Motorhomes

[Edwards]

So, went for our compact coachbuilt, which we've managed with just fine up to now.

Very very nice just the size we want for our next one.

[beachcomber]

Fausto,
My 'van' is a Euramobile 680HB. It's 23' long. It drives like a car and I get about 25 to 28mpg.

Hubgearfreak

Not having a shower of waste tank is okay until you need to park up without facilities as my photo shows. We ( me and another 100+ motorhomes) were allocated parking in a business centre close to the event start/finish. Tanks to empty the toilet cassette and huge rubbish wheely bins were provided nearby. Water had to be brought from the control centre some 400yards up the road.
As I said the three of us in the van had a comfortable trip. We had numerous friends drop in and eat with us or just enjoy a coffee and natter pre and post event. During our stay there were thunderstorms on several nights, including during the ride, I was glad I wasn't in a tent as the volume of water dropped in just 30 minutes turned roads into rivers.

You are right about the useful nature of a small van, as it can be used as an every day vehicle which mine can not. However when I looked at trading mine for a smaller van early this year I found the prices where almost the same. Unless of course I go for an older model.
Old VW type 2 and 25 go for big money now and don't even think about an old split screen VW unless you have cash to burn. The surfers have turned the old V dubs into cult status vehicles which has pushed the prices sky high.
I looked at a new Brazilian buit VW van converted by a UK company at a show last year. Starting price for the basic model £35K.
Not a cheap option. A 4 berth fully kitted Coach built motorhome can be bought for the same amount.
You pays yer money etc

[beachcomber]

Oh something I forgot to add, is that my 'van' is fully winterised. That is to say the tanks are mounted inbourd between the floors. A net work of heater pipes run betwen the floor of the living space and the under floor and keep the whole lot from freezing up.
The heating is first class altough it consumes a fair amout of gas if you have it on full blast for an extended period.
I have used the van on snow covered sites with sub zero temps and been as snug as a bug.
The van gets used all year round.
Hubgearfreak.
Your point about older vans leaking is true in parts. Certainly it was a problem in the past. Well maintained modern vans suffer much less. My van is fully water tight and is now 7 years old and still looks good. My friends 9 year old Merc Vito is a rust bucket.
I guess to a large extent it depends on how they are looked after.
Having a large boot on the van allowed me to assist club mates by transporting their bikes to the start of a recent event. It was also good secure storage for 4 bikes in the three days prior and two days post event. It also holds an enormous amount of red wine on the journey back to the UK.

[hubgearfreak]

I looked at a new Brazilian buit VW van converted by a UK company at a show last year. Starting price for the basic model £35K.

shocking, and that doesn't include any rustproofing i think

Well maintained modern vans suffer much less. My friends 9 year old Merc Vito is a rust bucket.

you're right again, fibreglss is obviously better than old style construction, as for mercs, we all know new ones are cheaply built. something to do with being part owned by a usa. company

[Guy951]

I want one of these

[Jonty]

For £8k you could stay in a good hotel once a year for 8 years without the hassle or have 2 short breaks a year for the next 16 years.
jonty

[dodger]

But don't forget the residual value. Some canny people actually sell their motorhomes for the same as they paid even after 1 or 2 season's usage. Plus you can get to stay far from the madding crowds and wild places where hotels are not found.

[pete75]

as for mercs ...... being part owned by a usa. company

I think not....

What puts me off motorhomes is that modern ones are so damned big people have started towing small cars behind them to get around when they reach their destination - the caravan towing the car or the cart before the horse.

[reohn2]

What puts me off motorhomes is that modern ones are so damned big people have started towing small cars behind them to get around when they reach their destination - the caravan towing the car or the cart before the horse.

I've got to agree,whilst away in the caravan last week there was a huge American "RV" on the next pitch,about the size of a 56 seater coach with slide out extensions on either side,the car the "two" people were towing behind it was a top of the tree Range Rover .
It sort of takes the campervan idea a little too far IMHO.

[merrymac]

It's invisible in the 2nd picture. The "dumper" I mean, not what's sitting on it

[jan19]

I've got to agree,whilst away in the caravan last week there was a huge American "RV" on the next pitch,about the size of a 56 seater coach with slide out extensions on either side,the car the "two" people were towing behind it was a top of the tree Range Rover .
It sort of takes the campervan idea a little too far IMHO.

Yes, we saw one of these when we camped at Salisbury in July. We also saw one at Sandringham in Norfolk the previous year. If you can afford one of these, why on earth are you camping? Surely you can afford a top of the range hotel?

We camp because as urban dwellers we enjoy a couple of weeks a year being in a place where we can listen too, and enjoy, the natural world around us. Can't imagine you can do this in a RV or a Range Rover.

Jan

[reohn2]

Yes, we saw one of these when we camped at Salisbury in July. We also saw one at Sandringham in Norfolk the previous year. If you can afford one of these, why on earth are you camping? Surely you can afford a top of the range hotel?

We camp because as urban dwellers we enjoy a couple of weeks a year being in a place where we can listen too, and enjoy, the natural world around us. Can't imagine you can do this in a RV or a Range Rover.

Jan

IMO they can enjoy the "camping" just as much as the next person,what I always think of is the impracticalities driving of such a "rig", anything less than quite a wide B road is out of the question and towing a car behind it to boot gets you well into HGV territory, devon lanes would be a no,no .
I could sell the house and live comfortably in one permenantly(if the boss would agree ), touring and living in Europe part of the year with the rest spend in the UK, very pleasant(I wouldn't find a need for towing another vehicle with it though),but using one for touring just for holidays would be OTT IMO.
Both MrsR2 and myself agreed that with a Range Rover we could tow the biggest twin axle caravan allowed and it would still be overkill for two people.
I s'pose what seems o/kill to us is practically a necessity for others,different strokes an' all that of course the bank balance would need to be in a pretty healthy state to use one just for the hol's

[fausto copy]

It seems as if buying a secondhand motorhome could now become a bit of an investment.
Friends of ours have just been offered £5,500 more for their 'van than they paid for it over two years ago.
Although they're splashing out a fair wad of cash for a new one, the offer was even £2000 more than quoted for a trade in this time last year and the new one they're going for is the same price as last year's model but has been upgraded to a far better spec.
Apparently, new motorhome sales are down on last year by around 2000 and there's a shortage of good secondhand stock.
So, if anyone fancies paying me a few grand more than I paid for mine this time last year, I may be open to offers.

Regarding the views of massive RV's with cars towed behind....
I don't mind them in the least; they're usually parked well away from other units on sites and aren't doing anyone any harm.
What gets me is that nearly every caravan on site these days seemingly has to be towed by a large 4X4.
And as every cyclist on this forum knows, drivers of such vehicles can't possibly let their tyres come into contact with grass.
So, they park them on the access roads in the middle of the sites, making it difficult for drivers of moderate motorhomes to get on and off site.

Of course, this doesn't apply to responsible people like reohn2....I've heard he's looking for a suitable towhitch for the back of the tandem.

[al_yrpal]

On the road, particularly on my last two French cycle tours I noticed that the worst drivers of all (as far as cyclists are concerned) are Motorhome drivers especially British ones. Tailgating, extremely close dangerous passing, cutting back in quickly so that the cyclist has to brake hard. You name it, they do it. I hate 'em. As for emptying their stinking tanks in public and marina toilets Ugh

Al

[bigjim]

On the road, particularly on my last two French cycle tours I noticed that the worst drivers of all (as far as cyclists are concerned) are Motorhome drivers especially British ones. Tailgating, extremely close dangerous passing, cutting back in quickly so that the cyclist has to brake hard. You name it, they do it. I hate 'em.

Totally agree with that. I found this out a few weeks ago whilst touring France. One guys huge mirrors actually caught my elbow as I dived away from him. He was totally oblivious. And English.