Tips on the right MH to buy

[Noddyx]

Im really glad i found this site and thank you for you kind replies so far.

So i have been looking the last week on various website like auto trader etc and there are 1000s of MH to chose from.
Could someone please give me an idea of good makes/models etc so i can look further.

I am still undecided what is the best option for me. Whether is 10-15k or 20-25 regards to budget.

Some advice would really help me get on the right path.

Thank you

Darren

 

[Jim]

Hi Darren,

Don't worry too much about makes and models at this stage, what you need to be interested in is the layout. You need to decide on the type of motorhoming you're going to do. Who you're going to do it with, for example with grandchildren. There are some basic classic layouts. U-shaped lounge, rear fixed bed, mid kitchen, front dinette, and quite a few more.

You need to sit in a lot of motorhomes and decide which basic layout suits you best. Sit in those motorhomes, stand in the showers, sit on the loo, lay on the bed, open all the cupboards, stand at the sink etc.

Sit in enough motorhomes and eventually, the best layout for you will become apparent. But it doesn't stop there. After all that research, you'll begin to notice other subtle differences with vans that have the same layout and you'll narrow it down even more. Shows are best for this with 100's of motorhomes in one place.

When you know precisely the layout you need you can then start researching which makers produce your required layout. Then this is a matter of finding the right one for your budget.

There is not a lot between the makers these days; they are all capable of turning out a wonderful motorhome or a lemon. If you are inexperienced in motorhomes I would always recommend an independent survey of a secondhand motorhome before you part with any cash. And if buying new get opinions here first

The research might sound a little daunting but you'll be spending a lot of money so it pays to spend a bit of time to get it right. So many people fall in love with the first motorhome they come across at a local dealer only to find the layout is wrong and are swapping it for something else within six months. It is often said that most people own two vans before they settle on the one that suits them, so they are losing money on two sales before getting it right Clearly then a little bit of homework could save you a bundle of cash. You should definitely read The Motorhome Buyers Guide before you do anything else.

Buying a van is such as an exciting experience, enjoy it and the best of luck

Subscribers can download The Motorhome Buyers Guide for Free The Definitive Guide to Buying the Right Motorhome at the Best Price

 

[138go]

The FIRST one you buy will not be right and will have all sorts of bits you don't like.
The SECOND one you buy will be better than the first but will have other bits you don't like.

By the time you get to the THIRD one you will know exactly what you want and pick the right one.

 

[Jake Royd]

Good advice given above.
A couple of points.
1)
I would consider buying your MH from a dealer. Yes it will cost you more but hopefully he will be there to fix problems and offer warranties etc. even on SH motorhomes. Visit a dealer, you can then get an idea of layouts and prices. Yes, you can buy privately or ebay etc. but IMHO this carries more risk than buying a car becuse of the cost and relative complexity a motorhome repesents.
Once you are an experienced motorhomer , THEN perhaps buy through those channels.
BTW I took my own advice.

2)
Be prepared to go outside your budget. We started looking for a 'starter' van at about £20k and bought one for £29k from a dealer. This is a relatively old vehicle, 2008. Did we pay more than privately? Yes. Just pointing out that it's very easy to spend more.

All the best with your search.

 

[Burgo]

+1 For all the above advice. For us most important was bed layout. We didn't want the faff of having to make it up every day, and didn't want to have to crawl over each other if one person wanted the the toilet, so an island bed was a must have. If possible, though it can be expensive, in peak season, try renting one in the same layout you focus down onto as a check. We did in the cheap off peak season and the dealer refunded the rental cost off the purchase price. You can but ask..

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[Noddyx]

Thank you everyone for taking the time to give advice. It has been so helpful and i have taken all your advice on board and feel allot more relaxed about looking for a MH. Im going to go and look at some local dealers first and look at layout etc and really try things out see what suits best. Then I think im going to try and hire/stay in a MH with the same layout and when i have a short list im going to come back on here and ask for more help.

Thank you everyone for taking the time.

 

[WillH]

Layout, layout, layout, then all the rest. Best of luck in your search.

 

[tacr2man]

What licence do you have , how many to carry and sleep and PAYLOAD !!

 

[Noddyx]

I have a normal car licence I need to look into what i need to do for that. And i think it wise i have a bit of training in driving the MH anyway. And im looking at a 4 berth

 

[WhiteCheyenneMan]

A lot of excellent advice above. I would pick out five things that have been very important to us over the years.
1. Driving Licence: If you don't have C1 on your licence, you are restricted to a van whose total weight (MTPLM) is 3,500kgs when loaded;
2. Payload: don't believe the brochures or dealers, have it weighed before you buy. When you add gas, water, fuel and passengers have you still got room for food, clothes, chairs etc.? It's frightening how often the payload is impossibly small to be legal, either in total, or for one of the axles and we have noticed an increasing number of roadside checks across Europe;
3. Seating: Seats that seem comfortable at first, may not be that comfortable when eating or collapsing at the end of an exhausting day;
4. Bed(s): How do you normally lie when you sleep at home and can you do that comfortably in your MH? How much fresh air do you need to be comfortable and is there enough in that drop-down bed? Do you often get up in the middle of the night and can you negotiate climbing over your partner to do so, or will you cope with a ladder?
5. How's your back, or your knees? Can you bend or kneel to gain access to low lying external lockers, or to turn on/off the grey waste tap?
Hopefully, by the time you've read everyone's advice, you can pick the best layout first time........ maybe!

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[Jake Royd]

Just an additional bit to consider.
How many belts and how many beds.
Not all motorhomes , suprisingly, have 4 belted seats and sleep 4.
The front 2 seats are belted of course, but do check.

 

[Grianan]

You’ve had excellent advice. Our experience was a series of must haves and compromises. It went something like this ...
Our experience of caravanning told us we didn’t want to make a bed up every night. I have a knee injury so didn’t want to climb a ladder. We both get up in the night for the bathroom so didn’t want to clamber over each other. So that gave us our layout ... longitudinal fixed single beds.
We wanted a small van, ideally VW T6 as we spend most of our time in the highlands and it is better suited to our travelling style. However, having a ‘proper’ toilet trumped this so we compromised on a PVC.
OH is 6’4” so we needed the longest (6.3m) van.
We wanted to carry 4 and sleep 3, the third being a growing teenager ... we whittled the choice down to Globecar and Westfalia. £20k more for the Westfalia for a better bed. We bought the Globecar. So far so good but real test next month.
Your priorities will be different but the process not dissimilar. Good luck, do lots and lots of research and sit in as many vans as you can.
Good luck!

 

[JJ]

Each motorhomer has his/her needs and wishes depending on what they will use the vehicle for.

If you are going to spend your van time on sites with EHU and hard standing pitches etc like most folk, the following tips will not be of much help to you but, as an Off Site Motorhomer (full timer for decades) who very rarely visits formal sites, my very first requirement is rear wheeled drive... second is a generator... third is solar power... and fourth is easy to service and then, of course, somewhere to store my supply of Fray Bentos pies...

JJ