We're about to press buy......but it's a big step! (1 Viewer)

[Geomore]

Firstly, thank you for everyone's help on my previous post about Weinsburgs. So I feel like less of a freeloader I've bought a year's membership, hoping that we should soon own a motorhome! Went to look at a 2018 Sunlight S70SC yesterday and was very impressed, we are seriously thinking of putting in an offer in the next day or so, aware of how fast the market is moving. But it's a big step, and we still have a few "last minute wobbles"...

• It's 7m long, and it looks huge, is the size going to be an issue? My thoughts are that's only 1m more than a 6m, which is the smallest we'll get still with a garage. And it fits on the drive fine, and I was amazed on the test drive how it feels and drives no different than a transit.
• Is a motorhome really going to allow us to do what we want? We are keen campers, but we want more flexibility in worse weather and out of season. We imagine weekends exploring the far reaches of wales, lakes, peaks, dales out of season, but if the camp sites are all shut, where do we empty the loo and fill up with water? I'm guessing we can still find "motor parks" that will be open and we can empty/refill for a few quid if we need to? We're aware free camping in Cornwall in August is not realistic, but that's the same with a tiny VW day camper.
• I don't think our van has the "winterised addon", so the waste water tank is not heated. I didn't check but I gather the fresh tank is internal, so provided we leave the heating on tick over, we'll be ok in say -3 or -4 if we are careful, maybe a bit colder? it has LPG system fitted, so using plenty of gas shouldn't be a concern.
• Maybe a separate question for the Solar forum, I will plan to fit panels, which is bread and butter for me electrically, but drilling a hole through a very expensive motorhome sounds terrifying. The huge tv antenna fitted will go so I can re-purpose the gland for the wiring, can I "glue" good size panels onto the home using the appropriate Sikaflex so I don't have to drill and bolt? Is the the norm, or is it frowned upon?
• This is a long term purchase, we we need to consider kids - It has four 3-point belted seats, but it seems no ISOFIX. Am I right that this is not a major issue, just slighly less convenient?

If anyone can help with some of our last minute "Are we doing the right thing" worries, it would be awesome! Sorry for so many questions, I hope I can be in a position to return the favour in the near future!

Many thanks, George

 

[bigalw35]

Hi George, providing you feel comfortable about driving a 7mtr moho and have the correct licence, GO FOR IT, mines a 7mtr, NO REGRETS, the rest of your queries can come when your used to it

 

[Captain Yoghurtpot]

I too would be interested in isofix seat belt anchorage of child seats, but have never seen them in a motorhome.
But I may well be wrong.
It’s a very good point as I know fro experience fitting a good quality and heavy child seat , designed for isofix fitting, is a pain when fitted by just using the inertia fitting.
Getting it REALLY tight takes some doing!

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Geomore]

Hi George, providing you feel comfortable about driving a 7mtr moho and have the correct licence, GO FOR IT, mines a 7mtr, NO REGRETS, the rest of your queries can come when your used to it

Awesome, thanks! It's a 3500KG, so yes i'm aware the 550-600KG payload is always going to be a consideration, but for us, a heavier one is not really a practical option (licence upgrades, can't lend to friends, Peage, ferry fee increases etc.)

 

[Jimbo50]

Hi Geomore
With regards the solar system, it is the norm to Sikaflex them to the roof and not to use screws/bolts or whatever.
if you are doing away with the antenna would you be able to use it’s access for your solar cables, just a thought.

 

[Geomore]

Hi Geomore
With regards the solar system, it is the norm to Sikaflex them to the roof and not to use screws/bolts or whatever.
if you are doing away with the antenna would you be able to use it’s access for your solar cables, just a thought.

Yes, that would be the plan (even If I have to enlarge the entry, at least it's not drilling a fresh hole.)

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Vanderek]

Two years ago went changed from 6m to a 7m motorhome, so after 10 years of driving 6m motorhomes there was no dramatic difference, just the usual corner care when turning.

Last week we took our grandson out in the motorhome, it was his first time in a forward facing seat , it was not isofix. There were some worries as my son works in H & S, so even he checked it clear for take off . Grandson kept saying lots to see, lots to see. The seat was a good fix on the belt.

Back to the 7m size , it means we can get away and don't have items on the floor etc , everything is packed away.

Good luck

 

[nicholsong]

Firstly, thank you for everyone's help on my previous post about Weinsburgs. So I feel like less of a freeloader I've bought a year's membership, hoping that we should soon own a motorhome! Went to look at a 2018 Sunlight S70SC yesterday and was very impressed, we are seriously thinking of putting in an offer in the next day or so, aware of how fast the market is moving. But it's a big step, and we still have a few "last minute wobbles"...

• It's 7m long, and it looks huge, is the size going to be an issue? My thoughts are that's only 1m more than a 6m, which is the smallest we'll get still with a garage. And it fits on the drive fine, and I was amazed on the test drive how it feels and drives no different than a transit.
• Is a motorhome really going to allow us to do what we want? We are keen campers, but we want more flexibility in worse weather and out of season. We imagine weekends exploring the far reaches of wales, lakes, peaks, dales out of season, but if the camp sites are all shut, where do we empty the loo and fill up with water? I'm guessing we can still find "motor parks" that will be open and we can empty/refill for a few quid if we need to? We're aware free camping in Cornwall in August is not realistic, but that's the same with a tiny VW day camper.
• I don't think our van has the "winterised addon", so the waste water tank is not heated. I didn't check but I gather the fresh tank is internal, so provided we leave the heating on tick over, we'll be ok in say -3 or -4 if we are careful, maybe a bit colder? it has LPG system fitted, so using plenty of gas shouldn't be a concern.
• Maybe a separate question for the Solar forum, I will plan to fit panels, which is bread and butter for me electrically, but drilling a hole through a very expensive motorhome sounds terrifying. The huge tv antenna fitted will go so I can re-purpose the gland for the wiring, can I "glue" good size panels onto the home using the appropriate Sikaflex so I don't have to drill and bolt? Is the the norm, or is it frowned upon?
• This is a long term purchase, we we need to consider kids - It has four 3-point belted seats, but it seems no ISOFIX. Am I right that this is not a major issue, just slighly less convenient?

If anyone can help with some of our last minute "Are we doing the right thing" worries, it would be awesome! Sorry for so many questions, I hope I can be in a position to return the favour in the near future!

Many thanks, George

George, hello.

Firstly well done for joining.

I will try to answer your bullet points in order. I do not know the particular model but normally 7m length is no problem, except that in a very tight turn( e.g out of a s/market parking space one needs to keep an eye on both the inside of the turn and the swing of the outside of the turn where the overhang swings out initially, but also watch the roof level if near trees/roofs. Do some practice with somebody watching who can stop you if needed - mobile phones connected are useful.

On point two we have toured in UK and we have not used campsites but for emptying and water we have found that private CL/CS, particularly those attached to pubs/farms, will provide facilities for servicing even if the pitches are not available to stop the grass being chewed up in winter.

For waste water tank one can buy small low amp heaters to keep them above zero, alternatively some people open the waste tap and put a bucket under for disposal later, but close it before driving or the m/bikers on here will be on you like nuclear weapons.

I cannot help on the solar other than using the existing gland sounds sensible.

No kids, now or future, so no knowledge.

One last comment on your other post, get it over 3500kg (if you have the licence) as a good excuse not to lend it to others. The other reason is a firm NO! The threads on here have the majority against it and some disaster experiences.

Go ahead if you are comfortable with the overall MH. You can srt out solar and wintering later.

Good luck.

Geoff

 

[Geomore]

The other reason is a firm NO! The threads on here have the majority against it and some disaster experiences.

Thanks for all your advice, can you explain which part you are referring to here?

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Shrimp]

I would never lend a motorhome to anyone, there are some horrific stories about. Not everyone understands how a motorhome works, they don’t realise that fittings may be plastic, broken taps comes to mind, water boiled in the kettle poured into a plastic washroom sink!
Kids running & jumping about on the furniture and floor!
They need to understand that stuff in a motorhome is not made of the same materials as they are in a brick & mortar house!

 

[Puddleduck]

I would not lend out my motorhome! Other people are not as careful with your property as you would want them to be.

We are also "bucket under the waste outflow" people and make sure it is all closed off before we leave. Water is not really an issue (and you can actually buy bottled water if you need to). Cassette empty can be an issue but I have been known to use a public loo to empty and gone in with cleaning stuff and gloves to ensure all is cleaner when I leave. Air freshener is also used and I try to empty the cassette late on and just before the facilities are locked up.

All your points have been covered I think. We have Grandchildren and tend to take only one at a time. I put the child seat next to the wall and make sure it is very well "bedded in" and does not move around when fixed with the 3 point belt. Once you know how to fix it (there is a knack) it's not so bad and I also make sure there is an adult sitting in the seat beside the child seat "just in case". Our grandchildren love to travel in the van as being higher up they can see so much more.

We have had 6 people sleeping in our 6 berth, 4 travel seat van and that really was great fun. We were with family so met up at the site and having a car as well as the van was different. Not better, not worse just different as the van stayed put most of the time and we used the car for running around.

 

[Geomore]

I would never lend a motorhome to anyone, there are some horrific stories about. Not everyone understands how a motorhome works, they don’t realise that fittings may be plastic, broken taps comes to mind, water boiled in the kettle poured into a plastic washroom sink!
Kids running & jumping about on the furniture and floor!
They need to understand that stuff in a motorhome is not made of the same materials as they are in a brick & mortar house!

I'm following, I certainly see your point. I'm talking about some particular friends here, the "trust your life in their hands" type who also have plenty of camper experience, just not a full motorhome. But yes, warning heeded! I will take this into account with the parents!

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[funflair]

On the solar panel issue make up some alloy angle bracket to stick to the roof so you can get a decent amount of coverage for the adhesive, fix/stick waterproof a gland box over the antenna hole and feed the solar into that and then through the hole assuming you can then find a way down to your batteries.

On the lending to friends front you must have some very good friends and hopefully you still have when they bring it back

 

[Slippymurphy]

Hiya
I’m right with you, buying a motorhome is a big step especially in the wallet/purse area, the way I looked at it was that they don’t depreciate like normal vehicles, cars etc provided they are looked after( that should cover the lending out to friends scenario) so you are swapping 40 k cash for a specialist vehicle , look after it and it won’t lose a great deal of money if any.
The rest of your questions re size , solar panels etc you’ll answer as you go along with your new purchase
What have you got to lose.
Either way ........
Enjoy

 

[Geomore]

The offer has gone in! Fingers crossed...

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Gerby]

We got a Bailey 796 as our first ever MH back in 2017, it is about 8 metres long and 2.5 metres wide, when we first got it I drove very steady for a while but was amazed at how quick I got comfortable driving it. I did drive Fire Engines in my previous career but the last time I did that was some 26 years prior to getting the MH and since then the biggest thing I had driven was a Discovery.

 

[A S R]

Good luck. I have a 9m motorhome and have no problems whatsoever.

 

[Geomore]

We got a Bailey 796 as our first ever MH back in 2017, it is about 8 metres long and 2.5 metres wide, when we first got it I drove very steady for a while but was amazed at how quick I got comfortable driving it. I did drive Fire Engines in my previous career but the last time I did that was some 26 years prior to getting the MH and since then the biggest thing I had driven was a Discovery.

It's actually not so much the driving, I've driven some big vehicles in my time such as combine harvesters on Devon lanes (but to be fair, the hedges just get out the way in that case). It's more the shock of having such a giant white box on the drive, still using the really basic sites like the North Wales "climbers sites", and it not being "over the top", especially when we're used to hiking tents! Many of our friends have t5 campers, but they don't seem to offer much over a well set up tent system to be honest, and I'm more of the type that likes to have adventures rather than just try and look like I do. But mostly, I'm currently we're under house arrest and desperate to just get away to the hills/coast/anywhere that's not where I live as soon as possible!

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[bigalw35]

Good luck

 

[Boris7]

As far a size goes it makes little difference (or so I’m told) just spend time getting used to it.

No point in discussions FWB, RWD, wheel base etc. You’ve bought it now so if your not confident just don’t put yourself in a tight spot until you are, Tesco’s car park will be open at 6am on Sunday but the shop won’t be, therefore the car park will be empty, so just have a play.

Remember in any large vehicle mirror, mirror, mirror and you’ll be fine

 

[xYachties]

There's a sunlight motorhome Facebook group, always join and plenty on there to answer Sunlight Questions

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[delta juliet]

My first motorhome was 7 metres and I thought it was huge and was very worried about driving it, especially as we lived along very narrow lanes. I can honestly say it was such a pleasure to drive I hated getting back into my car after driving it. The high position had meant I could see over the hedges, the huge mirrors meant I had excellent visibility, the seating position with arm rests was comfortable and relaxed and the big steerring wheel was bliss. Go for it and enjoy .... but be warned, you may love it more than you are anticipating !

 

[nicholsong]

Thanks for all your advice, can you explain which part you are referring to here?

Your post#4 'can't lend to friends'

 

[delta juliet]

Wasn’t the Sunlight the one with the excellent skiing advert video some years back ? Anybody got a link to that, it was very entertaining ?!

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Ridgeway]

If you're "considering kids" with regards van space then likely the bigger the better and the more payload capacity the better.....

As ours have got bigger so has the "gear" that goes with them. When we started in a camper and the children were toddlers we hardy took that much stuff at all, now as they are all teenagers we've had to add a trailer to accommodate, the bikes, canoes, SUP's etc etc

Do it now and get the full value of them growing up and being able to look back at some amazing family memories.

Good luck !!!

 

[stevewagner]

I have no problem lending my motorhome to my children. I’d sooner them enjoy it than it sitting on my drive when we are not using it. I have given them lots of tuition and trust them implicitly. If there’s any damage or breakages I’ll fix it. As a family we’ve motorhomed for 45 years so they are well versed in what to do. It’s very satisfying watching them pull away with their children enjoying what is a fantastic lifestyle.

 

[Puddleduck]

Our first commercially built motorhome was the length of a single decker bus (27 or 28 ft I think). LHD and I drove it most places. Right of Size has advantages!

When we bought a brand new van (which we always said we would never do but we got a brilliant deal) I worked it out as number of cruises equivalent ignoring the residual value. Looking at it that way it wasn't that much and we can go away as often as we want and to inland places. It's actually been worth far more that money can buy as when we need to be places for family reasons we can just go with the van and have our own home close by. Most years we have a month with our son (parked either on his garden or in his neighbour's yard as the neighbour has an old railway goods yard) and also when we need to be near my elderly parents we park up on a CL owned by people who have become friends.

Cruise equivalent fare only would be about £100 a night each for an outside superior cabin. Say £50,000 for the van and that is 250 nights away or 20 shortish cruises. Okay the cruise includes food but you have to pay for drinks at bar prices (or more) and tips so that would probably even out plus if you buy cruise excursions the bill soon rockets - and a cruise is just a taste of various places and if you like somewhere you can't stay longer (likewise if you hate somewhere you can't just turn the wheels and move on). HAving said that I still like cruising as there is so little to worry about and I still fancy a round the world trip - well possibly two, one calling in to Japan and the other on the southern Australia and New Zealand route.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Otter Spotter]

I think most points have been covered but one point most island ferries in Scotland charge extra for vans over 6m, not sure if that is an issue for you?

 

[Ridgeway]

I think most points have been covered but one point most island ferries in Scotland charge extra for vans over 6m, not sure if that is an issue for you?

Good point, also above 3m height on French tolls puts you in a higher cost category (can be overcome but is a PIA)

 

[Otter Spotter]

Good point, also above 3m height on French tolls puts you in a higher cost category (can be overcome but is a PIA)

Sorry correction, it appears they have reduced it to 5.5m on the inter island Shetland ferries mainland to Yell £15. For up to 5.5m, £22.00 for vans 5.5m to 9m. That was sneaky