Big or small?!?!

Think seriously about how you want to use it in the future, your existing 6.3m one allows you to park in more places than a longer one, especially some 'free' places, and width is also a consideration too for parking and we find also for driving - I suspect your existing one won't be as 'fat' as many of the newer MHs.

Our Carthago is a Compactline model only 6.41m x 2.12m we we have the benefit of a lot more space and storage capacity with very similar dimensions to a XLWB PVC, there are other models which are a bit longer giving single beds but to be fair if you are likely only to need beds for 3 max for the vast majority of the time 2 doubles like we have would suffice as its no hardship for the youngster to sleep on a roll mat on the floor if needs be, or on the L dinette with the front seat turned to create a single bed (assuming you alter the table so he doesn't get wedged under it! :giggle:
 
Minxy Girl said:
Think seriously about how you want to use it in the future, your existing 6.3m one allows you to park in more places than a longer one, especially some 'free' places, and width is also a consideration too for parking and we find also for driving - I suspect your existing one won't be as 'fat' as many of the newer MHs.

Our Carthago is a Compactline model only 6.41m x 2.12m we we have the benefit of a lot more space and storage capacity with very similar dimensions to a XLWB PVC, there are other models which are a bit longer giving single beds but to be fair if you are likely only to need beds for 3 max for the vast majority of the time 2 doubles like we have would suffice as its no hardship for the youngster to sleep on a roll mat on the floor if needs be, or on the L dinette with the front seat turned to create a single bed (assuming you alter the table so he doesn't get wedged under it! :giggle:
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You are exactly right Mel. We're don't really "want" a big van at all. What we are finding though is that the 2 seat dinette arrangement we have for seating isn't very good for us either. I've designed the perfect motorhome for us in my head.... Such a shame nobody makes it!!!
 
RubyOptics said:
You are exactly right Mel. We're don't really "want" a big van at all. What we are finding though is that the 2 seat dinette arrangement we have for seating isn't very good for us either. I've designed the perfect motorhome for us in my head.... Such a shame nobody makes it!!!
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If you can't find what you want at the moment and assuming yours is like the below you could look to alter what you have from a double dinette to an L-shaped lounge, others have done this and posted the info as to how on this forum.

1620224416267.png
 
Minxy Girl said:
If you can't find what you want at the moment and assuming yours is like the below you could look to alter what you have from a double dinette to an L-shaped lounge, others have done this and posted the info as to how on this forum.

View attachment 492962
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Yep, that's the same as ours. The only difference is that due to us having a double floor. the grey and fresh tanks are under the "sofas" each side of the table. Could still do it I suppose but with the kitchen being right opposite we would still be struggling for room. Also, our payload is already extremely tight and I can't see that adding two seat swivels would help in that regard!!
Thanks for the info though and I do appreciate it. It's just a bit of a battle right now. We really would like for the kids to have their own beds if at all possible. They are step-brother and step-sister, and whilst they only see each other a couple of times a year, they are pretty close when they are together. But neither is getting younger and we're gonna be at that awkward age where I can completely understand that they don't really want to share a bed any longer. So...2 separate beds is problem number 1.
Problem 2 - We don't want another dinette layout. It's fine for now, but if we are going to spend a significant amount of money, we would like it to be better than it is now, which is a dinette. This rules out 99% of bunk bed models as they ALL seem to use the bloody dinette layout.
Problem 3 - We would like to stay as short as possible. It may even just be in my head but I do think I can get to and stay at more places with a shorter van.

So, if anyone can solve all those problems, you have my undivided attention!!
 
Many thanks for those Guigsy . Very pretty vans! Not much storage but then what can one expect. I think I should enquire and see if there any any used TARDIS on the market...seems to tick every box!
 
We have a Globecar Campscout Revolution. It's on the extra high top so has tons of storage and big beds, yet is only 6.3m long. Works for us.
 
We have the same MH as Minxy. We’ve downsized and we’re loving it. We use the MH like a car, so when we’re away, we go out in it every day. Oh the joy of having your facilities with you! You can stay out all day, knowing you have your home with you.

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Gaston aires said:
Here’s a thought. Buy the right van for you and the missus, and make the teenagers sleep in a tent ? :( Or, let them sleep in the van and you sleep in the tent:rolleyes:
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We originally considered this, but due to the amount of time we spend "wild camping" it simply isn't possible.
 
138go said:
We have the same MH as Minxy. We’ve downsized and we’re loving it. We use the MH like a car, so when we’re away, we go out in it every day. Oh the joy of having your facilities with you! You can stay out all day, knowing you have your home with you.
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They look gorgeous, sadly they are a little out of our price-range right now! We have about 60k euros to spend. The other, rather annoying, problem is that for some reason the Polish government has 2 different excise duty rates on imported vehicles from the rest of Europe. Under a 2 litre engine is 3.1%, however the fiat has a 2.2/2.3 which incurs an 18% rate of duty :mad:
 
Am I alone in thinking that accessible, safe and secure storage could become increasingly hard to find? I ask because a friend who has his van in storage ten minutes up the road has had the storage sold out from under him (fancy building houses/offices being more profitable than storing MHs and caravans?) and he's had to move it 20 miles away - just managing to get the last place on a far less convenient site. Just looking at the number of new vans being talked about on this site, not to mention watching the local second hand dealers struggling to find stock suggests that storage, certainly in some parts of the country, could become an issue.

Personally we are fortunate to be able to keep ours on the drive and I wouldn't have it any other way - there are so many reasons why it is advantageous and so few reasons not to do it if you can. So my view would be if you can find something that you can squeeze on to your drive, go for that option. The U shaped lounge arrangement on our ACE Siena is comfortably able to accommodate 6 adults and 2 small children for meals and chat around the table so in your position I would be looking for a van that met your requirements for berths plus had that configuration.
 
RubyOptics said:
You are exactly right Mel. We're don't really "want" a big van at all. What we are finding though is that the 2 seat dinette arrangement we have for seating isn't very good for us either. I've designed the perfect motorhome for us in my head.... Such a shame nobody makes it!!!
Click to expand...
What is your 'head' layout like?
 
TDub49 said:
Am I alone in thinking that accessible, safe and secure storage could become increasingly hard to find? I ask because a friend who has his van in storage ten minutes up the road has had the storage sold out from under him (fancy building houses/offices being more profitable than storing MHs and caravans?) and he's had to move it 20 miles away - just managing to get the last place on a far less convenient site. Just looking at the number of new vans being talked about on this site, not to mention watching the local second hand dealers struggling to find stock suggests that storage, certainly in some parts of the country, could become an issue.

Personally we are fortunate to be able to keep ours on the drive and I wouldn't have it any other way - there are so many reasons why it is advantageous and so few reasons not to do it if you can. So my view would be if you can find something that you can squeeze on to your drive, go for that option. The U shaped lounge arrangement on our ACE Siena is comfortably able to accommodate 6 adults and 2 small children for meals and chat around the table so in your position I would be looking for a van that met your requirements for berths plus had that configuration.
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Off-site storage locations aren't really the problem, there are over 5 within 5km of our house. Remember that we aren't in the UK and so the U-lounge layouts are rather difficult for us to find over here. I'm not saying impossible, but certainly harder to find than in the UK.
I do realise that I'm basically asking for my cake and being allowed to eat it as well! My "perfect layout" doesn't exist, at least not that I can find and so anything we buy is going to be a compromise on at least 1 thing, probably several.
We are still looking around, still enjoying our old Burstner and still loveing motorhoming/vanlife/whatever-you-want-to-call-it. It's the best thing we have ever done for our family, our relationship and our goals of travelling more together and so we are already incredibly grateful to have what we already do. We are in no rush to buy something, merely looking at what's around right now and weighing up the pros and cons of some of them. For example, the closest I can see to perfection is the Eura-mobile 650HS. It has 2 separate beds in the alcove, a large, u-shaped lounge, is fully winterised with a double fllor and is short enough for our drive...sadly its also 20k above our budget!!

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Minxy Girl said:
What is your 'head' layout like?
Click to expand...
My "head" layout is for a 6.2-6.3 metre van, double floored. Bunk-beds at the drivers side in a longitudinal orientation. Rear shower. Lounge forward of the bunks with a fixed "couch" at the front end of the bunks, fixed table that moves around using swivel cab seats to provide comfy seating for 4 people. overcab double or dropdown double.
 

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