Carthago Compactline 138 or 143 advice please

[Pocket Rocket]

Hi - does anyone have a Carthago Compactline either 143 or 138?

We are interested in buying one (we have been looking for a PVC but struggling to find the right van!).

The dimensions of these compact line carthago’s seem to be similar to a PVC, but does anyone have any real life experience if driving them, especially narrow country lanes and small, steep alpine climbs?

Also, it would appear that with the 143, the bathroom door can be used to separate the bedroom / living areas (effectively making an internal door). Does the 138 have the same bathroom door to close off the living area?

There are a few up for sale on Autotrader (although even the second hand prices are somewhat steep!). It would be a big investment for us, so we’re trying at the moment to find the right van / size / layout etc!

 

[Minxy]

Thanks folks.

We are also considering the 138 as well as the 141.

Small vehicle size is really important, along with separate sleeping areas. An internal door is good, but we could consider internal curtains. Unfortunately I have a brain injury (after being hit by a car). It means I am extremely sensitive to sound (even someone breathing at night), and temperature. We managed in our last motorhome which had a combination of an internal (bathroom) door, soundproof curtains, earplugs etc. We are hoping to do something similar with a different (smaller!) motorhome.

With your hearing sensitivity then using beds at separate ends would seem to be the best solution and the 138 has a bigger lounge than the 141 so more comfortable during the daytime.

The 138 has a small garage so if storeage is important may be a problem.

It ain't small unless your used to daftly massive ones! You haven't seen the amount of stuff we put in ours and are able to retrieve too.

 

[MichaelT]

All you people with tall wife's, mine is 4'10".
She made a beanie bag that she uses as a footrest.

The loo height in the 138 & 143 is plain stupid one reason we bought a 141 it has a normal loo. Also I know 3 people who have had problem with the 138/143 washrooms where the shower screen allows water to splash on the cupboards and ruin them.

Looked at our shower last night and the wood is 2-3 inches above the plastic of the shower tray and behind the door so perhaps they changed the design?

 

[Pausim]

Looked at our shower last night and the wood is 2-3 inches above the plastic of the shower tray and behind the door so perhaps they changed the design?

That is quite possible. It looks as if they hung the door too high on some models, a slightly longer and lower door would solve the problem which is what we achieved by adding a blade to the bottom edge. The water was splashing up under the door at first.

 

[MichaelT]

This is ours, is it different to yours?

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[Lenny HB]

This is ours, is it different to yours?

View attachment 931684

Shower door looks lower to ones I've seen, only taken them 12 years to react.
Friends 138 he repositioned the shower door lower and gave the doors a coat of clear lacquer.

barsteward spent a fortune on new doors on his 143.
What is the height of your shower screen Les?

 

[Pausim]

This is ours, is it different to yours?

View attachment 931684

Yes, completely different. Unable to post a picture because we have moved on.

 

[howsitgoingdud]

Hi there
We have a 2019 143
Been great - yes separate door handy as dressing area etc and my Wife likes to close off the rear at night with door where I prefer it it all open as I find air moves around van better .
Ours is a manual 150hp -non ad blue no issues gears all good and never had a hill in wales our Cornwall we’ve struggled with , I find a manual u can control the gear your in rather than an auto deciding for u - there is plenty of grunt to keep in gears longer no need to change up and down all the time. We carry ouurs on the plated 3650 most of time - carry a 110cc yam scooter which we always take with us it weight 96kg and is brilliant.
Can’t see us or anyone getting on the 3500kg limit
We have friends with newer 140hp ad blue auto 2021which they like but mpg is way down 21/22mpg - think it changes up and down too much .

We get late 20’s mpg all the time around 28.5 average . 29.5 on motorway in best conditions steady 60mph 65mph max .

Ours done 22k miles no issues .
Yea bathroom cupboards suffer from peel from shower - seen
Had a flat battery once - it’s the stupid media button whilst off grid - so beware of that . Solar wired correctly has sorted that and we always switch off after use .
In 5 yrs I’ve changed 1no faulty front LED drive lights and the whole awning light as faulty also few bulbs on rear high brake light.
It’s done Europe a few times and all over Uk and Scotland and IRL .
Clutch and gears easy and light .
It’s been great , well built and quality oozing every where .
We have friends with ETr and Laika and both come well short- bad workmanship sharp edges, steps in floor poor storage as none in floor and none externally .

width is nice and narrower (wider vans deffo have more lounge space ) but obviously wider to park - we wild camp a lot and the 143 parks tight on normal car spot just need 1.5m overhang from rear tyre that’s all . Best of luck u won’t be sorry

 

[Lenny HB]

We have friends with newer 140hp ad blue auto 2021which they like but mpg is way down 21/22mpg - think it changes up and down too much .

Ours is only a few weeks old only done 1000 miles the 180, 9 speed been getting 28 to 30 mpg, goes like a rocket keep finding myself doing 80 on the motorways.

 

[barsteward]

Shower door looks lower to ones I've seen, only taken them 12 years to react.
Friends 138 he repositioned the shower door lower and gave the doors a coat of clear lacquer.

barsteward spent a fortune on new doors on his 143.
What is the height of your shower screen Les?

Not got a tape with me at the moment (at Drax) but here's a picture, shower curtain at the right hand side to protect the doors until I get round to altering the shower door.

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[NorfolkRed]

Thanks all - really useful information.

There are only 2 of us, but we need separate sleeping areas, with a divider (preferably a door).

Thanks for heads up about the payload - I’d looked on the Carthago website and it said the “compact line lightweight” version had a payload around 600kg. That would be OK for us, but I’m not sure if it is that much in reality (how many “extras” would decrease this in practice?)

Many thanks for the kind offer to see your van. We’re in North Wales, so unfortunately not close enough (unless you’re heading this way on holiday … half of the UK seems to be visiting here at the moment )

Hi,

Sorry for the late reply to this. We were there about 3 weeks ago . Incidentally, we bought our's through the Motorhome Depot and it came from a couple who had to give up for health issues and they lived in a village about 3 miles from Llandudno, so they are out there.

Mark & Jill.

 

[Abgs]

The 138 has a small garage so if storeage is important may be a problem.

Picture of a 138 garage in real life ….

Contains

1x spare wheel
1x mountain bike XXL size
1x mountain bike XS
2x recent reclining chairs plus foot stools
1x decent table
Misc bike clothing, parts and tools

Prob around 150 kg max weight if I’m carrying my extra cheapo bike.

That’s all I tend to put in there as the underfloor and side lockers are so good for heavy tool boxes, extra folding chairs, small table, electrical leads, hoses, wine bottles, extra food etc

 

[Jagtazman]

I've got a 2016 138 with 150hp engine and six speed manual box. Mine has the locker option rather than the drop-down bed. I too have been up and down Porlock hill a number of times when my stepson lived just outside Lynton at Countisbury. Notwithstanding Lenny the Pencil's caveat on payload, I can just about run mine with full fuel, water and two e-bikes plus the usual stuff with 20Kg to spare. The absence of the drop-down bed does save some kilos though.

Can I ask what the cost was to change from front drop down to cupboards?
as we are thinking of this option

 

[MichaelT]

Can I ask what the cost was to change from front drop down to cupboards?
as we are thinking of this option

According to the carthago site it's £600 which is about what we paid on ours we picked up in may but we'll worth it, in 5 years we used the bed twice in the old van much better to have the extra storage and headroom. We also had the extra heki above drivers seat to lighten things up.

 

[Pausim]

Can I ask what the cost was to change from front drop down to cupboards?
as we are thinking of this option

In 2019 I paid £490 for the option to have the bed replaced with cupboards.

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[Pappy]

Can I ask what the cost was to change from front drop down to cupboards?
as we are thinking of this option

We find the bed usefull as extra storage for coats etc. Might also be useful for grandkids in the future, or our son if when he comes with us.

 

[MichaelT]

We find the bed usefull as extra storage for coats etc. Might also be useful for grandkids in the future, or our son if when he comes with us.

We said that and never used in 5 years!

 

[Jagtazman]

We said that and never used in 5 years!

We have a drop down ATM unused
One reason been looking at C class as can get a nice large skylight upfront and storage
But I do like an A class with no drop down bed at front

 

[dom_k]

There’s a 138 at Kimberley in Notts. Looks to be on at a decent price - they have recently dropped it so might be a deal to be done?

 

[Pocket Rocket]

There’s a 138 at Kimberley in Notts. Looks to be on at a decent price - they have recently dropped it so might be a deal to be done?

Thanks for the info - do you have a link to where it is advertised for sale?

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[KASPAR]

Is it this one:

Carthago C - Compact Line 138 DB Super-Lightweight | Kimberley

kimberleycaravans.co.uk

 

[dom_k]

Yeah that’s it. Newer 9spd auto too and not a comfortmatic which is a big plus imo

 

[Eeoodares]

Thank all.

Any thoughts / feedback / advice on this 141 on autotrader? Not much info in the ad …

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Hi, if this is the one at Lowdhams then we have just bought it. We are keeping everything crossed that it is OK with it. We also viewed several 138’s that were for sale. I hope you have found one that suits you.