Beginner, help with making a choice (1 Viewer)

[Cliffdale]

Hello everyone!

I need help in choosing a decent motorhome! My background is I have spent most of my leisure time in boating / sailing mainly English channnel and French waters. After many years of sailing, we have sold up and now looking for a nice motorhome to tour the country and Europe.

I don't have any background or knowledge of motor homes so I need help with this.

Here is a list of requirements, may be you could give some suggestions as to what fits the list?

For my first motorhome,

up to around £25 000, max but up to 20k is better. I would pay a little more for a higher rated vehicle

Something that is known to be quality built and would sell being a popular make.

There are 2 of us but occasionally 3, I think 4 berth +

I might be pushing it with this one but anything that has a separate bedroom that the bed can be left made up? A desirable feature but not essential.

I like the dinette arrangements.

Got to have heating, shower, toilet, fridge etc, all the nice comforts of home.

I wouldn't like anything huge for a first timer, I think I need to build confidence in driving.

I'm based in Cornwall but an prepared to travel for the right motorhome.

Please let me know the popular makes and any suggestions of specific vehicles to view.

Many many thank!

Cliff

 

[MC 55 FUN]

& . . . driving licence entitlement, workable payload & layout options / requirements would be top of my list

 

[Cliffdale]

Thank you for the welcome. I have just looked at my licence and i am entitled to drive A and GH. It doesnt mean much to me so I will have to google it!

Payload, 2 people, 2 fold up bikes and standard stuff like clothes, utensils, water etc. Nothing great really.

layout is all a compromise to us. Somewhere to sit and take in glorious views. Mentioned the dinette table and separate bedroom so we dont have to make and remake the bed every day. Again, it's a desirable.

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[Cliffdale]

I have found more on my licence,
B
BE
C1
C1E
D1
D1E
fkinp

 

[Printermick]

Hi

First thing I think is to view a lot of motorhomes at a show or big dealer to fix your ideas more. Then to hire one nearest to your choice for a few days (and nights). Very expensive to buy the wrong van then have to change.

 

[martin1485]

Welcome to Fun. Suggest you have a look at this:
http://www.motorhomefun.co.uk/forum/resources/the-motorhome-buyers-guide.181/
and then spend some time at the Malvern Show in August
https://www.outandaboutlive.co.uk/shows/show/the-western-motorhome-show

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[Flamenca]

Have a look at the used motorhomes at Marquis near Plymouth. They might be out of your price range but will give you some ideas regarding different layouts.

 

[DangerMousy]

I'm still a beginner myself, but I second the advice to visit as many dealers as you can and spend some time looking at the different sizes and layouts to see what elements you like/don't like/are indifferent about.

At the beginning of our search I was sure I wanted a fixed bed, but as we looked around different vans we realised that what was more important is a decent lounging area and the overall length (fixed bed + big sofas = very long van!). The shower was also something that became an important criteria to us.

 

[Bacchus]

Hi @Cliffdale - a very good alternative to a fixed bed is the drop-down bed in A-Class MoHo like the Hymer - can be left made up and simply shoved out of the way during the day so easy to live with and doesn't make the van any bigger than it needs to be!

You should be able to get a very nice van for your budget; there was a link to someone selling a brilliant Hymer for 20k on the facebook classic hymer group this morning, I would have pulled their arm off if I had 20k, I couldn't see it just now (facebook is almost impossible to search); I will have another look...

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[Bacchus]

...found it. If you change your mind about boating you can buy my de Groot and I'll go and grab this Hymer (c:

 

[Speve]

You won't go far wrong with a Hymer they are excellent vans we have an Exsis imported last year and love it but there are all sorts out there the one above looks like a good buy

 

[Cliffdale]

Thanks for the link. I dont fancy LHD for the first time van.
I have made plans to visit Paignton to the motorhome centre their.
They said they have around 80 on a split site to view!

After looking around, I'm going to up my budget a little.

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[Dognewf]

well you can and should follow all the good advice on here.........

or you can do what we did, troop up to the first dealer for a wee look, see one we liked in budget and bought it there and then. so far so good

 

[Garfields]

Globecar may be worth a look
All depends on your needs
Agree if you can hire one with a layout you think you would like its well worth the cost

 

[Langtoftlad]

Having faced a similar dilemma recently, I only knew three things - budget, maximum length & fixed bed...
I finally concluded that provided those criteria were fulfilled, then more important than brand or model was... the dealership.
No MH will be without niggles or snags.
So it will be how they deal with any issues that will affect your overall bond with whatever vehicle you end up getting.

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[mercianman]

Hi,

We've just bought a motorhome. We went to lots of shows and dealers, but we also hired some for a weekend to try different layouts and makes. That helped us decide what we did or didn't want. It also showed us that some brands are made better than others!!

Good luck.

 

[MitchandJenny]

When you DO settle on a van and find one to buy, TAKE A MOTORHOMER WITH YOU TO THE VIEWING !!!
His / her opinion and judgement will be :- informed, experienced and not coloured with rose tinted specs.
It is easy to buy a "Pup" when filled with euphoria and lust.
Good luck with you new life and well done for finding the most helpful, knowledgeable and pleasant motorhome site there is !!!
Mitch.

 

[stcyr]

The best way for us to find the MH we want is to visit every dealer we come across with a decent amount of vehicles on offer, then approach the vans from such an angle that we can't easily see the price tags.
Last time we did that, about 6 years ago, we had sat in about a dozen MHs, going from disappointment to disappointment. We were sitting in one of them beginning to feel despondent when I happened to glance through the window & noticed the next van in line. We could only see part of its side but there was 'something about it' ... We decided to carry on along the line-up... The next van immediately looked out of our price-range but we thought 'might as well have a look, won't be able to afford it because even just from the outside it looked 10 times better than the overpriced relics we'd looked at so far' - the second we climbed in it was apparent that this would be the perfect van for our needs. We had the same thought at the same time: let's go away, save up a bit more, then rethink. I went to the cab area & turned the price card round - it was just under half the price of the others. Did the deal. Like buying houses, if you have in mind a price-range you easily miss out on bargains.
(And, in 6 years + she's cost £2.90 for a rubber gaiter & £40 for a reconditioned alternator )

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[GeriatricWanderer]

Sorry Cliff but I'm going to disagree with many or most of the replies to this, and other threads, asking for advice on what's the most important factor to consider when buying a motorhome and particularly a used one.

If you were considering handing over £25k for a used car I suspect the first thing you would want to look at is the service history before you checked out the colour of the seats.

The base vehicle for your motorhome, it's condition, mileage, service history etc is far more important, at the beginning of your viewings, than whether or not the habitation area has a "nice" layout.

Get the basics right first and then look at the less important aspects.

A well fitted MH with wonderfull fittings and accessories is of no use at all if it's sitting in some workshop waiting for a new, and expensive, replacement part.

I know your final choice will be based on layout/payload/size etc but don't be tempted into a purchase without a thorough check of the front bit.

 

[Four of us]

I know a lot of people prefer a fixed bed but we didn't find them big enough as we are both tall. We also liked to have more lounging space so went for one we make up into huge double every night. We timed it and it takes just over a minute to do, including getting the duvet straight! So don't be too put off by the idea. As long as there is easily accessible storage for your bedding it really isn't a problem..

 

[Cliffdale]

Thanks for all your replies.

Jenny and Mitch, I take your advice and if I decide to buy, we will be shouting for help around Paignton maybe sometime next week!

Also on the way back to Cornwall we are stopping off at Marquis if we have time. We are going to 'up' the budget and now looking for a newish low milage motorhome. We want something with a little wow factor. Although we have only seem images, some of the hymer range look great and appear very suitable!



Hopefully, this weekend we will have seen plenty which should help us make up our minds.

I really do appreciate your comments and suggestions. Anyone in Devon willing to help, please pm me!

cliff

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[Spidey]

If you are coming up the M5 then it will be worth your while stopping in at Highbridge caravans. We have always got good service from them and they have lots of used vans for sale. They also around the cornwr from them west country motorhomes.

 

[sedge]

Cliffdale, you need to pay your subs now, in order to gain access to the useful bits of the site or to make any more posts.