Author Topic: Motorhomes. Am I too you young?  (Read 33309 times)

Re: Motorhomes. Am I too you young?
« Reply #50 on: 18 May, 2017, 06:54:35 pm »
I love the sensation of sleeping in a tent so I suspect that if we ever succumbed it would be a small car and one of those half caravan, half tent thingies.   The 'relative' comforts of a caravan with the joy of rainfall on the canvas at three o'clock in the morning.  :thumbsup:

As it stands we're still very much attached to the tent. 

Kim

  • Timelord
    • Fediverse
Re: Motorhomes. Am I too you young?
« Reply #51 on: 18 May, 2017, 07:28:46 pm »
I'm more than qualified, age-wise - but ISTM, no matter how much you spend, you still end up having to piss in a bucket - which you then have to empty yourself. Fuck that.

If it weren't for the cannon thing, this post would win the thread.

I don't think the pissing in a bucket thing is actually compulsory, though I suppose there comes a time where it's nice to have the option.

Emptying the bucket is obviously a GAMI job.

Re: Motorhomes. Am I too you young?
« Reply #52 on: 18 May, 2017, 07:40:03 pm »
Many years ago I had a bay-window VW as day-to-day transport.  We occasionally used for camping, though it was a very basic conversion.  We eventually sold to a group who were planning an African expedition.

A friend has a diesel brick VW, more thoroughly converted than ours was.  With a bike rack on the back it seems to be a very suitable home-from-home.

Re: Motorhomes. Am I too you young?
« Reply #53 on: 18 May, 2017, 07:45:13 pm »
My friends have a beautifully restored bay window VW camper. Full strip to a shell restoration and rebuilt engine with more power etc. Its lovely. Often when they go away it returns on a trailer. On a trip to central France last year it broke down three times on the way there. Its worth a fortune. They just bought a split screen one to go with it. If I had one I think I would drop a Subaru engine in and sod the originality.
I think you'll find it's a bit more complicated than that.

Re: Motorhomes. Am I too you young?
« Reply #54 on: 18 May, 2017, 07:50:12 pm »
Never too young! Had my first aged 20!

I bought this from eBay last year based on pics and a good description for  just over £1,600 with 10 months mot.

It's a 70,000 miles from new Vauxhall midi with a Reimo conversion which cost £6,000 in addition to the new van in 1994.

Double bed, 3 ring cooker, 12v or gas fridge, leisure battery, pop up roof for the galley, cupbaords,sink with pumped tap.

Weve done about 2000 trouble free miles. It's a 2.4 turbo diesel which  cruises quietly at 65mph at anout 38mpg, is small enough to use as a second car ,(acceptinf the lack of power steering) and it makes us all smile!

Do it. Do itt do it!


not so much a gravel grinder.... more of a gravel groveller


Re: Motorhomes. Am I too you young?
« Reply #55 on: 18 May, 2017, 08:00:56 pm »
That's an interesting 'Jetsons' attachment on the roof.

Re: Motorhomes. Am I too you young?
« Reply #56 on: 18 May, 2017, 08:10:29 pm »
It was.  :) I 'inadvertently' removed it with a low hanging tree branch soon after purchase...
not so much a gravel grinder.... more of a gravel groveller


LEE

  • "Shut Up Jens" - Legs.
Re: Motorhomes. Am I too you young?
« Reply #57 on: 19 May, 2017, 12:32:06 am »
My neighbour has a VW "Brick" Kamper.  He solved the lack of horse-power by installing a Subaru Legacy "Boxer" engine.  Now it sounds like an approaching thunderstorm when it fires up.

Some people find the idea of "pissing in a bucket" a disadvantage.  I see an advantage in having a toilet, a shower, a cooker, a TV, a Fridge, a Freezer, heating etc in the back of my vehicle.  It certainly transforms the experience of traffic-jams and hold-ups on long journeys.

I've pissed in all sorts of receptacles during my camping years.
Some people say I'm self-obsessed but that's enough about them.

Re: Motorhomes. Am I too you young?
« Reply #58 on: 19 May, 2017, 09:18:37 am »


Here's ours...Our plan is to sell the house and go full-time for a year or so..as soon as financially practical. 
>>>>HERE<<<<



We stayed there a couple of weekends ago.  It is a nice site and a nice area.

LEE

  • "Shut Up Jens" - Legs.
Re: Motorhomes. Am I too you young?
« Reply #59 on: 19 May, 2017, 10:50:48 am »


Here's ours...Our plan is to sell the house and go full-time for a year or so..as soon as financially practical. 
>>>>HERE<<<<



We stayed there a couple of weekends ago.  It is a nice site and a nice area.

Yes... and 10 miles from my house.  I know, I know.. why go 10 miles?  Well I figure that, if you want to get away for the weekend, to a quiet field, within walking distance of 2 nice country pubs, why drive for hours when there's a place just down the road?

The birds-eye view of the surrounding area in the video reminds me how fortunate I am to cycle around there (in fact I was cycling to the Wonston Arms, past the campsite, at 8pm last night).

We've used the Motorhome there, and many other places, right through winter.  That's where Motorhomes excel over tents, and in some ways, over caravans as well.  You just rock up, put the handbrake on, turn the engine off and you're camping.  No matter if it's below freezing or horizontal sleet if rattling off the sides.

I can see the appeal of a small, old, caravan.  They are super cheap and you still have a car to get about in.  We've adopted Public Transport in a big way though.  Walking to rural bus stops has become part of our holidays.
Look just buy one.
Some people say I'm self-obsessed but that's enough about them.

Charlotte

  • Dissolute libertine
  • Here's to ol' D.H. Lawrence...
    • charlottebarnes.co.uk
Re: Motorhomes. Am I too you young?
« Reply #60 on: 19 May, 2017, 10:59:28 am »
You are all utter bastards - having gone from a vague feeling that I fancied a camper van at some stage, I now Very Much Want a Bongo Wagon.
Commercial, Editorial and PR Photographer - www.charlottebarnes.co.uk

LEE

  • "Shut Up Jens" - Legs.
Re: Motorhomes. Am I too you young?
« Reply #61 on: 19 May, 2017, 11:04:27 am »
You are all utter bastards - having gone from a vague feeling that I fancied a camper van at some stage, I now Very Much Want a Bongo Wagon.

Be careful....you'll end up all over the place, seeing stuff you always wanted to see.

Did I mention the "Britstops" book?  Well it's a book containing hundreds of Pubs around the country that let you park overnight in their car parks...Oh yes..it's as good as it sounds.
BRITSTOP

There's a "France passion" book we bought. A similar concept we hope to try this summer but involving Vinyards and Farms.
Some people say I'm self-obsessed but that's enough about them.

Re: Motorhomes. Am I too you young?
« Reply #62 on: 19 May, 2017, 11:28:27 am »
You are all utter bastards - having gone from a vague feeling that I fancied a camper van at some stage, I now Very Much Want a Bongo Wagon.

Later this afternoon a Bongo won't be good enough. You'll be wanting needing one of these...




LEE

  • "Shut Up Jens" - Legs.
Re: Motorhomes. Am I too you young?
« Reply #63 on: 19 May, 2017, 11:37:24 am »
Do you think there's any merit in reading some Bongo Mags before purchasing?  Just to get clued-up?
Some people say I'm self-obsessed but that's enough about them.

Re: Motorhomes. Am I too you young?
« Reply #64 on: 19 May, 2017, 11:57:50 am »

There's a "France passion" book we bought. A similar concept we hope to try this summer but involving Vinyards and Farms.

I recommend the All-the-Aires books by vicarious media, we spent most of a year on the continent using the aires, stellplatz etc.

Another good source of info is the motorhome facts forum, IIRC they've got a decent map, similar to our cake stop map, of overnight locations ranging from campsites with service points to 'wild camp' locations.

LEE

  • "Shut Up Jens" - Legs.
Re: Motorhomes. Am I too you young?
« Reply #65 on: 19 May, 2017, 12:09:20 pm »

There's a "France passion" book we bought. A similar concept we hope to try this summer but involving Vinyards and Farms.

I recommend the All-the-Aires books by vicarious media, we spent most of a year on the continent using the aires, stellplatz etc.

Another good source of info is the motorhome facts forum, IIRC they've got a decent map, similar to our cake stop map, of overnight locations ranging from campsites with service points to 'wild camp' locations.

They are both on our list when we go full-time.  The plan is to use campsites in June & July as I want to spend as much time as possible doing bugger-all (and going outside of school hols should mean space at most sites).
Some people say I'm self-obsessed but that's enough about them.

Re: Motorhomes. Am I too you young?
« Reply #66 on: 19 May, 2017, 12:16:28 pm »

There's a "France passion" book we bought. A similar concept we hope to try this summer but involving Vinyards and Farms.

I recommend the All-the-Aires books by vicarious media, we spent most of a year on the continent using the aires, stellplatz etc.

Another good source of info is the motorhome facts forum, IIRC they've got a decent map, similar to our cake stop map, of overnight locations ranging from campsites with service points to 'wild camp' locations.

They are both on our list when we go full-time.  The plan is to use campsites in June & July as I want to spend as much time as possible doing bugger-all (and going outside of school hols should mean space at most sites).

You probably realise but you will still need to appear on the electoral roll when you're fulltiming and your insurance will take a serious hike. Don't tell any UK campsite that you might be planning on using that you're a full timer.

Re: Motorhomes. Am I too you young?
« Reply #67 on: 19 May, 2017, 03:06:59 pm »
I have been dithering about buying a motorhome for years. Trouble is my wife has no interest and I would therefore be going solo. I'm always on e-bay looking at all the possibilities. I have yet to come across a van conversion older than about 7 years that has not had some welding done in the past and often failed MOTs on this. Once they have been welded, my experience is rust always returns and it is not cheap to repair. Older campers like Renaults, Talbots etc seem the same. Only Hymers seem to be well built in that respect and Toyotas. The other thing is, that we don't know how far the Diesel punishment will go with tax, fuel price, bans etc. I have done the maths and if you only use it say once or twice a month then B&B is cheaper and less hassle. But the adventure of it all appeals to me, once I have forgotten about traffic jams, sat in a field in bad weather and crap drivers etc. Oh well back to e-bay.
Nothing left to prove. http://adenough1.blogspot.co.uk/

GrahamG

  • Babies bugger bicycling
Re: Motorhomes. Am I too you young?
« Reply #68 on: 19 May, 2017, 03:37:57 pm »
No such thing as too young for a motorhome - owner age is mostly regulated by the inescapable fact that only over 40's tend to have the necessary disposable income. Which to me indicates that you're older than you feel ;-)
Brummie in exile (may it forever be so)

Charlotte

  • Dissolute libertine
  • Here's to ol' D.H. Lawrence...
    • charlottebarnes.co.uk
Re: Motorhomes. Am I too you young?
« Reply #69 on: 19 May, 2017, 03:55:07 pm »
Do you think there's any merit in reading some Bongo Mags before purchasing?  Just to get clued-up?

I'm sure that the Bongo Fury newsletter might help.  As would a browse on the Bongoland site  :D
Commercial, Editorial and PR Photographer - www.charlottebarnes.co.uk

Re: Motorhomes. Am I too you young?
« Reply #70 on: 19 May, 2017, 04:29:11 pm »
Anybody know the answer?

You are a real cyclist, Flatus, aren't you? Then, why not try something more cycle-oriented?


Re: Motorhomes. Am I too you young?
« Reply #71 on: 19 May, 2017, 05:01:43 pm »
Has this concept made it across the pond yet?
https://www.yakima.com/skyrise-tent-small#

Feanor

  • It's mostly downhill from here.
Re: Motorhomes. Am I too you young?
« Reply #72 on: 19 May, 2017, 05:21:14 pm »
Has this concept made it across the pond yet?
https://www.yakima.com/skyrise-tent-small#

That design is very popular in the Safari market in Africa.

Almost all campsites in the national parks in SA, Namibia and Botswana will have plenty of these rooftop tents.

Re: Motorhomes. Am I too you young?
« Reply #73 on: 19 May, 2017, 05:45:09 pm »
REI (US outdoor retailer) and Yakima are just rolling out the concept in the US. It'll be interesting to see how it does. Not as hard on a car as towing a trailer/caravan, but it doesn't take up as much space between trips as an unused motorhome.

Re: Motorhomes. Am I too you young?
« Reply #74 on: 20 May, 2017, 08:24:23 am »
Who wouldn't want anything called a Bongo Friendee. However, as Mrs S won't swap her Yaris and I won't drive the distance I drive in something that consumes so much fossil fuel, I think this is more suitable

http://www.opuscamper.co.uk/

Look at Air Opus