Which base vehicles make the best motorhomes? (1 Viewer)

[Lenny HB]

It certainly is…..have you found the dipstick yet……

I think he is driving it.

 

[Lenny HB]

View attachment 910130

I'll give that a miss, it won't have any indicators.

 

[tacr2man]

I'll give that a miss, it won't have any indicators.

Looks like it hardly has any tyres either

 

[Pausim]

Looks like it hardly has any tyres either

A very good point. Those low profile tyre are going to transmit every bump and pothole. Makes you wonder if the design team have ever driven a motorhome.

 

[Lenny HB]

A very good point. Those low profile tyre are going to transmit every bump and pothole. makes you wonder if the design team have ever driven a motorhome.

The places we go in a Motorhome my bill for new wheels would be tens of thousands a year.

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[funflair]

The places we go in a Motorhome my bill for new wheels would be tens of thousands a year.

You wouldn't be going far as I think it's electric

 

[Pausim]

You wouldn't be going far as I think it's electric

About as far as the first speed hump where it would be grounded.

No doubt they make a selling point of the low entrance height and not needing a step. Designed for a showroom but not a field.

 

[funflair]

About as far as the first speed hump where it would be grounded.

No doubt they make a selling point of the low entrance height and not needing a step. Designed for a showroom but not a field.

Just push a button and pop the suspension up

 

[Captain Birdseye]

When I was stationed in Germany, I spoke with many taxi drivers over the Merc. They run them down the production line in the beige colour and when delivered, the owners have already paid for a replacement ECU. When I enquired about it, the drivers told me that this is all that’s expected to need replacing at 800k miles!!!

Apart from wear and tear items, that’s brilliant, 800k, makes my eyes water just getting my head around it

Used to make a thing about looking at the mileage every time I got in one and not unusual to see 500k+ miles on them.

Miles not km?

 

[ChrisL]

View attachment 910130

There are a whole load of BMW concept designs for motorhomes, some are very pretty if not necessarily practical, check out the video and see if any appeal to you.

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[steve69]

Have I missed something? Has anyone mentioned VW yet, or is that a problem?

 

[Northernraider]

If only the Japanese made bigger truck chassis.

It would have to be Toyota.



Older then I'd say merc or Toyota

But let's face it I'd always choose older anyway, new stuff just isn't built or designed to last. Too much electronics

 

[steve69]

If only the Japanese made bigger truck chassis.

It would have to be Toyota.



Older then I'd say merc or Toyota

But let's face it I'd always choose older anyway, new stuff just isn't built or designed to last. Too much electronics

Toyota Landcruiser?

 

[funflair]

So in reality somebody has been messing around with AI and come up with some decent looking concepts, it would be interesting if another player came into the top end of the market and shook things up a bit but the volume is so small compared to cars I can't really see anything happening, Morelo produce around 500 vans per year vs the Munich BMW plant that produces close to 1000 cars per day.

 

[Northernraider]

Toyota Landcruiser?

Yeah but unfortunately they're too small.

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[Guigsy]

If you want a PVC of 6m or less, then Ducato (/Peugeot/Citroen/etc). Because it's a little wider, the bonnet and cab are compact and the sides are nearly vertical. The bit of extra space makes it far more livable. The latest Transit 6m with the highest roof is also fairly practical.

Longer PVC, then recent Sprinters or recent VW/MAN. They're a good drive. Probably still need a side flare if you want a transverse bed though.

For coachbuilds up to about 4.5t, I'd take Merc if I had a choice.

 

[Two Owl Ones]

Hypothetical question but if you could have the vehicle (say any made since 2018) of your choice on your current or future MH which brand would it be...and why?

Mercedes.. if they last as long as the one we have, and it still purrs like a new one.

 

[Mr Librium]

Mercedes for me too, a lovely drive with plenty of power.

 

[stuartholmes]

Well, it goes against everything I have ever said about French vehicles but our van is a nissan nv400, so it's really a renault master, it's a 2015, and we have put some serious miles on it in the last 20 months, I think 14k so far, it's on 128k now and we just got back from Scotland and over 1k miles for our trip.
The thing is an absolute machine, it just takes diesel and goes.

Sounds as if the Renault is really a Nissan!!

 

[Northernraider]

Mercedes for me too, a lovely drive with plenty of power.

I love older mercs but from what I gather the newer ones as as common for issues as other brands.

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[Onthehuh]

So I went for the high roof and longest Transit. The suspension steering and refinement are far superior to the Fiats we’ve had previously. However I cannot recommend it as the reliability of the Panther engine is terrible, just google wet belt. Also if like me you don’t do long trips regularly then the dpf and injectors will fail; my repair quote was over £4000! And that was at 10000 miles and just 1000 miles since they were done under warranty! Honestly? Just pay a little extra and go for the Mercedes unless you only drive on smooth roads in which case the Fiat is fine and as has been remarked already it’s a far better shape if you are converting.

 

[Northernraider]

Regardless of brand I will say I would have to be really really tempted by the layout ,price etc to go for a front wheel drive motorhome again after having rear wheel drive.

In 9 months and 12000 miles round Europe I've not lost traction once on any surface from sand,grass, gravel to tarmac on wet steep inclines . All my front wheel drive fiat based models struggled with some of the steep windy roads when wet.

 

[Guigsy]

Regardless of brand I will say I would have to be really really tempted by the layout ,price etc to go for a front wheel drive motorhome again after having rear wheel drive.

In 9 months and 12000 miles round Europe I've not lost traction once on any surface from sand,grass, gravel to tarmac on wet steep inclines . All my front wheel drive fiat based models struggled with some of the steep windy roads when wet.

My brother was leading a Duke of Edinburgh expedition last weekend. The brand new RWD Sprinter full of all the kids' kit got stuck at the bottom of the wet grass field. Several drivers, several approaches, each ending up further down the field than they started. The kids ended up pushing it out (and dented it). The FWD Ducato minibus drove straight out with the kids it in.

 

[Northernraider]

My brother was leading a Duke of Edinburgh expedition last weekend. The brand new RWD Sprinter full of all the kids' kit got stuck at the bottom of the wet grass field. Several drivers, several approaches, each ending up further down the field than they started. The kids ended up pushing it out (and dented it). The FWD Ducato minibus drove straight out with the kids it in.

Surprising as the weight is over the wheels I'm the sprinter and not in the fiat.


I'd bet money that was down to driver and tyres

 

[Guigsy]

Surprising as the weight is over the wheels I'm the sprinter and not in the fiat.


I'd bet money that was down to driver and tyres

I suspect that the Sprinter probably wasn't that heavy. The kids would have weighed a lot more than their gear.

My brother isn't a petrol head. Doesn't know petrol from diesel other than the hose is a different colour. He had no issues getting the Ducato out. Several of the adults attempted to get the Merc out on several approaches and techniques up the field.

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[Gaston aires]

We’ve had Merc Fiat and Iveco. They’ve all been good. For me it’s more about layout, ULEZ compliance, payload and budget.
Phil

 

[L' Hobo]

Yeah but unfortunately they're too small.

Isuzu were making 5-10 tonners 50 yrs ago, we had one when I toured Australia with a Holden/Lions Club sponsored French Stunt team in the 70's!

 

[Brains]

Money no object, assuming standard motorhome habitation module, and ruling out things like Overlanders, Unimog's etc.
Then I'd go for:

1. Iveco/MAN Daily
2. Mercedes Sprinter
3. VW Crafter

In all cases I'd go for the heaviest weight chassis, manual gearbox and 4x4

I'd then be looking for a matching German habitation module.

You only have to look at the van fleet magazines to see who has won 'van of the year' over the last few years, which means the Ford Transit should be in the list above, but having driven many of them over the last 40 years, I can't bring myself to even consider it.
(And Transits have a tendency to get stolen, as very easy to sell for spares)

 

[Guigsy]

You only have to look at the van fleet magazines to see who has won 'van of the year' over the last few years

I'd argue that what makes a good fleet van is quite different to what makes a good motorhome chassis.

 

[Brains]

I'd argue that what makes a good fleet van is quite different to what makes a good motorhome chassis.

True;
But I've driven most makes of vans in the last few years and I'm a regular driver of Transits and Ducattos.
My Motorhome is a Mercedes Sprinter.

Jus' sayin'

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