Auto Trail Tag Axle to American RV (1 Viewer)

[DJSteward]

We have had our 2009 Auto trail Cheyenne 840D Tag Axle for about a year. It is a great van but we would like a bit more space in the lounge so have looked at changing to a Damon Daybreak 3270.

This van is 9.75m whereas the Auto trail is 8.7m plus a bit for the bike rack.

The RV is a Chevrolet Petrol with LPG. Expect only 11-12 to the gallon, to be somewhat offset by the lower Lpg costs.

Like the idea of large holding tanks instead of a small toilet cassette.

Will I struggle getting pitches due to the extra length? Haven't really found it a problem with the Auto trail. Planning a trip to Brittany in the summer.

Not too worried about driving the RV as used to driving a large Motorhome already. It is plated at 7.5 tonne and I passed my test before 1997 so have C1.

What else should I be thinking about?

Regards

David

 

[scotjimland]

Like the idea of large holding tanks instead of a small toilet cassette.

Will I struggle getting pitches due to the extra length?

Large holding tanks are fine.. but no matter how big.. they need emptying.. and not all sites have drive over black dump stations.., in fact many don't.. so you need to consider how to empty manually.. either using a waste hog or a macerator.. I used both. .. A macertor can pump up to about 50 mts though a 1" pipe. ..
A waste hog is essential.. a macertor can be useful

You won't struggle to find pitches but you may be limited , some sites have a 28ft limit .. and on others you may find it difficult to access .. good forward planning and research will make for more relaxed touring.. nothing worse than looking for a site after driving 8 hours and not being able to find one that can accommodate your RV ..

There are plenty of aires in Brittany that will accommodate your RV.. have a look at the link in my sig for aires and sites we used with our 11mt RV

 

[old-mo]

Will I struggle getting pitches due to the extra length? Haven't really found it a problem with the Auto trail. Planning a trip to Brittany in the summer.

Others will probably say different..... But after approx 10 years with a 5th wheel and various A & B class yanks we went back to a Tag Euro van..

And never looked back,,, Did miss the huge space two or three slides gave.. BUT...

All the trips we did on the continent and some back in the UK was never aa relaxing as driving the tag..

Narrow roads here and abroad,,,, a lot of sites abroad they have tree`s over the pitch for shade... A lot of the sites abroad are a lot smaller than here.. A lot of sites don`t have the facility`s or space to manouver to dump Black/Grey waste. or have no facility`s for them at all, (So yards of Hose and a Maserator required)..

But still enjoyed them for all that...

But we have found, Now, we just jump in with no planning and go, where we want, with an RV a lot of planning was needed..

A lot depends if you just want to pitch up in the same place for day`s or get out and see various places, with ease..

These as said are just my personnel views..

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[funflair]

Hi David

Never had an RV and don't think I ever will so no expert, it might depend how you want to use the RV as I believe that they can be very power hungry if you want to spend time away from campsites without running a generator. Our MH is 8.5 metres and although it has not caused us problems we would not choose to go bigger than this, another metre is quite a chunk but again it depends where you plan on going, big campsites or small Aires.

You can ignore my post as far too slow typing with one finger and not the experience of the other two.

 

[scotjimland]

Others will probably say different

not me MO.. I totally agree ..

 

[old-mo]

not me MO.. I totally agree ..

I think, Jim a lot of it was Look at what I have got, it`s bigger than your`s..

And at the beginning I never really looked into the Pro`s and Con`s properly..

Like a big kid I suppose... And like all Boy`s.... I want a big one..

And a lot of other`s would agree if they were honest..

No good having spent all that money just to leave it in storage for months on end... Use it...

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[scotjimland]

I think, Jim a lot of it was Look at what I have got, it`s bigger than your`s..

I'm sure there are some that would apply to.. some only go the Motorhome and American Shows.. then sit on the drive..

however, we bought ours to full-time in and being a family of four anything smaller would have been unsuitable.. but would not buy another for touring.. just too much hassle..

 

[big map]

We love our Damon. We never plan except booking tunnel crossings because if we plan something crops up to change those plans. We usually just check the weather and then set off. We've got cycles for getting about if we are staying somewhere for a while but we have also towed a motorbike and we are now towing a car (since motorbike accident last June). Love the extra space inside the motor home even though nowadays it's usually only the two of us. We use a mixture of sites and aires for our holidays. Notwithstanding I respect both @old-mo and @ScotJimland points.
Andrea.
Edit - Just read the last two posts and don't agree with them. We use ours a lot and Im not one for bragging.

 

[scotjimland]

I recall asking this very same question.. ohh.. must have been around 2004 .. just when we were planning to go full time.. and one guy said..

"Jim.. buy an RV and you will be a happy man.. when you sell it you will be ecstatic .. "

as so it proved to be... had it for five years, lived in it for three and it took over a year to sell .. and I lost more than 50% of the purchase price.. a big hit.. but so glad it was gone..

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[Larrynwin]

Now on our third RV , this one at 8.5m was a planned downsize from a 33ft hurricane specifically to reduce the amount of planning.
This is the same size o/a of most euro tags but has the RV benefits of slideouts etc and having travelled a fair bit in UK and Europe has never been a problem.
On this and the RV forum there are members with 34ft + RVs who also travel far and wide with no problem, just needs a little more planning.

 

[trekkin]

Hi

First thing to consider is actual size, RV model length is rarely the bumper to bumper length, not sure what year you are looking at but a quick look some 3270 are closer to 35'

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Sure the extra size takes a little planning, but all trips take planning so checking the route is just another point. You need to decide what you are doing with the RV, Awe cannot get down the tiny country lanes to some of the listed sites, but our choice was always sites that are less remote, if this is your choice then an RV may not be for you.

And RV uses no more water or power than a Euro, after all how can it, RV people only wash cook and clean the same, it just appears more water is being used as more goes in in one go rather than multiple filling and with solar we can wild camp and easily manage on a 6A HU

As said CCC and CC have a 10 m limit, above this you need to check,

And I agree with Big Map we bought ours to use and use it we do try, and certainly did not buy it because it was bigger, it was what we wanted what we enjoy

Good luck with your choice

 

[Billy23]

Now on our third RV , this one at 8.5m was a planned downsize from a 33ft hurricane specifically to reduce the amount of planning.
This is the same size o/a of most euro tags but has the RV benefits of slideouts etc and having travelled a fair bit in UK and Europe has never been a problem.
On this and the RV forum there are members with 34ft + RVs who also travel far and wide with no problem, just needs a little more planning.

Just wondering, what is the weight empty? I assume it is 7.5 max loaded

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[Larrynwin]

Just wondering, what is the weight empty? I assume it is 7.5 max loaded

Mine is 6577 kg GVW with a payload of around 800kg.
When fully loaded two up with all clothes , food , full lpg, 1/4+ petrol , 1/4 water we are normally around 200kgs under the gvw.
6577kg is a useful gvw as it gives a towable allowance of 1600kg to stay below the 8250gtw allowable on my licence .

 

[Brian and Jo]

well like others on here we had an autotrail cheiftain tag axle then decided to go to a b-class rv with 3 slide outs,great bit of kit but my aim was always to have a quad slide diesel pusher so in between the 2 we had a windsport with 2 slide outs similar in overall size to the damon you are thinking about (approx 34ft) ,if that damon is a twin slide out model i will be suprised if it weighs in at 7.5t,our windsport was 8.25t.but the urge was still strong for the quad slide so we bought the tiffin allegro bus.after just 18months of use work swallowed me up so after renting it for 18months decided to sell it.it was at that point that we decided that even though the tiffin was a fantastic coach 37ft long and with 4 slide outs the interior space was huge,it was the right time for us to go back to a european tag axle motorhome and so we are awaiting an arto in march.hopefully this year is going to kinder to us and release me from work a lot more.good luck with your decision making but check that weight to make sure you havbe the correct licence to drive it.if it over 7.5t you will need a C-class licence.good luck and let us know how you get on.
Brian & Jo

 

[DJSteward]

Thanks for all of your replies.

As we have a school age child we tend to be weekending with two weeks in the summer holidays. We tend to be planners rather than just getting up and going.

We have found ourself rallying with the CC which means being self reliant for toilets and power which has got us thinking about holding tanks and inboard generators plus large battery banks and lots of roof space for solar panels.

For our two weeks in Brittany all of our pitches are already booked. We don't really just arrive somewhere hoping for a pitch.

As mentioned earlier I have C1 and the Damon is plated to 7500kgs. It is a single slide.

Regards

David

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[scotjimland]

When we had three kids at school and I was working with only a few weeks holidays we had a caravan.. we took it all over France and Spain for summer vacations.. it was a large twin axle Lunar and was very spacious.. tugged it with a Discovery .. huge benefit was we had a car to run around while on site.. explore, shops etc..

In my opinion, .. motorhomes are better suited to touring, moving on without a plan, stopping as and when you have the inclination.. and staying on sites for only a few days.. .. .. but each to their own.. enjoy whatever you decide to buy ..

 

[CazPaul]

Over a metre in length increase is huge I think. You see people saying we are going bigger and they stretch their hands out saying its only this much bigger etc. A metre is huge when you stick it on the back of what yoy have already got.

You will have trouble with that size getting on sites both here and abroad, phoning up all time in advance, some Stellplatze in Germany you won't be able to go on.

Paul.

 

[simsy56]

I will add my pennyworth,
We had a Winnebago 32ft single slide which we loved. Nice to drive, comfortable, and never any problems with campsites and pitches.
We now have a fifth wheel and truck with a length of 44ft bumper to bumper when coupled. Not had any problems as such with campsites, although some have been tight getting in and out, some have been a no-no. But, generally OK.
What i do like is a slide out, or two. The space it gives is unbelievable.
Now that family circumstances have changed, we are selling the 5th wheel, and would like a B-class triple or double slide, or may even return to an A-class with slides.
The tanks are larger, and a macerator is necessary with a good length of hose. We have solar panels, and can quite easily live off site for a number of days.
They are not everyones cup of tea, and neither is a eurobox.

Craig

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[Wildman]

do bare in mind it will only do 8-10 on LPG so not such a large saving as you might think.

 

[Gaston aires]

Its not the length or height thats the problem, its the width. I had 2 friends with RV s and they found them too wide for European roads . When they tried to sell them they had to virtually give them away.
Phil

 

[scotjimland]

The size of the motorhome
A motorhome being registered in the UK cannot be more than 12 metres long and 2.55 metres wide, unless it has an Individual Vehicle Approval (IVA) certificate. A vehicle with an IVA can have a maximum width of 2.6 metres. There is no height limit but, if the motorhome is over three metres tall, the height must be on a notice visible to you as the driver.

If you need to measure the vehicle there are some parts that you don't need to include in your measurements.

When measuring the length don't include the:

• driving mirrors
• rearward projecting buffers (made of rubber or other resilient material)

When measuring the width don't include the:

• driving mirrors
• lamps
• reflectors
• distortion in tyres due to loading

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[simsy56]

Its not the length or height thats the problem, its the width. I had 2 friends with RV s and they found them too wide for European roads . When they tried to sell them they had to virtually give them away.
Phil

Too wide for European roads? I don't think so. Maybe 'some roads' are narrow, or they 'thought' they were too wide. I drove artics for years throughout Europe and the Middle East, and never thought i was too wide. Sorry.

Craig

 

[big map]

Once again I agree with @ScotJimland when our children were school age and holidaying in school holidays and weekends we had a 6 berth twin axle lunar delta (excellent caravan) and diesel jeep Cherokee for most towing, unless we were taking kids friends then towed with my petrol Chrysler grande voyager (extra seating) however hubby complained that used more fuel than truck loaded with 38 tonnes!!! Good luck with whichever way you choose to go.

 

[simsy56]

Let's be honest here, some people think a MH is a beast, It's what you have been used to. You need to be a confident driver, for any large vehicle. If you have never driven anything bigger than a car, any MH/RV will be daunting at first, a step up from a large MH to an RV may not be as taxing, and any HGV/coach/bus driver will feel right at home with one.
It's how comfortable and confident you are. Good luck!

Craig

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[dippingatoe]

My Damon Daybreak is a wide as they come and nearly 10m with the rack and mobility scooter on the back. Occasionally I am told I am too big to get on the site, but that's generally only if I ask in advance. If I just turn up they let me in (so far) If a site specifically mentions a length limit then I just wouldn't book

For New Year I went up to The Old House in at Llangynwyd, not only was the approach road narrow but all the Christmas visitors cars were parked in every available space They had left plenty of room for a car to pass but not me. But we got there, and round the memorial cross right in the middle of a narrow lane.

Only place I couldn't get so far was under the bridge at Conwy Castle, but I gave it my best shot.

I haven't been to the continent yet, and would probably steer clear of ancient town centres, but I have been up to the tower at the top of Oban, down to the harbour at Elgol, over Applecross and lots of other places (some of which I would rather not, like the station platform at the Kyle of Lochalsh, just before the Royal Scotsman came in !!!

It would be nice if it were a bit narrower, but Thebus handles really well, and each day I feel a little more confident with it, though from what you say you will be fine with that side of things anyway

I currently use two lengths of Rhinohose, but am thinking of getting one or two more, which would (I think) cover pretty well all eventualities ,though I do have a macerator it is very heavy and awkward for me to use (not a problem for you I would guess) then all you need is a long lay flat hose.

 

[trekkin]

Its not the length or height thats the problem, its the width. I had 2 friends with RV s and they found them too wide for European roads . When they tried to sell them they had to virtually give them away.
Phil

At 9'1" wing mirror to wing mirror a new Autosleeper on a Mercedes chassis is as wide as our RV with velac front mounted mirrors, so I guess they may have found these too wide also. As said it all about what you feel comfortable driving and how much experience you are able to gain. All too often MoHo are driven infrequently not allowing the owner to gain enough experience, after all if you did not drive your car for a couple of months this would make a difference to your judgement, and how many times when you have come back from even a two weeks holiday and found driving the car from the airport strange

There is a trend with current Euro MoHo to increase in size s they are starting to approach RV size.

Our last RV we sold for the purchase price we paid, having used it extensively over our 5years of ownership, not bad depreciation. There will always be horror stories of lost depreciation on RV, Euro and even cars, just have to be careful what you buy and how much you pay.

 

[scotjimland]

There will always be horror stories of lost depreciation on RV, Euro and even cars, just have to be careful what you buy and how much you pay.

oh well, I guess I was just careless then..

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[trekkin]

oh well, I guess I was just careless then..

Sorry if this offended, it certainly was not meant to as you had 3 years full time experiences which I am sure are priceless and unrepeatable, especially as and education, however I am sure after even this you did not have to virtually give it away.
I just wanted to add a different perspective that buying an RV is not like throwing your money away but it certainly is NOT an investment either,
But then life is not all about the money, as I am sure your experience shown

No offence meant

 

[scotjimland]

@trekkin .. none taken.. as you say, there is more to life than money.. but it was an expensive five years of ownership.. in all my buying and selling over the years I had never lost as much on any other motorhome or caravan.. in fact like yourself often traded on without loss..

USRVs are a niche market and when you need to sell there is unlikely to be a queue of eager buyers .. it is a buyers market.

 

[joncris]

As has already been advized the waste tanks, in particular the black one) can be a bugger to empty.
As for camp sites big enough to take an RV there's a guide called The Big Pit Guide which I understand is now sponsored by an RV sales outlet and is specifically aimed at RV owners

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