Campervan vs motorhome (1 Viewer)

[crawfcol]

I'm guessing this is an age old question.

Which to buy, pros and cons?

Do people use the shower in their motorhome?

 

[Bluemanc100]

We're new to this lark but have been tuggers in the past.

We specifically wanted a 4 berth or something with the lounging space needed for the two of us. We saw no point in choosing something where you can't move freely once the bed is made up.. luckily for us I stumbled across old-mo just after he had posted a for sale ad for the Marquis 155 which is absolutely perfect for us

I love the look of the T5's and maybe even the PCVs we've seen but they weren't right for us... it's all about personal preference so sod the MPG / vehicle size. I was a motor mechanic in the RAF for 22 years with all the licences I could get so if I can't handle a 7.0m MH I might as well hand my licence back....

 

[nicholsong]

Campervan Vs Motorhome.

Small camper van-bit cramped but you can use it as an all round vehicle.
Motorhome all the luxuries of home but maybe a bit too big to use just for shopping-height barriers!

Most height barriers are 2m so only the likes of VWs T2-T6 will fit under.

More barriers are popping up, but is often a surprise where. Tesco and Aldi/Lidl do not have them generally, but both have recently installed them just off the A2 north of the hill to Dover Ferry Port. Strangely Tesco one is 2.9m - OK for many MHs but ours is 3.0m. Their rationale was to stop lorries parking, but they could have put it somewhere around 3.5m-4m for that purpose, rather than denying several MHs.

In France it is more of a lottery whether S/markets have height barriers. E.LeClerc have them at some shops but not others, but do not publish the info. The company does not have them in Poland - no consistency.

Except for the smallest campervans most campers, PVCs and MHs will be denied access where there are height barriers.

Geoff

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[StephDeLux]

In France it is more of a lottery whether S/markets have height barriers. E.LeClerc have them at some shops but not others, but do not publish the info. The company does not have them in Poland - no consistency.

Leclerc shops are franchises. Each shop owner decides its own policy.

 

[Bluemanc100]

We're new to this lark but have been tuggers in the past.

We specifically wanted a 4 berth or something with the lounging space needed for the two of us. We saw no point in choosing something where you can't move freely once the bed is made up.. luckily for us I stumbled across old-mo just after he had posted a for sale ad for the Marquis 155 which is absolutely perfect for us

I love the look of the T5's and maybe even the PCVs we've seen but they weren't right for us... it's all about personal preference so sod the MPG / vehicle size. I was a motor mechanic in the RAF for 22 years with all the licences I could get so if I can't handle a 7.0m MH I might as well hand my licence back....

I meant PVC's....

 

[mikebeaches]

Can you get mosquito screens for the “patio” door on a campervan?

Yes, ours came as standard on the Rapido.

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[Lenny HB]

I think you’ll find that most PVCs are more expensive than a lot of A class MHs.

Not seen any PVC's around or over the £100k mark.

 

[StephDeLux]

Not seen any PVC's around or over the £100k mark.

La Strada can approach or top 100K€. But it is surely not common and definitely not the main market segment of PVCs

Edit: I just checked and by clicking liberally in their configurator I came up with a configuration that costs 135K€

But I have yet to see anything like that on the road.

 

[nicholsong]

La Strada can approach or top 100K€. But it is surely not common and definitely not the main market segment of PVCs

Edit: I just checked and by clicking liberally in their configurator I came up with a configuration that costs 135K€

But I have yet to see anything like that on the road.

I do not know the model or configuration but we saw a La Strada in Bautzen Stellplatz on our way home last week. We commented on its nice appearance. It was a Burgundy colour.

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[gerry mcg]

Can you get mosquito screens for the “patio” door on a campervan?

yes, it is standard on the Globcars

 

[Paddywack]

6m long easy to park.

"In the United Kingdom, the recommended standard Parking bay size is 2.4 metres (7.9 ft) wide by 4.8 metres (16 ft) long." So once you've gone over 5m - you might as well go looooooong.

 

[StephDeLux]

So once you've gone over 5m - you might as well go looooooong.

Within reason

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[ToBoldlyGo]

It gives you a lot more flexibility to have a full washroom with shower, so if the facilities are ok on a campsite you can use them and if you're off grid eg on an aire or at a fest your can use your own facilities. I really like the reduced width of a campervan (pvc) vs a motorhome (mh) we've had both and the former was easier to park and I could negotaite narrower roads more easily. On the other hand at the end of the driving and we're lounging around inside we really appreciate the increase in interior space that the mh gives us.

Which to buy, pros and cons?

Do people use the shower in their motorhome?

 

[ToBoldlyGo]

It was my oh that made us upgrade to a mh and I was in 2 minds and still miss ou lovely Syphony but she was right in saying making the bed base was ok for light use but yes it's really nice having a fb now. On our recent tour we even tried the shower on the hook up which we'd not done before and was chuffed to see it works on a 6a ehu! So the next time I book us on a campsite with smelly nasty shower block abroad no need to use gas! O

We like the extra space you get in a motorhome. We have a fixed bed which is wonderful! It’s a proper bed and I love not having to make and unmake it every day. I’ve been there and have the t-shirt.

Yes we use our shower all the time.

 

[ToBoldlyGo]

I was struck by how lovely a lot of the foreign makes on aire looked eg Burstner, Ineo, Rapido as you say. I see you have a C class what is a 'C' class?

Oh,and don’t forget....................................................................

Rapido!

Mine’s very well made,and the fixed bed is just sooooo ridiculously comfy.

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[Podney]

C stands for Coachbuilt.
Habitation Area is built on standard vehicle chassis e.g. Fiat Ducato.
As opposed to A Class....they’re the ones that look a bit like a box on wheels....so my wife says.
And PVC.....panel van conversion,where the original shape of the van is retained.

 

[Minxy]

Explain to me how a PVC works better on small roads than say a Dethleffs Globebus T1 or Carthago Compactline T138.

We've just changed from a Globecar PVC to an A-class Carthago Compactline i-138 (not T138, that's a Carado variant) and the major considerations was the width, we didn't want anything fat as we explore out of the way places along narrow roads etc and having had wider MHs in the past we know how the extra girth can restrict where you can go. We've had to accept that at 2.12m the i-138 is 7cm wider than the PVC but the Compactline ones are the narrowest MHs there are.

After having 2 Globecars we wanted something with good build quality again so a budget model was never on the cards and obviously this came at a cost as Carthagos ain't cheap so we've emptied the piggy bank now but we have no kids therefore might as well spend our dosh on something that we, and our doggies, will enjoy using for many years to come.

We WILL miss the sliding door and being able to throw open the rear doors but that's the compromise we've decided we can live due to it having the A-class 'conservatory' front end and being fully winterised with a layout that will work for us and give a bit more space for us and our 3 doggies.

As for use on smaller roads, we're hoping we won't find a difference in use but only time will tell!

 

[Reallyretired]

We have a 7.6m A class and like the space. We also have a fixed bed plus a drop down one and a large washroom with a proper shower cubicle. Most important as we don't use site facilities, although we do sometimes stay on sites. It sometimes happens one of wants to go to bed and the other doesn't so no problems.

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[MyrtleGuru]

portal = portaloo.

I was so hoping it really was a portal. A van that can travel in the 4th dimension would offer so much more by way of experiences

 

[busbuddy]

at the end of the day you need to go with what works for you, get in stuff and see what feels right for you

i have spoken to people who drive big A class stuff who love the van but are terrified of driving it and campervan people who go on about how good their small van is and then go back to their site and connect to an awning the size of devon....each to their own
in my teens i started with big american stuff, then moved on to really BIG american stuff, then went to a 70s vw campervan, then a german coachbuilt and now a british coachbuilt, every change was due to my requirements/circumstances at the time

 

[nicholsong]

C stands for Coachbuilt.
Habitation Area is built on standard vehicle chassis e.g. Fiat Ducato.
As opposed to A Class....they’re the ones that look a bit like a box on wheels....so my wife says.
And PVC.....panel van conversion,where the original shape of the van is retained.

Not deprecating reply but maybe better explained that 'C' Class retains the original commercial van cab and the converters then put the habitation area behind and sometimes add above the cab.

'A' Class the converters buy a chassis with motor and driving gear but no front-end body and build all the body from front bumper up and back, so wider cab, but behind that it can be same as 'C' Class.

PVC is where the converter just makes a campervan within the oiginal commercial van.

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[Blackadder]

Better late than never?... a tardy contribution.
We were faced with the PVC v MH question this time last year. Then we were shown the Buerstner Travel Van T620 which seemed to be the perfect compromise and cost no more than the Malibu PVC we had been looking at - actually the end-of-season deal we were offered made it cheaper. It's narrower than most coachbuilts (we live in a tiny village with even tinier roads - every cm is significant) and, contrary to earlier comments, we have found this a significant advantage. It's not quite as roomy as a normal coachbuilt (the aisle between the kitchen and eminently useable bathroom is a bit of a pinch-point) but having now spent 73 nights in it we are very happy with our "compromise". It also has a garage for our e-bikes/barbie/chairs etc which means we can lock everything away at night.
One other factor swayed me toward a coachbuilt of some kind; I often see very rusty panel vans which are only 10-12 years old. Apart from the Fiat chassis/cab, ours seems to be made of plastics and aluminium so it should be structurally sound, i.e. re-sellable, for years to come! Having once owned a 1970s Fiat I'm a bit rust-sensitive but I'm surprised that this has never been mentioned as a decision-making factor.
If you have an objection to Fiat and don't want an automatic then I think there is/was(?) a Citroen-based version from Buerstner and Weinsberg do a very similar van based on the Peugeot chassis/cab

 

[StephDeLux]

Better late than never?... a tardy contribution.
We were faced with the PVC v MH question this time last year. Then we were shown the Buerstner Travel Van T620 which seemed to be the perfect compromise and cost no more than the Malibu PVC we had been looking at - actually the end-of-season deal we were offered made it cheaper. It's narrower than most coachbuilts (we live in a tiny village with even tinier roads - every cm is significant) and, contrary to earlier comments, we have found this a significant advantage. It's not quite as roomy as a normal coachbuilt (the aisle between the kitchen and eminently useable bathroom is a bit of a pinch-point) but having now spent 73 nights in it we are very happy with our "compromise". It also has a garage for our e-bikes/barbie/chairs etc which means we can lock everything away at night.
One other factor swayed me toward a coachbuilt of some kind; I often see very rusty panel vans which are only 10-12 years old. Apart from the Fiat chassis/cab, ours seems to be made of plastics and aluminium so it should be structurally sound, i.e. re-sellable, for years to come! Having once owned a 1970s Fiat I'm a bit rust-sensitive but I'm surprised that this has never been mentioned as a decision-making factor.
If you have an objection to Fiat and don't want an automatic then I think there is/was(?) a Citroen-based version from Buerstner and Weinsberg do a very similar van based on the Peugeot chassis/cab

The travel Van is a bit of a curiosity at Bürstner. It is among their most affordable models but is built like their very hih-end ones. XPS hard foam and aluminium panels that are structurally strong, allowing a wood-free and solid construction with excellent insulation. The standard equipment is mind boggling (all leather seats!), really a very attractive van. Congrats on your choice!

 

[Chockswahay]

I'm guessing this is an age old question.

Which to buy, pros and cons?

Do people use the shower in their motorhome?

Well............ maybe you could swap the position of 'age' and 'old' in your question

Your avatar would suggest you are quite young, this forum is (mostly) frequented by older (retired) people who will have quite different views and needs (sorry peeps) so I would suggest you consider all thoughts and opinions carefully.

Human nature leads to most of us endorsing or vindicating the decisions we have made, so if you ask a forum full of old people who (mostly) own quite large motorhomes you might not receive impartial advice.

For my (completely biased) take on all this I think there are 3 types of 'van......

VW T6 size .......... small, economic, go anywhere, park anywhere, cheap to run ........ BUT..... you will need to be creative regarding toilet and personal hygiene, also you need to be quite comfortable with very small spaces......... best suited to shorter trips out (a long weekend plus a few longer trips.

PVC size....... tend to be 5.4 to 6.4 metres based on classic a delivery van. These will have all the facilities of a larger motorhome but 'smaller'. They are a little bit more restrictive to park and drive but generally no 'real' problem. Certainly you can easily do trips of unlimited duration in these.

Coach built/A class etc ........ these are often longer, wider and much more comfortable, however there will be times when they limit where you can go/park etc. Also they are even more expensive to run.

We have only had 2 vans, the first one was a 6m Globecar which we owned for 3 years and travelled throughout Europe extensively in....... it was great! The second van was a 5.4m Hymercar which we had for one year and lived in for one year (yes, really!). We never used the shower once! it is easy to stay clean and fresh via other means.

So really it all comes down to choice, what you want it for, how often you will use it, budget, and so on and so on.

What I am saying (and of course it has already been said on here) is that we are all different

Me? my next van will be a VW T6 medium wheel base. It won't have a pop top, it won't have a shower, it Will have a toilet, it will have heating. The rest is simply ancillary. Less is more

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[tinkerbell]

Does anyone have a box like the one on the back of DBK's van they wish to sell reasonably?

 

[StephDeLux]

VW T6 size .......... small, economic, go anywhere, park anywhere, cheap to run ........ BUT..... you will need to be creative regarding toilet and personal hygiene, also you need to be quite comfortable with very small spaces......... best suited to shorter trips out (a long weekend plus a few longer trips.

PVC size....... tend to be 5.4 to 6.4 metres based on classic a delivery van. These will have all the facilities of a larger motorhome but 'smaller'. They are a little bit more restrictive to park and drive but generally no 'real' problem. Certainly you can easily do trips of unlimited duration in these.

Coach built/A class etc ........ these are often longer, wider and much more comfortable, however there will be times when they limit where you can go/park etc. Also they are even more expensive to run.

Like so often you forget the Compact class, which comprises couch builts and A-Classes. They are very narrow, some very, very close to PVC widths and not longer.

 

[Chockswahay]

Like so often you forget the Compact class, which comprises couch builts and A-Classes. They are very narrow, some very, very close to PVC widths and not longer.

Oops, sorry, you are quite right, make that '4' types of van

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[Tony50]

We have a 2017 Chausson 728XLB, XLB being extra large bed ( island bed ) would not bother with that again, like the coach built room , especially like diesel water and habitation heating, 8 weeks winter in Spain using old seethrough BP gas bottles ( now supplied by Homebase) never emptied 2nd one. Quality of build Iffy !! Like all.?