HELP! Decision Time - 7.5t or not?

[Beavers Surfing]

Hello everyone, we've been a registered on here for a long time but only just become a member.

Nice site with what seems to be a great community of like minded helpful people

We currently own a Fiat 3.0 with Lunar Roadstar 726,

We are heading out to south France next week. We've done France for last few years and love it.

We love our Motorhome and I really wouldn't get rid of it for anything, mileage is low, condition is very good. BUT I have seen a 7..5t Sport Cruiser and fallen in love.

I am seeking any advice you can offer please, Can the 7.5t be a problem with getting on the sites, Ferry, Tolls etc
I presume recovery will be harder to find? Generally moving it around might prove harder than our current 7.3m as it's 9.8m it think.

Any advice positive and negative welcomed, should we px our Roadstar for the 7.5t beast or keep ours...

I have driven plenty of 7.5t trucks in the past so I am comfortable doing that.

(I would love to move into it full time and take the kids outta school and hit the road indefinitely, so a big rig like this would help make that possible. But I am still working on the wife so chances of that happening are slim)

Any advice welcomed and much appreciated as I am at a bit of a loss with which direction to take.

George

 

[funflair]

Hi George

Kick in the pants off 10 metres so that is a fairly big truck, fantastic living space I am sure but needs a bit of space to park it up etc, we are 8.7m and would not go any bigger we were 8.5m and were trying to go smaller when we changed but we got seduced by the extra space, before we signed on the dotted line we went back in out minds all the places we had been with the previous van at 8.5m and asked ourselves what difference another 200mm would make and the simple answer was "not a lot".

I suggest that you do a similar exercise and see if an extra 2.5 metres would have been an issue on previous trips, it really comes down to the type of place you want to stop at as I think any problems may well be parking up rather than on the road.

We are under 7.5t so no weight issues and if we go to France we tend to stay off toll roads anyway, jongood may well have something to add as far as running over 7.5t is concerned.

 

[Figaro]

 

[Fulham Dave]

Welcome to the fun!

We have been full-time in our van for the past 3 years. It's 8.72m long (so not as big as the one you are considering) but we also tow a trailer with bike. All in, we are almost 12m long with a train weight of 6.2 tonnes.

In the past 2 years, since COVID travel restrictions were lifted, we have visited 15 countries. Probably 70% of the time we have used sites, the remainder have been on aires. We tend to book ahead in the summer season to ensure they have a space large enough, or select 4 or 5 aires in a close proximity of one another in the hope of finding a space available (we have never failed) although some sites have declined us owing to size and weight.

It does take some planning, but you will always find somewhere within the area you are choosing to visit. Aps like Search for Sites, ACSI, Campercontact, Park 4 night will be of great help - you can filter them to find sites suitable for your van.

Happy travels!

 

[jongood]

Hello everyone, we've been a registered on here for a long time but only just become a member.

Nice site with what seems to be a great community of like minded helpful people

We currently own a Fiat 3.0 with Lunar Roadstar 726,

We are heading out to south France next week. We've done France for last few years and love it.

We love our Motorhome and I really wouldn't get rid of it for anything, mileage is low, condition is very good. BUT I have seen a 7..5t Sport Cruiser and fallen in love.

I am seeking any advice you can offer please, Can the 7.5t be a problem with getting on the sites, Ferry, Tolls etc
I presume recovery will be harder to find? Generally moving it around might prove harder than our current 7.3m as it's 9.8m it think.

Any advice positive and negative welcomed, should we px our Roadstar for the 7.5t beast or keep ours...

I have driven plenty of 7.5t trucks in the past so I am comfortable doing that.

(I would love to move into it full time and take the kids outta school and hit the road indefinitely, so a big rig like this would help make that possible. But I am still working on the wife so chances of that happening are slim)

Any advice welcomed and much appreciated as I am at a bit of a loss with which direction to take.

George

Hi George.

Our mh is 8.6 tonnes and we absolutely love it, even at 20 years old the quality shines through and it's a true delight to use. With what you're suggesting I would be more concerned about the length than the weight, Ours is 8.3m we re currently away in France, we havent booked anything and no problems, however another 1.5 metres is a different ball game, there are places you can go just less of them. What I suggest you do is have a think about the places you've enjoyed on your trips so far and think whether you could go there with the new mh?

Its not the weight its the size

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[Nanniemate]

Don't forget the length effects ferry crossings if that concerns you

 

[jongood]

Not much actually, doesnt affect the tunnel at all

Don't forget the length effects ferry crossings if that concerns you

 

[Carpmart]

I’m 9.35m long and 7.3T…

We regularly have a toad when in UK, but not when in Europe, for obvious reasons. Sure a little consideration needs to be given to where to park, where to park up, where to camp, but overall nothing is too difficult.

I do ‘stretch the truth’ on occasion to get onto some camp sites, but with an overhang like ours, we fit on many pitches from a wheel base perspective, just need to be selective of which one to park on…

Welcome to fun!

 

[Beavers Surfing]

Guys thank you for the welcome and the messages with advice, really appreciate it, some very good points.

The Truck I've seen is actually 30ft is that 9.1m so not as long as I first thought

My head is still spinning with it all really as we are fortunate enough to be in a position where we could actually do this. Currently I am doing plenty of research and trying to convince my wife.

Thanks again!

 

[olley]

Our RV is 31' and 9.3 tons, I usually find we can get on most sites or Aires.

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[JockandRita]

If buses and bin lorries can get access, you will Beavers Surfing. It's just the pitch length which may be restrictive, pending site ownership and rules.

Good luck.

Jock.

 

[Boringfrog]

Guys thank you for the welcome and the messages with advice, really appreciate it, some very good points.

The Truck I've seen is actually 30ft is that 9.1m so not as long as I first thought

My head is still spinning with it all really as we are fortunate enough to be in a position where we could actually do this. Currently I am doing plenty of research and trying to convince my wife.

Thanks again!

You only live once, do it.....,

 

[RussMag]

Hi and Welcome George

Full timing and the proposed Sport Cruiser sounds brilliant and a great plan, hope you get it all sorted and the wife talked around (good luck) mate