Getting Ready to Purchase (I hope!)

DeiseDoll

Hello there!

I've been lurking on this forum for a while now plus spending ages on classifieds sites checking out various motorhomes. I'm looking for some general advice on buying our first motorhome.

We've got to the stage of renting for a weekend to try the configuration we think best suits us. This'll be in October when the rental rates drop. The layout we're thinking of is 7 berth with bunks for the small boys, double & single dinette for 2 oldest kids & over cab for ourselves.

Us:
We're a family of 6. The kids (1 girl & 3 boys) are 15, 12, 8 & 5.

How we'll use the motorhome:
3 weeks/a month in Europe
A few days away each mid-term break
Some weekends/nights away during the year

Budget:
€15K

The advice I'm seeking is:

1. What makes/models should I be looking at?

2. Are we better off waiting until next year to buy as a lot of motorhomes are being stored for the winter and realistically the bulk of our travelling would be done from March onwards?

3. Is my budget realistic? I've seen a few vans on the likes of Donedeal etc. within my budget but without getting an expert to check them out they could be lemons for all I'd know!

4. How many drivers can be named on the insurance? My brother has offered to garage the motorhome and do basic servicing on the engine in exchange for the odd loan of it!

I'd really appreciate any advice at all as we're complete novices at this.

Thanks.

spaceHopper

You can have open drive on the insurance for 50euros extra once the driver hasn't got silly points on their license they will be covered and is over 25 possibly 30

DeiseDoll

Thanks spacehopper. Thankfully no points and we're all over 40 so €50 is brilliant for open driving.

niloc1951

First off, with a family of six a motorhome rated at 3,500kg GVW or less is unlikely to have sufficient payload for all of ye and the stuff you will be carrying (bikes, sitting out furniture, food, clothes etc. etc. etc. etc.

If that is the case to be legal you need to look at one rated 3,850kg GVW (quite common) or higher, there are some rated at 4,000kg GVW and higher.

However, any driver will need a C1 licence. If you don't all is not lost as there is an EU Directive due to become law at the end of this year which provides for a special restricted C1 licence which is, according to the Directive, to be easier and cheaper to get than the current unrestricted one.

The difference is that the restricted C1 only allows driving of vehicles between 3,501kg GVW and 7,500kg GVw which are not subject to commercial vehicle regulations. SEE HERE

paddyp

niloc1951 wrote: »

First off, with a family of six a motorhome rated at 3,500kg GVW or less is unlikely to have sufficient payload for all of ye and the stuff you will be carrying (bikes, sitting out furniture, food, clothes etc. etc. etc. etc.

If that is the case to be legal you need to look at one rated 3,850kg GVW (quite common) or higher, there are some rated at 4,000kg GVW and higher.

However, any driver will need a C1 licence. If you don't all is not lost as there is an EU Directive due to become law at the end of this year which provides for a special restricted C1 licence which is, according to the Directive, to be easier and cheaper to get than the current unrestricted one.

The difference is that the restricted C1 only allows driving of vehicles between 3,501kg GVW and 7,500kg GVw which are not subject to commercial vehicle regulations. SEE HERE

I've come to the conclusion the best solution for a family of 6 is a smaller motorhome pulling a teardrop. That way the dads can sleep in the teardrop and get some peace

DeiseDoll

niloc1951 wrote: »

First off, with a family of six a motorhome rated at 3,500kg GVW or less is unlikely to have sufficient payload for all of ye and the stuff you will be carrying (bikes, sitting out furniture, food, clothes etc. etc. etc. etc.

If that is the case to be legal you need to look at one rated 3,850kg GVW (quite common) or higher, there are some rated at 4,000kg GVW and higher.

However, any driver will need a C1 licence. If you don't all is not lost as there is an EU Directive due to become law at the end of this year which provides for a special restricted C1 licence which is, according to the Directive, to be easier and cheaper to get than the current unrestricted one.

The difference is that the restricted C1 only allows driving of vehicles between 3,501kg GVW and 7,500kg GVw which are not subject to commercial vehicle regulations. SEE HERE

My husband has a C1 but I normally do most of the driving when we bring the car to France. I thought we might struggle alright with the 3,500kg but the licence change is encouraging, thanks for the link. It allows us to cast the net wider when considering what to go for.

DeiseDoll

paddyp wrote: »

I've come to the conclusion the best solution for a family of 6 is a smaller motorhome pulling a teardrop. That way the dads can sleep in the teardrop and get some peace

It'll sort out the snoring too - sounds like a plan!

kelbal

Hiya, with 3 kids myself I reckon you definitely need that layout. Here's 2 within your price range...
http://www.donedeal.ie/campers-for-sale/00-low-mileage-7-berth-volkswagen/5655039
http://www.donedeal.ie/campers-for-sale/campervan-2001/5443643

They're probably not top of the range in terms of brand. This one is, but the asking price reflects it.....
http://www.donedeal.ie/campers-for-sale/fiat-ducato-camper-van/5202409
In saying that, the asking price probably is a bit steep.

We started our hunting at the start of last year and ended up spending about 6k more than we had originally planned. I know its well outside your budget, but this looks a good deal........

http://www.donedeal.ie/campers-for-sale/2006-7-berth-camper/5532790

AutostratusEB

Check that you'll have enough seatbelts in whatever you decide to buy

DeiseDoll

kelbal wrote: »

Hiya, with 3 kids myself I reckon you definitely need that layout. Here's 2 within your price range...
http://www.donedeal.ie/campers-for-sale/00-low-mileage-7-berth-volkswagen/5655039
http://www.donedeal.ie/campers-for-sale/campervan-2001/5443643

They're probably not top of the range in terms of brand. This one is, but the asking price reflects it.....
http://www.donedeal.ie/campers-for-sale/fiat-ducato-camper-van/5202409
In saying that, the asking price probably is a bit steep.

We started our hunting at the start of last year and ended up spending about 6k more than we had originally planned. I know its well outside your budget, but this looks a good deal........

http://www.donedeal.ie/campers-for-sale/2006-7-berth-camper/5532790

Thanks for posting those links. I think I'm responsible for 20 views each on those ads now! I'd say we'll have to stretch the budget a small bit to get exactly what we need. There's some extra money aside as a contingency so depending on the van we mightn't need so much in reserve for bringing it up to scratch.

DeiseDoll

AutostratusEB wrote: »

Check that you'll have enough seatbelts in whatever you decide to buy

Thanks for that, it's a really important consideration and one of the things I expect will take us over budget. It seems retro-fitting seatbelts is a dodgy area and some of the older vans don't have enough seatbelts. You can't put a price on safety so if it means comprimises or saving for longer - so be it.

kelbal

DeiseDoll wrote: »

Thanks for that, it's a really important consideration and one of the things I expect will take us over budget. It seems retro-fitting seatbelts is a dodgy area and some of the older vans don't have enough seatbelts. You can't put a price on safety so if it means comprimises or saving for longer - so be it.

Parfitt in Swords seem to be the only people willing to take on that job. I went into them, as mine has 2 lap belts on the rear facing seats (as do pretty much every motorhome), and I wanted to ask about converting them into 3-point belts. The guy had a look at it, commented that there is a reasonably good structure there already to work with - but the price was still about 800/900 for the job:eek:

Macy0161

€15k should easily have you in the age range that has rear seat belts - 3 point for the forward facing, lap belt for the rear facing. For the rear facing lap belts are apparently ok, assuming there's head rests, and the older ones can hack being rear facing when driving. It should get you a decent one to.

We put the kids in the overcab. It can be a bit claustrophobic up there, and movements in the van are exaggerated at that height (if the vans a rockin, it’s probably the feckin kids running up and down when they should be asleep!), so I wouldn't count on it being the option for two adults without trying it. Could be the rubbish stabilizers on our van though.

We've a six berth, for four of us (we have had a few nights of 3 adults, 4 children though). It is cramped, especially when the beds are made, even with only the four of us. A summer like we've just had would be fine, but advice someone said here was imagine any layout when it's píssing rain and you're trapped in the van. Perhaps it's less of an issue with older children, who can mope in the bunks with an mp3 player, texting their friends how crap life is!

DeiseDoll

Macy0161 wrote: »

€15k should easily have you in the age range that has rear seat belts - 3 point for the forward facing, lap belt for the rear facing. For the rear facing lap belts are apparently ok, assuming there's head rests, and the older ones can hack being rear facing when driving. It should get you a decent one to.

We put the kids in the overcab. It can be a bit claustrophobic up there, and movements in the van are exaggerated at that height (if the vans a rockin, it’s probably the feckin kids running up and down when they should be asleep!), so I wouldn't count on it being the option for two adults without trying it. Could be the rubbish stabilizers on our van though.

We've a six berth, for four of us (we have had a few nights of 3 adults, 4 children though). It is cramped, especially when the beds are made, even with only the four of us. A summer like we've just had would be fine, but advice someone said here was imagine any layout when it's píssing rain and you're trapped in the van. Perhaps it's less of an issue with older children, who can mope in the bunks with an mp3 player, texting their friends how crap life is!

Your kids sound just like ours! Our eldest is worried about it being too cramped but considering she's mostly motionless & glued to the iPod I can't see it bothering her. I've factored an awning/safari room into the contingency fund which should help with space issues.
Thanks for the insights, it's really helping build up a list of issues we need to consider.

paddyp

DeiseDoll wrote: »

Your kids sound just like ours! Our eldest is worried about it being too cramped but considering she's mostly motionless & glued to the iPod I can't see it bothering her. I've factored an awning/safari room into the contingency fund which should help with space issues.
Thanks for the insights, it's really helping build up a list of issues we need to consider.

Safari rooms aren't great for our atlantic weather, even with proper tiedown kit and everthing they can put major stresses on the fixings. You'll find a lot of them for sale used once or never used. Driveaway awning is a better idea and allows you to leave sulky teens at the beach with their sulky friends and keep your spot in the campsite too

DeiseDoll

paddyp wrote: »

Safari rooms aren't great for our atlantic weather, even with proper tiedown kit and everthing they can put major stresses on the fixings. You'll find a lot of them for sale used once or never used. Driveaway awning is a better idea and allows you to leave sulky teens at the beach with their sulky friends and keep your spot in the campsite too

I had noticed the 'only used once or never used' bit and was a bit suspicious, not I know why. My friend swears by the driveway awning for the very reason you've mentioned. I'll be back on for recommendations on makes and models when we do buy something.