# My first and only Van.



## noody (Jul 23, 2012)

I dind't want a motorhome, she wanted a motorhome so we got a motorhome. I love this van, I didn't want one because of the expense and that I would get most of the use out of it because she's still working. Four years we've had it now and four years of hunting rattles and squeaks.

It's still rattling.


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## AuldTam (Jul 23, 2012)

What make is it?

I assume it's continental because of the side door and awning...


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## noody (Jul 23, 2012)

It's a Burstner Elegance i591 made by Hymer.

Sorry, such a plonker at times. The bed drops down over the front seats when they're folded. Shower cubical, sink (Separate units) and toilet together with wardrobes in a rear compartment the whole width of the van.

The van is wired for a wind-turbine and solar panel which work together or individually, very useful when we're camping wild or using a wild-ish campsite.

I have some more photos coming up.


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## noody (Jul 23, 2012)

*Wilding at Loch Na Kiel, Isle of Mull.*

You can't see the loch which is behind the photographer. It's in the second photo. Fantastic, wilding at it's very best.


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## Smaug (Jul 23, 2012)

There is only one way to stop the rattles . . . 














. . . park it in a barn. :idea-007:


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## noody (Jul 23, 2012)

*Wind turbine and Solar panel.*





Great thing about the wind turbine is is runs all night and with this smaller model it doesn't make any noise above the wind, we go to lot's of windy places. This is Dornoch. NE Scotland.


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## noody (Jul 23, 2012)

Smaug said:


> There is only one way to stop the rattles . . .
> . . park it in a barn. :idea-007:



Oh-yes, I know. I suffered all the mickey taking about my obsessive behaviour. In two cases my obsession probably stopped doors falling-off.

I used to build hand-crafted and bespoke kitchens/bathrooms so imagine the persnicky-ness. Right-now i'm hunting another rattle, usually when I find the source and sort it out I get to hear another that I didn't hear before. (Smile)

Worst case was the air-filter housing, the garage that serviced my van couldn't undo the three nuts inside the air-filter housing that held it down to three of those rubber mountings so they ripped the mounting off. Off-course it was bouncing around only attached to the air-cleaner hoses.

Ever been to Ireland ? The roads in the south can be very poor, rattles turn into things falling off. Those front light units had actually been shaken out of their adjustable mountings though the mountings were not very good in my opinion but they're OK. (Smile)


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## noody (Jul 23, 2012)

runnach said:


> Fantastic setup, including van!!



Thank-you, mostly designed for and used in Scotland and the Western Isle though I love the NE coast. Because I live in the far-west of Wales the journey to Stornoway (As an example) is about the same as for those traveling from the south coast of England. 

The combination of solar and wind power isn't for everyone, to get the benefit of wind power you need to be in the clear.


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## herbenny (Jul 23, 2012)

I love this van.......


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## ellisboy (Jul 23, 2012)

Nice van Chap :banana:


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## Funky Farmer (Jul 23, 2012)

LOVELY LOOKING VAN BUT WHERE DO YOU PUT ALL THE EXTRA'S  :wacko:


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## mariesnowgoose (Jul 23, 2012)

You guys all have such posh motorhomes <sigh>


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## Lee (Jul 23, 2012)

Very good looking van.


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## lotty (Jul 23, 2012)

noody said:


> Great thing about the wind turbine is is runs all night and with this smaller model it doesn't make any noise above the wind, we go to lot's of windy places. This is Dornoch. NE Scotland.



that brings back some memories. We stayed there a couple of years ago on our Scotland tour. Fabulous beach and yes it was windy too.

Thanks for sharing your photos, nice van :wave:


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## noody (Jul 24, 2012)

Thanks for all the compliments, we all have, "Nice-vans" that are chosen in a particular way. My partner always wanted a van with a bed in the back that was always made up and ready for her to 'crash'. I always wanted an 'A' class under six metres. We both had our reasons, mine were mostly practical reasons.

The van is big enough for everything we need on two-week-tours, mostly we do weekends. When we're touring it gets a bit crowded if I take kitesurfing kit most of which can fit into the shower tray although as you can see I can a trailer for all my junk.

I have yet to carry bikes, mainly because I hate most of the bike carriers i've seen. Burstner do a bike carrier designed for the 'Elegance range', i've never seen one fitted to a van and I imagine they are prohibitively expensive. Entirely possible that we buy a carrier that fits onto the tow-ball, then I won't need to wreck the bathroom to fit a EU approved type.

From what i've seen nosing around other vans the big-money you pay for an 'A' class all goes into the body and cab design rather than the inside which is much the same in quality as any van I inspected. The construction methods in our vans leave something to be desired, I had to do quite a lot of work inside to get things right.

*Remedial work.*

Upgrade the nitrogen rams that lift and lower the bed.
Fit second fan to draw hot air from the heater into the lounge.
Strip most of the shower cubicle down and re-fit it.
Re-fit the bathroom door after re-aligning the door-frame.
Strip-out and re-fit hatches for toilet and boiler. Just to stop water passing into the bodywork.
Attend to under the body hatches that also allow water in.
Rear-bumper meets back-panel also sucked water in.
Re-fit and strengthen internal storage lids that were about to fall off.

Non of that work has been upgrading, just sorting out problems that should never have shown up in a van costing over £50.000 when it was new. Nearly £80.000 now.

*Upgrades* are;

LED lighting.
Removable steering wheel.
Solar and wind turbine electronics. Both also charge the engine battery pro-rata.
Re-fillable gas cylinders + Stainless hoses.

*Consumable repairs. *(Internal)
New water pump.

*Engine repairs.*

Cam belt. (At 14.000 miles and five years)
New sump.
Both front wheel bearings.
Replace reversing switch.

I often wondered how much work other owners have had to do on their vans to keep them ship-shape, most I asked say they did nothing other than classic upgrades but I am aware of some big money spending on upgrades I have yet to see. I'm broke so please don't encourage me.

As you may become aware I have never joined the, _"Don't fix it till it's broke"_ way of dealing with either my home or van on the basis if it breaks it'll be in the middle of Glasgow or somewhere in the south of Spain where you can't understand or speak the language. (Smile)

Dornoch beach. We camp just the other side of the dunes and away from the madding-crowd.


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