2-berth coachbuilt or campervan

[Budgie]

Hi All,

I'm thinking about buying a motorhome for 2 people and wondering about the merits of coachbuilt v campervan. It will only be for 2 people but will need a shower room. Any feedback welcome. Cheers.

 

[otherclive]

Hi All,

I'm thinking about buying a motorhome for 2 people and wondering about the merits of coachbuilt v campervan. It will only be for 2 people but will need a shower room. Any feedback welcome. Cheers.

I’d go for a panel van motorhome more space than a campervan and less susceptible to water ingress and future damp problems than a coach build.

 

[Budgie]

I’d go for a panel van motorhome more space than a campervan and less susceptible to water ingress and future damp problems than a coach build.

Thanks for the feedback. I'd heard that water ingress can be a problem with coach builds and I won't be buying new. Cheers.

 

[trevormonty]

If going down campervan path best to rent one first for a week. Friends bought campervan and found it very cramp and next to no storage.

 

[otherclive]

A friend of mine has a Autotrail coachbuilt two berth end kitchen. Nice motorhome but after two failed attempts by the dealership to stop water ingress and repair the damage it’s now at a specialist repairer in Somerset as the dealer refused any further support. The estimated cost is £10000 to repair it, and then the hassle of legal action against the supplying dealer.

 

[Budgie]

A friend of mine has a Autotrail coachbuilt two berth end kitchen. Nice motorhome but after two failed attempts by the dealership to stop water ingress and repair the damage it’s now at a specialist repairer in Somerset as the dealer refused any further support. The estimated cost is £10000 to repair it, and then the hassle of legal action against the supplying dealer.

Interesting, something I need to watch out for. Thanks for the warning.

 

[Sam Vimes]

Some years back we had a Swift Bessacar, 2 birth, end kitchen and a wet room. Absolutely loved it once the snagging was done which ran into a couple of pages.

The biggest problem was that it was built on a Fiat Ducati chassis plus engine. There where two problems with this.

The van was rear end heavy and on a wet incline the front wheels would easily slip.

The other problem at the time and could well be fixed by now, was the manual engine had a real problem reversing up a small slope. Lots of juddering and banging from the engine. Many people reported the problem, some having burnt out clutches trying to overcome it, but Fiat refused to do anything about.

This certainly put me off anything based on a Fiat, although the auto versions were supposed to be ok.

Not that intend to go back to a motorhome but if I did I'd look at one of those van conversions.

 

[JTQ]

My thoughts are more in the direction of a panel van with just enough conversion to serve as a "day van", loo, hob etc and a bed tolerable for the odd night or two away, but then it towing a small two berth caravan for proper "camping". Day van, something for regular "car" duty, but taking the loo and somewhere to stop and take a break, plus transport a decent bike, in our case.

A panel van conversion for two reasons:

The chances of leaking, damp etc are way reduced compared to a coach built unit​

Whilst like a caravan the whole shakes about every mile it travels, with a panel van it has very likely been design to travel on roads, whereas the evidence is few caravan designers address that aspect of the units use! Add to that the miles on the road are likely to exceed those a caravan does so that ability to withstand travelling with any motorhome becomes more important.​

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Secondly, the "limited" size of panel van base motorhomes make visits to supermarkets and places of interest generally possible.​

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In respect to "auto" if that is a "desire", remember that until the last year or so Fiat and its derivatives only offered an "automated" manual" box as their Auto. IMO making one of the poorer takes in recent years on such beasts. Thankfully they now licence build the excellent "proper" ZF unit, but it's so young its likely to render such a motorhome too costly a used purchased.

 

[Mel]

For me, the bottom line ( pun fully intended…read on) would be whatever it is having at least a wet room. A porta potti in a locker will not hack it.
Mel

 

[otherclive]

Most panel van conversions have a shower and toilet installed so they are quite civilised. Whereas campervans………..