12 week old GSD and now maybe a MH, are we mad??

[slobadoberbob]

RE awning use

Thanks Mike and Rob, very useful information.

Decided to look again with a more open mind re amount of beds, layout etc, basically starting again. Also going to look at A Class which we had pretty much ignored.

Most of the time it will be just the two of us and the dog. Interesting comment about the awning, the only people we know who own a MH (Autotrail Scout 6 birth), spend most of their time and cook in the awning, when they take their kids and grankids with them they sleep in the awning.

I have purchased the buyers guide which is very informative.

Thanks.

Steve

While I note your comments about RV's I would say in respect of awnings we use our A & E (American type rather then the usual more flimsy Fiamma type on Europeans) all the time. We use it to sit out side in the evenings, cook on or Chobb stove unit and entertain and have BBQ's... plus we store our two mobility scooters and can let Ezzie sit out side under it in the warm weather when we are in France or even in the UK in the cooler weather. With the correct straps and ground stakes we have had it out when all the Fiamma's have been taken in. Last Shepton On the monday morning when I looked out, we were the only motor home with flags and an awning still out.. there was a fair old wind blowing.

But the awning are very much a part of motor homing, all depends on if you like to cook out, which a lot seem to do these days.

I think a lot of your issues will come down to how much you are willing to pay for the motor home. Dealers do make one hell of a mark up on the price of selling... what do people think they are in business for? But you only need to look at a few dealers forecourts or Ebay and you will get some idea of the selling costs. But it is the actual condition that will sort them out. To do that you need visit and look at them ... more than once.

Or come to one of the shows this year or more than one... The shows start in March and you can then see shed fills of motor homes from lots of dealers in one place. wander around the site and see what people use and ask question, most will make you very welcome.

Bob:thumb:

 

[Encantador]

Thanks Bob, is there a calendar of events somewhere indicating when and where the shows are?

 

[mikebeaches]

Hi again - yes, it's a challenge trying to decide what the best layout will be for yourselves, and what onboard equipment you want.

Probably the most important thing is to give it lots of thought first, as you are doing. And hopefully you're getting hints and tips from the members on here, even if some have different opinions to others.

At the end of the day there will always be some compromises, whatever you finally decide to go for.

As an aside, an alternative idea to the safari room is to have a completely separate free-standing day shelter or tent, to use when extra space is required. Much cheaper to buy and easy to leave behind if you want to go out for the day in the van. Obviously, no use on French aires or wild camping.

Cheers, Mike

 

[slobadoberbob]

yes there is

Thanks Bob, is there a calendar of events somewhere indicating when and where the shows are?

The main shows are

Newark in March... April there is the Shepton show (Bath & West show ground) and Peterborough.... You should be able to locate the shows on the site. Some shows like Malvern in August get 5,000 motorhomes attending. Motor Home Fun and the sister RVOC have there own combined area at the shows and we get up to about 70 members turning up to our area (pre booked). The shows are mainly run by Event Management, Warners Leisure, and Stone Leisure.. the later two have magazines and if you pop in to a shop like WH Smiths you will soon see motorhome type magazines.

There are outdoor shows all year from March to end of September ...big business and makes for a great weekend.. normally Thursday to departure on a Monday. Often there is a lot of entertainment provided for the evenings .. these are big events with lots to see in the way of Motor Homes and accessories etc.,

By the way just on the yank front... spares are easy to get in the UK and there are a lot of dedicated companies (parts and accessories suppliers) and there are a lot of companies that can work on an RV. Mine, when it needs it is worked on by a main Renault Truck Repair company...£48 an hour.... I can get parts over night if not on the shelf. So worth looking at all kinds of vehicles.. as said before look at the red link below to the details of my Winnebago.. which is sub 25'.. so it is European size but with all the goodies.

Anyway ..keep looking

Bob