# Burstner 747 - Info, thoughts and Advice Please



## AndrewandShirley

We think we have settled on the above, but is there anything we need to be aware of?

Our main concern is actually getting from the cab to the habitation area, especially as we are quite tall.

Planning to buy second hand and LHD.


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## 1946

Friends of ours used to own one and he was 6"3 and had no problem at all. The only thing was that when using the toilet he had to leave the door open !! 
Wonderful motorhome.

Kind regards

Maddie


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## camallison

My daughter, who has four kids all under 10 years old, has one and reckons it is the best buy they ever made. Their van is a 2008 model and has enough headroom for me (6ft) - naturally the move from cab to habitation is tight, but the overcab bed locks in the up position to give extra headroom.

Is it the model with a "garage" at the back with the main double bed over? If yes, then the comment about the door open when on the loo isn't quite true. It is open when closing the "bedroom" from the main hab area, but closed when not, if you follow what I mean. ie, shared door.

Colin


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## an99uk

*747*

We had a 2002, 747 you could close the door when sat on the throne but you couldn't stand up to do the necessary. :roll: I am only 5'3.

The previous owner had turned the door to open towards the rear bed and not facing the lounge area so that you could leave the door open when using the loo.

The rest of the van was superb for storage, we got used to the narrow entrance to the cab but the toilet issue was a real put off. We only kept it for 3 months.
Burstner learnt from their mistakes, the newer vans were modified.
Hope this helps.


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## cal22mx

Our thoughts on the 747-2

Had ours for only a matter of weeks - but it was the one we had always wanted

The Loo is tiny to get into , but you do get a seperate shower - we have found this a bonus compared to our other 2 motorhomes shared loo/shower room- We now use the shower - first time in 6 years !!!! - no comments you lot!!!

The loadspace is fantastic - Tag axle makes it so stable- Bulid quality is excelent- We had our engine chipped for more smoother 5th gear cruising as we run heavy most of the time- This I recommend!! 

Tight space squeezing through from the cab due to the fixed overhead bed and step up , we never use the cab area once parked up so dont see it as a problem. 


I think overall , you will have to make some compromises in any van you choose (unless you go for an American RV). We wanted good living space,large payload, big garage , decent beds and a decent kitchen.

Hope this helps a little


Mal


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## 106573

Had my 747/2G since 2006, never a moments regret. The cab to habitation access is not a problem, as when you are parked up, you can swivel drivers seat to give better clearance to get through.
As for the toilet issue, I have solved this by getting a good craftsman to jigsaw the panel next to the bathroom entrance door, then fit piano hinges so you can open both the original door and the hinged panel, then pull the dividing curtain around for privacy if required, this has made a really big bathroom. Anyone reuireing photos, let me know, conversion cost £240 squid.
Hope this helps
Tinhutraveller.


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## Jezport

We looked at a few but they all had lots of dents in the ali skin and of the 3 we looked at all had bits missing, like parts of the aldi heating etc.

We ended up with a similar van, a Frankia A800GD whch has a lift up bed over the cab, a larger loo, larger fridge and a GRP skin.

We would have bought a 747 or 748 if we could have found a complete one without too many dents. the 748 gives more lounging room with the L shaped dining group.


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## 96299

Hi

We have a 2007 747 and sadly we have had endless troubles with it, you could fill both sides of an A4 easily. It is though at the moment working well but we fear another problem wont be to far away. 8O 

If I buy another motorhome in the future it wont be a burstner but will stick to German, something like a Frankia which i think is another rung up the ladder again.

steve


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## taz

We had a 2006 (last of the old shape) 748 and other than the length we could not fault it. The quality was really good and much better than the Hymer we had after it.
The only issue we had was the usual Fiat front wheel drive issue - we did get caught out on a steep uphill hairpin with the front wheels losing traction and had to be pulled up by a friendly farmer and tractor.
We preferred the 748 layout as it makes getting in and out of the cab a bit easier.
All in all a great van
Sally


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## teemyob

*Beware*

Hello,

Well, I notice "Geraldine" is parked in the snow.

Have you considered the FWD Fiat will have to drag that huge tag axle around. That and the FWD slips on damp tarmac, let alone anything like grass and snow.

Trev


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## fdhadi

Its rear wheel drive when going backwards and has traction control which a lot of the small or large motorhomes don't have :wink:


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## teemyob

*Drive*



fdhadi said:


> Its rear wheel drive when going backwards and has traction control which a lot of the small or large motorhomes don't have :wink:


I have heard that so many times.

Problem is, how do you reverse all the way up a mountain pass?

Traction control is no help on slippery surfaces when you are stuck, you are better off turning it off.


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## RichardnGill

> Traction control is no help on slippery surfaces when you are stuck, you are better off turning it off.


Traction control on newish vehicles sends drive to the wheel which has the most grip instead of letting just one wheel spin. Why would you be better off with this turned off?

Richard...


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## teemyob

*oFF*



RichardnGill said:


> Traction control is no help on slippery surfaces when you are stuck, you are better off turning it off.
> 
> 
> 
> Traction control on newish vehicles sends drive to the wheel which has the most grip instead of letting just one wheel spin. Why would you be better off with this turned off?
> 
> Richard...
Click to expand...

ASR or traction control systems prevent wheel slip, kills the power to the drive wheels! So if your wheels are not spinning you have no chance of moving.

Take last years big freeze. Anyone see that driver constantly shown on the news in London. Mercedes Saloon stuck in a bit of snow on a flat?

He was trying to move off, stuck in the snow. However, because he had his ESP switched on that controls all aspects inc ASR, the drive wheels kept having the power kicked out as the sensors would have detected slip. If he swicthed it off (ASR) then he would have had more chance of movement.


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## fdhadi

_ASR or traction control systems prevent wheel slip, kills the power to the drive wheels! So if your wheels are not spinning you have no chance of moving.

Take last years big freeze. Anyone see that driver constantly shown on the news in London. Mercedes Saloon stuck in a bit of snow on a flat?

He was trying to move off, stuck in the snow. However, because he had his ESP switched on that controls all aspects inc ASR, the drive wheels kept having the power kicked out as the sensors would have detected slip. If he swicthed it off (ASR) then he would have had more chance of movement._

Just a thought, was the merc front or rear wheel drive?

*Simple answer to this is get the snow chains out!*


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## RichardnGill

Maybe Merc's are different?

My last 3 VW cars have all had ASR / Traction control on and I travel to Scotland every week. I can honestly say that the VW system will still give you power to the wheels and it will swap from one wheel to the other. It you switch it off just one wheel will spin and give you far less chance of getting moving. That is on a FWD car and I drive past plenty of BMW's & Merc's ETC. which can not move in just 2 inchs of snow.


Richard...


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## time-traveller

*Re: oFF*



teemyob said:


> RichardnGill said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Traction control is no help on slippery surfaces when you are stuck, you are better off turning it off.
> 
> 
> 
> Traction control on newish vehicles sends drive to the wheel which has the most grip instead of letting just one wheel spin. Why would you be better off with this turned off?
> 
> Richard...
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> ASR or traction control systems prevent wheel slip, kills the power to the drive wheels! So if your wheels are not spinning you have no chance of moving.
> 
> Take last years big freeze. Anyone see that driver constantly shown on the news in London. Mercedes Saloon stuck in a bit of snow on a flat?
> 
> He was trying to move off, stuck in the snow. However, because he had his ESP switched on that controls all aspects inc ASR, the drive wheels kept having the power kicked out as the sensors would have detected slip. If he swicthed it off (ASR) then he would have had more chance of movement.
Click to expand...

I don't understand this discussion. I thought that traction control worked like the old 'limited slip diff' in that it diverts all power to the wheel that ISN'T spinning (i.e. slipping) by locking up the differential so that in effect the power by-passes the differential ? :?


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## 106573

OFF TOPIC ,OFF TOPIC. All these traction issues are not confined just to the Burstner 747, The 747 is still one of the best vans to live in, part or fulltime! this in reply to the original question!.
Tinhut


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## dcummin

Not really technical advice here - but I think the 747 is the best looking overcab motor home out there.

David


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## teemyob

*Off Topic*



Tinhuttraveler said:


> OFF TOPIC ,OFF TOPIC. All these traction issues are not confined just to the Burstner 747, The 747 is still one of the best vans to live in, part or fulltime! this in reply to the original question!.
> Tinhut


Not off topic,

The response I gave was in relation to the downsides of dragging a tag axle around with FWD.

Okay as you suggest, it may be "one of the best vans to live in, part or fulltime!"

It is how difficult or awkward it may be to get to or away from where you intend to dwell in it. Was the reasons I gave a reply.

There are far better motorhomes available within the same price range as the 747. especialy at that sort of money.

I was not here to start and argument about FWD or RWD or the differences between ESP DSC ASR ABS and so on.


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## teemyob

*RWD*



fdhadi said:


> Its rear wheel drive when going backwards and has traction control which a lot of the small or large motorhomes don't have :wink:


So if you have reversed up against a wall or hedge and get stuck, how are you going to use the backwards trick?


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## fdhadi

_So if you have reversed up against a wall or hedge and get stuck, how are you going to use the backwards trick?_

I'd watch to see what you did after you had driven up and got stuck. When you go backwards remember you have front wheel drive.

A bit of forward planning quite often means these situations can be avoided. But, if i did get stuck as i said in an earlier post : Get the snow chains out.


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## Jezport

*Re: Off Topic*



teemyob said:


> Tinhuttraveler said:
> 
> 
> 
> OFF TOPIC ,OFF TOPIC. All these traction issues are not confined just to the Burstner 747, The 747 is still one of the best vans to live in, part or fulltime! this in reply to the original question!.
> Tinhut
> 
> 
> 
> Not off topic,
> 
> There are far better motorhomes available within the same price range as the 747. especialy at that sort of money.
Click to expand...

There aren't that many as most the tag autotrails have no rear seatbelts the Burstner A-852 (Iveco non tag) has a mahoosive rear overhang and the Frankia is a very rare van to find.


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## 106573

So..................whats your point Jezpot?


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## Jezport

Tinhuttraveler said:


> So..................whats your point Jezpot?


My point is............... there are hardly any other MHs for sale to choose from with a similar spec to the 747 at the same price.


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## teemyob

*Re: Off Topic*



Jezport said:


> teemyob said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Tinhuttraveler said:
> 
> 
> 
> OFF TOPIC ,OFF TOPIC. All these traction issues are not confined just to the Burstner 747, The 747 is still one of the best vans to live in, part or fulltime! this in reply to the original question!.
> Tinhut
> 
> 
> 
> Not off topic,
> 
> There are far better motorhomes available within the same price range as the 747. especialy at that sort of money.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> There aren't that many as most the tag autotrails have no rear seatbelts the Burstner A-852 (Iveco non tag) has a mahoosive rear overhang and the Frankia is a very rare van to find.
Click to expand...

A-852 was on our list.

I did see a a lot of others, but cannot think of the Manufactuers/Model numbers.

The 747 looks a superb MH. But the drivetrain/chassis for me is not up to the job. As mentioned in another topic.

I do remember considered some Older and newer Cathargo, Concordes and Rimors. On Iveco and Mercedes Chassis.

But the ASR discussion does remind me of my first car. A very old Bright ORANGE Morris Marina, many moons ago. I was down in The Goyt Valley in very deep snow. I drove out of the snowdrift no problem, there was a new model 4x4 stuck in the Snow!.

Why Did I get out and the 4x4 not?


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## Jezport

*Re: Off Topic*



teemyob said:


> Jezport said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> teemyob said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Tinhuttraveler said:
> 
> 
> 
> OFF TOPIC ,OFF TOPIC. All these traction issues are not confined just to the Burstner 747, The 747 is still one of the best vans to live in, part or fulltime! this in reply to the original question!.
> Tinhut
> 
> 
> 
> Not off topic,
> 
> There are far better motorhomes available within the same price range as the 747. especialy at that sort of money.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> There aren't that many as most the tag autotrails have no rear seatbelts the Burstner A-852 (Iveco non tag) has a mahoosive rear overhang and the Frankia is a very rare van to find.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> A-852 was on our list.
> 
> I did see a a lot of others, but cannot think of the Manufactuers/Model numbers.
> 
> The 747 looks a superb MH. But the drivetrain/chassis for me is not up to the job. As mentioned in another topic.
> 
> I do remember considered some Older and newer Cathargo, Concordes and Rimors. On Iveco and Mercedes Chassis.
> 
> But the ASR discussion does remind me of my first car. A very old Bright ORANGE Morris Marina, many moons ago. I was down in The Goyt Valley in very deep snow. I drove out of the snowdrift no problem, there was a new model 4x4 stuck in the Snow!.
> 
> Why Did I get out and the 4x4 not?
Click to expand...

Cos you had skinny tyres


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## teensvan

Hi.

We have fulltimed in our 748 for nearly 4 years now. The only thing to go wrong has been a slight leak in the kitchen tap. £40 for a new one. Yes the loo is a bit tight for some large people but i can manage only being 6 foot tall. We have never had a problem with it being front wheel drive but you do see the odd ball who does not have a clue what he is doing or how to get on with front wheel drive. The van is very stable at any speed or on very windy days. We have lowered the 5th gear and chipped it.

The build is very good and the wet underfloor aldi heating is a godsend. I love sitting with my feet being kept warm on a winters evening. 

steve & ann. ------------ teensvan.


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## teemyob

*Re: Off Topic*



Jezport said:


> teemyob said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Jezport said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> teemyob said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Tinhuttraveler said:
> 
> 
> 
> OFF TOPIC ,OFF TOPIC. All these traction issues are not confined just to the Burstner 747, The 747 is still one of the best vans to live in, part or fulltime! this in reply to the original question!.
> Tinhut
> 
> 
> 
> Not off topic,
> 
> There are far better motorhomes available within the same price range as the 747. especialy at that sort of money.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> There aren't that many as most the tag autotrails have no rear seatbelts the Burstner A-852 (Iveco non tag) has a mahoosive rear overhang and the Frankia is a very rare van to find.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> A-852 was on our list.
> 
> I did see a a lot of others, but cannot think of the Manufactuers/Model numbers.
> 
> The 747 looks a superb MH. But the drivetrain/chassis for me is not up to the job. As mentioned in another topic.
> 
> I do remember considered some Older and newer Cathargo, Concordes and Rimors. On Iveco and Mercedes Chassis.
> 
> But the ASR discussion does remind me of my first car. A very old Bright ORANGE Morris Marina, many moons ago. I was down in The Goyt Valley in very deep snow. I drove out of the snowdrift no problem, there was a new model 4x4 stuck in the Snow!.
> 
> Why Did I get out and the 4x4 not?
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Cos you had skinny tyres
Click to expand...

Skinny M&S tyres!

Thanks.


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## teemyob

*Oddballs*



teensvan said:


> Hi.
> 
> We have never had a problem with it being front wheel drive but you do see the odd ball who does not have a clue what he is doing or how to get on with front wheel drive. The van is very stable at any speed or on very windy days.
> 
> The build is very good and the wet underfloor aldi heating is a godsend. I love sitting with my feet being kept warm on a winters evening.
> 
> steve & ann. ------------ teensvan.


FWD is fine on certain vehicles. Had no problems with FWD on a T5 we drove through Norway in Winter. My opinion of FWD is that it is fine for a lot of vehicles bit not suited to this outfit.

The upside of the Tag Axle I would imagine is stability and handling.

The Aldi heating I would agree so far, excellent. Not tested it out in depths of winter yet.

Steve, how do you run your Aldi, gas, Electric or combination?

We stayed in the peak district a couple of weeks ago, 16 amp EHU The Vans hook up lead kept tripping on 3kW setting and we found 2kW was not sufficient. So we had to switch the gas on too.

The hook up lead consists of a heavy duty extension lead in a services cupboard. Despite being fully unwound the cut-out was tripping due to heat build up in the cable.

Trev


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## 106573

Trev,
I have same problem with my aldi system, i e when on mains hook-up, trips the supply box cut out switch. The way I get round this is to hook-up on arrival, put van setting on 2kw, then switch gas on also. Only leave gas on until van is warmed up, then just leave heating ticking over on lower mains setting, so far this has worked well, even when full timing all through last winter. 
If nothing else the 747 has brillant insulation properties!
Regards
Tinhut


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## ob1

We used to own a Burstner 747 and have to agree that it ticked most of the boxes. However, the toilet area was designed for dwarfs and there was little spare payload on the front axle.

We overcame the toilet problem by purchasing another toilet door from Burstner and fitted this to partly overlap the original in place of the wall. Both doors then opened across the gangway to make a massive washing area. When used as a W/C the doors opened to make a V shaped enclosure that gave about twice the original space. The work is quite easy to do using the existing beadings, etc, and the only cost was for the door and a support post.

Burstner already fit non Fiat, heavy duty, springs on the front end to take the considerable weight but we found that we were very close to the front axle limit even though there were only two of us onboard. This also included the rear garage being loaded to its designed limit to give some levering off the front. There was no way we could have carried more adults without exceeding the front payload. Something worth checking if you are more than two.

Finally, the 747 is a heavy beast with a tall top gear. It benefited greatly from the short fifth gear modification when fitted.


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## teensvan

Hi teemyob.

We use the aldi on the 2Kw setting until it gets going and then switch to the 1Kw setting. We also use a small oil filled rad on colder days which has 300-500-800 watt settings. We only ever run the aldi heating on gas just to test it.

steve & ann. -------------- teensvan


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## ob1

Trev 

The only way you are going to be able to use 3000w of electric with anything, including your Aldi heating, is to use nothing else at the same time. 3000w equates to 12-13 amps, allow another 1 amp for your charger, etc, thats 14 amps. Then put the kettle on - and you've blown the trip.

Ron


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## teemyob

*Thanks*



ob1 said:


> Trev
> 
> The only way you are going to be able to use 3000w of electric with anything, including your Aldi heating, is to use nothing else at the same time. 3000w equates to 12-13 amps, allow another 1 amp for your charger, etc, thats 14 amps. Then put the kettle on - and you've blown the trip.
> 
> Ron


Thanks Steve and Ron,

I have tried the heating with everything off, including the charger. However, it still trips the overload on an unwound extension/hook-up.

Trev


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## 106573

Steve & Anne
Hi, question if I may? do you only test your heating system on Gas because of the high consumption rate when used fulltime on gas?
I ask this because in the past my 747 can burn off a 6kg bottle in very short time indeed, if used on gas when outside temp low!
Regards
Tinhut
P S
even thought van might have a leak at one stage, but tests proved o k.


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