Confused! (1 Viewer)

[Haitchjay]

We are newbies in that we hired a MH and fell in love with the lifestyle so now want our own. Trouble is we keep changing our minds as to what we want. We do know we need a fridge with a large/separate freezer, a fixed bed and room for a very large dog. Looked at used and new and have gone through a range of makes.....Pilote, Bessacarr, Swift, Florium, Autotrail to name a few. New is calling but budget is tight. Advice from experts much appreciated (though probably need to say, being a girl, its all about the look )

 

[hilldweller]

A good older one will not only save you a fortune but will probably be a better van to own.

 

[Larby]

My Autotrail Delaware can achieve all that you need, but what suits me.........................
Do you have a C1 driving licence? You'll need one for the bigger motorhome

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[EX51SSS]

A good older one will not only save you a fortune but will probably be a better van to own.

There are quite a few older ones about and in very good condition. Know your budget and good luck and

 

[wigster]

 

[Clarky]

There's an old saying in motorsport which also applies to aircraft.
If it looks good,
it goes good.

Unfortunately it can't always be applied to motorhomes but if care has been taken with design and construction it means the builders should, in theory, care how it performs.

Best of luck in your search.
Oh, and welcome to MHF.

Richard.

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[Speve]

Hi and welcome were not far down the road from you, enjoy the fun the subscription is well worth paying you will get it back in buckets full via help and advice.
Don't rush into buying try and make sure you get the right one first time you will have to compromise on some things.

 

[funflair]

You will get more van for your £ with a used one, and if you are lucky somebody else has sorted all the problems, if you are unlucky they might have traded it in because of problems.

Martin

 

[hilldweller]

There are quite a few older ones about and in very good condition.

Ours for instance. 4 years old. 4000 miles and the oven had never been used, pretty much like the rest of it.

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[Haitchjay]

Thank you all, hubby has a C1 although it will probably need to be one I can drive too. Is it worth looking at demo/pre registered rather than brand new? Many of the used ones have been very expensive considering they're not that old (3 or 4 years) but looked a bit tatty.

 

[MC 55 FUN]

&

 

[Bill_OR]

Is it worth looking at demo/pre registered rather than brand new? Many of the used ones have been very expensive considering they're not that old (3 or 4 years) but looked a bit tatty.

That's what we did first time round. We got a really good deal on a demo vehicle that has only about 200 miles on the clock and had never been slept in. Part exchanged it 2 years later for the same as we paid for it! However, it wasn't quite the right layout for us and that's why we bought a new one.
So, by all means look for a demo vehicle but don't buy it just because it looks nice!

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[TerryL]

Hello and . As you don't seem yet to have settled on a layout you may well be better off going for an older van initially. I say this because many motorhomers will tell you it took the experience of 3 vans to get what they really wanted. A good used van will lose very little in depreciation while you are learning - and it may actually be the right one first time!

We were happy with our first van, so much so we've still got it after 7 years! But we spent 18 months going round dealers and shows comparing different models. Layout is the most important consideration, closely followed by layout and then layout. The "large dog" will also have quite a big say too!

 

[Spidey]

When looking at the vans try and imagine how you would live in it. For instance on a rainy day is the lounge big enough etc. Is there enough storage, payload for a 3.5 ton van

 

[JeanLuc]

Keep looking. We have had ours for 9 years now. We bought it at 4 years old and it looked virtually new. Now it has done over 70,000 miles and we need to get the front swivel seats recovered, but apart from that, it still looks good and is probably better built than many newer vans. Of course we have had to spend money on maintenance including some base vehicle parts, but it goes well and we have no plans to change it (it's a 2003 Hymer Star-Line B630).

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[TheBig1]

most motorhomes are ugly if you think about it, just a big white box stuck on the back of a builders van. it is subjective though as beauty is in the eye of the beholder as we know. Far more important is the layout and space inside for you and the dog. we all go on a trip hoping for and expecting wall to wall sunshine, but reality is that you will be spending long wet days and cold evenings in there. lounging comfort is far more important than most newbies realise

buying new you will loose 20% plus the day you drive from the dealers. a good condition second hand van will depreciate much slower

 

[Haitchjay]

Hubby is 6ft 3 which is a big consideration as some fixed beds are too short. We're going from boating to MH and part of our problem is we loved our boat living area so similar would be good (L shape lounge)but would like more space in the MH sleeping area, probably an island bed. Layout really is everything and we're finding what we think works in a photo often doesn't in the flesh! Thank you all for really useful advice. If I knew how to put a thumbs up on yr comments, I would

 

[EX51SSS]

However, not all Moho's are ugly white ones. Ours for example is Burgundy and Grey. We bought it at 18 months old and we've had it nearly 10 years. Front and rear seats were reupholstered in matching leather. It's a tardis. Added Gaslow system and it's an A class moho. We had a moho before but when we saw this, we had to buy it and although we go to the shows and look at loads, we're not really looking to change because we haven't found one that ticks as many boxes as this Exsis does. It's a 2005 model and looks really good.

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[EX51SSS]

Hubby is 6ft 3 which is a big consideration as some fixed beds are too short. We're going from boating to MH and part of our problem is we loved our boat living area so similar would be good (L shape lounge)but would like more space in the MH sleeping area, probably an island bed. Layout really is everything and we're finding what we think works in a photo often doesn't in the flesh! Thank you all for really useful advice. If I knew how to put a thumbs up on yr comments, I would

On the bottom of each reply there are 5 options available but probably only available after you become a member. Others will give you details

 

[f6c]

Welcome aboard

 

[HymerB544]

A good older one will not only save you a fortune but will probably be a better van to own.

He's dead right; quality of build, and a well-cared for older van - with the layout that suits you - will give you years of good value motorhoming.

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[Ambilkate]

Welcome to fun X

 

[LAM]

we hired a MH and fell in love with the lifestyle so now want our own

Ditto !! You're right, it is very confusing... It's amazing how many different 'layouts' there are in a 'box'. We are on our second in a couple of years (long story with the first ). Upside, even tho' it's the two of us (not animals)we now have a better layout for us. However, like all say, it's what suits you and yours. Your requirements, like life, is transient. Good luck and.....

 

[Haitchjay]

Really helpful everyone, thank you - so glad I stumbled across this site. We've decided to not go for new. We have agreed on the layout tho so that helps & know we want about 7.3m long. No rush so will keep looking and when the 'one' comes along at the right price, we know we're going to really enjoy it

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[Hammie]

I too spent a year or more looking and it took months to decide what I wanted by working out what I didn't want i.e. Not making up the bed every night, not climbing over guests to get to the loo at night, how necessary was a separate shower, did I want an oven, an automatic, cruise control, left or right hand drive, solar panel, how much storage, how much payload etc. I already knew I wanted A class. Every chance I got I asked MH owners what they liked and disliked about their one. I drove a long way three or four times to look mine over before finally buying the right one. I suspect I will keep it until either the vehicle or my health gives up. My friends who bought smaller ones soon traded them in for more living space. They were shocked that I jumped in head first and bought 23ft long and LHD but I have now got a camera fitted to the right hand side as my reverse camera monitor can take three cameras. The salesman told me how to look out for the extra length behind the back wheels and not to swing out too soon and hit the car parked beside me. I love it and it was worth all the research. There are lots of papers online about what to look for when buying a used motorhome and they were very informative. All the best with your search and welcome to MHF it has been VERY helpful.

 

[mpdcymru]

Agree wholeheartedly with TheBig1, lounging space is very important - keep this thought in your mind as you try out several fixed bed layouts as they do mean a big loss of space during the day (unless you are happy to spend that day lounging on the bed!)

 

[Mickrik]

Thank you all, hubby has a C1 although it will probably need to be one I can drive too. Is it worth looking at demo/pre registered rather than brand new? Many of the used ones have been very expensive considering they're not that old (3 or 4 years) but looked a bit tatty.

Hunt around and be patient, you can pick up some real good 5/6 yr olds that are immaculate inside and if single previous owner will have been cared for like a pride and joy. With one of these you could save a load of money

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[Haitchjay]

Should we be concerned re older models and any engine problems? Hubby, by his own admission, is not mechanically minded so I'm guessing we'll be looking for fsh but are there some engines better/more reliable than others? This night is a godsend. Already learned so much and bought the recommended buying a motorhome book too

 

[Spanda]

We are fairly new to motorhoming and we took the view that a well looked after second-hand van was going to be our best bet, and that has proved to be the case. Plus with second-hand you can very often get them with all sorts of bells and whistles which would cost the earth if you bought them as extras on a new van. Ours came with full service history - both for the base vehicle and the habitation area, including a full damp check history, rear air-conditioning, a brilliant self-seeking satellite TV system, reversing camera, built in sat nav plus the usual awning. Unless you have deep pockets it is a choice between a new but more basic van, or a second-hand van from a more expensive range. Like other people our advice would be to go second-hand, but remember, condition and service history are everything. Read every scrap of paperwork before you part with your hard-earned cash.

 

[eleanor rigby]

We also fell in love with motorhomes and the freedom it gives. We had our first one for 2 years and sold for pretty much the same price, the second for 2 years and lost around £1000. They were both over 10 years old but gave us the lifestlye we were looking for whilst we started to compile what we wanted in our "destination van". As it happened someone less than a mile from where we lived had nipped to Germany and imported a Hymer B674 which ticked all the boxes.

Not going to change it anytime soon. Take your time as if you buy new or newish its sure to cost you a lot.

Good Luck