Which are the 'quality' manufacturers of MH's (1 Viewer)

[ManTheVan]

Got to say - no-one's mentioned Rapido yet. We came from a really solid and beautiful 33' Westerly Yacht. She was really well-found and constructed with solid wood panelling below (sapele). Rapido were the only make we found which had a similar feel and build-quality, and that's what we ended up buying. She's my 'yacht on wheels' and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Go and see a couple. I reckon you'll see what I mean.

 

[mish]

Thanks all.

That survey is very interesting, and bears out my suspicions on poor fit and finish of those vans I have looked at already. It was the greatest complaint of all, justifying the theory that buying second-hand ensures one gets a vehicle that has all the manufacturing faults ironed-out. I see there are plenty of ex-hire vans available with minimum use after 2 seasons.

Shower sealing being a good point, in fact I soon learned in a boat that a 30inch wide (x24inch) is best for sticking elbows out, also that a fixed shower cabin limits movement whereas a curtain one side makes life getting to all the bits, that much easier.

I also note that some of the vehicles I have seen 'feature' the galley area very close to bedding, sometimes just a low upright board separating the two.

I see no point in buying a used vehcle to try it out before making a final decision. After all my years on boats I know what to look for and what works for us - the wide shower space and a bed 2 metres long if not more. In fact, a canal narrowboat is narrower than a vehicle, being a usable 6ft between hull linings up to waist height. A great advantage being that there are no structural bulkheads in a steel hull, unlike a GRP yacht. So I certainly get the point of finding a vehicle made to similar standards of a well designed yacht hull. Which I suppose is what is in the back of my mind.

But I seek a MH not for a permanent home, but for maybe three treks a year out into Europe visiting friends.

On the water ingress issues mentioned in the survey, does it tend to be the custom made vans rather than the converted panel vans with the problem? I see custom made vans are a collection of pre-assembled interiors fixed to the chassis with the sides and roof fitted last with the seams of same being the problem. Again I assume that the panel vans are not such a problem, but they do all have roof lights etc. to be sealed.

I did not mention that I have had the pleasure of travelling in the USA in a Winnie, so have sampled their standards. The point about the USA gasoline engines being mostly LPG converted is true, but hardly economical with a 5 litre V8. I am thinking LPG on a 2 - 2.5 litre European gasoline engine. So I may have to drop that one unless I find a used European made example with a petrol engine. The USA models for sale are at a good price but are all mostly too big for us. I want something around 6 metres and 2 or at most 3 berth.

I am passing our local Adria agent later this month and will stop-by. Again, my sincere thanks for your help and the welcome from so many.
m

 

[jongood]

Thanks all.

That survey is very interesting, and bears out my suspicions on poor fit and finish of those vans I have looked at already. It was the greatest complaint of all, justifying the theory that buying second-hand ensures one gets a vehicle that has all the manufacturing faults ironed-out. I see there are plenty of ex-hire vans available with minimum use after 2 seasons.

Shower sealing being a good point, in fact I soon learned in a boat that a 30inch wide (x24inch) is best for sticking elbows out, also that a fixed shower cabin limits movement whereas a curtain one side makes life getting to all the bits, that much easier.

I also note that some of the vehicles I have seen 'feature' the galley area very close to bedding, sometimes just a low upright board separating the two.

I see no point in buying a used vehcle to try it out before making a final decision. After all my years on boats I know what to look for and what works for us - the wide shower space and a bed 2 metres long if not more. In fact, a canal narrowboat is narrower than a vehicle, being a usable 6ft between hull linings up to waist height. A great advantage being that there are no structural bulkheads in a steel hull, unlike a GRP yacht. So I certainly get the point of finding a vehicle made to similar standards of a well designed yacht hull. Which I suppose is what is in the back of my mind.

But I seek a MH not for a permanent home, but for maybe three treks a year out into Europe visiting friends.

On the water ingress issues mentioned in the survey, does it tend to be the custom made vans rather than the converted panel vans with the problem? I see custom made vans are a collection of pre-assembled interiors fixed to the chassis with the sides and roof fitted last with the seams of same being the problem. Again I assume that the panel vans are not such a problem, but they do all have roof lights etc. to be sealed.

I did not mention that I have had the pleasure of travelling in the USA in a Winnie, so have sampled their standards. The point about the USA gasoline engines being mostly LPG converted is true, but hardly economical with a 5 litre V8. I am thinking LPG on a 2 - 2.5 litre European gasoline engine. So I may have to drop that one unless I find a used European made example with a petrol engine. The USA models for sale are at a good price but are all mostly too big for us. I want something around 6 metres and 2 or at most 3 berth.

I am passing our local Adria agent later this month and will stop-by. Again, my sincere thanks for your help and the welcome from so many.
m

The point of buying a used MH is not to try it out before buying new, the biggest reason is that you are unlikely to buy the perfect Mh first time and the depreciation hit on them is huge. Even though you ve been boating/caravanning whatever all these years you will still use a motorhome differently, (you will have to park in different places for one) so different things are likely to be important. I havent read the whole thread, but does the shower area actually work for you is a good one, do you want to carry scooter or bikes and if so how, how much room are you actually comfortable with, we all want a tardis. So if you buy a 2nd hand one and it doesnt work for you as expected its not as painful to change.

Another issue is that many of us believe that MH's were actually better pre the 2008 crash. The current vogue towards chasing the 3500/7500kgs limit has made many of them flimsy and reduced choices.

One of the choices that has gone is LPG. I don't know where you ve been but you havent been able to buy a european van or truck in MH size with a petrol engine for many years so unless you go really old or American you will end up with Diesel.

The water ingress issue is more of an issue with coachbuilts some uk motorhomes have picked up nicknames like 'watertrail' and 'leaky tikis', although all MH's are potential sufferers because they all a collection of panels that have holes in -windows, flues, hekis, and the seals between roof and walls etc etc. Buying a new one won't protect you from it The best solution is to find one without structural wood so that if it does/has leaked it hasnt/won't rot.

hope this helps

Jon

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[DDJC]

Thanks all.

That survey is very interesting, and bears out my suspicions on poor fit and finish of those vans I have looked at already. It was the greatest complaint of all, justifying the theory that buying second-hand ensures one gets a vehicle that has all the manufacturing faults ironed-out. I see there are plenty of ex-hire vans available with minimum use after 2 seasons.

Shower sealing being a good point, in fact I soon learned in a boat that a 30inch wide (x24inch) is best for sticking elbows out, also that a fixed shower cabin limits movement whereas a curtain one side makes life getting to all the bits, that much easier.

I also note that some of the vehicles I have seen 'feature' the galley area very close to bedding, sometimes just a low upright board separating the two.

I see no point in buying a used vehcle to try it out before making a final decision. After all my years on boats I know what to look for and what works for us - the wide shower space and a bed 2 metres long if not more. In fact, a canal narrowboat is narrower than a vehicle, being a usable 6ft between hull linings up to waist height. A great advantage being that there are no structural bulkheads in a steel hull, unlike a GRP yacht. So I certainly get the point of finding a vehicle made to similar standards of a well designed yacht hull. Which I suppose is what is in the back of my mind.

But I seek a MH not for a permanent home, but for maybe three treks a year out into Europe visiting friends.

On the water ingress issues mentioned in the survey, does it tend to be the custom made vans rather than the converted panel vans with the problem? I see custom made vans are a collection of pre-assembled interiors fixed to the chassis with the sides and roof fitted last with the seams of same being the problem. Again I assume that the panel vans are not such a problem, but they do all have roof lights etc. to be sealed.

I did not mention that I have had the pleasure of travelling in the USA in a Winnie, so have sampled their standards. The point about the USA gasoline engines being mostly LPG converted is true, but hardly economical with a 5 litre V8. I am thinking LPG on a 2 - 2.5 litre European gasoline engine. So I may have to drop that one unless I find a used European made example with a petrol engine. The USA models for sale are at a good price but are all mostly too big for us. I want something around 6 metres and 2 or at most 3 berth.

I am passing our local Adria agent later this month and will stop-by. Again, my sincere thanks for your help and the welcome from so many.
m

Agree with you about buying new. I was a tugger for years then a hirer, so we were pretty sure about what we wanted and we could only find one model that fitted our requirements.

Couple of things that you may have to compromise on.

A 6m moho will, by nature of its size, have the galley very close to the sleeping area - especially if you want a fixed bed (don't blame you, it was our choice too). The problem is that out of that 6m, you lose 1.5m for the cab and engine. Trying to then fit in a fixed bed, a shower, bathroom, galley and seating area, and you wrestle with the problem that has plagued and intrigued designers for decades. You might have to edge towards 7m to get what you want.

As said by Jon, water ingress is a problem that happens on new and old mohos. Mine is a typical Italian bus, extravagant, eccentric interior styling, bit of flair, panache, great ideas, but like my beloved Italians, occasionally they miss out on the basics. Our first decent rain shower and we had water pouring in round one of the windows. On inspection, that one window had been fitted without any sealant at all! Call to dealer and fixed quickly. We did originally look towards German, but the extra ten/fifteen grand put us off.

If you are accustomed to a bit of space, then a panel van conversion may not be quite large enough to fit what you want in, unless you design it yourself. Nothing against PVCs, and frankly I envy them as they skate past me on the autostrada. A fixed bed, and shower , and galley, and bathroom can be fitted into a PVC, but most designers look towards dual use in a PVC.

Re: LPG. For some weird reason, LPG stations seem to be disappearing in UK. We used to have one down the road. Then six miles away. Now it is fifteen miles away. This is a nuisance because we converted our gas last year to refillable. Fine for Yerp, but not so great for here.

Anyway the very best of luck in your quest! For many, a new moho is likely to be the second most expensive thing they buy. I really enjoyed the searching, the comparison work, trips to the NEC etc.

 

[mish]

My thanks to you both for your enthusiastic help. On a 'garage', its not a major point for me but I am happy to have a bike rack bolted outside on the rear. Space for a barbecue would be useful, but most of the outside accessed cubby holes I have seen I think would meet our needs. I see some cross beds are separated from the galley by say, a wardrobe, but yes, agree its a compromise on the shorter chassis.

The point on timber framing is well taken. It seems popular with UK manufacturers, but I notice not many of them are rated in the survey, especially for fit/finish/watertightness!

On LPG, remember I am not intending to do much touring in the UK, I will be in Europe. VW, Merc and most Japanese manufacturers offer petrol engines on most van chassis, but maybe not in the UK.

Although we have LPG available in our home area anyway. Have you noticed how much more plentiful LPG is when you get into Europe? If you go south and east of Hungary down to and including Turkey you will find LPG is a delivery option on many new vehicles too. Adria - in European markets - offer LPG conversions from new. There is one converter in the UK with Polish origins and they use their own kits from the home country which are very popular there. But the LPG is not an issue, though I have become used to using it after working for many years overseas. I remember that in the US the Winnie ran on LNG, so too a John Deere combine harvester I used to drive in Iowa, but I digress.

I will draw a line under this now , and might pop-up again in other forums when my curiosity is triggered by my MH viewing! Sincere thanks again.
m

 

[RubyOptics]

We were recently fortunate enough to get a look round the new Weinsberg Pepper and I must say we were very impressed with both the thoughtful layout, the feeling of space inside and the general fit and finish of the vehicle. They are fully winterised, which I feel is a must for you. They are pretty compact at 6.75m and the price is extremely competitive. We looked at the french bed option as it was the only one in stock, and I'm 6'3" and over 100kg and the bed was nice and spacious in both length and width. Looks to be a reasonable payload as well.

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[Podney]

Got to say - no-one's mentioned Rapido yet. We came from a really solid and beautiful 33' Westerly Yacht. She was really well-found and constructed with solid wood panelling below (sapele). Rapido were the only make we found which had a similar feel and build-quality, and that's what we ended up buying. She's my 'yacht on wheels' and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Go and see a couple. I reckon you'll see what I mean.

Excellent choice!!!!!!!

 

[slowdriver]

I had a somewhat similar set of requirements and ended up importing a La Strada Avanti EB. Build quality is excellent. If you don't mind the absence of a UK dealer network, and LHD then it might be worth considering, along with other German built vehicles. The easiest way to get a look at a good range of continental manufacturers is to attend the Caravan Salon in Dusseldorf every Sept. Whether it will occur this year, who knows. But we went twice 2018/19 and found in invaluable. http://www.lastrada-mobile.de/en/

 

[Don Campbell]

So my point is a valid one then ! Plus, I am 21 stone.
m

So you DEFINITELY need a big RV and that narrows the choice for you a whole lot. You can forget the VW conversions for a start and pretty much all the PVC's!

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[mish]

And you still keep coming with advice ! Thank you. The Weinsberg Pepper is worth seeking if nothing else for its name. But the layouts are interesting and I will try and get to see one, though their online dealer finder seems to lead in one direction - to Devon, but I think I have found a used one in S Yorkshire.

In reference to winter - and I will spend time in mountains where I am quite used to the conditions - I was expecting to lag some of the pipework. This is also why I am expecting something like an Alde/Eberspacher heater. So its interesting the Pepper is already re-prepared for lower temperatures.

By the way, since lockdown we have been more careful with exercise and food, so my weight is declining!

LIne drawn again?

Thanks all

m

 

[bigtwin]

Some/many(?) of the German brands are designed to cope very well with winter conditions. My own Dethleffs has no external pipework/valves whatsoever and both tanks are inboard in the centrally heated double floor space. It truly is a fully ‘winterised’ van.

Ian

 

[mish]

Thanks, I have only given the VW's a cursory glance so far thanks to covid restrictions. The trade is going to be busy in a couple of weeks !

m

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[Oldchappers]

And you still keep coming with advice ! Thank you. The Weinsberg Pepper is worth seeking if nothing else for its name. But the layouts are interesting and I will try and get to see one, though their online dealer finder seems to lead in one direction - to Devon, but I think I have found a used one in S Yorkshire.

In reference to winter - and I will spend time in mountains where I am quite used to the conditions - I was expecting to lag some of the pipework. This is also why I am expecting something like an Alde/Eberspacher heater. So its interesting the Pepper is already re-prepared for lower temperatures.

By the way, since lockdown we have been more careful with exercise and food, so my weight is declining!

LIne drawn again?

Thanks all

m

Too many options however you will find a layout that works best for you. you will find more space inside an A class (integrated) than a Coach Conversion (semi integrated) however the true benefit of the A Class is they normally have the drop down bed over the cab. If you only need one bed then why carry the extra load of an unused bed.
payload and storage are essential. The more the better.
I have a Hymer Exsis. massive garage and over 700kgs Of payload in a 5.99m vehicle. Worth looking at the range to see if there’s a layout that works for you.
I‘m a fan of the rear lounge layouts with a drop down bed. if this is of interest to you I would suggest looking at the Hymer Duomobile or B534 if you can find one!
Burstner Lyseo TD Harmony line 644G also looks like a great layout to me.
lounge and drop down bed. Also separate loo and shower which can be compartmentalised. one on Autotrader now.
I just found a great motorhome on Auto Trader:


Broken Link Removed

 

[138go]

We are on our fourth and smallest motorhome. We have a Carthago Compact 138. It’s really excellent quality, easy to drive and very comfortable.

We fall under 3500kg so don’t have to worry about all the rules for over that weight. Even though we’ve downsized, we’ve realised that a well designed interior is the most important thing, plus you just don’t need stacks of room.

Our previous Motorhome was a big Laika. They are lovely, well built motorhomes, so I recommend that range as well.

 

[Blaydon]

Hi There,
We had UK - but old - based MHs and were really pleased. However, the quality of new vehicles is way down. SO we looked about and in the end we wanted quality design and quality build. We have a Liaka (Clue in the picture). Italian design but now owed by the Germans. The internal finish is wood(ish) and the design is clever. Based on a Fiat, so cheaper to run than a Merc, and with a Euro 6 engine we can go into town.
Have fun looking - that is a long term sport for us - and take your time. When you find the right one - you will know. It is worth buying a the end of the year rather than the Spring, as the deals are better -

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[Graham Mew]

My thanks to you all for your care in taking time to respond.

I am not looking for too many 'luxury' features, and having lived in the USA I admire the quality and engineering excellence at a good price attainable over there. I appreciate that weight is limited but I would prefer a short wheelbase vehicle after having seen so many long wheelbase vans grounding on not very uneven ground. Especially important when even pulling off the road in the Alps or Balkans (I lived in Bosnia for 7 years too). But its not the quality of materials that worries me but rather the fit and finish on some of them.

With boats, using 10/15mm faced ply is no heavier than the common 15mm particle board used in vehicles, so I am happy with what is used but I expect some craft in fitting-out. (Plenty of raw edges at the back of some spaces in some vehicles). Wiring is also a worry - I have seen loose cabling which should be supported and not tucked loosely out of the way. Again, with boats this is subject to a regular safety certificate inspection. (A ban on soldered joints in gas pipes too). Vibration can turn loose cabling into a fire risk. Accessories, appliances and fittings I have seen, have at times been of low quality or 'value' brands that I have seen used in boats, and chosen to avoid previously. But I am sure some vehicle manufacturers have a policy of fitting those from the better end of the spectrum; so can those builders be easily identified?

On usable space, always a problem for someone who is 6ft 2 tall and not exactly stick-like. But again, years of boat discipline means we are used to confined spaces. So we never share the bathroom!, but I need to stretch out my arms when showering and drying. But easy to judge that when viewing. The bed length is more important, and this is maybe where I will have to compromise - to have a bed in which I can stretch out.

The VW Grand California 600 fits the qulity bill there, but I would have to compromise on a fold down bed and swinging rear doors. (Westfalia built?)

So I take the point that German vans are perhaps better quality and the £70k cost is within range, but are there others with similar quality but with better features?

My thanks to you all for your care in taking time to respond.

I am not looking for too many 'luxury' features, and having lived in the USA I admire the quality and engineering excellence at a good price attainable over there. I appreciate that weight is limited but I would prefer a short wheelbase vehicle after having seen so many long wheelbase vans grounding on not very uneven ground. Especially important when even pulling off the road in the Alps or Balkans (I lived in Bosnia for 7 years too). But its not the quality of materials that worries me but rather the fit and finish on some of them.

With boats, using 10/15mm faced ply is no heavier than the common 15mm particle board used in vehicles, so I am happy with what is used but I expect some craft in fitting-out. (Plenty of raw edges at the back of some spaces in some vehicles). Wiring is also a worry - I have seen loose cabling which should be supported and not tucked loosely out of the way. Again, with boats this is subject to a regular safety certificate inspection. (A ban on soldered joints in gas pipes too). Vibration can turn loose cabling into a fire risk. Accessories, appliances and fittings I have seen, have at times been of low quality or 'value' brands that I have seen used in boats, and chosen to avoid previously. But I am sure some vehicle manufacturers have a policy of fitting those from the better end of the spectrum; so can those builders be easily identified?

On usable space, always a problem for someone who is 6ft 2 tall and not exactly stick-like. But again, years of boat discipline means we are used to confined spaces. So we never share the bathroom!, but I need to stretch out my arms when showering and drying. But easy to judge that when viewing. The bed length is more important, and this is maybe where I will have to compromise - to have a bed in which I can stretch out.

The VW Grand California 600 fits the qulity bill there, but I would have to compromise on a fold down bed and swinging rear doors. (Westfalia built?)

So I take the point that German vans are perhaps better quality and the £70k cost is within range, but are there others with similar quality but with better features?

m

Have a look at the IH motorhome built in Leeds Uk. They build on the VW Crafter for quality, I have a 6m one and very pleased with it for the build quality is superb, you get what you pay, however, both of us are of a small build all round and can manage in the toilet size. They can replace the twin rear doors with a window and boot together with standard motorhome door in place of the sliding near side door if you wish. Nice company to deal with. We spent two years researching for our ideal motorhome good luck with yours.

 

[mish]

My thanks again - for even more manufacturer's names I had not come across. Again its the use of space which is my main theme thanks to my years fitting and using boats, and I am pleased that is agreed.

All along I have wanted a 2 berth although a third would be useful for the occasional grandson who wants a trip out with us, But am not a fan of drop down beds, yet if a single berth can be made from a dinette then all well and good.

I have also mentioned shorter rather than longer wheelbase. Having lived in mountains for many years I am well aware that pulling off the road may not be so easy with narrower and sometimes higher verges if its not already somewhat rocky. I have seen some LWB MH's grounded in this way on my travels. Also - again because a lot of my experience is towards the east - the poorer economies are not so good with road junctions, especially where the main road has been resurfaced but no attempt has been made to feather-in the join with the crossing by-roads (on which we often travel). So pulling onto the main road can easily mean climbing a step onto a 4 inch ridge of asphalt, and at an angle. This is where small car's sumps take a battering and LWB MH's get grounded. Not because of the 4 inch difference but the added factor of camber dropping the front wheels asone gets onto the main road. Those who have experienced this will know just what I mean.

Another aspect of drop-down beds meaning greater overall height, thus introducing a problem may seem a little far-fetched. But having lived and worked in the Balkans for many years I soon became aware of the huge hailstones that can occur in mountains in the summer storms. It is the usual practice to find shelter for the front screen if the clouds are suspicious. So one dives under the nearest tree where the leafy branches (not so easy to find in pine forest), provide protection against screen breakage -providing the vehicle does not get grounded on the way on the edge of the road! So overhead height is an issue - sometimes even with 4WD's like my old LandCruiser. In these places screens can be obtained for road vehicles common to the area, but I would not like to be in anything which may originate on a chassis which is not imported to that country. Its an inconvenience I would prefer to avoid. So low profile gives one a sporting chance.

m

 

[Anjistar]

Take a look at Vantage. Absolutely superb quality packed into a small space and we have not ever found a better an aftersales/customerservice.

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[AndyVW]

Buy the Volks-Wagen it will keep my VW pension going ....LoL.

 

[Ian Bosman]

I "quality" van or any product for that matter is one that meets your requirements a £250k 9 metre van might be nice but its not "quality" if you have a £50k budget and 7 metres max requirement.

Yes I think the German vans are well put together but they are usually not as cosy as British vans.

If you want a carpeted floor then not continental unless for UK, ie RH. drive habitation door on passenger side, UK electrics, roll edge upholstery then UK built it is. My van of German origin, EuraMobil who are part of the Trigano Group, has a wooden floor so no bother about keeping clean with a damp rag or mop, well screwed together, UK electrics, RH drive but habitation door behind drivers position. We have never been bothered by this either on UK sites or in Europe. The door means that at times we climb out the passengers door or the drivers door dependent on how we pull up on the road. Our washroom has a seperate shower with fixed hand basin and toilet all in one but all in their own space. the double bed, overcab, is manual drop down and push up which even at my age,79, is not a bother and is vast. Drive with it up as there is low headroom but above the windscreen level. We have no oven or grill but we stopped using them in the last (British built) van with one, so our last caravan was a Burstner, again well screwed together compared with the British ones we had over 40 years. Look around. decide which layout works for you, look at all the options and then decide as we have found they all may look well on paper until you are in it. Headroom, by the way, on ours is 6 foot, five inches so I clear the light fitting in the ceiling which is about 3 inches deep. Fixed table which has a forward and sideways adjustment plus two extra belted seats for the 3rd/4th berths

 

[mikebeaches]

Got to say - no-one's mentioned Rapido yet...

See my previous post no: 24

But yes, I agree Rapido have a decent quality design and construction, which is why we're on out second...

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[Tim Forsey]

Take a look at Frankia, probably the best non liner on the market, better in my opinion than Carthago, Hymer and N&B build quality wise. Very winterised so great in hot and cold climates.

 

[138go]

Thanks all.

That survey is very interesting, and bears out my suspicions on poor fit and finish of those vans I have looked at already. It was the greatest complaint of all, justifying the theory that buying second-hand ensures one gets a vehicle that has all the manufacturing faults ironed-out. I see there are plenty of ex-hire vans available with minimum use after 2 seasons.

Shower sealing being a good point, in fact I soon learned in a boat that a 30inch wide (x24inch) is best for sticking elbows out, also that a fixed shower cabin limits movement whereas a curtain one side makes life getting to all the bits, that much easier.

I also note that some of the vehicles I have seen 'feature' the galley area very close to bedding, sometimes just a low upright board separating the two.

I see no point in buying a used vehcle to try it out before making a final decision. After all my years on boats I know what to look for and what works for us - the wide shower space and a bed 2 metres long if not more. In fact, a canal narrowboat is narrower than a vehicle, being a usable 6ft between hull linings up to waist height. A great advantage being that there are no structural bulkheads in a steel hull, unlike a GRP yacht. So I certainly get the point of finding a vehicle made to similar standards of a well designed yacht hull. Which I suppose is what is in the back of my mind.

But I seek a MH not for a permanent home, but for maybe three treks a year out into Europe visiting friends.

On the water ingress issues mentioned in the survey, does it tend to be the custom made vans rather than the converted panel vans with the problem? I see custom made vans are a collection of pre-assembled interiors fixed to the chassis with the sides and roof fitted last with the seams of same being the problem. Again I assume that the panel vans are not such a problem, but they do all have roof lights etc. to be sealed.

I did not mention that I have had the pleasure of travelling in the USA in a Winnie, so have sampled their standards. The point about the USA gasoline engines being mostly LPG converted is true, but hardly economical with a 5 litre V8. I am thinking LPG on a 2 - 2.5 litre European gasoline engine. So I may have to drop that one unless I find a used European made example with a petrol engine. The USA models for sale are at a good price but are all mostly too big for us. I want something around 6 metres and 2 or at most 3 berth.

I am passing our local Adria agent later this month and will stop-by. Again, my sincere thanks for your help and the welcome from so many.
m

We had a boat before we bought our first motorhome. We are on our fourth. Just saying.

 

[mish]

Did you fit-out your boat/s too?

At my age I don't think I will have any more than one MH, so must get it right!

m

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[Clive Beeza]

Take a look at Frankia, probably the best non liner on the market, better in my opinion than Carthago, Hymer and N&B build quality wise. Very winterised so great in hot and cold climates.

Le-Voyageur (French built on a Merc)
you can visit the factory and their design boffin will sit with you and as the internal units are modular lots of options to move things around in the design stage, and even external doors can be moved from side to side winterized internal water tanks and all sorts of bespoke options including over-all lengths
we have been delighted with ours
owned from new, and internal layout reshuffled to our preferred layout.
and on a Merc V6 auto box cruise control. etc etc luxury.

 

[jako999]

I will only ever buy a German van.
Don‘t spend a fortune go for a few cheaper ones first and learn about what’s wrong with layouts because trust me the more vans you have the closer you will get to the perfect van. We are just about to order out 7th motorhome and it’s not that we are that pick, the last one which was new a couple of years ago should have been the perfect van as the only change we wanted was the island bed in the back but it soon became a bit of a pain the bed is very wide and because the Alde radiators are on the sides whith the quilt hanging over it only leaves around 25cm each side to get into bed and the wardrobe at the back of the bed is a real pain to reach into so this time we are going for single beds, with a bigger access in the middle, the wardrobes are at the front under the beds. That’s the problem till you work out what you want. If you keep buying new higher end vans trust me you will need dean pockets. It would be great to have a totally bespoke van built but you’ll be looking around to £350 to £500k

Hope you get what you want

 

[jonsea]

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[WESTY66]

The usual ‘rule of thumb’, though many will disagree, is that German vans, in general, are better built/spec’d.

Ian

I don’t disagree Ian, bigtwin but don’t rule out the slovenians. The Adrias are pretty well put together

 

[jongood]

Le-Voyageur (French built on a Merc)
you can visit the factory and their design boffin will sit with you and as the internal units are modular lots of options to move things around in the design stage, and even external doors can be moved from side to side winterized internal water tanks and all sorts of bespoke options including over-all lengths
we have been delighted with ours
owned from new, and internal layout reshuffled to our preferred layout.
and on a Merc V6 auto box cruise control. etc etc luxury.

If you like boats you will love a twin wheel Merc. I love Mercs but you have to enjoy life on the ocean wave.

 

[Sue]

What’s the opinion on having a large motorhome now as travel is so restricted? UK is not a country that welcomes or accommodates large vans.

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