Motorhome layout
Hi
We have a Coachman Vision caravan with 2 long seats at the front, with a side dinette and kitchen opposite, with a rear bathroom.
We are looking to change to a motorhome. We had one previously that had the front long seats, but had no dinette. Does anyone know if we can recreate our caravan layout in a motorhome (do not mind if the dinette/kitchen,bathroom is a different configuration)?
we just want: 2 long beds, kitchen, small dinette and bathroom
Thank you
Jane
Comments
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If you aim to recreate your caravan as a MH, I fear it will be huge and probably unwieldy
. The cab/bonnet will add over a metre to the length of the habitation unit. How long is the body of your caravan? I’d guess it’s over 7m so, with a cab on the front, it would put the overall length at close on 9m.I suggest you have a look around some dealers' forecourts and see what's out there that might suit you. Bear in mind any weight restrictions you might have on your driving licence such as the 3500kg limit normally applying to the over 70 age group.
Good luck with your search.
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We also wanted a caravan lookalike and ended up with an Autosleeper’s Broadway. It has two parallel bench seats which we use as single beds which saves an enormous amount of space. No dinette though but AS provide a small round pedestal table which fits behind the driving seats which swivel. We never use it and prefer to erect the main table between the bench seats on the rare occasions that we eat inside. The Broadway has a number of variants: we have end kitchen but you can have end bathroom.
Once you start adding dinettes the layout changes drastically and generally the Motorhome gets bigger and heavier. You need to decide whether you want or need a “garage” because if you do it will steer you more to continental vans.
Best to go to one of the shows and look around BUT based on my extensive experience of caravans then Motorhome one of the most important things is to find a dealer who is local and you can trust. In two years I have been back five times to get my reversing camera fixed - twice to the factory and three times to the dealer. I now need to go back once more for what will hopefully be the final visit. If the dealer had been 100 miles away that would be 1200 miles.
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As said above depends on how long you are willing to go to.
Our last caravan was twin singles at the rear with Galley and shower in the middle and front lounge @ 7.4 mtrs we didn't find it easy for touring.
Nowadays we have a MH @ 6.6m with rear twin couches that make up into beds, not everyone likes this layout as the beds have to be made up each night, we don't mind it. However if we were to change our MH we would be looking at either Pilote or Bursner as both these makes have rear single beds or island bed over a garage, with bathroom and kitchen forward of that and then the lounge/dinette area with turn around cab seats and fixed table. As BB says they also come with the option of a drop down bed as well. All this can be had in a MH under 7 mtrs, either A class or coachbuilt.
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We are making the switch to a motorhome after 40 years of caravans. We are yet to choose between the Auto-Sleepers Broadway or the Bourton. They are identical but the latter is built on a Mercedes rather than a Peugeot. I am veering towards the Mercedes option as it has a proper auto rather than the Fiat electronic system fitted to the Peugeot.
Auto-Sleepers seem to be the only manufacturer offering the layout we want, i.e. similar to our caravans of past years.
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The alternative is to look out for the side dinette/extra passenger seating with a bench seat area opposite, this will mean a bit of re-jigging at night time but both sides will convert to singles or a double. We would have liked this version as we could have taken our grandson along too or his parents could have borrowed the van. We didn't hunt around for long as our secondhand Mercedes came on the market at a good price, ours is smaller than most but is fine for us, but it's worth looking at the various configurations.
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....which seems to have won out over the Stanton. I vaguely remember suggesting the Bourton when Q first started his quest and now it’s gone full circle
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The Stanton and Nuevo are very compact but if you want single beds then it’s feet on the driving seats. We like the Bourton and may go for that next time but be aware that the under bed locker space is reduced due to the supplementary water tank and the fresh water and waste capacity is much lower than the Broadway. Against that you have the highly regarded Mercedes base plus auto box.
Not sure what the OP wants exactly but most continental “garage” motorhomes have a table and seating behind the cab. Isn’t this a dinette?
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Jane
When moving to a motorhome from a caravan (we did it five years ago) you may need to think outside the box a bit. A caravan is made up of just accommodation but a motorhome, as has been pointed out also has the cab area which takes up a fair bit of the overall length. A lot of the continental designs are quite clever in the use of space but if you have a decent garage it will mean that beds are quite high up. The same is true of drop down beds. If you are happy with this you will get more choice. However anyone with mobility issues, or concerned about getting out in the dark, might find these more difficult to handle and prefer low level beds. Is a dinette really essential? If you have a design with two long paralell bunks there is plenty of room for a table between.
David
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Seem to remember seeing a M’home @ Davan M’home & C’vans with front dinette & 2 singles to rear above garage. Pilote low profile I think. Good luck with your search.
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The Roller Team 746 and 747, both have a rear u-shaped lounge with a dinette at the front and a bathroom opposite the kitchen. Bathroom is a bit on the small side and the motorhomes are quite long at 7.4 metres. Swift and Elddis also do similar layouts but then that brings in an all new ball game do you buy British
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The motorhome section of Out & About's website showsshow most common layouts.
To meet your needs you are looking at one vey long motorhome. You may have to compromise.
https
/www.outandaboutlive.co.uk/motorhomes/buyers-guide/motorhomes/0 -
Thanks for all your comments. We have found Autotrail Apache 700 has the sort of layout that gives us everything we want. We need as you all suggest, to go and have a look and actually see in the flesh how big a 7.38m motorhome. Maybe the dinette will have to go...or not. Hmmmm a dilemma and lots still to look at to make the right decision. When you are spending £35k it needs to be right!
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Good luck, Bosha.
Personally, I’d find 7.38m too cumbersome unless you are going to have secondary transport of some sort but we're all different.
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Thank you, we are still not sure and will definitely do our research before plumping on a certain model. Off out tomorrow to a couple of dealers to have a look with ‘open minds’. Maybe a completely different layout might catch our eye, who knows.....
my husband also does not want a huge motorhome, so we may have to compromise.....
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Hi guys ,for many years Jo and I had set our hearts on owning a high end German brand Motorhome ,that was our goal.We finally decided on the Niesmann Bischoff.The only thing we did wrong was not taking enough time to decide which layout and it turned out to be an expensive learning curve.We are now awaiting delivery of the N+B which we should ordered the first time 😳.Im sure it will be very exciting for you changing from caravan to Motorhome and also quite expensive so take the advice which has been given by other members and take that time to do your home work and get it right before you make the move .
Good Luck ,hope you finally find what you are looking for.
Brian & Jo
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No, it is the fully laden weight. That is why many vans rated at 3500kg have pathetic payloads.
Do some research regarding your driving entitlement and the options open to you.
Here’s a good place to start -
https://www.caravanclub.co.uk/advice-and-training/advice-for-beginners/driving-licences/
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Saw an Elddis Majestic 195 today with the layout we are after. Seem to get quite new vans in the high £30k - wondered if the build quality is any good. Besseca do one as well, but the vans in the same price bracket are much older. It’s a minefield.
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