Should we, shouldn't we but a mh now ?? (1 Viewer)

Andrew G M

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We have now been considering buying a MH for 6 months, and still cannot decide.

We have done all the research, been in more MH's than had hot dinners, and come full circle from a practical 6 berth Overcab mh which we both hate, to the not so practical, but very desirable Elddis Aspire 265.

We absolutely love the Aspire, and feel we could have at least some of the fun you Funsters appear to be having from reading this Forum.

However, my nagging doubts are as follows :

1. We are both in our late 40's with a teenage girl 16, and a teenage lad 14.

After the initial novelty I suspect neither of them will want to go in the MH for the w/end, and the honest reality is, it more about escapism for SWMBO and my self rather than the kids.

At 16/14 though they are both just a tad too young to leave at home.

2. Although the Aspire will fit on the Drive, it will mean juggling our other two cars on the driveway. Do-able, but hassle.

There is scope to lose some lawn if necessary if it worked out in the long run.

3. The financial committment is huge although do-able. If I get it wrong and have to off load in say 12 months, I reckon it will cost about £10 k in deprn. That's about the same as 2/3 trips abroad for the family.

4. Finally, and not that I am superstitious, but my first ever test drive of a MH two weeks ago lasted 10 minutes only to find myself back on the showground with a 6 foot gash down the side of the new Aspire, and the rear bumper hanging off.

A long story for another post, but in short a car full of teenagers had clipped the MH as I passed. Everyone thought I had gone over a pothole when it happened.

Not a great start to our MHing career.

At the moment I am totally caught between conflicting thoughts of 'just do it', and 'don't be a fool.'

If anyone has any experience or thoughts I really would be grateful.

Many thanks

Andrew
 

milesofsmiles

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Ummm.. I would say do it....

I agree at 14/16 it is probably not there idea of "fun" but to be honest give it a few years and nothing you will be doing will be there idea of fun....by then you will have gained some experience and know what it is all about, and then can decide if you want to carry on.

On the other hand, we took 15yr old G daughter out for a few days and she loved it, and cant wait to go again, she is also talking about "Ibiza with friends" when she leaves college, that will come round far too quickly so we are "going to make hay while the sun is shining" so to speak:roflmto:
 

Chris

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Go for the van the two of you want and go for it now:thumb:

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Carol

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I would say go for it still probably enjoy it for a couple of years, camp sites in Europe usually have plenty of large pools etc to keep teenagers happy.

One thing I would not do is risk taking a 10k hit, find the van you like, then buy one 12/24 months old, they usually have a low mileage and the toys fitted, so then the risk is smaller and someone else will have ironed out the problems and paid the price.

Welcome, and keep asking questions. :welcomefunster:
 
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Hire one for a week and try it. If you dont take to it you have probably lost a grand but will have had a holiday.
 

Wildman

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Caro Says it all, secondhand and see what you really want, how you get on etc. Oh and welcome aboard.:thumb:

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Andrew G M

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Hire one for a week and try it. If you dont take to it you have probably lost a grand but will have had a holiday.

We have looked at hiring one, but the ones for hire in my area just don't fit the bill. Wrong layout, antwacky, smelly, just not doing it for me !
 

ojibway

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Hey andrew gm,
do it or regret not doing it (every time you see a motorhome go by you'll say to yourself "that could have been me":cry:)

And, as Carol said - buy a used one!:thumb:

If you have an awning the teenagers can sleep in there. That's what we did - yes, we slept in the awning, see here - when we had a caravan and the kids wanted to bring friends. When our daughter brought her boyfriend they slept in a tent!

Our small Sprinter James Cook conversion sleeps four and we take the grandchildren out sometimes. We took our granddaughter to France a couple of years ago. So it doesn't have to be huge.

There are bargains out there:Cool:
Mike and Annie
 
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Minxy

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I'm going to disagree and say do NOT do it - it is a very big outlay and if you are not sure enough to be able to make the decision yourself then you shouldn't spend the amount of money you are proposing.

I would however agree that the best thing you can do is hire one, you don't have to hire one near you, decide where abouts you would like to have a holiday and see what's available near there. You might love it and at the same time learn what it actually means to be a motorhomer and all the bits and pieces you have to do, or you might totally hate it in which case, as has been said, you will still have had a holiday but not have the massive financial commitment.

Sorry if that's not what you want to hear, but you haven't yet been able to decide what layout you really want / need, so buying whilst you're still confused is a very bad thing and could easily end in tears.

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spannermanwigan

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Personally , my advice would be try before you buy.
Lots of hire companies out there,

We have a 15 year old daughter who loves our van like we do.

Dont do as our friends did, buy one first take only three weeks holiday in
it in two years , then took a 7 grand hit when they decided it wasnt for
them.

regards
Steve:thumb:
 

blamehofman

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Hi and welcome . We were in a similar position a few years ago with a 12 year old boy .

We had done years of family camping with the tent which I think slightly helps the move to a motorhome .

We first purchased a older used model to test the water so to speak and after a year of various trips including France and Spain he was as hooked as we were.

The one thing I will say with teenagers is entertainment , they need their tellys , dvd's , internet and gaming . We also had a bike rack fitted and take a porch awning so he can have his own space if needed .

Now as soon as he is away from our area and his mates cant see him in Dads uncool motorhome he enjoys it as much as we do.

One thing I do regret is not getting one earlier because his older Brother who is now 26 missed out having flown the nest before the van arrived and now keeps saying those words "Dad can me and my mate's borrow the motorhome" :Eeek:.

Mick & Ann .
 
Nov 30, 2009
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Layout is king in our opinion. Make sure you get that right.
We had caravanned for years before buying a motorhome , so we knew which layout would suit us , our 3 teenagers and 2 dogs. I think because of that , we knew it was something we all enjoyed and could cope with on a cold wet , miserable , evening in it. :Smile: We chose a 3 year old model over a newer version of the same model. It had a better build quality and had been the dealer special so had lots of extras when manufactured . With having one previous owner , they had fitted things we would have wanted and also left ramps , zipstore etc. They also had taken the money hit:thumb:
Kids are all different.
Our eldest was 18 yesterday , and would come with us more if he wasn't at college and working on his days off. He loves it.
The twins who will be 16 on Wednesday have different ideas on the other hand. Isabel likes it , if we are somewhere where she and a friend ( the deal breaker :ROFLMAO:) , can explore and do their thing.
Isaac at the moment would rather stick pins in his eyes.:ROFLMAO:
Yet we have just had over a week away together in it and because we were somewhere different everyday , and did lots of different things he loved it along with everyone else .
I think the relaxing weekend in a field with a village pub to walk to are lost on him now. :Sad:Throw ice skating , body boarding , bmx'ing , rock climbing , swimming , into the mix and hes definitely going :RollEyes:

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hilldweller

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If you need to ask on here, total strangers with an obvious bias, then the answer has to be NO.
 

Terry

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Hi you say you have done rsearch and if hiring is out of the question then do the next best thing and research second hand prices and buy :thumb: Thatway if bought at the right price you will be able to sell without taking a big hit :thumb:
terry
 
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Andrew G M

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Our 14 year old son is all up for it, all 13 stone 6ft of him. He is definitely not into anything too strenuous, but could probably persuade him to go on the odd bike ride. Failing that, he would be quite happy plugged into the laptop for the duration.

Our 16 year old daughter is more sceptical, and the thought of having to share a bed with her brother in the Aspire was met with 'over my dead body'. She even suggested I shared with my son, and she could share with her mother. Not quite what i had in mind.

I have been keeping an eye out for a second hand Aspire, but not yet seen one. Not sure if that is good or bad.

As we live in North Wales there must be dozens and dozens of great places within an hours drive, and the thought of getting home on a Friday evening, and just escaping for a couple of nights sounds great.

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Terry

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Well Andrew Link Removed is the cheapest new one I could find and a yr old one for 41k :winky:
terry
 
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Andrew G M

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Well Andrew Link Removed is the cheapest new one I could find and a yr old one for 41k :winky:
terry

Thanks Terry

Can only seem to find new ones at that link for £44500+£1350 otr costs.

The deal i have been offered is a new one for £45.5 k otr including awning, tv, and bike rack. It seems a good deal !

Thanks

Andrew
 

Terry

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Thanks Terry

Can only seem to find new ones at that link for £44500+£1350 otr costs.

The deal i have been offered is a new one for £45.5 k otr including awning, tv, and bike rack. It seems a good deal !

Thanks

Andrew

sounds ok to me but you can always squeese a little more out of dealers face to face :winky:Try and ask on here about the dealer and after service :thumb:It seems that all new vans have (crap)faults built in :Doh: Not a lot of good if you end up takeing van back a few times :Eeek:Me I would not take the van off the forcourt until I had checked everything was working :thumb: even if that meant kipping on the forecourt ::bigsmile:
terry
I recently made a 200 miles each way trip to buy a van with my mate (18 mths old van,he was buying )and the selling dealer had a small snagging list that I found about another half dozen things wrong to add to :thumb: Then the deal was made giving them 5 days to repair and deliver the paid for van :thumb:He promissed everything would be done :thumb:---I told mate to check it all had been done before acepting it but he simply took the van and dropped the driver off at train station :Doh:This has prooved to be a basic stupid mistake because half the faults suposedly fixed were not :Eeek::Angry: and the main one a broken roof vent top was simply removed from the back to the front and front to back :Doh: so he checked the back one but not the front :Doh::cry::Eeek: Long story short the van still has faults that should have been fixed only now it is a 200 mile trip each way to get them fixed :Sad:I have fixed half a dozen things and the others he will live with until he wants me to fix them as well :Doh:::bigsmile:
terry

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Bluemooner

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Sell the kids and put the money towards a Motorhome:ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO: We have the Aspire 255 and love it if you are buying an Aspire make sure it has the payload weight increase on it
 
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Andrew G M

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Sell the kids and put the money towards a Motorhome:ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO: We have the Aspire 255 and love it if you are buying an Aspire make sure it has the payload weight increase on it

Thanks Bluemooner

Can't even give the kids away, let alone sell them.

I am glad you have raised the payload issue, as to be honest i don't fully understand it.

The dealer (Vehicles4leisure - Prestatyn), tell me that the payload with the 4 of us should not be an issue, although for a hefty £1,350 the spec says a 4000kg chasis upgrade will net another 150kg. necessary or not ? Also, is it major job, or does the dealer do it on site ?

Does anyone here have any experience of the above dealer. They seem very professional and courteous so far, even at the time the Aspire got trashed on the test drive?

Andrew
 

Carol

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Andrew I know its not the question or even my business, but for a first time buy and not knowing how it will suit you, how about a different plan, I know you like the Aspire and it is very popular, but it is a first van and you are not sure.

How about buying a 5/6 year old Hymer 544 with all the toys for around 24k you would only loose about 4 grand in a year or two and then if you like motorhomeing you can put it in PX for the one you want.

Just a thought, its just after reading all the threads on the faults with a lot of new vehicles makes me think of alternative idea's

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Andrew G M

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Andrew I know its not the question or even my business, but for a first time buy and not knowing how it will suit you, how about a different plan, I know you like the Aspire and it is very popular, but it is a first van and you are not sure.

How about buying a 5/6 year old Hymer 544 with all the toys for around 24k you would only loose about 4 grand in a year or two and then if you like motorhomeing you can put it in PX for the one you want.

Just a thought, its just after reading all the threads on the faults with a lot of new vehicles makes me think of alternative idea's

Hi Carol

I know what you suggest is the most practical, sensible thing to do.

It is a strange thing, but, and it is a big but, no other mh does it for us. Whether it is 20, 40, or 60 k, new or 2nd hand. The Aspire has just ticked our desire box, and i do not think anything else will do.

Andrew
 

hilldweller

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Our 14 year old son is all up for it, all 13 stone 6ft of him.

Our 16 year old daughter is more sceptical, and the thought of having to share a bed with her brother in the Aspire was met with 'over my dead body'. She even suggested I shared with my son, and she could share with her mother. Not quite what i had in mind.

So you expect your 6' 13st son to share a small bed with his 16 YO sister.

I wonder what your wife thinks about this idea. Sounds very third world to me.
 

Carol

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Andrew I think you have answered your own question, you have decided what you want are as sure as you can be, thought of the options, so I would think you will go for it.

Good Luck, keep the questions coming,

PS. we are only about 20 mile from you. :Smile: Ed and I are off touring N. Wales for the next couple of weeks as you say a lot on our own doorsteps.

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Terry

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Hi Andrew I strongly suggest you hire one:thumb: if nothing else it will confirm what you want and need:winky: plus give you experience so you can buy what you think is the right van ::bigsmile:
£1350 is a lot for what is a paper exercise, which you can do yourselves for a couple of hundred quid - ASK OR SEARCH ON HERE
Terry
 
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A few years now
I started in January-I bought a 15 year old Autotrail Scout ,done some small jobs to it.
We use it most weekends local / France ect with x 2 kids.
I can now probably get the same now or more for it than what it cost me.
Why tie up £££££`s unless it`s burning a hole somewhere?
I can say it is a wonderful hobby and would be lost without it now.:thumb:

Now after using a MH for 9 months --would i spend more?--- No , i don`t see the point, we can holiday anywhere , it`s got all the same gadgets as a newer model, it takes a little more to maintain (age related items)--it will speed along at 60 ok.
If one of the kids dropped a Yougurt on the seat on a new one ,i would have a fit- -if they do it on mine ,i wipe it up
:thumb:
And --- i have it parked in work and can tinker around with it and know i`m not loosing ££££`s on it.

As my better half says --"why not try a older model out first?":winky:
 
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So you expect your (14 year old:RollEyes: ) 6' 13st son to share a small bed with his 16 YO sister.

I wonder what your wife thinks about this idea. Sounds very third world to me.

Oh I didnt realise your kids would have to share a made up bed. :Eeek:

Im not thinking third world , like Brian , more hes on my bit , shes wriggling about and keeping me awake , ive only got this bit:shout: Been there done that in a previous caravan we had. There are 2 years between our eldest and our twins.

Definitely hire this model first.

We have bunks and a L shape lounge which makes up into a double and a small single , plus the over cab kingsize where Ralph and i sleep. Perfect family layout in our opinion. We have had 4 kids sleeping in ours , all with their own bed, own space .
Us up in the luton.
You are obviously stuck on the aspire and have made your choice. Renting one for a week or 2 with your teens sleeping , lounging about , chilling places may make you think again.
A weekend wouldn't be enough as the novelty factor would still be in place, but the choice of course is yours , in the end. If you make a boo boo its you that has to pay the price.

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Heyupluv

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We have now been considering buying a MH for 6 months, and still cannot decide.

We have done all the research, been in more MH's than had hot dinners, and come full circle from a practical 6 berth Overcab mh which we both hate, to the not so practical, but very desirable Elddis Aspire 265.

We absolutely love the Aspire, and feel we could have at least some of the fun you Funsters appear to be having from reading this Forum.

However, my nagging doubts are as follows :

1. We are both in our late 40's with a teenage girl 16, and a teenage lad 14.

After the initial novelty I suspect neither of them will want to go in the MH for the w/end, and the honest reality is, it more about escapism for SWMBO and my self rather than the kids.

At 16/14 though they are both just a tad too young to leave at home.

2. Although the Aspire will fit on the Drive, it will mean juggling our other two cars on the driveway. Do-able, but hassle.

There is scope to lose some lawn if necessary if it worked out in the long run.

3. The financial committment is huge although do-able. If I get it wrong and have to off load in say 12 months, I reckon it will cost about £10 k in deprn. That's about the same as 2/3 trips abroad for the family.

4. Finally, and not that I am superstitious, but my first ever test drive of a MH two weeks ago lasted 10 minutes only to find myself back on the showground with a 6 foot gash down the side of the new Aspire, and the rear bumper hanging off.

A long story for another post, but in short a car full of teenagers had clipped the MH as I passed. Everyone thought I had gone over a pothole when it happened.

Not a great start to our MHing career.

At the moment I am totally caught between conflicting thoughts of 'just do it', and 'don't be a fool.'

If anyone has any experience or thoughts I really would be grateful.

Many thanks

Andrew

"If I get it wrong and have to off load in say 12 months, I reckon it will cost about £10 k in deprn" YEP...if its a new motorhome... spot on

"my first ever test drive of a MH two weeks ago lasted 10 minutes only to find myself back on the showground with a 6 foot gash down the side of the new Aspire, and the rear bumper hanging off" Whoooooooo:Eeek::Doh:::bigsmile:riving2::hardhat::hardhat:


"considering buying a MH for 6 months, and still cannot decide....nagging doubts".

You seem very unsure about buying the motorhome....so maybe its not the right time for you "Not a great start to your MHing career"

May be this is your best route at the moment.....
quad-two-tandems-21226359.jpg


img_8066.jpg


camping_tents.jpg

:Confused:

:Confused:

:Confused:

:Confused:

:Confused:

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Or you could say.... to hell with it.... YES ...we will get one and enjoy ourselves........how many lives have we got on this earth......ONE ...live it:party2::france::party2:

Hope you decide to buy a motorhome:thumb:...Good luck....Mel
 
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Jazzbow

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go for it

I had been hankering after a MH for a few years but my sensible head thought it would be wiser to wait until we retire (20 years for me) cos it's a lot of money to sit in the driveway all week. THEN 4 friends of mine were diagnosed with cancer, two of whom have since died, both with small children. This kinda put things into perspective for me i.e I might never see retirement! so we took the plunge. I'd say if you can afford it then go for it, live every day like it's your last coz one day it will be! :Smile::thumb::thumb::Cool:
 
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Andrew G M

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If you need to ask on here, total strangers with an obvious bias, then the answer has to be NO.

Hi Brian

Total strangers yes, but apparently a nice bunch of experienced mh'ers who will hopefully help me make an informed decision.

Regards

Andrew

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