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going on holiday without a timetable or agenda. Within reason, go where you please,
when you please. Booking not always essential. If you’re hungry, eat. If you’re tired, sleep.
If the weather’s poor, go somewhere better. Sounds attractive? These are some of the reasons
why more and more people are taking control of their leisure time and buying a motorhome.
Whilst purely touring with a motorhome can be an immense pleasure in itself, many people
also use one as a means to enhance their enjoyment of a favourite pastime. How about being
able to take as much gear as you want rather than stuffing the car to the gunnels before finding
the suitcases won’t go in? A motorhome with the right storage combination can swallow
all the golf, fishing, walking or photographic equipment you might like to take without
having to compromise in the wardrobe department. And, because you have all your facilities
to hand, you can enjoy your pastime for longer, without the need to return home or leave in search
for somewhere to get a meal. Large events like airshows, music festivals and motor racing can be
enjoyed for whole weekends, starting as early and finishing as late as you like at relatively little
expense in terms of accommodation. For some real-life examples of how a motorhome can enhance
your leisure and pleasure, This is the all-round appeal of the motorhome. It facilitates holidays with infinite possibilities at
all times of the year, from a weekend a few miles away to a year off touring Europe. Shorter trips
require little planning once you have the basic equipment - it really is possible to just ‘get up and go’. So you want to Motorhome? Great !
Where do I start? The key to an enjoyable motorhome experience is that the body type and layout suit your needs. Once these elements are decided then all other considerations will follow. Something that looks very attractive in the showroom can be a costly lesson if the bed is uncomfortable, there is not enough storage on board or there are not enough seatbelts. So, think hard about what the motorhome will have to do to accommodate your personal needs and interests.
Let’s start by getting to grips with some terminology about body types:
Body Types and Classes
There are numerous names given to motorhome body styles however below are the most popular terms:
Micro: As the name suggests, these are the smallest motorhomes. Usually converted from a small van chassis, for example the Citroen Berlingo or the Fiat Doblo. Facilities usually include mains hook-up, heating, fridge, water supply (not always hot), plus a simple bed arrangement. There may not be a washroom or toilet on board. Despite their small size, they can provide comfortable accommodation for two, which can sometimes be enlarged by attaching an annexe.
Van conversion: Starting life as a complete vehicle, the motorhome manufacturer converts the body adding windows, a high fixed roof or pop-up roof, plus seating, cooking and washing facilities as appropriate for the model. Being larger than a Micro, this popular type of motorhome can provide a good combination of usable space, storage and a comprehensive range of equipment.
Compact: The latest class of motorhomes to emerge from manufacturers and currently enjoying good sales both in the UK and abroad. Usually under 6 metres in length they are look like either a mini low profile or ‘A’ Class and combine the attributes of the van conversions’ manouverability with the layouts and facilities of their larger coachbuilt and ‘A’ class siblings.
Coachbuilt: This is a motorhome where the living area, including the walls floor and ceiling are built upon a chassis cab. The most popular chassis used are Fiat, Ford, Renault, Iveco and VW. The roof of the cab is cut away and a bed area is built over the cab. Sometimes these motorhomes are also called ‘overcabs’.
Low-Profile: Essentially built in the same way as a Coachbuilt but with one significant difference - no overcab bed. The low-profile, as its name suggests, has a lower roofline than its coachbuilt counterpart. The bed is usually at a lower level and fixed rather than made up.
‘A’ Class: The entire motorhome body is built by the motorhome manufacturer including the cab. Only the motor drive unit and dashboard are sourced from the chassis supplier. Often the chassis is also modified to allow extra weight, length and storage. The manufacturers have significant scope to design stylish body styles with practical features such as insulated double floors, garage style storage areas and roomy lounges. As they are often built to order, customers have more options to personalise their motorhome with additional equipment. Therefore, size for size, these are the most expensive motorhomes to buy.
On Board Facilities and Equipment
Modern motorhomes have a high level of standard equipment for your convenience and comfort. The following is a typical minimum for a new motorhome:
Basic Facilities:
- Kitchen
- Washroom
- Lounging/sleeping
- Storage for personal effects
Equipment and installations:
- Gas bottle storage compartment with regulator, pipework and isolator valves
- 230v mains electric input with circuit breaker
- 12v electrical system with battery for lighting and equipment
- Fresh water tank, with pump, pipe system and water heater
- Waste water tank for collection of non-toilet waste
- Heating system – diesel, gas or electric
- Washroom vanity sink
- Integral toilet system with separate waste tank
- Multi power source fridge – gas, mains 230v, 12v
- Cooking hob and sink for kitchen
Standard specification will vary. Some Micro models and Panel Conversions may have fewer facilities due to their size. There are also many vehicles with a higher level of standard specification or options, which may include:
- Oven with grill
- Extractor fan
- Shower
- TV aerial, TV mount and power supply
- Radio/CD
- Cab air conditioning
- Living quarters air conditioning
Typical add-ons list from which many buyers will select items to make their motorhome complete:
- Awning – a wind-out sunshade mounted on the side of the vehicle
- Bicycle rack – mounted on the rear wall outside, or inside a garage store
- Reversing camera – useful for parking to avoid accidents
- External shower – for cleaning sports equipment, muddy boots (or dogs!)
- Towbar – for cars or motorcycles
- Alarm system – standard requirement for many insurers, or
- Tracking system
- Satellite TV system
- Satellite navigation
Note: This is not a definitive list. Buyers are advised to discuss the standard equipment and options available with the dealer(s) for motorhome(s) they are interested in. Standard equipment levels can vary from country to country, as manufacturers often homologate models to suit different markets.
Understanding Motorhome Layouts
Everyones needs are different - that’s why there are so many motorhome models to choose from. To help you get some idea of how different body types and layouts suit different lifestyles, here are four hypothetical situations, the needs they generate and what types of motorhomes could work for them:
1 - The Young Family: Pete and Kate have two children aged 5 and 9. They want to enjoy family holidays for up to a fortnight at a time during school holidays and weekends away at other times. They might like to take one or two of the kids’ friends, or maybe even add to their own family in the future.
The Need: Essentially the first need here is for a motor home with a minimum of 4 seatbelts, preferably more. Given the ages of the children now, they will only get bigger and will need to sleep separately. There will also be a need for storage of family gear including toys and possibly bicycles.
The Layout: A coachbuilt layout with a bunk beds at one end for the kids, a dinette in the middle and an overcab double bed at the front for Mum & Dad will allow the kids to go to bed and give Mum & Dad some seating for relaxing late in the evening. If there are additional persons then the dinette will convert into an extra bed. Many bunk bed designs have generous storage underneath the bottom bunk which can be made larger by raising the bunk.
2 - The Couple: Sam and Chris have grown up children and are looking forward to having more time for themselves. They would like to explore Britain initially and maybe then on into Europe. As they are not restricted by school holidays this could be at any time of year, possibly up to 3 weeks at a time. They both enjoy walking and the countryside.
The Need: As there is no requirement for more than two people, 2 seatbelts are sufficient, however 4 would allow some flexibility for others to join them or perhaps grandchildren. A reasonable amount of storage is required for their hobby gear as well as their personal effects, especially on longer trips. The vehicle must not so long as to be a hindrance in small villages and areas of interest.
The Layout: Many people in similar circumstances would opt for a low-profile, fixed bed layout motorhome. These start from around 5.7 metres (19’) in length. The low level bed is always available, saves having to climb up into bed and offers useful storage underneath. Many motorhomes of this type have an external access door to the underbed storage. The low-profile roofline is generally more asthetically pleasing and gives a slightly better fuel consumption than a similar sized overcab design.
3 - The Weekenders: Tim and Lesley like the idea of short breaks away or just good days out together. They are looking for car-like nippiness yet still want something with a good level of comfort and equipment that they can take virtually anywhere for a few days if required. Clean lines and smart looks are also important to them.
The Need: Is for the compact size of vehicle which can also offer some lounging space and a decent bed, plus kitchen and washroom facilities.
The Layout: Ideally suited to this purpose would be a van conversion. There are a number of styles based upon Ford, Fiat, VW and Renault vans, which are large enough to accommodate the facilities required but small enough to get onto a car park space. Van conversions are also narrower than coachbuilt motorhomes. Being converted from a fully built vehicle, they are usually pleasing in appearance and have relatively aerodynamic bodies, with a modified ‘hightop‘ fixed roof or ‘pop-up‘ roof. They could also consider one of the new Compact designs.
4 - The Long-Termers: Pat and Tom are looking forward to retirement and the possibility of holidaying for months at a time. They are considering exploring Europe at their own pace, perhaps with a view to buying property.
The Need: Is for a quality built motorhome that can stand the rigours of use every day for weeks at a time. It must have good insulation for the heat as well as the cold, plus above average storage, not just for personal effects, but also for water, outside furniture, barbeque etc, perhaps even a scooter. Lounging space also needs to be comfortable and not cramped. The bed must be available easily without having to be made up from cushions and boards.
The Layout: To make the best possible use of available space requires an ‘A’ Class. The cab area, fully integrated into the motorhome body, becomes much larger than a coachbuilt cab and will normally have a double bed which lowers complete from the roof over the swivelling cab seats, which in turn make the most of the available lounging space. The majority of ‘A’ class motorhomes also have double floors which facilitate extra storage and help to keep the living area well insulated. Further storage is provided on layouts with a rear garage, which is often large enough to accommodate a lightweight motorcycle.
There are many possibilities of course outside these examples and everyones’ needs are different, hence the huge variety of models on the market. Ultimately every motorhome has some level of compromise and the trick is to minimise the compromises!
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