# Is bigger always better?



## gratefulj (Nov 20, 2018)

I was parked up whilst using a launderette on the outskirts of Worthing and this guy pulled up behind me.
I was staggered by the difference in size of our vehicles and initially quite envious as I'm sure he had a full size bathroom/bedroom/kitchen/dining area but then I got to thinking that all that size comes at a cost.
For starters the initial purchase price (it was a Mercedes) would be huge.
Fuel consumption has got to be relative as well.
Driving anywhere other than on main roads has got to be a challenge and what about parking????

So as I sit here tonight in my mk1 Trafic in a little rural carpark picked off the POI map with the heater on and the dog sprawled out on the bed...... I wouldn't swap would you?


----------



## Jeff G (Nov 20, 2018)

No coincidence that it tends to be the larger vans that tow a car.We like the wilder places and a large vehicle would have seen us miss out on visiting these spots.


----------



## colinm (Nov 20, 2018)

Different people have different needs and expectations.


----------



## oppy (Nov 20, 2018)

We have a titchy one too, it has everything that we need and takes two of us everywhere


----------



## 2cv (Nov 20, 2018)

Size doesn’t matter. It’s what you do with it that counts.


----------



## Goggles (Nov 20, 2018)

Horrendous overhang.


----------



## Nesting Zombie (Nov 21, 2018)

My view is the size of your home & The Comfort it provides is probably directly connected to the Time you spend aboard, & How you fund & use it in your lifestyle choice.
I use to have a Self converted LDV Luton & it was BRILLIANT for that time of my life, doing what I was doing at that time in my lifestyle choice.
I now have a Peugeot Chieftain Tag & it’s BRILLIANT for this time of my life doing what I am doing at this time of my lifestyle choice.

Be happy with what you have, Change it when you want or need to.

In regards to space & Size The same could be said for Houses, How many Houses do you see with a Porch, Then a Conservatery, Then a Loft conversion, Then an Extention, Then a Bigger Shed to Put all the Garden furniture in etc etc


----------



## Moped (Nov 21, 2018)

Depending on type of trip we either wild camp or stay on a site. We have what we consider to be an appropriate sized MH small enough to manouvre and park up in UK car parks and POIs and large enough with reasonable water and gas capacities to make for comfortable extended wild camping living. When touring we wild camp if possible. When in a fixed urban location for weeks on end we stop on a site. If we define large as being over 8m then we rarely see vans of this size wild camping in the UK but more so in continental Europe. What we struggle with is the idea that you need to spend big money on a massive tag axle motorhome to stay on a pitch in Benidorm or Marbella or Malaga for 6 months at a time. And you have towed your smart car or whatever all the way there and back. Why do people do this when a twin axle caravan would surely be a better much lower cost option for a long term stay, and you have your normal sized car for local trips?


----------



## Wooie1958 (Nov 21, 2018)

The wife reckons the bigger the better    :dance:


----------



## Nabsim (Nov 21, 2018)

That is a Geist Matterhorn and the overhang is not as big as it looks there, I think it’s not much different to ours. I have noticed it is the angle a picture is taken that exaggerates it.

As NZ says it’s what suits how you want to use it at the time, everyone wants something different and has different needs. Smaller vans have better access and can get in tighter places, bigger vans have more space inside.

Main thing is enjoy what you have and unlike most vans I see don’t leave them parked up, that’s the real wonder to me, how someone can spend tens or even hundreds of thousands and leave it parked up for weeks or months on end.


----------



## runnach (Nov 21, 2018)

Nesting Zombie said:


> My view is the size of your home & The Comfort it provides is probably directly connected to the Time you spend aboard, & How you fund & use it in your lifestyle choice.
> I use to have a Self converted LDV Luton & it was BRILLIANT for that time of my life, doing what I was doing at that time in my lifestyle choice.
> I now have a Peugeot Chieftain Tag & it’s BRILLIANT for this time of my life doing what I am doing at this time of my lifestyle choice.
> 
> ...



I think you have hit the nail on the head, horses for courses,

When I first looked at vans, I considered a self converted 7,5 tonne box van not everyones cup of tea but plenty of storage for tools in the belly etc which would have been handy as I was working at the time, Was it practical for trips around the Lakes (my spiritual home in the UK ) Well not really,My favourite campsite a farmers field with a tap trough and toilet it transpired I couldn't get through his gate when I had the 5.5 m Ducato, He gave me special dispensation to park in his yard £3 per night.

Channa


----------



## runnach (Nov 21, 2018)

Nabsim said:


> Main thing is enjoy what you have and unlike most vans I see don’t leave them parked up, that’s the real wonder to me, how someone can spend tens or even hundreds of thousands and leave it parked up for weeks or months on end.



Wildcampers perhaps we are some weird minority, I am amazed on the tugger pages particularly at the moment folk putting exupensive caravans t o bed for the winter, Arguably better equipped than a van for the colder season, Our achilles heel often the vans have commercial cabs.

The colder months offer a new opportunity to camp with less visitors as a rule at the busier locations it is a different type of holidaying which can be extremely enjoyable if you are prepared and that doesn't always involve vast sums of money 

It is far easier to be comfortable in late autumn and winter than it cracking the flags at 38 degrees in the blistering sun summer months abroad

Channa


----------



## Mick H (Nov 21, 2018)

Claims, by people, that larger motorhomes don't make life more difficult, are simply being economical with the truth!

If we were to change, then it would certainly be to a shorter M/H, so that I could tour Devon/Cornwall/Lake District etc, more easily than with our current 6.86M van.


----------



## Borders2 (Nov 21, 2018)

Having bought our Burstner in the last 6 weeks we have been on the forecourts of a number of vendors and have looked at literally hundreds of vans. Being reasonably experienced having owned a MH for 20 odd years we had a list written out which had matters that were fixed in stone (or so we thought) and others that were possible fudges. The vehicke that we bought is not an automatic which was one non negociable issue but the reality was that the autos are so few that it was pretty impossible to find one that had the configuration we really wanted. 

It's all about compromise. And there is only one person who can work out that for them selves. 

As for size well like many have said big is too big for us as we know some of the most wonderful places just wont allow by the nature of the terrain a large vehickle to get to them, and then there are the ferry costs to sonsider too. 

We are just about to go off for two nights and test the various systems for real. Its one thing to play with it all on the drive and quite another to see it for real. 

B2


----------



## maingate (Nov 21, 2018)

Mick H said:


> Claims, by people, that larger motorhomes don't make life more difficult, are simply being economical with the truth!
> 
> If we were to change, then it would certainly be to a shorter M/H, so that I could tour Devon/Cornwall/Lake District etc, more easily than with our current 6.86M van.



I would have found life very difficult cramming 4 Whippets and 2 Pugs into a small van. :lol-049:

That was my choice and they meant more to us than a nice sunset. You might also be surprised where you can get to in a Tag Axle van.


----------



## wildebus (Nov 21, 2018)

gratefulj said:


> I was parked up whilst using a launderette on the outskirts of Worthing and this guy pulled up behind me.
> I was staggered by the difference in size of our vehicles and initially quite envious as I'm sure he had a full size bathroom/bedroom/kitchen/dining area but then I got to thinking that all that size comes at a cost.
> For starters the initial purchase price (it was a Mercedes) would be huge.
> Fuel consumption has got to be relative as well.
> ...


Swap?
Well, probably yes, to answer the question.

Why? I would find the Trafic too low to stand up in, and would get fed up having to break down the bed in order to use it, out it away in order to make a bite to eat.
But this is why I sold my VW LWB T5 Transporter (so similar in size to trafic - maybe a foot longer or so inside in the T5?) and bought a LWB LT and would have gone another metre longer if possible (e.g Extended LWB MK2 Sprinter/Crafter).

But I am not keen on that overhang I have to say. That will make life awkward trying to park in many compact car parks and negotiating side streets. Give me a long wheelbase over a long overhang anyday.


----------



## mark61 (Nov 21, 2018)

I could do with more space, getting a low roof was a bit of a mistake. Haven't seen anything I'd swap it with so I'll have to do another. :lol-053:  It certainly wont have a rear hangover like that one.


----------



## gratefulj (Nov 21, 2018)

wildebus said:


> Swap?
> Well, probably yes, to answer the question.
> 
> Why? I would find the Trafic too low to stand up in, and would get fed up having to break down the bed in order to use it, out it away in order to make a bite to eat.
> ...



I have a pop top on the Trafic which gives me ample headroom at 6 feet tall but I agree about the bed. I've actually left it made up for the last week which hasn't been too bad though would be different if I were travelling with someone.


----------



## izwozral (Nov 21, 2018)

We went from a 21' to a 18' losing a garage along the way so we bought a back box, we now have a 21' again. DOH. Worse MH decision we have ever made.


----------



## Mick H (Nov 21, 2018)

***** said:


> Having had BIG and small, neither are better or worse!
> Bigger requires,     can,  and I say,  can, require a better driver but a lot depends on where and how a person uses their van.
> If a person is comfortable with a small truck 3500/7500kg then a large M/H is just the same, the driver selects the roads to use. If a drivers previous experience has only been with a small car, or even a larger family car, then a large M/H could be a little daunting. You see this every day when drivers struggle in a supermarket car park!
> For us, a larger van is better for winter time if a person is spending more time in the van, but whichever size we had, we would require things such as a good shower. Another person may not!
> We all use our vans different and there is no right or wrong, there is just what suits you!



Whilst I agree that we all use our vans differently, larger vans are simply more difficult to use for touring/parking! It's so obvious!
The physical size makes the difference. I speak as an experienced ex HGV driver, myself, and remember squeezing down numerous narrow roads, but I wasn't bothered about scratching the sides. It didn't belong to me.
I certainly remember how easy it was, motorhoming in my first short wheelbase Transit van, compared with our current low profile coachbuilt.
On our trip, last week, the dedicated motorhome parking spaces, just weren't adequate for large vans.
Smaller vans, are much easier to use, and park, than larger ones. Living in them, is more difficult, but that is where an experienced motorhomer can use their expertise, to still enjoy this wonderful hobby.


----------



## runnach (Nov 21, 2018)

gratefulj said:


> I have a pop top on the Trafic which gives me ample headroom at 6 feet tall but I agree about the bed. I've actually left it made up for the last week which hasn't been too bad though would be different if I were travelling with someone.



I had a caravan before a motorhome when I was normal  On a serious note it was a Abbey Vogue GTS the finish far better than the CI on twist of fortune was a separate shower and toilet in the bathroom makes drying oneself far easier in fact the whole sordid process so that was something I looked for in a Mhome ...Making the bed was a bind, half cut after a bottle of red tired taking down in the morning a real pain so when I bought the motorhome thefixed bed in the dolphin head above the cab made and proved to make a lot of sense
THe mh didnt have an oven I got round that to a greater extent with an aftermarket remoska and a microwave ( to a lesser extent) so that was the compromise There has been occasions a proper oven would have been preferable but its all about sometimes making compromises but differ from person to person 

Channa


----------



## trevskoda (Nov 21, 2018)

hairydog said:


> The overhang should not be more than 60% of the wheelbase. That looks more to me. Don't think it is legal.
> 
> If you really want a van that long, get one with a bigger wheelbase!
> 
> Of course everyone wants a motorhome that is 18" longer in the inside and 18" shorter on the outside. But lots of people buy small vans and find they have to add a back box, which is more or less the opposite.



There is always the loft conversion.:lol-053:


----------



## trevskoda (Nov 21, 2018)

Wooie1958 said:


> The wife reckons the bigger the better    :dance:



I was going to say i have had no complaints but thought better .


----------



## n brown (Nov 21, 2018)

travelling with 4 kids, all their stuff and all my tools, we had a couple of 9m buses, we could go almost anywhere in them, although some fishing villages were a bit of a challenge.you need to have at least a moped for running around and checking out tracks, but it's great to have all that room !


----------



## gratefulj (Nov 21, 2018)

channa said:


> I had a caravan before a motorhome when I was normal  On a serious note it was a Abbey Vogue GTS the finish far better than the CI on twist of fortune was a separate shower and toilet in the bathroom makes drying oneself far easier in fact the whole sordid process so that was something I looked for in a Mhome ...Making the bed was a bind, half cut after a bottle of red tired taking down in the morning a real pain so when I bought the motorhome thefixed bed in the dolphin head above the cab made and proved to make a lot of sense
> THe mh didnt have an oven I got round that to a greater extent with an aftermarket remoska and a microwave ( to a lesser extent) so that was the compromise There has been occasions a proper oven would have been preferable but its all about sometimes making compromises but differ from person to person
> 
> Channa



I have a very cleverly designed mini shower room in the Trafic but I haven't used it yet as I've just been rocking up at leisure centres all along the south coast and using their showers (£1.50-2.00). I'm only a few weeks into my full timing so it's a gradual shift into total independence.


----------



## Fazerloz (Nov 21, 2018)

hairydog said:


> The overhang should not be more than 60% of the wheelbase. That looks more to me. Don't think it is legal.
> 
> If you really want a van that long, get one with a bigger wheelbase!
> 
> Of course everyone wants a motorhome that is 18" longer in the inside and 18" shorter on the outside. But lots of people buy small vans and find they have to add a back box, which is more or less the opposite.




Where have you got the 60% legal rule from. Can you post a link as I don't seem to be able to find it.


----------



## wildebus (Nov 21, 2018)

gratefulj said:


> I have a pop top on the Trafic which gives me ample headroom at 6 feet tall but I agree about the bed. I've actually left it made up for the last week which hasn't been too bad though would be different if I were travelling with someone.


Ah.  I didn't notice the Poptop   That makes a hell of a (positive) difference to the experience .
Before I swapped from the T5 (with standard roof) to the LT, I did look at the high roof T5s and Pop-tops, but  decided if I was going to change, I may as well go long as well as high for the bed.
It also meant I could often loose the trailer when going to shows (which made my 5.3M T5 an 8M long jobby that was a bugger to park anywhere outside of Motorway services)


----------



## trevskoda (Nov 21, 2018)

Fazerloz said:


> Where have you got the 60% legal rule from. Can you post a link as I don't seem to be able to find it.



Here you go


----------



## wildebus (Nov 21, 2018)

trevskoda said:


> Here you go


looking at the exemption criteria, I would guess this 60% rule would not need to apply to any but the very very longest motorhomes with superlong wheelbases


----------



## Deleted member 74361 (Nov 21, 2018)

izwozral said:


> We went from a 21' to a 18' losing a garage along the way so we bought a back box, we now have a 21' again. DOH. Worse MH decision we have ever made.



We would not want to be without our garage for 2 bikes, maybe a scooter later in life. Better than hanging off the back.

But we also would not want a 'van' cab compared with our 'A' Class with panoramic screen - great for viewing mountains which we like.

We also appreciate the king-sized fixed bed and seating at dinner for 6 when we want that.

Result is that to have those things one needs 7m. Also we like the quality, and most quality builders do not do anything much smaller than 6m.

As for driving, having driven 7.5t trucks and taken them in some tight places, including lanes in the City of London, it does not phase me. Parking is less easy in some towns, but more so in UK than Continent where we do 95% of our touring. Aires and wildcamping are not problems and much bigger MHs do it.

Overhang just needs more care/angling, but back end is protected by towbar(not that we tow)

It is horses for courses and this horse is pedigree for us.

As for initial cost, when buying at 6 years old and privately there is not a lot of difference between our N+B Arto 69(£27K at 16,000 miles) and smaller/cheaper (at new) MHs - they all have chassis, engine, shower, toilet, cooker, fridge, water and electric systems, which all cost - just a bit more bodywork, which is not so expensive because the labour cost to fit a 7m or 5m side panel is the same. The first 5 years depreciation is the steepest. I suggest good quality PVCs at 6 years will not be much under  £20K. I am happy to pay the difference for the space.

Geoff


----------



## bobj808 (Nov 21, 2018)

We went from a caravan to a Citroen Relay XLWB camper to a 6.9m motorhome (which isn't over long). Love it. To be fair we don't visit small fishing villages to look around, however we do use it for motocross meetings (as well as weekends away) many of which are located in fields with sometimes difficult parking and access and the mh has been fine. The camper was good, but lifting the benches every night, getting the bedding out, tiny wee hob and sink, tiny wee shower, everyone on top of each other doing this. Just wore us down. Now we have a ready made fixed bed, can sit and watch TV with a beer while my wife is away to bed, big(ish) shower room, huge fridge. Bliss. As has been said, you buy what you need for your needs at the time. Bob.


----------



## harrow (Nov 21, 2018)

Goggles said:


> Horrendous overhang.



You have seen my wife ?


----------



## phillybarbour (Nov 21, 2018)

We went from a 9m AClass which I decided was a bit to big to a 6.4m PVC, which I’ve now decided is a bit small. I don’t regret selling the big one but have now decided just over 7m is right for us. Costly mistake.


----------



## maingate (Nov 21, 2018)

phillybarbour said:


> We went from a 9m AClass which I decided was a bit to big to a 6.4m PVC, which I’ve now decided is a bit small. I don’t regret selling the big one but have now decided just over 7m is right for us. Costly mistake.



That's the problem, once you have had the space, you miss it when you downsize.

Prior to my 70th birthday we looked at downsizing as we did not have so many dogs and I thought the C1 medical might be a problem. We quickly decided that downsizing was not a good idea and ended up buying another Tag Axle van that we came across. I passed the C1 medical and it is just as well because we have stocked up on Whippets again. We took on 2 that needed rehoming, so we now travel with 3 Whippets, 1 Pug and 1 Jack Russell.


----------



## Nesting Zombie (Nov 21, 2018)

Mick H said:


> Claims, by people, that larger motorhomes don't make life more difficult, are simply being economical with the truth!
> 
> If we were to change, then it would certainly be to a shorter M/H, so that I could tour Devon/Cornwall/Lake District etc, more easily than with our current 6.86M van.



Hi Mick H,
Hmmmm, with respect I think that’s an unfair sweeping statement.
As some members on here My remember I’ve Both Worked for a cpl of Month & then Spent at least 3 further months or more Touring Cornwall, The West Country & Dorset for two years running now, in fact I’ve JUST left Cornwall about 8 weeks ago & am now in North Yorkshire Dales for a week or so (See past posts on here somewhere) Although The Nest isn’t as big as some other MHs, it’s 30ft long & just over 7ft wide & Without Being economical with the truth it hasn’t made my life more difficult at all !.


----------



## Mick H (Nov 21, 2018)

Nesting Zombie said:


> Hi Mick H,
> Hmmmm, with respect I think that’s an unfair sweeping statement.
> As some members on here My remember I’ve Both Worked for a cpl of Month & then Spent at least 3 further months or more Touring Cornwall, The West Country & Dorset for two years running now, in fact I’ve JUST left Cornwall about 8 weeks ago & am now in North Yorkshire Dales for a week or so (See past posts on here somewhere) Although The Nest isn’t as big as some other MHs, it’s 30ft long & just over 7ft wide & Without Being economical with the truth it hasn’t made my life more difficult at all !.



Last time that I was in Cornwall, I had a worrying experience, when it would have been extremely difficult to reverse, because my mirrors were full of foliage.
It wouldn't have been the case in my original SWB Transit.
I had great difficulty, in passing a works van, in the Lake district, last year. We both had to fold our mirrors in, to pass each other.
Physical size is the difference, unless you have some sort of "Tardis", technology, that works on the outside!
You simply cannot tour in the places that I have been, in the past, because your motorhome is too long, and too wide, to do so. 
There are non so blind, as the wilfully blind!


----------



## mark61 (Nov 21, 2018)

Doesn't matter how small you think a road is, theres usually been a 7.5 tonner deleivering coke along it. 
Luckily didn't meet the coke delivery on this road.
Any excuse. 

[video=youtube_share;IPMeuDl2ark]https://youtu.be/IPMeuDl2ark[/video]


----------



## wildebus (Nov 21, 2018)

This might be worth a watch (Motorhome is I think around 28' with a long overhang)

Key part is 3:40 onwards
[video=youtube_share;mkoq6Gx_xWo]https://youtu.be/mkoq6Gx_xWo?t=220[/video]


----------



## gadabout (Nov 21, 2018)

Hi
Until this year we had had a Matterhorn for 10 yrs – did 70,000+ miles wildcamping all over the place. 
- No problems doing the Pyrenes (from East to West) and the Amalfi Cost and supporting my husband through Yorkshire when he was walking the Pennine Way.
- No problems parking with a reversing camera – the only place we didn’t try parking was in Rome.
- Helped our children move house with it - huge garage would take a large settee.
Great vehicle decided to down size to 3.5 tons now we are 70+ years old.


----------



## wildebus (Nov 21, 2018)

hairydog said:


> Where did you find these exception criteria? The link in the graphic goes nowhere, but the text it points to
> (EUR-Lex - 31997L0027 - EN) Annex I says:



I didn't click the link. I read the text above it under the word "Exception".  did you read that?


----------



## wildebus (Nov 21, 2018)

hairydog said:


> Oh yes, but I prefer to read the regulation, not someone's interpretation of it. And I don't think many motorhomes would meet those exception requirements. Turn in less than 12.5 metres?
> 
> Even a standard SWB sprinter has a 15.3 metre turning circle. Few motorhomes can better a Sprinter van for turning circle.


fair enough, I don't have an overhang so it is just of semi-acedemic interest.

ref the comment about the overhang being illegal... I doubt a motorhome maker would commision a shell without checking the legalities of it and would have at least the same level of knowledge about overhang limitations and rules as a Forum randomer would. 
Biut as I said .. not my overhang and not making that van so my belief doesn't matter.


----------



## landoboguy (Nov 21, 2018)

I got rid of a 7 berth, flash05 to  what I have now. Much more mobile and suitable for my needs now the kids have gone. Faster Too


----------



## guerdeval (Nov 21, 2018)

We've owned 2 big hymers, the last one a S820 with all the bells and whistles, needed to tow a car everywhere and whilst it suited 'long stay' on sites it was awful to use in the UK, glad we now have a van conversion we can use at the drop of a hat.


----------



## Wully (Nov 21, 2018)

I’m not leaving my nice comfy house to go stay in a van smaller than my house toilet I like all the comforts in life so vans gonna have tick a few boxes and be able too keep the family happy and comfortable carry all our junk and that Means a larger van but might consider downsizing when I’m older the van in the photo is a six berth motorhome no comparison to the wee Renault and the owners needs totally different could you imagine 6 people with all there kit and food in the wee traffic there’s just no way they should not be compared as already said horses for courses


----------



## n brown (Nov 21, 2018)

those old buses we had were short buses at 9m , and everywhere we went, no matter how remote or rural , full size buses ran regular services without a problem ,managing to service tiny alpine villages and windy little fishing villages. and we never went on sites and aires didn't exist , so maybe it's down to what you're used to 




although i did take a couple of hours reversing out of Albufeira old town up by the copshop, all part of the craic !


----------



## Nesting Zombie (Nov 21, 2018)

Absolutely Mr Brown,,,As you say Some Busses can get to where you wouldn’t think it possible, If a Supermarket Delivery’s can make it, Then so can I !.
I certainly don’t mind Folding my Wing mirrors in if I have to, & I’ve said on here in the past that the outside of the Nest Had/Has it’s scars & Reminders of some of the Park ups I’ve used in it over the last 5 years or so, But I LIVE & USE IT, ‘Wild’ camp the Majority of the Time & THATS to be expected. In stead of Washing & Polishing The Nest I just Fill, Sand & give it another coat of Paint as I did in Jan/Feb this year !.


----------



## n brown (Nov 21, 2018)

last time i painted a van i sprayed it with dulux weatherseal, good coverage and a nice finish.2 coats went  from dark green to light grey , very nice for 20 quid


----------



## Nesting Zombie (Nov 21, 2018)

I Washed it down with a Cpl of coats of White Spirit then used Polyuathane one pack Factory Floor Paint, Two coats of Black, Over White, Two coats of Grey over Grey & It’s been fine.
(There’s some pictures on here somewhere)

Actually they are on the ‘Pros & Cons’ Thread post 178 ish onwards!


----------



## Mick H (Nov 21, 2018)

Of course buses & HGV's go down narrow country lanes, but as I stated previously, it doesn't matter, to them, because they don't worry about scratches.
Also, all the large trucks & HGV's, that I have driven, have the cabs much higher than a normal motorhome, which makes it easier.
I can't make it any plainer, LARGE VEHICLES present more difficulties, than SMALLER ones. It's SO OBVIOUS!
To pretend otherwise is being ECONOMICAL with the TRUTH!


----------



## Nesting Zombie (Nov 21, 2018)

Mick H said:


> Of course buses & HGV's go down narrow country lanes, but as I stated previously, it doesn't matter, to them, because they don't worry about scratches.
> Also, all the large trucks & HGV's, that I have driven, have the cabs much higher than a normal motorhome, which makes it easier.
> I can't make it any plainer, LARGE VEHICLES present more difficulties, than SMALLER ones. It's SO OBVIOUS!
> To pretend otherwise is being ECONOMICAL with the TRUTH!



For YOU maybe, 
Probably NOT for everyone I Really can’t make it any plainer !


----------



## Wully (Nov 21, 2018)

My vans 9 meters and haven’t realy been hampered by the length of van and I've been to some remote locations single track rds mountain passes with few passing places down some steep slips too get on off ferries With a large overhang on back not a problem if you know what you’re doing I’ve been places that some people wouldn’t take a T5 but I think that’s more to do with confidence in my own driving abilities there’s a few people who should stick to smaller vans if they don’t feel confident enough to drive on a tarmac surface I’ll only call it a day when grass starts growing heavy in the middle rut.


----------



## n brown (Nov 21, 2018)

i wish i could show you the village we went through almost daily and the track we drove my 1 1/2 decker ,son in laws double deckerbus, and daughter's single decker, to get to a bit of land he owned that we all stayed on. 
there's always a tractor and farmers love having a bit of a change from their humdrum lives !


----------



## Nesting Zombie (Nov 21, 2018)

As HD & LC has outlined I share the opinion that it’s more to do with ones own Confidence & Driving ability as to wether a certain type or size of vehicle is going to be more problematic than another type or size.
Have I Scratched The Nest,,, YEP, Dented it,,,YEP, Had it down to its axels in A Mud trench at a badly chosen overnight stop,,YEP, & Just the other day a Bird Crapped on my windshield, Crapped all down it I tell you !. (Granted it might have missed if I had a smaller van!).
I go off the beaten track & ‘Wildcamp’ it’s my chosen lifestyle & pay the price for what i do.


----------



## mark61 (Nov 21, 2018)

How many of you with coachbuilts go through 6'6" restrictions?


----------



## Nesting Zombie (Nov 21, 2018)

mark61 said:


> How many of you with coachbuilts go through 6'6" restrictions?



Actually THAT I haven’t done, OR headed down a road with say a 10’6’’ Hight restriction (The Nest Being 11Ft).
That would be almost as Naughty as doing 35 in a 30 !.

(Aham !)


----------



## colinm (Nov 21, 2018)

mark61 said:


> How many of you with coachbuilts go through 6'6" restrictions?



A Ducato PVC is wider than 6'6", although I think it might be possible to do as long as there's no physical obstruction.


----------



## n brown (Nov 21, 2018)

always allowed 30% exaggeration for health and safety reasons , so assumed 8' would fly through . 
bit different with bridges mind , if there's an old sign and new tarmac -beware !


----------



## Nabsim (Nov 22, 2018)

mark61 said:


> How many of you with coachbuilts go through 6'6" restrictions?



That is really the difference though isn’t it, width not length that’s what can stop you. Height as well you can’t get in car parks with height barriers.

I just accept that and route to where I can get, a smaller van wouldn’t suit what we need and a bigger one does. I can live easily in an old workers two up two down house although a driveway would be nice I cope fine without.

Get what does what you want so long as it will do what you need, does it matter?


----------



## colinm (Nov 22, 2018)

n brown said:


> always allowed 30% exaggeration for health and safety reasons , so assumed 8' would fly through .
> bit different with bridges mind , if there's an old sign and new tarmac -beware !




At Blue Hills there's a 6'3" restriction, it's 6'3", even my old T25 was a tight squeeze.


----------



## colinm (Nov 22, 2018)

Nabsim said:


> That is really the difference though isn’t it, width not length that’s what can stop you. Height as well you can’t get in car parks with height barriers.




Some areas of Scotland have length restrictions, also as above, at Blue Hills there's a width restriction one way, t'other there are very tight bends which will be a very tight squeeze if not impassable with a long van.


----------



## vwalan (Nov 22, 2018)

colinmd said:


> At Blue Hills there's a 6'3" restriction, it's 6'3", even my old T25 was a tight squeeze.



yes even a mazda bongo only just gets through. 
used to be easier as i recall often going through in a vwt2 . 
dont think i would venture there with my mini artic ,hee hee. 
there are limits a bigger vehicle must obey. 
i sold my bongo and havnt had a t2 for years but often think should i get one .
 living in cornwall there are some tight and low places around here i used to often go. 
there are places where even with just my unit i have had a problem ,not height not width , just no weight on rear axle so if a sandy lane or a pebbly track lose grip. but live to learn and read the road better. 
amazingly with the trailer on and loading of the neck of the trailer the whole outfit as amazing grip and goes places it was never designed to go i,m sure. 
i chose the mitzy canter as its very narrow as a truck. often think i should have bought a 4x4 canter though. 
but 3mtres high 10mtrs long its been many places most would never go. 
maybe i will end up with a vwt2 or a toyota hiace ,or a nissan cabstar. if i,m going to go smaller its got to be narrow etc. 
mind i still have a teardrop caravan i could tow.


----------



## gratefulj (Nov 22, 2018)

Looser cruiser said:


> I’m not leaving my nice comfy house to go stay in a van smaller than my house toilet I like all the comforts in life so vans gonna have tick a few boxes and be able too keep the family happy and comfortable carry all our junk and that Means a larger van but might consider downsizing when I’m older the van in the photo is a six berth motorhome no comparison to the wee Renault and the owners needs totally different could you imagine 6 people with all there kit and food in the wee traffic there’s just no way they should not be compared as already said horses for courses



Clearly as a single person with a dog I have no need for a 6 birth MH but the reason I asked the question was that I spoke to the owner of the Mercedes and he was alone and mostly full timing. I totally get the comfort angle as I have given up a 2 bedroom semi on the seafront in Deal to do this and as you can imagine it's quite a change. This is a personal lifestyle change I have made and I make no judgement about what someone else has I was just genuinely interested in what more experienced people thought about it


----------



## vwalan (Nov 22, 2018)

gratefulj said:


> Clearly as a single person with a dog I have no need for a 6 birth MH but the reason I asked the question was that I spoke to the owner of the Mercedes and he was alone and mostly full timing. I totally get the comfort angle as I have given up a 2 bedroom semi on the seafront in Deal to do this and as you can imagine it's quite a change. This is a personal lifestyle change I have made and I make no judgement about what someone else has I was just genuinely interested in what more experienced people thought about it



bought my mini artic in 2000 i was married then and had two lads that were living with girlfriends .
the idea was it was big enough if they all came away or flew out. 
later got divorced but i kept the artic . it is too big really for one person , i did have the dog for a few years but she died . trouble i have is if i go small its got to be very small or no gain . just about anywhere a coach built m,home can go so can i . even a hightop van sometimes doesnt give much more places to go. 
plus i do carry a m,bike or can drop the trailer and just use the truck , it fits in a car park space. mind even with the trailer only takes two spaces one behind the other. 
its a hard decision to either go bigger for you or me to go smaller. 
mind sometimes i stand in my trailer and have been in smaller flats . can live long times easy with the space . 
look at ever thing you can . think about where you might want to go etc . 
plus what licence class,s you have . 
sometimes i consider building a demount to fit my truck , but then say stop it , had demounts years ago they can be too high etc .


----------



## Deleted member 74361 (Nov 22, 2018)

'hairydog' in post 42 above quoted

7.6.2. Additional requirements for vehicles of categories M2 or M3 and N


Motorcaravans (MHs) are category M1 (SP -Special purpose), so not covered by that.

Geoff


----------



## gratefulj (Nov 23, 2018)

vwalan said:


> bought my mini artic in 2000 i was married then and had two lads that were living with girlfriends .
> the idea was it was big enough if they all came away or flew out.
> later got divorced but i kept the artic . it is too big really for one person , i did have the dog for a few years but she died . trouble i have is if i go small its got to be very small or no gain . just about anywhere a coach built m,home can go so can i . even a hightop van sometimes doesnt give much more places to go.
> plus i do carry a m,bike or can drop the trailer and just use the truck , it fits in a car park space. mind even with the trailer only takes two spaces one behind the other.
> ...



I think another part of the reason I went small was because years ago I decided I wanted to live on a boat and got something (1936 wooden 42 foot Broads cruiser weighing 8 tonnes) and it was too big and cost too much to maintain. I think in the future I might step up and get something a bit more robust 4 wheel drive etc but at the moment I'm getting the best of both worlds by staying in rural car parks and shopping in town centres.


----------



## Deleted member 76055 (Nov 23, 2018)

*Lombard Street S.F.*

I drove down Lombard Street, San Francisco years ago in a normal car.
Even that demanded full concentration.
[video=youtube_share;mkoq6Gx_xWo]https://youtu.be/mkoq6Gx_xWo?t=220[/video][/QUOTE]


----------

