Potential new owner.

[liam999uk]

Hi all,

I have been looking at motorhomes for a while now and thinking about purchasing one.

I am going to see a Bailey Advance 70-6 this weekend as the dimensions & layout suit us on this van. It is a 2019 model, Are they any good? What do I really need to watch out for with one of these vans before purchasing?

Kind regards

 

[Figaro]

Can't help but.

 

[68c]

As with all vans, how much does it weigh empty? Then find out it's maximum weight, the difference is your payload
You need at least 400kg for two people.
If it weighs over 3500kg do you have the correct driving licence, anyone who passed their test after 1997 does not unless they too training and have the C licence.
Be careful accepting the weight listed in any brochure as anything added such as solar, extra battery, tow bar, bike rack and possibly a wind out awning may not have been included.
Can you park it at home?

 

[jollyrodger]

As in #3

 

[Janine]

Welcome to the Fun

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[Phill D]

Welcome, layout, layout and payload .

You get either of these wrong and you will be looking for a change sooner than you expect.

Hope your search goes well

 

[StillGoing]

Welcome!

This is worth a read

Buy your 3rd Motorhome 1st - MotorhomeFun

At MotorhomeFun we coined a saying, “Buy your third van first”. This is harder to do than you might think. Let me try and outline what happens most of the time. Van One. They say you never forget your first. (No matter how hard you try!)So many people purchase their first van on a whim. […]

www.motorhomefun.co.uk

 

[liam999uk]

As with all vans, how much does it weigh empty? Then find out it's maximum weight, the difference is your payload
You need at least 400kg for two people.
If it weighs over 3500kg do you have the correct driving licence, anyone who passed their test after 1997 does not unless they too training and have the C licence.
Be careful accepting the weight listed in any brochure as anything added such as solar, extra battery, tow bar, bike rack and possibly a wind out awning may not have been included.
Can you park it at home?

Hi, according to Baileys website :-
MTPLM - 3500kg
MRO - 2890kg
Payload - 610kg

The MRO INCLUDES-
Vehicle driver = 75kg

• 90% fuel tank capacity = 81kg
• One full gas bottle = 14 kgs
• Fluids in ALDE heating system (when fitted) = 10kg

There will only be another 2 people in the motorhome, will not be using the 6 berths it is just the layout we want.

There is a solar panel, bike rack & wind out awning but even so I don’t think we will be anywhere near 3500kg with all the things we will take away on our travels.

It will just fit on the driveway yes!

 

[Jo662]

 

[meanders]

so I don’t think we will be anywhere near 3500kg with all the things we will take away on our travels.

You will be surprised how quickly it all adds up. Half a tank of water is 50Kg, plus another 10-15 in the water heater. if your waste tank is also half full, that getting on for 150kg gone. Three normal bikes weighs at least another 20Kg, add a lot more to that if electric, added to which it's all behind the rear axle so the cantilever lever effect comes into play. Then 2 weeks worth of clothes for three will be 100Kg or more before you start putting wet weather gear, extra shoes, then you have crockery, cutlery etc and may be a little food. If you want to take beer and wine that about 10kG per case, Whatever you get, make sure you load it as ready to travel and take it to a weighbridge.

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[rolosroller]

 

[liam999uk]

You will be surprised how quickly it all adds up. Half a tank of water is 50Kg, plus another 10-15 in the water heater. if your waste tank is also half full, that getting on for 150kg gone. Three normal bikes weighs at least another 20Kg, add a lot more to that if electric, added to which it's all behind the rear axle so the cantilever lever effect comes into play. Then 2 weeks worth of clothes for three will be 100Kg or more before you start putting wet weather gear, extra shoes, then you have crockery, cutlery etc and may be a little food. If you want to take beer and wine that about 10kG per case, Whatever you get, make sure you load it as ready to travel and take it to a weighbridge.

I have just done a quick calculation myself of all the things i can think of and it comes to about 3300kg. Thats with travelling with no water onboard though. Will i need to travel with much water onboard?

So - 3 passengers, bikes, solar, bike rack, wind out awning, clothes, air awning, pans & cutlery, bbq, table & chairs. 200kg is still a lot of weight spare.

 

[whisky walker]

I have just done a quick calculation myself of all the things i can think of and it comes to about 3300kg. Thats with travelling with no water onboard though. Will i need to travel with much water onboard?

So - 3 passengers, bikes, solar, bike rack, wind out awning, clothes, air awning, pans & cutlery, bbq, table & chairs. 200kg is still a lot of weight spare.

Beer

 

[meanders]

Two things, can you move the weight to the required axle to meet the maximum axle weight (will be shown on the plate). You have also not taken into account the manufactures fudge factor. Do not believe what they tell you in the blurb, get it weighed then you know you are legal. There are loads and loads of threads on here about payload.

 

[lorger]

I think you’ll be lucky if you have 610kg payload, more chance it’s closer to half that. To be 100% sure pay a couple of pounds and get it weighed, if it’s a dealer and they do it for you make sure you get a copy of the ticket.
I know some Bailey vans were wider than other brands, great for interior space but not so good for narrow roads. Im sure A few members on here have changed vans for this reason.

Good luck and keep asking questions until you’re 100% happy as its a big purchase.

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[meanders]

Not a Bailey I know but this thread makes interesting reading.

Books says 2895. yet van when weighed 3280. Plenty of other examples. The assumed just over 600kG payload turned out to be just over 200.

 

[DBK]

We looked at a Bailey recently, the build quality was poor and everything felt very fragile.

 

[Bailey58]

We had the 2013 Bailey 740 SE, wider as mentioned by lorger but not a problem for us. One solar panel, extra battery, wind out awning, no bike rack, no tow bar which we added for bikes but later removed, two of us@ 130kg between us, plus 10kg dog, usually full water tank @100lts or was it 120? and full tank, 60/65lts. We weighed everything that went on board and the best we could do was 3480kg, 20kg spare, with the rear axle barely ok. As said already ,insist on getting it weighed and have the weights of your additional load known in advance to give you the answer.

 

[ambulancekidd]

 

[Go_buddy_go_]

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[f6c]

Welcome aboard

 

[f6c]

Make sure you get a Weigh Bridge Ticket with Fuel Water Gas & Driver on board when Weighed. Before you Buy

 

[MisterB]

We had a Bailey @2016 model, absolutely loved it, great quality, lots of space but we got fed up of the french bed layout.

Consider your options BEFORE buying of what would happen if the vehicle laden weight was over 3500kg, I'm not talking about anything other than would you then be able to upgrade your licence reasonably easy? If so and you were happy to do that then I don't see it as an issue. Remember you would also need to uprate the motorhome to at least 3850kg which isn't a difficult task but is likely to add around £1000 to the purchase price.

And welcome to the Fun House!

 

[Mohawk Mo]

 

[liam999uk]

Not a Bailey I know but this thread makes interesting reading.

Books says 2895. yet van when weighed 3280. Plenty of other examples. The assumed just over 600kG payload turned out to be just over 200.

Hi,

I mean surely manufacturers can’t get away with being nearly 400kg out? That’s ridiculous.

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[MisterB]

Hi all,

I have been looking at motorhomes for a while now and thinking about purchasing one.

I am going to see a Bailey Advance 70-6 this weekend as the dimensions & layout suit us on this van. It is a 2019 model, Are they any good? What do I really need to watch out for with one of these vans before purchasing?

Kind regards

This has popped up on Facebook...

Might be worth looking at ..?

 

[Jon Stewart]

As with all vans, how much does it weigh empty? Then find out it's maximum weight, the difference is your payload
You need at least 400kg for two people.
If it weighs over 3500kg do you have the correct driving licence, anyone who passed their test after 1997 does not unless they too training and have the C licence.
Be careful accepting the weight listed in any brochure as anything added such as solar, extra battery, tow bar, bike rack and possibly a wind out awning may not have been included.
Can you park it at home?

Wot they said!

Plus, have each axle weighed separately, and not just the total weight.

Some vans have a proportion of their payload over the front axle, which is pretty useless as there is relatively little storage capacity at that end.

The corollary is that there is far too little payload over the back end, where you actually have the garage for storing stuff. How you going to put two bikes on a bike rack half a mile behind the back wheels if not enough payload?

...and, once again. DO NOT trust the published figures for payload for that model (there are long threads here which explains in detail). Get the dealer to weigh both axles, preferably with you on board, no water and get a weight certificate.

Have fun choosing.

 

[liam999uk]

Hi again.

What vans would be available to me under 3500kgs for me, the wife and my 13 year old? Surely Bailey can’t get away being that much out with weight?

 

[Phill D]

Surely Bailey can’t get away being that much out with weight?

I’m afraid there’s a lot of manufacturers that have the same problem.

 

[Simon Select]

Hi all,

I have been looking at motorhomes for a while now and thinking about purchasing one.

I am going to see a Bailey Advance 70-6 this weekend as the dimensions & layout suit us on this van. It is a 2019 model, Are they any good? What do I really need to watch out for with one of these vans before purchasing?

Kind regards

Make sure you get the SE edition which is the silver cab, the original were black cans and the spec is no way near as good.

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