Garages in British vans (1 Viewer)

Jul 12, 2013
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Why don't British vans welcome garages?
I like Autosleepers, so asked which models had a garage. The rep said they do not have garages in their vans. This was 18 months ago so things may have changed.
Looking at all the other vans at motorhome shows, I think I saw one Swift model with a garage.
The rest of the known world (Europe) seem to have a garage in almost every marque. Is it true that British buyers do not want one?
As I look around the Aire where I am parked up in Spain, all but two old vans lack the garage feature.
I for one, could not wish to manage without one and I do understand the sacrifices that some designs require me to make. I.e. my wife climbing over me in the night...
 

138go

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British vans don’t float my boat at all, quite honestly. They seem to be inferior in build to the continental ones and they don’t offer the features we want.
 
Aug 19, 2015
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I agree with you rosalan. We are looking to change our MH but the one thing it must have is a garage this time. Our current one, which is our first MH, hasn’t got one.
We would like a large garage that would house two large electric bikes and singles or an island bed. We were looking yesterday and there were only three on the forecourt - all foreign and all too expensive for us. Shame.

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WESTY66

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All the gear, and no idea!
I think one of the sacrifices for a large garage is a high bed and that’s not for me.
 

SUGGY

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Carado T447 . 7.2 mt has a great garage .i carry my 125 motorbike in it and still have room for the spare wheel. Tables and chairs etc the T337 is about 6.8 mt but smaller garage .
 

Cheshirecat57

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From what I gather, Brits seem to really favour Rear lounges and Brit vans follow Brit tastes...
Rear garage and rear lounge don’t go together....

Forgetting the “british vans are no good” brigade..... its a supply demand thing I expect
There are just one or 2 ..... I have a Swift 684 which is rear elevated singles over a garage
I believe Elddis are launching a similar layout (194) for 2019

Good luck

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scotjimland

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Jul 25, 2007
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Why don't British vans welcome garages?

The British buyer has traditionally preferred the space and comfort of a U shaped longe... largely due to inclement weather when you spend a lot of time indoors.

conversely, continentals with a better climate do most of their living outdoors.. cooking , eating and relaxing.. so the preference has been a fixed bed with garage rather than a comfy lounge.

Our Hymer B644 had a huge garage and fixed bed, both excellent, but at the expense of a comfy lounge. It had an L shape sofa which was fine for dining, but no good for lounging..

The alternative layout in the B644 was a dinette .. again useless for lounging ..

It was always be a compromise..
 

Cheshirecat57

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British vans don’t float my boat at all, quite honestly. They seem to be inferior in build to the continental ones and they don’t offer the features we want.
Which make/model do you have out of interest?
 

ymfb

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Jun 16, 2017
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I am yet to see my perfect MoHo, PVC or smaller coschbuilt.

Rear fixed double bed
Front lounge/kitchen
Garage

I think if we were full timing we would probably go for an A class to get what we want, but find them aesthetically unappealing and cumbersome.

I’m sure someone will point out the error of my ways, but I haven’t seen THE ONE yet

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Southdowners

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May 7, 2015
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From what I gather, Brits seem to really favour Rear lounges and Brit vans follow Brit tastes...
Rear garage and rear lounge don’t go together....

You can get rear lounge layouts and large garages... Hymer Duomobil for instance. I'm sure there a lots more but that's the one that springs to mind. Not British of course.

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Southdowners

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OP was asking about British van availabilty though

I know, but if the British vans don't have them he may want to look for a European one.

You appeared to be saying that it wasn't possible to have a garage with a rear lounge so I wanted to let the OP know that they are manufactured with that layout.
 
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Cheshirecat57

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I know, but if the British vans don't have them he may want to look for a European one.

You appeared to be saying that it wasn't possible to have a garage with a rear lounge so I wanted to let the OP know that they are manufactured with that layout.
Sorry, didnt mean that loung/garage layout was impossible, just unusual and therefore hard to find. OP did use the word BRITISH in his thread title, i tried not to get into the “german is best” discussion but got dragged there again
 
D

Deleted member 29692

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I think one of the sacrifices for a large garage is a high bed and that’s not for me.

That's not correct.

We have a large garage and the bed is at the normal height.
 
D

Deleted member 29692

Deleted User
From what I gather, Brits seem to really favour Rear lounges and Brit vans follow Brit tastes...

The British buyer has traditionally preferred the space and comfort of a U shaped longe... largely due to inclement weather when you spend a lot of time indoors.

Or does it have more to do with that being the classic touring caravan layout and almost all of the British converters were originally caravan builders? The other thing is that a great many British motorhomers are former tuggers so that's the layout they're most familiar with.

If British people really prefer that layout why are European built vans so popular here?

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138go

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We have a Laika with a garage. Island bed can be moved up and down. When we had the larger bikes I used to take the front wheels off which meant the bikes were lower. You can also get folding pedals and saw the other day folding handle bars. We have now bought a couple of folding 20” wheel bikes and I swapped over the electric kits from the old bikes. All I have to do with these is fold the handle stem down, fold the pedals and in they go.

I think the British manufacturers play on the bells and whistles. We bought a Swift a few years ago. It had everything but we didn’t use it. Microwave was a waste of time unless you were on a site and so was the single electric ring. Massive toilet and bathroom but how long do you spend in there. When away as we are now in Spain. We cook outside, we use the facilities for showers etc and walk over with the washing up.

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Lenny HB

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British vans don’t float my boat at all, quite honestly. They seem to be inferior in build to the continental ones and they don’t offer the features we want.
We are of the same opinion. I don't get the hang up with rear lounges, I have notice most brit vans have standard Fiat seats at the front where as most Continental vans have good quality captains seats that are the most comfortable in the house making a rear lounge redundant IMO.
 

funflair

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We are of the same opinion. I don't get the hang up with rear lounges, I have notice most brit vans have standard Fiat seats at the front where as most Continental vans have good quality captains seats that are the most comfortable in the house making a rear lounge redundant IMO.
Can be quite nice and you do get a garage although the lounge does intrude, not British though,

IMG_2018.JPG


it's a Carthago "liner for two" on IVECO

Martin

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Apr 15, 2015
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Our Hymer B644 had a huge garage and fixed bed, both excellent, but at the expense of a comfy lounge. It had an L shape sofa which was fine for dining, but no good for lounging..

You can always lounge on the easily available beds... always more comfortable than a sofa for me.
 

Southdowners

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Sorry, didnt mean that loung/garage layout was impossible, just unusual and therefore hard to find. OP did use the word BRITISH in his thread title, i tried not to get into the “german is best” discussion but got dragged there again

Not by me... I simply made a suggestion.
 

Cheshirecat57

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Or does it have more to do with that being the classic touring caravan layout and almost all of the British converters were originally caravan builders? The other thing is that a great many British motorhomers are former tuggers so that's the layout they're most familiar with.

If British people really prefer that layout why are European built vans so popular here?
You are probably right Nick....I was just answering the question
 
Aug 6, 2013
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We are of the same opinion. I don't get the hang up with rear lounges, I have notice most brit vans have standard Fiat seats at the front where as most Continental vans have good quality captains seats that are the most comfortable in the house making a rear lounge redundant IMO.
........ and the best windows are in the front (y).

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