Grianan
LIFE MEMBER
Sou ds as if you have the same dilemma we have …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.