Storage questions

[Billylyne5]

So The other half is adamant we need a motor home with a garage for storing stuff that you need with you ( deck chairs and the like) ideally bikes but not a deal breaker. We looked online at lots of MH but the ones without a fixed bed seem to be lacking in this kind of outside access storage or am I missing something, feeling like we are very limited in choice if we are tied to just fixed bed options especially as the ones with the french bed with a bit chopped off are just too small for actually sleeping on, or are there some which are a proper double bed sized ?
so if you don’t have a big old garage in your Motorhome where do you put your stuff?

 

[Dave and Mand]

We don't have a garage, bikes go on the bike rack, fold down chairs etc go under the seats in the U lounge

 

[NorthernSands]

Our first MH was a mid '80's Hymer with rear seating. We loved the three windows back there and all the light it let in, but the 'garage' was pathetic. When looking for a new one, we wanted the same rear seating, and found a late '90's Hymer. The garage was a lot better (though still small), but the rear seats were higher, meaning you banged your head on the overhead lockers. No sale.

We went for a fixed rear (transverse) bed Hymer, with large garage (big enough for bikes, chairs, kayak, etc.). The front seating area is much brighter than our old one as there's a large skylight and big windows all around. We love it.

 

[F.M.C.Fourier]

Did you mean that you want a garage, but you don't want fixed beds; forgive me, but I was a little bit confused. I have not done a recent survey, but I think most UK/European motorhomes with garages have either a double or two single fixed beds over the garage.

My previous motorhome had a garage (with a bed over) but quite honestly I found it to be a bit of a nuisance for storing things. I found you need to go to a lot of trouble to work out ways of tying things down (especially the heavier items like table, chairs, the bike and other items) to stop them rattling and moving around all over the place (even damaging them) whilst travelling. I had loads of various length bungies and there was a rail on the floor with rings on to hook bungies onto. I worked out a method for how everything had to be stored, but it was a total pain remembering the method and untying on arrival and extracting stuff and then tying down again at the end of a stay. Sad though it sounds, I even ended up taking pictures on my phone so I could remind myself how everything went. Otherwise it was like a Mensa test every time you had to do it. It got to such a stage with the bicycle, specifically, that I gave up using the garage for that and I went to the expense of having a bike rack fitted. When I was looking for a replacement van my first criteria was - no garage!

Now I have a van with a French bed (and a bike rack) and the storage underneath the bed holds everything except my waste master and aqua-roll which I store in the van and then store outside on arrival at a site. Everything under the bed is quite easy to access - either from inside or from the external door - and now I don't need those annoying bungies. In fact, to be honest, I don't even bother with the bike rack now. I put the bike in the van and then store it outside (with a cover) on site.

The one good thing about my previous van was that the bed moved up and down so that, if you had nothing in the garage that was tall, the bed could sit low and be much easier to get in and out of.

 

[Billylyne5]

Thanks folks, what we think we want seems a bit elusive, we’d like a fixed bed but a proper sized one - so probably transverse, hubby wants decent storage so a garage ( he’s a loadmaster so he’s happy with tie down schemes ) but we also would like A decent Area to relax in so ideally a couple of sofas rather than a cramped dinette. I was just trying to suss out other options to a garage.

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[Compactliner]

side facing lounges are all the rage at the moment, and a garage can be had below a transverse bed, or twin singles or an island bed.....all will be good sizes if you choose a continental brand...

there are even some Continental brands that have a large garage below a rear lounge layout....Cathago, Frankia come to mind...

 

[Bognor Saint]

We have a Dethleffs, island bed with decent garage beneath. Accessed both sides outside.

 

[Griffithii]

Chausson big fixed bed and big garage.You can get all round the bed and it's wider than a king , long enough for us but not if you're six foot tall

 

[Pete5996]

Not sure what sort of vintage you're looking for but my 2009 Cheyenne 696 ticked most of the boxes for me - I'm not sure the ideal layout will ever exist! It has a transverse full-size bed and came in two versions - high and low, one with a garage suitable for bikes and mine, the low, which has plenty of storage space under the bed, accessible from both sides of the vehicle. Behind the travelling seats are two facing double sofas.

Suits me, sir!

 

[Gaston aires]

We have had 5 Motorhomes ranging in size from N & B flair down to a PVC which we have now.
All I can say is it’s amazing what you don’t need when you can’t store it.
We used to have loadsa stuff on a just in case basis. Never needed it then never need it now.
Phil

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[TonyC123]

Hi there, like you I'm currently deciding on what features I think are must-haves in my motorhome.
And I am also looking for as big a lounge as I can get (without compromising the other features too much). I'm sure you'll get loads of invaluable advice from the folks here, as I did.
Just in case this might be of interest, one of the members here is currently selling a great van with a decent garage, full transverse bed, and a decent sized lounge. Its tricked out with literally every extra you could want (including self-levelling system, would you believe).
Broken Link Removed
But if you buy it I might die of jealousy, so there is that.

 

[Sapper117]

We have a 2013 Dethleffs low profile with rear double bed fixed a great size and a garage at the rear

 

[toyota]

autotrail 696G the G denotes garage i have had mine 12 years no problems 2.8 jtd

 

[TerryL]

Online research is all very well but you really cannot get a feel for what is what until you actually have a good look in the real world. Must be a good number of dealers not too far from you so I'd recommend you spend a couple of days "just looking" at as many as you can. Although you say you've got some preferences don't discount anything without at first looking at it.

We spent ages looking, equipping ourselves with checklists so we could remember what van had what. Once we thought we'd found what we wanted we rented - saved ourselves a lot of money when we realised it wasn't quite right. When we finally bought it was a "keeper" and has served us well for 11 years now.

Your van is out there, just don't be in too much of a hurry and end up with a wrong 'un which you'll eventually hate and lose a lot of money. By the way, what's your budget? Helps us to make better suggestions.

 

[thebriars]

Thanks folks, what we think we want seems a bit elusive, we’d like a fixed bed but a proper sized one - so probably transverse, hubby wants decent storage so a garage ( he’s a loadmaster so he’s happy with tie down schemes ) but we also would like A decent Area to relax in so ideally a couple of sofas rather than a cramped dinette. I was just trying to suss out other options to a garage.

That is exactly what we have. A full sized transverse bed, a garage with two ebikes, spare wheel, table and chairs plus a mobility scooter, and a large seating area which can easily seat 6. Plus two huge wardrobes, separate shower, 5ft high fridge, and a decent kitchen with a useful workspace in a 7 metre motorhome. The solution is actually simple. The bed is an electric drop down bed in the lounge area. Suits us brilliantly.

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[Speve]

Lots of Hymers have nice large garages and fixed beds, ours is a B678DL with twin singles or a large double you can use either way

 

[Fraggle 22]

We've bought an Autotrail Apache 683. Lovely large rear lounge makes either 2 single or one humongous bed plus big garage accessed from both sides. We know payload is not big but would rather have the space than carry lots of things you don't really need. Previously we had a Swift 694. Island bed and garage.

 

[Fraggle 22]

Should say 634!

 

[Billylyne5]

Your van is out there, just don't be in too much of a hurry and end up with a wrong 'un which you'll eventually hate and lose a lot of money. By the way, what's your budget? Helps us to make better suggestions.

Round about 25k is our budget, looking at a couple tomorrow

 

[Wellington]

I would not now have a motorhome without a garage. In mine I keep two bikes, two Lafuma recliners, a pop up tent, a outdoor table, a spare chair, two yoga mats, wellies, waterproofs and umberellas, the hoover, an extra large electric cold box, the halogen oven, the coffee maker, a small barbecue, charcoal, gloves and bellows, some basic tools, spare wheel gunk, all the tape, string, glue, cable ties and spares you could ever want, plus all the usual cables, pipes and wires, tap adaptors and gas fittings. It’s all organised down to the last light bulb, and almost everything can be reached without needing to move anything else. It took a little ingenuity, a plywood deck, some plastic boxes and a few push fit rails. (It was very satisfying!)