A-Class or Coachbuilt?

[GBM]

This is just a ramble, but I thought I'd gauge reaction...

Having had both, I thought it would be easy to know which was best, but it hasn't been as obvious as I thought. Tradition says A-class is the best, they certainly used to look the best, but have you seen some of the latest coachbuilts? They look terrific. Coachbuilts also look sleeker as the cab is narrower, and now designers are fairing them in properly, I don't think there's much - if anything - in it. And on the inside, again, I'm not sure an A-class has much advantage. In fact I think the only time that holds true is if there's no drop down bed, then the front of an A-class is very spacious. But then you often get a sunroof in a coachbuilt. A coachbuilt uses the OEM headlights, bonnet etc which are often better, and the dashboard top has to be extended in an A-class to meet the wider body and newly positioned windscreen, which can make for problems like squeaks. I want to think an A-class is better, but I'm just not sure it is. What are you're experiences, funsters?

 

[herald_400rl]

I see A class repair bills and can say from those alone I wouldn't have one.

 

[UptheGas]

We looked at loads of motorhomes ( coach built ) , looked at a first A class and bought it . Just much preferred it to all the others we’d looked at for weeks. Very happy with it.

 

[dulvil]

Are there any coach builds with a double floor?
Would certainly miss ours

 

[Lenny HB]

Are there any coach builds with a double floor?
Would certainly miss ours

Yes quote a few German ones.

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[Guigsy]

A-class with a drop-down bed means the lounge area is still available while she's still in bed. And that also gives us several more high level lockers because the lounge doesn't have a bed dropping though it. And an extra outside locker because the gas cupboard is under a cab window. So a ton more space when it's only 6 metres long.

 

[AlunandFelicie]

We looked at loads of motorhomes ( coach built ) , looked at a first A class and bought it . Just much preferred it to all the others we’d looked at for weeks. Very happy with it.

Very similar to us looked at loads of vans ,couldn’t find anything better than an A class so here we are

 

[Nico]

We’ve had both and much prefer the massive panoramic view from the A class - and it’s well insured!

 

[Lenny HB]

Our 1st van was a Low Profile Hymer last two have been A Class. After the first A Class we wouldn't have any other type of van.
Cab area is so much more spacious, warmer as its all insulated and quieter when driving.

A much better use of space most of the lounge can be used with the drop down bed lowered.

A Class is easier to drive, flat sides make it easier to get through tight spaces & reverse, rear view mirrors so much better.

When I get in an ordinary coachbuilt the cab seems so cramped and the screen is so close to your face, I really don't like it.

 

[nicholsong]

I can only make a comparison between 'A' Class MHs and van cabs, like Transits, Mercedes etc.

Our N&B Arto does have a very large windscreen, even for an 'A' Class and I love it, not only for driving where I can see the whole mountains but also when we are sitting with a panoramic view.

Also the cab area does not feel like I am sitting in a van, when I was driving for £7.50 an hour. It is much more spacious, and double insulated.

For security we only have to worry about our hab door, whereas often coachbuilts seem to have vulnerable van doors.

For driving, if the front will go through a gap the rest will follow.

This comment might be controversial but I find the lines of 'A' Class more pleasing, without the bulge just behind the cab door. I particularly find the overcab forward 'bump' particularly ugly, but that seems to be disappearing with the trend to low-profile.

I feel some incoming fire.

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[GMLS]

Had 3 coachbuilts and always aspired to a A class and now just under 3 weeks from collection.We have down sized from 8.5m, then 7.5 to the 6.7m of the new vehicle.We were looking for a European built vehicle with a layout optimised for 2 with a fixed bed and rear lounge.We looked at a number of xlwb panel vans but they just didn't have the storage we needed for emtb's and all the gear plus inflatable kayaks and sups.Then we saw the new Rapido 854 A class with the rear lounge and garage with loads more space over a panel van and a bit more than a coachbuilt.It ticked all the boxes and more.It could have been a coachbuilt but couldn't see any in the flesh so for us it came down to layout first then availability over type.

 

[1967bowesj]

Are there any coach builds with a double floor?
Would certainly miss ours

Pilote P732
loads of storage gas bottles under lounge seat, battery water tanks in between floors.

 

[bigtwin]

I see A class repair bills and can say from those alone I wouldn't have one.

Which bills are you thinking of?

Screens? Costs the same insurance excess whether it’s a coach-built or an A Class.
Servicing? Yes, it costs a little bit more as garages find them a little harder to work on but nothing very significant.
Tyres? Large MHs, be they A Class or coach-built, may require 6 tyres rather than 4 but spread over the tyre life doesn’t really make that much difference.

Ian

 

[herald_400rl]

Which bills are you thinking of?

Screens? Costs the same insurance excess whether it’s a coach-built or an A Class.
Servicing? Yes, it costs a little bit more as garages find them a little harder to work on but nothing very significant.
Tyres? Large MHs, be they A Class or coach-built, may require 6 tyres rather than 4 but spread over the tyre life doesn’t really make that much difference.

Ian

Yeah servicing, maintenance, big jobs are massive, everything is custom so a bump that takes out a bumper and headlight is a 4 figure repair bill. Our current motorhome is 23 years old and if we upgrade it will be in a few years to one that is probably (at that time) 20 or so years old so I would expect to have to maintain it with some larger jobs and the body gets in the way. Each to their own, I'm not adverse to the hab side and bet they're lovely to drive with all that visibility but I couldn't swallow the cost.

 

[bigtwin]

big jobs are massive,

Big jobs are massive whether an A Class, or not.

everything is custom so a bump that takes out a bumper and headlight is a 4 figure repair bill.

I don’t know about you but I have a very low accident/bump rate (so low, in fact, that it’s zero) so am not in the habit of facing big repair bills. In any case, that’s what we pay insurance for (paying four figure repair bills).

You’re right though, the visibility is great as is the much more spacious interior.

Ian

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[herald_400rl]

Big jobs are massive whether an A Class, or not.



I don’t know about you but I have a very low accident/bump rate (so low, in fact, that it’s zero) so am not in the habit of facing big repair bills. In any case, that’s what we pay insurance for (paying four figure repair bills).

You’re right though, the visibility is great as is the much more spacious interior.

Ian

If needed I could swap my bumper and headlight from a scrapper on the drive for sub £100, rather not pay my excess, lose NCB and have to declare a claim for 5 years because someone reversed into me and drove off in a car park.

Cambelt goes from a few hundred quid to over a grand (if you can find a garage willing to do it), you can skirt round the issues if you like but if your on a budget the consideration for an A Class matters.

 

[Westbarn1]

I guess I’m in a minority, and relatively inexperienced, on my third Hymer ((Sprinter based) in 4 years. 1st was a Coachbuilt 520S, 2nd a 690 A class and now a B600 Whiteline coachbuilt and I much prefer what we have now, yes there is less space in the cab area, but there are two metal doors and a solid mass in front of us should the unfortunate happen, instead of plastic.

 

[Mr Colpot]

Having had PVC,Coachbuilt and A Class we much prefer the A Class. We had a Pilote G741 and sold it last year as we wanted an island bed. Found the layout we wanted in a Burstner coachbuilt. Bought it but almost immediately regretted it as I found the front lounge claustrophobic compared to the A Class. Luckily (although not for my wallet) Mrs Colpot found the exact same layout on an A Class Burstner Aviano i727 for sale so we changed it after a couple of months.

 

[Reallyretired]

Had both and both have advantages. I really like the A class driving position. Drop down bed is something we've never used so not an advantage to us. Currently low profile coach built as we needed to downsize due to age, though small A class are available.

 

[Guigsy]

but there are two metal doors and a solid mass in front of us should the unfortunate happen, instead of plastic.

I'm really not convinced that frontal impacts would make any difference in Ducato based vans. The only metal thing up front that's different is the useless bonnet. Everything else is just plastic swapped with fibre glass and more plastic.

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[Shrimp]

Having had both we prefer the A class, feels more spacious and externally it’s the same width all the way front to back!

 

[CazPaul]

If needed I could swap my bumper and headlight from a scrapper on the drive for sub £100, rather not pay my excess, lose NCB and have to declare a claim for 5 years because someone reversed into me and drove off in a car park.

Cambelt goes from a few hundred quid to over a grand (if you can find a garage willing to do it), you can skirt round the issues if you like but if your on a budget the consideration for an A Class matters.

That’s why it’s best to get an A class with a chain not a cambelt
Then you’ve NO cost.

 

[Lenny HB]

Cambelt goes from a few hundred quid to over a grand (if you can find a garage willing to do it), you can skirt round the issues if you like but if your on a budget the consideration for an A Class matters.

Our main Fiat Professional charges the same, why should it be any different most of the work is done from underneath.

 

[VXman]

A classes can look a bit odd. the resessed front wheels due to a big body but standard mechanicals look weird. Sometimes the same goes for the inside. Steering wheel can look tiny against the big open space. the large plastic dash space between the driver and the steering wheel. The lack of door on the hab side on lots of models. etc etc

When it comes down to it the manufacturer is trying to fit a larger body onto a smaller oem structure and to me it generally doesn't work. I'd like to see a properly designed and built A class rather than the Frankenstein bodge job but I guess due to small numbers/cost that's never going to happen.

 

[Northernraider]

If needed I could swap my bumper and headlight from a scrapper on the drive for sub £100, rather not pay my excess, lose NCB and have to declare a claim for 5 years because someone reversed into me and drove off in a car park.

Cambelt goes from a few hundred quid to over a grand (if you can find a garage willing to do it), you can skirt round the issues if you like but if your on a budget the consideration for an A Class matters.

I've had the cambelt replaced on 2 a class motorhomes. It cost no more than the ones I've had done on vans. Most work is done from under the van

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[Northernraider]

A classes can look a bit odd. the resessed front wheels due to a big body but standard mechanicals look weird. Sometimes the same goes for the inside. Steering wheel can look tiny against the big open space. the large plastic dash space between the driver and the steering wheel. The lack of door on the hab side on lots of models. etc etc

When it comes down to it the manufacturer is trying to fit a larger body onto a smaller oem structure and to me it generally doesn't work. I'd like to see a properly designed and built A class rather than the Frankenstein bodge job but I guess due to small numbers/cost that's never going to happen.

Small A class

 

[dunnah01]

If they were the same price and I could get the massive overhead cab skylight in an A-Class I'd probably err that way but they tend to be much more expensive so coachbuilt it is.

 

[bigtwin]

If needed I could swap my bumper and headlight from a scrapper on the drive for sub £100, rather not pay my excess, lose NCB and have to declare a claim for 5 years because someone reversed into me and drove off in a car park.

Cambelt goes from a few hundred quid to over a grand (if you can find a garage willing to do it), you can skirt round the issues if you like but if your on a budget the consideration for an A Class matters.

Fair points, well made.

Ian

 

[Littlewheels]

The need to avoid the dash/scuttle being three foot way from you is to ensure you view MH’s where the engine is underneath you rather than being in front.

 

[GBM]

Had 3 coachbuilts and always aspired to a A class and now just under 3 weeks from collection.We have down sized from 8.5m, then 7.5 to the 6.7m of the new vehicle.We were looking for a European built vehicle with a layout optimised for 2 with a fixed bed and rear lounge.We looked at a number of xlwb panel vans but they just didn't have the storage we needed for emtb's and all the gear plus inflatable kayaks and sups.Then we saw the new Rapido 854 A class with the rear lounge and garage with loads more space over a panel van and a bit more than a coachbuilt.It ticked all the boxes and more.It could have been a coachbuilt but couldn't see any in the flesh so for us it came down to layout first then availability over type.

Exciting, good luck!