New (Middle?) Age Travellers (1 Viewer)

[bl4derunner]

Hello folks, we're in our late 40's, retired and looking to sell up and go on the road for several years. We've never 'motorhomed' before. Our plan is to buy a 2nd hand panel van conversion (6m max. +bike rack) as neither of us wants to drive anything bigger. Any and all advice/experiences would be welcome especially when it comes to fixed bed v rear lounge, storage space, security, buying 2nd hand etc.

 

[kaybee]

Welcome. Am pretty new to this myself so can't offer any advice. Great group of folk though many of whom have years of experience they will be happy to share. Enjoy.
Kath :welcomefunster:

 

[hilldweller]

Fixed bed is a killer. A huge proportion of the floor area. Nice but you need living space.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[GJH]

Fixed bed is a killer. A huge proportion of the floor area. Nice but you need living space.

I take the opposite view. The convenience of a fixed bed is great As with so much to do with motorhomes, though, what suits one doesn't suit another.

Have a good think about what you really want from the van. Will making up & dismantling the bed be a chore for instance? If not then perhaps a fixed bed is a waste of space.

 

[wizzer59]

Hi and welcome guys:thumb: all i can suggest is to try and look at plenty of 6m motorhomes and see what floats your boat, everyone has their own idea of whats the best layout, all I will say is from my own experience is, if you are constantly on the move and not staying on camp sites for days on end then maybe the fixed bed would be ok, but if not then you are going to need a lounging area
Anyway good luck guys, there are worse thinks in life than hunting for your first van:Cool:

 

[golly]

Hi and welcome, our 6m MH has a fixed bed, plus points no making up of beds, comfortable mattress, loads of storage in garage under bed. Minus points, double bed quite small, (but that may just be our model rear corner bed), lack of lounging space, the only other seats are the dinette or the driving seats, Lack of floor space, ok if on the move frequently but a bit of a pain if in one place for a while, need an awning for extra space. My next van (if there ever is one) will be a rear lounge layout

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[PhilandMena]

Hi and welcome.
If you have never travelled in a motorhome before, you need to establish what is going to be suitable for you. I would advise hiring one first so you improve your understanding of what you really need as opposed to what you think you need.
This will save you a lot of money and ensure you purchase the right motorhome. You would be surprised at the number of people who buy a motorhome then upgrade soon after.

Best of luck on your travels.

 

[Goldenoldies]

Hi Guys, We are in our 60s and we to are going on the road for a few years, spent months looking for right m/h but keep changing our minds(the funsters will confirm that). We have taken all our advise from these wonderful people. Suggest you read the thread in the fulltimers section "Living the Dream" very good. Good luck with your search and safe travels. p.s. we have now settled for a Burstner Elegance.

 

[JOHNSTEY]

Hi.We thought sub 6m and bought accordingly but soon tired of making up the bed.Our van now is 6.86m and feels so much more comfortable and it's actually easier to drive!.It's good advice to try before you buy and see as many as you can first as it is expensive to change.We rarerly stay more than one or two nights in the same place so fixed bed is a very worthwhile luxury!
Good luck in getting the right van for you.:thumb:

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Wildman]

Hi and welcome to the fun. 40 ish and retired, bloody hell.
anyway go for a bigger van you will need a decent payload to fulltime rather than holiday. Size/weight will depend on the licence you hold, pre 97 will limit you to under 3500kgs. So plenty of vans up to 7mtrs for that. An A class gives much more room and often has a drop down bed over the cab. so virtually a fixed bed and still lounging space. For payload look at some of the older Hymers with a ushaped lounge that will give you a decent bed and lounging space. A panel van conversion is far too small for fulltiming in and those that do tow a large trailer. Avoid a garage model as they tend not to have the payload to put anything in the darn thing. and living space is really cramped. Good luck with your search.

 

[Larrynwin]

Hi and welcome to the fun. 40 ish and retired, bloody hell.
anyway go for a bigger van you will need a decent payload to fulltime rather than holiday. Size/weight will depend on the licence you hold, pre 97 will limit you to under 3500kgs. So plenty of vans up to 7mtrs for that. An A class gives much more room and often has a drop down bed over the cab. so virtually a fixed bed and still lounging space. For payload look at some of the older Hymers with a ushaped lounge that will give you a decent bed and lounging space. A panel van conversion is far too small for fulltiming in and those that do tow a large trailer. Avoid a garage model as they tend not to have the payload to put anything in the darn thing. and living space is really cramped. Good luck with your search.

Roger, do you mean pre 97 gives you up to 7500kgs

 

[Wildman]

• Roger, do you mean pre 97 gives you up to 7500kgs

• Oops, thanks Larry that should have read Post 97 limits you to 3500kgs and an earlier licence allows up to 7500 kgs (grandfathered rights)
• am getting old but at least it means I have the better licence for a few more years, hee hee

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Gromett]

I full time in a sub 6mtr panel van. It is just doable and comfortable for 1 person. For 2 I would be looking at a 6mtr coachbuilt to be honest.

The older Hymer B544 and B584 are perfect in my view...

 

[gawatt]

Hi and welcome!

We're quite new to this - but the forums are great for information - the people on MHF are really helpful and friendly.

We have an 6m A-class with a pull-down bed over the cab area and a second double (isn) in the main living area. There's a bit of setup each night, but if you don't mind a little messing around in the evening, the extra living space is great. At least if we want the room - we both get a double bed.

40's and retired eh? We're 30's and semi-retired - you'll love the life!

 

[maz]

As a couple of Funsters have already mentioned, fulltiming is very different from holidaying so be sure you end up choosing a van that will suit that purpose.

High payload and good storage are top of my list, together with full winterisation (if you're likely to be in UK for winter). Another priority for me is a good-sized shower - I don't like spending much of my time on full-facility campsites ...... So I've ended up with an 8m tag axle that I'm very happy with. Each to their own, but there's no way I'd want to fulltime in a PVC.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Oscarbobs]

Hi, i swapped my 7.5 meter A class for a 6 meter pannel van in march. I love the fact i can park pretty much any where but i miss my space, so much so im looking to import an rv next year. I dread to think how much money i will loose on the pvc, so take your time. I think hireing a couple of vans as these guys have suggested could save you a lot of money. I have owned motorhomes for over 6 years now and i got it wrong this time.

Dave

 

[Reallyretired]

Agree with other comments on here, a 6m panel van is too small for longterm use. I would recommend a 6m A class such as the Hymers. We had one a while back and the drop down bed is as good as a fixed one if you're reasonably agile, and young as you are should be no problem. It still leaves you a good lounge and a decent washroom and good payload especially as you can uprate from 3500kg if your licence allows.
Panel van conversions often aren't well insulated for winter either.

 

[f6c]

welcome

Welcome aboard

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[stcyr]

Hi. Been living fulltime in our 6m. MH for 2 years nearly. At 66 and 58, (nearly past our 'best-before date) we use the pulldown bed every night, left permanently made-up, with no problem...