Shetland_Dave
Free Member
- Jun 5, 2019
- 6
- 0
- Funster No
- 61,423
- MH
- Don't own one yet
- Exp
- I know...nothing!
Hi all - long read...if you don't want to read it all then the base question is:
Bearing in mind the windy weather, and the rainfall, and the lack of motorhome dealers on the islands are there any recommendations/thoughts on the best van for my use?
The story is that I'm currently a full-time carer for my wife on the south coast of England, but, after 11 years of full-time care (and 11 years prior to that juggling her MS and working) she has deteriorated to the point where she needs more professional help than I can give. I've just burned out and need to take control of my life again. At 53 years old I feel it's now or never.
I'm planning on re-locating 'home' to the Shetland Islands (where I was brought up), but with little money and no assets (thanks Government, for all the loving support towards carers) I need to do this on a shoestring.
I've been selling the contents of my woodturning workshop and a few other bits and pieces and have managed to raise around £8000 in cash.
I also have a 2010 VW Caravelle Startline 2 litre TDI that's been modified to allow a wheelchair passenger in the rear, so it has a ramp and electric winch and clamping system. All WAV work was carried out by Lewis Reed and the only other owner than me was Motability. The van has just under 40,000 miles on it and is exceptionally clean and tidy. It's being MOT'd and serviced next week and I'm not expecting any issues.
I'm reckoning (hoping) that is worth around £15,000 or more on trade in, so maybe around £20,000 to play with (as I have to keep some cash to live on when I first move back to the islands).
There are no motorhome dealers on Shetland, although there are the usual 'big' vehicle dealers, including FIAT and Peugeot.
I'm hoping to move and live in the van for the first few weeks while I find a bricks and mortar place to rent, and then to use the van to spend my weekends and holiday times touring the islands and poking my nose into every nook and cranny. I'm also intending blogging and providing YouTube guides on Shetland from a motorhome perspective.
The main roads up there are really good, with little traffic, but off the beaten track the roads narrow and are often single carriageway with passing places. I'm not sure on the status of breakdown services yet (I'm talking to a long-time motor mechanic friend that has lived and worked there for over 40 years now tonight to ask that very question, among others).
Calor gas is readily available and there are some good campsites with electric hook-ups, showers, laundry facilities and the like.
I'd rather have a van with toilet and shower for those longer trips on the more remote isles though.
My concerns are the winds, that can get quite scary in exposed areas, and often have strong gusts hidden in them, the rainfall, as I've been reading a lot about coach built vehicles nearly always leaking somewhere, and the lack of maintenance facilities for the motorhome specific equipment.
That said, however, I like the idea of a small coachbuilt, and love the layout of the Avondale Seaspirit (for example), but with no experience in this I don't know if I'm jumping off the deep end with a lead weight attached to my feet!
Lastly...I know this is what I want and that I can do it. I'm ex-Royal Navy and am used to small living spaces and 'roughing it' to a degree. My Dad lives on a canal boat near Oxford, so I guess there's something of the nomad in the family.
So...thanks for reading if you got this far...any thoughts?
Bearing in mind the windy weather, and the rainfall, and the lack of motorhome dealers on the islands are there any recommendations/thoughts on the best van for my use?
The story is that I'm currently a full-time carer for my wife on the south coast of England, but, after 11 years of full-time care (and 11 years prior to that juggling her MS and working) she has deteriorated to the point where she needs more professional help than I can give. I've just burned out and need to take control of my life again. At 53 years old I feel it's now or never.
I'm planning on re-locating 'home' to the Shetland Islands (where I was brought up), but with little money and no assets (thanks Government, for all the loving support towards carers) I need to do this on a shoestring.
I've been selling the contents of my woodturning workshop and a few other bits and pieces and have managed to raise around £8000 in cash.
I also have a 2010 VW Caravelle Startline 2 litre TDI that's been modified to allow a wheelchair passenger in the rear, so it has a ramp and electric winch and clamping system. All WAV work was carried out by Lewis Reed and the only other owner than me was Motability. The van has just under 40,000 miles on it and is exceptionally clean and tidy. It's being MOT'd and serviced next week and I'm not expecting any issues.
I'm reckoning (hoping) that is worth around £15,000 or more on trade in, so maybe around £20,000 to play with (as I have to keep some cash to live on when I first move back to the islands).
There are no motorhome dealers on Shetland, although there are the usual 'big' vehicle dealers, including FIAT and Peugeot.
I'm hoping to move and live in the van for the first few weeks while I find a bricks and mortar place to rent, and then to use the van to spend my weekends and holiday times touring the islands and poking my nose into every nook and cranny. I'm also intending blogging and providing YouTube guides on Shetland from a motorhome perspective.
The main roads up there are really good, with little traffic, but off the beaten track the roads narrow and are often single carriageway with passing places. I'm not sure on the status of breakdown services yet (I'm talking to a long-time motor mechanic friend that has lived and worked there for over 40 years now tonight to ask that very question, among others).
Calor gas is readily available and there are some good campsites with electric hook-ups, showers, laundry facilities and the like.
I'd rather have a van with toilet and shower for those longer trips on the more remote isles though.
My concerns are the winds, that can get quite scary in exposed areas, and often have strong gusts hidden in them, the rainfall, as I've been reading a lot about coach built vehicles nearly always leaking somewhere, and the lack of maintenance facilities for the motorhome specific equipment.
That said, however, I like the idea of a small coachbuilt, and love the layout of the Avondale Seaspirit (for example), but with no experience in this I don't know if I'm jumping off the deep end with a lead weight attached to my feet!
Lastly...I know this is what I want and that I can do it. I'm ex-Royal Navy and am used to small living spaces and 'roughing it' to a degree. My Dad lives on a canal boat near Oxford, so I guess there's something of the nomad in the family.
So...thanks for reading if you got this far...any thoughts?