Considering purchasing an RV - couple of questions…

T

TOAD on Tour

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VW Grand California
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Since 2020
So….after an absolute nightmare experience with a twin axle Frankia (2008 plate) which literally spent more time at the dealers than our drive - 2 clutches, starter motor, alternator, egr, seized rear brakes, new water boiler, leaking/flooding shower plumbing and I literally could go on….I agreed a price for the dealer to buy it back at a considerable loss….however we move on, we are considering purchasing a 30ft RV as that is only 2ft longer than the Frankia and we still have our Fiat Abarth TOAD. We have looked at an advert on eBay for a 2008 Damon Daybreak RV with 13000 miles on the clock for sale at Dreams RV for £49500. I am sure this is probably loads more that I could’ve got it for pre-COVID, but still looks like more for your buck compared to a European MH at the current rates…so my questions, if anybody could kindly help with are (apologies as I am sure these have been asked loads):
1. Is the extra width anything to worry about compared to a traditional MH
2. anybody have any thoughts on the RV we are interested in re: reliability, engine, servicing etc.
3. how do people empty the toilet waste in the UK? We would mostly only use in this country
4. any estimated mpg with towing a car? It is lpg converted
5. anybody had any experiences with Dreams RV?
6. Anybody know anything about the payload, towing limits etc. on these?

as always, any helpful guidance is greatly appreciate. I just really do not want to have the mechanical nightmare we have experienced with the Frankia to be repeated.
👍
 
Q1 what driving licence do you have :)
 
Thanks Paula, will do…just thought the this forum’s title “American RV’s” may have also had some words of wisdom! 😀

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We bought a Thor ACE 30.1 from Dreams and it was a positive experience and after service within warranty was good.

Width, yes it requires thought - and as Jim would say you can get anywhere a bus or dust cart can, but can be a prob when you meet them coming in the other direction......

LPG availability to be considered in conjunction with price (was typically 50% or more less than petrol, unsure now) our experience was 10 mpg.....

I hope that helps
 
DDuffs said:
Hi - C1…..are you now going to say its over 7.5t? 🙁
Click to expand...

Will be mighty close...

Driving one down in Cornwall... make sure you have plenty of spare mirror`s...

Had a few hairy moments when we drove ours down there...

Our`s was 34 Ft 2010 Damon Daybreak on a V8 petrol with LPG conversion...

Got approx 8 -9 mile on petrol... and about 4 - 5 on top of that running on LPG...

Towing Toad and 4 Wheel trailer with car on...
(Before any smart *rse ask`s... No not at the same time..:giggler:)

Regarding emptying toilet... used to do it down manhole when we got home... or if I had to do it before... always had a "Macerator" & Few lengths of Hose, then most elsan pit`s will do... or some sites have designated dumps for RV`.. (y)
 
Thanks for the replies…..I need to update my signature as we are in Louth, Lincolnshire now, but will be going to North Devon to visit family, Damage Barton campsite would be out site of choice, so just the final mile would be a stressful, but did is a couple of times in the Frankia…..
 
Width not a problem I've had, just hug the hedge. We are currently on site at Love2Stay nr Shrewsbury. Fully serviced pitch (including black waste). Just go with the fully serviced pitches at any site, if in doubt call them. Not sure the Rv your looking at has slides? Space is king. As a side note I've upgraded front suspension with Sumo springs. Firms it up a bit as Rv's tend to wander. Go to RVOC site for anything you want to know!

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Thanks Peter and Julie, we’ve always gone for fully serviced pitches, but don’t recall ever seeing black waste hook ups. The RV we are looking at does have a couple of slide out, this has been key with our choice as we have 2 dogs, so space is key. 👍
 
American RVs on a budget would be V10 petrols running on LPG to keep costs sensible. I would be concerned about continuing availability of LPG at the pump. In the area were I live there is zero availability for pumped LPG. This is the reason I have never bothered with Gaslow etc. If your motorhoming is spent abroad things might be different - for now.
 
Thanks Ninjabob, I hear you on LPG, think this is quite dependant on where folk live. I am ok with taking my chances on availability. 😀
 
I don't think you woul have any difficulty driving it where you could drive an A or C class.

Fuel economy will be the Biggie....

Build quality and ride wil be improved I expect....

Cheers James
 
Check the weight limits on the plate or sometimes fixed in the cupboard above the drivers seat as a lot of rvs have been downplated allowing no payload unless you have a hgv licence.

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We are 2.4 wide and spent 2 weeks driving around Devon & Cornwall in the summer with no issues.
Height is the main worry as a lot of sites have low hanging trees so you have to keep an eye on them.
No issues emptying our waste tank you will probably find the drive over dump is ok for black waste but best to ask first.
 
We wouldn't go back to our previous van! An Auto trail Commache. Nice but still limited....Can't put a washing machine/tumble dryer in it. We are the same as you, 2 dogs and me and the wench!::bigsmile:::bigsmile:::bigsmile:
 
old-mo said:
Towing Toad and 4 Wheel trailer with car on...
(Before any smart *rse ask`s... No not at the same time..:giggler:)
Click to expand...
Some do!

P1010304.JPG
 
7.5t Rexhall Rexair. Downplated at import from 8.25t....so 750kg straight off the payload.
Never weighed it but most likely overweight as it stood empty
The fresh water tank held 70 us gallons and 6 gallons in the boiler plus 3 X 135ltr propulsion gas tanks plus 1 X 130ltr domestic gas tank.
Towing ...check the VIN plate, if a trainweight isn't on the plate you can't legally tow (ask me how I found that out )
Average LPG Consumption.....8mpg on Gas...10mpg on petrol...at around 50mph
Ford Triton V10 6.8 ltr. F53 truck chassis.
365bhp
400 odd Nm torque.
And you need a C1+E to tow anything over 750kg
8250kg is the absolute maximum weight so to tow an average car weighing 1000kg you need to lose maybe 250kg from the RV payload on top of the 750kg lost by downplate at import .
 
Last edited:
pappajohn said:
7.5t Rexhall Rexair. Downplated at import from 8.25t....so 750kg straight off the payload.
Never weighed it but most likely a couple of hundred kg left as payload.
Towing ...check the VIN plate, if a trainweight isn't on the plate you can't legally tow (ask me how I found that out )
Average LPG Consumption.....8mpg on Gas...10mpg on petrol.
Ford V10 6.8 ltr.
365bhp
400 odd Nm torque.
And you need a C1+E to tow anything over 750kg
8250kg is the absolute maximum weight so to tow an average car weighing 1000kg you need to lose maybe 250kg from the RV payload.
Click to expand...
Thanks Pappajohn, good info👍
 
On the width, that RV appears to be 2.5m wide.

I've recently gone from a PVC at 2.05m to a 2.3m wide a-class. Across most of the country, it doesn't make much difference. But when you get to roads with no centreline, it requires much more concentration and planning.

It's not so much how wide the vehicle is, it's how much space you've got left in your lane to play with. Whereas I might have had half a metre to jink across when there was something coming the other way in the PVC, I've now got less than half that... and you'd have none at all.

In the depths of Cornwall and in North Norfolk, overhanging hedges that car mirrors go under, but my mirrors would clash with them. I found several lanes where I was brushing stuff on both sides.
 
I think you may find while the build quality is generally good once you get past the facade the materials quality leaves a lot to be desired.
Behind the nice fronts on the cabinets the carcasses were any old wood they had laying around at the time.
Bits of old pallet cut to size seemed favourite on the Rexhall.
They certainly hadn't heard of decent PSE timber.

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Just a point! If it's been downplated to 7.5t then that's probably what it is with nothing inside. Mine was supposedly under 7.5t but US plate says real weight 18000Ib. Don't let it put you off though. Take a C driving test or artic C+E I have class 2 (C) but have driven large vehicles for years.
 
RV's are great fun, fantastic on site. They are not for spontaneous touring, you need to plan, you can go most anywhere, we've toured much of Europe in one. Be warned, even with good planning you will get stuck, properly stuck, we've left paint all over Europe, but it was all part of the adventure. :D
 

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