Is an A class too extravagant for one?

[airwave]

Hi Geoff ,

May i first also offer my condolences .

In answer to your original question , the answer has to be a resounding No , I own an A class , Hymer and i'm single .

I do sometimes take my mother (82) , mainly to get her out of the house , but in the main i also travel on my own .

Unlike many , i don't need people around me , so i also have to say , no to the loneliness question as well . Actually , quite the reverse , i cherish it . You have the advantage of being able to please yourself , so if you don't feel like doing anything , then quite simple you don't . However on the flip side if there was something you wanted to see , you can literally just go .

My van being older does return 30 to the gallon , but i hang a push bike on the back , and more recently a small motorcycle , for touring and shopping . Their far easier to park , although i can get my van into small spaces if needed .

I have a saying , don't have to take a truck for breakfast , is getting a bit worn out .

I would also advise you to take your time in deciding . Unlike you i have always being on my own , as i never married , so it's quite natural for me . But will add as you already own the van , there's no rush . Try it out and see how you get on . And good luck my friend .

 

[maison]

Geoff C.
First of all our genuine sympathies for your situation. We have been married for 52 years and “together” for 58 years. Neither of us know what we would do in your situation, who can?

However, we both feel that if you love your motorhome stick with it. We have had several motorhomes over the years. We have changed m/h’s more often than is sensible. If it suits you for layout, is reliable and you enjoy driving it then we would suggest that keep it and use it to the maximum.

Best wishes to you for the future.

 

[DavidG58]

Bless you Geoff and others that have added their similar situations

weirdly we had exactly this conversation this morning , our bedroom has a window looking over the garden where our MH is parked and we were bird watching as we do most weekends

Bev said to me would you change our MH if I died, absolutely no, I replied , why would you ?

absolutely no was her reply

not that you need to follow my advice , but it has to be your choice, most importantly remember it’s one that can’t be reversed should you sell the MH you
shared

best of luck with your decision, there are a good few single MHers on here, some in bigger ones than yours

 

[cliffanger]

So sorry for your loss Geoff. I would agree - keep the van. My first thought was, it might be difficult driving and manoeuvring a big A class alone, but Phil Taran_Las could give you some advice on that. I know he has cameras on his van to give him good visibility all around the van.

Get yourself signed in to some rallies - when the situation allows you’ll see how friendly Funsters are, and what good times you’ll have.

At least the van you have promises a lovely, comfortable home away from home!

 

[B-well]

Try to join a show where Motorhome funsters are attending, some will respect you isolating and probably wanting peace and quiet so may not intrude, so it will need you to circulate (stick your chair in the middle cup or beer in one hand someone will bound to say hello).

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[Drum Major]

After reading all these most sincere post from all the funsters Im sure you know that there are a lot of lovely people on here
So take time with your decision and you knoW you have lots of friends on here

 

[nicholsong]

Geoff

Hello from another Geoff

It is a bit late to trawl though the replies and write my answer, but I will give my experience of being solo in an ;A' Class tomorrow if that is OK

Geoff

 

[Taran_Las]

So sorry to hear of your loss Geoff.

If there's no other reason to sell the van other than size I'd keep it for a while. Join us on some of the MotorhomeFun rallies. You'd be surprised at how welcome you would be made. Others will testify, you don't have to join in with anything, but you'll be more than welcome if you do.

My van returns the same mpg as yours. But as I carry a small motorbike I tend not to move the van too often.

Any questions regarding solo van travelling feel free to PM me.

 

[Boris7]

Condolences my friend,

you and you alone have to find a way forward, its not for anyone to tell you what’s best. But if you want a sensitive ear just ask

 

[Nanniemate]

Sorry for your loss Geoff,

Please don't make any major decisions for a while, from your first post it sounds like the van is paid for so hang onto it for at least one ot two proper summers and the kind of van it is, winters will be fine.

Many of us travel solo both male and female, there is also a solo club I was told about The Phoenix Camping Club which may be of interest

I am new to all this kind of thing and have had the privilege to meet some very kind and interesting people. I have been to a few rallies which have been very good and are a good lower cost way of getting onto a site,

Any van with a good shower is worth hanging onto and there is nothing wrong with running around in an A class if you only want to keep one vehicle. I manage to keep two the car is an 14 plate £30 tax a year & insurance and my little PVC. If I wasn't working the car would go not the van.

Take care of yourself, and lets hope you can get about and about soon

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[Snoopy]

Hi Geoff, sending thoughts and prayers, difficult time for you, as many funsters have said take your time, making your decision, sounds like you enjoy your motorhome at present, the space and comfort, hopefully soon you like all of us will be meeting up in the near future

 

[GeoffC]

Well I'm absolutely blown away by the warmth and kindness within the replies. There's been so much good advice and common sense provided. I'm very grateful to everyone who has or will reply. A recurring theme seems to be not to make any major decisions for quite a while. That makes sense and to be honest I've already made a rash decision about something else which I'm starting to regret already. Reading the replies made me a bit tearful as I recalled certain happy memories we'd had in the van. We actually had a conversation about the van when we were talking about money should the worst happen. My wife thought that I'd be keeping the van and was quite taken back when I said I wasn't sure I would want to. I'm not sure where that leaves me. With regards to manouvreing the van...my wife was never really able to help me as her mobility was an issue. Various disasters did occur when I first got the van but I replaced the rear bumper and had the roof repaired after hitting a branch in La Plage D'Argens in S. France. Haha. I'm not too bad at all that now (he says touching various wooden things). I will carry on reading the replies ( if any more come in) with great interest and reply again. Although obviously it is me that has to make a decision, I do really value the advice and experience of others. As I've seen in the replies, others have been through similar experiences and it's very useful to hear their take on it. But it's also equally useful to get advice from people who are going out of their way and taking the time to consider my position and think about what they would do if it was them. Thank you everyone.

 

[Debs]

Morning Geoff
Please accept my condolences for the loss of your wife.

My husband passed away suddenly leaving me a widow at 52. Thankfully we were already members on here and we had shared the driving of our A class from day 1.

Just over 4 years on I still have the van. I've been to quite a few rallies and even organised a couple. Being a member on here helped get me through the dark times. I have made some wonderful friends and had lots of help and advice. I honestly cannot put a price on that.

My two pennarth worth would be the same as has already been said - no major decisions for at least a year. You keep thinking you are making progress but then when you look back a couple of months on you realise you weren't where you thought you were at all.

Be kind to yourself - it's about learning to live a different life & though it takes a while you WILL get there.

All the very best to you.



Not sure if Brendan has any comments about van size with his Behemoth

 

[Slippymurphy]

Geoff
Sorry to hear about your loss.
If the vans bought and paid for , storage isn’t an issue then I reckon you can never have too big a van. I personally couldn’t be bothered making up a bed every night and being limited with space etc .
As for manoeuvreing the van, GOAL is the mantra I used when driving/ reversing wagons
“get out and look !!! “ do that plenty and it’ll be fine.
There’s never any hurry when parking up
Fuel consumption. not much you can say really, A classes have the aerodynamics of a house brick, never going to be great
You’ll know what’s right for you.
All the best Geoff
Cheers

 

[pampam]

condolences for your loss and i must say Im as moved as you about all the replies youve received geoff, lots of very good advice, i too would keep your van for a while and see if it works for you, and i would definately sign up for some rallies if time permits,and some organised tours abroad, what better way to get out and about and socialise , good luck best regards pampam

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[simsy56]

Firstly, please accept my sincere condolences for the loss of your wife, I am so sorry.

I would leave things for a year, and then have a rethink. If you are happy with your MoHo, why change? You will appreciate the space when you are spending more and more time in it.

Only you can make the decision, but, wait a while.

Craig

 

[AndyPK]

My condolences, Geoff...
Keep your ‘van; use it as much as possible (when possible!). Don’t worry about the mpg, just enjoy the experience of travelling and meeting people.

 

[Brendan]

I'm very sorry to hear of your loss Geoff.

It sounds as though you have been given some very sound advice in this thread about not rushing in to decisions.
As regards manoeuvring the van, the best advice I can give has already been said - if in doubt, get out and look. There's been a time or two I should have gone for a second look.

I don't believe an A Class is necessarily too extravagant for one, any more than for two.
Debs Referred to my behemoth, but at 8.4m, I tend to describe it as the perfect size for one.
I guess it comes down to how you plan to use the van, where you want to go, and how long you plan to stay there.

 

[Hirsch]

Hi Geoff,

So sorry to hear of your loss. The replies you have received to date have brought a tear to my eye too. What a lovely bunch of people.

Like most others, I'd suggest, take your time, don't make any rash decisions, time will tell and you will know when the time comes for change. That day may never arrive.

Best wishes.

 

[BuilderBob]

Hi Geoff

I also lost my wife when we were both 52, my sincere condolences to you, whilst I cannot put myself in your shoes, I do have some understanding.

I agree with other contributors, don't make big decisions immediatley, give yourself some time, whatever you think now, you will most certainly not be thinking straight.

I'd say keep your current van and when we are able, travel as you would have done, keep an open mind and say yes to every opportunity that presents itself, as we know, life is short and unpredictable.

Bon chance mon ami.

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[Debs]

keep an open mind and say yes to every opportunity that presents itself, as we know, life is short and unpredictable.

Absolutely agree with this! I had some wonderful & heartwarming experiences after deciding to say yes to every opportunity in the 1st year that I was on my own.

I appreciate that might not be so easy in the current situation, the opportunitues will just be different.

 

[nicholsong]

GeoffC

Sorry I did not get back to you yesterday as I said, but I have been having my computer upgraded with an SSD, so it is now running at Mach 1.

Just to give you my personal experience. I bought my current MH, a N&B Arto 69 'A' Class when I was abachelor, but not long out of a deep relationship, but broken not by me, so not a parallel to your bereavement for which I too offer my condolences.

The MH you have is the one you know and have enjoyed. I do not see any reason why you should feel that you would be being extravagent or over-indulging yourself any more than I was travelling solo in an 'A' Class. Unless the memories of being together in it are too sharp, but you might feel the same doing the similar activity in any other MH, because it was probably what you did together more than the vehicle which might jog memories.

Maybe the answer is to keep it for a while and maybe go to places and do things which you did not do togetther but which you fancy doing, which then do not jog(wrong word but hope you understand) memories.

If that does not work for you then you can change the MH later.

But don't let being alone in a largish MH deter you. You chose the MH together so it is part of what you were as a couple and should still be.

You do not say what your interests are when on the road. Let us know and there may be many suggestions to keep you occupied following them up.

Keep posting and let us know what you do and where you go.

Best Wishes

T'other Geoff

 

[EdwardFT]

As for the mpg, the calculation is different after you have retired and/or are on a fixed income. It's not cost per mile that matters, it's cost per day. So just drive a bit less every day on average.

 

[Captain Birdseye]

I try not to make big decisions until I am sure of what I want.

In that respect my moto is "Ifin doubt, do nowt."

 

[CDBaines]

Sad to hear of your loss.
I too would be asking the same questions if it happens to me.
However, there are some really well grounded thoughts in this thread. My personal view is take your time. There's really no rush, and one more years depreciation on the van isn't going to amount to much. So, take the pressure off and go and try the life, and allow yourself to settle into a new routine.
Having too much space shouldn't be an issue, aside from parking I guess, and will provide flexibility if there are other changes to your life that take up space in your van, that your not aware of yet....friends, family, travel buddies, pets.
For now, relax and try to start enjoying your new life.
Happy to chat if we ever meet up...I note your fairly close to my home location.
Good luck and keep smiling.

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[MikeManning]

My wife and I have exactly the same van, my wife named her Bella. I'm in my early 70's and she (my wife) in her late 60's.

What would your wife want you to do?

Don't be afraid to 'rattle around' in your van on your own, providing the memories are good!

 

[Liver birds]

So sorry for your loss, I do understand your predicament I have an a class hymer 6 berth just for me and I love it.
I do sometimes think should I sell especially as I only got away fo 1 weekend last year then I take a deep breath and always say no I’ll keep it for another year.
hope you make the right decision for you

 

[Zulu]

When my wife and I were looking to upgrade 3.5 years ago we chose a Bavaria i740 because it gave us more space, a great fridge an island bed and on board bathroom facilities that meant my wife, with advanced ms could use on bad days with us being totally self sufficient. We loved it and it allowed us to travel about within our own perfect environment. Sadly my wife died recently aged 52. The dust has yet to settle but I have been thinking about what to do with the van. My initial thought was to use it a bit and see how I felt about it. I wondered whether it would be better to buy a day type van and use it as a daily driver also.
I managed to get away for a few days before the latest lockdown and went to a small site in Whitchurch called Bramblewood Caravan Park. I used the shower in the van for the first time and found that it's actually quite good. I enjoyed my few days and realised that I do love the van. We bought the van new with some money I had at the time. If I sell it I'm unlikely to be able to buy something of that high cost again. I will only be able to move down the scale price wise.
In May I will be finishing a work contract. I'm not sure if I will be working again. I'm undecided about that. If I don't work it will give me the opportunity to travel about a bit. When we went to the continent previously, fuel costs were quite high as the mpgs in this van aren't great ( low to mid 20s). But Im also wondering whether it's just a bit extravagant to travel around alone in an A Class.
I'm also a little bit concerned that I may be a bit lonely motorhoming on my own. My wife and I were sociable sorts but often found that, whilst people on sites would exchange a few passing pleasantries that's about as far as it went. When I was part of a couple it didn't matter. I'm now wondering whether joining rallies may be better for me. My wife and I had always intended to take part in organised rallies but just never got round to it.
So I'm wondering whether to sell it and get a smaller van, or get a day van, dispensing of the need for a car. I'm just worried that I may regret moving down in van size, having enjoyed a bit if space and luxury.
Thought would be appreciated. Geoff

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Hi Geoff,
Sorry to hear about your loss.
There are lots of solo clubs out there, how about joining one and seeing how it goes with your existing van? If you really enjoy your van why change? I’m a member of New Companions club and think it is excellent, rallies all over the country, this time last year small groups all over Europe, I was in Southern Spain. Not possible at the moment due to Covid but raring to go when restrictions lifted. Try and keep positive in these difficult times.

 

[triky]

Geoff' Hi. Along with all the other posts ,commiserations .I too ,as many motorhomers/caravaners have had this soul searching problem.My Wife always said to carry on ,live your life, enjoy the time you have left .I too have an "A" class to rattle around in ,"Concorde Charisma two" ,all be it very small compensation for the loss of a partner ,i still travel/tour just as we both did ,since early 70s this being my 4th vehicle ,with the grace that i am doing just what my good Lady wanted me to ,enjoying the twighlight years .,,Good luck and SAFE travels .

 

[Peppadog]

Condolences Geoff. I can't imagine how it feels.
I am with most others above. Don't change it yet. Use it when you feel like it. See how it all feels for a while. Then decide only on the basis of how you feel, not on perceived justifications like fuel consumption, the difference of which, as you know really, is an insignificant cost compared to swapping the 'van.
All the very best.

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