Posted on 07/03/2024 11:19
We are thinking about changing our caravan for a motorhome with a fixed rear island bed preferably seperate toilet/shower but with Alde heating.
Our caravan has these but we now feel as we're getting older a motorhome will be easier to handle.
Any suggestions would be appreciated
Posted on 07/03/2024 14:59 by Hja"They say" you will not find your ideal motorhome until your third! We swapped from a caravan with a bed that had to be made up (we had had fixed bed in the past) and a super washroom with big shower, wardrobe, drawers etc. We had done our research, knew not to replicate, knew about 3500kg limit. We selected a 6.4m motorhome, settees to be made into beds, decent kitchen (oven, grill, microwave) smaller washroom, but still a shower with a swing wall, so not everything got wet. After a couple of years we found we were not so keen. A few internal design issues, but also, although "normal" width, so not easy driving down narrow roads. We also didnt like the comformatic gear box. We have swapped to a 6.4m PVC with a true auto gear box. Fixed single beds, but a couple of steps (with storage) make it easy to get in and out, even at night, garage under beds is great. Still adequate shower with swing wall. Narrower than motorhome so driving easy and parking not too bad (height barriers excepted). Kitchen is now two burner hob and remoska if on hook up. But still plenty of work surface. This is very definitely the van for us. When we first swapped from from a caravan we looked at PVCs and thought "no way". True, our motorhomeing habits have changed, so more nights with out EHU, easier to do one night stops. We rarely stop more than 4 nights anywhere, but didnt with the caravan either. We also use our van facilities in preference to those on a site.
So I think the smallest you can manage is best. Think hard about how you want to holiday. Which in a way comes back to why you are swapping. We wanted to get rid of all the faff of hitching, unhitching, and to no longer tow, but also for it to be easier to move between locations.
I endorse everything every one else has said. But one other thought - investigate payloads. A bigger van doesnt necessarily mean a bigger payload. The payloads listed in catalogues are notoriously wrong, often being an underestimate. Have a search on other forums about payload to get a good idea.
Posted on 10/03/2024 10:31 by WherenextI've been tentatively keeping my eye out for a suitable automatic but they are, if not scarce then few on the second hand market for the type of PVC that would interest us. I'm in no rush but you are restricting your choice by going automatic.
Posted on 10/03/2024 15:15
Wherenext
Obviously automatic motorhomes have been available for a long time but I think it only recently that they have become more common. Peugeot on which a lot of motorhomes use as a base vehicle have to my knowledge never done an automatic box, although there are rumours they will in the future. Because motorhomes start out being expensive manufacturers have often gone for the best value base vehicle. More recently Ford base vehicles have become popular and rather interestingly when Bailey introduced their Adamo range it was only available in automatic form. It depends whether you will be looking at new where it is easy to have the choice of an auto or whether you would be looking for secondhand where the choice will be more restricted. Any Fiat based motorhome older than about 5 years and classified as an auto will probably have the Comfort-Matic gearbox as mentioned by TW above.
David
Posted on 10/03/2024 20:09
Thanks for your comments David.
There are various scenarios and factors that will go into our decision but one of the set ones is that any "van" will have to be automatic. OH wouldn't contenance having to drive a manual.
So at the moment we're just looking and information gathering. If I'm honest I'd love to be able to continue with the caravan. I have no problem towing with it and enjoy stopping in out of the way places but circumstances may/will force us to adapt. Maybe we'll get a PVC that will pull our caravan until I'm forced to sell the caravan. Maybe we'll get a small day or two motorhome. Who knows.
Posted on 12/03/2024 14:04
Even though we stored our caravan at home, as we do with MH, it’s just so much quicker and easier setting off and getting home with MH, which is one of reasons we tend to use our MH a lot more than caravan. It’s always almost ready to roll, just usually needs water filling, throw in valuables, whatever clothes for how long/where we are going, we keep some clothes in MH, such as a waterproofs, comfy lounging clothes. Hoist the hound in, and that’s it, we are off. We keep food staples in our MH, jars, cans, condiments stuff that won’t attract mice, and shop for fresh stuff on our way, plus we go out in our MH nearly daily, so we aren’t carrying much weighty food in a big freezer and fridge.
Another advantage of going as small and compact as you are comfortable with, as it does make daily usage while away so much easier, as does travelling as minimally as possible. We have done three week tours easily, just moving around, so we are perfectly comfortable, but recognise that a small space, and putting up beds daily is not for everyone. But a 10 minute arrival, pitch to cup of tea is so easy, and it’s usually only another 10 minutes on that for getting away from site. Less if we use singles. You quickly learn to pick the best parking spots in car parks, helped by a bit of research for some places. A storage box won’t be for everyone, but it saves us a metre in length, as we can hang over verges, same with bikes on back. We have that flexibility. Garages are great for bikes though, more secure, but we just use caution where we park up. We are away and doing things as soon as we hit the road in MH. No having to drop off first on site, no worries about detours, we can change our mind attraction and route options as we go, which we really like.
We were never big Club type Site users, so for us, we didn’t sort of think about the “get to site, pitch up, settle in” formula with MH, as we only have a small van that we did tour with, from site to site, anyway. Minimal set up with that as well, even for a month in one place. We love being outdoors in all seasons if it’s dry, so couple of lightweight chairs and a parasol float our boat more than awning and a furniture set.
Lots of different ways to tour, all depends on what folks prefer.
Trini
Caravanner from West Yorkshire