Large Garage or not?? (2 Viewers)

[Encantador]

How important is a large garage?

Personal preference I know, but we might have the choice of island bed and no garage, or transverse bed and large garage.

Aesthetically we prefer the island bed but would we regret not having a garage?

Thanks

Steve

 

[markymark]

Hi
Contents of my garage.

2 mountain bikes
Spare motorhome wheel
table and 4 chairs.
Box of miss hap spares, bulbs. tape. sealent. batteries.
Recovery rachets/ belts / bread trays / levelers / Fuel can
Watering can / hose pipe / bucket / Cleaning kit
Awning
Travel cot
Wind breaks
Small Dog cage
BBQ.

Would be lost with out it i think, good to stick wet clothes/dogs and brolleys in.
Hope this helps:thumb:

 

[M1TCH]

Tough one that, we have a large garage and cross bed on a Transit i would not want to be without it but lately ive thought it would be nice to have an island bed so as not to disturbe the wife getting up before her, i have seen both on some very large vans the RS race cruiser to name but one, it has a very large rear garage and a king size bed facing forward to acsess it you assend a centre staircase to the foot of the bed then go round whichever side you want but at over 100k its a tad out of my reach Gray.

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[Encantador]

yes it does, thanks. Hadn`t thought about wet clothing, boots etc.

I guess it doesn`t mean you can carry more, as everything can be fitted inside, on top, on the back etc, it`s just more convenient.

Steve

 

[M1TCH]

Hi
Contents of my garage.

2 mountain bikes
Spare motorhome wheel
table and 4 chairs.
Box of miss hap spares, bulbs. tape. sealent. batteries.
Recovery rachets/ belts / bread trays / levelers / Fuel can
Watering can / hose pipe / bucket / Cleaning kit
Awning
Travel cot
Wind breaks
Small Dog cage
BBQ.

Would be lost with out it i think, good to stick wet clothes/dogs and brolleys in.
Hope this helps:thumb:

Sounds like mine :thumb:

 

[Jim]

I'm not organised enough for a garage. Seems to me that it's tidy till the floor fills up, then there is no more storage; everything is just dumped on top of everything else till you have a right mess to the top :Blush:

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[maz]

IMO island beds look nice but waste a lot of otherwise useful space. My choice was a fixed bed over a large garage and after 9 months fulltiming I don't regret that decision. So useful to store all those bulky bits of essential kit with easy access. But fulltiming is a bit different to occasional use - I've got a washing machine in my garage!

 

[markymark]

I just find it easier to keep all the gear in here as not to clutter the living space, great also to have a spare wheel just incase. i like it being out of sight and secure when we leave the van and go off for a ride(bike ride):thumb:

 

[M1TCH]

Everything has its place even when we used to take the scoot, but since taking the dog ive made a lid for her create with sides so the floor area that the create takes up is dupilcated on top of it as said above if i could have both that would be great but would not want to do without the garage Gray.

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[Forestboy]

We've owned 3 American Rvs with large island beds and have to say they're fantastic. But we would'nt go back because the garage is so usefull to us as we carry our motorcycle in it. No more trailers or carriers on the back and all the problems that brings now we're self contained its brilliant. The strange thing was when we got the Raskelf mattress out to fit onto the transvers bed we were amazed that the length was identical to the Rv if not a couple of inches longer(in the Rv the mattress hung over the end) and the width was only 2 inches narrower. Off skiing in a couple of weeks nice heated garage to dry the kit in overnight.

Garage for us everytime:thumb:

 

[M1TCH]

Just to add ive had two vans the same, one on a MK6 Transit and the one we have now on a MK7, when i traded the old one in i could have swapped to the low level fixed bed but for me i went for the same again for the flexibility its down to personal choice you have to do whats right for you Gray. "Edit" just reading the above post ive fitted an 80w greenhouse tube heater in the garage which is very good but only works on EHU.

 

[Ralph-n-Bev]

We have a set of bunks and the bottom one lifts up to make a decent sized garage . You can get to this from the outside through a large locker door, or use the smaller locker door for underneath the bed . In the down position.
There are 5 of us and we have only used it as a garage once. I 'm with the if we are not using it we dont take it group.
We manage to take the fold up chairs , table , silver screen , cadac , satellite and all the motorhome bits n bobs like hoses levellers electric bits n bobs etc under the bottom bunk.
Plus we have 2 dogs n 3 kids worth of junk without having to need the garage in the raised up position.
( We dont keep them under the bunk )
Between our weekend trips all the cupboards are emptied out , apart from a few basic foodstuffs and the kitchen crockery and utensils . We clean them out and give it a good hoovering and its ready for the next trip.
Dont do clutter at home so wouldnt do it in such a confined space as a motorhome. I wouldnt bother with one personally unless i had a huge dog or a mobility scooter.
I suppose it would be different if you full timed.

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[M1TCH]

Pay your money take your choice nither one is right or wronge thats why their are so many varibles :thumb:

 

[knokinonabit]

I know we are only new at motorhoming (my wife goes all annoyed if someone calls it a campervan, which we had in the dim and distant past) and when we looked at all of the differant layouts prior to purchase, we thought that a raised bed was too intrusive.
With hindsight, and after trying to fit nearly everything under our bed, we are now looking at a rear mount box to fit on the bike rack. It will serve the same purpose as a garage for the items that I don.t want under the bed, such as a generator, levelling ramps etc.
It won't be too much of an inconvenience, but it's an extra expense that could have been avoided with a bit more thought on our part.
Having said that, we love what we have and will keep on learning for another day. Also, we still aren't convinced about climbing up to go to bed, or falling down out of bed in the middle of the night on a toilet run !!!!!

 

[JeanLuc]

Our garage contains: spare wheel, hose reel, high pressure tyre inflator, torque wrench and socket, breaker bar, small toolkit, small box with testing meters, two stacking crates of odds & ends, two backpacks, awning curtain, external insulation screens, two-wheeled trolley for Thetford cassette transport (when it's a long way away), two bikes, cycling helmets, table & chairs, 2 sun loungers, engine oil for topping up, folding shovel, bottles of fresh water (drinking).
And, variously, depending on time of year and where we are going: walking boots, sand ladders (for muddy conditions) generator, 25 litre waste water trolley, dirty washing bag.
And, sometimes it acts as a drying room for wet mountain jackets.

Could I do without a garage - probably not. Although all of the above may not be in the garage at the same time, but you get the point I'm sure.

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[Ralph-n-Bev]

A fiamma box on the back is a good idea. When we go skiing or to the lakes and take all the extra clothing / wetsuits life vests , we fix ours on the back. Kayak and canoe go on the roof.
We haven't taken the genny out with us at all last year. We carried it for months the year before and thought , why ? when its not being used.
Though we shan't be getting rid of it. Just yet.

 

[M1TCH]

The advantage to going up the stairs to bed is in winter thats where the warm air is disadvantage is you are higher up so when the wind blows it rocks more i could fit steadies , never fallen out yet ours has steps in the shape of storage boxes, dont like ladders thats why we dont use the front over cab thats my wardrobe cant fit any of my stuff in the main one the wife has bagsed that.

 

[Popeye]

Hi
Contents of my garage.

2 mountain bikes
Spare motorhome wheel
table and 4 chairs.
Box of miss hap spares, bulbs. tape. sealent. batteries.
Recovery rachets/ belts / bread trays / levelers / Fuel can
Watering can / hose pipe / bucket / Cleaning kit
Awning
[STRIKE]Travel cot[/STRIKE]
Wind breaks
[STRIKE]Small Dog cage[/STRIKE]
BBQ.

Would be lost with out it i think, good to stick wet clothes/dogs and brolleys in.
Hope this helps:thumb:

Add
Generator and Fuel
Clothes rack for wet stuff / swimmers or coats
Surfboards / belly boards
Tools
Motor Scooter
Inflatable dinghy and outboard motor

I'd be lost now without it, having said all that I'd love to be able to get out either side of the bed...........it's all a compromise. . .Griff

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[knokinonabit]

A fiamma box on the back is a good idea. When we go skiing or to the lakes and take all the extra clothing / wetsuits life vests , we fix ours on the back. Kayak and canoe go on the roof.
We haven't taken the genny out with us at all last year. We carried it for months the year before and thought , why ? when its not being used.
Though we shan't be getting rid of it. Just yet.

We haven't used our genny yet. I suppose it's a bit like a comfort blanket. If we need it it's always there.
We have a 230 volt only TV and microwave so I'm sure it will see service at some time. :thumb:

 

[beachcaster]

Hi
Contents of my garage.

2 mountain bikes
Spare motorhome wheel
table and 4 chairs.
Box of miss hap spares, bulbs. tape. sealent. batteries.
Recovery rachets/ belts / bread trays / levelers / Fuel can
Watering can / hose pipe / bucket / Cleaning kit
Awning
Travel cot
Wind breaks
Small Dog cage
BBQ.

Would be lost with out it i think, good to stick wet clothes/dogs and brolleys in.
Hope this helps:thumb:

What no fishing rods !!!
Mine is about the same...and I really wouldnt be without a large garage.

barry

 

[Douglas]

I could not manage without a garage, however to anybody that is thinking of getting a MH with a garage..... if the spare wheel is stored in the garage consider were you are going to spend most of you M-Homing, on the continent or in the UK because if like me you have only one door to the garage there is a real problem getting the spare wheel out on a continental road, unless you have a left hand drive.

Doug...

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[themountaintiger]

I'm not organised enough for a garage. Seems to me that it's tidy till the floor fills up, then there is no more storage; everything is just dumped on top of everything else till you have a right mess to the top :Blush:

Yes must admit, my garage is like that

 

[Popeye]

I could not manage without a garage, however to anybody that is thinking of getting a MH with a garage..... if the spare wheel is stored in the garage consider were you are going to spend most of you M-Homing, on the continent or in the UK because if like me you have only one door to the garage t[HI]here is a real problem getting the spare wheel out[/HI] on a continental road, unless you have a left hand drive.

Doug...

Mine is RHDrive, but I have two doors anyway. For all that, if it's a continental van then even if it is RHD the Habitation door and the Garage door will be on the correct side for the continent.

 

[Gooney]

Hi
Contents of my garage.

2 mountain bikes
Spare motorhome wheel
table and 4 chairs.
Box of miss hap spares, bulbs. tape. sealent. batteries.
Recovery rachets/ belts / bread trays / levelers / Fuel can
Watering can / hose pipe / bucket / Cleaning kit
Awning
Travel cot
Wind breaks
Small Dog cage
BBQ.

Would be lost with out it i think, good to stick wet clothes/dogs and brolleys in.
Hope this helps:thumb:

Wow!! how light is your steering?

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[scran]

garages

i like my garage so i can fill it up with all sorts of stuff so when i meet up with my friends i can give it all away lol

 

[aba]

i do like having the rear storage area although it seems to be quite a waste of space and more so on fixed full rear bed models.
i have found that if i put the rubber mats that i have which are about 100kg and the generator in its far from full but due to the long overhang behind the rear wheels it takes me over weight on the rear axles especially when i have the fresh tank tank full of water so i suppose it all depends on what you want to put in it and what storage you have in the rear of the van in the living area.

 

[markymark]

Wow!! how light is your steering?

Steering fine thanks
All above board and welcome any VOSA checks.

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[Craig Rogers]

As already mentioned, having a changable garage is great.

Our Flash 03 has a fair sized garage with access doors on both sides. It's a 6 berth so has bunks at the back, the bottom bunk can fold up and seal the back off giving a large garage. We use it for the best of both worlds. There's only 2 of us, so we don't use the bunks that often, if the bunk is down, we have internal storage, if we need something large then the bunk is up giving a big garage. For what is only a 6.5m long MH, it's pretty clever.

 

[M1TCH]

Ours as a fixed bed above no bunks but with a sliding door so you can access from inside :thumb:

 

[Chris]

Yes must admit, my garage is like that

Mine too, only messier

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