Not at any price

[trevskoda]

Exactly my point, I'd be black and blue trying to walk around after a few beers!

The wife would put you in the back storage compartment untill you come round.

 

[barryd]

Yeah you can Barry, you can sleep 4 by deploying the drop down partly and using the lounge seats below but I reckon it would be claustrophobic. The tiny bed is in fact just the infill cushions for the rear lounge double plonked on top of the top of the garage for storage.

I THINK both beds are transverse though so those cushions/tiny bed are only for use to convert the lounge sofas double? (or possibly as infills at each end of the drop down).

Yeah it would feel a bit claustrophobic. Having said that if you want a shorter van and four berths its quite a good solution I suppose. For me personally I just want the space so ill always go as big as possible without going tag or RV. I never have to worry about parking it so its not an issue.

 

[Fazerloz]

There was that many beds I fell asleep watching it.

 

[marchie]

So if only 2 people they have to climb over the sofa to get to bed.

Not on ours, Trev. The drop down bed is above the lounge area, that has slightly lower ceiling as a result. The ceiling (the underside of the bed) has 4 lights to illuminated the hab area that has in theory, room for 6-7 adults (at least until bedtime!)

When it is bedtime, the lounge area upholstery backs are laid flat on top of the seats, allowing the bed to drop down to a level with the kitchen splashback area. This requires a twin steps ladder to climb onto the bed, and, in the van ceiling, there are two reading spot lights, controlled by a switch on the passenger side of the false wall that starts 5cm away from the cab overhead shelf

Picture of the 'bed underside ceiling' attached. Your can just about make out the bedding above that covers the ceiling reading lights in the Van roof ...

On the bottom rh corner of the photo is the lounge berths 3&4 headrest that the bed drops down to be level with

Steve

 

[barryd]

Not on ours, Trev. The drop down bed is above the lounge area, that has slightly lower ceiling as a result. The ceiling (the underside of the bed) has 4 lights to illuminated the hab area that has in theory, room for 6-7 adults (at least until bedtime!)

When it is bedtime, the lounge area upholstery backs are laid flat on top of the seats, allowing the bed to drop down to a level with the kitchen splashback area. This requires a twin steps ladder to climb onto the bed, and, in the van ceiling, there are two reading spot lights, controlled by a switch on the passenger side of the false wall that starts 5cm away from the cab overhead shelf

Picture of the 'bed underside ceiling' attached. Your can just about make out the bedding above that covers the ceiling reading lights in the Van roof ...

On the bottom rh corner of the photo is the lounge berths 3&4 headrest that the bed drops down to be level with

Steve
View attachment 149295

Personally I don't think you can beat having a proper lounge in a motorhome but thats just my preference. This is a good way of doing it in a shorter van I reckon.

 

[marchie]

Personally I don't think you can beat having a proper lounge in a motorhome but thats just my preference. This is a good way of doing it in a shorter van I reckon.

Just the two of us, Barry, so plenty of room for all the kit that we carry (and add to during the trip, such as 8 pairs of shoes for me plus a new fleece). All the kit fits onto the gap between the underside of the bed ceiling or onto the floor of the lounge area and it's 2 minutes max to reverse the process each morning or night

Steve

 

[Robmac]

Personally I don't think you can beat having a proper lounge in a motorhome but thats just my preference. This is a good way of doing it in a shorter van I reckon.

I would love a big bathroom Barry (I know you have one in the Swift) but that one is the full width of the van when closed off. I think it's a great design in that respect.

 

[mark61]

Part of me still has the urge to go back to basics. Roll mat or hammock, camp stove and a kettle, bin and a bucket. Sorted.
Fortunately that part is only about 33% so I won't do it.

 

[trevskoda]

I would love a big bathroom Barry (I know you have one in the Swift) but that one is the full width of the van when closed off. I think it's a great design in that respect.

Problem with that is you may start to sing.

 

[Robmac]

Part of me still has the urge to go back to basics. Roll mat or hammock, camp stove and a kettle, bin and a bucket. Sorted.
Fortunately that part is only about 33% so I won't do it.

I would actually love to do that Mark, I still have my DD Hammock and Tarp etc. I used to love all that.

I still like tent camping although I haven't been since I sold the bike but hopefully getting another one soon.

 

[Phantom]

Like a hard sell skimping on spec for £80k, but you do get 100w solar, pants graphics, and even a hab door step. Sorry but I just couldn't watch anymore of it. Did anyone happen to notice if she mentioned the B66 Burstner grapics at all?

 

[Pudsey Bear]

There were a few design bits I did like, but only a few, and I absolutely hate leather upholstery, cold to the touch in winter and sticky in hot weather, easily marked if you have kids in the van.

She didn't sell it very well either, missed important stuff like it being an automatic, scant ref to the solar and battery.

 

[Pudsey Bear]

I just watched it again on my laptop, but taking more notice of the PVC van, that is truly awful, it is so badly designed IMHO, and with the bathroom behind the passenger seat, I'm not sure if Liz or I could get into the back without getting out of the cab, and as for the dropdown bed, seriously, feck off, Liz couldn't lift it, and I'm not sure I could, and I'd deffo be banging me loaf on it, the kitchen owes an apology, and I think I'd pass out in the poxy little bathroom.

I thought Burstner was a good make, there are some good designs in both, however they have tried to fit them all into one van, therefore ruining it, I don't feel she was that impressed with it either

 

[Geek]

Not even going to put myself through watching it, but that seems a more than reasonable comment.

It is worth watching as long as you run it at double speed.
Two truly awful camper vans.
I honestly thought it was a spoof, because both designs have so many obvious flaws.

 

[marchie]

I just watched it again on my laptop, but taking more notice of the PVC van, that is truly awful, it is so badly designed IMHO, and with the bathroom behind the passenger seat, I'm not sure if Liz or I could get into the back without getting out of the cab, and as for the dropdown bed, seriously, feck off, Liz couldn't lift it, and I'm not sure I could, and I'd deffo be banging me loaf on it, the kitchen owes an apology, and I think I'd pass out in the poxy little bathroom.

I thought Burstner was a good make, there are some good designs in both, however they have tried to fit them all into one van, therefore ruining it, I don't feel she was that impressed with it either

Burstner is a good make, Kev. They don't leak, they fit at lot of quite decent kit into a small space, and maximise the usable space by having a lounge for the day and the same space for the night by siting the drop down bed over the (at night, redundant) lounge area. The Solar & Leisure Battery set up are certainly no worse than British Vans and I would much prefer to sort out my own arrangements to make the Van work for us.

We have spent almost 550 nights, including the current trip (just about 50% complete) since we bought Brunhilde and should continue to average in excess of 100 nights per year (doing 1 x 90 Winter Trip, instead of 2 x 60 days, now that we can get 90 days Unoccupancy Cover on the house insurance)

Steve

 

[marchie]

There were a few design bits I did like, but only a few, and I absolutely hate leather upholstery, cold to the touch in winter and sticky in hot weather, easily marked if you have kids in the van.

She didn't sell it very well either, missed important stuff like it being an automatic, scant ref to the solar and battery.

Leather upholstery in our Van is decent quality and it's heater on in Winter and air con in Summer to keep to a comfortable temperature. Upholstery is almostv10 years old and no sagging/stretching. The foam on a couple of the sofa sections (especially where hands have been pushed down on the seat backs because of balance problems caused by failing hips) would be better if replaced, otherwise it looks ok for its age.

Steve

 

[Pudsey Bear]

Neither of us likes leather seats in vehicles, despite having a leather suite at home

 

[Sharon the Cat]

I would certainly do away with the drop down bed.

We are getting rid of our van because we hate the dropdown bed. Middle of the night loo trips are no problem because Phil gets in & out on his side by stepping on the drivers seat, but he suffers from the reduced headroom. But it is not the marvellous solution we thought it was going to be.

 

[barryd]

If this thread tells us anything its that what works for some doesn't always work for others and its pointless saying "This that or the other is better" as it might be for you but not someone else.

I think the true test of how good a van is (for you) is how long you keep it. Our last van we had 16 years.

 

[Robmac]

If this thread tells us anything its that what works for some doesn't always work for others and its pointless saying "This that or the other is better" as it might be for you but not someone else.

I think the true test of how good a van is (for you) is how long you keep it. Our last van we had 16 years.

Yep, Horses for courses Barry - and long may it continue.