Front lounge PVC - day to day living

[Grianan]

No overhead lockers at the end of the beds, only along the sides. So comfy to sit up in bed.

Initially, I was concerned about not having windows in the rear doors, but in fact it's worked out well not having them.

Thanks. We put curtains up over the rear windows - adds a bit of colour too. I wanted them when we bought the van but wouldn’t bother again

 

[Minxy]

Do you have lockers over head end of bed? We do and I can just get my head under when sitting up in bed - but it touches and wouldn’t do it for too long.

We slept the opposite way in ours with our heads towards the front, it meant we didn't foul the blinds on the rear door windows and also had a nice 'headboard' to sit up against and our heads went at the side of the upper lockers so no problem with them either.

 

[Don Campbell]

For those of you with a front lounge that makes up into double or 2 singles how do you manage if you get up at different times or if one of you needs to take the dog out at night?
Also do you find you have enough storage for tables, chairs, BBQ, awning etc etc

Yopu are obviously thinking of changing your Campscout. Don't understand why so perhaps you could tell us.

 

[Don Campbell]

You hinted it was because the front area wasn't big enough but there is a limit to just how much you can get into a PVC. I think your only option is Minxy's suggestion which was to take out the table and put in a longitudinal bench seat to make an L. But then you have to keep moving the table when you want to eat so everything is a bit of a compromise. Don't think you will get much better than the Campscout unless you go bigger.

 

[Colinyellowspanner]

Our Wildax Constellation 3 XL is , I think unique. A long settee in the front, or 1 single. Another single travel seat opposite, which slides out into another long settee, or single, across the slide door. A very spacious front ‘feet up’ lounge. Cab seats not used for beds. 7ft long kitchen towards the rear with constant access through rear doors via rear step. (Good when it’s wet/cold.)
Virtually everything we carried in our previous 7.5m A class: bbq, ground sheet, outside chairs, footstools, tables etc etc, all inside, away out of sight.

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[Grianan]

Yopu are obviously thinking of changing your Campscout. Don't understand why so perhaps you could tell us.

We’re constantly scouring the market. The Campscout is the best we have yet found for us as it is so strong in many areas. The things which niggle us are …
- lack of lounging space up front by the big door. Having the view is important. That’s why I’m not sure we would actually use a rear lounge very much.
- not being able to sit up in bed due to rear lockers) - we’ll try @Minxy’s idea but not sure how easy it will be to swivel round to get out of bed for the loo at night
- pinch point around the dinette/kitchen - we could swap the table out for that.

I think your next post is spot on - to achieve what we want we would need a bigger van like the Cathargo Light 143 LE. It wouldn’t be any longer than ours when we are carrying bikes, but it is wider and taller and white so looks much bigger. But that has other compromises.
And is a fair amount of money so perhaps a decision for 5 years down the line when we retire and can make better use of it.

 

[Don Campbell]

We’re constantly scouring the market. The Campscout is the best we have yet found for us as it is so strong in many areas. The things which niggle us are …
- lack of lounging space up front by the big door. Having the view is important. That’s why I’m not sure we would actually use a rear lounge very much.
- not being able to sit up in bed due to rear lockers) - we’ll try @Minxy’s idea but not sure how easy it will be to swivel round to get out of bed for the loo at night
- pinch point around the dinette/kitchen - we could swap the table out for that.

I think your next post is spot on - to achieve what we want we would need a bigger van like the Cathargo Light 143 LE. It wouldn’t be any longer than ours when we are carrying bikes, but it is wider and taller and white so looks much bigger. But that has other compromises.
And is a fair amount of money so perhaps a decision for 5 years down the line when we retire and can make better use of it.

I think you said you are 6'3" so Minxy's and our solution to sleeping heads forward would probably not work as getting up for the loo in the night involves a complex swivelling exercise and trying hard not to kick Ginny in the face. At 5'6" it's OK but not if you are a lot taller. Oh and thank God for a dog with an all night bladder which makes me wonder why we weren't all blessed with female bladders that seem to go all night!

 

[weefish]

I changed my van to a front lounge/bed arrangement and it works well for me.
With my first build I used the side door as the main entry, bed/seating across the back. After a little use decided this was the main issue with my layout because when I stepped in with muddy and wet gear there wasn't a decent place to put it. So I adopted a house style approach - into a utility room, through the kitchen then into the lounge. This was easiest using the back door as the main way in.
Plus my widows and the best view are at the front.

My van is only 5.4m but in a 6m van it would be easy to have a similar layout with 2m single beds. Add swivel seats and there would be lounge seating for at least eight.

 

[Grianan]

Our Wildax Constellation 3 XL is , I think unique. A long settee in the front, or 1 single. Another single travel seat opposite, which slides out into another long settee, or single, across the slide door. A very spacious front ‘feet up’ lounge. Cab seats not used for beds. 7ft long kitchen towards the rear with constant access through rear doors via rear step. (Good when it’s wet/cold.)
Virtually everything we carried in our previous 7.5m A class: bbq, ground sheet, outside chairs, footstools, tables etc etc, all inside, away out of sight.

It looks like a great van. It’s a shame they don’t do custom builds … I’d lose half or all the wardrobe and use the extra space to allow the driver’s swivel to turn round fully and extend bathroom slightly. Perfect for us as we fold rather than hang clothes so don’t use a wardrobe!!

 

[Guigsy]

It's amazing what you can squeeze out of a 6m a-class. Tons of space in the lounge and the bed only takes out the seats in the cab when its down and isn't that precarious to get into. The bathroom is big enough to act as a dressing room with a wardrobe too. It's a tardis compared to the 5.4m PVC we used to have.

But no wooshbang 'panoramic view' from the side door (although the view out the front is pretty good). And 'climb over' issues on the bed (but I'm the edge sleeper and I'm always the person that gets up first anyway). No garage, just a few outside lockers. Every layout is a compromise.

We've had it a year now, but didn't get to use it much last year and I've wasn't convinced that the extra space was worth the inconvenience of the width. But we've just come back from 2 weeks driving 2000km in Europe and it really is a great van. Moving every day and driving wasn't a chore at all.

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[Minxy]

- not being able to sit up in bed due to rear lockers) - we’ll try @Minxy’s idea but not sure how easy it will be to swivel round to get out of bed for the loo at night

I found it easier to get out by sleeping that way rather than the other as trying to shuffle down the bed to get to the steps from the rear was more difficult.

- pinch point around the dinette/kitchen - we could swap the table out for that.

A pedestal/swing table with a removable or folding over top would give you options as to what size table top to have for each activity, or none at all if you take it off/put it out of the way.

I think your next post is spot on - to achieve what we want we would need a bigger van like the Cathargo Light 143 LE. It wouldn’t be any longer than ours when we are carrying bikes, but it is wider and taller and white so looks much bigger. But that has other compromises.
And is a fair amount of money so perhaps a decision for 5 years down the line when we retire and can make better use of it.

... Just wait until Lenny HB is wanting to get shot of the 141 he's just ordered, should be about 5 years when that happens!

I think you said you are 6'3" so Minxy's and our solution to sleeping heads forward would probably not work as getting up for the loo in the night involves a complex swivelling exercise and trying hard not to kick Ginny in the face. At 5'6" it's OK but not if you are a lot taller.

I just brought my legs up then swivelled round 90 degrees and popped them out onto the step. I never kicked hubby in the face although I was tempted to when he'd been snoring all ruddy night! Missed my chance didn't I!

 

[Lenny HB]

Just wait until @Lenny HB is wanting to get shot of the 141 he's just ordered, should be about 5 years when that happens!

If it lives up to expectations we will keep especially after all the bucks I'll be spending on it after getting.

Was tempted with the 143, lounge slightly better, loads more under floor storage but couldn't live with the shower room.

 

[Grianan]

If it lives up to expectations we will keep especially after all the bucks I'll be spending on it after getting.

Was tempted with the 143, lounge slightly better, loads more under floor storage but couldn't live with the shower room.

Yes, shower room looks great in the 141. We’ll need to go and see what’s available nearer to the time. Just now we’re looking online.

 

[Minxy]

Yes, shower room looks great in the 141. We’ll need to go and see what’s available nearer to the time. Just now we’re looking online.

Bonus with the 141 is it's a bit shorter too at 6.69m I think rather than 6.99m. We considered it but I didn't want to go any longer than our then PVC at 6.36m so the 138 at 6.41m met that requirement especially as we each have a lovely double bed all to ourselves ... well apart from the dogs of course!

 

[Grianan]

Bonus with the 141 is it's a bit shorter too at 6.69m I think rather than 6.99m. We considered it but I didn't want to go any longer than our then PVC at 6.36m so the 138 at 6.41m met that requirement especially as we each have a lovely double bed all to ourselves ... well apart from the dogs of course!

Ah you see, my thinking is that ours is 6.36 + the length of the Busbiker bike rack which must be about a metre all in so we’d be winning with either model as bikes would go in the garage. One advantage of the raised bed is dogs haven’t made their way on to it ……. yet!

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[Minxy]

Ah you see, my thinking is that ours is 6.36 + the length of the Busbiker bike rack which must be about a metre all in so we’d be winning with either model as bikes would go in the garage.

Ah I didn't know you had a buttock extension!

One advantage of the raised bed is dogs haven’t made their way on to it ……. yet!

Our Minky, even with her little legs, was able to get up there sometimes but it was a risk as she could've scratched the panel on the way up, Tazzy couldn't make it up but both she and Minky would stand with their rear legs on the bottom step and front legs on the top step waiting to be lifted up with 'soulful' looks to make us comply with their request!

 

[Feltwell]

With the popularity of PVCs with their "woosh bang" sliding doors, I'm surprised that no coach built manufacturer has tried to capture the "outside in" feeling that PVC owners like so much.

A compact narrow A-class, with double french doors opposite a front lounge, would appeal to me - use 1 door normally but when the weather's good open both up. Not that difficult to engineer.

 

[Guigsy]

With the popularity of PVCs with their "woosh bang" sliding doors, I'm surprised that no coach built manufacturer has tried to capture the "outside in" feeling that PVC owners like so much.

A compact narrow A-class, with double french doors opposite a front lounge, would appeal to me - use 1 door normally but when the weather's good open both up. Not that difficult to engineer.

Might make it easier to get into too! Our door is narrow, two inside steps and no easy way to fit an outside step. My mum stumbled on the way out of ours and ripped the bin off the door. Thankfully she was fine and the bin was easy to fix.

I guess the issue is a double wide door would probably mean losing an overhead locker and seat or potentially some external storage.

 

[Feltwell]

Yes, you'd lose some space - though I suppose like many PVCs you could put the kitchen partially across the opening, or at least have a fold-up worktop or table across part of it. There's always a compromise!

One good side-effect is disabled conversions would be made a lot easier.

 

[Grianan]

That would be a really good option. Hopefully it will come, in time.

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[busby]

With the popularity of PVCs with their "woosh bang" sliding doors, I'm surprised that no coach built manufacturer has tried to capture the "outside in" feeling that PVC owners like so much.

A compact narrow A-class, with double french doors opposite a front lounge, would appeal to me - use 1 door normally but when the weather's good open both up. Not that difficult to engineer.

When the weather's good which it is most of the time in Spain we sit outside in the sun,, BUSBY ..

 

[Feltwell]

For those of us stuck in more northerly climes though, sitting inside but with some fresh air has appeal -Just like for the woosh-bangers.

Plus I can't stand being in the sun if it's hot (which for me is anything over 21 degrees!)

It's the thing I dislike the most about being away in the MH, rather than camping - the feeling of being inside. I sit outside a lot but it's not always comfortable to do so!

 

[Grianan]

For those of us stuck in more northerly climes though, sitting inside but with some fresh air has appeal -Just like for the woosh-bangers.

Plus I can't stand being in the sun if it's hot (which for me is anything over 21 degrees!)

It's the thing I dislike the most about being away in the MH, rather than camping - the feeling of being inside. I sit outside a lot but it's not always comfortable to do so!

Ha ha thats us too - we sunbathe in the shade!

 

[Minxy]

With the popularity of PVCs with their "woosh bang" sliding doors, I'm surprised that no coach built manufacturer has tried to capture the "outside in" feeling that PVC owners like so much.

A compact narrow A-class, with double french doors opposite a front lounge, would appeal to me - use 1 door normally but when the weather's good open both up. Not that difficult to engineer.

It's something I've wondered about too especially with our A-class which has a small side seat between the driver's seat and the hab door so even if that was left in situ (with a removable backrest) it would still give quite a bit opening to let use enjoy the view etc.

I would imagine that the companies that do adaptations for disabled, eg wider doors etc, might be able to do something, however bearing in mind any structural limitations which would be the deciding factor on how successful it could be, and how much it would cost, are going to be major considerations.

 

[Feltwell]

I don't think I'd ever want to get one adapted - cost and selling on a non-standard van. No, I meant more that the original manufacturers should do a "double door" version. I would have thought that small side seat could be abandoned.

Get it close enough to the front and it could possibly double up as a driver/passenger door? I don't know!

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[Grianan]

If it lives up to expectations we will keep especially after all the bucks I'll be spending on it after getting.

Was tempted with the 143, lounge slightly better, loads more under floor storage but couldn't live with the shower room.

I’ve tried to find videos of both shower rooms Lenny HB but not found anything that shows why one significantly better than the other so interested in what makes the 141 work better than the 143 for you?

 

[Lenny HB]

I’ve tried to find videos of both shower rooms Lenny HB but not found anything that shows why one significantly better than the other so interested in what makes the 141 work better than the 143 for you?

In the 143 the loo is raised up so you sit with dangling feet, even my feet dangle & my wife is only 4'10" the wash basin is not very good, the shower screens are a real pain to use.
In the 141 I wasn't keen on the swing wall but they have implemented it very well. Don't like the tap only one tap where the hose pulls out for the shower I will probably fit a second tap.

 

[Feltwell]

I'm heading off to the Motorhome show on Tuesday - only an hour on the train for me, not worth paying to park - to hopefully get some ideas for a few years time. I'm much more likely to buy used so what I see now might be what is available then! We're using the current big coachbuilt family van less and less as the kids get older, at some point it'll be a switch to a van more aimed at a couple, and that is better for narrow roads. A narrow A class or a PVC is the choice really. I do *really* like the sliding door on a PVC.

 

[Grianan]

I'm heading off to the Motorhome show on Tuesday - only an hour on the train for me, not worth paying to park - to hopefully get some ideas for a few years time. I'm much more likely to buy used so what I see now might be what is available then! We're using the current big coachbuilt family van less and less as the kids get older, at some point it'll be a switch to a van more aimed at a couple, and that is better for narrow roads. A narrow A class or a PVC is the choice really. I do *really* like the sliding door on a PVC.

We love it (sliding door) and not yet sure a mini A class would offer a significant upgrade from the Campscout. I’d be really interested in what you think … . Seems more swings and roundabouts.

 

[Feltwell]

We love it (sliding door) and not yet sure a mini A class would offer a significant upgrade from the Campscout. I’d be really interested in what you think … . Seems more swings and roundabouts.

Swings and roundabouts it definitely is! To me:-

PVC - most are on a H2 Ducato base, it's just not tall enough for me, my hair brushes the ceiling as I move about - even on days when I *don't* do either my beehive or my spiky mohican . Seriously, that is a major problem for me and not many PVCs are based on "true" high tops. The curved nature of the body restricts useable space. They are difficult to insulate really well. Ducatos only go to 6.36m, personally I think longer is OK, I'd rather go 7m and have more room. I also want somewhere to lounge - current van just has dinette seats, even the cab seats aren't used once parked up, and the dinette seats aren't that comfortable. Windows can be a bit small, due to the structure. Highly unlikely to get a motorbike inside one, even if I could it would have to come out to use the van once parked up, trailer required.

On the plus side, the narrowness and ability to get to places that cars can (barring height barriers) is a huge plus. I *really* like the sliding door, outside in feeling - even better if the rear barn doors are useable as well. PVC's generally look good, they don't seem to stand out and attract unwanted attention from the natives like a coachbuilt/A-class van does. No problems with having a towbar.

A-Class - much squarer, more useable space, doesn't have to be much wider than a PVC with the right model. Better insulated. Nice big windows, especially the windscreen. I *might* possibly get a smallish motorbike in a garage with the right model, but I suspect that it would have to be one of the bigger and therefore wider ones. Downsides, (oh dear, I'll upset someone now!) they have looks that only a mother could love, vast majority are big white boxes that stick out like a sore thumb unless they are parked amongst other big white boxes. No sliding door, feeling of being separated from the outside world, just what I don't like about my present van. Towbar may or may not be a problem.

A Campscout wouldn't be any good for me, but a Campscout Revolution might be - alas they are like rocking horse dung. I'm also a bit concerend that a fixed bed in a PVC compromises the living & lounging space too much, I'm in the balance if the hassle of making beds up each night is worth it to get much more useable room. At the moment I suspect it is, for us.

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