Can't make up my mind! Help!!

[Langtoftlad]

Well now, a couple of years or so ago I began to make retirement plans, ie to buy a MH, get a dog and travel to all the places in the UK I'd never had a chance to see...
So, I read the magazines, joined this forum, even went to the NEC & P'boro shows...

And now (semi) retirement is upon me! I have the time, I have the funds but I still am no further forward in my choice of MH.

Apart from knowing the budget, that I want a fixed bed & that it has to be under 6.8m to fit on my drive. Budget has meant buying new is probably just out of reach, and I have learned that buying used would make much more sense anyway.

Lordy! I know not whether I want/need a PVC, a Coach built or an A Class, let alone manufacturer, model or layout... pathetic.

But 2015 is the year I buy a MH (always provided my rental trial doesn't send me screaming for the hills).

I've never spent this amount on one item, and usually have bought cars new as I'm not mechanically minded so the whole thing makes me a tad nervous.

Not knowing what I want makes looking problematic. How I envy those who know the model they want then search the country high & low.

I've sort of come to the conclusion that perhaps I should pick a dealership, and buy whatever they have that fits & feels right.
Nuts ??? ! ???

So, I guess I'm looking for a trustworthy reliable dealership who won't see 'mug' plastered across his forehead & knowingly sell me an overpriced lemon. Is that a oxymoron .

Any suggestions ???
Preferably within easy reach of Stamford/Peterborough, though I'm happy to travel.

From what I've read I guess Campers UK would be near the top of the list whilst Brown hills/Lowdhams near the bottom?
Wellsbridge? SMC?

Any personal recommendations? Where to go, who to avoid?

As an example this Burstner at CampersUK looks about right but I'm not quite ready to buy yet - I want to rent one for a week first, make sure I'm not making a huge expensive mistake.

 

[Patcherelli]

Got mine from these guys not far from you.

I had a couple of issues after i bought my Swift 630G and they sorted it no hassle.

Broken Link Removed

 

[Mousy]

I'd have a look at the rally/meet calendar, not sure where you are but if there is a meet nearby you could pop in and have a look at loads of Funster vans, in my experience Funsters are quick to show their vans off.

Have you bought Jim's (oh hallowed be His name) book on buying a motorhome? Can highly recommend it. It's for sale in his shop.

 

[Badknee]

I really think you have to put the time and effort in to find the van for you. Troll around looking, looking, looking. We knew we wanted a fixed bed from the off after many years as tuggers having to make beds up every night, wrong. After many months visiting dealers, sitting in MoHo's, reading about them, talking to owners, even sitting on the loo in them we finally found what we needed. Get out there and look, when you find what you want then find one at the right price.

 

[MHVirgins]

We didn't

Neither did we.......having spoken to lots of Funsters on here, we were told that it can be the third one before you get it right This is our second van and we'll be keeping it for a while......but I think there is always a comprise one way or another, but definitely a fixed bed for us.......I couldn't see Bill making the bed up every night

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[MHVirgins]

@Langtoftlad
We bought our Dakota from Oaktree Motors, Awsworth near Nottingham and can't praise them high enough
We bought from them over a year and a half ago and they did everything they said they would do.......we will definitely buy from them again
http://www.omcmotorhomes.co.uk/

 

[MHVirgins]

@Archer, @TheBig1
Certainly John Cross would be on my list, especially if he has something in stock at the right time - but I guess I'd prefer to look a little closer to home, if possible. If not then JC will be the place.
(What I rent is somewhat irrelevant - I just want to make sure I don't scare myself silly driving it, can sleep not disturbed by raindrops or dozy pigeons landing on the roof, and don't gag & completely faint when emptying a cassette - that sort of thing )

Dozy pigeons......do you mean like this one? He appeared on our roof two days in a row at Brighton.....

 

[Stroppy Bird]

We got our used van from SMC. No pressure from them, quite happy to let us look around on our own at our speed.

There were a couple of issues that arose with the van we bought, both of which were sorted in a timely manner without fuss.

Would happily use them again.

 

[joncris]

They are a bunch of fun, believe me..... Lovely really friendly couple of dogs.

It took us a few goes to get it right but the rental experience was vital before we even started. First one was a rear lounge which was ok but had quality issues. Second one was a dinette rear kitchen which Mrs Deluxe hated and the current van is a Pilote A class which is almost perfect. Loads of room for humans and dogs.

Having said that, there are other layouts we like but we are restricted to about 7 metres max

Shouldn't that be DOG"S and humans

 

[joncris]

Dozy pigeons......do you mean like this one? He appeared on our roof two days in a row at Brighton.....

View attachment 53355

Did you feed him, her, or whatever?

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[Badknee]

Re us and fixed bed. We decided that they take up a lot of space in a 7mtr MoHo and one of us would have to climb over the other to get to the loo in the night so we went for two benches and if we want too we are able to make up a double but so far singles are the norm and I don't wake Angela up on my nightly visits to the toilet.
Another good tip from this site is imagine your sat in the MoHo for a couple of days due to bad weather, would it still work for you?
Lastly and this stopped us buying one particular model, make sure you can wipe yer bum without having to stick yer head out of the door or window.

 

[musson]

Hi I have purchased two MH from Brownhills, first one because of the trade in value of my caravan,whilst they have a reputation for bad service the vans are good value if you compare with others.I did complain to the service manager ref the girl on the reception and now they cannot do enough (my work is area service manager) I think they would be worth a visit as a comparison even if you do not buy from them. I had a new caravan from lowdhams when i took it for service they put 4 small dents in it and then said they were already in the van myself and my son checked the van before we left it (again service) think the moral is shop round and get one that suits your needs.

 

[TUCANO]

You NEED to get yourself along to a show and preferably with someone who knows a little about vans to be able to point out the good or bad features of various designs. Newark and Peterborough are not far off and if you could enlist the help of a Funster for a couple of hours, it is always good spending others money
It helps to have a fairly firm idea of the layout you prefer before entering each and every van at the show because it is very easy to get distracted and to wander off course, only you can decide what is best for you, take your time and don't be rushed.
Enjoy the hunt

Norman.

 

[joncris]

I've learned that when you hand your van over to anyone to work on always, always photograph both the exterior AND the interior. Also don't forget to record the mileage.
Let the garage know you're taking photos and why, as this usually means they'll take extra care when handling it

 

[Live Life Now]

Well there is certainly some very good and varied advice on this subject, I have added the following which I posted on the dealer review page of this site for all to see,
I am aware that dealers alter their method of sales and marketing, however, they still need to be checked out for all the obvious reasons when you are spending your hard earned dosh.
If and when I change my MH the chosen method would be a private buy with a REPUTABLE DEALER doing the habitation check. The dealer doing that check would be well and truly checked out by me to make sure that as well as signing the certificate they had (a) done the job and (b) were able to do any jobs that required attention. Good luck my friend and I use that word sparingly to make you aware that dealers are not your friend they are there to take your money. BUYER BEWARE!!!!!!
p.s Welcome to this fantastic website and I know that you will meet many like minded M Homers.


Having lived and worked abroad for the last 20 years it was always my intention to purchase a motor home on my return to the UK when I retired. I spent a lot of time and effort to find the right vehicle and eventually settled on a Devon Tempest, 2 years old and with 1500 miles on the clock. What I should have done was completed the purchase after the dealer Dolphin Motor homes had done the habitation check. my mistake!. The van was sent off to their Southampton branch for the habitation certificate to be issued and in my opinion that is what they did, issued the certificate because they certainly DID NOT DO THE WORKS SATISFACTORY, the van was delivered to me with a faulty fresh water tank, waste water problem, toilet badly functioning and other jobs either done badly or not done at all.

The waste water tap was ceased and needed renewing the electrics on the fresh water system were faulty there was a bolt missing from the strike plate on the rear door the swivel seats would not swivel the radio and Sat nav system did not work along with other problems. All of these problems I was assured would be corrected but the van had to go back to Southampton as the Iford branch only has a valeting bay and not a mechanics workshop, image my surprise 3 days later when I phoned Southampton to be told “NO” we do not have a bay to lift the vans and our man has taken his tools to Iford to carry out the faults there, (I assume laying on his back on the floor)

The offending problems were all done bar the radio/sat nav which apparently 3 people had tried to correct, the main dealer had been contacted , who was not prepared to give free advice and eventually the MD fiddled with the system (his words not mine) and after 15 minutes did manage to solve part of the problem. I have solved the remaining fault with a friend. I now intend to have the gas check done by an independent engineer All of the running about has been at my expense and I feel that the company had no interest what so ever after my monies had been banked..

I started by explaining that I had been abroad for twenty years and am aware that the UK is named RIP OFF BRITAIN; service like this only adds fuel to the fire. I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND THIS COMPANY

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[Langtoftlad]

Well there is certainly some very good and varied advice on this subject...
If and when I change my MH the chosen method would be a private buy with a REPUTABLE DEALER...

This certainly gets to the heart of my actual query...
Whilst I much appreciate the advice various about layout etc, its not what I'm looking for...
I'm not actually too bothered about layout or facilities... except for fixed bed under 7mtrs. Cooker, storage, no worries. Bathroom? Don't know until I try, and I doubt that's included in a test drive!

I'm of the opinion that like buying a house, one almost knows, instinctively, if the place is for you, or not.

I'm single.
Length and bed is my only criteria.

Hence my original query.
MHF's recommendations on REPUTABLE Dealers... ???

Lots of sage advice though, all taken onboard. .

 

[Minxy]

Perhaps you giving us some idea of how you intend to use it and for how long each time will allow us to give more appropriate advice. For example, do you like sports for which you'd need to take kit with you (eg golf clubs, canoes etc)? Do you want to be able to go down little windy country roads to out of the way places? Will you use your van for normal daily transport? In summer only or winter too? In the UK or abroad as well?

Based on what you've said so far my suggestion would be to start off with a good but cheap van which you will be able to sell on easily if you find it's not the right one for you with minimal value loss (or none at all if you buy well). Getting it checked over for mechanicals by a garage you trust would be a very good idea to put your mind at rest that nothing major is going to suddenly go wrong or that there is a problem with it.

You don't have to spend a lot of money to get what you want and whilst you're unsure it would not be a wise thing to do, but once you KNOW exactly what you want then you can if you so wish to get it.

 

[Langtoftlad]

Thanks @MinxyGirl
I think perhaps I'm not getting my query over very well.
I'm not asking advice on layout etc because after much research, I've come to the conclusion that I'm not that bothered, as long as its got a fixed bed and fits on my drive.
What I am seeking is Funsters recommendations for trustworthy and/or reputable dealers who won't rip me off...

 

[Minxy]

Thanks @MinxyGirl
I think perhaps I'm not getting my query over very well.
I'm not asking advice on layout etc because after much research, I've come to the conclusion that I'm not that bothered, as long as its got a fixed bed and fits on my drive.
What I am seeking is Funsters recommendations for trustworthy and/or reputable dealers who won't rip me off...

From your 'musings' above it didn't appear to me that you had definitely made up your mind - just wanting a fixed bed and for it to fit on your drive covers a multitude of vans, but what you end up with could easily affect HOW you can USE it, hence my queries above. For example we have a panel van conversion which is 6m long with a large double transverse bed in the rear, half dinette up front, and kitchen & washroom opposite each other in the centre. We love this layout and have had it in 2 coachbuilts and now our PVC but it took us a while to realise this is what works for us, we did have a fixed French bed coachbuilt too but accessing the storage wasn't easy, hence last 2 MHs being garage models and whilst our current PVC isn't a garage one it has more than enough storage for our needs (2 inflatable canoes, 2 folding electric bikes etc). Also being narrower than a coachbuilt it means we can go to the places we want to rather than being prevented from getting to them because our MH is too wide/long (we had this with our others, hence the change to a PVC).

We've had MHs from Brownhills at Newark and I wouldn't go there again unless I really, really had to - in fact we once bought one from a dealer 250 miles away and did not regret it at all. We got our current PVC from Camper UK at Lincoln (2 months old and £5k off the price!), they are a very friendly bunch so I'd have no hesitation in recommending them, but that's only applicable if they have the motorhome there that you actually want to buy ... hence my queries - narrow down what you want then you'll be in the position to buy the MH you desire, rather than what is convenient to your home.

 

[Langtoftlad]

I know I'm A typical lol.
I have no particular use in mind, other than a base for... "adventures"... daytrips, weekends, longer trips... initially not Europe.
But your 'personal' observations re Brownhills & recommendation for Camper UK are exactly what I was hoping for - thank you.

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[GJH]

Bathroom? Don't know until I try, and I doubt that's included in a test drive!

Just on that particular point, the aspects we looked at were:
Is the shower ceiling high enough so you don't have to stoop.
Can you move round in the shower or is it so narrow that you are forced to stand with your arms by your sides (try with the door shut to make sure)?
Is it possible to use the toilet comfortably (knees not jammed against the wall)?
We find our current separate shower better than the wet room of our previous van but that may not be as important as you are on your own.

 

[TheCaller]

Although I have never bought a van from either of them, I have visited SMC (several times) & Camper UK & my impressions of both are favourable. They have both had some good comments on here from others.

Both would be on my short list if they have what I need when I change.

 

[TUCANO]

I WOULD NOT buy from Brownhills, Richard Baldwins or Tyne Valley Motorhomes, but each to their own

Norman.

 

[ronidog1]

I WOULD NOT buy from Brownhills, Richard Baldwins or Tyne Valley Motorhomes, but each to their own

Norman.

Can you explain why, it may help.

 

[28313]

Try Goeuropean.

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[PORKSTER]

That van you mention in opening post is a great van I have a slightly bigger version go for it ya only come this way once

 

[Fletton]

Thoughts please on:
CampersUK
Wellsbridge
SMC
et al ?

I see John Cross has a Rapido 707 which "would do" if it were a couple of k cheaper. Hmm

my (our thoughts) were CamperUK...,cos they're local...
...
...
However.... after
much looking... travelled 250mls each way to veiw a MH ... and duly put a deposit on it...

that said... if ordering .... would have done CamperUk....

but alas.... bought off the shelf... so to speak... and they didn't have "the one" ...

 

[WillH]

It's all about layout, and in your case the length. We got ours ours right first time, more by chance than anything else. Must go, packing the van to head off to Glasgow for the show.

Bill

 

[PORKSTER]

How about asking a Funster to go look at something with you. Or an independent specialist who can check it out for you give you a pro appraisal.

 

[Langtoftlad]

How about asking a Funster to go look at something with you. Or an independent specialist who can check it out for you give you a pro appraisal.

That's a great idea but also a great imposition... First I have to find a probable van, then find a MH Funster expert & available...
Which is why I was hoping for recommended dealership who perhaps not giving the very best bargain, would offer a 'fair' deal...

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[Puddleduck]

Must go, packing the van to head off to Glasgow for the show.

Bill

We are planning to be there on Sunday

That's a great idea but also a great imposition... First I have to find a probable van, then find a MH Funster expert & available...
Which is why I was hoping for recommended dealership who perhaps not giving the very best bargain, would offer a 'fair' deal...

I'm sure there would be more than one who would be willing and able!