Ideas for our perfect motorhome

[Stealaway]

We need to down size because of my wife lack of mobility.
I know that this first and best place to search for ideas.
We have had a series of 7metre motorhomes over the last twelve years but we need a smaller van.
Ideally a PVC with a fixed double bed 6 ft but not cross wise.
Revolving front seats, toilet but not nessasarily a shower.
Reasonable headroom but not a pop-up
Good heater.
I do like Fiat but I'm open to other makes.


We hope you can help folk's

 

[tonysuvla]

We have a 6m Auto Sleeper Stanton, coach built. Two single beds (Duvalays), end kitchen, wash room with shower, electric step all on a Mercedes automatic Sprinter base. It has a fixed gas tank and we never go without our Springer Spaniel.
Front seats swivel. 2 tables and TV stored in the wardrobe.
Not weighed the van but don’t carry a stand alone tent, BBQ or anything else heavy and even with 4 or 5 weeks of dog food, manage fine for storage - forgot to say, we have a built in microwave too.

 

[richard8]

just have a look at a Benimar tessoro 481 motorhome. Just under 6m with an electric drop down bed which you can get into from floor level, it is crossways but big, loo and shower easily accessible, swivel front seats, heating etc. we can park ours almost anywhere cos it’s short.

 

[BrochMike]

Not sure about watching the tv from the captains seats. We would leave the bed made up permanently

We have Europa on Renault (6.2m) and have settled on compromise of leaving all back rests at home (pillows become cushions during the day).

This gives instant/permanent singles (decent width - I am a hefty chap) but still allows use of sofas for TV watching/lounging and use of table (when needed) during the day.

Having extended the middle section between bench seats half way (with corner cushions) allays any fears of falling out - but gives easy access during the night!

Not sure newer version (on Fiat/citroën) would allow the same option without getting special cushion made up...

They should be on display at NEC if you can get there.

 

[Spriddler]

With motorhomes, boats and garden sheds the perfect one is usually two feet longer than the the one you've got.

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[Petroleumblownapart]

We have a similar problem, but fitting an electric step is an easy option but we may also need a handrail fitted


I've just found this company and they are in Yorkshire.
They have a good range some with nice big single beds.
Has anyone had any experience of them?

Europa Range - Wildax Motorhomes

wildaxmotorhomes.com

I have seen electrically operated lift steps which go from around 75mm off the ground to floor level. Light enough to lift into van and able to lift up to 20 st. Might be worth a Google or three.

 

[tonysuvla]

Further to my post on the AS Stanton, it’s 4 wheels fit in a parking space which a warden told me means I don’t get a fine for being in more than one space!

 

[Prop]

We looked all over for a 6m van with lengthways bed at the NEC last year, and because we wanted a garage for bikes we were struggling.
Eventually found this design from a company road trippin. Not got our base van yet but when we do this will be the layout for us but with a fixed bed.
Only downside as we see it is the bed width but we have a T5 at the moment so we are used to a narrow bed.

 

[David BW]

We have a Globecar Campscout (6.36m) and it’s perfect for us. Payload @ 3.5T was bit light so we’ve up-plated to 4.25T which was a simple paperwork exercise using Van Weight Engineering (highly recommended). Layout is virtually identical to the Summit Primes mentioned above. Truma 4E heater works well and keeps us toasty warm. Loads of storage and very comfortable longitudinal beds.

 

[AlanandMayya]

I’d advise you to be brutally honest about needs vs nice-to-haves. I’ve bought an L3H3 transit and built a sliding bed (I’m 6 foot 3 so can’t do transverse). 5 kWh lithium battery and 1.2kWp of solar panels let us stay off grid indefinitely in Spain even in Jan. 140 litres water gives us 5 days between fills. We can almost go anywhere a car can. 3.6 kW inverter so all electrics are 240v, so fridge is big and cheap, electric kettle, oven, hair dryer. Decide whether you want to stay weeks at a time at camp sites, or move every 2 days between informal spots. So we didn’t compromise on the bed, fridge, cooker, water or power. Also 40 litre underslung LPG tank. But; we have no shower and very rudimentary toilet (will spare you details). Check into a campsite for a shower, or wash from a bucket of warm water. Little inbuilt furniture as we like to eat outside. So it’s a camper (nice weather holiday) not a mobile home. Winter in UK would be really miserable, we can’t do that. We and the two dogs love it but I can see it’s too much Camping and too little Home for some. I think the key to happiness is to decide exactly where on the Camping vs Home axis you lie.

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[tinkertaylor]

We looked all over for a 6m van with lengthways bed at the NEC last year, and because we wanted a garage for bikes we were struggling.
Eventually found this design from a company road trippin. Not got our base van yet but when we do this will be the layout for us but with a fixed bed.
Only downside as we see it is the bed width but we have a T5 at the moment so we are used to a narrow bed.

Looks a great van........where do you store the bikes at night with the bed down, outside the van? If that's the case then wouldn't you be better off having a bike rack on the back doors/towbar?

 

[Prop]

Looks a great van........where do you store the bikes at night with the bed down, outside the van? If that's the case then wouldn't you be better off having a bike rack on the back doors/towbar?

I understand that you can have the bed fixed and higher so the bikes can stay in the van. I have read Its you need 900 mm to underside of bed to get bikes in with front wheel off.

 

[tinkertaylor]

I understand that you can have the bed fixed and higher so the bikes can stay in the van. I have read Its you need 900 mm to underside of bed to get bikes in with front wheel off.

Watch her dropping the bed down and there are some wooden supports that support the bed, I would definitely ask them to demonstrate the bed dropping down with the bikes in if that's an important feature for you. You would also need a step a step to get into the bed at 900mm high.

Another option would be to store the bikes in the kitchen area through the side door, aka the "whoosh bang door"

 

[Stealaway]

We looked all over for a 6m van with lengthways bed at the NEC last year, and because we wanted a garage for bikes we were struggling.
Eventually found this design from a company road trippin. Not got our base van yet but when we do this will be the layout for us but with a fixed bed.
Only downside as we see it is the bed width but we have a T5 at the moment so we are used to a narrow bed.

Yep that looks a good choice - I'll be in touch tomorrow.
The only other one we have seen that is a definite maybe is a Swift Carrera

The Swift Carrera panel van personifies style and comfort

The Swift Carrera 2, 3 or 4-berth panel van personifies style and comfort with its eye-catching exterior coachwork and aesthetically pleasing interior.

www.swiftgroup.co.uk