The original newbie (1 Viewer)

Andrew G M

Free Member
Jun 15, 2012
156
158
Abergele
Funster No
21,484
MH
Don't own one yet
Exp
Newbie
Hi, my name is Andrew, and at the age of 46+ this is my first post not only on this site, but ever on any site - a bit scary really !

I live in Abergele, North Wales, been married to Wendy for twenty years, and have two children Kate (15), and James (14).

Over the years we have spent most holidays abroad, but more and more, the hassle, not to mention the cost just doesn't seem to be worth it. I resent paying hard earned cash to the likes of easijet, only to be treated like sheep, with terrible customer service thrown in for good measure.

We even tried camping a few times, but after the novelty had worn off (very quickly), it was just a bit too basic.

So here I am, seriously considering buying a Mh which may or may not prove to be a terrible idea.

I have done some research, read plenty of mags, internet sites, and visited a few dealers aswell.

The four of us are all quite tall, so if it is going to work, space has to be the key. A big factor is also 3 separate sleeping areas. Long gone are the days when our two are willing to sleep together.

I think I have narrowed our search down to either the Swift Sundance 630L, or the very similar Swift Bessecarr E495. In fact I am not exactly sure what the difference is.

The Autotrail Appache/Scout was also a possiblilty, but although probably slightly better quality, i found the cab quite claustraphobic, and the rear lounge not as big as in the Sundance.

With the age of the kids now (kate 16 in August), i doubt either of them will be coming with us on holiday for much longer, but in the short term we will need that option.

My wife and i thoroughly enjoy drives out, and the thought of exploring this country in a mh is rather exciting.

I am hoping a budget of about £30k should get something decent from a private seller. I am in no rush but keeping an eye on ebay, and autotrader for something relatively close by.

At the end of the day, this is a serious itch i have got to scratch, and if it doesn't work out, i can always sell it on. I am sure i will not lose half as much as the cost of a family of four holiday in Florida !!!

Thank you for reading, and i should be grateful for any suggestions you may have.

Kind regards

Andrew
 

Lindylooj

Free Member
Jun 24, 2011
189
81
Weymouth, Dorset
Funster No
17,042
MH
Autotrail
Exp
Newbie from Oct 2011
Welcome Andrew. Hope you find what you want. We are new to motorhoming and love it and are on our second van since October when we bought the first as we realised the layout wasnt what we wanted. Think we have got it right unless we get a longer van and that wouldnt fit on the drive. Hope you get it right first time.

We are in Anglesey at present and what a day havent been able to step outside the door for rain :cry:

Off to ffestiniog tomorrow so hoping for a bit of sun. Enjoy Motorhome fun everyone is very helpful.
 

autoswan

Free Member
Apr 3, 2012
776
4,649
Swansea
Funster No
20,381
MH
coach built
Exp
i`m a newbie
Hi and welcome Andrew :thumb:

I am new to motorhoming to and we got ours about 10 weeks ago and cant get enough of being out in it exploring . It sounds like your going about getting one the right way, the experienced guys on here have a wealth of info that im sure you wil find invaluable .

We have an Autotrail Cheyanne 4 berth and as there are usually just the boss ,little boss our 2 smallish dogs and me at 6ft3" away in it,we find it roomy enough but any more i would say a 6 birth would be better . The RV`s ive heard of on here are even better iff you want loads of space and i like the look of some of the Hymners (spelling ?) on here to !

So go for it and good luck from south west Wales :welcomefunster:

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

chatter

Free Member
Aug 3, 2009
3,689
937
cheshire
Funster No
7,812
MH
5th wheel
Exp
10+
Hi and welcome to FUN

take your time and do your research well, not only with regard to sleeping but also check that the washroom is big enough as in can you turn in the shower or bend to pick up that bar of soap or bottle of shower gel you dropped. Also check it has enough seat belts for when you are travelling. Most teens i know like to sleep in what we call a pup tent alongside the van (so they dont have to get up as early as everyone else) My own daughters used to do that but inside the awning we used to put up.
 

Peter JohnsCross MH

Funster
Deceased RIP
Jan 5, 2008
9,617
6,194
East Sussex
Funster No
1,134
MH
Autotrail
Exp
1995
The Swift and Bessecarr both come from the same converter, differences would be just cosmetic, either if them good vans

Peter
 

Jim

Ringleader
Jul 19, 2007
36,196
128,636
Sutton on Sea, UK
Funster No
1
MH
Adria Panel Van.
Exp
Since 1988
Hi Andrew

There is so much to consider, For instance, some people love to cook in their motorhome, others may never use their oven. The number one priority for some is that they have their own shower, others only use the shower to store wet wellies and raincoats. Some love to explore every little lane and byway, often wildcamping when they find somewhere nice to park up for the night; others are happier when on a site that offers a hard standing and every facility.

Everyone’s requirements are going to be different; the hard part is deciding what you need and then prioritising those needs. This is hard for the newcomer, but its very important. Otherwise you'll buy a van all excited but after a few trips you'll discover its not quite the right van for you.

Most of us make a compromise somewhere, whether on size, style or price etc. We need to find our high priority requirements first, and then all the others are a bonus.

It’s not uncommon for a motorhome to last for twenty years or more, get it right and you might not buy again for a while. However, the truth is, no matter how hard some people try to get it right first time; your first motorhome will probably not be your last. You will find fault with it, “if only this were longer, wider, softer” etc. Your requirements might also change over the years, the style of motorhoming you thought you would enjoy is replaced by another. For example the kids don’t accompany you anymore, or suddenly you are holidaying a lot with the grandchildren, or you find you prefer mountains to beaches. This will probably mean your present motorhome will need to be changed to something more suitable. It’s not the end of the world though; motorhomes hold their price well. So if you negotiated properly when you first purchased, then you should not lose too much and another purchase won’t be so bad after all.

There are a number of factors to consider when choosing a motorhome, what does your licence allow, how much storage do you need, how many people will be travelling on each trip, what style of motorhome do you want etc.

They are just a few of the major questions, but it doesn’t end there; you have to make a further array of bewildering choices such as, new or used, usable payload, age, price, make, colour, chassis type, engine type, RHD or LHD, Luton, lowline, European, American etc

The biggest reason that people change motorhomes is Layout, get the layout right and you’ll keep the motorhome for longer have more fun and save a lot of money. Go to motorhome shows where you’ll find hundreds of vans and study the layouts, sit on sofas, lay on beds, sit on loos, imagine the whole family sat watching TV. Look at the kitchen, imagine cooking in it, where are the saucepans and cereal packets being stored. After a while, you’ll decide what suits you best, it might be a fixed bed or a U shaped lounge or an end kitchen etc. Once you know the layout, you’ve narrowed it down bit, there will still be hundreds to choose from, but as soon as you add in your purchase price to the mix as well as your location, you’ll be getting closer to the van you’ll end up buying. Best of luck and welcome to the fun:thumb:

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
Jul 29, 2011
2,684
21,714
Urmston, Manchester
Funster No
17,549
MH
Former owner.
Exp
June 2012
Hi
we are new to this and on our first trip out with our motorhome, if you are not sure how you will be then try hiring one. It may give you an idea how you will manage.
 

pappajohn

LIFE MEMBER
Aug 26, 2007
43,207
48,821
Dark side of the moon
Funster No
172
Exp
Since 2005
Hi Andrew and welcome to the exciting world of motorhomes.

with a budget of £30k the sky will be the limit (almost) unless you intend buying new of course.

when researching what you want dont exclude american motorhomes.

most are 'nailed' together better than euro-vans and afford much more luxury....as well as size.

they are not all massive 'monsters, some being smaller than the european vans, and many can be driven on a standard car licence...if you took your driving test before 1997.

mine is 34ft long and almost 9ft wide but with the slide-out sidewall extended it also becomes almost 12ft wide by 12ft long in the lounge/kitchen area with a proper two seater sofa (bed settee) and relining swivel chair and has a separate bedroom with a large fixed double bed at the rear in its own room.
the dinette has a proper free standing wooden table and real padded dining chairs, unlike the bench seats and formica topped 'slab' table in a eurovan.

a full sized shower/toilet with vanity unit.

full sized fridge and freezer, twin bowl sink, large domestic microwave and a domestic oven/hob.

running/fuel costs are higher but are cancelled out by the sheer comfort and luxury.


one of our admin team is selling a 28ft model right now on Link Removed

always worth considering :thumb:
 
Last edited:

Silkcut1105

LIFE MEMBER
Jun 3, 2011
1,975
13,033
Swansea
Funster No
16,712
MH
autotrail chieftain
Exp
Since 1991
well all i can say is you have a wealth of information on here, and welcome to the funsters club hope you find what your looking for ,im sure you wont regret a motorhome for your leisure time, u can find almost anything you require through this site and enjoy your time looking,as you will find its not easy to choose what you require...but take your time and u will not be disappointed .good luck and happy camping.:Cool::thumb:

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
OP
OP
A

Andrew G M

Free Member
Jun 15, 2012
156
158
Abergele
Funster No
21,484
MH
Don't own one yet
Exp
Newbie
American RV Dreams

Thank you Pappajohn for your comments.

American motorhomes (or Focker mobiles as we like to call them, as in 'Meet the Fockers' withnBen Stiller/De Niro - great film) are certainly the biz.

Great fan of the States where things tend to be bigger and better. There RV infrastructure is superb, and who knows in time, i quite fancy a 3 month road trip over there.

For now though, i feel quite daunted at the thought of driving a std mh, and unfortunately with our drive, size does matter.

Appreciate your comments.

KR

Andrew

PS This is the first reply i have tried to post, so hope it is ok !
 

slobadoberbob

Free Member
Jun 1, 2009
6,151
1,960
Kent, garden of England
Funster No
6,953
MH
Winnebago 23' something
Exp
25 years & counting
Firstly Welcome to MHF

Thank you Pappajohn for your comments.

American motorhomes (or Focker mobiles as we like to call them, as in 'Meet the Fockers' withnBen Stiller/De Niro - great film) are certainly the biz.

Great fan of the States where things tend to be bigger and better. There RV infrastructure is superb, and who knows in time, i quite fancy a 3 month road trip over there.

For now though, i feel quite daunted at the thought of driving a std mh, and unfortunately with our drive, size does matter.

Appreciate your comments.

KR

Andrew

PS This is the first reply i have tried to post, so hope it is ok !

Firstly welcome to MHF...

Can I say not all RV's (AMERICAN MOTORHOMES) are massive... mine for example is 23'9" long and is a 4 berth.. follow the red link below to get some idea of a smaller one. For example there is a post on here at the moment by Bryan the administrator.. he is selling his 28' long.... both of our RV's are fully loaded.. so may be worth looking in that diction as well... if you use ebay .. search under American RV Motorhome .. you will see a fair few on there.

Parts and repairs are easy.. I an get parts off the shelf ... and they are easy to drive.. not all are like you see in the film meet the Fockers... do research them you may be surprised.

RVOC the sister site is just American RV's... but a lot of MHF members own them

Bob, Sue and Ezzie the St Bernard:thumb:
 
Jan 19, 2012
628
612
Leicester
Funster No
19,488
MH
Coachbuilt
Exp
Since 2012
Welcome - we bought our first motorhome in January and [unusually it seems] are still delighted with our first choice! We looked around for about two months I guess, went to the NEC show, and were initially looking at a Romahome as we thought we'd like a smaller unit. The guy who dem'd it for us at the NEC accidentally did us a favour as he congratulated us on our choice, saying 'of course a bigger one is fine for folk who want to sit in a field watching television!' We looked at each other, each thinking 'so what's wrong with that?!'

We eventually ended up with the Autocruise Starburst, with a great lounging area [perfect for watching TV in a field!] as well as luxurious cooking and washing facilities. All of which we use. Just two belted seats, so if the [grown-up] kids ever want to come with us they'll have to bring their own transport and tent.

We saw two of these, the first at a very local but very small dealers, the second at Fullers, near Nottingham. We went for Fullers in the hope of getting better after sales, and so it has proved. They have been great! All the tyres were replaced before handover [six years old] and since then they've replaced both batteries and resprayed the hab door which had developed minor bubbling on the bottom. All under warranty, all done with a smile. Which would not have been the case had we gone with the other dealer, or bought privately. Something to add to your list of 'things to consider' perhaps.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

Brian and Jo

LIFE MEMBER
Sep 24, 2007
3,002
6,447
oswestry,shropshire
Funster No
368
MH
A-Class N+B Arto 88F
Exp
Been motorhoming for 15yrs.had an American RV for 7yrs,Now got a Niesmann Bischoff Arto 88F
newbie

hi there Andrew and a warm welcome to MHF.as others have said dont totally discount the americans.and like bob has said the smaller ones to have all the whistles and toys which on a european you would have to add on.enjoy your search,exciting times ahead:thumb:
regards brian jo and josh
 

Wildman

Free Member
May 30, 2008
0
8,470
Ilfracombe, Devon
Funster No
2,913
MH
Amazon Ambassador
Exp
since 1967
Hi and welcome, now live in wales, children Katie and James sounds like Jim in disguise, hee hee. Jim has written an excellent motorhome buyers guide, bursting at the seams with money saving tips. You WILL save the cost of the book on your first purchase if you read and absorb the contents.
In the end you will get fed up with so much choice and it is a lot of money to spend so it is imperative to make lists, must have, would like, don't want.
Think about accessories extra leisure batteries, solar power, gaslow, fixed gas tank, reversing camera, satellite dish etc. Cooker grill oven most vans do NOT come with all these things as standard, some only have a 2/3 ring cooker. so if cheese on toast is a must make sure you get a grill.
a van can be used in a number of ways. One a site (with or without electric hookup) or wild parked. If you intend going abroad at all consider getting a Left hand drive, they are easy to drive in the UK because you are used to the road systems and the extra height of the motorhome makes it easy but go abroad and the benefits leap out at you rather than overtaking (undertaking) Frenchmen who come up on your blind side, hee hee.
Get your membership fee paid and reap the full benefits of the site. We have an active chatroom as well where you can receive advice and a laugh at the same time.
Welcome to the FUN.
 

Join us or log in to post a reply.

To join in you must be a member of MotorhomeFun

Join MotorhomeFun

Join us, it quick and easy!

Log in

Already a member? Log in here.

Latest journal entries

Funsters who are viewing this thread

Back
Top