Island bed motorhomes (1 Viewer)

[klaatu]

Hi Klaatu, That looks like a serious piece of kit. No problem with space on that.

We plan to full-time in it, so we wanted something spacious. We're shortly going off to spend six months in it, partly to see how we get on. One absolute requirement was a fixed island bed, we don't want to be making up a bed every day for the rest of our lives, and we wanted a bed as comfortable as the bed we have at home.

 

[Speve]

Hi Speve, your home is one that I've been looking at. Have you got the oven above the fridge/freezer? and if so, how do you get on with it?
Cheers
Jezza

No we didn't bother with an oven as we felt it was to high instead we bought a Remoska and that is just what we needed easy to use and you can make most things in them and I suspect a lot cheaper than the fitted oven plus there's an extra cupboard.
I know I am biased but the Exsis i698 is a lovely bit of kit and we both love it as far as we're concerned it's a keeper(until something better comes along)

 

[jessthedog]

we bought a Remoska

Thanks Alan, I will look that one up.
What weight are you running at?

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[andy63]

There's the chausson 620 range.. Island bed .. but you either have it as a living area or bedroom.. the bed is stored in the ceiling.. and when down you loose your seating area.. they are near enough 7m..
Andy

 

[Speve]

Thanks Alan, I will look that one up.
What weight are you running at?

We have the 4250 kg 2400 kg on rear and 2100kg front also tow a car trailer so had VB semi air on rear to allow adjusting ride height when loaded last winter we were loaded for three month trip to Spain van was 4000 kg with trailer 1700 kg with the 150bhp engine didn't know we had the trailer behind a really good combination and averaged 25 mpg.GTW6000kg

 

[jessthedog]

We have the 4250 kg 2400 kg on rear and 2100kg front also tow a car trailer so had VB semi air on rear to allow adjusting ride height when loaded last winter we were loaded for three month trip to Spain van was 4000 kg with trailer 1700 kg with the 150bhp engine didn't know we had the trailer behind a really good combination and averaged 25 mpg.GTW6000kg

Thanks, So 6 tonne and it still pulled well, that's good to know. That's the problem! the more you read and gain info, the more you want. I would like air suspension and self levelling jacks, outside shower and BBQ point, rear camera, etc etc etc.
I'll keep dreaming

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[Theonlysue]

Why buy new? Oct Nov good time to buy second hand. If you buy new and find you need to change it you'll lose a lot of money.

 

[Nik]

Hi Nik, looks like a lovely home.

Hi @jessthedog.
Yes it is a beaut, it suits our needs exactly. Does everything we need it to do in pretty good comfort. Easy to drive and manage. Built well too, no problems so far.
Off to Brittany for 2 weeks on the 23rd really looking forward to that.
Pray for sun and good wine.
Best regards
Nik.

 

[Cliffdale]

Nik
This is the sort of thing I am looking for!

I have sailed for the last 30 years and to say we are off to Brittany in 2 weeks would not happen! It all depended on the sea state, weather, wind and 20 hours of sailing. Tides off Brittany and land fall disgusting! Rocks and more rocks!

The advantage, tie up in a harbour and enjoy the wine!

So, time for a change for me! I hope motor home is as fun / pleasurable as sailing. Visiting different ports and being close to the coast as possible.

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[jessthedog]

Why buy new? Oct Nov good time to buy second hand. If you buy new and find you need to change it you'll lose a lot of money.

Hi Theonlysue, Totally agree with you, but finding one that ticks all the boxes is going to be hard.
I haven't ruled out going to Germany. There is soo much more choice over there.
regards

 

[Steve and Kat]

Hi Cliff.. Have responded..

 

[Jo662]

Kon tiki ....669 we love ours .

We love ours too!

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[Speve]

Thanks, So 6 tonne and it still pulled well, that's good to know. That's the problem! the more you read and gain info, the more you want. I would like air suspension and self levelling jacks, outside shower and BBQ point, rear camera, etc etc etc.
I'll keep dreaming

Get the basics all the rest can be added we had VB & EPjacks after ensuring its the right van for us but often you can get them already on if you look at used ours is LHD imported from Germany found on mobile.de lots of nice vans on there. Well worth a look.

 

[Muddibootz]

@Muddibootz

Hi and thanks for the reply

Just googling Elddis Autoquest.. what is the model number of your u shaped lounge? very interested to see what you have!

We have a 140

 

[jdk62]

@jessthedog
Yes the minimum I would go for is 150bhp. I'm very surprised that 130 is standard! my car is 155bhp and i wish I had more!

I know a lot of people here rate A class but i do think they look like a bus, and please, i do not want to offend A class owners, tis just a personal thing.

xx

We had a 7.00m Bessacar on the 130hp Fiat. Not problems at all..... Coped very easily with the Cocktridge to Tomantool road in the Highlands with full fuel and water tanks...

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[Nik]

So, time for a change for me! I hope motor home is as fun / pleasurable as sailing. Visiting different ports and being close to the coast as possible.

Hi @Cliffdale.
Having myself spent a bit of time sailing with my brother out of Jersey I know what you mean about the difference. I enjoy the freedom that our MoHo brings and certainly when my wife retires next year we are off to join the Motorhome fun masses in Spain/Portugal and hopefully Morocco next winter. I always pack my surf board and wetsuit too just incase.
You will enjoy it. You will also get lots of good advice from some very experienced 'funsters' some of it will conflict but in the end you have to settle on what's best for your situation. Only by experiencing it will you find out what you really need. I would recommend hiring one first to see if you like the MoHo way of life/travel and to see what layout you like, or dont'.
Enjoy regardless.
Very best regards
Nik.

 

[hilldweller]

No, not made up my mind yet!! That's the big problem.... I like the end U lounge, cosy and more usuable space in the day. Island bed because they are comfier and no need to climb over each other to get in / out. Bed more convenient left made up. And to throw in another issue, go smaller to get in more carparks??!!

You seem to have this very well analised.

1. Bed convenient for 30% of your life.
2. Lounge and cooking space needed 70% of your life.

You can have both but you pay in length and C1 licence and of course ££££.

It is not easy and 'till you've actually lived in one a month at a time in sun and rain you will never know if you have made the right choice.

Last Saturday we never opened the door. It would have blown off. We were grateful for a decent lounge.

 

[nigel smith]

Hi we have just bought a Autotrail impala 730 with a island bed and it has a separate shower really pleased with it.We had the 150 engine and auto box great bit of kit.

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[roamingman]

It is not people's problem that the company's who build the car parks do not make provision for motorhomes, supermarkets are the worst, we used to take up nearly 3 bays with are truck upset a few people especially as we used disabled spaces, but I said because we have blue badge that's the only place available for us.

 

[burtonbird]

No we didn't bother with an oven as we felt it was to high instead we bought a Remoska and that is just what we needed easy to use and you can make most things in them and I suspect a lot cheaper than the fitted oven plus there's an extra cupboard.
I know I am biased but the Exsis i698 is a lovely bit of kit and we both love it as far as we're concerned it's a keeper(until something better comes along)

Showing my ignorance here. What's a Remoska. I'm assuming it's some sort of cooker that requires ehu.

 

[jessthedog]

Showing my ignorance here. What's a Remoska. I'm assuming it's some sort of cooker that requires ehu.

No. You're not showing your ignorance, I didn't have a clue either. Picture below

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[Speve]

Showing my ignorance here. What's a Remoska. I'm assuming it's some sort of cooker that requires ehu.

Not ignorance at all if you don't ask you don't find out they come in two sizes they are really useful you can cook most things in them even pizzas and bake bread there's a thread on here somewhere with recipes we Alza.co.uk the cheapest half the price of Lakeland

 

[John&Kate]

We have booked accommodation for NEC weekend and hopefully will put down a deposit!!
Favourite so far is Apache 700. But must have a look at the others before parting with money.

Cliff

We too are massive fans of the Autotrail layout, with lounging space rather than island beds, having 2 children gives us that bit of room to keep them out of the way whilst cooking etc.
However our older (2006) Apache 700 just wasnt quite big enough for food preparation, there is no worktop space between the hob and sink, and the fridge was very small. The end loung bed was also very small sleeping across the vehicle which meant we had to climb other one another if getting out of bed.
Our (2010) Arapaho ticks all the boxes for size, particularly in the rear lounge, the bed is massive when converted from seating, we now sleep long ways, we have usbale worktop space whilst cooking and washing and ample food storage as well as additional cupboard space.
Granted we are just short of 9m but I can drive it almost anywhere I want.

We constantly scour other makes and models and layouts to see what else is available, and really always justify our AT layout as preferred.

 

[PeteH]

ALL life is compromise. When looking at Motor-homes it`s no different. We looked at and discarded the Full lounge scenario because, drawing on our experience with a Caravan, where the seating is/was a similar arrangement, we could not lounge comfortably with the back issues we both have!. Instead we elected for using the "Captain" seats coupled with the side seating to give the necessary needed support. Beds, like wise, would love an Island bed, as we had in the R-V. BUT we needed to stay as short as possible, and within B or C1 licence, so compromised with the "French" (side) Double. which did however give us a rear bathroom and usable storage. As For "A" class versus Coach-built, that was down to pure cost!. I favour the A class largely because there are less exterior Joints to fail! and you get a more actual and a better feeling of space on the same overall length and width. But the only one available when we purchased was 12grand More!. And that is a shed load of Diesel!

Pete

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[stevec]

We have a Burstner T660 which has a French bed. Getting in and out is straightforward and doesn't disturb the wife. I can use it when I get tired driving and it has storage underneath for two folding ebikes (only one we found that did). A bit longer than we wanted at 6.8 metres. We had a made up bed model before at 5.7 metres so knew what we were giving up. So far no regrets apart from when we had to turn round in a small French village a few days ago (thank you Mr. Satnav!).

We did see the Pilot island bed model at Norwich show this year and that would have been on our list if it had been around when we bought. Only 6.5 metres. Happy chosing. It's all a compromise really.

 

[DonA4000]

I was looking through Adria's 2017 brochure and as part of their slide out range you can get an island bed (Adria compact plus slide out scs) at 6.2m when closed and 6.9m when out. I do like the idea of it myself

 

[simplyjimbo]

We love our Swift 669. And enough room for our two Great Danes as well.
Been all over France and UK, never had a size problem (!) and had the 160 Iveco engine re-mapped to 200bhp and it trundles along with a Smart car behind on a trailer like it was towing a pillow.
Search the dealers, let someone else take the hit. Ours came with 90cm Sat system, huge solar panel, Sog, outside shower, bike rack and fab winter Fiamma awning.
7500 miles and previous owner had thrown everything at it. Bought from a dealer near Taunton.
Good luck

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