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?

 

[tonyidle]

No, ours is a Euramobile.

Similar in some respects then

 

[denisejoe]

Similar in some respects then

Wish Denise would let me have a dog as in your avatar

 

[tonyidle]

Wish Denise would let me have a dog as in your avatar

 

[Boldly]

I find it's the seat swivels they add that then makes the seat too tall in the cab. Don't know why they haven't invented lower seat boxes to compensate

They have

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[varaizian]

I find it's the seat swivels they add that then makes the seat too tall in the cab. Don't know why they haven't invented lower seat boxes to compensate

I tried to find one when we had our last van; a Ducato-based C Class McLouis but without success. I was trying to fit a sprung or air suspension system because my stomach is sensitive to vibrations.

 

[varaizian]

They have

Any links?

 

[Lenny HB]

Any links?

Search results for: 'seat bases'

www.marcleleisure.co.uk

 

[Guigsy]

They have

Although not an option for many vans because there's something crammed under there like the hab battery or the Elektroblock.

 

[UptheGas]

Aren't there a few Audi's with chain issues? And the engine is backwards, so impossible to service.

Quite a few BMWs and Minis with Pug engines have timing chains that like to eat their chain guides. Several other engines have hydraulic tensioners that are a common failure point.

Chain timing isn't necessarily better.

Absolutely no idea , I know bugger all about cars . Just liked the Audi

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[RobinE]

Have owned never 8 coachbuilts over the years and not one A class, reason is that they simply don't appeal.
I get that the front end feels more spacious, and the cab is move integrated, any the view out front is better, but that's set against a numbers of disadvantages.
We are taking delivery of a Hymer coachbulit next month a Mercedes Masterline T780 one year old. This is to replace our T B550.
Both vans are exactly the same as the A class equivalents behind the cab. Yes, that include the double floor which is not an A classic prerogative, more to do with having an AlKo chassis. We also had a Burstner with a double floor.
Reasons why we have chosen the coachbuilt:
The list price of the A class I 780 is getting on for a staggering £20k more than the coachbuilt T 780.
Heated windscreen and insulated curtains with Alde radiators go someway to off-setting insulation concerns, Hymer call it the Arctic pack.
We would never use the drop down cab bed. The option of replacing with high level cupboards is rare. Only a few A classes are designed to maximise the space and none of appeal for other reasons, or are way outside our price range, e.g Carthago Liner for 2.
Whilst having the same foot print, the coachbuilt looks smaller and is thus more discrete. This is important to us, both in minimising how it dominates parked on our frontage, and the impact driving and parking in villages, countryside and the type of stopovers we prefer.
Of course this is just what we prefer, A classes are obviously popular and suit many a motorhomer, but not for us.

 

[haganap]

Is this true? The frontal area is the same. The back (which is far more crucial than most people think) is the same. The front is a bit more pointy, but it's also a lot more lumpy with many more areas to generate vortices.

absolutely. A sleek looking coach built will deliver far greater MPG than a block of flats doing 60pmh. In comparison, two very similar vehicles I had.
Bessicarr 2008, on 6 wheels regulaly returned 24-28 on a good day. N&B Arto on 6 wheels 4 years newer returned 22-25 if I was very lucky.

Iveco I had with a pig ugly front 17-20
Merc I have (had two no difference) 21-23 if I'm really really really lucky.. 24
Adria coach built 2005 fiat 2.8jtd 26
same engined and same year and A class 22

 

[Mzracer]

A class every time.

Arto with 3 litre shows 26 mpg on the dash, cruises nice at 65.

 

[Minxy]

For us our A-class suits us very well. We've had overcab, low profile, PVCs types but the benefit of the A-class compared to the others is very much appreciated. One major thing we've benefitted from is the beds - hubby has the drop down cab bed with the rear transverse being all mine (well except for Tazzy who thinks it's hers!), this that works really well for us, no clambering over hubby to get in/out, no having to constantly whack him to stop him snoring (he's far enough away so it's not such an issue). As I like to read in bed I can do so without him complaining that the light is on and best of all a double bed each to sprawl out on ... lovely and spacious rather than many of the single beds which can be a bit narrow especially in a PVC. Utilising the double beds meant that we could keep the length of the MH down - our original wish was to get the twin single bed one but that would have added a good bit more length so what we have is only fractionally longer and wider than the PVC we had before which means we can still go to the places we like to rather than being restricted with a bigger one. We couldn't have done this with an overcab bed coachbuilt but neither of us would have wanted to use it so we'd still have ended up with twin singles at the rear, and we wouldn't have gone for one of the electric beds that drop down over the lounge area as that would have caused us a problem with no-where to sit once it was deployed.

As others have mentioned there are other benefits however in fairness I feel I ought to point out the negatives we've found with our particular model - we have top mounted 'coach' style mirrors which we both hate, they are great for seeing rearwards but they are big and block a lot of the side view and thus the scenery when travelling. If we had bought the previous model year version it would've had the usual lower mounted mirrors which wouldn't give this issue however the internal layout wasn't quite as good. Another consideration is the temperature of the drop down bed due to it being in the front and surrounded by 3 lots of glass (uninsulated). Fortunately hubby doesn't feel the cold like I do so doesn't have a problem with it but he says it is cooler than the rest of the MH, mind you he has 2 hairy hot-water bottles keeping him snug!

 

[stewartwebr]

We had a new Frankia Plat based on a Mercedes sprinter pitched next to us recently. Because we are so high up, we could see into the front of the van, we were not being nosey, honest! Anyway, I could not believe how big the dashboard was. It must have been a good 5ft between the wheel and the windscreen. I have had a few A Class before our Morelos' based on Fiats and Ivecos' but I cannot remember being that far away. Perhaps it was due to it being RWD it seemed far greater than anything I remember owning or seeing.

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[Guigsy]

absolutely. A sleek looking coach built will deliver far greater MPG than a block of flats doing 60pmh. In comparison, two very similar vehicles I had.
Bessicarr 2008, on 6 wheels regulaly returned 24-28 on a good day. N&B Arto on 6 wheels 4 years newer returned 22-25 if I was very lucky.

Iveco I had with a pig ugly front 17-20
Merc I have (had two no difference) 21-23 if I'm really really really lucky.. 24
Adria coach built 2005 fiat 2.8jtd 26
same engined and same year and A class 22

I don't understand why this would be the case. Having a relatively blunt front doesn't actually matter all that much. And once the steepness is over about 30 degrees, it makes no difference. So the fact that a van has a bit more of a wedge shaped front from an a-class shouldn't make much difference. Look at passenger jets with their blunt noses, even though efficiency is massively important to them. What will make a difference is the additional steps and protrusions that a semi integrated van has when it transitions from the cab to the hab. They add lots of areas to generate vortices which does create lots of drag.

 

[Roby2008]

I find it's the seat swivels they add that then makes the seat too tall in the cab. Don't know why they haven't invented lower seat boxes to compensate

You can buy lower seat frames, it depends on what is under the seat, my last MH had the house battery under it and couldn´t be dropped, I think I can do the new one when it arrives but will have to see.

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Link from my research a few months ago