Going Full Time, What Motorhome? Our Budget

[MovingLives90]

Hi People, me and my partner have decided were going to go full time but we wont be going full time in our current van, for us to go full time we've come to the conclusion that a 4 to 6 birth motorhome would be more suited, we have a Budget of 12K we're aware for that price were looking at old motorhomes 25 to 30 year old, we've looked at the usual suspects for that price and age, Talbots etc but we thought we'd better seek some other opinions, we would like to go be able to go Off Grid alot so including that into our Budget maybe were looking closer at 9 to 10k for the motorhome with the remaining 2 to 3k being spent on solar and decent leisure battery's. we just want a motorhome that's mechanically sound, dry and rot free, is that a big ask for our budget? so i suppose our questions to you would be are,

1) what are good motorhomes to be looking at for our budget?
2) are there any preowned dealers that sell old motorhomes in our budget?

i read somewhere that Hymer motorhomes are good for not getting damp and rot, is this correct?

 

[scottie]

Hi, welcome to fun. 95 views so far since am today. Dont think anyone can really answer your 2 questions, based on the financial spend you have available. You might after a lot or research find a private seller willing to off load a 25 to 30 year old van, thats if they still exist. I dont k ow your age profile, existing housing status, source of income etc, or whether you think the idea of full timing seemed a good idea at the time. I know a few funster fulltimers, one new lady i met a few weeks ago. In her case, she sold her property, bought her van, very new, so probably 38k, had money in savings from the house, state and small company pension, had a uk postal address via her daughter, and room on daughters driveway to park van if need be. Also had access to medical care and support from daughter and family. For security reasons the lady would be mostly using sites, but managed to negotiate vastly reduced fees. It may be that you have all these things in place, but i doubt it. Again most of the funsters i know have bricks and mortar back up, even some of the full timers, property rented out, on assured shorthold and then periodic tenancies, so they can access property in the future when old age and medical issues creep up. So im sorry, i havent been able to answer your 2 questions, but hopefully left you a few things to think about. I hope that some of the funsters who are full timers come back to you, because they live the dream daily. Good luck in your quest.

 

[pampam]

Theres a nice old autotrail scout for £10,000 on ebay

 

[Speve]

Take a look on FB Hymer market there are some on there in your price range but cannot vouch for any

 

[Ivory55]

Don’t bother spending all that money on solar etc on a 10 grand motorhome, buy a generator . You can always sell it separate if you come to sell the van.

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[scottie]

Well a day later and as i thought, little interest in your post. I know why, and thats why i came back to you yesterday. However again, good luck in your quest.

 

[martin2603]

There is a Kontiki669 Vogue on eBay tag axle fixed bed solar and genie very rare only a few made. £16k. 81k on the clock. Would made an ideal ft vehicle on a budget.

 

[Jim]

Don’t bother spending all that money on solar etc on a 10 grand motorhome, buy a generator . You can always sell it separate if you come to sell the van.

Your traditional route of genny would work, and keeping in the theme of traditional maybe he could get a deal on a mangle at the same time, great for drying washing and he could stow it where he keeps his genny and petrolcan

Otherwise, Solar is a great investment and easily taken with you if you decide to change vans.

 

[JJ]

I live solo (most of the time).

I fulltime in a Burstner based on a Ducato Talento which cost me well less than £10,000 and came with solar fitted.

I already had a genny.

I don't drive fast and I expect to have to do repairs (bodges) every now and again.

If I had to pay someone to fix stuff, I would be broke all the time!

The great thing about older motorhomers is that they are so much easier to fix... no control panels with confusing lights of varying colours, no engine management computers which switch you into "limp mode" in the middle of nowhere.

Mind you... my vehicle (and lifestyle) is totally "status free".

People pity me, burglars leave behind sandwiches for me and the police don't bother me because they don't think I could pay any fine...

I advise anyone who wants to go "fulltime" to definitely try it but don't expect to live the same way you do in a house...


JJ

 

[Ivory55]

JJ is blessed with technical abilities, some of us are not ,so transferring solar etc is beyond us. So picking up a generator by the handle to transfer is a lot easier for some of us.

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[Spriddler]

Best bet is to look at lots, even travelling distance to view since they generally look and smell better in photos than than they do in the flesh.

If you're full timing you need to ensure that the payload is sufficient.
Generators are pretty heavy so will mop up a fair bit of the payload.

 

[Reusables]

Please forget generators for off grid wild camping...
Motorhomers are hated enough without winding up locals with a generator.

Solor ....fit and forget...

As mentioned above old hymers are good vans for full time.

 

[Puddleduck]

You might even try being camp site wardens (or assistant wardens) for a season as that would give you (a very little) extra cash but a free pitch.

I can't help with the van but our first motorhome , an old Hymer (petrol not diesel so an easy LPG conversion) would have suited you. It had a built in genny which was very quiet in operation as we fitted an exhaust with silencer which worked brilliantly.

I assume you have a C1 license?

You don't say where you are based so difficult to give advice about dealers......... you could ring round a few and let them know what you are after and the price range as they may have taken one in as a p/ex and don't want it on their forecourt. Also some storage places might know of owners who are looking to sell.

 

[pampam]

Please keep us up to date with what you end up doing ,do it while you can eh?

 

[JJ]

Please forget generators for off grid wild camping...
Motorhomers are hated enough without winding up locals with a generator.

I have never ever ever had any complaints from any locals anywhere about my rare use of my generator.

JJ

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[Reusables]

I have never ever ever had any complaints from any locals anywhere about my rare use of my generator.

JJ

The times they are a changing..
people are complaining about everything these days .. fumes..noise .
No campfires.No BBQs .
We had a local lob a stone at our van one night. .

 

[h1ghway1]

I sold my house last week and haven't bought so I will try full timing for an unspecified period.
I'm quite happy to pay for a stay on site, just hope I and the van stay healthy.

 

[Jim]

just hope I and the van stay healthy.

Don't worry yourself There is tons of help here 24/7, there are mechanics all over the UK. if you feel poorly you can present your self at any doctors surgery or dial 111 and take directions. Enjoy the full timing

 

[EuroTrotters]

Hi

Your budget is too low for me to recommend or find anything.

Good luck though

 

[Garfields]

You have to consider how you deal with the winter. Summer time it is easy.
Lots of vans are not upto winter living for more than a day or two (my one included)
We are fine on a site with hook up etc but that's just for a few days. I couldn't do it full time unless I got as far as Morocco for the winter. To winter in the uk you need some special kit.
There are good old vans out there but you have to wade through a lot of rot to find one.

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[mitzimad]

hope youve allowed for the cost of fulltime insurance and weather you can actually get it on a van as old as your budget suggests

 

[Ralph-n-Bev]

Looks like OP hasn’t posted since their first post back in June 2021

 

[dazandandrea]

Obviously loving living wild in the mororhome.

 

[Plumb]

Don't worry yourself There is tons of help here 24/7, there are mechanics all over the UK. if you feel poorly you can present your self at any doctors surgery or dial 111 and take directions. Enjoy the full timing

Not sure about the doctors! They are rare and hidden away somewhere