Give up or buy a motorhome? (1 Viewer)

[nicholsong]

Personally I would always steer clear of any moho that has structural timber in the walls floors or ceilings. Eventually motorhomes will leak, and wood soaks up water like a sponge and rots. Structural sandwich systems with thin sides pressure bonded to closed cell insulation leads to less damage. ​

Seconded.

 

[Viennese]

Probably 1 in 7 vans on the road is a Ford Transit!

This MH one comes with a cat 6 tracker, and it will be stored at home behind locked gates, with security cameras, and it will be linked to our already elaborate house and garage alarm system wirelessly. I might well fit a Ford OBD port protector at £150.

In any case, with a coach built motorhome, the weak link are the windows, these are always easy to open, just as they are with a caravan. The side door, however, is much stronger than some doors with double locking points, and the garage doors have decent locks on them too.

At the end of the day that's why you pay for insurance.

That's very impressive, so you are 100% protected as long as you stop at home!

 

[thebriars]

If we are not at home then the OBD port protector will sure make it difficult to steal. Like I said, that's why one pays insurance.

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[Jonno1103]

It's a thread about a Tessoro, there's no structural wood in them?

There isn't a single builder who doesn't use wood somewhere. Even Hymer with their excellent PUAL 2.O will only state that there's no structural wood in the wall panels and that's now the same for all manufacturers plus they now all use elastic bonding.

5/10 years ago there was a build advantage... allegedly, not anymore.

 

[thebriars]

The Tessoro claims to have just 1% of wood. Elddis still use wood extensively in the structure.

 

[Jonno1103]

The Tessoro claims to have just 1% of wood. Elddis still use wood extensively in the structure.

Which for me shows Benimar are being a little more honest than some who state "wood free" construction when they're not entirely.

The 1% isn't structural it's just used very thinly as spacing and a thermal bridge bonded to the Styrofoam and GRP... not a screw head to be seen or worried about. The steel frame the floors sit on which is bolted to the chassis is also thermally bonded into it during the layered fabrication process, again no holes or metal fixings.

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[andy63]

It's a thread about a Tessoro, there's no structural wood in them?

Cant agree with that..
The wood strips provide structural strength to the joints at wall and roof.. and again at floor and walls..
Whatever way you look at it the wood is there because it enables a stronger joint... im sure if it didnt it wouldnt be there..
It enables a stronger structural joint so by definition is structural.

 

[In the Pink]

Following this with interest and learning more as I go along.
Re comments by @peterc10 and @nicholsong re avoiding motorhomes with wood construction, is there a
list/guide of makes that do not use wood in the construction?
TIA

 

[thebriars]

@andy63

Very useful information, however they have changed construction since your above diagram. The inside now also has a GRP skin. The current catalogue indeed shows the XPS and the composite brackets, but no wood.

I suspect the 1% of wood is used at critical fixing points only. After all if there is just 1% of wood, then in every metre length of wall, floor or roof surface there can be just 1cm of wood, which would make little or no difference. Hence wooden blocks must be strategically placed to support critical internal/external structures.

Went to have another look at the Benimar yesterday. Turned out to be the van that had spent the week as the NEC. It clearly hadn't been cleaned yet with fingerprints aplenty, and even a tatty show guide left in a cupboard. The good point was that after a week of misuse, there was one slight chip on a step, but everything else was pristine. All the hinges on cupboard doors were still firm etc.

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[funflair]

It looks like the only wood is now the plywood inner floor, since 2015 I think.

Martin

 

[andy63]

It looks like the only wood is now the plywood inner floor, since 2015 I think.

Martin

Hmmmm. ....
My chausson is a 2016 build... and i know there is wood used in it as per the above diagram...
Its an identical body cell to the vehicle in question from the same stable so to speak.. so the change in construction would have to be very recent..
Ive laboured the point long enough now so ill leave it at that..
Andy..

 

[funflair]

Hmmmm. ....
My chausson is a 2016 build... and i know there is wood used in it as per the above diagram...
Its an identical body cell to the vehicle in question from the same stable so to speak.. so the change in construction would have to be very recent..
Ive laboured the point long enough now so ill leave it at that..
Andy..

Could be just on the "cusp" then Andy.

Martin

EDIT the Chausson website still shows your diagram Andy.

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[thebriars]

I think Funflair is correct. It seems to be the plywood on the floor that is the only wood. See page 13 here:

 

[Wee Bold Davy]

We bought an Elddis Accordo 105 new in June this year. We've been away for an 11 day tour of the South West and 14 long weekends and the only problem we've had was our fridge not working on gas when we had it delivered. Apart from that, no problems at all. Maybe we were just lucky. Love it to bits

 

[Plumb]

Hi yes what I can say is in my opinion having owned both the fiat base vehicle and currently the ford based vehicle both in auto form the ford is by far superior in every way it's superb to drive a great option and also cheaper good luck in choosing and with your future adventures

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[rod_vw]

Well I have read much of this thread with interest and it has confirmed my thoughts of fourteen years ago. At that time I had just purchased a new LWB T4 VW with the idea of having it 'professionally converted' to a high roof camper. Finding a converter willing and able to build what we wanted at the quality and price required was an almost impossible task!

Then my circumstances changed and I had the time to 'self build' so that's what I embarked on. Not quite all of the conversion as I had the high roof fitted.

We are now driving our fifth 'self build' all on new VWs now a LWB Highline T6 with a Reimo high roof and all normal mod-cons for a vehicle of this size. Yes there are niggles when we start using a new conversion but having done all the work myself I have the knowledge of how everything is fitted, wired and plumbed so a fix is relatively simple.

I'm sorry for those who for what ever reason feel that they can't build their own camper but if you can just do it!

 

[thebriars]

Well a step closer to joining the motorhome fraternity! Our broken heap of junk, called a caravan by some, has been returned to the dealer. To date the process has taken 5 months, and at no time was there any dispute that the caravan was not fit for purpose. Sadly down to a thoroughly incompetent dealer (I'm being polite here, I did read the forum rules). That will probably be the last time I tow a caravan. I certainly won't miss sitting at a steady 56mph on the motorway, or sitting behind a slow lorry in the middle lane waiting until he pulls back in before overtaking. Hmmm, or possibly the faff of putting up and taking down an awning!

 

[thebriars]

Finally found this on the Benimar website. Yes the construction methods have changed to remove wood from all but the internal floor. Notice they've blobbed on the labelling for the floor!

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