We are looking to buy a motorhome.
It must have 4 proper seatbelts.
Anyone got any experience?
Even old ones seem expensive, but I think we could go to 20k - that seems to put us in the early 2000s for age.
Recommendations gratefully received
Dave
How big does it need to be?
You could do a lot worse than the Mazda Bongo. They have proper, factory installed seats. If you'd seen how many of the other retrospectively fitted seats were installed, you'd avoid them!
I used to convert them many years ago. Brilliant vehicles. No idea what prices are like now but I'd imagine they'd be well south of £20K.
Here are my old ones;
http://www.midosconversions.co.uk/5.html
We bought ours new in 2004 for £26k
For the same spec today, it would cost £50k to get an equivalent replacement.
Second hand values on a 10-12 year old one like ours will be 18k (plus or minus £2k) depending on condition and specification.
If you can afford new - go for it, and use it as a second car.
Depreciation is less than 3% a year over 10-years.
If not, try to wait for a good second hand model.
It needs to be the right layout inside, and the right vehicle outside.
Looking around showrooms is free.
Once you know what you want - you can jump on any bargains which might pop-up in the classifieds.
If you can hang on until after the end of August the second hand prices drop a little, but not as much as they do for motorbikes and soft tops.
Tyres, servicing, insurance, and consumables are the same as running a big car.
You need to budget in 25-30mpg for fuel, and take your time driving it.
My old 2.8JTD Ducato engine will get;
20mpg at 80mph
25mpg at 70mph
30mpg at 60mph
You don't say how many berths you need, what sort of trips you will use it for etc
I guess you want something bigger than a vw though.
Hymer conversions are very good, especially the one where the double bed at the front cranks down over the drivers area.
Good luck everybody. Have a good one.
Needs to have 4 berths, and 4 proper seatbelts - 2 kids in seats.
SWMBO decrees a toilet - she's less wild camp nowadays.
This year's hols is planned on the premise that we'd be able to go buy motorhome... Which of course was a good plan a few months ago, but got delayed.
Dave
How old/ what size are the kids?
Good luck everybody. Have a good one.
I like the van conversion type personally
This is my Autosleeper based on a Peugeot Boxer van. It has 3 seatbelts but will seat 6 although 3 would be side facing. There is no requirement to fit seat belts to side facing seats in a motorhome in the UK (no such exemption on the continent though) but lap belts could be fitted if needed
Your correct about them being costly items. They really do hold their value well if looked after.
When we were looking, all the ones that we looked at under 10K were not very nice at all. This one was 14K.
Mine is 19 years old but has only done 60K, and was a one owner from new job with every bit of paperwork and user manual including the original sales invoice included. It has hot water, heating, shower / toilet, full size cooker and fridge - everything works.
Cruising speed is 60mph as it doesnt sound or feel very happy above this, acceleration is slow and its does about 20mpg (2ltr petrol engine)
Its one of the best things we've ever bought and a damn sight cheaper and more convenient than the boats that we used to own - which nearly bankrupted us!
Ian
I would look at the Hymer A Class range.
The kids are 10 and 5, but both are small and still in full booster seats.
We used to do a lot of weekend camping in minimal facilities campsites, this would be a more civilised way to get back to that a bit. The youngest is a nightmare in a tent, and SWMBO has outgrown the toilet in a hedge.
The appeal of just heading out of a weekend climbing or diving somewhere, and being able to use a field campsite is quite big. We already upped the budget to 20 from 15, but can't realistically push it any further.
Dave
id get a vw t4 conversion and awning if the kids are small and its just for weekends.Originally Posted by Dave S
negotiate on the toilet issue. i never understood why people would want to crap in their van.
you can get something decent for your budget.
just stay away from the automatics !
Good luck everybody. Have a good one.
Not to go against Dave but the trouble with T4's, (in fact all VW's), is that you're paying for the brand a little. Very good vans but not great value for money.
Are you handy with the hammer? Lots of self build kits / guides available online. Could be a saving that way?
Agree on the toilet as well. You'll never use it and if you do, you'll instantly regret it!
expensive, but on the plus side they hold their money well.
in actual fact when i sold my van i got more than i paid for it!
the advantage of buying a ready made conversion is also cheap insurance - i think i was paying around 150 fully comp through adrian flux
some insurers aren't going to give you cheap camper van insurance if it isn't listed as such on the v5
Last edited by seikopath; 17th June 2016 at 19:54.
Good luck everybody. Have a good one.
Yeah...they are mobile roadblocks.
I've lost count of the hours I've enjoyed being stuck behind one of these things.
Before you take the plunge...do a quick survey to establish how much these loathsome things are hated by the motoring community in general.
They come a very close second to your ordinary caravan.
If you do go for it....you will need to acquire that 'look ahead' stare to avoid eye contact with the 80% of motorists who will despise you.
Sorry...probably not the response you're after....but then again, I'm just a grumpy old bastard.
Tifa,
Given the number of times some tw@t has pulled out in front of me when I'm driving a "slow" Land Rover, forcing me to do an emergency stop I don't have much worries there. Yin and Yang ;)
It takes time to wind up a landy, but then they are very capable of going much quicker than the average person thinks.
VW are over priced I think, its the surfer thing I guess. With a small van and an awning I might as well pitch one of the selection of tents we already have.
I'm very handy, but I'm not building a camper - I've still got a Porsche engine in pieces.
Dave
I think a nice conversion is worth the extra
Doesn't have to be a veedub
You can get decent hiaces , although the conversions tend to run lengthwise.
Good luck everybody. Have a good one.
Are they not just a horse box with a karzie?
Dont knock taking your own toilet with you until you've tried it
I like chemical toilets - some excellent designs out there. When I sold my last boat I hung on to the nearly new Thetford toilet so that I could keep it in my garage in case there is ever a problem with the WC in the house
Now that I have the motorhome I have yet another toilet so am now covered for nearly all eventualities toilet wise
Last edited by Velorum; 17th June 2016 at 22:39. Reason: Added a toilet
I wonder if vindaloo is the meal of choice in the Velorum household?
And Fuller London Pride of courseI wonder if vindaloo is the meal of choice in the Velorum household?
I think that some people may have had nasty experiences with old fashioned chemical toilets many years ago, which were little more than simple plastic buckets with a crude seat on the top - in which case I can understand the scepticism
Things are different theses days
Here is photo of one similar to that fitted to my motorhome. Comfy seat, electric flush and the holding tank can be removed from a hatch on the outside of the van so no need to carry it through the living space
The spare Thetford in the garage isnt quite so sophisticated having a manual pump and you need to detach the upper seat & flush tank in order to empty the waste part. Its still pretty clean, efficient and comfy though
Had this Swift Kontiki for 5 years.....spent 3 months in France every year, and used it to attend as many BSB rounds in the UK as I could..loved every minute of it.... Sold it last year for £21k
As for the haters....I couldn't give a monkys, 9 times out of 10 it was some numpty in a Prious holding me up...
Bought a motor camper with my sister 11 years ago, it is a Fiat based 21' coach built. We've kept it pretty tidy, we did have to have the rear end rebuilt due to water ingress. We are both very pleased with it and it is worth more than half what we paid for it. It is 5 berth with 6 belted travel seats (2 rear facing with lapstraps) We look at modern 'vans from time to time but nothing seems to match what we have at the moment!
Sent from my ONE A2003 using Tapatalk
Spent a fun afternoon with the kids at a local ish dealer. It was good to look around a few different types, the layouts vary and I think we have a better idea of what might work for us now.
Going to another dealer tomorrow, so more to look at.
The kids had a brill time, "can we go in this one " cheap entertainment.
We are a bit stuck on parking, can fit a 6 metre one in, but the ones we liked were 7 metres... Although they were all too much anyway.
Dave
My kids absolutely loved having our camper van, the two youngest are more or less grown up now but they told me recently that the camper van was one of the best things they liked when they were growing up
Good luck everybody. Have a good one.
My step father is selling his, Mercedes based van that sleeps 4, will get some info if your interested when they back on Tuesday, pm me if you would some info
If you go and see a Bongo and you're considering one, drop me a line and I'll try to answer any questions you may have.
This is mine (with a few others)
Our fiat Ducato is speed limited to 90mph.
Sometimes it's the car drivers who hold everyone up.
A camper van is something i would love to get although i just cant afford one. Even looked at buying a van to convert but even them cost the earth even when they have about 150k on them.
Have a look at the LDV Pilot van. Amazing value for money and easily converted.
OP, just an idea of what you can get for 20k:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VW-transpo...MAAOSwQupXVJYm
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MOTORHOME-...AAAOSwmtJXY~cf
edit: i wouldn't want a fixed hitop myself, but i can see why some people would prefer them to a pop top.
Last edited by seikopath; 20th June 2016 at 12:10.
Good luck everybody. Have a good one.
Successful weekend.
Bought a 2003 Burstner A530.
Sleeps 4-5, but has 6 proper seatbelts.
We ended up compromising on having to make one of the beds, but traded that against a decent sized wet area (scuba diving kit), slightly shorter van - so we can store it at home, and less money.
If we like it but want to trade up at least we'll have some experience, and the build /winterisation of this can seemed very good
Dave
What puzzles me is these motor homes are so expensive to build but they base them on Citroen and Fiat vans. Why not on VW and Merc
I've seen Merc camper vans, they do seem pricey for a kitted out van though but seem to hold their value well so probably cheaper to own than a similar priced car from new.
I don't find camper vans a big problem to follow - They're rarely driven much slower than similar sized commercial vans and come with less knobs giving hand signals as a rule.
They're a manageable size to overtake, unlike car and caravan combinations.
I'd have one to go diving in if I had the room to park it. but I don't (probably much to my wife's relief)
M
You've always got room for a little'un
I'd have one to go diving in if I had the room to park it. but I don't (probably much to my wife's relief)
M
We used to convert these. Packed in a double bed, toilet, twin burner hob, sink and storage!
They were a little cosy...
I've already got an Ikea wardrobe thanks, although the wheels look a good idea!You've always got room for a little'un
We used to convert these. Packed in a double bed, toilet, twin burner hob, sink and storage!
They were a little cosy...
M.
Hymer do seem built on mercs, there were a couple there, but auto and lhd. I think that makes sense for continental touring, but less so for us.
Ours is a ducato 2.8 based one. Having hired big ducato vans of a similar age Im not worried about holding anyone up, although inevitably when I get stuck behind someone the car behind me will be blaming the big camper van...
Dave
I was thinking more about longevity than top speed
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