Newbie needs info (1 Viewer)

[Glynis]

Hi
I am a 65 year old single lady about to retire and plan on buying a motorhome soon ready to tour UK and see all the places I have just passed through in the frantic rush to make the most of time off work.

Friends invited me when they hired a winebago in Vancouver and we drove through the Rockies to Calgary and I loved it but that is the sum of my experience!!

Would be grateful for any tips, so far my I have decided on a rear lounge that can be two single beds and an over cab bed as this will suit taking friends and family on some trips. Budget is about £20k.

Glynis

 

[MC 55 FUN]

&

Some things to consider :

Payload
Layout
Berths
Adequate travelling seats ( with seatbelts )

 

[Howard H]

And

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[f6c]

Welcome aboard

 

[The Dudess]

 

[Riverbankannie]

When we chose our current MH, a panel van conversion, we considered buying one that could occasionally be used by one of our children and their kids. However there is such a compromise to be made on layout versus travelling seats that we opted to get a two berth rear lounge and to buy to suit ourselves.
I know that at 65 you will have the C1 category on your driving licence so you can go over 3500kg in weight, however you may not be able to retain it at 70, which to you will feel a long way away. Just bear it in mind.
Wishing you well in your search.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Baycott]

From John and Jan in East Sussex and

 

[davidbaldam]

Hi and welcome to FUN.

 

[Anthea M]

hello and welcome!!

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[EX51SSS]

 

[buttons]

Hi Glynis and Welcome.......

 

[scotzsue]

Hi Glynis, welcome, do go and try lots of vans. lie down in the beds, sit on the loo, and take the payload as an estimate not a given, take any you are interested in over a weighbridge, look for a free one, they do exist.
You loved your trip in the winnebago, would suggest that once you think you know what you want, that you hire to make sure, can save an expensive mistake. Lots of females travel on their own, as do many men, (before i get lynched). I get away as often as I can. love it. Make sure you have enough seatbelts, as already mentioned, may be a grey area in law, but travelling without can be a dangerous practice and some insurance companies only insure for the no of belted seats.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[CWH]

Hello and welcome to the Fun

Another question you need to have a think about is how you'll use your van - weekends/ midweek trips, a week or two, or months at a time. This will help you decide on how much storage you need, how much lounging room you want, etc. Do you want to move on every night or two, or stay in one place for a week (if staying for a while, you might prefer your 'visitors' to bring along a car for ease of travelling to local attractions etc). Will you use campsites, or just wing it on the road (in which case you might want solar); and if campsites, would you prefer those with all the bells and whistles (underfloor-heated showers, swimming pool etc), or just the basics of a water-tap and somewhere to dump your black and grey waste.

You really don't HAVE to decide on all the questions in advance - we didn't, because we didn't really know the questions were there to be asked! - and we survived and loved it. So have a bit of a think but don't leave it too long - you'll only regret you didn't start sooner

 

[Madeinengland]

hello

 

[wigster]

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Minxy]

Hi Glynis, welcome to the fun house!

You will get a lot of useful info out of the below book produced by Jim the site's owner ... more like a circus 'ring master' at times with the various 'creatures' that exist on this forum!

http://shop.motorhomefun.co.uk/product/motorhome-buyers-guide/

 

[Mickey1]

Mickey.

 

[Glynis]

Wow! this is the first forum I have been on and am so pleased to get so many replies so "Hi back at you all" and thank you for the suggestions so far.

Seat belts are a bit confusing, a 4 berth van with only two travelling seats confused me. Can I have another one fitted in a rear lounge?

Glyn

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Minxy]

Wow! this is the first forum I have been on and am so pleased to get so many replies so "Hi back at you all" and thank you for the suggestions so far.

Seat belts are a bit confusing, a 4 berth van with only two travelling seats confused me. Can I have another one fitted in a rear lounge?

Glyn

Unfortunately retro fitting seatbelts is not easy as you need the steel base to make them structurally safe, and also fitting them to side facing seats is a no-no ... they cause too much injury in an accident. Its not only the lack of seat belts but your insurer would likely not cover you for more than the original 2 cab seat travellers as it was never designed to carry rear passengers.

 

[GeriatricWanderer]

Just a repeat of some of the above:

Don't even think about buying anything until you've spent time in an assortment of bodies and layouts. Go visit as many dealers as you can and get inside vehicles. Don't be afraid to ask the dealer to open up locked ones - if he refuses, walk away.

My priorities are always:
Base vehicle condition and reliability. Even with the swishest layout you're going nowhere if the front end lets you down

Layout - you may think you know that a rear lounge is good for you but do look at the others. Layout is where many first timers get it wrong first time.

Payload - if you don't fully understand this then do some research. Very annoying and restrictive if you get it wrong.

Do your homework and you'll be able to enjoy your travels.

Oh, and welcome

 

[CWH]

Seat belts are a bit confusing, a 4 berth van with only two travelling seats confused me. Can I have another one fitted in a rear lounge?

Seems like madness doesn't it? There are some vans with more seatbelts than berths, and some with more berths than seatbelts. More berths allows for visitors I suppose, or a companion car that's not towed; more seats allows for a smaller van with an awning or tent. But at least you're aware of the potential problem! so you can make sure that you buy what you need.
The back end of a moho is generally some form of plastic, you wouldn't want passengers in there if you were rear-ended.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[WynandJean]

Hello and welcome from West Midlands.

.... p.s. To get the most from the forum you will need to subscribe. It's well worth £15 and will allow you to continue posting as well as letting you into areas that non members can't access.


Broken Link Removed


Wyn

 

[Maureen]

Welcome and enjoy the fun

 

[Spidey]

I would go to one of one the big shows to see all the possible layouts. I know you are not buying new but it is a good way of seeing what you like and don't like. When at dealers look at all layouts whether they are in your price bracket or not. You may see one you like and if too expensive watch out for an older model. It is easy to be tempted by too big a space when really you may only need something smaller. My sister and BIL did that and my sister was scared of driving it or being a passenger they ended up getting rid of it. Take your time but when you have chosen be ready to buy

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[busby]

Go to The NEC next week and look at as many layouts as you can,,Welcome,,BUSBY.

 

[Snoopy]

Hi and welcome, we were always advised just view everything with an open mind, we also had something in mind, bought total opposite ?, set yourself a budget, ,totally subscribe as information on everything here is so useful, enjoy finding your m/ h

 

[busby]

Should think she is sorted now..Post was from 2017.BUSBY??

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Minxy]

Hi and welcome, we were always advised just view everything with an open mind, we also had something in mind, bought total opposite ?, set yourself a budget, ,totally subscribe as information on everything here is so useful, enjoy finding your m/ h

Good of you to try to help Snoopy, it's so easy to reply to older threads without realising how out of date they are, we've all fallen for it at one time or another ... even busby!

 

[busby]

Good of you to try to help Snoopy, it's so easy to reply to older threads without realising how out of date they are, we've all fallen for it at one time or another ... even busby!

Many times,,I never put my brain in gear??.BUSBY.

 

[Snoopy]

Wopps?

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}