Best used motorhome for dogs/4 year old around £15k

[SarahBlake]

Hi
I hope you can help us, we are planning to take a 4 week road trip adventure through France/Spain/Italy with our 4 year old daughter and 2 labradors next May before she starts school.
We thought we would hire first, but when I work out how much to hire for 4 weeks would be it seems perhaps we should just buy (we are planning to get lots of use out of the vehicle after this first long trip)
What do you think? What is the best vehichle for two dogs, us and Chloe? I've been reading about motorhomes with garages for the dogs, does this work ok - are they cooped up a bit? They are used to training crates. Any advice would be gratefully received. We would plan to spend around £15k on our first used vehichle and then upgrade a couple of years down the line.
Hoping you can help
Sarah x

 

[TonyJones]

Hi Sarah, welcome to the Forum (and the world of motorhoming).
Your road trip sounds exciting, and I'm sure Chloe will love it. Not being a "doggy person" myself I can't really advise on that, but we have several dog owners on here who I'm sure will chip in over the next few days.
With so many different shapes, sizes and layouts available though, you probably need to check some out at a dealership, or better still one of the big shows, to assess exactly what you need.
And whatever van you finally go for, make sure you have at least a few days away in it in the UK, before you embark on the big adventure.

 

[SarahBlake]

Thanks Tom. I will do just that. Hoping some dog owners will point me in a general direction. Yes, I am very excited about the road trip...I think more so than Chloe.

 

[SarahBlake]

Tony, I am so sorry just realised I called you Tom. I apologise.

 

[gjh]

With a small child one of the most important points is a vehicle which can accommodate a child seat safely. Rear seat cushions in motorhomes tend to be softer than cars as (typically) they have to be able to be used as both seats and beds. Three point belts are fine for adults and older children but not all of them hold child seats securely so worth checking.
We don't have dogs but know many who do. They normally travel with them in the habitation area, restrained in training crates or by some sort of belt arrangement.
As Tony mentioned, having a look round dealers and shows is a good idea so that you can assess how well various layouts would suit your particular needs.
Like many people we were rather unscientific when we chose our first van. When we were looking for our second, though, I drew up a list of points which were essential/desirable for us. That list is downloadable as a PDF from Here. It is unlikely to fit your requirements particularly closely but you may find it better than a blank sheet of paper for drawing up your own list.
Graham

 

[SarahBlake]

Thank you so much for your advice. Sarah