Which one to buy? And getting stressed out by it (1 Viewer)

[Paddyfrog]

Hello everyone,
Thank you for your personal insights into my last two questions. I am now a member, so you'll be hearing more from me, I'm sure.

The point of our buying a camper van is so we can relax more. I now have an autoimmune disorder, so being able to relax with the camper van is part of my healing, relaxing = lessening antibodies. That's the idea anyway.

I find I am getting stressed. Just doing final checks before buying the 7m Challenger/Ford. Layout perfect for us - me frightened about length, you lot reassured me about that.

Every time I come to a decision, I get some info that worries me. Re Ford engines. One owner of a Bürstner/Fiat said Ford didn't do well in heat, so he would only ever buy Fiat engines. He is a truck driver and swears by Fiat. Then I saw somewhere here that Ford cabs are a doddle to break into. Arrgh, the uncertaintly mounts...... should we pull out.

The problem is we don't have any experience. It is just to two of us, adults, plus two elderly dogs.

We dropped the Bürstner/Fiat 6m+ because it didn't have air con in the cab (essential for us in France) and you guys said retrofitting is very tricky and expensive. My husband is a real handyman (electronics, not engines), so we were disappointed about that. Especially as we think the owner would drop the price to include the cost of air con retrofitted.

Just sharing my pre-acquisition insecurities. Sorry.

 

[Deleted member 29692]

The accepted wisdom is that most people don't buy the right van until their third one so don't get stressed about it, the chances are you'll buy the wrong one whatever you do so there's no point in worrying about it.

 

[Paddyfrog]

Now that reply did me good. (I must be a quick learner because I was trying to reassure my husband along those lines this morning.) OK, so I'll go ahead and get a mechanic lined up to check (independently) the engine. Saturday we could be new MH owners. Imagine that!

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

 

[mpdcymru]

Don't be stressed out by it all, enjoy it as part of the new adventure. Yes, the accepted wisdom is that it takes three vans before you get to exactly what you want but many on here got it right first time - you may too if you do sufficient research.

If you get it wrong it probably will not be that disastrous. Although there are more options with a motorhome, it is similar to a car - sometimes we make the wrong decision. Sometimes we then change it immediately because the decision was so wrong (but that is not common) or, more likely, we keep it a while to make sure we were wrong and try ti minimise any depreciation losses if any.

 

[Cat53]

It's not the end of the world if you choose wrongly.....its ONLY a Motorhome. It can be changed....and anyway., you can enjoy trying it out whilst you discover whether or not it's THE ONE,

 

[Silver-Fox]

I would say worry not.

Bit of a pain but you can get the locks changed, i know you shouldn't have to , but thats just the way it is.

Driver swears by Fiat is that the same one that spells Fix It Again Tomorrow

There is good and bad with lots of manufacturers but not anything to get stressed about.

Buy it and use it and enjoy.

SWMBO questioned me when we bout ours, saying its a lot of money blah blah blah yep it is and this isn't a dress rehearsal either. I'm having it end of

Ohh and she has relaxed now as well

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

 

[DanielFord]

I have to say, I am a bit of a Transit fan, apart from the security issue, I would always favour a Transit over any other type of van. When we came to buy ours, there wasn't a Ford based one that suited our needs, hence we have a Fiat. My biased opinion would be that the Ford engine is a much more reliable unit than the Fiat, having spent quite a lot of money repairing our van!

 

[Clickem]

The security issues with the Transit base can be overcome

 

[Baldeagle7470]

As a Challenger owner on a Ford Chassis,we have the 155 bhp 6 speed,it is a cracking engine.Bought in October 2015 we now have done 10,000 Kms and it has loosened up and pulls like a train.Incidentally as our Transit was built in Turkey it was made in May 2014 which meant the Chassis cab had been hanging around a while,of course the dealer never mentioned this!
The engine,driving position is super,everything works very well.
My problems are with the Challenger bit.
We were bitten by the modern look and technology,electric bed,electric table. But finition is poor,shutters,bathroom tambour door,shower concertina door.Rooflights whistling like crazy.Been back twice for rectification and going back again soon.Good point no damp though!
Ours is a Challenger Genesis 100.
Sorry to maybe give you more stress but with the money invested thought it best to be honest.
If I can give you any more specifics don't hesitate to ask.

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

 

[mpdcymru]

I would say worry not.

Bit of a pain but you can get the locks changed, i know you shouldn't have to , but thats just the way it is.

Driver swears by Fiat is that the same one that spells Fix It Again Tomorrow

There is good and bad with lots of manufacturers but not anything to get stressed about.

Buy it and use it and enjoy.

SWMBO questioned me when we bout ours, saying its a lot of money blah blah blah yep it is and this isn't a dress rehearsal either. I'm having it end of
There is also the Future Order to Repair Daily or FORD.
Ohh and she has relaxed now as well

 

[mpdcymru]

Don't know what happened there! Should read that FORD spells Future Order to Repair Daily.

 

[GeriatricWanderer]

Next time you're out on the road for the day, count all the "White Vans" and note the grille badges.

I've not counted myself but I'd hazard a guess that Transits outnumber Fiats by a big number.

Work horses for every conceivable use and driven hard and fast. Most are good for 150k miles plus.

Deadlocks are easily fitted.

Do you want cab air con because you have experience of summer in France or just because you imagine it to be necessary?

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

 

[pyro]

Layout is more important than anything, not the manufacturer of either the base unit or even the conversion, in my opinion at least

FIAT have a greater share of the motorhome market, certainly my own first choice, and perhaps more international support, but you certainly won't have problems getting a Transit sorted out wherever you are. Both are excellent, as are Mercedes and doubtless others. I wouldn't let the reported security issues worry you, you can always improve on what is supplied

Cab aircon is a must for us, but if it became a choice between the right layout and aircon, I would make my decision based on the former

As I say, just my opinion. Get yourselves some experience under your belts, if you buy wrong the first time, then you'll know better what suits you in the future

 

[Chris]

Just chill out.

Some people buy 7.5m motorhomes before realising their drive is a lot less than that.

No names like

 

[Mickey1]

Mickey.

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

 

[Puddleduck]

Have sent you a private message (conversation).

Fiat have more of the motorhome market as they have a specific motorhome chassis (well that is what they claim). I don't think base vehicle makes that much difference to be honest .... with the miles motorhomes tend to do the engine part should outlast the rest of the vehicle if it is maintained and serviced correctly.

 

[MC 55 FUN]

It seems an adequate payload should be top of the list, even ahead of layout, as with out an adequate payload the rest of one's must haves, or would likes, are irrelevant.

 

[GeriatricWanderer]

It seems an adequate payload should be top of the list, even ahead of layout, as with out adequate payload the rest of one's must haves, or would likes, are irrelevant.

I'd put it:

1 Payload................................ too small and if you travel, you travel very light
2 Base vehicle "condition"....... Unreliable and you travel nowhere.
3 Layout.................................... Get it wrong and you can still travel far and wide.

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

 

[MC 55 FUN]

I'd put it:

1 Payload................................ too small and you travel very light
2 Base vehicle "condition"....... Unreliable and you travel nowhere.
3 Layout.................................... Get it wrong and you can still travel far and wide.

Poor @Mickey1 found out that too small a payload meant travelling nowhere

 

[mitzimad]

Next time you're out on the road for the day, count all the "White Vans" and note the grille badges.


I've not counted myself but I'd hazard a guess that Transits outnumber Fiats by a big number.

that realy depends on where you are im sure in rome the fiats would win? im seeing a lot more psa vans in use around london by the traditional transit users builders ,car transporters and delivery drivers

 

[TUCANO]

to the site here. If you were to ask a thousand people their opinions about vans I would hazard a guess that you would get a lot more to think about than you would have thought possible.
You may possibly get it wrong the first time, you may find almost the perfect van for you, I say "may" because nothing is ever perfect and there will always be compromises to be made, layout, payload, condition etc etc but even the compromises can be fun.
Searching for the "one" is all part of the fun, try to bundle up your concerns and dump them in the bin
Take care.
Norman.

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

 

[cranky]

have you not found the answer. wine. wine does not ask silly questions. wine understands.

 

[Norfolk Nomad]

Still a relative newbie myself, it took me 6 months searching to find my motorhome. In the end I went for the Hymer because of the layout and build quality and the transit for reliability and running costs. Standard security on the transit is not good, but I have fitted a Hykee driver’s door lock, disconnected the passenger door lock and have purchased a pedal box, so have hopefully done enough to make the thieves move on to the next one.

 

[El-Nido]

We hired four motorhomes before deciding, all different sizes and layouts. In the early days we thought we wanted a large coachbuilt or even an A Class. We ended up buying a 6m panel van conversion. Although not cheap to hire, it saved us making a very expensive purchase mistake.

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

 

[Paddyfrog]

I thank you all for your replies. Actually it is the diversity, the different perspectives and choices that are so useful, as well as the comments that we probably won't get it perfectly right first time.
I have lined up a mechanic to check the motor tomorrow morning. If it looks as good as in the CT (French equivalent of MOT), then we will come back with a Challenger on a Ford chassis. Yes, and we'll take the good advice and secure the locks, fit lock on pedal etc.
Right now I am relaxed, manically trying to find a place to keep it when not in use (plenty of farms here with shelter, or even a large garage).
This is all very fast. But hopefully the rewards of being able to spend so much time in nature will be at our finger tips. Temperatures reached +27°C here yesterday, so that cab aircon is essential à mon avis.

 

[beltsandbraces]

chillax
google anything and there will be good and bad things about that item. One person will rave about the ford and slate the fiat and visa versa. Buy the best you can afford and go out and enjoy, we have and we are loving it.

 

[skylinersi]

and buy a disklok for the steering wheel

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

 

[Paddyfrog]

Stress of buying is now behind us. We bought it and drove it home today. So official motor home owners, no longer feel like I'm looking in here from the wings.

 

[funflair]

Stress of buying is now behind us. We bought it and drove it home today. So official motor home owners, no longer feel like I'm looking in here from the wings.

WoooHooo congrats, enjoy.

Martin

 

[skylinersi]

Stress of buying is now behind us. We bought it and drove it home today. So official motor home owners, no longer feel like I'm looking in here from the wings.

Cool
Pleased for you
Enjoy