Greetings all,
Hi from the West coast of Scotland.
Been lurking for a while but thought I'd sign up and start to contribute, question and/or pester.
I've trawled my way through this entire website and found all the hints, tips, ideas, advice and opinions very valuable. So a grand, "HUSSAR"! and thanks to all and sundry.
I'll just dive right in...
I'm about to turn fifty and have decided to treat myself to a motorhome for my birthday. This momentous decision was brought about in the summer when I was touring Ireland on my motorbike and camping, it was a good idea at the time.
Every night for a week, after a hard days riding, I'd arrive at a site and have to erect a tent. Whilst doing so I keenly observed the folks around me in nice vans sitting out, quaffing a nice cool chardonnay and generally having a whale of a time and the occasional snigger (can we still use that word?) at my expense as I wrestled with my non-compliant tent in a fresh Irish breeze; needless to say I didn't really see the amusing side of it at the time.
During my long contemplative, Zen-like rides through the sublime Ireland it slowly started to dawned on me, much like what's-his-name when he walked to Damascus, perhaps instead of a tent, the cold and a sore back I could do the Motorhome thing?
This revelation coalesced into a EUREKA! moment whilst stopped for a sly smoke - don't tell the wife- " I SHOULD BUY ME ONE OF THOSE HOOS-WI-WHEEL-THINGIES!
And there you have it. Straight out of the blue. I proposed it to SWMBO a few months ago after plying her with babycham and as the youngsters say, she was well up for it! Go figure as the yanks say...
So fast forward to today, I've done my research, my due diligence, rented a van for a long w/e last month, spoken to van owners, been to see a few and just about worn out EBAY, Autotrader, Gumtree and Youtube. I now see motorhomes in my dreams (or is it nightmares) and feel it could be close, real close, to trigger pulling time.
So, I need a big van, I like space as I have two young kids with lots of stuff. I've been looking at 6 berths. Ive got a bubget of about £45k +/-. I need a biggy as well to as the master plan includes towing two large motorcycles so Im looking at 150 hp +, probably 3lt, auto would be good. I like big tag axles and cannot lie!
I need an island bed as being a man of a certain age I'm often up during the nigh and it became quickly apparent when renting that it was really the only option! Especially when the wife knelt on my hand as she crawled over me and just about broke the bones; so island bed all the way. The kids love an overcab, which is good, we get one end, they get the other.
It needs to be no more that 5/6 years old with the usual certs,docs and FSH. Low owners and low miles is good as well. So these have been my basic criteria, I like big modern comfort, I don't like slumming it, nor does SWMBO.
So you can probaly guess that I have painted myself into a corner as I want to have my cake and eat it! To that end Im narrowing it down to the following and would like any comment, critisisms, advice or otherwise.
1 - 2012 Swift Kontiki overcab.
2 - Autotrail Savannah/tracker etc
3 - Swift Escape.
4 - Hobby, not sure why but they have a nice back end!
I've been quite taken with the big, older German models; just like me old mucker Jim the Crab when he went to the Reperbhan, but thats a different story for another time. A local dealer here has an '07 Dethlefs tag axle that is fully loaded, but the age thing puts me off.
So there we are, Hello again. Dive in and tell me what you think.
Hi from the West coast of Scotland.
Been lurking for a while but thought I'd sign up and start to contribute, question and/or pester.
I've trawled my way through this entire website and found all the hints, tips, ideas, advice and opinions very valuable. So a grand, "HUSSAR"! and thanks to all and sundry.
I'll just dive right in...
I'm about to turn fifty and have decided to treat myself to a motorhome for my birthday. This momentous decision was brought about in the summer when I was touring Ireland on my motorbike and camping, it was a good idea at the time.
Every night for a week, after a hard days riding, I'd arrive at a site and have to erect a tent. Whilst doing so I keenly observed the folks around me in nice vans sitting out, quaffing a nice cool chardonnay and generally having a whale of a time and the occasional snigger (can we still use that word?) at my expense as I wrestled with my non-compliant tent in a fresh Irish breeze; needless to say I didn't really see the amusing side of it at the time.
During my long contemplative, Zen-like rides through the sublime Ireland it slowly started to dawned on me, much like what's-his-name when he walked to Damascus, perhaps instead of a tent, the cold and a sore back I could do the Motorhome thing?
This revelation coalesced into a EUREKA! moment whilst stopped for a sly smoke - don't tell the wife- " I SHOULD BUY ME ONE OF THOSE HOOS-WI-WHEEL-THINGIES!
And there you have it. Straight out of the blue. I proposed it to SWMBO a few months ago after plying her with babycham and as the youngsters say, she was well up for it! Go figure as the yanks say...
So fast forward to today, I've done my research, my due diligence, rented a van for a long w/e last month, spoken to van owners, been to see a few and just about worn out EBAY, Autotrader, Gumtree and Youtube. I now see motorhomes in my dreams (or is it nightmares) and feel it could be close, real close, to trigger pulling time.
So, I need a big van, I like space as I have two young kids with lots of stuff. I've been looking at 6 berths. Ive got a bubget of about £45k +/-. I need a biggy as well to as the master plan includes towing two large motorcycles so Im looking at 150 hp +, probably 3lt, auto would be good. I like big tag axles and cannot lie!
I need an island bed as being a man of a certain age I'm often up during the nigh and it became quickly apparent when renting that it was really the only option! Especially when the wife knelt on my hand as she crawled over me and just about broke the bones; so island bed all the way. The kids love an overcab, which is good, we get one end, they get the other.
It needs to be no more that 5/6 years old with the usual certs,docs and FSH. Low owners and low miles is good as well. So these have been my basic criteria, I like big modern comfort, I don't like slumming it, nor does SWMBO.
So you can probaly guess that I have painted myself into a corner as I want to have my cake and eat it! To that end Im narrowing it down to the following and would like any comment, critisisms, advice or otherwise.
1 - 2012 Swift Kontiki overcab.
2 - Autotrail Savannah/tracker etc
3 - Swift Escape.
4 - Hobby, not sure why but they have a nice back end!
I've been quite taken with the big, older German models; just like me old mucker Jim the Crab when he went to the Reperbhan, but thats a different story for another time. A local dealer here has an '07 Dethlefs tag axle that is fully loaded, but the age thing puts me off.
So there we are, Hello again. Dive in and tell me what you think.
Facebook
Twitter