Campervan for family with 2 young teens? (1 Viewer)

[Lynn Downing]

Hi all
We are looking to purchase our first campervan or motor home. We've had a 4 berth caravan in the past but we didn't enjoy towing it so would love to get a van instead. The problem is our daughters are now tall 13 and 10 year olds so we need a decent size 4 berth van....but we'd like it as small as is possible to sleep and house us all comfortably!? Any recommendations? Budget would be 20k at the most really!
Many Thanks

 

[mitzimad]

Just out of interest, have you weighed this individual motorhome with its towbar, bike rack and bits?
Im sure loads on here would like to know what it weighs in the REAL world

go on we dare you

 

[wigster]

It is a mine field choosing a van , most people call a MH a van which they are not.
15 quid spent on subscribing on here saved me thousands when i was thinking about buying a van 3 years ago. Not to mention the help and care of this community

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[bobandjanie]

I think the best thing to do is hire one first and see how it works, I remember years ago my dad rented a motorhome and trying very hard to get me to go with them, there was already 3 children in it,
I resisted the invitation because unknown to them I had already made other plans.

Bob.

 

[Jenben]

It will be well worth you paying your £15 subscription to get access to all the site (including the motorhome buying guide). You can then ask as many questions as you like and get a lot of helpful advice.

 

[Cal54]

A friend and fellow funster has a McLouis Lagan - short coachbuilt van with overcab bed and sufficient seatbelts. Would probably suit your needs but as mentioned previously payload could be your issue. You might find one of the earlier models close to your budget also.

Good luck with your hunt and welcome.

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[eddie]

As a couple that bought our first Motorhome when we were in our Twenties, with three small Children aged three, four and five we bought it and were in Italy four weeks later.

Yes there were issues, but we dealt with them as we went. Some people worry so much, if we’d listened to them we’d still be making lists now in our fifties lol and our boys would not have a lifetime of excellent memories.

If your licence currently restricts you to 3500Kg, and there are four of you, your payload will be tight, so compromise.

You have little other option, however taking the test to upgrade your licence is hardly difficult, nor expensive, nor is the paperwork exercise of uprating the vehicle weights

So check if your proposed purchase ‘could’ be updated, compromise in the meantime and take your test

Or wait till the kids leave home, or, ruin your dreams

 

[Simon Select]

Check out http://www.dvleisure.com/
We send a lot of our older vehicles to him. Darren specialises in vans around £20,000 for first timers. He is also a nice guy.
Simon

 

[DDJC]

Also two kids, 11 & 14, so space and weight is pressured.

We bought our first van, late last year, following towing a 4 berth caravan. TBH, I was less certain about the wisdom then the missus. She can drive up to 3500 kg, but has done the towing test. I can drive to 7500 kg, towing an 7500 kg trailer (no idea why or how, just some army driving tests I did years ago). Unless/until she does the 7500 kg test and the trailer test, we are limited.

The most important consideration was weight and payload. The payload of our van was over 600 kg. But then you have to subtract pax weight, bigger engine, towbar, auto gearbox, rollout awning, plus nose-weight when towing her little car.

We travel with our water tank at about 10 litres - just enough for a stop. We shop frequently (fresh and local) so the cupboards & fridge are never bulging when travelling, but the best bit for us is the 200 kg of gear that we can put into the little car, because our trailer is braked. Trailer weight is less than 1500 with car and load. Train weight is over a tonne below the limit. If you had a mind to, you could get a towbar and a small covered trailer. Even fully loaded, it should be below 750 kg, which means that you could both tow it.

As it stands, a family of 4 leaves very little weight for personal effects. It is boring, but weigh everything. Be ruthless. Do I need it? Will I need it? Did I use it? Many campsites stock the basics of camping and the bigger resort sites have more kit than a Trigano warehouse . We are fleabaying loads of our old caravan gear, because there are lighter options now available.

Saying all that, I have never been stopped in decades of caravanning, and speaking to motorhome folk, being stopped is rare and seems to be linked to committing another misdemeanor. A bit like a Cop checking your tyres because you jumped a red light. However, I understand that your insurance might be invalidated if you are over.

My dealer says he can plate me up to 3750 kg. Kind of tells me that the often quoted "it's dangerous" is linked to whether you have paid a couple of hundred quid for a new sticker. Really?!

The weight issue is a continuous challenge, but honestly? It's all part of the fun of having and using a motorhome!

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[1ten]

We have two daughters 10 & 12 and gone from tents to a VW T5 pop top to a Globecar Campscout Revolution. We find the amount of space just fine and manged three weeks in the summer easily. We camp all year round but spend very little time sitting in the van we would rather be outside doing something even in the winter. I think your lifestyle massively dictates what space you need and with two young daughters I cant see you sitting about watching TV in the van all day. As everyone has said weight is the key, we had the van uprated (only a paper exercise for our van)as soon as we got it as we both have licences to cover it. We carry four bikes on the back and travel as light as possibly despite the spare capacity we have, we do seem to carry a lot less stuff than a lot of people.

 

[The Lobster]

We were in a similar position for our first MH... But two grandkids not teens. We didn't want something too big and spent forever looking at many layouts. Finally got a <7m burstner with full size bunk beds in the back and both front seats swiveled to make a good lounge after the kids were in bed. Relaxing in bench seats that don't recline is a tadt challenging. And the over can bed meant the lounge could still be used in the morning without disturbing late risers. One bunk raises to give great garage space. And with a bike carrier on the back we're sorted

We live in Scotland so interior layout, heating etc is important... But much less so in the South of France

My suggestion is think carefully about how the layout will work in every use case... With four I can't see how a PVC will work. And they cost as much as a grown up MH!

 

[Jagtazman]

Thank you all so much for your replies and suggestions, I'll have a look into those models you've recommended.

Think we also need to look into the C1 licence too, this might have to be our 1st point of call then our options will be much wider and more comfortable for all!

We have a van 3850kg 2 adults 2 teens and only just works for us
Yes you can get a van at 3500kg but will be very tight on payload. You.might have to compromise on build quality for payload.

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[Ernesto]

Hi
First post...and a very interesting thread ... and lots of great advice for people like me thinking of taking the plunge

We hired a motorhome a few months back to try the whole idea out - a 6 berth Bailey I think it was, around 7.5m. It surprised me just how noisy, rattly and unwieldy it felt on the road and I started to look at PVC's for something a bit more manageable. Like others, I was thinking of using an awning to supplement space and as we'd be late Spring to Autumn campers mainly, the the lack of indoor space would hopefully be less of an issue.

This Knaus Boxlife van is my current shortlisted favourite - 6m long, available in 2 or 4 berth (as an upgrade), separate bathroom, room for bikes and a 460Kg payload (in unmodified form) according to website. With an upgrade to 3,500kg (cost option from Knaus) I think that would give a payload of 660Kg, which seems about as good as its ever going to get?

Of course I now know I need to check and weigh the optional extras - but seems a decent starting point?

https://www.outandaboutlive.co.uk/motorhomes/reviews/motorhomes/details/knaus-boxlife-600/922697

 

[Ivory55]

You soon learn the art of using tea towels between things like pans or cooker tops to kill the rattle/noises.

 

[Ernesto]

...extra light, payload-saving tea towels ....

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[Jagtazman]

...extra light, payload-saving tea towels ....

Microfiber toweĺs and tea towels

 

[1ten]

Hi
First post...and a very interesting thread ... and lots of great advice for people like me thinking of taking the plunge

We hired a motorhome a few months back to try the whole idea out - a 6 berth Bailey I think it was, around 7.5m. It surprised me just how noisy, rattly and unwieldy it felt on the road and I started to look at PVC's for something a bit more manageable. Like others, I was thinking of using an awning to supplement space and as we'd be late Spring to Autumn campers mainly, the the lack of indoor space would hopefully be less of an issue.

This Knaus Boxlife van is my current shortlisted favourite - 6m long, available in 2 or 4 berth (as an upgrade), separate bathroom, room for bikes and a 460Kg payload (in unmodified form) according to website. With an upgrade to 3,500kg (cost option from Knaus) I think that would give a payload of 660Kg, which seems about as good as its ever going to get?

Of course I now know I need to check and weigh the optional extras - but seems a decent starting point?

https://www.outandaboutlive.co.uk/motorhomes/reviews/motorhomes/details/knaus-boxlife-600/922697

We looked at the Knaus and the big downside for us was that with the front bed down you can't use the rest of the van. If anyone wants to get up earlier than the others or even make a cup of tea they can't until the front bed is back up. You cant even get out of the side door without a struggle. That's why we went for Globecar Campscout Revolution, double bunk beds so the rest of the van can be used no matter who is in bed.

 

[Minxy]

This Knaus Boxlife van is my current shortlisted favourite
https://www.outandaboutlive.co.uk/motorhomes/reviews/motorhomes/details/knaus-boxlife-600/922697

I want to see pictures of the 'bicycle inner tube' shower curtain!

The shower is surrounded by a dreaded nylon curtain, but sewn into the curtain at waist height is what appears to be a bicycle inner tube that stiffens the material when inflated, preventing clinging.​

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[Ernesto]

Shower curtain isn't ideal I agree - but latest Knaus models have nicked Globecars idea (?) of the revolving segmented door, to give a separate bathroom across the middle of the van.

 

[Ernesto]

Revolution looks a good alternative too... next stop NEC in February for a good poke around I think