Who has gone from fixed bed back to bed making?

Vans are always a compromise unless it is at the top end of length. Our last two berth wasn't that practical as singles, the berths being of minimal dimensions which entailed cushion shuffling every night. We now have a fixed bed in a fifteen + a bit foot
van. A end bathroom would be nice but we are constrained by the length of the drive. Cushion shuffling holds no attractions.

When going for beds made from seating I’d avoid those where a ‘jig-saw’ of cushions is required. Sod will conspire to make gaps appear in the wrong places. A smooth surface is better. Also turn the cushions over, to improve airing.

I’m not sure why manufacturers haven’t applied the idea of constructing cushions with one side for sleeping and the other for sitting, but they rarely display much aptitude for practicality and salesmen gloss-over what you’re supposed to do with excess cushions
because they don’t know either.

We've changed from a fixed bed caravan (a Hymer 530FB) to a motorhome with a drop down bed and the option of a made up bed from the dinette.  The drop down bed is great because it stays made up but lifts up to the ceiling during the day so is well out of the way and saves a lot of space.  Shame that caravans need to keep the weight low for towing stability,  otherwise maybe this would be a good idea there too?

The van we have just ordered has "fast" make up bed from front seating with specific side of seats for bed ,as we have now decided wi would rather have the space ,rather than the fixed bed in the same length, 

Digressing for a moment ..... a friend used to have a Morris Oxford/Austin Cambridge, its radio used to take about a mile to warm up 

I also think much depends on the type of fixed bed.  Our first one was a French bed tucked into a corner with a small corner wet room.  That bed was a pain to make as it was difficult to reach over to tuck the bottom sheet in and we only used the toilet
as it was too small to have a shower in comfort.

The fatal thing to do was call in at my dealer to pick up some toilet fluid and started looking at new vans.  We didn't intend to change as the old one was only four years old but the transverse island bed caught our eye.  A deal was done and we've never
looked back.  The bed is easy to make and, although it's tight to get around the bottom when in night mode, buying it has been the best thing we've ever done.  Large end washroom means that we don't need to use site facilites although at 7.5 metres it's quite
a length. We also have a proper duvet - no sleeping bags for us.  

Generally there are only the two of us plus dog but if either of our daughters come to visit we just make up the front as a bed and we realise how much of a pain it is to do.  Would never ever go back to doing that.

Hi Flatcoat.  I think the Sprite Quattro EW is on the same bodyshell as our Eccles Quartz - just a few centimetres short of 7.5m.  Same inside arrangement. The compromise is smaller living room which doesn't bother us. In the summer we generally put an awning
up in which to sit and eat as we like the outside living when it's nice.  The seating area in the van is OK for four adults but that doesn't happen very often. For us it would be a no brainer.

When we sold our motorhome and bought a Towcar and Caravan, we deliberated for a while on our preferred layout. We finally opted for a large shower room and toilet across the rear of the van. Spacious kitchen / preparation area and a decent sized lounge. 

We use the lounge seats as single beds at night using a mattress topper and a downie each.( the dog sleeps on his bed on the floor between the two beds).  It takes but a couple of minutes to make up the beds and to put them back in the under seat lockers come morning.. 

This arrangement suits us perfectly as there is no wasted unusable space during the day, we have the full use of all the internal space.

For a matter of a less than 5 minutes work per day we have, in our opinion, the best layout.

K  

We prefer a fixed bed, when you come in of a night, no bed to make up we have got plenty room in our van if someone wants a lie in they can, we have a full size bathroom and shower but what work's for us dosen't  work for every one else, but when i was talking to a caravan dealer he said sale's of two births  had gone down as more people wanted a fixed bed, we like our 624 pegasus because we dont have to bother with awnings either because there is more than enough room for what we want, but with all thing's said and done it's  down to what people want or can afford because owing a caravan is not  cheap and to get the value out of it you have to you it as much as you can

I don't think this aspect has been mentioned but for us, a fixed bed decision was so that one person could stay up or get up earlier and be able to sit somewhere. i.e. a sleeping area and a sitting area which you can do with any 4 berth (?) BUT with a smaller 2 berth, where your seats are also your bed, if one person gets up they have nowhere else to sit?

I can see the benefits of a smaller 2 berth van in many ways BUT the extra size of our 4 berth which we only ever use for the two of us is the downside but works for us otherwise, we wouldn't be caravanning.

.....Our present van Luner Delta 520/2 we ....

That's what we have. It surprises people when they see the size of it from the outside  & then find out it's only 2 berth  It's showing its
age a bit now though.

Write your comments here...So are the wife & I.......but the caravan is still looking great!