Newbie on the cusp again!

[Nevis]

Well, after taking early retirement we are thinking of buying our first MH. We are very much outdoor folks into mountaineering and ski-touring and are confident the lifestyle will suit us. However, we will defer any final decision until I get to the NEC show in a few weeks and spend a few days inspecting the quality of vehicles in the flesh. (Unfortunately my wife can't make it)

My search throws up more questions than answers I'm afraid. We are drawn to the following:-

An A Class (But we do like the Niesmann Bischoff Smove .... but it is expensive!)

2 or 4 berth but with single fixed beds that can convert to a double. (Not sure if we could get used to even an electric drop-down bed)

Our budget is around £70k

The Mobilvetta K-Yacht 85 appeals not least because it is available in Scotland. However, I’m not sure if I am just being seduced by the gloss if you know what I mean and I can’t see many owners on this forum. Other marques that appeal include; Pilote, Burstner, Hymer, Frankia, Rapido, Carthago.

Auto Gearbox- We drive an auto-geared car and assume there is no disadvantage in having an auto box in a MH?

Curious to know what mileage can we can realistically expect?

Left or right hand drive???

Would consider buying abroad but then who services your vehicle here near Scottish Borders? It seems if we take advice to 'look global but buy local' we are restricted in our choice somewhat. (Mobilvetta is available not too far away)
​

We continue to absorb as much of the wisdom and experience on this forum as possible and are extremely grateful of any help you can offer to avoid the many pit-falls.
Open to any suggestions.....erm ......relating to above!

 

[irnbru]

@Puddleduck might know about servicing.

 

[Puddleduck]

Servicing, habitation or the mechanical side of things?

I have used Mill Garage in Duns for habitation and been very happy with their service. For the mechanical side of things it depends on the make of the base vehicle and if you want to use a garage that only deals with that make.

I would not buy new for your first motorhome ..... most people get the layout wrong first time and it ends up being an expensive mistake. We are on to our 4th van now - each van we have had has suited us at the time we had it but we have moved on everytime as circumstances change.

I'll send you a private message so you can contact me directly should you wish.

Also I am sure someone who knows about the makes of vehicle you mention will be along soon ........ After a year we still love our SunLiving part of the Adria group.

 

[Nevis]

Most helpful both - much appreciated.

 

[funflair]

Well your £70k budget would buy you a nice van about 3 years old and then no need to worry about manufacturers warranty and stuff like that as any decent service centre should be able to service it, chassis service would just be a commercial garage

The Smove is a nice van but I would not want to spend long living in it as it's a bit short on kitchen space (what kitchen), have you looked at the Arto?

Left hand drive if you are going to take it abroad, easy to drive in the UK with the added advantage that if you was to change again in the future you could trade in in abroad where you get more choice.

I dont know what type of automatic car you drive but very few motorhomes have a proper torque converter auto (only Merc and newish IVECO I think) so I would advise trying one first.

Martin

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[Nevis]

Well your £70k budget would buy you a nice van about 3 years old and then no need to worry about manufacturers warranty and stuff like that as any decent service centre should be able to service it, chassis service would just be a commercial garage

The Smove is a nice van but I would not want to spend long living in it as it's a bit short on kitchen space (what kitchen), have you looked at the Arto?

Left hand drive if you are going to take it abroad, easy to drive in the UK with the added advantage that if you was to change again in the future you could trade in in abroad where you get more choice.

I dont know what type of automatic car you drive but very few motorhomes have a proper torque converter auto (only Merc and newish IVECO I think) so I would advise trying one first.

Martin

Many thanks for quick reply. I'll check out the Arto. We were hoping to buy new - would you say our budget is a bit short for what we have in mind?

 

[Puddleduck]

Sorry edited my post after you replied @Nevis

 

[Blue Knight]

Hi Nevis and welcome,

If you're into outward bound stuff then the first thing you need to do is can the idea of buying a Mobilvetta.

The payload is so poor that even if you register at 3,650kg then you'll still be hard pushed to carry your hiking kit and two tins of beans.

Sorry good mate but I would avoid it at all costs.

All the best,

Andrew

 

[Nevis]

Hi Nevis and welcome,

If you're into outward bound stuff then the first thing you need to do is can the idea of buying a Mobilvetta.

The payload is so poor that even if you register at 3,650kg then you'll still be hard pushed to carry your hiking kit and two tins of beans.

Sorry good mate but I would avoid it at all costs.

All the best,

Andrew

Thanks Andrew,
All noted - I usually take three tins so the Mobilvetta's out then! I'll check payloads of my shortlist again.
Dave

 

[funflair]

Many thanks for quick reply. I'll check out the Arto. We were hoping to buy new - would you say our budget is a bit short for what we have in mind?

For sure you could get a new van at your budget, but in my opinion you will get more for your money at a few years old, the other question is are you 100% sure about what you want because if you don't get it right you will be looking to change again in a years time and that will cost you a lot less if you have bought used.

Martin

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[Blue Knight]

Thanks Andrew,
All noted - I usually take three tins so the Mobilvetta's out then! I'll check payloads of my shortlist again.
Dave

Hi Dave,

One of your biggest challenges (if I may say so) is that your own particular area of the country is not blessed with motorhome dealers.

I live in the NE of the country and although we have six MoHo dealers in the area there still remains very little choice, hence the reason why I had to travel 140-miles south to find our ideal van.

The NEC should be a good start - your budget is a healthy one and in the right hands you'll get a nice nearly new A-class or a brand new low profile.

Good luck,

Andrew

 

[funflair]

Thanks Andrew,
All noted - I usually take three tins so the Mobilvetta's out then! I'll check payloads of my shortlist again.
Dave

Alongside your three tins of beans there are a lot of other things that will impinge upon your available payload, don't forget that all the extras you want/need have to come out of the payload figure, solar panels extra battery inverter sat dome/dish TV, decent size fresh and waste water tanks, bikes, BBQ/outdoor cooker, table chairs, windbreak the list goes on and the weight adds up.

Martin

 

[Nevis]

For sure you could get a new van at your budget, but in my opinion you will get more for your money at a few years old, the other question is are you 100% sure about what you want because if you don't get it right you will be looking to change again in a years time and that will cost you a lot less if you have bought used.

Martin

Thanks Martin, I suppose I'm cautious of buying used or nearly-new with little experience, but, I take your point. If nothing else I hope to settle on a make, model and configuration soon. I can then see what is available. Much appreciated.

 

[Nevis]

Hi Dave,

One of your biggest challenges (if I may say so) is that your own particular area of the country is not blessed with motorhome dealers.

I live in the NE of the country and although we have six MoHo dealers in the area there still remains very little choice, hence the reason why I had to travel 140-miles south to find our ideal van.

The NEC should be a good start - your budget is a healthy one and in the right hands you'll get a nice nearly new A-class or a brand new low profile.

Good luck,

Andrew

Thanks Andrew,
I'll keep you all posted on progress. I'll also need to determine what should reasonably be included in the deal and what has to be negotiated.

 

[Nevis]

Alongside your three tins of beans there are a lot of other things that will impinge upon your available payload, don't forget that all the extras you want/need have to come out of the payload figure, solar panels extra battery inverter sat dome/dish TV, decent size fresh and waste water tanks, bikes, BBQ/outdoor cooker, table chairs, windbreak the list goes on and the weight adds up.

Martin

Unk!!! Looks like I should be eating less beans - are passengers factored in?

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[funflair]

Unk!!! Looks like I should be eating less beans - are passengers factored in?

When a manufacturer quotes payload it is usually a basic spec van with fuel 90% I think, one gas bottle, usually 20 litres of water and a 75kg driver, everything else is extra and is eating into payload, I have seen quoted on here a few times that you need around 700kg to be comfortable. Some van even the drivers door is extra and comes out of your payload.

Some manufacturers web sites now have a configurator where you can spec your van with extras and it will add all the weights into the base vehicle, others just have the weights and you have to do the sums yourself.

Martin

 

[Nevis]

When a manufacturer quotes payload it is usually a basic spec van with fuel 90% I think, one gas bottle, usually 20 litres of water and a 75kg driver, everything else is extra and is eating into payload, I have seen quoted on here a few times that you need around 700kg to be comfortable. Some van even the drivers door is extra and comes out of your payload.

Some manufacturers web sites now have a configurator where you can spec your van with extras and it will add all the weights into the base vehicle, others just have the weights and you have to do the sums yourself.

Martin

Shows how naive I am - I was thinking 500kg would do it. A re-think I think!

 

[funflair]

Shows how naive I am - I was thinking 500kg would do it. A re-think I think!

I guess that might work if it has to, but would you want to be limited by your payload. you might want to bring home 50kg of wine and beer from your continental travels.

I reckon we are using between 1000kg and 1200KG over the base vehicle spec, but we can carry a tandem a couple of mountain bikes a scooter inflatable canoe BBQ etc etc and thats just in the garage, then 4 batteries 4 solar panels inverter hydraulic levelling jacks, EFOY fuel cell and fuel, a 10 litre can of diesel, tools bits and bobs, then of course clothes and food.

Martin

 

[Blue Knight]

Shows how naive I am - I was thinking 500kg would do it. A re-think I think!

Dave,

The Mobilvette which you mention has a 342kg payload in 3.5T guise but I bet you any money it will weigh about 150kg more in its basic state than what is quoted in the manufacturers books. If you then subtract the weights of the usual extras which Martin mentioned in one of his posts above then your payload (at best) will hover around the 42 to 100kg-mark. If you then add a passenger then you'll be overloaded and therefore illegal.

BTW, my van, a Pilote, unlike others does not include a driver in the MIRO figure so my 92kg has to come off the advertised payload.

All the best,

Andrew

 

[Blue Knight]

Dave,

This fact may interest you mate: There is a small enclave of native folk AKA The Bunga-Bunga Nation, in the North West frontiers of the Amazonian Rain Forest which uses the word 'Mobilvette' to describe things which are severely overweight.



Honest!

Cheers,

Andrew

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[WynandJean]

Hello and welcome from West Midlands.



Wyn

 

[gus-lopez]

@makems has a nice van for sale in the ads on here.

 

[gus-lopez]

this one

https://www.motorhomefun.co.uk/foru...ance-3-0-auto-2013-reduced-to-£72-000.154435/

 

[duffs]

Stunning

 

[Nevis]

Dave,

This fact may interest you mate: There is a small enclave of native folk AKA The Bunga-Bunga Nation, in the North West frontiers of the Amazonian Rain Forest which uses the word 'Mobilvette' to describe things which are severely overweight.



Honest!

Cheers,

Andrew

The only 'Bunga-Bunga' reference I've come across in recent years referred to parties held by a certain disgraced Italian politician but I'll take your word for it!

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[SpeedyDux]

£70k seems a bit low if you want a spanking new A Class with all the bells and whistles. That's more like a mid-range coachbuilt with some option packs, or high end PVC budget nowadays. Even the entry level stuff is pushing £50k.

After you have visited the NEC you might raise that budget to £90k, which is a lot for a brand new starter MH because you might want to change it soon as other posters have pointed out.

You should also factor in the lead times for new orders which means that unless the dealer can supply from stock, and few of them seem to have them with the Fiat Comfortmatic gearbox so they will nearly always be manual ones, to get exactly what you want the delivery dates may well be May or June 2018.

 

[Nevis]

£70k seems a bit low if you want a spanking new A Class with all the bells and whistles. That's more like a mid-range coachbuilt with some option packs, or high end PVC budget nowadays. Even the entry level stuff is pushing £50k.

After you have visited the NEC you might raise that budget to £90k, which is a lot for a brand new starter MH because you might want to change it soon as other posters have pointed out.

You should also factor in the lead times for new orders which means that unless the dealer can supply from stock, and few of them seem to have them with the Fiat Comfortmatic gearbox so they will nearly always be manual ones, to get exactly what you want the delivery dates may well be May or June 2018.

Yep, I think I may need a budget rethink after my NEC visit or, accept that we will refine our needs over time and buy second hand in the first instance as you say. Just seems such a big risk without the knowledge and expertise to avoid being ripped off.

 

[Spriddler]

Most of my m/h touring for the past 25 years (in automatics) has been in r/h drive vehicles which has not been any problem at all. A point to bear in mind is that with a l/h drive m/h the habitation door will almost certainly open onto the road (into the traffic in U.K).

I have no personal experience but it seems that the lethargic and jerky Comfortmatic 'box (an automated manual I believe) on the common Fiat Ducato base vehicle takes a bit of getting used to and can be irritating.

I concur with funflair and @Puddleduck that it's best to discover what suits/doesn't suit you by avoiding the inevitably substantial depreciation on a possibly unsuitable new m/h.

 

[Nevis]

Most of my m/h touring for the past 25 years (in automatics) has been in r/h drive vehicles which has not been any problem at all. A point to bear in mind is that with a l/h drive m/h the habitation door will almost certainly open onto the road (into the traffic in U.K).

I have no personal experience but it seems that the lethargic and jerky Comfortmatic 'box (an automated manual I believe) on the common Fiat Ducato base vehicle takes a bit of getting used to and can be irritating.

I concur with funflair and @Puddleduck that it's best to discover what suits/doesn't suit you by avoiding the inevitably substantial depreciation on a possibly unsuitable new m/h.

Thanks Spriddler, food for thought, indeed. I was hoping for an auto-box but not if it's twitchy and inefficient. I'll take stock after NEC and consider low-mileage also.

 

[LuckyLuke]

Yep, I think I may need a budget rethink after my NEC visit or, accept that we will refine our needs over time and buy second hand in the first instance as you say. Just seems such a big risk without the knowledge and expertise to avoid being ripped off.

Or buy on the continent where prices are not so high even allowing for the weak £ - eg this one at around your £70K budget

or if you wanted a bargain top end moho for a smidge over your £70K budget how about this Broken Link Removed