Coachbuilt to panel van...is it painful?

[Blue Knight]

Every so often I wonder about a PVC, but the sliding door is the main thing that stops me wanting one. They are noisy things that take up a lot of space, and are less easy to close quickly to prevent canine escape when necessary. Having said that, I have seen a few PVC designs where the sliding door has been replaced with a hinged door.

On the other hand, having opening rear doors in a PVC does make it a more multipurpose vehicle (AND gives you a way to get in and out of it in narrow car parking spaces), as you can use it for transporting large / long / flat packed items of furniture which you'd never be able to get into a Coachbuilt.

You make some very valid points there. I'm still getting used to the sliding door-thing on our new PVC and although ours is electronic and makes no noise at all, it's still quite different to the conventional coachbuilt door which we've previously owned and liked (for the reasons you mention in your post).

 

[jezport]

Every so often I wonder about a PVC, but the sliding door is the main thing that stops me wanting one. They are noisy things that take up a lot of space, and are less easy to close quickly to prevent canine escape when necessary. Having said that, I have seen a few PVC designs where the sliding door has been replaced with a hinged door.

On the other hand, having opening rear doors in a PVC does make it a more multipurpose vehicle (AND gives you a way to get in and out of it in narrow car parking spaces), as you can use it for transporting large / long / flat packed items of furniture which you'd never be able to get into a Coachbuilt.

Think you have the side door thing wrong, the globecar has a soft close electric closer, so little noise. They can be closed as quick as any door. You dont need to open them fully.

 

[juwlz]

Think you have the side door thing wrong, the globecar has a soft close electric closer, so little noise. They can be closed as quick as any door. You dont need to open them fully.

What luxury to be able to afford a modern van with soft close electric doors

 

[Pekepal]

What luxury to be able to afford a modern van with soft close electric doors

Love your van. There is one near us all wrapped up for winter. Obviously someones pride and joy

 

[Welsh girl]

I'm off to see a globecar pvc this morning so thanks for all the opinions. I didn't know the globecar had soft close door ill take a look.

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[Welsh girl]

I

Think you have the side door thing wrong, the globecar has a soft close electric closer, so little noise. They can be closed as quick as any door. You dont need to open them fully.

Is that just the newer ones?

 

[Blue Knight]

I'm off to see a globecar pvc this morning so thanks for all the opinions. I didn't know the globecar had soft close door ill take a look.

I'm not sure if they all do but someone in the know may be better placed to tell you than me.

My Globecar soft close system is down as a £700 factory upgrade so if yours has one then expect those 700 squids to be added to your final invoice

 

[Welsh girl]

I'm not sure if they all do but someone in the know may be better placed to tell you than me.

My Globecar soft close system is down as a £700 factory upgrade so if yours has one then expect those 700 squids to be added to your final invoice

Is a second hand one so I'll check later. Thanks

 

[Blue Knight]

Is a second hand one so I'll check later. Thanks

Good luck with your visit

BTW - The Globecar Funster Club is always wanting more members so welcome aboard ......

 

[Chockswahay]

Downsizing? Haha, it’s EASY!

We downsized from a 6m PVC to a 5.4m PVC!

No need for any bigger!

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[Mr Colpot]

We downsized from a 7.5 metre Bessacarr to a Vantage Cub and it turned out to be a step too far. We still thought we wanted a PVC but had to have a rear lounge so "upsized". We had some good trips in the Autocruise Rhythm we replaced the Vantage with - sitting with the back doors open letting the outside in was great but we found that sitting knee to knee when the rain outside stopped us opening the doors was no fun. Have gone back to an A Class. Its each to his own and what suits us wont suit others though. We venture out in the A Class most weekends even if just for the day.

 

[Minxy]

We had some good trips in the Autocruise Rhythm we replaced the Vantage with - sitting with the back doors open letting the outside in was great but we found that sitting knee to knee when the rain outside stopped us opening the doors was no fun.

You've lost me there ... I thought the Rhythm had 2 full length single beds/sofas so why the 'knees up'?

 

[Mr Colpot]

You've lost me there ... I thought the Rhythm had 2 full length single beds/sofas so why the 'knees up'?

It did - but sitting with the table up to play scrabble/cards etc was a tad cosy as we are both quite tall.

 

[SpeedyDux]

We downsized from a 7.5 metre Bessacarr to a Vantage Cub and it turned out to be a step too far. We still thought we wanted a PVC but had to have a rear lounge so "upsized". We had some good trips in the Autocruise Rhythm we replaced the Vantage with - sitting with the back doors open letting the outside in was great but we found that sitting knee to knee when the rain outside stopped us opening the doors was no fun. Have gone back to an A Class. Its each to his own and what suits us wont suit others though. We venture out in the A Class most weekends even if just for the day.

Watching a Vantage Cub reverse into in a car space at the supermarket was one of the factors that helped us decide that a 5.4m PVC would suit us.

The 5.4m X290 is just big enough for a rear fixed bed layout with washroom and front half dinette. If you are both only small/medium size, that helps!

 

[nicholsong]

It has been interesting following the informative posts on here.

It is in human nature to justify life choices already made, which has been the case with most people who have downsized to PVC, with quite a few exceptions who have reversed that decision to return to Coachbuilt, and even 'A' Class. I admit I justify my choice of 'A' Class as a first MH as having no problems on 10 years.

My rather amateur analysis of the reasons for downsizing has been ease of parking and passing on narrow roads. have expressed my views above on being given way to in our 'A' Class and supported by other owners, by posts and 'likes'. ('A' and 'C' Class are mostly same width)

There seems to be no mention about cost nor waterproofing, so I assume for most people those are not factors. The latter may be a factor between manufacturers but not the build-type per se.

I should be interested in comments on those points, but also on whether most of the PVC owners use campsites or wildcamping/Aires, and if the latter,how they get on with limited space for water/gas. Also do most PVCs come with a spare wheel?

These factors do not seem to have been discussed much, if at all.

Geoff

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[jezport]

I

Is that just the newer ones?

Think they have had them a few years

 

[Wombles]

I

Is that just the newer ones?

As we understand it, Soft Close is an option on Globecars so depends on whether the importer, dealer or buyer added this to their specification when ordering.

 

[mikebeaches]

Think they have had them a few years

Believe it might have been around model year 2015 or 2016?

 

[busby]

What about when it rains continuously day and night for a couple of days and you have to open the noisy sliding doors to do the cooking and to exit etc, confined to the narrow space for long periods of time, that is what puts us off. Appreciate the convenience of parking etc. But comfort comes first.

Rainy days don't interfere with the cooking in our van,,we just open the side window..We have 2 six foot sofas to lounge out on if we are confined to the van..Admit you have to get into a routine ,,only one of you walk about the van at a time..We all prefer different things though..BUSBY.

 

[Cheshirecat57]

Rainy days don't interfere with the cooking in our van,,we just open the side window..We have 2 six foot sofas to lounge out on if we are confined to the van..Admit you have to get into a routine ,,only one of you walk about the van at a time..We all prefer different things though..BUSBY.

So, to be clear, I have to lounge whilst cooking is going on ???

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[mikebeaches]

It has been interesting following the informative posts on here.

It is in human nature to justify life choices already made, which has been the case with most people who have downsized to PVC, with quite a few exceptions who have reversed that decision to return to Coachbuilt, and even 'A' Class. I admit I justify my choice of 'A' Class as a first MH as having no problems on 10 years.

My rather amateur analysis of the reasons for downsizing has been ease of parking and passing on narrow roads. have expressed my views above on being given way to in our 'A' Class and supported by other owners, by posts and 'likes'. ('A' and 'C' Class are mostly same width)

There seems to be no mention about cost nor waterproofing, so I assume for most people those are not factors. The latter may be a factor between manufacturers but not the build-type per se.

I should be interested in comments on those points, but also on whether most of the PVC owners use campsites or wildcamping/Aires, and if the latter,how they get on with limited space for water/gas. Also do most PVCs come with a spare wheel?

These factors do not seem to have been discussed much, if at all.

Geoff

Reference campsites / Aires / or wilding in a pvc, we do them all. Not sure whether having a pvc makes any difference? And in the case of wilding, a pvc is typically a bit more discreet, I should have thought. A bit more 'stealth-like'.

110 litre fresh water and 100 litre grey holding tank. 135 litre 3-way fridge. All adequate for our needs for a few days.

Refillable gas and solar no problem with a pvc.

I'm guessing most PVCs come with a spare wheel as standard, ours certainly did (Rapido). Whereas, our previous coachbuilt did not, and with nowhere sensible to fit one.

 

[Minxy]

So, to be clear, I have to lounge whilst cooking is going on ???

No, nothing to stop you doing something else ... you're just looking for an excuse not to have to do anything whilst the other half is cooking aren't you!

 

[juwlz]

It did - but sitting with the table up to play scrabble/cards etc was a tad cosy as we are both quite tall.

You just weren't adopting the proper slightly offset dance hold position with interlaced knees

See how they fit together:
W (Woman's knees)
.M (Man's knees)

Of course, a central table leg would put the kybosh on that !

 

[Mr Colpot]

Watching a Vantage Cub reverse into in a car space at the supermarket was one of the factors that helped us decide that a 5.4m PVC would suit us.

The 5.4m X290 is just big enough for a rear fixed bed layout with washroom and front half dinette. If you are both only small/medium size, that helps!

The rear lounge did it for us but we really missed being to walk through from the cab so that's why we changed to the Rhythm.

 

[G2EWS]

As with others, we had been RV'ing for over 10 years, final one had three slide outs and we changed to a Rapido V56, then a Wildax Solaris XL.

I was unable to downsize to even a tag axle European finding them too small!

But when we looked at panel vans, we treated it as a different hobby and enjoyed about 4-5 years of it.

Then earlier this year after going to two friends funerals, I brought forward the purchase of an A Class Mobilvetta K-Yacht 80.

But was never disappointed in the PVC's.

Regards


Chris

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[busby]

So, to be clear, I have to lounge whilst cooking is going on ???

Nothing wrong with that and as a bonus she wont let me wash the dinner pots in the van because i make a mess,, BUSBY.

 

[Cheshirecat57]

No, nothing to stop you doing something else ... you're just looking for an excuse not to have to do anything whilst the other half is cooking aren't you!

Mel,I just dont’t want to get in the way

 

[Minxy]

Mel,I just dont’t want to get in the way

Yeah ... a likely story!

 

[Cheshirecat57]

Anyway, I’m Transport....She’s Catering

 

[iandsm]

I have considered downsizing to a PVC when we change either this, or next season. Two things bother me. Where do you keep your lounger chairs and there seem very few with a shower that doesn’t leave the whole toilet compartment wet. We both shower daily so need a separate shower or at least one that is seoerste from the toilet area.

Any recommendations?

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