# Getting Started



## ceecee1967 (Jan 6, 2019)

HI everyone,  well today myself and my husband have made the momentous decision that we will give up caravanning and move onto pastures new with a motorhome!  Now the decision has been made the hard work starts as, although we are now pretty proficient at caravanning, we don't know the first thing about owning and running a motorhome!
I'd love it if any of you could share some of your opinions and knowledge to help us on our way.  We have been to look at a dealership, although we don't have vast amounts of money to spend and will probably end up with something costing somewhere between £10k and £15k.  Whilst looking at the vast array of options and layouts I think we managed to narrow it down to a 4 berth motorhome with an overcab bed and rear travel seats and additional couch.....that's as far as we got and now need to understand which makes/models are better than others????  If you could let me know your experiences in this area I would be very grateful...I feel that if our budget dictates that we buy an older vehicle then it would be really useful to know which makes are the most reliable.
Additionally, can anyone tell me what the tax and insurance are likely to cost?  The caravan was really cheap to insure (approx £60/annum) and didn't require tax so anything above this will be additional cost which we need to budget for.
Lastly (for now!) when we go camping with the caravan we love to go exploring the area and so feel we need to choose a motorhome which would be able to be driven with relative ease down small country lanes and quaint villages and towns.  How do you all go on getting around with what is essentially a house on wheels??? 
Any advice would be gratefully received and will help us on our way to becoming a fully fledged part of the MH community!
:rolleyes2::wave:


----------



## Makzine (Jan 6, 2019)

Hello and :welcome:


----------



## yorkslass (Jan 6, 2019)

Hi, :welcome::wave::wave:

Where to begin.

From my own experience, i would be looking at something sub 6m. Places to park can be difficult, but i usually look for somewhere I can reverse into, with space behind to accommodate the overhang.
Trawl e bay to get an idea of prices and layouts and don't be rushed.


----------



## Pauljenny (Jan 6, 2019)

Depends on how you want to use the motorhome?

If your just going to stay on campsites and like to tow a vanfull of stuff around , using the onsite facilities... Lugging water rolls and wastehogs around .... Stick with your caravan and enjoy yourselves.

A motorhome don't necessarily have to sleep on campsites. Being self contained, means we can travel lighter, go off the beaten track and not have to return to the place we slept, last night.
If you're just doing weekends and short summer holidays, you'll not need much storage.
6 metres is a good length to start looking at.. Then try larger and smaller models.
Just remember that when buying a used motorhome,car, new partener... You're at the mercy of how the previous owner/s have treated or mistreated it.
Good luck.


----------



## PinkFlowerPetal (Jan 6, 2019)

Welcome to our lovely forum!

I have an Auto Sleeper Nuevo, which is 5.63m in length, and it is my only vehicle. They come in 2 and 4 berth models. Personally I would never purchase a van without a gas fire, as I go away all year round, and it doesn't rely on the leisure battery.  Purchasing a motorhome will open up a whole new world to you being able to wild camp, I love opening my blinds in the morning to a beautiful view ... rather than being on a site and seeing loads of other vans.

If you have any queries I suggest you start a new thread in the section 'Motorhome Chat', as more people will read it then.

Here's wishing you well in your quest.

Jackie


----------



## trevskoda (Jan 6, 2019)

Hi and welcome from the six counties,first bit of advice is stay clear of swift or old fiats which have g/box problems and hard to get parts these days,ford also with problems of theft.others on here will give good advice on models to pick.
Look at having solar panels total or more that 200w to recharge batterys,also make sure if buying used that the batterys are up to scratch,if renewing go for bosch/varta silver power frame.
Last of all if out wilding a lot esp over winter, think about refillable gas bottles such as gasit or gaslow,one thing for sure make sure the van is well insulated for uk,Think about a fixed bed as much more easy as age creeps in,climbing up to a top bunk is not fun,ok for kids,main thing is have fun and join in. :wave:


----------



## phillybarbour (Jan 6, 2019)

Hi and welcome along. At that price / age point it’s all about condition and history. I wouldn’t get to fixed on a brand. Choose your layout and look at as many as you can.


----------



## Papillon (Jan 6, 2019)

Welcome to wild camping.
Getting around is easy we have electric bikes or use buses and taxis when visiting from a site. Better than sites though is wilding, easiest away from the coast in my opinion. Then try France and use the aires which are so easy and usually in a town or village which means easy access to all sorts of shops etc.:have fun:


----------



## Deleted user 48797 (Jan 6, 2019)

Hi. Whatever you choose check the payload. Some vans are very heavy with little carrying capacity before being overloaded.


----------



## Silver sprinter (Jan 6, 2019)

Hi welcome and enjoy, lots of info on this site, you have advantage you had a caravan, everything is new to me but reading most posts has been very helpful,  possibly  hire one for e weekend in the layout you like, sure you will find out if it's for you, rather than buying, then find out the layout  isn't for you, good luck :welcome::camper::wave:


----------



## Terrybill (Jan 6, 2019)

Welcome and good luck!  It took us around 2 years to finally take the plunge, we have caravanned for years and we still have it.  We bought a 6m Peugeot Boxer based moho with low mileage and in really good condition for £8k so there are some bargains out there.  Ebay is great because you can look at what as sold and for what price.  We viewed about a dozen or so before we chose Libby, we had set our hearts on an old Hymer but some that we looked at were absolute nails.  We almost bought a VW coachbuilt but it was snatched up on buy it now and then resurfaced 2 weeks later for 3 grand more.  Just keep looking and you will soon narrow it down to 2 or 3 types.  

We weren't bothered about fixed bed and we use the luton as storage, we wanted the 2 bench seat configuration so week could have 2 singles or a large double, perfect for wilding.  Our bed arrangement is a "L" shaped lounge which means we can still have 2 singles or make up a large bed depending on where we are stopping.  Because of the length we can go almost anywhere as it is not much bigger than our 4X4 and there is loads of storage inside and we have a large Fiamma Box mounted on the cycle carrier.  We must have bought the only moho that didn't have a wind out awning, no solar panel and no reversing camera, however, the condition, low miles and great price outweighed this but just draw up a list of essentials and desirables and this should help you with your search.

Good luck, we're off next week down to Spain for a couple of months and can't wait :wave:


----------



## GreggBear (Jan 6, 2019)

Welcome. Some good advice so far. Personally I would look for fixed bed,plenty insulation,good amount of on board water & waste storage & plenty locker space. Power wise i'd go with good size solar panels plus split charge relay & good size battery bank. Don't be too concerned about size, you'll get used to it over time just be cautious to begin with. Personally i'd prefer too much space rather than being cramped. Get used to wild camp sites to save money, but be prepared to spend on local amenities & water topups etc.Join the forum as a full member for access to the POI maps etc & then get out there & enjoy!!


----------



## oppy (Jan 6, 2019)

We've been tenters, caravaners and now moved over to the dark side !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! What we did was to find a van that kinda reflected our old caravan inside and we ended up with a 1998 Lunar based on a Fiat Ducato chassis. It came with history and a couple of problems--------------------but the price was right and the problems were livable with. Driving through Portugal we lost 5th gear, but seeing as it is basically a 4 speed gearbox we had no problems driving home through Spain and France although it was a tad heavy on fuel. So our advice would be start with your heart, then step back and use the head bit, and if they both come fairly close go for it. Remember though that you like us have a very tight budget and things on occasions can get a bit smelly, but as members of this terrific community the knowledge is here and those that have it are more than happy to help, assist, get you out of the poo and even take the wee on occasions.

Oh yes
Welcome


----------



## Robmac (Jan 10, 2019)

Welcome along.

Get around as many dealers as you can and try and get the feel of vehicles within your budget. 

Then buy cheaper privately! (worth taking somebody with some experience with you to take damp readings etc. on older vehicles).


----------



## The laird (Jan 12, 2019)

Hi welcome and enjoy


----------

