Looking at Buying A Motorhome. Advice Welcome!
Comments
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Steve
How much additional cost changing from a caravan to motorhome depends on how you are organised. When we purchased our first motorhome we got rid of our 4X4 (our only car) and traded it in for a compact car. The immediate saving was in VED. To this day, eight years later, I am still paying less VED of my small car and the motorhome than I was on the 4X4. So at worst it was neutral at best I saved a bit of money. Insurance is similar to our caravan so no additional costs there. Service wise it is the cab service which is additional. The habitation service for the motorhome is about the same as we paid for the caravan £200/250. The cab service is about the same but as TW points out on the popular brands of motorhome base vehicles the servicing is now every two years which offers a bit of a saving. We are lucky that we can store our van in our back garden so we don't have any additional storage costs.
I don't know if they would be of any interest but I did write a couple of blogs on the change from caravan to motorhome here and here. The first deals with the initial change and the second deals with the change to our second motorhome.
David
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I don't know if they would be of any interest but I did write a couple of blogs on the change from caravan to motorhome here and here. The first deals with the initial change and the second deals with the change to our second motorhome.
Thanks very much for this detailed reply, David; it's very useful indeed. I'll read your blogs tonight when I have the chance to take time to absorb the detail, so I may well be posting some more questions overnight!
Steve
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Not wishing to poke my nose in but have you considered a used van? There are some good low mileage hardly used examples out there due to people making expensive mistakes when they buy their first vans. They can be absolute bargains.
TW,
Good point. There is a Globebus T6 at Pullingers with 2.5k miles on a [Glasgow registered] 2019 plate, so 500 miles of that will have accrued on the drive down south! It's still just under £60k and the payload has been upgraded, so that suggests that the 'goodies' have eaten into the available payload and I might face a problem in 3 years time when C1 medicals rear their ugly head.
I also worry about ex hire m/homes ['1 careful owner' where 40 or so people have been swinging on the blinds whilst the kids/grandkids have been bouncing on the mattress] during the 5000 miles it has covered. I've seen some German m/homes on 2013/14 plates with up to 32k miles. Are they still at the 'barely run in' stage [my VW Tiguan freed up nicely at about 22k miles], or is the Fiat running gear likely to be starting its journey 'on the way home'?
Steve
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Obviously you have to keep your eyes open but mainstream dealers often have preregistered or ex-dem vehicles as well as used. Keep an open mind as a ready to roll van should have had the wrinkles ironed out and you won't have to wait 8 months to take delivery. Btw, I think you'd spot an ex-hire van.
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UPDATE;
We are edging closer to making a decision, almost at the 'Put up or Shut up 'stage. We are looking at a new 5.99m Sunlight T60 Active and it looks as though the Dealer will take our Folding Caravan in P/Ex, making the financial side more comfortable/less daunting.
Has anyone any experience of these motorhomes? I found a Practical Caravan Review for the 2017 model in which the Reviewer said at the outset that it was a budget model for the less well heeled, and I found that strangely comforting ... Just need to get the 'Less Well Heeled' T Shirts printed onto recycled plain white cotton T Shirts from Oxfam and we should be ready to go
Steve
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Steve
It looks a neat little go anywhere van. They are part of the Erwin Hymer Group apparently so a good pedigree? Not sure we could cope with the high bed but if that is not an issue it could be a good choice.
David
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Thanks, David.
The high bed and the ladder are a compromise; I'm hoping to get either a caravan twin step, or to make a carpeted twin step [that can live in the garage during the day], to make the 3am bathroom visit less challenging.
There's penty of payload, 700kg+, so I'm hoping that a 140bhp engine and unutilised capacity will make a post COVID ascent and descent of the Pyrenees less taxing.
Steve
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Sunlight was on the list 3 years ago when I purchased my PVC. Initially the price is attractive and dealers were offering good deals to shift them. However, as you say it’s a ‘budget’ product and I think it showed in the build quality and flimsy fittings. Personally I’d ditch the T Shirt and go a bit higher - you get what you pay for. In general I was more impressed with continental than UK models.
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Good idea, ABM!
We're going round in circles at present, not helped by the inability to get out and look at/inspect motorhomes to get a better idea of whether they would work for us [size & comfort]
I think the Sunlight T60 may have been discontinued; I can't see any in the latest Model Range blurb. I'm not especially fussed about the discontinuation, my concerns are more 'which year was our 21 plate built?'; and will be scuppered/hammered on price IF we decide to P/Ex in 3 or 4 years ['Well, they're no longer in production so buyers are likely to be reluctant to commit to an obsolete vehicle ...']
Toying with the idea of going for broke [literally & metaphorically] and going for an Adria 520T Matrix Axess to move away from Budget Brand. There's a 2020 Model with just delivery mileage and it's only 50 miles away + physical viewing is possible. Food for thought!
Potential good news is that we may have a sale on the Gobur Folding Caravan [arrangements to be confirmed tomorrow], so that will at least free up the storage pitch and add £10 to the purchase budget. The financial loss will be significant, but Gobby served a purpose and gave the experience to move to a full sized Touring Caravan, so we'll be able to write the cost off against the Training Budget ...
Steve
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Seriously though you may write off the losses, if any, Steve lad, but never forget the fun & pleasure that you had with it ! Much fun & pleasure such as I got through the early 60's with my ex-WD tent ( a ground sheet is extra young Sir ! ) Even enjoyed ( almost ) the hold up on motorway M5 heading for Casey's Camping in West Brom ~~ well it was a tad closer than heading all the way down to their main site in Bristol !!
Brian
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I was born in Stourbridge, and one of Dad's many jobs was at Bradford's Bakeries, almost directly opposite The Hawthorns! Small world [but you wouldn't want to paint it].
The cost of Gobby's ownership will be painful when written down, but it's a sunk cost, and waiting any longer to sell a redundant caravan will only increase the deficit.
We had some good times in Gobby, especially our first trip to Spain in Winter 2018, but life must move on!
Steve
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Gobby the Gobur Folding Caravan has been sold; the Sunlight T60 Active we were looking at has also been sold. We almost went mad and bought a new Adria Matrix 520 XT over the weekend, BUT we have now placed a refundable deposit on a 2016 Burstner Ixeo Time IT 590 with 8,700 miles on the clock. The deal is subject to an Independent Engineer's Report and a weighbridge confirmed payload of some 582kg which a note from the original purchase claims.
Fingers crossed that all goes smoothly....
Steve
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Welcome to the dark side Steve. I suggest that now is the time to join Motorhome Fun. With nearly 50k members worldwide and some really very knowledgeable experts members you will be able to access a mine of information and help. It's a massive resource for all things MH and beyond. Well worth £15 per annum.
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Thanks, LLM. I joined Motorhome Fun last week!
Steve
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Order for the Burstner Ixeo Time IT590 Sovereign has been placed after Engineer's Report & Payload figures confirmed. Half dozen 'snagging' items on the Engineer's Report to be dealt with before delivery, and provisional date of 21st April set. This date will be confirmed when the Workshop reopens on Tuesday after Easter Break, so fingers crossed!
Steve
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A Burstner registered in Exeter. I'd hazard a guess that Chelston Motorhomes in Somerset were the original suppliers.
Enjoy your van when you get it.
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Start of a new adventure!!! Enjoy.
David
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Yes, hope things run smoothly for you, we love our MH, so easy to tour with👍
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I have just seen your post. I am assuming that your "chariot for elderly dog" is for towing with the ebike. I have a largish, elderly dog (33 kilos) and a smaller dog (20 Kilos) and have considered buying one. What make have you got, are they easy to tow, do they fit onto the bike easily and are they easy to fold up and would the one which you have fit 2 dogs in it? If not, can you suggest any that may do so which would fit inside the van when folded up? When travelling, I put my small ebike inside the van when (it is foldable but too heavy for me to put in the van when folded). I have considered having a carrier fitted but don't know which type to go for. Thank you in anticipation of your reply, Val
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