Which motorhome to buy?

[gypo]

Hopefully in the near future we should be in a position to upgrade our van. Could anyone advise on which vans to go for and which to avoid please?
We currently have a fiat trigano tribute 06 plate which has done 54k miles.
We want a coach built next with a fixed bed and ideally a garage.
Hopefully the budget will be around 35-40k.
Am I asking too much to get something up in the year with low mileage?
Can anyone recommend what go for and what to avoid?
Thanks
D

 

[The laird]

German build vans for me

 

[Glandwr]

If you want to use it in the winter, definitely get a European one rather than a budget British one, that are I believe designed for short breaks in the summer.

It depends on what you are going to use it for.

 

[gypo]

Thanks, it will be used both here and in Europe all year round

 

[Wully]

I’m wae Gordon on the German thing I’d rather have a 4-5 year older German van for my money.

 

[r4dent]

Just make sure that rose coloured glasses are not the decision maker, use you head and try and behave objectively.

Check out clean air areas in UK and EU and make sure the MoHo will be OK for wherever you are planning going.

Check the payload and axle limits (especially if you are planning to load the garage)

Make sure your license is OK for the MoHo (i.e. C1 or not C1) and think about the future if you are approaching 70 or are ill.

If buying non British are you OK with the hab door on the wrong side and reduced cooking facilities that many have.

Check the damp reports and if they are not then walk away.

 

[Moped]

Hopefully in the near future we should be in a position to upgrade our van. Could anyone advise on which vans to go for and which to avoid please?
We currently have a fiat trigano tribute 06 plate which has done 54k miles.
We want a coach built next with a fixed bed and ideally a garage.
Hopefully the budget will be around 35-40k.
Am I asking too much to get something up in the year with low mileage?
Can anyone recommend what go for and what to avoid?
Thanks
D

How do you use your van and what are the future plans?

We use ours in a Spanish winter, a French summer, and on and off in the U.K. spring and autumn. So 7 to 8 months a year. So lots of outdoor living, not too much rain or cold, therefore kitchen not so important but decent sized lounge accommodation that you can stretch out in as we live in it a lot throughout the year and small dinette style living accommodation can feel a bit cramped. wildcamping good 12v systems and led lighting are nice to have and a large gas bottle cabinet that will take 2x 11kg bottles. Solar panel also but this can always be added on later. And it’s nice to have Alde heating especially for winter use wherever but few vans have this. Big garage normally means two single beds and this makes it easier to get up in the night without disturbing the other half. There is always an over cab option but this increases height. We have a 4.25T with an 800kg payload and for European travel you need payload. We carry e-bikes in the garage. Continental motorhomes definitely have bigger garages.

As others say if you’re approaching 70 then the C1 licence for those over 3.5t requires medicals.

Also bear in mind the Euro engine regulations and environmental zones in cities and even some rural parts are only going to go one way and that is forever expanding. With diesel Euro 6 is post 2015 so something to consider for future proofing.

You might struggle to find a Hymer with that budget but Chausson or Adria maybe. Swift or Elldis almost certainly but not with a decent garage.

 

[gypo]

Thanks for the above comments, we use our current ban pretty much the same spain winter France summer uk all year round. It is set up for total off grid use, not needing electric hookup. I’ve also rigged the solar to heat the water.
Some good advice in the comments, thanks all.
I’ll start looking at German build vans with more seriousness now.
What I don’t want is something with loads of miles on that is going to give me trouble.
Am I likely to get a fixed bed van with a garage and low mileage for 40k?
Thanks
D

 

[Glandwr]

Thanks for the above comments, we use our current ban pretty much the same spain winter France summer uk all year round. It is set up for total off grid use, not needing electric hookup. I’ve also rigged the solar to heat the water.
Some good advice in the comments, thanks all.
I’ll start looking at German build vans with more seriousness now.
What I don’t want is something with loads of miles on that is going to give me trouble.
Am I likely to get a fixed bed van with a garage and low mileage for 40k?
Thanks
D

Myself I would rank mileage as one of the least important inputs to my choice. All MHs are built on deisel base vehicles designed to be commercial workhorses and properly serviced and maintained you would expect at least quarter of a million miles out of them. In fact I would be more worried about older ones with very low mileage.
A lot of time it would have spent standing.

 

[Glandwr]

Documented service history is important

 

[yeoblade]

Myself I would rank mileage as one of the least important inputs to my choice. All MHs are built on deisel base vehicles designed to be commercial workhorses and properly serviced and maintained you would expect at least quarter of a million miles out of them. In fact I would be more worried about older ones with very low mileage.
A lot of time it would have spent standing.

Absolutely, UK MoHo tend to be low mileage, but when you look at ones for sale on mainland EU then the mileages are often very high compared to ours, without problem. Some may do 4k miles/yr and live in it for 6 months, whereas I do 6k/yr and about 5 weeks in it.

 

[Fisherman]

When I started to look at replacing my current van I set out “MUSTS”.
I was even unsure wether or not to go for another A class or a van conversion, after much thought I went for a van conversion.

I listed my musts and took months before finding a van which ticked more boxes than any other van.
Fixed longitudinal fixed beds, a large fridge, good toilet and shower, gas electric boiler, large capacity gas storage, minimum 100L freshwater tank, gas oven, space for at least two 100ah batteries, auto box, engine upgrade, air suspension, good storage, well insulated, leather upholstery, etc. I appreciate that these won’t be your choices, but having musts is important when deciding. I would have liked a German Malibu van, but I could not get one with the right spec, and that was the most important deciding factor. I also looked at globecar, but again the spec was not for us.

As for your comments about mileage I don’t reckon that mileage is that important. Most motorhomes have very low mileage, and diesel engines maintained properly are good for 250,000-300,000 miles. The van will never reach its engines capacity for mileage. All the best.

 

[Obanboy666]

Get a pvc then less chance of water ingress.
I’ve had from new - Swift, worst buy ever. Pilote and a Burstner c class motorhomes and all had issues with water ingress. Worst one being the Swift which had to go back to the factory for a month for repairs.
Presently vanless but hopefully will be buying a pvc this year if I can find one that ticks all my boxes.

 

[gypo]

Good point there about the mileage with older vans having low mileage, this equates often to the van standing about for a long time which is something I worry about with my present van if I don’t get to use it for a month or so.
As for requirements I know what I want on a van (layout etc etc).
Excuse my ignorance put what is a “pvc” ?
D

 

[Obanboy666]

Panel van conversion.

 

[gypo]

Thank you

 

[wildebus]

Documented service history is important

Not convinced about that. The most expensive van I have had in terms of servicing and repairs has been the one with the most comprehensive service history - and from a main franchise dealer as well.

 

[Okta]

If buying non British are you OK with the hab door on the wrong side

There is no wrong side, these days we all have to be tolerant of differently orientated habitation doors.

 

[wildebus]

There is no wrong side, these days we all have to be tolerant of differently orientated habitation doors.

Dunno. We drive on the Left side, which is the right side. but in Germany they also drive on the Right side, but is the wrong side.
But in these days where no one can fail, it is correct to say both we and the Germans both drive on the right side. (no wonder there are accidents!)

 

[Fisherman]

Get a pvc then less chance of water ingress.
I’ve had from new - Swift, worst buy ever. Pilote and a Burstner c class motorhomes and all had issues with water ingress. Worst one being the Swift which had to go back to the factory for a month for repairs.
Presently vanless but hopefully will be buying a pvc this year if I can find one that ticks all my boxes.

That was one of the reasons I choose a PVC. But my main reason was ease of driving, the big seven zero looms, and I felt it sensible to buy something that was a foot narrower to drive. I never found a van that ticked all my boxes, compromise being required there. Our biggest compromise moving from a A class with a lowered bed to a PVC with fixed beds will be living space, our current van has a large lounge. But I have thought much about the “bedroom”and it’s not simply a bedroom, it can also be a tv room, reading room, nap room, or whatever you also want to use it for. But the one I chose ticked more of my boxes than any other. Hope you get back out there soon.