Garages. Why so few from British Motorhome builders? (1 Viewer)

[jerryz]

The garage was a priority for me. View attachment 926724

Im jealous ,, wish my van had a garage i searched literally hundreds and could not find any under 3.5tons with a big enough garage and layout so I have to tow a trailer ...for my Ducati

 

[bigtree]

Im jealous ,, wish my van had a garage i searched literally hundreds and could not find any under 3.5tons with a big enough garage and layout so I have to tow a trailer ...for my Ducati

The Frankia was rated at 5t.

 

[rosalan]

Sadly, another reason we do not include ‘garages’ in UK vans is weight. Once over 3.5 tons, a different licence is required. A very expensive test if you have to pay for it. So heavier vans are more often driven by older people with grandfathers rights.
When/if heavy battery powered vehicles are developed, perhaps the weight limit may go up to a more practical 4tons and designs change accordingly.

 

[Barti Ddu]

Didnt brownhills have a batch of lhd motorhomes probably about 4 years ago, maybe swifts
Seem to recall big advertising about them

Funny you should say that. Just parked behind this this Swedish registered LHD Swift in Sognefjord, Norway.

 

[busbuddy]

Toscane...that's the one, a quick google and it was 2019 that brownhills were selling them lhd

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[Brains]

What difference does it make if the base vehicle and coachbuilt part are from different countries I can't see any logic at all in that.

From an engineering perspective you would expect Mercedes to have a close relationship with the major German motorhome builders.
I would expect quite a number of ex Mercedes designers work at each Motorhome builder.

There would be a degree of chatter about minor changes they are making as the chassis roll off the production line.
It's also far easier for a german Engineer to call his opposite number on the phone and ask questions, all in German.

It also means all the instructions for both base and top are in the same language, wiring matches, rules are the same etc etc.
It's just one less thing to go wrong.

 

[Millcourt]

When we were looking at buying our first motorhome (having had several Land Rovers and VW Camper vans).
Having decided on the basic spec (Twin beds, large garage, max 7m)

We started looking country by country.
We decided early on that it should be matching collar and cuffs where possible, so an Italian van on a Fiat, a French van on a Citroen or Peugeot, a British van on a Ford, and a German van on a Mercedes.

The Italian vans were fitted out like a yacht, beautiful, all set up for the full coffee machine, but no place for an oven, minimal heating.
The French vans were nice and airy, tended to be a bit boxy, style over function, and again most lacked decent heating.
The British vans were still built with wood frames! and designed like a caravan of 20 years ago. (And had a reputation for leaking)
The German vans, of which there was a vast range, were properly constructed, fully winterised, had all the fittings, multiple ones of our spec,
it was just a case of matching our budget.

We therefore changed our spec to be:
Twin beds, large garage, max 7m, German built, C Class!

But each to their own, otherwise there would be no point is nosing around campsites comparing makes and models!

Generally, I have been impressed with German converters build quality. So I expect you have been well pleased with your choice of a Hymer.

However I am not sure about the links you make about the Country matching of base vehicle and converter being advantageous, because of the extent of product sharing among brands in the light commercial vehicle industry. Fiat, Citroën and Peugeot have collaborated for more than 40 years to produce their respective large vans, the Ducato, Relay and Boxer, at the Sevel factory in Italy. I understand all of these branded vans are made on the same production line, albeit that the largest marque by volume is Fiat.

 

[Ridgeway]

A MoHo without a garage is just a caravan with an engine

 

[Lenny HB]

Im jealous ,, wish my van had a garage i searched literally hundreds and could not find any under 3.5tons with a big enough garage and layout so I have to tow a trailer ...for my Ducati

Loads of vans under 3.5t with a garage but if you put a motorbike in there you won't be able to run legally at 3.5t.

 

[Northernraider]

From an engineering perspective you would expect Mercedes to have a close relationship with the major German motorhome builders.
I would expect quite a number of ex Mercedes designers work at each Motorhome builder.

There would be a degree of chatter about minor changes they are making as the chassis roll off the production line.
It's also far easier for a german Engineer to call his opposite number on the phone and ask questions, all in German.

It also means all the instructions for both base and top are in the same language, wiring matches, rules are the same etc etc.
It's just one less thing to go wrong.

And yet the largest amount of German vans are on fiat and iveco. With Mercedes as a higher price option usually.

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[bigtree]

And yet the largest amount of German vans are on fiat and iveco. With Mercedes as a higher price option usually.

Except when Concorde, Morelo and other high end manufacturers use Iveco.

 

[JockandRita]

Even the most organised ones are a mess. You start off packing them nice, but everything then has to be junked on top, you are forever removing this, to reach that. It always means your bed is too high, and all that weight behind the rear axle is not clever. Especially in those models when the garage is really the only locker.

Remind me please the next time we are at yours Jim, to show you our extremely well organised garage, whereupon almost nothing is junked upon, that we have to remove it to gain access to other gear. Even with the E Bikes in, there is access from the entry point to the wall opposite, without having to move gear. Our weight tends to be over and behind the rear axle, where it is needed most for RWD.

I would really struggle to use a van without a garage

So would we Martin.

Funny you should say that. Just parked behind this this Swedish registered LHD Swift in Sognefjord, Norway.

In Benidorm over the last 2 x winters, I have seen a Swedish registered LHD Swift. Very unusual, and making me wonder why?

Cheers,

Jock.

 

[Northernraider]

Except when Concorde, Morelo and other high end manufacturers use Iveco.

I said fiat and iveco.

Iveco isn't German

 

[bigtree]

I said fiat and iveco.

Iveco isn't German

Once again you are correct Tam but the vast majority of vans are on their chassis with the above mentioned using Iveco.

 

[bigtree]

I’m in the peasant class as my Carthago is on the Fiat chassis.

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[The Wino]

I'd be very surprised if there are a lot of ex base vehicle manufacturer engineers working on motorhome production. It's a bit like thinking US built planes need us built engines I don't really see any link.

 

[Jim]

Remind me please the next time we are at yours @Jim, to show you our extremely well organised garage,

I admit, I’ve seen a few well organised ones jock, but nearly everyone of those had plenty of other useful lockers too.

I also see contents of garages sprawled over a pitch most days as campers set up and pack up. For every organised garage I see, I bet I’ll see 20 where they shove the last bit in by the weight of the door.

 

[jumar]

Before we contemplate a van purchase, we look at the garage capacity first...we then view other parts of the van..
We might even be doing just this next year...but should we, an 18 year old Hymer with a Renault 3 litre engine...and storage for a couple of eBikes, kept out of sight....Might stick...for now...

 

[Northernraider]

Before we contemplate a van purchase, we look at the garage capacity first...we then view other parts of the van..
We might even be doing just this next year...but should we, an 18 year old Hymer with a Renault 3 litre engine...and storage for a couple of eBikes, kept out of sight....Might stick...for now...

If it works why change it?

I wouldn't change a van just because I had the money to do it, but I know many people do. If the layout works and it's not costing a fortune to maintain etc then why.

 

[Lenny HB]

Before we contemplate a van purchase, we look at the garage capacity first...we then view other parts of the van..
We might even be doing just this next year...but should we, an 18 year old Hymer with a Renault 3 litre engine...and storage for a couple of eBikes, kept out of sight....Might stick...for now...

Yep, garage & shower are the important bits for us.

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[jumar]

If it works why change it?

I wouldn't change a van just because I had the money to do it, but I know many people do. If the layout works and it's not costing a fortune to maintain etc then why.

Exactly Tam..the most deciding factor will be sleeping arrangements and mobility....
Our current van was sold to us by a couple who had trouble getting up to bed and exiting during the night... currently that's not an issue...but in time it might be....and I imagine when that time arrives we might not need a garage for bikes...
The van has to suit our lifestyle, it has to do what we want it to do...this sometimes comes with compromises...Thanks for you advice..we value this greatly...

 

[jumar]

Yep, garage & shower are the important bits for us.

Garage for bikes and loads of charging possibilities for bikes....Shower...as and when...Hope your new van is what you need Lenny...

 

[Northernraider]

Exactly Tam..the most deciding factor will be sleeping arrangements and mobility....
Our current van was sold to us by a couple who had trouble getting up to bed and exiting during the night... currently that's not an issue...but in time it might be....and I imagine when that time arrives we might not need a garage for bikes...
The van has to suit our lifestyle, it has to do what we want it to do...this sometimes comes with compromises...Thanks for you advice..we value this greatly...

I met a guy in Greece before Christmas time that had his old hymer coachbuilt van from new and it was a 1991. I thought that was pretty amazing considering. I think that's a very rare thing nowadays but it obviously worked for him.

 

[JockandRita]

If it works why change it?

I wouldn't change a van just because I had the money to do it, but I know many people do. If the layout works and it's not costing a fortune to maintain etc then why.

Yep, that's us too.

Cheers,

Jock.

 

[jumar]

Yep, that's us too.

Cheers,

Jock.

Yes Jock...but you and me are retired Firefighters....with HUGE pensions and nothing to spend it on...

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[Lenny HB]

Garage for bikes and loads of charging possibilities for bikes....Shower...as and when...Hope your new van is what you need Lenny...

Garage is large shower not bad lounge is a bit tight but it redeens itself being car like to drive.

 

[Northernraider]

Yes Jock...but you and me are retired Firefighters....with HUGE pensions and nothing to spend it on...

I get that too. After all you can't take it with you.


I'm OK...I don't have it to start with

 

[Northernraider]

Garage is large shower not bad lounge is a bit tight but it redeens itself being car like to drive.

Just don't put on any weight uncle lenny and you'll be fine

 

[Lenny HB]

Just don't put on any weight uncle lenny and you'll be fine

It's going to be well over
Will be uprating it, if the original order had gone through that would have been OK as was on the Maxi Chassis.

 

[Northernraider]

It's going to be well over
Will be uprating it, if the original order had gone through that would have been OK as was on the Maxi Chassis.

Lol I just meant that you and Mi are small ... don't get my size you'll be sitting on each others lap

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