Hi (1 Viewer)

V

Vulcan Bomber

Deleted User
Hi All,
We've decided to join the throng, but don't know what to buy. We've noticed that motorhomes are expensive, so want to make sure we buy one that will have good resale value in a few years time. What does that mean please ? eg.....

Should we get 2 berth (there are 2 of us), or get 4 berth for better resale ?

Should we get transverse bed and garage (I'm 6ft 4 in tall) or a bed to make up ?

Why do some have 4 berths but only 2 seats with belts ?

Why can't we get airbags and ipod connections like cars have these days ?

Will 130 hp be enough to drag 3.5 tonnes along ?

Any advice would be gratefully received - Many Thanks
 

JockandRita

LIFE MEMBER
Aug 2, 2007
11,402
148,472
Lincs/Cambs border
Funster No
49
MH
N+B Flair 8000i
Exp
Since May 05 (Ex Tuggers).
Hi All,
We've decided to join the throng, but don't know what to buy. We've noticed that motorhomes are expensive, so want to make sure we buy one that will have good resale value in a few years time. What does that mean please ? eg.....

Should we get 2 berth (there are 2 of us), or get 4 berth for better resale ?
Hi there, are you the same Vulcan Bomber that keeps phoning Sally Traffic on Radio 2, with traffic reports, when out driving your truck? ::bigsmile: Probably not. :Smile:
Anyway, welcome to the forum.
A two berth can be a bit cramped, whereas a four berth wil be more spacious and usually with a dinnette too. I personnaly think that the four berth does have a better resale value

Should we get transverse bed and garage (I'm 6ft 4 in tall) or a bed to make up ?
We are on our first fixed bed after 16 years of making up a bed every night, and for us it's a winner. Unless you are chucking bikes, or a small scooter in your garage, you could go for a half garage, which would put your fixed bed at waist height, rather than at head height. The bikes could then go on the back of the MH on fixed bike rack.

Why do some have 4 berths but only 2 seats with belts ?
Strange one that, isn't it? We are a five berth with only three seat belts, but things may be different when buying brand new, due to a change in legislation, requiring all passengers to be belted in.

Why can't we get airbags and ipod connections like cars have these days ?
Perhaps it's because most MH's are built onto light commercial chassis cabs, which aren't usually as "high spec" as a lot of cars.

Will 130 hp be enough to drag 3.5 tonnes along ?
Oh yes, and heavier too.

Any advice would be gratefully received - Many Thanks

Hope this is of some help VB

Jock.
 

RichardnGill

Free Member
Sep 22, 2007
183
1
Durham
Funster No
323
MH
C Class
Exp
3
Why can't we get airbags and ipod connections like cars have these days

Yes you can, ours has driver & passanger air bags. I am in the process of getting ford to fit an audio jack to the cd player and this will enable I pod/mp3 conecion.

I would agree with Jock on the rest of you questions.


Richrd...

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scotjimland

LIFE MEMBER
Jul 25, 2007
2,088
9,034
Suffolk Coastal District, UK
Funster No
15
MH
Timberland
I agree with Jock and Richard..

In addition, look carefully at the payload, this is often overlooked and can be miserly on 4 berth vans on the 3.5 ton chassis, if your license permits go for the up rated chassis models.

Jim

Just read JSW's post.. go for an RV :thumb:
 
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johnsandywhite

Free Member
Jul 29, 2007
1,720
19
Doncaster/Spain
Funster No
31
MH
'A' Class RV &
Exp
11
:Cool: Hi Vulcan Bomber. First of all a BIG Welcome to MotorhomeFun from John & Sandy. :winky:

:Cool: Motorhomes expensive? That depends on (here we go again) how BIG is a piece of string? You DON'T have to buy NEW unless you have something against your fellow race passing on bugs? You can buy a BIG RV for less than £!5,000 of a reasonable age, quality and cleanliness or you could buy a European of less quality, age and cleanliness for the same amount of money. Just my H&HO. :ROFLMAO:
 

BGD

Banned
Aug 20, 2007
88
1
Costa Blanca, Spain.
Funster No
133
Welcome aboard!!

W've got a "4-berth", and there are just two of us.
I have to say it's just about right for us in terms of space to store stuff, space to move around etc. We use the overcab area for strage, rather than as a bed.
It's still an overcab coachbuilt van, on a short stubby wheelbase.

I don't honestly think we'd have been happy in a "2-berth" - at least not if the amount of interior space/cupboards etc was reduced as a result.
Remember, you're gonna LIVE in this thing, possibly for extended periods of time.

It might be useful to go to some campsites and ask a few owners if it would be possible to have a quick look inside their MH's when they are actually being used in the real world - then you can see the large amount of kit that people tend to need to carry around in/on them, rather than looking at MH's in the anticeptic world of the dealer forecourt when the only thing filling the inside of them is a little bunch of flowers on the table.

Incidentally, ours cost us €6,000 (£4,000) earlier this year, bought privately here in Spain from an English chap. Although it's aged (1992), it's in genuinely superb condition inside and out, everything works perfectly, and we've so far done about 8,000 trouble-free miles in it, all over Spain, up and down mountains etc.
Great fun!!!

In addition 'cos it's an old dog, it's MUCH simpler and much cheaper to maintain, and I don't feel any problems about adding bits, drilling for new shelves etc. On a New van I'd probably have invalidated any guarantee already with my tinkering and fettling.

Cheers,

Bruce.

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Papa Smurf

Member
Sep 25, 2007
539
3
Funster No
402
Welcome fellow newcomer!

I can't offer much in the way of advice, particularly as we're looking for our first MH too! I have looked at 2 berth models, and have not found one that gives the convenience of a 4-berth model ( permanent bed, storage to name but 2).

Airbags...... This is a true story. We enquired about purchasing a NEW MH, with the factory fitted option of a passenger airbed. We were told that this would add between 6 & 9 MONTHS to the build time!!!!!:cry::cry::cry:

Good luck in your quest!!
 

Gonewiththewind

Free Member
Sep 13, 2007
846
36
Lancashire
Funster No
286
Exp
July 2007
Apparantly, even with new vans, only forward facing seats are required to have seat belts. You can have all seats belted but will come as extras.

I am a single or solo camper but my van is 4/5 birth.
But I think next time (if their is a next time) I would like a perminant Made up bed.


Don
 
Jul 20, 2007
1,244
17
Scotland
Funster No
686
MH
A Class
Exp
Since 1999
Welcome Vulcan Bomber. Hopefully your questions have been answered and now you will think of lots more :roflmto:
The most important thing about a motorhome is the layout, it cannot easily be changed and will give you the most grief. I can only suggest visiting loads of dealers and seeing as many different layouts as possible, do not be in a rush, take your time and stay in the vans for as long as possible. Try to imagine yourselves doing all the things that you will be doing whilst out in it, cooking, eating, lounging, sleeping and of course abluting ::bigsmile: If you cannot do it with ease and comfort on a dealers forecourt, with an empty van, you will never be happy with it once you are on site and it is full to the gun whales with your kit ::bigsmile:
Look at all types of vehicles from panel vans to American RVs, remember that even the biggest RV is really only a two berth (it has only one bedroom) and any extra beds are made up from seating..... Your choice is limitless, but you absolutely must try to get the choice of layout correct before anything else.
Good luck with your hunt..... This really is the exciting part.

Keith

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