mariesnowgoose
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Million Pound Motorhomes Sunday 8pm Channel 5
- Thread starter Penny13
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st3v3
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I've done a little bit of work for one of the brothers that run Baileys. There is a third brother that has a few rental properties that I've done loads of work for - proper nice bloke. I asked if I could buy a few locker doors at trade price, but they donated to the truck build for free. Very kind
Fisherman
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Micky I am minded towards a van conversion in a few years. And yes you make valid points regarding safety. I have looked at lots of different vans and I think I know what one I will go for when the time comes. But van conversions come with compromises in terms of space, payload, and storage. But as you rightly point out they are safer if involved in an accident, and they suffer much less with leaks. But coachbuilts and A class have many advantages over vans, hence why they are so popular. Hence why we have all of these different models and types of Motorhomes. One thing for certain each and every Motorhome involves compromise, depending on requirements, and personal choice determines what compromises we are willing to make, and by definition which model and type we are likely to buy.
2cv
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To be fair, Bailey undertook a fair bit of crash testing when they entered the market.
mickymost
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To be fair watching that video doesnt give me any confidence in investing 70 grand on a Bailey Motorhome
2cv I watched that video and In that 1.18 minute video it only shows about 23 seconds of the crash impact and the rest intro and outro shows nowt, the occupants in the crash tested rear seat with no doubt a metal crash tested frame attached to the seat belts would remain seated in one piece fair enough but would be injured in some way. Watch the video again and it shows the sides and the rest literally falling apart around them.Its not a very good video only showing 23 seconds of the impact. In my post above I wasnt claiming that passengers would in theory be unsafe I was just trying to say the box i/e the van around them will fall apart in a crash ,which in that 23 seconds it seems it clearly does even the wall cupboards fly off the sides to the right The full Kitchen Unit is thrown forwards including the metal Cooker and Sink towards the Front seat passengers, and the partition behind them.I wouldnt want a child to be sat there with all that debris flying across a childs head.Not a very good recommendation for a Bailey Motorhome.Sorry to any Bailey Owners on this Forum.
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mickymost
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Fisherman since 2014 I have had
1.A Van Conversion
2.An A Class
3.A van Conversion
4 An A Class
5. A van conversion ( present van) They all havent cost me an arm and a Leg and I havent lost any money,All bought paid for outright being older vehicles. I realise each has its advantages and disadvantages.I would still go out tomorrow and buy another Coachbuilt A Class C Class or whatever so am not knocking that type of Motorhome or design.
Van conversions are limited on space but can go places a Wide Coachbuilt will struggle believe me Ive been there in my Hymers on various tight narrow lanes when the Idiot coming towards you who wont give way and wants all the road space.Both were left Hand Drive so I could look to my side and get in tight which sometimes was an advantage. Vans are easier in Supermarket Car Parks as in a Coachbuilt you can go right to the end to an area of space then when you exit the Supermarket with your trolley full of shopping eggs are eggs that some plonker In a car will be parked tight each side of your motorhome with untold other spaces around them.It is what it is!
Each has their appeal.
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Tookey
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Micky, as you are now on number 3, what make/model have you settled on?
RV2MAX
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The program has generated a lot of discussion on forums , and quite a lot of it very erroneous presumptions , eg the guy that spent a fortune on changing motorhomes , is a member on another forum and the facts and personal details are not at all like presumed by many , even to being the exact opposite .
One couple spent a whole day filming and it was edited to a few minutes , so maybe a lot of assessment has been biased by the presentation . Mind you not all first impressions may be unfounded
One couple spent a whole day filming and it was edited to a few minutes , so maybe a lot of assessment has been biased by the presentation . Mind you not all first impressions may be unfounded
mariesnowgoose
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The program has generated a lot of discussion on forums , and quite a lot of it very erroneous presumptions , eg the guy that spent a fortune on changing motorhomes , is a member on another forum and the facts and personal details are not at all like presumed by many , even to being the exact opposite .
One couple spent a whole day filming and it was edited to a few minutes , so maybe a lot of assessment has been biased by the presentation . Mind you not all first impressions may be unfounded
Useful to know and entirely believable.
However, Julien won't get away with his first impression, even if he protests after the event that his comments were made tongue in cheek!
st3v3
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I didn't really make any assumptions about him, but what was the truth? Was it about him spending millions, when actually that would be if he still had them all, which obviously (!) isn't true, he's part-ex'd them.
mickymost
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I am on number 5 and it's a Mercedes La Strada Regent the one with the Drop down roof bed.Medium wheelbase bathroom with shower and toilet across the back.
Fisherman
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I hope to buy a Mercedes van conversion Micky. I love driving mercs, and the new sprinter looks head and shoulders better than anything else right now.
mickymost
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Bill good choice.You mentioned earlier was it the Wildax Elara? Ace Van Conversion top class layout well built yes I would love one of those myself for sure.Island bed at the rear or two singles (not sure if the bed splits to make the two singles OR its made that way when built) Also IH make a decent Mercedes Conversion and there are a few others out their.Top dollar to buy BUT you do get value for money and top end vans. I just hope the bodywork on Modern Mercedes Sprinters has improved rust wise as my La Strada being a 2004 and only had one owner from new has had a bottom half respray which to be fair I didnt spot when inspecting it and buying it in june 2019 from a dealer and made me angry a few days later after I received it But to be fair whoever has sprayed it did a good job.A month after buying it I had to take the front end apart and sort rust issues around the bonnet channels and behind the front bumper etc and also had to sort both cills for rust issues SO if myself was to buy a Brand new or newer Merc I would look into how the bodywork is protected against rust. The Merc engines are Ace but dont be fooled re bodywork.
Fisherman
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Their cars built before 2003 were not galvanised but all classes since then are.
mercs were poor for bodywork before doing this. I think the new sprinters are also galvanised but previous models were not. The reason being that vans are built for high mileage over short periods, but cars are the reverse. Galvanising metal panels is expensive and a difficult process due to possible distortion during the galvanising process. But bottom line no other manufacturers even VW galvanise their commercial vans as far as I am aware, so there’s no way of avoiding the rust issue by buying others. Thanks for the comments on the Elara. My only concern as with all vans is limited payload at 3.5 ton. At 330kg on basic model it’s half of what I have now. But it’s a compromise I will just have to make.
Fisherman
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Yes I have yet to find out what is included. But even Wildax's shorter 6.3M vans have less than 400KG.Wow 330kg payload oh well you will just have to be a little more careful when loading BUT im sure its a compromise you can put up with.
I have yet to contact them to clarify what is included. But all of their vans come with at least 100l water tanks, full size fridges and are all winterised to the highest euro standard. Handy up here in winter. Payload at 3.5T is an issue with most van conversions due to the heavier bodywork. They will do a paper upgrade to 3650KG, but I don't fancy the bother that will create when I turn 70 and lose my C1 licence. And sadly by the time I buy the van that will just be round the corner
mark61
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Nooooo! Not the old galvanising debate 
I've never got to the bottom of exactly when Sprinters were galvanised, but I think you'll find it's, T1N's (903's) weren't galvanised. NCV3's (906's) were galvanised and they changed the galvanising process for the 2013/14 update, that's the one with separate DRL's. No doubt all VS30's are galvanised too.
I've never got to the bottom of exactly when Sprinters were galvanised, but I think you'll find it's, T1N's (903's) weren't galvanised. NCV3's (906's) were galvanised and they changed the galvanising process for the 2013/14 update, that's the one with separate DRL's. No doubt all VS30's are galvanised too.
mickymost
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Yes I have yet to find out what is included. But even Wildax's shorter 6.3M vans have less than 400KG.
I have yet to contact them to clarify what is included. But all of their vans come with at least 100l water tanks, full size fridges and are all winterised to the highest euro standard. Handy up here in winter. Payload at 3.5T is an issue with most van conversions due to the heavier bodywork. They will do a paper upgrade to 3650KG, but I don't fancy the bother that will create when I turn 70 and lose my C1 licence. And sadly by the time I buy the van that will just be round the corner
Bill sadly the age thing is not much we can do to change so each and every day try to do what you want and do makes you happy.The loosing of the C1 category yes will be a pain so don't think about it too much but work with what's out there. My La Strada even though being a 2004 has a 100 litre inboard fresh and inboard waste tanks so it's surprising how clever these converters are. Interesting point I just thought of one can buy a Mercedes van conversion with a rear slide out so wonder what weight that puts into the Sprinter? Regarding payloads etc?