Buying challenge - suggestions for our first motorhome please (1 Viewer)

[Jaymacgee]

Hello all

Please may I have your suggestions for motorhome models that might meet our needs?

Budget: £35,000 tops

Age: happy to go back to 2008 if all is well with the motorhome

6 berth

End U shaped lounge

Full Dinette

Overcab bed

Interior style as modern as possible

Some external storage would be ideal and we really prefer the bathroom to have the shower separate to the main part of the bathroom floor (does that make sense? I don't know the right terminology).

We are a family of four (children are 13 and 9)and a dog living in Scotland. We'd mainly be using it for weekend trips close by, and a couple of week-long holidays further afield, including possibly Netherlands and France. We both have driving licences that cover over 3.5 tonne vehicles.

To give some guidance, we looked at a 2008 Autotrail Apache 700SE today. We were convinced it would be 'the one' and we're gutted to find it had one really bad bit of damp that even the salesman said he would make him not buy it.

We'd appreciate suggestions please - links to motorhoms for sale would be fantastic!

Thank you in advance.

 

[Four of us]

Welcome. I would suggest you visit several dealers, seeing as many models as possible. You will then see which ones best fit your criteria. With your budget you should get a really good second hand van. Once we knew what layout we were after we kept an eye on autotrader and got a really good deal on a private sale. Good luck.

 

[Northernraider]

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[Jim]

My best suggestion >>>> Subscribers can download The Motorhome Buyers Guide for Free The Definitive Guide to Buying the Right Motorhome at the Best Price

 

[buttons]

Hi and Welcome.....

 

[magicsurfbus]

For a family of four plus pooch plus kit in a 6 berth I think you're definitely looking at bigger than 3.5 tonnes, so pay close attention to any small print regarding the MH's available payload. Your budget should cover a decent second hand model of that size.

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[Jaymacgee]

Autotrail Apache 700SE 2009ish
Swift Esprit 496



Looking like contenders - any thoughts?

 

[peterc10]

Payload should be one of your most important considerations. NEVER believe the figures you are given for actual weight. Always insist on getting a weighbridge ticket before you buy.

With an end lounge external storage will be less than models with end beds over a garage.

 

[two]

Brit vans will give you more day-time space, so long as you don't mind making beds up at the end of the day. They also seem more likely to suffer damp.

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[Northernraider]

Brit vans will give you more day-time space, so long as you don't mind making beds up at the end of the day. They also seem more likely to suffer damp.

I think it depends on the van my continental has abundance of day time space

 

[two]

(Read my second sentence)

 

[Northernraider]

(Read my second sentence)

I did..... There's two fixed beds without touching the lounge.... The lounge is a third bed

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[Gaston aires]

Hi my first rule of thumb is, 6 berth good for 4 people, 4 berth good for 2 people, and so on.
Phil

 

[two]

Hi my first rule of thumb is, 6 berth good for 4 people, 4 berth good for 2 people, and so on.
Phil

I have a two berth.
So, does that make it no good for anyone?

 

[Gaston aires]

I have a two berth.
So, does that make it no good for anyone?

I nearly put that in the post. I have never had a two berth, so you tell me.
Phil

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[two]

A two berth provides an excellent reason for not being able to invite anyone else. Think of the payload.

 

[Chris]

Auto trail Scout, but you would need 6 belted seats whatever you go for and that will narrow down the available vans.

We had six belts factory fitted to ours as an option.

 

[sueandjohn]

For a family of four plus pooch plus kit in a 6 berth I think you're definitely looking at bigger than 3.5 tonnes, so pay close attention to any small print regarding the MH's available payload. Your budget should cover a decent second hand model of that size.

Yes check payload and the buying guide. We bought ours with no idea about payload and luckily got away with it as there is enough . Do the research and enjoy

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[Chris]

Auto trail Scout, but you would need 6 belted seats whatever you go for and that will narrow down the available vans.

We had six belts factory fitted to ours as an option.

Sorry I misread the OP - I thought there were 6 of you.

 

[peterc10]

Yes check payload and the buying guide. We bought ours with no idea about payload and luckily got away with it as there is enough . Do the research and enjoy

The only sure way to check payload is to put it on a weighbridge. The information from the manufacturers and dealers is notoriously inaccurate.

 

[magicsurfbus]

The only sure way to check payload is to put it on a weighbridge. The information from the manufacturers and dealers is notoriously inaccurate.

I put ours on a weighbridge to double check and found the manufacturer's (Swift) information to be pretty accurate, to be fair to them. Accepted however that it's not the case for everyone.

It's the small print that needs close scrutiny, ie what size/weight gas bottle do they assume, does it include one person or two? Is the fuel tank full? And so on...

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[two]

I weighed mine on delivery. it was 15kg within the maximum tolerance (i.e. the brochure weight + 5%).