Not sure what to do ...:(((

what is so attractive about this van that a self build can't compete with.you've only allowed 2 choices,wonderwagon or something you don't want.are you sure there are no cheaper alternatives,so you get near to what you want but with cashback?
 
not sure what to do

well i have just bought a campervan/ motorhome and i am new to it, never done anything like it before and my wife and i love it, were both in our mid fifties and i wish i had done it earlier so the advice i would give is set your sights a bit lower to start with and if you get the bug upgrade at a later date , i myself am already researching to get something a bit newer,hope this helps you decide good luck.
 
n brown said:
what is so attractive about this van that a self build can't compete with.you've only allowed 2 choices,wonderwagon or something you don't want.are you sure there are no cheaper alternatives,so you get near to what you want but with cashback?
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n,brown.... you have definatly given us food for thought !! Thanks
 
Dont be in a situation where you can't use the van, rising fuel, ins, gas, Mot, etc, also think about repairs, you must factor that in, i know its so tempting, i dont know what your budget is but 3 years?? down to the last penny??? you could come to hate the van if it takes up all your money, i know i'm a kill joy Jac and alot would say go for it, you only live once, this is soooooo true, however, you do want to live and not just survive, if you are in doubt, dont do it,

when i had my boat i used to go down gunthorpe quite a bit, met some really nice people, met one couple at a pub, as i moored up they came down to help as i was always on my own, he gave a big sigh and said how lucky i was, anyhow, it turned out, they had a lovely boat but took out finance for it, it was stuck in its mooring as thye couldnt afford to put the deisel in it, dont be in that situation.

hope this helps,
 
Like curly We bought our first van when I was in my 50s. I had just taken early retirement and prior to this needed a car for work. The cheaper van allowed us to be sure of our needs and we upgraded a couple of years later. Our present van fits us and should last as long as we wish to continue motorhoming.
The van is to be enjoyed not endured so don't overstretch yourselves. There are plenty of vans at prices to suit most pockets. We like to be able to go where and when we choose without worrying about the cost. We have looked at newer more luxurious vans but decided that they wouldn't really do much more than our present vehicle.
I hope you soon find something to suit you.
 
Another point also, and i dont want to offend anyone by saying this, some of the newer models are made of sand and
P!ss, very flimsy and the parts are extortionate,
 
I agree with KBB, no sense in having something you can hardly use because of the rising cost of everything. It does take a lot of looking to find the right motorhome; for every decent one you see there are at least 12 crappy ones, but in the end hopefully the right one will turn up. The most important thing is to be able to get out and enjoy yourself; as long as it doesn't leak and has comfortable beds it doesn't have to be the latest all-singing/dancing version.

Good luck with your decision!!
 
No point having an expensive van sat on the drive that you can't afford to use and is depreciating in value. Get something well within budget that will do the job and you can use.
 
kimbowbill said:
Dont be in a situation where you can't use the van, rising fuel, ins, gas, Mot, etc, also think about repairs, you must factor that in, i know its so tempting, i dont know what your budget is but 3 years?? down to the last penny??? you could come to hate the van if it takes up all your money, i know i'm a kill joy Jac and alot would say go for it, you only live once, this is soooooo true, however, you do want to live and not just survive, if you are in doubt, dont do it,

when i had my boat i used to go down gunthorpe quite a bit, met some really nice people, met one couple at a pub, as i moored up they came down to help as i was always on my own, he gave a big sigh and said how lucky i was, anyhow, it turned out, they had a lovely boat but took out finance for it, it was stuck in its mooring as thye couldnt afford to put the deisel in it, dont be in that situation.

hope this helps,
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Think your right Jen......Your not being a kill joy your being practical and thats what I need. We were due to go and see this motothome tomorrow and I know I would of signed my life away I can be a bit impulsive like that. Things are so unpredictable at the moment the cost of borrowing has gone through the roof and I cant bare the thought of having that worry even if it is only three years. Like you said whats the point of having something I cant put fuel in and its the other cost as well as we dont have a drive so we would have to pay to put it somehwere so the costs are going up and up, its never ending !! My brain hurts so much done nothing but think about it for weeks :rolleyes2:
 
What you want and what you can afford are two different things. My advice is manage with what you have. Like one of our friends said, "What is the difference from a Home build camper to a Motorhome". Save your money and keep it for a rainy day. You don't know what is around the corner. Best of luck in your final decision.
 
the difference between a home built and a bought camper is if you do it yourself you can possibly fix it when /if it goes wrong . route cables /pipes in easy places so you dont have to strip lots to get to anything. use bits that you can find world wide. simplicity is the answer, complicated is hard work.
 
herbenny1 said:
Think your right Jen......Your not being a kill joy your being practical and thats what I need. We were due to go and see this motothome tomorrow and I know I would of signed my life away I can be a bit impulsive like that. Things are so unpredictable at the moment the cost of borrowing has gone through the roof and I cant bare the thought of having that worry even if it is only three years. Like you said whats the point of having something I cant put fuel in and its the other cost as well as we dont have a drive so we would have to pay to put it somehwere so the costs are going up and up, its never ending !! My brain hurts so much done nothing but think about it for weeks :rolleyes2:
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We've been where you are now and have been so tempted in past years to just buy one but although I am also a little impulsive I would not make an on the spur of the moment decision. I would sleep on it 1st and sense prevailed.
I once went out and purchased a top of range Shogun and lived on the breadline for 4 years so I did not want that again.
We waited until the 4 children had finished university and my wife said "I know it's your dream so do it now". I looked at the lovely shiney new ones and boy was I tempted but again sense prevailed and I looked and looked and eventually the right one came along that we can afford.
It is one of the best things we've ever done and I live for the next time we are going off.
My advice is dont cripple yourself or you will regret it. lower your sights first and slowly build up until you get the one you want or you will not be able to afford to enjoy it, there's really no point in that.
 
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Yeah, what they all said basically. Don't overstretch, have some money in reserve for fuel so you can get away and enjoy, repairs, and improvements/etc.

We saw some lovely MH's, but chose ours with the thought it's slightly less fancy interior will suit the rather hard life it's going to have with me going off to the Lakes walking with one dog - in all weathers! Let alone with all of us.
 
When we decide to part with our lovley 22 year old campervan...our original idea was we just wanted something slightly bigger so we could take our dog more often, and also I wanted something that had a shower....we are not fussy and we like the simple things in life. I loved my old campervan as she was so charming but just not practical for us. Somehow and somewhere over the weeks we have got carried away with thinking ok 'if we give this that and that up we may be able to afford something really plush' .....in an ideal world it would be nice but its not the be all and end all. I just want to be able to get away with my hubby and be with like minds who all enjoy wildcamping in -12:lol-053:
 
This is a post I put on another thread I don't know if it's any help.
If I am about to spend a substantial amount of money. I can't sleep wondering if I've doing the right thing.
But after picking up our motorhome I would not have called the king my uncle and to be honest with you we are so happy with it we have no urge to buy a newer one.
The post.
Hi,
I found my motorhome on ebay.
You need to study them carefully and make a list of your requirements under essential and desirable. Then try to tick as many boxes as you can.

For me low milage was essential, The cost of course we had a budget, As I started looking layout became very important.

Some low milage vehicles can have high wear as some are just lived in.

Look at the tyres not just for tread but also for cracking on the side walls.

If there's no ariel fitted you will probably need to get one fitted.

Many come with desirable extras like cycle carrier or solar panel on the roof.

Chec k there is a seperate leisure battery and that it works.

Check the fridge works on Elec and gas.

Check the gas heater works

Check the gas cooker and oven.

Check water heater.

If you buy from a dealer ask for a habitation check this will cover most internal equipment in the van.

My wife is a nurse unfortunatley she is set to lose out on her pension big time after paying in for many many years it is heart breaking and affects everyones plans.
We were going to wait to buy a motorhome until I retire in 5 years but we thought what the hell lets go for it. We absolutely love it and go away any chance we have.

If you are patient and keep looking you will find a gem like us.

Just to give you an idea we looked at a Compass aventguard 200 which was 4 berth 04 plate 6000 miles on the clock for £16000. But it was the wrong layout for us. This was a private deal so of course you get no guarantee.
 
i agree with what others have said. Don't over stretch yourself, why buy a big expensive van that you can't afford to run.
We are not DIY people so we chose a coachbuilt but there are many options from the great VW's up. What about a van conversion that you could use as an everyday vehicle too? Or a slightly older van than you are looking at, you could have the exact layout you love but in a slightly older van, there are some great vans out there and theres no shame in having an older van, in a lot of cases like Jen said, they are better built. The next time I change my van I'm having a smaller one and selling my car and I will use it as my main vehicle, that way we havn't got 3 lots of tax n insurance and storage costs.
Good luck with whatever you decide and I can't wait to see you at a Ladies meet in your van one day soon :goodluck::drive:

Lotty
 
Don't buy anything that's so plush that you are forever worrying about driving through mud or in our case a wet dog suddenly running inside. Also, lying in your bed at night you are probably just as comfortable as somebody in a van twice as expensive, and your food will taste just as good as theirs.
 
just as an example,i don't think you looked in my van.iits an 03 i bought in good condition just over 2 yearts ago,mileage a bit high but not too bad,been looked after,cost me under 3 grand.all the appliances are second hand apart from the hob and sink which are smev rubbish,wish i'd got them 2nd hand too,its got diesel heating,shower,3way fridge,led lights reverse camera,water tank etc and this lot and the wood cost me about another grand.if you had to pay a carpenter to work on it,maybe 3-5 grand.so that may leave enough to fill the tank,but i wouldn't be surprised if it leaves enough for the holiday.
 
herbenny1 said:
When we decide to part with our lovley 22 year old campervan...our original idea was we just wanted something slightly bigger so we could take our dog more often, and also I wanted something that had a shower....we are not fussy and we like the simple things in life. I loved my old campervan as she was so charming but just not practical for us. Somehow and somewhere over the weeks we have got carried away with thinking ok 'if we give this that and that up we may be able to afford something really plush' .....in an ideal world it would be nice but its not the be all and end all. I just want to be able to get away with my hubby and be with like minds who all enjoy wildcamping in -12:lol-053:
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Aw Jac, I know exactly what you're going through but you've said it yourself... it's not the be all and end all. We were in danger of getting carried away too last year, although for us it was more about spending savings, as well as every last penny of the insurance cash we had available, rather than committing to finance... living on a pension, we definitely didn't want to go down that route. The principle's exactly the same though. In the end we came to our senses, spent more modestly on the van and had the spare capacity to kit ourselves out and buy some of those extras that make life more comfortable... not least of which is our superking sized memory foam mattress topper!! There's only so much 'roughing it' a girl can take! :lol-053:

A swankier van is not going to make you any happier than a modest one... the journeys, the scenery, the experiences and the friends you make will all be the same. There's always going to be plenty of better vans around you and plenty that's worse but once you're out there, it really doesn't matter. Doesn't stop you being envious of other vans sometimes but it's very liberating to step off that aspirational ladder and thoroughly enjoy what you have, without it being a noose around your neck. As everyone's said, you've got to able to afford to enjoy it and not just spend your time looking at it like an expensive piece of art. Also, you're young enough to be able to re-think things later... maybe you'll get an insurance policy out one day and can enter another phase. Another thing we've learnt from this forum is that it's easier to wildcamp in a van conversion than in a MH... not to mention parking and the dreaded reversing! It's swings and roundabouts and not about missing out on anything.

One last thing I'd say is to leave your handbag and wallet at home when you go looking... if you don't have your flexible plastic friend with you then you can't get carried away on the spur of the moment. I'm sooooo prone to that, so this is said from the heart! If you were meant to have something, it'll still be there next week when you've had plenty of time to live with the idea... if it's gone then you just weren't meant to have it. Kismet.
Well now that I've finished mashing every cliché and platitude in existence, I'll leave you in peace :heart:
 
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