Purchase Help (1 Viewer)

[andyb78]

Hi All,

We hired a MH last week to do our first trip with my partner and son (2 years), we have come back and decided that we need to buy our own. We loved it! People were so friendly even the waving as we drive puts a smile on our face. We made a few errors with dealing with a 2 year old and confined space but adapted quickly.

We had a Roller Team Auto-Roller 707 6 berth but looking for advice on vehicles really, I think we like the idea of an end lounge it gives the young one a separate area.

Can any of you add some recommendations through of suitable vehicles of this style? So many and such little knowledge here

Also we like the idea of an awning that we can attach, is this possible on MH’s only seen caravans when we were away?

Thanks in advance.
Andy

 

[Odd job]

Hi Andy, there are many different layouts available and best to have a look at as many as possible before buying. have a look at converters websites and then go and look at the vehicles. An awning is possible on a MOHO we had a drive away awning although I never actually attached it to the vehicle just had it next to it. That made driving away easier, but did leave a gap for rain when moving between the MOHO and awning.
Good luck with your search
John

 

[AndyPK]

Look at as many ‘vans as you can……layout is a very personal thing, and you may not get it right with your first Motorhome…..!

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[Swifter]

Hello and welcome
What’s the budget?

 

[andyb78]

Hello and welcome
What’s the budget?

Hello, we are looking at around £40k ish can move up or down but will probably finance some of it if via a dealer.

 

[Swifter]

Hello, we are looking at around £40k ish can move up or down but will probably finance some of it if via a dealer.

Brilliant. Do you have the C1 category on your licence ?

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[andyb78]

Brilliant. Do you have the C1 category on your licence ?

Hi, yes I’m on the older license so have C1 and C1E.

 

[scotzsue]

Hi our first motorhome ws an escape 686, 6 berth 6 belted seats, light chassis, so couldn't have a tow bar. we used it for nearly 5 years taking grandchildren with us. rear lounge and a double dinette, meant in rotten wether kids could be at the back while I cooked at the front. the main downside was no externally accessed locker. we carried our bikes on the rack and the little ones inside. other downside making beds up every night the kids loved the overcab with the net up for safety. we had a large porch type awning worked well for somewhere for them to be to let off steam.
things to look for, does the car seat fit securely, is there sufficient payload for all the clobber you will need, do not believe dealers or manufacturers info for that one, take it over a weighbridge before purchase, or ask the dealer to provide a current weight certificate.
Enjoy your search it's part of the journey. Oh and if you or your partner is a short a**e like me, are cupboards easily accessibe without a stool or steps
advantage of 2 'living' areas youngster can be in their area asleep and you have a nice space to relax.

 

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[andyb78]

Hi our first motorhome ws an escape 686, 6 berth 6 belted seats, light chassis, so couldn't have a tow bar. we used it for nearly 5 years taking grandchildren with us. rear lounge and a double dinette, meant in rotten wether kids could be at the back while I cooked at the front. the main downside was no externally accessed locker. we carried our bikes on the rack and the little ones inside. other downside making beds up every night the kids loved the overcab with the net up for safety. we had a large porch type awning worked well for somewhere for them to be to let off steam.
things to look for, does the car seat fit securely, is there sufficient payload for all the clobber you will need, do not believe dealers or manufacturers info for that one, take it over a weighbridge before purchase, or ask the dealer to provide a current weight certificate.
Enjoy your search it's part of the journey. Oh and if you or your partner is a short a**e like me, are cupboards easily accessibe without a stool or steps
advantage of 2 'living' areas youngster can be in their area asleep and you have a nice space to relax.

Thanks for your post, you have hit the main bits for me. I know that my son wont be 2 forever but I think it’s so important for us to get something that suits him now so he doesn’t need to adapt too much. As he grows he will learn to enjoy the fun and experience

 

[Vipar]

Greetings peeps welcome from Bexley

 

[Puddleduck]

We now have two awnings - both fit a channel on the van (like you see on caravans), we don't have a wind out awning. The channel is a sort of "C" shape and the awnings have a sort of tube that slides into the "C". They are then pegged down with tent pegs and strengthened with guy ropes.

The big awning is a "drive away" although we don't detach it and drive away often (the reparking in exactly the same place would be interesting - often it is just left unattached) and the other awning is what we term a "day awning". They are both pole types and quite quick and easy to put up with two people*. The larger awning also has attachment points for internal screens and sleeping pods which we have never used and a built in ground sheet which some sites ban. The little awning doesn't have a ground sheet. The drive away awning is self supporting and does not have to be attached to anything. Our Grandson loves to play in there and has even had a play tent inside (tent inside a tent!).

You can also get inflatable awnings which are said to be one person erection (no sniggers at the back please) but are much more expensive. End of season sales and second hand are often good buys - make sure all the poles etc are included.

Be aware that awnings should be stored dry and if it is wet when you take it down you'll need to have space to dry it out properly. The stink of an awning when it has been stored damp is indescribable.

You've already had a lot of advice about going to look at different vans and I am not going to add to that as our requirements would be so different to yours.

*The first time you put up an awning on a site you can sell tickets and be the entertainment lol. Joking aside there is usually someone who has had a similar awning and willing to help.

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[HugoBNB]

Welcome

 

[Minxy]

Hello, we are looking at around £40k ish can move up or down but will probably finance some of it if via a dealer.

Please consider a loan from another source simply because those from a dealer are linked to the vehicle so if you come to change it in the future before the loan is paid off, you have to get another loan to pay off the first one plus the extra you need for your next purchase, in effect paying interest on interest and admin fees for taking out and paying off the loan, much better to get one elsewhere then if needs be you can just get another one for the extra on it's own.

Hiring one is quite different to owning one as you will likely want to take a lot more away with you, more home comforts, toys (both for kiddies and big boys/girls too) so regarding the layout, the first thing I would say before you even go down that route is decide exactly how you intend to use it and what you want to take with you both now and in the near future, for example:

• will you want to use main 'all singing and dancing' campsite or smaller 5-van ones with limited facilities
• will you want to take bikes and other sports stuff too
• what about other larger bits of kit (chairs, tables, BBQ etc)

A rear lounge is nice but in the longer term will a garage be a better option for your kit rather than trying to get it all in the lockers? Don't forget that a rear bed will mean you don't have the hassle of making it up each night and during the day it could be a play 'cave' for your kiddie.

 

[RubyOptics]

Please consider a loan from another source simply because those from a dealer are linked to the vehicle so if you come to change it in the future before the loan is paid off, you have to get another loan to pay off the first one plus the extra you need for your next purchase, in effect paying interest on interest and admin fees for taking out and paying off the loan, much better to get one elsewhere then if needs be you can just get another one for the extra on it's own.

Hiring one is quite different to owning one as you will likely want to take a lot more away with you, more home comforts, toys (both for kiddies and big boys/girls too) so regarding the layout, the first thing I would say before you even go down that route is decide exactly how you intend to use it and what you want to take with you both now and in the near future, for example:

• will you want to use main 'all singing and dancing' campsite or smaller 5-van ones with limited facilities
• will you want to take bikes and other sports stuff too
• what about other larger bits of kit (chairs, tables, BBQ etc)

A rear lounge is nice but in the longer term will a garage be a better option for your kit rather than trying to get it all in the lockers? Don't forget that a rear bed will mean you don't have the hassle of making it up each night and during the day it could be a play 'cave' for your kiddie.

Mel, you beat me to it! I would also look at a rear twin layout to see if you like it. This layout can (normally) be turned into a massive super-king-size affair which could be great for all three of you while your son is as young as he is. Also great for a "play area" type place for during the day, leaving you two with the front lounge to have your own grown-up space! There are loads with this layout to choose from and it also gives the advantage of a large garage at the rear of the van for all the toys such as the awning that you want to take with you.
Maybe look at one also that has a drop down bed for when your son gets a bit older. Our son is 11 now, and for him having his own space during the day isn't that important any more, but he really does appreciate having his own space in the evening. In our old van, he had this due to having a rear bunk-bed. With our new van, him and his sister (who lives in the UK with her mum so is only here for the school holidays) will be having the twin rear beds and my wife and I will be using the drop down over the lounge.

You could also look at the more traditional overcab design with the twin dinette layout and rear bunk beds. I must admit, overcabs are a bit marmite, but I absolutely loved ours. People watching from on high was glorious!! This type of layout would give your son his own small table that you can change into a lounging area once he is in bed. The rear bunks are really flexible as well. If you are carrying large items such as bikes and don't want to use a rack, you can flip the bottom bunk up to again have a large garage, or you can keep it down while your son is younger to give him a lower bed. I'll wager that in a few years he'll be wanting the top bunk anyway though!

Whichever layout you choose to go for though, ALAWYS get a proper habitation check done before parting with any cash.

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[WynandJean]

Hello and welcome from West Midlands.

Wyn

 

[Ian Bosman]

Hi our first motorhome ws an escape 686, 6 berth 6 belted seats, light chassis, so couldn't have a tow bar. we used it for nearly 5 years taking grandchildren with us. rear lounge and a double dinette, meant in rotten wether kids could be at the back while I cooked at the front. the main downside was no externally accessed locker. we carried our bikes on the rack and the little ones inside. other downside making beds up every night the kids loved the overcab with the net up for safety. we had a large porch type awning worked well for somewhere for them to be to let off steam.
things to look for, does the car seat fit securely, is there sufficient payload for all the clobber you will need, do not believe dealers or manufacturers info for that one, take it over a weighbridge before purchase, or ask the dealer to provide a current weight certificate.
Enjoy your search it's part of the journey. Oh and if you or your partner is a short a**e like me, are cupboards easily accessibe without a stool or steps
advantage of 2 'living' areas youngster can be in their area asleep and you have a nice space to relax.

Check the seat belts fitted, we nearly bought a four seater with only two seat belts and just in time spotted it. Nothing like a good look round lots of vehicles. We had over 40 years of tugger experience so getting the right layout was the easiest part. The hardest part was and is adjusting to the stop and go routines rather than stop for a week then go. Our first and present Moho is just right for us, short at 6m but with all the kit we oldies like and can still climb the ladder to the overact bed which is huge with lots of headroom. Be aware that height is important in France on the toll roads, over 3m and you are a class 4 but that is not insurmountable by not using the tolls, ours being 3.2m. Width is the thing have found the most challenging while driving especially on narrow roads and avoiding the trucks with ours and their huge mirrors

 

[andyb78]

Please consider a loan from another source simply because those from a dealer are linked to the vehicle so if you come to change it in the future before the loan is paid off, you have to get another loan to pay off the first one plus the extra you need for your next purchase, in effect paying interest on interest and admin fees for taking out and paying off the loan, much better to get one elsewhere then if needs be you can just get another one for the extra on it's own.

Hiring one is quite different to owning one as you will likely want to take a lot more away with you, more home comforts, toys (both for kiddies and big boys/girls too) so regarding the layout, the first thing I would say before you even go down that route is decide exactly how you intend to use it and what you want to take with you both now and in the near future, for example:

• will you want to use main 'all singing and dancing' campsite or smaller 5-van ones with limited facilities
• will you want to take bikes and other sports stuff too
• what about other larger bits of kit (chairs, tables, BBQ etc)

A rear lounge is nice but in the longer term will a garage be a better option for your kit rather than trying to get it all in the lockers? Don't forget that a rear bed will mean you don't have the hassle of making it up each night and during the day it could be a play 'cave' for your kiddie.

Thanks for your comments it’s great to get some advice on this, so much to think about and consider.
In our heads we want to use it for some nice holidays a few times a year probably on main sites but probably a lot for taking off on a long weekend and either using smaller sites or laying up somewhere next to a beach or countryside as we are quiet lucky locally for that.
Appreciate your help!

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[RubyOptics]

Thanks for your comments it’s great to get some advice on this, so much to think about and consider.
In our heads we want to use it for some nice holidays a few times a year probably on main sites but probably a lot for taking off on a long weekend and either using smaller sites or laying up somewhere next to a beach or countryside as we are quiet lucky locally for that.
Appreciate your help!

One other thing I would suggest is that when you have found a layout you think is right, hire a model with as close to that layout as you can for a few days to see if it is really what you want. Can save you from a very expensive mistake!

 

[IanFraser]

Hi All,

We hired a MH last week to do our first trip with my partner and son (2 years), we have come back and decided that we need to buy our own. We loved it! People were so friendly even the waving as we drive puts a smile on our face. We made a few errors with dealing with a 2 year old and confined space but adapted quickly.

We had a Roller Team Auto-Roller 707 6 berth but looking for advice on vehicles really, I think we like the idea of an end lounge it gives the young one a separate area.

Can any of you add some recommendations through of suitable vehicles of this style? So many and such little knowledge here

Also we like the idea of an awning that we can attach, is this possible on MH’s only seen caravans when we were away?

Thanks in advance.
Andy

We have an older Elddis Autoquest with a rear lounge which suits us i.e. we like stretching out in the extra room it affords for those times we're actaully in the van. Spotting you have a two year old don't know what the ovens are like in more modern vans but the one thing we had to watch when taking 2 year old grandson - wants to touch everything and push every button within reach - away for first time last weekend was the oven door gets very hot so keep your eyes peeled. Also caught him trying to ignite the gas fire! Guessing newer vans don't have fires so perhaps not so much of an issue.

 

[claude et maude]

When we bought our first and only MH we trawled the local dealers, went back over and over until we walked into the one that felt absolutely right, that was 4 years ago and we love it just as much now as the day we first saw it. It is a little harder to trawl the dealers now, the dealer where we store our MH had a huge stock but now just lots of empty spaces as they sell them faster than they can get them but I’d still say, if you can find someone with a good selection just keep going and looking.

One tip…I don’t have many…the search was overwhelming at first so we went the second time and focussed on what we didn’t like/want. When we went the following week, using that list we were able to walk past most of the MH’s and focus in only on those that fitted the bill, really only 3-5 each visit and that made choosing a whole lot easier.

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[claude et maude]

Oh, I do have another tip or two…if you want an awning watch out if your fridge vents are next to the hab door, never occurred to us but Johns Cross refused to sell us an awning due to potential for fridge running on gas venting into awning, we got round it with this and saved some money:

It gives us the air gap we need.
Also, almost everything we thought we would need we don’t and all the things we thought we’d never have we have now bought! It’s a strange old world!

 

[Speve]

Never had a problem with fridge venting in the awning there is always plenty of air flow in them

 

[TheBig1]

You don't mention the general area where you are. My advice is go and spend a few days looking at vans at good dealers or a motorhome show. Be ready for your head feeling like it will explode with so much information. But work out a few lists, what you need, what you want and what you dont want. This rapidly reduces the possible vans to fit your needs

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[Blaydon]

Hi there - we had three boys with us for many years, and so wanted a layout that could cope with poor weather and a 'them and us space'. We has a Kontiki 640. It has a dinette in the middle and a rear lounge. That gave us the chance to split up kids who were having a 'moment' - or us from them, without needing to pitch anyone outside. We toured Europe and had town days and site days, (town often meant car park for the night) so could not always put up a tent.
Our little ones used the over cab bed and when they were small, they were racked up like fish in a tin. We always liked the idea of a rack of bunks but could never find the right build/layout.Alas, if you feed them, they grow so this only works for a few years.

I would start with how long you are going to keep the vehicle - how many people - now and later - and of course - PAYLOAD.

 

[Blaydon]

Greetings peeps welcome from Bexley

Hi Vipar - there is more than one of us in Bexley - Greetings!

 

[Googlebot]

The kids grow quicker than you think so please keep that in mind.

We got a caravan with bunks that was ideal for a couple of years. Then the eldest suddenly couldn’t sit up in bed…..

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[ambulancekidd]

 

[andyb78]

You don't mention the general area where you are. My advice is go and spend a few days looking at vans at good dealers or a motorhome show. Be ready for your head feeling like it will explode with so much information. But work out a few lists, what you need, what you want and what you dont want. This rapidly reduces the possible vans to fit your needs

Thanks, I’m in Durham area so have two dealers on my doorstep, heading to a larger dealer in Darlington on Sunday, I can confirm my head has already started to swell only a matter of time before detonating

 

[Joc]

Hi, just a short one. Habitation door position. On the left of the van (UK) or right (Europe). Depends where you're intended travels are gonna be.

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