First Motorhome never done this before

[marky7seven]

Hello all,

We have been looking at purchasing a Motorhome, we have been around a few dealers and the show last week, but the best van we have seen is a 9m used Kon-Tiki, which had a twin/double bed in the back, double over cabin bed, then chairs that turned into a bed. Plus a massive garage, and some serious of grid capabilities.

Couple of concerns.
1/ Its alot more than we was going to spend, but it ticked more boxes than anything else we have seen.
2/ Its massive, I do have the licence to drive one, but would be the biggest thing I've drive. It is a tag axle.
3/ Are there any limitation with having such a big van

I understand the whole concept is about compromise, and working out what you can do without.

Key aspects.
a/ 2 Adults, 2 children and 2 dogs
b/ when we go without the dogs, there will be 4 e-bikes, due to the weight only two can fit on a bike rack, so a big garage is important for paddle boards and just stuff to keep kids entertain
c/ will be mainly used in the uk, not so interested in stopping at parks ex, its more been able to stop anywhere you legally can
d/ the odd trip to France, Spain and possible nordic countries

I've had a VW camper before, it was way too small but was good for days out. My original plan was to convert a crafter myself, but this has now grown into a motorhome, which as intern grown to a 9 meter monster.

We do plan to rent one in a few weeks time, doubt we can find a massive one, but at least if the experience is a good one this time of year, it will be happy days. My kids are 15 and 11, so we might not be taking our daughter when she is old enough to stay at home and she thinks mum and dad aren't cool.

Thank you
Mark

 

[AG 2602]

Welcome!

Personally I would say that the length is no problem ours is 7.4m and then we tow a car so I guess around 9m.

I think if your planning not use sites then your biggest issue could be finding legal spots to park a 9 metre van.

 

[Two on Tour]

Personally I would say that the length is no problem ours is 7.4m and then we tow a car so I guess around 9m.

How do you squeeze into a car that's less than 1.5 metres long?

 

[AG 2602]

How do you squeeze into a car that's less than 1.5 metres long?

Ha ha there's always one (or in this case 2)!!

OK the car is 3.7m so in total 11.1 plus we'll say a roughly a metre between van and car so 12m approx!!

Bloody hell didn't realise it was that long!! Not sure I want to drive it anymore!!

 

[starquake]

Parking is the issue with 9m. And also some sites you may find problems with from experience, as 9m is beyond a "standard" pitch size too -> As long as you know this and fact there are "less" pitches that accomodate your size I think you good. (CAMC and CACC standard pitch is 8m by 5m so you know). 9m is a "Jumbo" pitch in both sites..

Personally I'd try to stick to motorhomes in the standard "site" dimensions to have more choice of pitch, as Jumbos both cost more, and also there are "less" of them to book in first place.

Tag-axel also although popular with many motorhomers, also has from our understanding a linkage with the Irish traveller community -> it's not uncommon for some sites to ban tag-axels.

Above is just for your understanding as these are things that came into our mind when considering then discounting a tag axel we liked in our motorhoming search.

Only other thing is if you going offgrid for multiple days with 4 occupants using the onboard facilities, both water tank storage and an extra cassette should be considered possibly essential. With 2 occupants we only manage 2.5 days max offgrid mostly due to the single cassette we have today (we can go near 5 days on the water tanks).

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[DJIT]

I guess a typical 4 berth caravan being towed behind a typical family car will be at least 10m and likely a few more, so a 9m motorhome should be easier than that.

 

[Marie-Claire]

We have the 9m adria tag , have not been refused on any camp site but I do ring and check before we book anything, off grid parking is no real problem with p4n and s4s, as a previous post said the limit is the toilet cassette and emptying facilities. With the toad we have managed asda carparks but more by good luck !!

 

[Just smiffy]

Welcome aboard and buying a motorhome is great for all the family… my advice would be to do some research on the Kon-Tiki as it’s well known to be called the kontiki leaky, they have a knack of getting damp so please make sure you are researching it adequately for your needs…

There’s lots of advice on here and doing a search in the “search tab” you will get some further information on the type of motorhome you want….

 

[starquake]

We have the 9m adria tag , have not been refused on any camp site but I do ring and check before we book anything, off grid parking is no real problem with p4n and s4s, as a previous post said the limit is the toilet cassette and emptying facilities. With the toad we have managed asda carparks but more by good luck !!

Thats the point I was making -> with a sub 8m you in general don't need to check (and ditto without a tag you don't either) -> I was just raising the point that some sites can refuse tag axels. It's a different way of motorhoming than many of us experience requiring pre-planning rather than just turning up places, and neither way is right or wrong, they are just different. To quote one forestry commision campsite we love at Bracelands "If you require a pitch greater than 8m you need to call us" (rather than just booking online).

P4N / S4S are great though for all motorhomers of any size for the "free" options.

 

[Guffy60]

Have a look at the Roaming Radfords YouTube Chanel and also The Hills Explore see how they cope, both use tag axles.

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[bladerunner]

My first MH was a kontiki tag 8.5m
They drive very well - surprisingly stable - hold the road well.
I can't remember any issues with sites over 4 years
Width is usually more of an issue on roads.

My main concern was the front wheel drive when e.g. hill start on wet road or ice. The front wheels can struggle for traction just as the car behind decides to get closer. As I ski from mine I prefer RWD.

Personally going back I'd always prefer German built and RWD

 

[starquake]

Have a look at the Roaming Radfords YouTube Chanel and also The Hills Explore see how they cope, both use tag axles.

Agree totally. Tag axles are right for some and it does give a significant higher weight. I'd wager with a 8m van you'd need air suspension and a weight increase for your usecase too. (I'd also look at Roaming Radfords for some examples of why you need air suspension too). I don't think personally I'd have a van of 9m without it with it's ability to get up some steeper slopes without grounding out with the sites we've visited this year near all involving a hill of some sort..

Best advice is rent a van (probably a 8m one) closest to what you want, ie, with a garage and front and rear bed and work out the compromises you happy or "not" with as all motorhomes are compromises.

Bathroom is what sold us the van we ended up with, nothing else, everything else was a compromise. We wanted a shower we could use without relying on site showers, and that is why we ended up with a rear bath layout, that was effectively our non-compromise.

 

[marky7seven]

Hi all, thank you for all the replies, will go though them all again in more detail. My biggest concern is driving it on the road, and maneuverability, especially with my first motorhome.

Also any recommendations on vans with a big garage that sleeps 4, but my kids will need there own bed, this is why we have been concentrating on 6 berths.

 

[Spriddler]

a/ 2 Adults, 2 children and 2 dogs............
b/ when we go without the dogs, there will be 4 e-bikes,

You'll need one with sufficient permitted payload, ( but maybe you're already aware of that ).

 

[AG 2602]

You could look at twins at the back and a drop down double over the cab but that leaves a fairly small lounge/dining area.
I would go to have a look in a few dealers see what variances might suit the family. Normally find that an A Class van will be wider in the cab area which gives a little more space.

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[AG 2602]

Also worth noting that some of these vans come with huge dining tables. These can easily be taken out and replaced with something that will give you more space.

 

[marky7seven]

We also like this van https://www.swiftgroup.co.uk/motorhomes/product/53028/swift-voyager/ but would prefer leather due to the dogs, and need to check if bikes will fit in (depends if the peddles will go though, as front wheels will be removed).

 

[BouncyBoatFolk]

There are many Euro brands in the same format,[rear garage, Island bed, fixed twins, front bed ect], they come in at well under the 9mt length.
Look for one that can be upgraded to over 3500kg. Check the actual carrying capacity of the garage, some are as lowly as 150kg.
Mike

 

[Brains]

I'd rent at least 2-3 motorhomes before you buy, as a 9m monster may be a couple of meters longer than you really need.
In summer you will spend a lot of the day outside the van.

Personally, having rented several motorhomes before we bought, one was a 36' (11m) American RV, another was a 8m Euromobil, and another was a 6.7m Hymer.
We then wrote the spec for what we wanted, we set the max length at 7m, as well as a long shopping list of 'must have' and 'nice to have' and 'do not want'.
(But we dont have two small kids and two dogs)

Ultimately it a weigh up of layout vs budget.

 

[Simonnsj]

How do you squeeze into a car that's less than 1.5 metres long?

1 metre max you mean as the A frame will be not far off a metre.

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[funflair]

Hi all, thank you for all the replies, will go though them all again in more detail. My biggest concern is driving it on the road, and maneuverability, especially with my first motorhome.

Also any recommendations on vans with a big garage that sleeps 4, but my kids will need there own bed, this is why we have been concentrating on 6 berths.

I think the driving bit will be no problem, my wife has just started driving our 8.7 metre left hand drive van and finds it OK (steep learning curve though), if you are going to use UK sites that might be a bigger issue especially in high season, I did read a long time ago "you spend a lot more time living in the van than driving it" so yes that bit right or you will not be happy.

 

[starquake]

Also any recommendations on vans with a big garage that sleeps 4, but my kids will need there own bed, this is why we have been concentrating on 6 berths.

Have you thought about a 2xsingle beds and one double? Those are rather popular but may open a lot more choice (2xsingle layouts are reasonably common).

Remember Garage on the above type is different as it will typically be under the singles but accessible from outside, but they can be *surprisingly" large as the singles are often higher than "floor level" so the garage under the bed will take a large amont of stuff. There are also 2x rear singles with a larger normal garage underneath layouts from German manufacturers, with a drop down or make up bed up front for the adults.

Finally I've seen a layout at a show with rear "bunk" beds for kids, with a larger dining area at front and a smaller garage under the lower bunk. Forget the brand but it was a German one I think, so Adria or Hymer probably. Wasn't of use to us, but the van was amazing in it's utility in the size it was !

And totally agree with final post, as garages although they look big with their payload limitations may be as useless as a chocolate fireguard in some cases -> where a large bin under a bed has sometimes zero payload restrictions. 150kg is not much "stuff" given you put your heavy stuff like toilet fluids in the garage typically ... and ebike batterys are reasonably usually the heavy bit.

Dunno if mentioned though also look at tow bar fitting possibilities on each, as a tow bar mounted bike rack may allow your 4 e-bikes without necessarily a garage in use, allowing more flexibility.

Weighing EVERYTHING you think you'll need for a van will also help assess it's payload, you use a surprising amount just on food, clothing, water if you going offgrid for any time, so use this to work out (and also look at "up plating" 3500Kg models to larger payloads to meet your requirements). For a family offgrid with 4 people in general I'll eat my hat if you can fit all you need in 3500Kg. The good news is a non-3500kg second hand van is often cheaper than a 3500kg one.

The driving is the easy bit honestly as erveryone says -> my first trip in ours I was "concerned" about what I had purchased, but 100miles later at first campsite I was fully used to driving it through both rural and non-rural roads. We even got a manual through choice even though we wanted a automatic originally that was another compromise -> it's worth noting although an automatic is desirable for many, the gearbox does weigh more... You get more payload as a general rule by about 100kg from manual models, which may be desirable ... it was for us, and also opened up more choice as by not just looking at automatics, there was more availability. Just take it slow on first drive and do a mix of driving types from motorway, to a road to small rural so you experience it all. Mad thing is our cars have been automatic for ~ 15 years, getting used to a manual again was the challenge not the size!

 

[Bleau’s]

We have a 9 metre tagaxle and we both drive it with no problems just plan your route carefully and go some sites can be difficult but we mostly overcome it , we would not be without the space it gives this is our 3 rd this size .

 

[Fatboy]

We have the Kontiki 884 tag twin bed set up, never had an issue getting to a site though we rally most of the time so its £10 a night on a rugby field or where ever. They are big, U turns are a problem but they have a good sat nav, so i find if I miss a turn ill keep going till i find a garage or roundabout. I spent £2500 on a camos 360 cam system, big money but given the Kontiki is around 115k new it was worth it.

As I was once told, they are only big when they are moving, when they are parked up they are amazing.

 

[Suenliam]

If you intend to use it all year round make sure it is fully winterised. Also you might want to consider the number of places in the MH where you and the children can have your own space during cold wet days in the winter. Also the idea of two singles at the back with drop down double at the front would work so long as one of you didn't want to go to be before the other!
I am sure with a bit of extra research and experience of hiring you will get the best compromise for your family.
All the best with your investigations
Sue

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[marky7seven]

We have the Kontiki 884 tag twin bed set up, never had an issue getting to a site though we rally most of the time so its £10 a night on a rugby field or where ever. They are big, U turns are a problem but they have a good sat nav, so i find if I miss a turn ill keep going till i find a garage or roundabout. I spent £2500 on a camos 360 cam system, big money but given the Kontiki is around 115k new it was worth it.

As I was once told, they are only big when they are moving, when they are parked up they are amazing.

The one I'm looking at is a Kon-Tiki 675, the 884 is the newer version I think. Wife is selling me on the idea that I can go to the F1 across europe and Goodwood.

 

[NR]

We’ve had a 9.1m Kon tiki for four years and no issue accessing sites, fantastic in France and they are now incredibly manoeuvrable even with our bike trailer in tow. They are a brilliant Motorhome.

 

[jdk62]

I'd rent at least 2-3 motorhomes before you buy, as a 9m monster may be a couple of meters longer than you really need.
In summer you will spend a lot of the day outside the van.

Personally, having rented several motorhomes before we bought, one was a 36' (11m) American RV, another was a 8m Euromobil, and another was a 6.7m Hymer.
We then wrote the spec for what we wanted, we set the max length at 7m, as well as a long shopping list of 'must have' and 'nice to have' and 'do not want'.
(But we dont have two small kids and two dogs)

Ultimately it a weigh up of layout vs budget.

How many Funsters rented a van before buying..?

I know we didn’t and most other motorhome owners didn’t either.

However, the first Moho salesman we encountered told us it would take at least 3 different Moho’s to find the one which suited us… I scoffed at this…

But…. For us, he was right…

First one was a an older brilliant Bessacar with. French bed.. great introduction to motorhoming.

The second - a brand new expensive British Moho. Loved the internal design/ layout (Island bed). Awful build quality, went to Court.

Third Moho - New German van with rear bathroom, 2 single beds and a large drop-down bed. Bingo! Love the layout, love the build quality….. We love Bertie!!

 

[marky7seven]

Third Moho - New German van with rear bathroom, 2 single beds and a large drop-down bed. Bingo! Love the layout, love the build quality….. We love Bertie!!

What was the third one?

 

[BouncyBoatFolk]

What was the third one?

Burstner?
Mike.