Is a 7.5 metre motorhome usable as a everyday around town vehicle?

VXman

VXman

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Milton Keynes, UK
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Burstner Lyseo 727G
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3 years 30,000 miles UK and Europe.. Campsites and off Grid.
The answer is yes!!! (7.5x2.3x3 coachbuilt)

My car has been in the garage for a week now. I've used the motorhome for shopping trips to Tesco, trip to the local market town, popping down the local Sainsburys, Church on Sunday, popping around to some friends, clothes shopping this morning.

Also very useful for carrying stuff from the recently departed mother in laws house to local charity shops.

Wondering whether a everyday car is actually needed! ;)
 
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Not for me, although a PVC extra Extra long wheel base would be easier than a coachbuild
 
Our Adria was 7.4 m, Not easy to park in normal parking areas, there is the length that takes up 2 bays then the additional width which normally puts you into the next 2 side bays and getting out again when people park next to you is a real pain
In addition don’t park with the side close to a fixed fence or object or close to a pavement, as when you try to pull out the overhang will be a problem.

So it is possible but could get just a bit tiresome
 
It’s workable but the co-pilot always shouts “ over there, a space” I then have to remind her I have 7 metres length and will block the access road!
Width not that much of a problem, if the mirrors go in the gap I will.
Pulling out is a problem because of the length.
When I first got the vehicle I was literally terrified of the width next to hedges etc I then grew up and decided if I was like that every time I got in it I’d never go anywhere. I also work on the basis delivery vans and buses go through.
Now I accept there are going to be marks on the windows and body work from hedges but hey it’s got to be used.
I would state out I still know I purchased the vehicle unlike the delivery vans, buses and lorries that come my way.
I quickly reached the stage of slowing down or indeed stopping, no embarrassment, I’m never going to meet those people again!
 
Phill D said:
and getting out again when people park next to you is a real pain
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I found the opposite as with a coach built the body is wider than the cab so you can park ,get in /out but anyone you park next to or who you park next too, cannot enter/exit there vehicle,usually only through the rear hatch

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This was meant as a bit of tounge in cheek post but seems to have been taken a little seriously. I'm not really suggesting you can use a 7.5m van as you would a car. What I did discover this week though was that it is certainly possible with a bit of thought and planning.

Personally I have never understood the negativity around slightly larger vans. I have found 7.5 metres very usable in 30,000 miles of travel in the last 3 years or so. We've managed to park near our destinations, in towns and villages and even in big cities. On the few occasions where is difficult we park a few miles out and get the E-bikes out. I'd much prefer the benefit of the extra space for a small inconvenience of having to think about/plan parking,
 
VXman said:
This was meant as a bit of tounge in cheek post but seems to have been taken a little seriously. I'm not really suggesting you can use a 7.5m van as you would a car.
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It came across as a perfectly genuine question! It certainly did not appear to be anything else to me.
The fact that you a had a wink emoji at the end of the last question could have referred to just that sentence.

Then I guess we all have different sense of humour. 🤷‍♂️
 
Phill D said:
It came across as a perfectly genuine question! It certainly did not appear to be anything else to me.
The fact that you a had a wink emoji at the end of the last question could have referred to just that sentence.

Then I guess we all have different sense of humour. 🤷‍♂️
Click to expand...

The first line in my first post was 'The answer is yes!!!' So I assumed people would realise I wasn't really wanting an answer to my question. (Never assume) It was more the starting point for a 'discussion'. I know there will be many differing views on what size of van is suitable for what.

There was a winky face emoji ;) ;) ;) ;) at the bottom of my post for an added hint!

Maybe I'm just to subtle.
 
cyberyacht said:
Realistically anything much over 6M is going to struggle in all but the biggest car parks where there is usually some spare space away from the madding crowd.
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Have 6m PVC now but had slightly bigger coach builts previously. 6m makes life a lot easier
Couldn't afford nor ever thought of having a car as well
 
If all your trips are to out-of-town shopping centres that tend to have very spacious parking, then it's doable. I used a PVC as my only vehicle for a while. But I live in the city centre. So generally I walked, cycled or used public transport for trips to stuff within town anyway. I could squeeze the old van in to many places though.

Now I've got a 6m a-class, I don't use it for shopping trips. Too many of the car parks are too tight, the spaces are too packed in, or don't have the convenient bits of grass you can hang the back over, like you could in an out-of-town car park.

I still used it to do trips to see the family though. But only if I knew I could put it on their drive.

Changes at work meant I'm now having to commute in at silly hours of the morning. I was cycling. I've given up and got a car again. Although I'm only using it when the weather is really bad, because Birmingham traffic means it's quicker to cycle 10 miles each way than it is to drive.
 
Sadly, we are surrounded by these 6'6" things...





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Phill D said:
Our Adria was 7.4 m, Not easy to park in normal parking areas, there is the length that takes up 2 bays then the additional width which normally puts you into the next 2 side bays and getting out again when people park next to you is a real pain
In addition don’t park with the side close to a fixed fence or object or close to a pavement, as when you try to pull out the overhang will be a problem.

So it is possible but could get just a bit tiresome
Click to expand...

Also a 7.4 Adria owner.

All of the above although I will say that with precision I can get all four wheels in a parking space, but overhang...

I'd reckon that I could make it work but I would need to alter my lifestyle.
 
I can think of many situations where with parked cars or a wall beside me, that I would nor be able to steer the van out without risk of clipping something at the rear, because of the long overhang after the rear axel swinging out, as many places do not have a wide enough space to between rows of cars to turn a 7.4mtr van.
When we are away touring thats our biggest concern, is the place parking friendly for our van?, will I have to buy 2 parking tickets as we overhang a single space in pay & display, if not will the van have a parking ticket on it when we return etc
I can see why PVC's have become so popular when used as a daily driver looking to park in any town, or normally sized car park, many of which may also have 2.1mtr height barriers which not only restricts PVC's but maybe some large 4x4's with roof racks.
LES
 
Tongue in cheek question or not it did start me thinking. We go away for weeks in our van, venture into towns and negotiate some pretty narrow roads so why not start using the van more for everyday use ? The added bonus of being able to make a brew and have onboard facilities should more than compensate for any minor inconvenience.

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