Motorhome Things We Wish We Had Known
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- čas přidán 31. 01. 2019
- Tim Englefield asked us 3 questions; Things you should know, Things you wish you'd known and Best Tip given to me.
Thanks for visiting this Motorhome channel. We do Motorhome Reviews, Motorhome Days Out, Help, Hints and Tips on Motorhomes, Motorhome Tours in the UK and Europe, we visit Motorhome Shows, and spend over a third of our year living in a motorhome. In fact all things motorhome!
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Please watch: "How (Not) To Make Up The Front Bed | Bailey Peak District Tour Pt7"
• How (Not) To Make Up T...
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I’m so with you on the hose! It now sits gathering dust in my shed !
Hi Bob, as usual good vlog, we bought our motorhome from Somerset Motorhomes and they provide all their customers with a nights stay on a local campsite to ensure everything is working and you're happy with the van. Not wishing to provide free advertising but they were probably the best dealer we visited and eventually bought from.
After two years of looking and deciding, I am picking up my first motorhome on Wednesday. I didn't go for a drop down bed! Thank you for your good advice and tips, l'm going to need them!
My biggest tip for first time buyers ? Buy a cheap one to start with. You might not like the whole thing. We started with an old Hymer for £4k and had if for 4 years. It did 7 trips to Spain without complaint. After 4 years we knew what we wanted, and also knew how to fit the things we wanted if they were needed. We upgraded to a Laika , which we have had for 6 years. We love it and it's got most of the things we want. You'll never get the perfect van, but you can come close.
Great advice thank you. We are still looking for that perfect layout...
We bought a Burstner 680g whith drop down bed best decision for us there not all bad . Full bathroom loads of storage sensible size.Bed not taking up loads of space when not in use. We love it .
We bought our first motorhome brand new and only kept it for 5 months! It didn’t have enough storage and I was constantly rearranging things. Second motorhome is perfect. We learnt what we really wanted/needed in those 5 months.
Thanks Bob appreciate that.
Great tips Bob and Jenny 💖💖
Well done Jenny & Bob, great video especially for newcomers to the Motorhome word.
Loved when you mentioned the "Leccy cable" Jenny 👍 fantastic info as usual 🥂 look forward to your next installment.
I really appreciate your objective style. We are all different with varying needs and preferences. After nearly 4 years of saving, researching and hiring we finally bought our first motorhome a week before Christmas - a brand new N&B Smove. Initially we definitely wanted automatic transmission and a garage for my husband’s road bicycles, plus we wouldn’t entertain a transverse bed. The only thing on our deal breaker list that we didn’t break was the garage. Other fixed bed layouts just didn’t work for us for various reasons plus we love the luxury of a king size bed. We were disappointed with the performance of automatic gear boxes, including the Mercedes. We understand your rationale about the step with the dogs. We don’t have that consideration. A Hymer we hired had an internal step and we both managed to fall down the gap when moving about inside the van. So for us a flush internal floor became important. The step on our van automatically retracts when you let the hand brake off which removes the risk of inadvertently kneecapping pedestrians. Thanks for all of your hard work. It is appreciated. We particularly like videos like this and site reviews.
Thanks for the sharing. Your videos are great and really helpful.
A useful and informative video. Margaret and I are very grateful to you both in being be able to benefit from your experiences, not just from this video but from many others which you have uploaded also. Thank you.
Thank you for your kind comments, and thanks for watching.
Great video again both of you. Always sound tips and advice. Keep it going ;))
Contemplating changing from a campervan to a motorhome so your tips were much appreciated.
Thank you, hope it helps.
Totally agree with your comments regarding finding a Dealer locally and I'd also suggest selecting the right Dealer is as important as selecting the right vehicle. With the increase in the number of vans being built down to the 3.5T mark, make sure the quality of the materials has not suffered in the process and also ensure you have sufficient payload for your needs. Some payloads are pretty mean because of the above.
Jenny and Bob, so right at our age, to go and live it, x
Very sound advice. Regrettably, what may look like a good space-saving or useful variation on a very common product, often is a total waste of money, time and effort (e.g. the hosepipe). There is a very good reason why the traditional style remains the most commonly found version. This is what I thought when I saw the utter nonsense of the 'Pick-it' (I forgot the actual spelling) fence for keeping pets in, though my criticism of that product was only of the product and not of your good selves! If a new design is really that good, the traditional version will disappear and the new whatever it may be, will become the main product. If that doesn't happen, then think twice as it may not necessarily be the right product for you or the majority of people. The last piece of advice you give in this video is universal and so, very true. You have one life - live it!
There is no lesson as good as the one learned the hard way, you have given some great tips for those that would be thinking about buying, they have just been lifted up two rungs of the ladder of knowledge.
Super..... thanks for the insights!!!
Totally agree with your last statement, ( one life live it). We are about to upgrade our mh for that reason, adventure is out there. Great video as always
Another good video with lots of sound advice.
Thanks for the info just bought a Bailey Advance 7644 the reviews you both do helped us.
Thank you keep it up .Picking van up next week..Greating for Hillside Southport
thank you for all videos
Great video again. Bob and Jenny . As seasoned motorhomers . You cover everything a novice needs to know. Thank you for the advice.
Keep up the good work.👍
Our pleasure!
Useful video bob and Jenny thanks! We hired a motor home with a drop down bed which seemed a good idea but I agree would prefer a static bed
Enjoyed every one bob x jenny ,again very well done ,great tips gained by experience ,for us all bitter experience sometimes 👍❤
Great tips thank you 😀👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
Some great tips there, I liked the last one the most! ;)
Great video you two, some helpful information
Awesome Tips! Most of which ive done!
Im looking into refillable lpg cylinders. Definately know I want only one cylinder, so I still have space in my cupboard for a pigtail secondary cylinder!
Thanks for the advice guys. I've had my Vantage Sol now for a year and love it. British built although on a Fiat Ducato, both have been great with no problems worth mentioning. Thankfully I think have got it right first time.🤞 You are also correct in stating that layout to suit your own personal needs is very important and also where and how you are going to use it helps narrow your choice. As for my wife and I, we are reasonably small and fit but most of out travel is going to be around Scotland and the islands hence a PVC to get down the single track roads and a rear U shaped lounge to shelter us from the weather was a must. The draw back is we need to make the bed last thing at night and first thing in the morning (when our energy is low), a compromise for us so we can get all the extra lounging space for most of the day. This is acceptable at present. The second big consideration is storage, we hired a Auto-Trail PVC V-Line before purchasing to make sure the life style was right for us and also to really figure out how much stuff we were going to need to store for at least a couple of weeks at a time. I would suggest hiring is a must. Finally the resource on CZcams such as your channel Bob is a great source of reference. There is some fantastic advice available from the community. Spend lots of hours enjoying it and learning. Best wishes.
Thanks for your comments and wise words.
Are you still pleased with your vantage?
Delightful.
One of the best things we bought was a portable induction hob (50 quid from John Lewis). The downside is you need suitable pots and pans (brownie points with the wife for the quality) but you can then have one kettle that works on gas or electric. You can also cook outside on the electric induction hob if you have power. The reason for an induction hob rather than a normal hob is that it's much more efficient, controllable as to power and subsequently faster to boil water and very easy to clean.
Many thanks for all your tips 👍 regards from a newbie
Thank you.
Just discovered your channel as a new owner you give very useful/helpful and interesting content!
Thank you, glad to be of use!
Thank you.. 👏👏
Two things we learned when we bought our first motorhome 1) check for damp and 2) what’s the payload. We were very naive and bought without checking both. Luckily the payload was good but the damp cost us a lot to put right.
Hi Bob thanks for the great vids we only purchased a motorhome two months ago and your advice is always appreciated.
Thanks
Thank you, good to hear that.
Glad to help
I agree you need to stay near your dealer after purchase as problems show up even after one day.
We are from NZ and keep a camper in the UK . We spend our
first night near our contact and if something is not right after storage we can get things fixed. Works a treat😎
Got our first van one year ago Auto Trail Imala 732. I just wanted the permanent bed in the back. Ok it's nice to have the bed made up ready all the time but it cuts down on living space quite allot. So we have just traded that in for Elddis Evolution 196. Had our first trip last week. Really love the extra space for general living. We have so much extra storage space. In the 732 we only had one draw in the kitchen in the 196 I have so many draws, really loving the new van.
I always say it's what compromises you can live with in Motorhomes.
Best tip ever.x.
I had the same problem as you with my first van, did the research etc but only after I had got it realised it was the wrong choice; electric drop down bed wired incorrectly, build quality poor and aftersales poor. (Benimar and dealer who have a number of branches around the UK)!!! Sold after 15mths, still a big hit but the right decision, hopefully collecting my new murvi camper van later this month or early March. Jenny you are getting very good at these vlogs now, well done the pair of you and thankyou.
We all know who that dealer is...
@@BobEarnshawMoHo no names needed lol..
Nooo. You need to say who the bad dealers are. Us newbies and gonnabies need to avoid the sharks, we rely on your expertise. Thank you, rant over.
@@thebigchip I can't name names, but their adverts boast they are the largest dealer in the UK.
Another informative video. Best tip, don't buy everything at once. After a lifetime of boating, sailed the globe twice, camping, caravanning and motorhome owning, I have a shed the size of a double length garage that is full of stuff. Last week I found a canoe that I built when I was at university, I was sure I had sold it twenty years ago.
Yes good tip, we bought things over the last 15 years, still have things we have never used!
Nice CZcams video from Holland Bea
Hi we find carrying a watering can is a must have for our Motorhome if the hose is a little to short when we arrive at a site we allways fill up with water then top it up with the can good tips 👍
Good tip!
This is absolutely essential. I saw one on our second trip, bought one the next day and now hardly ever bother with a hose or jerry can. Another tip in France is to fill up with water at the Aire nearest to where you are staying, it's usually free at the Aire but may not be at the site. Careful with the payload though, 1 litre of water is 1kg.
Hi cliff we very rarely go on service pitches so we find having a watering can so good best thing we carry thank you for your comment glen
The best tip that I can offer is when emptying the toilet cassette keep your mouth closed
Lol
...and a peg on your nose 👃!!
You're keeping 'tight lipped' about it
Yuk lol
My priority when buying, on my 3rd motorhome now ,,,, Has always been that the HABITATION door is on the Left Hand Side,,, UK spec ,,
Good point. I didn’t think it was an issue until last weekend . We were pulling into a lay-by and spotted another moho. I started to drive past him and suddenly the habitation door on the drivers side swung open and a dog jumps out ! It was on a lead but it was close call ! I didn’t even speak to the driver as he really wound me up. He could have just used the front passenger cab door !
It is surprising how many people accept habitation for on the right! Continental people will never accept habitation door on left.
Our brand new first van (Bailey 665) suffered from the electric 'bed goes down but not up' problem. We took it back (100 miles each way - Bob you are right about buying locally!) and the guy 'fixed' it after telling me it was incorrectly wired (it wasn't). On the second occasion I sorted it myself. The issue was very simple. The limit switch (cheap microswitch - there's two: one at the top and one at the bottom) doesn't have wiped contacts meaning that because the bed is mostly up the top switch contacts are open and they oxidise. When the bed goes down the switch closes but because the contacts don't wipe, (slide over each other) they simply close, the circuit isn't made. Then, when you press the up button the switch is still 'open' so the bed fails to work. The fix for me was simply to reach over and manually toggle the switch 10 times quickly to clear the oxide. It worked every time. The proper solution is for manufacturers to fit switches with 'wiped' contacts. Of course there maybe other problems that I didn't experience.
The problem with our Bailey's bed was the motor wasn't up to the job. They changed the motor in the end.
I think, if you like your creature comforts at home, you will want them on the road, so you will end up carrying an awful lot of stuff.. for example, we have 3 kettles in our van.. higher wattage mains, lower wattage mains for when using generator and a gas one. It ends up being a bit daft but it’s nice to feel you can cope with all scenarios.
il just bung everything in my wheeled flight cases.then there's hoisting it up the step/s...
I laughed when you said get a local dealer. The dealer I purchased from is 2,800 miles away. The upside is that I get lifetime propane refills from them!
Interior steps should have an electrically activated step cover.
My one tip would be to get a Trucker GPS (I have a Garmin 760LMT).
I’ve taken all your comments on board and been looking for two years. Seems like we have a match! Going to the Glasgow Show next week to view what I think might be the “Love of my Life”. 🤣🤣
Let's hope so. Good luck
I good vlog. Liked the cadac point we have the small one like you. But soon as we got it I had big cadac envy of everybody else at TF18. Maybe I just need to see sense Like you . We you tf19
Very good tips. Had me laughing , it's great after the cringing has subsides , isn't it.
If people can try the motor home they are interested in, before buying it might help to decide if it's the right one.
Number one tip, buy the MH that’s right for you, take your time looking for the right layout. Don’t let anyone tell you what you should and shouldn’t be buying.
Good advise . I didn’t know Bob and Jenny sold after 8 months from new . That must have cost a fair bit so that’s a shame .
We were convinced we needed the fixed bunks for the kids but then realised this wouldn’t give us ANY seating other than the dinette ! In the end we went for a rear lounge and the kids sleep up the front . We have the lounge at the back to relax in when the kids are asleep . The layout is key .
I totally agree with you comment 👍🏻
If you don't need a drop down bed at the front go for a motorhome that has the option as it eats into your payload which is more important on 3500 kg coach builds and you can save 75 kg . Another good product I have found is the simple hose pipe water gauge that plugs in line with the hose at the tap end when filling the water tank as payloads are based on 20 kg or 20L of water in the tank while traveling and trying to estimate from the motorhome gauges themselves . Cheap and simple to find at garden centres
or auction site and I find takes away risk of being overweight and illegal
Thanks, that's interesting, it measures the water going in?
Yes younger clip it in line when you are traveling to know how much water is in the tank .
www.gardena.com/uk/products/watering/hose-fittings/water-smart-flow-meter/966780901/
Thanks for the vid, found it very useful, if possible do you have any tips on hiring a motorhome as my wife and me are hiring our 1st one this year.
We hired one in 2003. All I can offer is check that the basics are all there and the water tank doesn't leak like ours did!
There are lots and lots. Ads (Herman) and I have a 'thing' about overhang, especially when turning right and someone is trying to overtake on the inside - it is dangerous. Remember it is not a car, it is longer and heavier
Before you sign on the dotted line, that's after you have chosen the layout, decided what extras you want on a new van or found out what extras have been fitted to your new to you prospect, check your weights. Doubly important of your limited to 3,500Kg, moreso if the adults are on the large size, like me, and well exceed the 75Kg allowed. Watch out, especially at shows, where the 3500Kg van seems to have loads of payload, but has several packs included whose weights have not been taken off the payload. Treat a salesperson who tells you not to worry about payload with great caution.
Another wonderful and informative vlog both,thank you. We discovered that A shower tray requires two drains,I know cos ours only has one ! Another thing is some dealers are apt to push you to purchasing an on the forecourt motorhome and therefore the options available are not explained. After purchasing a motorhome these optional items are incredibly expensive if required soon after.. we thought the Truma combi boiler was dual fuel,an option which was available for a couple of hundred pounds but now would be more like £1200 to install. Thanks again. All the best.
I managed to buy the correct motorhome for me 1st time, but after 4 years of looking and nearly buying one I would have regretted buying.
My tip is to follow your gut instinct and if you have doubts walk away until you are sure its correct for your needs.
Sure the one I have has a few things I would want to change, but not enough to warrant a change of motorhome and the extra cost.
Outstanding flashback of left - right - up - down - forward - backwards : ) ............
Very interested in your opening advice if thinking of using your drive to park your motor home.just like to add another thought to yours,if you have an incline on your drive,be aware of the rear overhang of your Motorhome,we didn’t and each time we reversed off the drive the motorhome was nearly bottoming out on the crown of our road,we did resolve this problem by fitting air bag suspension to the rear suspension springs.Brilliant ,fitted by Air Suspension of Warrington.
Thanks, yes, good advice, the drive at our last house, when we had our first Motorhome, was quite steep, so would have been a problem with our current motorhome.
So glad this video appeared as i was scrolling 😁.im able to buy an oldish van in a year or so.probably won't get much for 15k as don't really want to go for finance.Apr is high on them. Being partially disabled im definitely going for a fixed bed. was thinking of getting a drop down bed but i just can't see me up and down the cute little ladder.! seems like il be going for an old adria, or rapido, or whatever is best value for money.habitation tests etc..mileage, how many owners, service history etc.atb👋🚙
Good luck in your search, we had drop down beds, already to try something different. Subscribe and see how we get on with a French bed.
Here's a couple of things I think you should cover. All about water.
1. Do you rinse plates/pots outside before washing in sink?
2. Do you wet yourself, Turn off water to soap up, then rinse off in the shower?
3. Do you use bottled water to clean your teeth?
4. What chemicals do you use, ie Toilet, Sink, tank flushes etc?
5. How often do you clean the roof of the van including Solar panel?
6. How much bottled water to you take on a trip and where do you stow it?
7. Are Air conditioner units hard piped into the tank water or do they have their own reservoir?
8. What is the maximum length of hose do you use or do you connect sections of hose to make the desired length?
9. Do you have a mobile water tank to fill up MH when you do not want to move MH to site water point?
10. Do you wash or disinfect site water points before use and if so what do you use?
11. Do all water point have similar connectors or is there a kit for Europe?
12. What do you do to combat condensation within the van?
13. How do you dry clothes, towels etc in hot or cold conditions?
14. Do you cook with bottled or tank water and is there a taste difference?
15. Which country in the current EU have you found has the best and worst tasting water?
There's an episode for you.
Chris
Thanks, that is a video for beginners right there. I think I've probably answered many of those questions in previous videos but it would be an idea to do a new water video.
@@BobEarnshawMoHo i think it fits in things i wish i knew beforehand
I hope you already got answers to these, but if not:
1. We don't rinse, but we have a dishwasher.
2. Showering in the RV is no different than showering at home. We do keep showers shorter when boondocking, but 10 minutes is fine.
3. No. I prefer whisky, but the onboard water is potable.
4. Same chemicals as used at home. We have a black tank, but if you are in the US you don't have to worry about extra chemicals for that.
5. Clean and inspect twice a year.
6. It depends on where we are going, for how long and how expensive it is. We have been on a trip, found bottled water on sale and bought as much as 48 cases (a pallet full - about 700 liters) of 30 500ml bottles at a time. It gets stored under the coach.
7. Air conditioners don't require a water supply. They work on the same concept as your refrigerator.
8. 100'
9. No. We have a 100 gallon water tank and don't normally stay on a site long enough to deplete it.
10. Yes. Iodine
11. Can't help you with this one as I am in North America.
12. The A/C units will keep the humidity level down. If we are in a cold wet area we run the A/C unit for the middle of the bus to control humidity and control temperature with the Aquahot.
13. We have a laundry pair for cold wet areas. Hot areas we use a drying rack mounted in under coach storage.
14. Tank water usually and yes.
15. My experience is limited to half a dozen countries so I really can't say.
We all have the degree from the university of hindsight. (Except politicians)
Politicians can just choose to ignore history....
Oh how true..perfectly timed too.😁👍
@@BobEarnshawMoHo or make it up :-)
Especially great closing tip :) Sounds like we shared a very similar experience to your Compact experience albeit ours was with a top spec designer trailer tent rather than a motorhome. Personally I think it’s a terrible indictment of the industry and quality standards that both manufacturers and dealers apparently cannot be bothered to do proper PDIs, can you imagine driving out of the Volvo or bmw or Mercedes garage with a brand new vehicle and finding eg the electric windows didn’t operate or radio wouldn’t tune. We too lost several thousand on our non functional TT. Likewise people move around the country, etc so can you imagine your local bmw garage refusing to do warranty work or services on a car!!! If the dealerships make less money from this warranty work then it’s up to manufacturers to sort it so that if you own a particular brand you can take it to any of that brand’s franchises. Hopefully as the internet enables people to share their stories we might be able to create a bit of people power or we need some new comer manufacturer to create a step change customer service revolution! Anyway, enough of my ranting, great set of tips, thanks for sharing your experiences in detail, will be of great help to others and you make a great double act :)
I remember driving away a Vauxhall and the sunroof leaked on me!
Your right in what you say but I don’t think us “ordinary” folk don’t stand a chance... and never will ... against these big companies. They have their policies, take our money and keep on getting bigger and bigger.
We need MORE ranting,i always mention "social media" that usually gets a response.
Steve’s tube channel Bolton you would have thought (perhaps that’s my problem - applying logic!) that it costs the dealerships more though in the long run by not doing a proper PDI - annoyed customer who is within their rights to reject something within 6 months if not fit for purpose or a call saying we’re really sorry we’ve identified a small fault in our thorough pdi so we need to fix it/delay collection by eg a week to get it fixed or annoyed customer when they find the fault, assume the dealer has either not done job properly or hoped customer wouldn’t and so customer doesn’t trust dealer enough to come back when they want to upgrade .....? Maybe I’m too into proper service! I wonder if it’s to do with not enough competition in uk market or the volume associated with car market? But then cheapest motorhomes comparable in cost to upper end of car market segment but a lot more manual labour, etc in motorhomes ........ I don’t know so totally open question.
What I find unbelievable is how long caravan and the coach built bit manufacturers (not the vehicle its built on) take to send parts needed for warranty. It takes weeks !!!
My advice would be, do your homework and don't rush in. We spent over two years visiting dealers, joined motorhome fun forum and asked lots of dumb questions and got masses of information from some great folks who had a lifetime of experience. We changed our minds a couple of times after taking time to find out all we could about our chosen 'van. We've had our 'van for 7 months now and can honestly say we've got the layout which suits us, it ticks every single box for us. We've been extremely fortunate to get a van without issues which isn't always the case. Just do your homework and minimise the chances of getting the 'wrong' van first time round.
Very informative, wish i had seen this 6 years ago, then perhaps i would have not spent a small fortune on a brand new caravan which was not suited for us and then buying everything to go with it, which was binned a year later because we didn't need it.
Would you recommend hiring a motor home first?
Thanks, it's too expensive a purchase not to be sure it's want you want. Hiring is a must.
@@BobEarnshawMoHo in hindsight I wish I had done so...
Motorhome gossip once said in his video that to use a wind down bed it would only work when actually connected to an electric supply ( or to use an electric drill to wind the bed up and down) ?? When I retire I've always wanted a compact van, with a bed that could be wind up and down. an would opt for one that would work with a drill mechanism.
No, lol, they should work on 12v supply as as 240v.
just watched a couple of your vids and wanted to say they are great. i did caravaning for years but stopped 10 years ago but now 66 and retired i am thinking of a motorhome with trailer for the motorbike. i will watch more of your vids. keep up the good work
Thanks. The great thing about Motorhomes is their versatility, especially with what you take with you.
Hi Bob, with regard to the future, do you know if much progress is being made on likelihood of electric motors replacing diesel or other alternatives?
Well, something will need to change before 2030, just over 8 years now. Battery technology is making batteries more powerful as they squeeze more capacity into smaller batteries. But I would like to bet on Hydrogen as the fuel of the future. Either as Hydrogen cell electric powered or even Hydrogen combustion engines, which Toyota are developing.
Great advice from both of you, we’ve had our motorhome 3 years now it’s a roller team 500 on a transit , put a new battery on it a year ago, but if I don’t drive it for more than 2 weeks it will be flat , is this normal?
Which battery do you mean, vehicle or leisure? Do you have a solar panel? The engine battery will suffer a small drain from engine electrics. Are you turning the power off on the control panel? Any charging system, alarms or tracking will also drain the leisure battery.
@@BobEarnshawMoHo vehicle battery
is it better to build from the beginning campervan or motorhome or buy a finished one ??
It's whatever suits you best. If you have the skills and time, build your own, if you don't buy one ready made.
In NSW (Australia) the limit is 4500kg for a standard car license.
Much more sensible!
Here in the US it is 26,000 lbs (12,000 kg) for the vehicle and any trailer combined or anything above 10,000 lbs on the trailer. All but 14 states have recreational vehicle exemptions though so you only need a different license if the RV is registered in one of those states. Unfortunately I'm in one of those states.
Quick question, do you now put your Motorhome in storage or did you get a bigger drive , I have the same dilemma, max I can take is 6.4 mts at home, and unsure if I want to have a new MH in storage..
I got a bigger drive! Involved moving 200 miles up the M6 though.
My parents are getting there first campervan early March 2021
Congratulations to them, hopefully most of the restrictions will have gone when they get their new campervan.
I moved from a house. When I went back a few years later. The front garden was paved over and a motor home on it. If I was contemplating buying a motor home. Would it might be better to hire one for a weekend to see if I like it.
Yes, definitely hire one, you might not like it, it could be an expensive mistake!
Hi Bob how do you secure you dog in the motor home with just 2 seatbelts thank you
In a Ferplast travel crate strapped to the side sofa.
Bit late watching this But my tip would be to check how easy is it to get in passengers/ driver door not just the habitation door . As a vertical challenged lady of under 5 ft with 2 knees replacements ongoing arthritis. We had been very careful to check the easy of getting in the habitation door in the dozens of Motorhomes we viewed before making our final choice which had a grab handle and low level entry. Imagine the embarrassment and feeling rather foolish at not been able to get into passenger door side when we went to pick her up 2 weeks ago .😬
Yes, fair point. Jenny is similarly challenged. She also struggles with our cab doors a bit, but then she would in any other Peugeot, Citroën or Fiat Sevel built van. She has struggled with some motorhomes habitation doors at shows too.
Oh my word. Been there got the t shirt sales woman in this case promising everything 12 months down
The line I’m afraid that’s not covered
Also. My van was 6months old when purchased.....but I haven’t got the manufacturers warranty
Instead I have a bought in warranty by someone else how’s that work .?????
So what about my 10 year damp warranty......be careful people
They have a dealership in Mansfield and Nottingham large company
Not impressed I’m afraid
And yes I chose wrong layout only in a sense of storage isn’t the best in my swift bolero Fb 724
Everything else we love
A good tip is to join the rac of AA and you can pay one off there motor mechanics to go with you or they will meet you there then they can connect to there computer because you are spending good money and these people are right se what layout you want me personally we have a autotrail twin axle with a fix bed loads off room but smaller garages on but please look round I have learnt by my mistakes you want solar panels if you are wild camping and fill up gas bottles we fill up at morrisons petrol station most have lpg gas 65p a litre loads cheaper everyone is different so have full and don't rush it .
To add to your knowledge I have converted three vans to motorhomes . All because the intial cost of what I was looking for was for me way over priced. I had the skill set and had access to a few specialist skills for vehicle electrics in the family. I achieved the desired requirement and recieved nothing but compliments on what I achieved. My point though was the cost of The Van, the conversion and the use all three vans recieved was vindicated by when I came to sell them when all three sold for far in excess of what it cost me to build them. You touched on the subject here I know, but it high lighted to me that the cost of motorhomes from main Dealers. How do you feel the quality and value for money is on what you paid for your motorhome and do you think the cost has been vindicated.
Well it would be great if we could all have individual hand built, customised motorhomes, or indeed we all had the skill set or the time to acquire the skill set, to all build our own. I do think that commercial panel van conversions seem to be the more expensive, in terms of space /cost considerations. But most of us end up buying mass produced coachbuilt type motorhomes, because we don't have the time or skills to build our own. With that said, I don't think the quality has been that bad on our Swift motorhome. Most of the parts that failed in ours were bought in units, like the Power Unit, which could have failed on your self built van. The issues we have had with the build itself are usually to do with screws being too short, short probably in order to save weight, increasingly an issue with motorhomes under the 3500kg licence limit. The other factor is all companies have to make money, and pay for their labour, overheads and so on. If you build itself yourself, your own labour is free, you pay in the time you put in to it.
Is it worth buying used?? Any experience in regards owning a used motorhome, and which model would you choose to buy, if you did buy used.
Absolutely, buy used, you can save a lot of money. I don't recommend any models in particular, it is too much of a personal choice. Besides you wouldn't like me much if you spent thousands on one I recommended and you didn't like it after a few months!
@@BobEarnshawMoHoThanks....I will do some research, obviously, living in the city with no driveway or garage, it will have to be van size.
Yes, we had the same problem with drive size at our old house, that's why we had an Autocruise Vista and then a Starfire, both under 6m.
Which hose do you recommend? I'm looking for something that doesn't take up too much space.
I use the hose from our Hitchmam Aquaroll mains adapter. Rolls up into a small bag, handy if you have an aquaroll too, but any caravan accessory dealer should be able to provide a food grade hose.
amzn.to/2HOOoPx
My motohome is nearly perfect,I don’t like the electric step,I’m allways worried it won’t work it’s been ok,I would prefer step inside motohome.I have a dog like yours she is 17 years old she only just makes into back couple of times falling back out.
With the current climate with masks etc put a tiny bit of scent on when emptying toilet cassette sorted
How much should i pay for my first Motorhome ? Should i buy new over ten years or buy used ?
If it is your first, buy a used one, you may spend some time finding out what layout suits you. Depreciation on motorhomes is relatively low, so you won't lose too much when you trade in as opposed to buying new.
my wife has been on at me about a motorhome for a few years, and for the last few months i have been researching as much as possible. there are dozens of reviews , tips on here which i've used to compile some ideas on what is most suitable, and i only stumbled across your video a few days back. watching it i was happy to discover that i had already taken on board your suggestions but one thing that i could have been in big trouble with is to buy from a local dealer. living in france the dealerships are far scattered, and also a wee bit pricey, and i cast an eye outside france and found vehicles in spain and germany for 10K less. of course there were the logistical problems of viewing, collection and then the importation process but i thought with some careful planning it could be done. then i saw your video, the bit about the drop down bed, and having to take the vehicle back, and i thought "ah, maybe not".
in addition to your videos i also found it very helpful to read the comments, and there are a number of additional useful tips to help the newcomers chose a suitable vehicle.
i have one question; your wife mentioned that a magazine (practical motorhome?) had a section in the back with the various layouts and then listed the matching vehicles under each layout. that is exactly what i have been looking for, but is that in every issue of the magazine, or just occassionally? i don't want to subscribe indefinitely and wait for ages to finally get the info i need, i'd like to buy before i pop my clogs.
Thanks for the comments and for watching. Practical Motorhome have a section at the back on layouts, but they do different ones each month. They probably realise that people might only buy one issue if they did them all!
TIP WHEN YOU EMPTY YOUR CASSETTE TOILET THIS IS A BUTTON AT THE BACK NEAR YOUR RIGHT HAND PRESS THAT BUTTON AND ALL THE MESS WILL COME OUT FAST IT MAKES A GOOD AIR FLOW A LOT OFF PEOPLE STAND THERE BANGING IT TO GET IT OUT JUST PRESS THE BUTTON AND KEEP YOUR FINGER ON IT UNTIL ITS EMPTEY .
Thanks, I have done many videos including a recent one that mentioned that button and a few didn't know what it did. Tip: don't type in uppercase letters it usually means that someone is angry.
@@BobEarnshawMoHo thank you I'm sorry
See if you can buy direct from manufacturer , save thousands , Hymer do this watched an English guys video yesterday walk around factory showroom , prices and spec shown in Euro AND Pounds. cheapest starts at £35000, roughly. If i ever considered buying one , i would want stiffer rear suspension and a twin wheel rear axle , to help cope with the extra weight of the body , and to reduce body roll. but finding one with twin wheels would be like finding a needle in a haystack.
Right hand drive vehicles, UK spec?
@@BobEarnshawMoHo Not sure , but as you can see , I only used Hymer as an example.
Which BBQ is that small 1 please
It's the Cadac Safari Chef amzn.to/33RaYit
Thanks Bob. I love your Motor home too 👍
Can that Cadac Safari chef run on the caravan gas please Bob ?
The low pressure version will run off regular caravan/motorhome Calor Gas cylinderd or refillable LPG cylinders, or cartridges with a regulator, as I understand it. The HP version us only for screw in cartridges.
Top tip don’t buy a leaky van.
After watching quite a few of these videos posted by various people,it would seem that buying a motorhome consists of parting with £60k plus and then you spend the time you should be enjoying yourself,making endless CZcams videos moaning about it.
A bit unfair! I don't make endless videos moaning about it. Made this one about what to look for hopefully so people don't make the same mistakes and one light hearted video about what we dislike. Out of 850 videos don't think that's endless moaning!
@@BobEarnshawMoHo 850 videos seriously? Why?lol
@@neilhaslam4604 because I enjoy it.
@@neilhaslam4604 and it helps others (apart from you obviously)
Bob, you've got a really annoying habit of looking towards your wife every 5 seconds while you talk. She remains looking forward. She's not your audience.
Thanks for pointing that out, nearly 50k views on this video alone and you are the first one to point that out. Two years later I'm still doing it. Ah well.