Very green (1 Viewer)

[bobnick]

Hi all, brand new to this lark so please go easy on me.
My head hurts. Been looking for weeks. We WILL be buying a MH by March but OMG what to choose.
We have a list of what we would like and appreciate we may have to compromise along the line.
So, if i were to short list the long list could i be pointed in the right direction to the right MH.
1. Not more than 2 years old
2. 2/4 berth (highly unlikely more than 2 in the home)
3. Low or mid profile.
4. Twin or island bed/s
5. Mid Bathroom.
6. Largish lounge
7. Min 150 bhp
8. Automatic (but not critical)
9 Garage for scooter (again not critical)
10. All above within 7.5mts
11.If has extras like tow bar, awning etc it would be a bonus.
12.£60k is max budget.
Am i expecting too much??
We are traveling as of tomorrow, Wed, driving Spain to UK so response will be in a few days.
Ta
PS. now tell me the above is in the wrong bit

 

[Jim]

Robert, welcome to the fun Checkout The Motorhome Buyers Guide. The Definitive Guide to Buying the Right Motorhome at the Best Price If you're not sure about any aspect of the forums, check out the Broken Link Removed

 

[MC 55 FUN]

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[bobnick]

Ta Jim, Iv'e read lot's. Will read as advised.

 

[EX51SSS]

 

[Camping Gaza]

Welcome,

How about looking around in Spain and importing? Just a thought... i think you would save a bob or two if you don't mind a left hooker, I think folks on here know the ins and outs on that

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[bobnick]

Thanks Gaza, we have been here for 4 weeks this time. I have had a look but not seen anything we like. LHD would be considered as most of Ks will be Europe.

 

[Camping Gaza]

I have it on good authority that any van other than "Made in England" (meaning the Habitation section) is preferable, due to materials and general build quality. Apparantly Hymer (German?) is the make of choice.

I have a "Made in England" coachbuilt and although OK is, considering the cost, and what galls me, the thoughtlessness and of "what could be," about the build is really quite below par.

 

[bobnick]

Interesting, i was wondering which van/s are considered "the better quality". Bit like Motor bikes, a Honda, Yamaha etc is better built than a Keeway, Kymco et al.....................so, what is considered the better van??????

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[EX51SSS]

Interesting, i was wondering which van/s are considered "the better quality". Bit like Motor bikes, a Honda, Yamaha etc is better built than a Keeway, Kymco et al.....................so, what is considered the better van??????

Ask 20 Moho owners and you'll get 20 different replies. There are sooooooo many out there. Besides manufacturer, layout etc.

 

[Camping Gaza]

Not mechanical, remember its a caravan stuck onto a van chassis, essentially a plywood box with plastic windows and a bit of this and that to make it live-able.

My reversing camera has packed up after 250 miles, my fridge is not happy on 240 volts, the poppers in the carpet dont line up, missing rubber bumpers on the glass hob top makes it crash down, curtain tie backs screwed in with 1 inch screws, What??.... trim missing, heater vents loose, winterising on heater loose and duct taped on, plastic and finish poor, just poor quality all over really. Velcro missing and badly applied.... I could go on... Little things I know, but imagine building a motorhome with just half a brain...!

 

[scousebird]

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[sedge]

We've had 2 both based on Fiat Ducatos. First was a Swift - a Bessacar. Lovely, well made and everything did what it was supposed to, though we did have to put couple of screws in the lift up panel in the floor above the fresh water tank. The holes were drilled but no screws. I think in terms of things going wrong or missing, that was that, in 3 years and 27k + miles. Only thing was - it wasn't winterised. (It wasn't supposed to be so not like that was a manufacturing error)

Second is a Pilote so French - the thermostat controlling the fans on the cooker was faulty and so despite them working like stink the heat from the grill &/or oven was melting the knobs and I needed to cover my face to open the oven door. However that of course was a Thetford warranty issue, not mfring. Sorted by the dealer. Nothing else, and that's 3 years old now.

Upholstery in the Swift was more comfortable and stayed as nice looking as the day we took delivery whereas the hab are of the Pilote, frankly, now looks as if it's been sat on for 3 years! LOL They have no knee-rolls and although they weren't massive before - these do make quite a difference I have found. In the front the passenger seat we have gained an armrest, but lost the lumbar support - otherwise those are exactly the same seats other than the covers.

If you are only going to use the van in the summer, having a double floor probably isn't important but if you want to use it year round, especially if you are winter sports enthusiasts so will definitely want to use it in the snow - then it becomes essential. A bed of ANY sort whether 'French' or island, effectively halves the length of the habitation area. A drop-down bed of course, doesn't. However, if you are tall - it lowers the ceiling height wherever it is.

You have just got to go and get in as many different ones as you can, pretend it's yours and try and live in it - can you get past each other when one's at the sink or stove, when one's washing and one's drying. when one's sprawled out on a settee and the other wants the loo, can you and your wife both reach into the eye level lockers comfortably, do you need to lie down to get into a low level one where you'd keep the outside chairs or whatever, and see what you think. Can you live with this layout?

Record the snags with different models as well as the good bits, and don't even worry about How Much??? !! - until you actually know what you NEED - and what you are willing to compromise on.

You'll get there. We landed up paying 50% more for our first van than the figure we'd decided on - and have never ever regretted a single penny.

 

[bobnick]

Jenny, Gaza and all,
Thank you so much for your input, invaluable. Over the years we have rented 2/3 MHs. We believe we know what will suit us (see list above) and all the above points are valid.
To be honest i am dreading the search. We arrive in UK on Friday, so from Monday i have the rest of Nov to physically look at them and test sit/lay/pull push prod/check.
As stated we don't need it until March as we go away for winter from 1st Dec. I do want to identify what van we will get during Nov so as to save time in March.
Once again many thanks for your input, appreciated.

 

[gus-lopez]

& safe journey to the UK:

Welcome,

How about looking around in Spain and importing? Just a thought... i think you would save a bob or two if you don't mind a left hooker, I think folks on here know the ins and outs on that

I think you'll find they are dearer here.

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[buttons]

Hi and Welcome......

 

[davidbaldam]

Hi and welcome to FUN.

 

[eddie]

Whether you buy British or European you can get a dud. Most of the equipment supplied to the industry comes from the same manufacturers. A friend of mine recently told me that they were selling their Benimar and buying a Swift as they were fed up with all of the hassle they'd had

I pointed out that the leak on the Thetford wasn't Benimars fault, and both manufacturers use the same toilet, the Fridge problem? the same supplier to both and the Dometic air con that buzzed? yup, Dometci supply both

The Trigano group own motorhome brands in across Europe including the UK so it's hard to say that European vans are better/worse than English vans, which in many cases are re-badged European vans

If you don't mind left hand drive, don't discount American vans. Some are small on the road, with slide outs when you arrive making an amazing amount of living space, and Yanks don't consider such things as Air Conditioning, hydraulic jacks, pay load, built in generators and usable sized water and waste tanks as "extras"

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