New non-shite.

[M'coli]

I may have mentioned that I've been made redundant. The terms were pretty good, so I've treated myself to a new vehicle. It's the youngest I've ever owned (2005) and also the most expensive - by a factor of 16.

 

It's not fast, it's not pretty, but it is spacious and comfy...

I spent 2.5 hours clearing the front garden to get it on the lawn - some of the beech hedge had to go!

[Mr Lobster]

 

Redundancy terms must have been really good I'd say

 

That looks ace though. Any plans with it? Off touring Europe or anything?

[Cavcraft]

Sorry to hear you've been to the 'dance, can't be much fun.

 

Like your motor though, that's exactly the sort of thing I'm going to get when I retire, been talking to Mrs C about it recently oddly enough.

Hope you have plans to A-frame a rusty Maestro behind it?

[pogweasel]

[trigger]

^

 

Very nice though I'd quite fancy a camper van at some point, It's just having somewhere to store it that's half the problem with them.

[M'coli]

Terms were compulsory and civil service - better now than in a year's time! I was thinking of A-framing either an Imp, my Metro or the wife's 106 but not at the moment. I might strap a Puch Maxi to the bike carrier though, for when we're set up for an evening and we fancy a bag of chips.

 

Touring around the British Isles this summer, first Shropshire, and Dorset to see the Jurassic coast, then home, do a washing or two, then head for Tuechterland and the Ooter Hebrides. Wemay go to Belgium next year once I've sorted out me passport and stuff, but I fancy Islay in February for the geese (and the whisky...!).

[M'coli]

Nice pictures, Pog, are they meant to mean something???

Speaking of dogs, it's the only thing that we're worried about - how do you stop the dog sliding around on the seats when you're driving it? We have a harness on him in the car but the rear seats in the van have no seatbelts.

[Cavcraft]

 

*Only just worked it out

 

M'coli, you'll have to do a tour of Autoshite towns, loads of pictures and a coffee table book when you've done.

[Mr Lobster]

*Only just worked it out

 

Took me a minute or two as well

 

Bet it would be though

[M'coli]

M'coli, you'll have to do a tour of Autoshite towns,

The wife's dreading it already!

loads of pictures

Naturally!

and a coffee table book when you've done.

With coffee cup stains on every page!

 

I reckoned that I wouldn't get this chance again in a hurry so thought I'd better take it. We looked at buying at first, then hiring (£4000 for 5 weeks ) because we wouldn't have to store it when we finished, but went for buying again as it was difficult to get one with the layout that we wanted as they were booked up.

This van has our preferred layout and I found it on eBay half a mile away - WIN!

[rocco1504]

Envy factor 1000 here.

 

That's exactly what I want after I source a good Viva, something to take the missus and the brats round Europe in.

 

Sorry to hear about the redundancy though.

[ashmicro]

That's a cracking bus. I'd love something like that myself one day. ENJOY!

[Marshall]

That is really nice. Not heard of that brand before - Who makes them. Nice crisp styling / good colour scheme. My sister has a Swift Sundance of similar size. Is it a Fiat Ducato?

 

Enjoy

 

BTW she has two dogs (spaniels) that they take in theirs and they seem fine with it and dont seem to slide about too much at all. They normally put a makeshift barrier behind the two front seats though to stop the dogs wandering to the 'business end'

 

I like 'going upstairs' - There is a suprising amount of room up there. Its like a separate little room of its own. Great!

[Station]

"Grid Four Paw Ing"

 

[Mash]

Letting the side down a bit by not getting a beige Bedford CF-cabbed one though!

[M'coli]

Marshall - it's a 2.0 JTD Ducato base vehicle, the living area is from Lunar Caravans in Lancashire. It has an end lounge with the kitchen and cludgie in the centre. The end lounge is vital as it means that the wife and I can go to each end of the van and get out of each other's space when the need arises.

 

Much as a CF is the Autoshite way, I just didn't fancy it this time. They don't lose a huge amount of money - a 1999 Autosleepers Transit from a dealer* was £40 cheaper than this - but then we'd have to fit it with telly, crockery, bedding etc., which this van came already equipped with!

 

 

*I asked the (rather bored and disinterested) dealer if any vans were petrol, to which he said that there wasn't a petrol van on the site. The look he gave me when I then suggested that he should have a petrol CF converted ambulance was priceless!

[Lord Sterling]

"Grid Four Paw Ing"

 

Grate

4

Dog

ING

 

Took me a while to work out aswell.

[messerschmitt owner]

"Grid Four Paw Ing"

 

Grate

4

Dog

ING

 

Took me a while to work out aswell.

nah! they do bounce about a lot if you're active in them - mine does!

 

thin walls also mean you don't want to do anything too close to the neighbours.

 

Oh, Dorset is motorhome hell - they charge a fortune to park there - we spent a tenner in parking each day in various bits of the county and every car park is pay and display!

 

Expect 25-30mpg taking it easy in the Ducato - I get 18-24 out of my 4.6 tonne merc