B.F.O motorhome

[smellmycheese]

Having decided we've had enough of spunking four grand on a summer holiday that's usually pretty shit, the plan this year is to have a go in the motorhome department and tour south England, maybe france. Budget is about eight bags. Must be at least 6 birth.

Am I asking for trouble buying some kind of old r.v or would I be better with some kind of converted minibus....mercedes vario type thing?

Your thoughts and advice please and anyone know of anything for sale.

[Rocket88]

Old Yank R.V for maximum shite points............

[John F]

... and minimum practicality / fuel efficiency. Although your minimum 6-berth requirement does change things a bit... whatever you end up with is going to be big

 

A modern-ish TD would give the best balance of economy and speed / comfort IMO.

 

My 1988 LT 35 really doesn't like going above 60 mph and makes this clear to me by being VERY noisy.

[garbaldy]

I hope my misses comes to her senses about holidays one of these days as I would love a big fuck off camper to terrorise other drivers, only problem I would have is parking as it wouldn't fit up our drive.

8k sounds like a very good budget for a decent one though

[gadgetgricey]

How often are you going to use it?

How long is the holiday?

 

Just wondered if renting one by the better option initially. I'd hate for you to blow 8K and then find that its not your cup of tea.

[John F]

I hope my misses comes to her senses about holidays one of these days as I would love a big fuck off camper to terrorise other drivers, only problem I would have is parking as it wouldn't fit up our drive.

8k sounds like a very good budget for a decent one though

 

I keep my LT in secure caravan storage, costs about £35 per month with CCTV and 24 hour access..

[smellmycheese]

How often are you going to use it?

How long is the holiday?

 

Just wondered if renting one by the better option initially. I'd hate for you to blow 8K and then find that its not your cup of tea.

We have a caravan already which is for sale so we will use and enjoy it. Renting something decent is about £100 a day which to me is dead money.

[Sealtainn]

Just be very careful if you are looking at eBay camper vans as it seems to be the current vehicle of choice for the scammers.

If you are on Facebook, there's a page on there which lists quite a lot of the scams, it can be found here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/GroupEVSA/?ref=browser

[spartacus]

I ended up buying something smaller but initially I looked at the size you're talking about. There were quite a few well looked after Hymer Motorhomes in that sort of price bracket, most based on some sort of Mercedes.

[Rocket88]

I ended up buying something smaller but initially I looked at the size you're talking about. There were quite a few well looked after Hymer Motorhomes in that sort of price bracket, most based on some sort of Mercedes.

 

Apart from looking like the bastard love child of a Daimler Dart and a guppy, they're supposed to be well built, although not exactly rapid.............

[darkfour]

Of absolutely no use to you but this is full of WIN. I'd LOVE to rock up in this

 

If you want the WOW! FACTOR! this is it 1976 WINNEBAGO BRAVE

 

[chaseracer]

Six wheels?  Check.

 

 

455 Olds V8 with front-drive by chain?  Check.

 

 

Interior like the inside of a pickled cabbage?  Check.

 

 

GMC Motorhome, please.

 

[gordonbennet]

Probably just as well it was up in Glasgow cos we fell in love with a special that had previously been used by a bike trials crew, built on a Mercedes 814 7.5 ton day cab chassis it was obvious the body was originally destined as a horse box, so lowish Luton over the cab (double bed), living accomodation in the middle plus convertible beds, but the icing on the cake was the boot in the step frame behind the rear axle (further accomodation above the boot), which with drop down side door forming a ramp for the bikes...the dimensions of which i believe would have taken a Smart Car, so quite possibly a short Kei car would fit too...that would make it a brilliant tourer.

The 814 Merc was probably the best 7.5 tonner of them all, NA 6 put Diesel, not the most powerful but proved very reliable and reasonably frugal.

IIRC it fetched £12k on the bay roughly 5 years ago and was in very good condition.

 

Got to be a good bet for a shiter camper based on a lorry chassis.

[chodweaver]

Only the modern stuff with a modicum of aerodynamics and an efficient diesel engine is going to deliver more than 60 and not crucify you for fuel, but with 8 bags, you're looking at the bottom end of the market. Be very careful - buy a damp meter and use it. Watch out for damp smells, signs of past leaks, take any assurances that they've been fixed with lots of salt - if it smells damp it is - and make sure that the seller can demonstrate every system working correctly - gas hob, fridge, water pump, charging circuits, water heating, blown air heating, lighting, awning and solar where fitted. All this in addition to the usual mechanical stuff you'd check on a car. An honest private seller is more likely than a dealer in my experience - even second hand, the dealers aren't interested below about 12k.

 

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[chodweaver]

And because motorhomes hold their value to an unfeasible extent, do consider home conversion vans and ex-horseboxes - unless you want to use the club sites in the UK - they only let bonafide campers on their sites, cos they're chronic snobs.

 

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[mercrocker]

And because motorhomes hold their value to an unfeasible extent, do consider home conversion vans and ex-horseboxes - unless you want to use the club sites in the UK - they only let bonafide campers on their sites, cos they're chronic snobs.

 

Sent from my GT-S5830i using Tapatalk 2

 

Good points.....We had a converted CF ambulance.  You could sleep across it - vastly improving the interior layout options.   Fold flat rear doors meant you could back right up to a good viewpoint without the doors being a pain in the ass.  Ours was marine ply laminated GRP and never got damp as well as maintaining a comfortable ambient temperature.  

 

It looked like shit but we never had any problem on whichever camping sites we chose.  Lots of these rules are made up to keep certain users out.   You are better off avoiding Caravan Club sites in any case - they always remind me of cemeteries with their gravel standings and grass like astro turf.