8 Metre Plus Motorhomes

[dwrights]

Hello Everyone,

Currently looking for a new to me MH. Has been around 6 years since I last had one and that was a 2015 Swift which was around 7 metres long. Thinking back I managed ok with it, a few scratches down the sides from hedges when in Cornwall but that was about it.
Currently I'm in two minds what to go for, one minute I’m telling myself to be sensible and buy something like this PVC which is new,

Malibu 640 LE Skyview

and then I see something like this which looks amazing although it’s nearly 10 years old but looks great value for money,

Niesmann Arto 88

My question is, what are the larger motorhomes like to live with? I might be going full time in the future hence looking at the larger vehicle. I know that I wouldn’t be able to get close to towns but it has a large garage to fit a scooter in.

Anybody else took the non sensible option?

 

[CazPaul]

The Arto is a Comfortmatic so personally I would avoid but some love them

 

[Just smiffy]

If your eventually going full time then a bigger one… an if anything happens to it at least your be comfortable…

 

[WESTY66]

Buy the arto it looks great, I drive a 9m RV, size matters

Yes I saw the big smile on Mrs olleys face last year at retro

 

[olley]

She was drunk.

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[funflair]

if I was going to 8, I might stretch to 10 and get a Morello or Concorde with a Car Garage

I wouldn’t as long as there is a garage for bikes or scooter or even both then that’s enough for us, 8.7 metres we get most places OK, if we could get the space we have closer to 8 metres we would change but the only compromise we would make would be swapping the single beds for transverse.

 

[dwrights]

Great response. A couple of comments talk about not going for a tag axle? I think they look kinda cool. What are the negatives? Also a Morelo is a little out of my rice range

 

[Flairy]

Tag axle road holding amazing not so handy turning into tight gateways or town centre when you gone the wrong way and need to turn around.

 

[denisejoe]

Tag axle more expensive if you use toll roads - Class 4 rather than Class 2 because of the 3 axles.

 

[Minxy]

Great response. A couple of comments talk about not going for a tag axle? I think they look kinda cool. What are the negatives? Also a Morelo is a little out of my rice range

More tyres to buy for a start!

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[Northernraider]

More tyres to buy for a start!

Naw

It's got the same number of tyres as mine.

 

[Northernraider]

Great response. A couple of comments talk about not going for a tag axle? I think they look kinda cool. What are the negatives? Also a Morelo is a little out of my rice range

Ground clearance usually a lot less.
Parking spots that you can reverse in to and hang the arse over grass etc
Most are front wheel drive... if you manage to get the rear in a position where one front wheel comes off the ground which believe me is possible then you're stuck .
Not the best on tight turning circles scrubs tyres chews up grass.

They are a bit more stable but a dual axle with air suspension is just as stable if not more .


That's my reasons for disliking them and I've had 3 of them , burstner, frankia and euramobil. I wouldn't have another

 

[Minxy]

Naw

It's got the same number of tyres as mine.

But not compared to ones with a single rear wheel at the end of a single axle as opposed to two.

 

[Northernraider]

But not compared to ones with a single rear wheel at the end of a single axle as opposed to two.

If my granny had wheels she'd be a bike

As far as I'm aware there's no any 8 metre plus motorhomes with only 4 wheels Mel.

Unless it's a big 4x4 truck.

 

[Minxy]

If my granny had wheels she'd be a bike

As far as I'm aware there's no any 8 metre plus motorhomes with only 4 wheels Mel.

Unless it's a big 4x4 truck.

Maybe not but that's assuming he does get one and long as that.

I made the comment in gest which seems to have been taken too seriously.

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[Northernraider]

Maybe not but that's assuming he does get one and long as that.

I made the comment in gest which seems to have been taken too seriously.

Cmon Mel the title of the thread is literally "8 metre plus motorhomes"

But it's cool no one is taking the comment seriously just pointing out that if you buy a larger motorhome it will have 6 wheels .

Payload is usually greater with dual axle than tandem axle too .

 

[Minxy]

Cmon Mel the title of the thread is literally "8 metre plus motorhomes"

Ah but he's also mentioned a PVC!

 

[Jon Stewart]

Ah but he's also mentioned a PVC!

That's not going to fit in the garage of either a tag axle or double!

Think (on about 8m, and a 5.5m wide front gateway), I prefer the slight outswing on my Iveco to turning circle of the tag axle.

 

[Northernraider]

Ah but he's also mentioned a PVC!

Aye but he wasn't serious

 

[zac]

I have a tag axle and 8.5m motorhome and I cannot say I have seen any of the issues mentioned previously, I would buy another in a heart beat. This is my 3rd motorhome, and it's the best we've owned for our needs (only 2 of us) it has loads of space which is important for us. Owned from new for the last 8 years and if we did trade it in, it would be for another tag for sure.

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[Northernraider]

I have a tag axle and 8.5m motorhome and I cannot say I have seen any of the issues mentioned previously, I would buy another in a heart beat. This is my 3rd motorhome, and it's the best we've owned for our needs (only 2 of us) it has loads of space which is important for us. Owned from new for the last 8 years and if we did trade it in, it would be for another tag for sure.

Depends where you take it.

From experience of 11 motorhomes there's no benefits to having a tag axle over a single dual wheel axle. But there are lots of benefits to having a single dual axle over a tag axle.

So when looking to buy one if the choice is there its mad not to take it.

 

[zac]

Depends where you take it.

From experience of 11 motorhomes there's no benefits to having a tag axle over a single dual wheel axle. But there are lots of benefits to having a single dual axle over a tag axle.

So when looking to buy one if the choice is there its mad not to take it.

I think we are all different and what works for one may well not work for another, as i said me personally i have nothing bad to say about them.

We have already mentioned they are not for driving into towns as that would be madness but i am happy with mine, and if it works for you then of course, but that's not for me (no harm intended of course).

 

[ChrisL]

Mine is 8.3 mtrs on a Mercedes Sprinter, I carry a Suzuki SV650 in the garage.
The positives, are more space inside, over 1,000 kgs payload, euro king size bed over the garage,160 ltrs fresh water, being full time and on my own, I only have to do my tanks once a week.
Negatives, 18 - 19 mpg, some sites may want you to pay for a jumbo pitch (over 8 mtrs) stealth camping is difficult but not impossible, extra care required on narrow roads because of the with (compared to a PV conversion), more expensive channel crossing fees.

 

[dwrights]

Mine is 8.3 mtrs on a Mercedes Sprinter, I carry a Suzuki SV650 in the garage.
The positives, are more space inside, over 1,000 kgs payload, euro king size bed over the garage,160 ltrs fresh water, being full time and on my own, I only have to do my tanks once a week.
Negatives, 18 - 19 mpg, some sites may want you to pay for a jumbo pitch (over 8 mtrs) stealth camping is difficult but not impossible, extra care required on narrow roads because of the with (compared to a PV conversion), more expensive channel crossing fees.

Sounds like a great set up. How do you find life on the road on your own? I’ll be doing the same.

 

[ChrisL]

Sounds like a great set up. How do you find life on the road on your own? I’ll be doing the same.

I've been full time since 2021, I tend to stay on one site in Dorset that has a swimming pool and bar over the winter, but in the spring, summer and autumn i travel around the UK, I have done France and Spain as well, I have found some places that I really like and have got to know some of the locals so it's nice to catch up with them, I tend to travel back to my home area every three months to catch up with family and friends and collect mail etc. I also go to a couple of fun meets a year as well, I particularly enjoy the Swaffham meet run by Jaws over a period of time you may bump into other full timers that you've met previously in the past as well. I'm quite happy with the life.

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[CazPaul]

Mine is 8.3 mtrs on a Mercedes Sprinter, I carry a Suzuki SV650 in the garage.
The positives, are more space inside, over 1,000 kgs payload, euro king size bed over the garage,160 ltrs fresh water, being full time and on my own, I only have to do my tanks once a week.
Negatives, 18 - 19 mpg, some sites may want you to pay for a jumbo pitch (over 8 mtrs) stealth camping is difficult but not impossible, extra care required on narrow roads because of the with (compared to a PV conversion), more expensive channel crossing fees.

Which make Motorhome do you have?

 

[bigtwin]

Sounds like a great set up. How do you find life on the road on your own? I’ll be doing the same.

Have you taken a look at Tam’s (Northernraider) current thread?

Ian

 

[ChrisL]

Which make Motorhome do you have?

2004 Hymer S820

 

[CazPaul]

2004 Hymer S820

Lovely van, we had a 2004 Hymer S820 how’s that for a coincidence, build quality wonderful.

 

[jdk62]

Multistorey car parks (but only the ground floor):View attachment 1010262

Middle of Basel:
View attachment 1010263


I think size does matter.

People with small ones always say that…..

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[dwrights]

2004 Hymer S820

View attachment 1011119

Living the dream. Having the motorbike makes all the difference. Great looking van.