to use your van, where you want to travel, and how much time you intend using it, then picking the right layout should be easier.
Think of the size and where you will store it when not in use. You might be able to store a 6 metre long van at home, but not something that is over 7 metres.
Another important consideration is the payload. What equipment/accessories do you intend carrying. Some lovely new vans have really poor payload.
As far as the type of bodywork there are pros and cons for both. The advice posted above by 'camping Gaza' is sound.
Don't forget there is a classified section on this forum, and you might be lucky and find what you are looking for right here.
Enjoy the hunt!!
Think of the size and where you will store it when not in use. You might be able to store a 6 metre long van at home, but not something that is over 7 metres.
Another important consideration is the payload. What equipment/accessories do you intend carrying. Some lovely new vans have really poor payload.
As far as the type of bodywork there are pros and cons for both. The advice posted above by 'camping Gaza' is sound.
Don't forget there is a classified section on this forum, and you might be lucky and find what you are looking for right here.
Enjoy the hunt!!
Hi and Welcome.....
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Hi and welcome to FUN.
WynandJean
LIFE MEMBER
Hello and welcome from West Midlands.
Wyn
Wyn
Hello 
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magicsurfbus
Free Member
Like @Cal54 above I would say consider interior layout first, because that narrows down the available options to a manageable size. You''ll be able to walk onto a dealer's display lot and pinpoint the two or three you want to consider rather than spending ages looking in all of them. Recently we were walking around dismissing anything that didn't have a large boot door on it.
Size & weight can be important, depending on where you plan to travel. If abroad it may become more expensive on toll roads to drive a vehicle much over 3m tall and over 3.5 tonnes max weight. On some ferries (ie DFDS) a length much over 7m can makes a difference to price. If your vehicle has an older diesel engine its use will become increasingly restricted in major urban areas abroad, and maybe here too.
However, if you try to keep to 3.5 tonnes the next issue is payload, ie the permissable weight of extra items (people, water, bikes, equipment, provisions etc) you can carry over and above the vehicle's basic weight. Four adults can soon eat into a 3.5 tonne vehicle's payload. We've just bought one with 395kg payload and it's going to be a challenge to keep within that for two adults, never mind four.
I'd say once you've got layout and dimensions decided you should then start considering build quality, price, mileage, condition etc. Bear in mind that average annual mileages for most motorhomes are much lower than those for cars.
Good hunting.
Size & weight can be important, depending on where you plan to travel. If abroad it may become more expensive on toll roads to drive a vehicle much over 3m tall and over 3.5 tonnes max weight. On some ferries (ie DFDS) a length much over 7m can makes a difference to price. If your vehicle has an older diesel engine its use will become increasingly restricted in major urban areas abroad, and maybe here too.
However, if you try to keep to 3.5 tonnes the next issue is payload, ie the permissable weight of extra items (people, water, bikes, equipment, provisions etc) you can carry over and above the vehicle's basic weight. Four adults can soon eat into a 3.5 tonne vehicle's payload. We've just bought one with 395kg payload and it's going to be a challenge to keep within that for two adults, never mind four.
I'd say once you've got layout and dimensions decided you should then start considering build quality, price, mileage, condition etc. Bear in mind that average annual mileages for most motorhomes are much lower than those for cars.
Good hunting.
Riverbankannie
LIFE MEMBER
Lots of great advice in all the posts above. Good luck.
Janine
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Hello and welcome to the Fun
As the owner of an older 'van, my advice would be to firstly look at a sound base vehicle.
Secondly, work out just how much cosmetic damage you will be able to live with and whether you can accept that there will very likely be damp issues in a 'van of that age. Mine's got a lot of damp issues but, as it's 22 years old and the layout works for us, I'm ok with that. The body is made of some sort of compressed board and doesn't look too pretty now.
I've had my 'Shirley' for 12 years and she's not going to depreciate anymore than she already has so we just enjoy as much time away as we can without worrying about how she looks
As the owner of an older 'van, my advice would be to firstly look at a sound base vehicle.
Secondly, work out just how much cosmetic damage you will be able to live with and whether you can accept that there will very likely be damp issues in a 'van of that age. Mine's got a lot of damp issues but, as it's 22 years old and the layout works for us, I'm ok with that. The body is made of some sort of compressed board and doesn't look too pretty now.
I've had my 'Shirley' for 12 years and she's not going to depreciate anymore than she already has so we just enjoy as much time away as we can without worrying about how she looks
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EX51SSS
LIFE MEMBER
How would I check for damp and where. I have a damp meter with 2 prongs but it leaves marks when pushed in and I doubt a seller would like that. Also where should I look
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Around any opening in the body. Windows, doors and roof lights.
I have a different type of meter in that I don't leave marks but I suspect as long as you pick you spots carefully they should not be to noticeable.
You are looking for percentages less than 15% as a warning number and 20% as a remedial figure.
If you get a high percentage try again a few inches away as sometimes inner body fixings interfer with the results.
I have a different type of meter in that I don't leave marks but I suspect as long as you pick you spots carefully they should not be to noticeable.
You are looking for percentages less than 15% as a warning number and 20% as a remedial figure.
If you get a high percentage try again a few inches away as sometimes inner body fixings interfer with the results.
Pia
Free Member
Layout is Sooo important. ..you need to feel comfortable in your motorhome....payload the more the better....look in loads...have fun choosing.....and ejoy your choice when you get it
Welcome to the fun. If you are not sure what layout you want it is worth doing as we did before buying and spend a couple of hours jumping in and out of all the vans on a dealers forecourt, just to get a feel of the space. Unfortunately there is a distinct lack of dealers with plenty of stock in Devon, but it might be worth a trip up the motorway, Chelston, Highbridge and Westcountry Motorhomes are not too far away, plus there is Martins at Exeter.
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AndyPK
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- Oct 7, 2015
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Hello and welcome!
We bought our first MH about 18 months ago, and sold it after 10 months as the layout didn't really work for us (and our 4 dogs!), so, the most important thing to sort out is, IMHO, the layout of the 'van. We opted for a rear kitchen initially (W reg AS Clubman GL), but quickly found that, with the centre lounge bed made-up it made the rest of the 'van feel very cramped - we also bought a drive away awning to increase the available space (Khyam Motordome). After a few more trips away we decided to change 'vans and tried as many layouts at shows and at dealers as we could, eventually settling for a Marquis Majestic 120, which has a rear lounge that makes-up into a superking sized bed. The 'van is just 6m long which allows us to park along side our house, so you need to check how much space you have - we didn't fancy having to store it away from home - but the best thing you can do (as others have said!) is the see as many 'vans as possible, and then come back to the forum for further advice/comment.....
Happy (future) Motorhoming!
We bought our first MH about 18 months ago, and sold it after 10 months as the layout didn't really work for us (and our 4 dogs!), so, the most important thing to sort out is, IMHO, the layout of the 'van. We opted for a rear kitchen initially (W reg AS Clubman GL), but quickly found that, with the centre lounge bed made-up it made the rest of the 'van feel very cramped - we also bought a drive away awning to increase the available space (Khyam Motordome). After a few more trips away we decided to change 'vans and tried as many layouts at shows and at dealers as we could, eventually settling for a Marquis Majestic 120, which has a rear lounge that makes-up into a superking sized bed. The 'van is just 6m long which allows us to park along side our house, so you need to check how much space you have - we didn't fancy having to store it away from home - but the best thing you can do (as others have said!) is the see as many 'vans as possible, and then come back to the forum for further advice/comment.....
Happy (future) Motorhoming!
Hello. @laird of Dunstan has a nice Hymer for sale around the era you are looking at. Check out his post.
I
you beat me to it I was just thinking the same thing at that price it's a bargain and looks well looked after
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