Total newbie,love the idea of a motorhome but,Is this normal? (1 Viewer)

[jazzert100]

We have rented a 10 plate Rolllerteam 656,42 k, 130bhp and are not sure if this is normal?
Is it really loud and rattly over all but the smoothest of surfaces?
Are other motorhomes quieter, is it the design of this particular model?
Is 24 to the galllon normal cruising at 60?
Is it really scary in crosswinds on the M6?
I had a1992 model caravan and it seems to share much of the same fixtures and fittings as this 35k 2010 motorhome,notably the dodgy blind/flyscreen arrangement that stuck and jammed then and still do,not to mention,the badly fitting door that requires a major slam to shut.
Are the travelling seats meant to be totally upright, badly padded and uncomfortable?
Were we expecting too much?
I have to say the Fiat part of it is very nice,smooth and perky with a light gearchange and steering but usually drowned out by the noise of the camper!
Would a 50k coachbuilt be quieter,I notice a lot of them come with only the 100bhp engine so I am guessing they might be a bit gutless.
Anyway whilst I love the idea of a motorhome I have to say the reality so far has been a bit of a shock.
I realise that this is very much entry level territory but seriously, will spending 50 k be so much better?
I welcome any comments as to what type of motorhome I should be looking at,something quiet and refined is what I am after, would a van conversion be better?

thanks

J

 

[wivvy's dad]

Whilst I have no personal knowledge of the m/h you have rented, I would imagine that compared to a car, motorhomes of any description are noisy. We have become used to very very quiet motorcars, so jumping into what is in effect, a big white van, will come as a bit of a shock.

I would imagine a rental m/h has never had the love and care lavished on it that an owner would do, so perhaps you have a high mileage rattletrap (42k miles in two years..........), with dodgy blinds and doors.

Tea towels in drawers and on grill pans can quieten quite a lot of noise. As can various items of clothing stuffed in noisy places.

Scary in crosswinds? Check tyre pressures.
Uncomfortable travelling seats? Yes, they're meant to be like that.....

I know this is not what you might be expecting as an answer, but try my suggestions, and see if it improves things.

 

[Mags52]

Yes and no is the answer. Having said that you do get what you pay for - true of caravans as well of course.
If your budget is tight and you want something that has fittings that work it's better to go for second hand. We were caravanners for more than 20 years and bought several so I knew what to look for in terms of good fixtures and fittings. We bought a s/h Geist for under £30k and the fittings are very well put together and not too rattly, however, we had to learn new skills about putting things away so that, for instance, cups don't touch in transit and everything is well packed. Once you get that bit right it is much much quieter.
When we first got ours I was shocked about the cab seats but now I like them. We did buy a couple of those portable things that support the curve of your back. [ame]http://www.amazon.co.uk/Ventilated-Lumbar-Support-Cushions-Strap/dp/B002ZHJNGI/ref=tag_stp_s2_edpp_url[/ame]

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[Ralph-n-Bev]

We too swapped from a modern top of the range caravan. We were very suprised at the motorhomes that were on offer, and the prices expected for them. We started off with a budget and upped it several times. Not liking the thin plastiky cupboards and drawers , narrow shower cubicles , poor storage etc . Liking them to the basic entry level cheaper caravans on offer. We ended up realizing that we needed to spend more and go for an older model if we didnt want to spend 40k plus. We needed one that suited a family of 5.
We didnt want to compromise on quality fixings features and comfort. We almost gave up . As for the rattling , yes its something you do get. But once you own your own you learn how to pack things. In our MH its the knives and forks and the ovens bits n pieces that make the din. As wivvy says separate trays / metal bits with teatowels or the holey foam roll stuff.
We are so glad we didnt give up though. If you like to travel and not stick to one site taking everything but the kitchen sink with you , a motorhome is ideal.
As for the "what if you run out of milk ?" old chestnut.
We never have , and if we did , we'd just swivel round the cab seats , switch off the gas , put the kettle away , and go get some . We very rarely even have hook up so theres non of that or waste and water tanks to mess with..
Its not at all like having to pack up the caravan. At all.
Ours is a 2.8 TD gets up the steepest hills , granted weve all five of us , leant forward willing it up sometimes
It does approx 26/7 on the motorway and we have never felt like we were being pushed about by high sided lorries. But thats probably because of the suspension. Our caravan had the stabilizing suspension too so we never suffered from that zig zagging / snaking etc. The seats in the back are very upright, granted. You can get round this by having a nice cushion in the right angle.
Keep looking , you will find something that suits you. At least you know which layout suits you and your family with having caravans. Like us you may end up getting it right first time as layout is king:thumb:

 

[keith]

Our first MH was a "rattler" the first time I drove it, but as has been said you very quickly learn how to stop the rattles.

Things to think about:

1. You have talked about a hired van that clearly will not be given the loving care on packing that our owned vans have.
2. The hire company will not buy the top of the range MH to let all and sundry drive it like a boy racer. So, small engine, bare necessities & all contents chucked in. We have hired a van so speak from experience.
3. Your caravan may well have rattled just as much but you would not hear it, out of sight out of mind.
4. Most MH I have seen have swivelling, reclining seats with arm rests and hight adjustment. I have driven our MH for over 30,000 miles without feeling uncomfortably on long trips up to 2,000 miles.

Don't give up, try a test drive of one of the major top MH makes & see if there is a difference, in fact I'm sure you will see there is.

 

[DuxDeluxe]

I would agree with everything above, with an emphasis on the following:

A) as a rental, it will not have been looked after and stuff can be just chucked into a locker
B) a caravan probably rattles more - you just don't hear it. Everyone learns to pack pans, crockery, etc with care. Took me ages to work out that the oven shelf was the cause of a rattle - soon fixed.
C) You do get what you pay for, and it is worth shopping around but remember it can be a long trip back to a dealer to get a problem fixed, so factor that in as well. I always look for nearly new. Last S/H van I got was pre-registered and had 12 miles on the clock so it hadn't been around all the shows being pulled to bits by thousand of grubby hands - beware of a S/H van with 1000 on the clock

Hope that helps

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[beachcaster]

I once experienced a very expensive big Burstner on the move.........and was shocked by how much it rattled and shook and that was a top end motorohome.

Having said this as others have said.....once you load it up and have some weight it in it settles a bit...and it really does depend how you pack things away to dampen the movement of items and the rattles and squeaks.

In my Autotrail ( no better or worse than others)I have wardrobe doors that rattle even when closed...but a couple of bits of cycle innertube ( made like elastic bands ) put across the door handles silences them. Takes 2 seconds to put on ....and off.

I think its a case of getting to know your individual van and making it quieter rattle by rattle.

glad you are enjoying the overall experience.

barry

 

[aba]

those little self adhesive felt pads help alot with rattly cupboards etc.
the best way is to start eliminating rattles from the front maybe even get someone to pinpoint the rattles as you drive and take it from there.
the bigger the motorhome the more creaks and rattles you get.

 

[haganap]

yes they rattle, its all the wine bottles inside--

24 to the gallon, wow you did do well!!!! no seriously the rollerteam 656 is coach built with an overhead cab on. Get yourself a square box, put it on top of your car and the mpg will go the same way. A low line coachbuilt would improve but don't expect miracles, 28-30 mpg seems the best one could expect.

Air suspension assister's cures a lot of the problems you mention, (cross wind body roll bumps)

You drove a entry level motorhome and they are real entry level, but strangely good, we had one and loved it, but boy was that noisey!!!!

Spend 50k if you want to, but you would be better spending a few quid on a couple of tea towels, some polysterien with cup bits cut out, some bubble wrap to cure the inside....

and err,

Turn the radio up to cure the outside noise :thumb:

But don't give up, once hooked it's amazingly bloody annoying.

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[Ralph-n-Bev]

4. Most MH I have seen have swivelling, reclining seats with arm rests and hight adjustment. I have driven our MH for over 30,000 miles without feeling uncomfortably on long trips up to 2,000 miles.

.

I was under the impression he was meaning the front facing travel seats in the back. They are at a right angle. As you say i thought most front seats had adjustable seat , back and arm rests. Some both swiveling too like ours.

 

[RKE]

Yep! ...From my experience they all rattle to some degree or other.....

As others have stated, you can trace the origin of most of the habitation rattles, and over a period of time eliminate most by using tea towels and packing etc....
You soon learn to store articles in cupboards in a manner that will not cause rattles
With caravans you are isolated from all the noise generated by items rattling around whilst travelling so most are not even aware!

I do agree that a lot of fittings are 'dolls house' quality and are cheap and nasty, and not what you would expect to find in vans that cost so much money!

 

[tick59]

It's them FRAY BENTOS PIES that make the most noise rattling around

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[tommytli]

our 1st rollerteam a 08 autoroller 700 was a rattler aswell it also had dodgy blinds, the rattle i think was the skylight, i saw a few with a wind deflector in front of them, our new 707 is very quiet and its possible for the little 1 to watch tv while i drive with no probs (the old 1 there was no chance because of the noise) but the blinds are a bit sensative tho lol

 

[motorhomelover]

We have rented a 10 plate Rolllerteam 656,42 k, 130bhp and are not sure if this is normal?
Is it really loud and rattly over all but the smoothest of surfaces?
Are other motorhomes quieter, is it the design of this particular model?
Is 24 to the galllon normal cruising at 60?
Is it really scary in crosswinds on the M6?
I had a1992 model caravan and it seems to share much of the same fixtures and fittings as this 35k 2010 motorhome,notably the dodgy blind/flyscreen arrangement that stuck and jammed then and still do,not to mention,the badly fitting door that requires a major slam to shut.
Are the travelling seats meant to be totally upright, badly padded and uncomfortable?
Were we expecting too much?
I have to say the Fiat part of it is very nice,smooth and perky with a light gearchange and steering but usually drowned out by the noise of the camper!
Would a 50k coachbuilt be quieter,I notice a lot of them come with only the 100bhp engine so I am guessing they might be a bit gutless.
Anyway whilst I love the idea of a motorhome I have to say the reality so far has been a bit of a shock.
I realise that this is very much entry level territory but seriously, will spending 50 k be so much better?
I welcome any comments as to what type of motorhome I should be looking at,something quiet and refined is what I am after, would a van conversion be better?

thanks

J

we have a 1998 American RV it has done only 45Kmiles
it is quiet with no rattles smooth as silk being automatic and quick of the mark having a V8 7.4ltr engine
I used to own a 1989 Mercedes coach built that did have a few rattles from cooker area but was also quiet on the road
so maybe your hired MH has had a hard life hence all the rattles and noise

 

[motorhomelover]

Yep! ...From my experience they all rattle to some degree or other.....

As others have stated, you can trace the origin of most of the habitation rattles, and over a period of time eliminate most by using tea towels and packing etc....
You soon learn to store articles in cupboards in a manner that will not cause rattles
With caravans you are isolated from all the noise generated by items rattling around whilst travelling so most are not even aware!

I do agree that a lot of fittings are 'dolls house' quality and are cheap and nasty, and not what you would expect to find in vans that cost so much money!

not a problem with a well built RV no paper thin walls and dolls house construction
and they are cheap to run mine is LPG £0.35/mile to run
and are more akin to a house than a euro motorhome
been there done that with euro models for us it RV all the way

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[jazzert100]

Thanks for all your replies!

They have been very interesting and informative,I think we are still embracing the concept,despite our culture shock!!
Anyway it has been an enjoyable foray into the secret world of motorhoming and your forums, you seem like a friendly bunch so might just stick around!

J

 

[Hayleylulu]

Sounds to me that you may of rented one of JJ self builds

 

[motorhomelover]

those little self adhesive felt pads help alot with rattly cupboards etc.
the best way is to start eliminating rattles from the front maybe even get someone to pinpoint the rattles as you drive and take it from there.
the bigger the motorhome the more creaks and rattles you get.

sorry but i must disagree with you on the bigger the more rattles

I have had camper vans from a toyota highace pop top to mercededs coach built (frankia) mercededs A class (richmobile) to american RV and the quitest of them all has to be the RV as they are built on a large chassis with thicker quality fittings they do not rattle about like euro vans either A class or coach built
proof is in the pudding so get out and try an RV you will not want a euro van once you have had a go

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[1948]

I bought my 1st ever van (german) second hand 2 previous owner 10yrs old 50000km privately
Yes, It is nosier than my estate car inside generally but not a lot . feels solid at speed and no rattle at 60 to 70 mph
Does become noisy on bumpy road due to all the stuffs I put inside it but is very speend related
I have always driven automatics so the manual gear change is a pain but easy to shift gears and get used to after a few miles (Fiat based )
2.8litre engine and I get around 350mls /fill up
A little unstady with cross wind but if I drop the speed It feels ok
All the fixtures and fittings work smoothly except one roof blind above kitchen which I broke due to my not knowing how it worked the first time trying to close it. 5 other blinds and screen work perfectly One broken tap I had to replace
All doors still fit (driver and hab) close nicely
Seats (driver and passingers) are very comfortable (captain types) and I would say there are more comfortable than car seats. Drove 7hours nonstop except for filling up last summer when I had to rush through France and at the end of the journey did not feel tire and still relatively fresh (driver and passinger)
Cost of purchase, no where near 50K
well I must be lucky (I don't think so ) there are lots of van out there that fits the bill second hand

 

[Jaws]

24mpg is a good figure, so yep for that van about normal ( might mange 26 if you pussy foot it )

Rattles.
Not mine
I REALLY hate rattles.. Something rattles it is either refitted so it doesn't, or gets binned !

Something I just cannot abide.

One thing though.. A rental will have bare essentials.. will not be packed particularly well, and will not have a chance to 'settle'

When you have your own vehicle all these issues can be addressed with ease :thumb:

 

[slobadoberbob]

Same from us

we have a 1998 American RV it has done only 45Kmiles
it is quiet with no rattles smooth as silk being automatic and quick of the mark having a V8 7.4ltr engine
I used to own a 1989 Mercedes coach built that did have a few rattles from cooker area but was also quiet on the road
so maybe your hired MH has had a hard life hence all the rattles and noise

We have a 2005 Winnebago American RV.. 23'9" plus the continental kit (Spare wheel on the back and ladder) so it comes up with the tow ball to about 25' .. it is quite and smooth to drive. I did fit Airlift suspension to the rear (remote control from the cab).. now and then I get pushed by trucks over taking me, but when I have the 20' car trailer on the back the RV is steady and smooth.

8,000 on the clock when inported and £28k one owner and mint condition ...see the link below for a peak).. not all American RV's are monsters, but they sure beat the europeans in the comfort stakes. Fully loaded. bags of power. runs at 1800 rpm at 55 all day and does around 14 to 15 mpg but what comfort.. cab aircon, power steering, cruise control twin airbags... electric windows, electric heat mirrors and that is just the cab.. oh yes did I mention the tilt steering wheel:Blush: have a peep at the link and see the inside.

not all motor homes rattle, well yanks do not.


Boboh:

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[W18BLA]

We have a Roller Team 707 and no rattles like Tommy says easy for kids to watch tv on the move, The only thing that did rattle was the grill pan soon sorted that, No wind noise anything, The Roller Team is well built and has improved major over the last 3 years, I get 28-29mpg from our 7 berth 7m long overcab but it has been remapped, (Don't start a thread on remaps lmao)

We have had ours over a year and we are happy with ours, Does what it says on the tin but for the price in my eyes it was totally worth it. we looked at second hand ones for £35k+ and they never had a touch on these,

Its everyone to there own, you done the right thing testing one and giving it ago, don't let one put you off try another,

But one thing to remember is if you do buy a RollerTeam you will have to join us here...
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[Wildman]

it is the contents of motorhomes that rattle, deaden the noise with towels and cushions. As to MPG do remember a motorhome is a brick, andthing over 50 mph and the fuel economy goes mad, so a light foot is the order of the day.