# What is your ideal size for a motor home?



## buttons (Dec 19, 2005)

An earlier post regarding recent site restrictions for motor homes over 7m long, put me to thinking why people put themselves through the hassle of owning such a beast. 
Personally I can’t think of a single benefit of owning something so huge. Ok you have room, luxury and maybe a washing machine but do you really need all that stuff to spend a couple of weeks on a camp site. 

Why put yourself through all that hassle in getting there when you would be just as happy and contented in something a bit smaller. Or would you? 

To me small is beautiful what is your ideal size for a motor home?


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## DABurleigh (May 9, 2005)

Now, 5.5m

On retirement 9m

Dve


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## greenasthegrass (Oct 27, 2007)

Our last one was just over 6m this one is just over 7m jury still out on the bigger one but so got used to last one quite quickly so hopefully will be same with this one. Took back end off 6m within 6 weeks of having it so cringe now when reversing but have trained Drew to wave and shout alot.

The 6m was good to get into car parking spaces but was higher so we had a ducking and weaving feeling sometimes. So that's helped you no end.

I think when we go down to just the two of us will go back to 6m just finding one with a nice bed enough space for me and him and decent van.

Greenie


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## bognormike (May 10, 2005)

To me, our 'van at 6m long is the ideal. We've looked around at the more recent offerings in the A class field, and they are all too big. We like being able to stop off in towns & villages along the way, and can fit into many parking places - also some pitches on continental sites can be shall we say, a tad small :roll: . 
It's something that's annoyed us, and many people we speak to, that A class manufacturers are producing 'vans with a fixed bed AS WELL as the drop down bed, when the majority of their potential customers are couples. Why???.
Perhaps the recession will get them going back to basics a bit more, rather than trying to get bigger & bigger and adding loads of expensive toys.


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## 107558 (Oct 10, 2007)

Mine's 10m (including the bike rack) and I go most places in it provided the RV will fit width-wise and height-wise.

Went down some country lanes which were only just wider than the RV in the Somme and Ypres at New Year no bother. It makes it much more fun :twisted: 

The bigger, the more options and more toys the better in my opinion. A Home away fro Home is what I want.


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## buttons (Dec 19, 2005)

DABurleigh said:


> Now, 5.5m
> 
> On retirement 9m
> 
> Dve


Come out of your closet Dave you know that you really think small is beautiful look at your Avatar


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## loddy (Feb 12, 2007)

9 metres because we don't spend 2 weeks on a campsite

Loddy


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## androidGB (May 26, 2005)

buttons said:


> Personally I can't think of a single benefit of owning something so huge. Ok you have room, luxury and maybe a washing machine


That's right there isn't a single benefit there are several, 3 of which you have just given.

People are all different, and have different priorities.

We often take our grandchildren, and we wanted two distinct sleeping areas

.
Andrew


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## gromett (May 9, 2005)

I would love to go back to 6 Mtrs but due to limited payload I am now on 8Mtrs. Never been restricted yet in my travels. However I don't do campsites.

Karl


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## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

*Size*

Ideal Size for our usual Party Sizes (6-9 people) is 10m
Ideal Size for when there are just the two of us is 5m
Ideal Compromise is 7m or 24-25 foot Range.

A 25 footer with Slide outs would suit us better.

Trev.


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## DTPCHEMICALS (Jul 24, 2006)

first and only m/h 6.5 meters with fixed bed.

Spot on

Dave P


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## 92859 (May 1, 2005)

*does size matter?*

Greetings,

Our first motorhome was 6 metres, great for parking but no space to stretch out inside, no practical storage facility, not suitable for social gatherings.

Last two were 7 metres, just right, parking has not presented a problem, plenty of space inside for a family or loads of friends, storage inside and out superb.


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## CliveMott (Mar 10, 2008)

Last MH was 7.4 metres and we towed a trailer. The new one is 8.5 metres and has a garage and payload. No trailer.

When we get really old and decrepit and cant handle the size we might downsize to something that doubles as a runabout, whereas today we carry the runabouts in the garage.

Parking has never been an issue, one just gets used to the size and parks accordingly.


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## sjl1970 (Mar 13, 2008)

For me it's not the length of the M/H but the ability to add width, ours is currently 20' - I think that's about 6 metres.

Our ideal would be about 7 metres with a couple of slides to make a nice bedroom/ bathroom and a bigger entertaining area - we will be doing a lot of overnights at horseshows and the entertaining will be a big part of the van usage.

When we win the lottery..................

Actually scratch that - 10 metres with 4 slides and a garage for the smart car will do!!!


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## sallytrafic (Jan 17, 2006)

Only vehicle so 5.3m


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## 101999 (Dec 3, 2006)

Hi everyone,

Were a family of 5+dog and 6,4m MH and i's barely enouph. I wish for a 8m!

Regards


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## GerryD (Sep 20, 2007)

For us our maximum length is 7m restricted by drive length. If it will not fit on the drive we wouldn't have one.
Gerry


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## loddy (Feb 12, 2007)

My partner says "length is not important" 8O 8O :lol:


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## iconnor (Nov 27, 2007)

*MH size*

We have 6m with a fixed corner bed, just 2 of us and a small dog so plenty of room really. Up front are 2 sofas opposite each other length wise, the only change I would make would be to remove one of them to create more space in the "lounge".


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## Jede (Dec 7, 2007)

The guide for us was the payload.Although there are only two of us I couldn't go any length of time without riding a motorbike and I'm rubbish at towing things.

Ours is 8.5m with a large payload so the bike goes in the garage.
The major challange has always been the height rather than the 8.5 m lenght. 

I really hate trees !!

John


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## Mikemoss (Sep 5, 2005)

Ours is just over 7m in length and although driving it gave me the collywobbles at first I soon overcame them and got the hang of it. Parking has never presented a problem, and narrow lanes have all been negotiated without incident. Really, really tight corners on extremely narrow lanes could be a bother, but on the one occasion we faced this we managed to get through without a scrape.

I think overall width can be just as important, if not more so - particularly in tight situations. Luckily, 10-year-old Bessie is about the same width as a present-day panel van so that's fine.

Our rule of thumb - with tents, caravans and now motorhomes - is to get the largest that will fit on your drive and you'll feel comfortable driving. Bigger vehicles seem to shrink around you on the road, smaller ones still stay small when you're on site.


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## tubbytuba (Mar 21, 2007)

Our 6m van is just right for us. Only the two of us so oodles of space, also comfortable space to socialise for at least 6 people (can seat 8).

We would'nt want anything bigger as we like to get way off the beaten track. I wouldnt knock bigger vans, everdody has different priorities and tastes.

Steve.


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## toojo (Dec 4, 2008)

I dont think you will ever get an agreement on this.Each to their own.
John.


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## Rapide561 (Oct 1, 2005)

*Size*



toojo said:


> I dont think you will ever get an agreement on this.Each to their own.
> John.


I agree!

Russell

I would however like a 12 metre/40 footer thing.


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## Mrplodd (Mar 4, 2008)

Hymer B544 A class. 6 metres long, drop down bed so loads of room inside for the two of us to lounge around in. 

The current fixation for fixed beds is a bit beyond me as well (especially in a A class which has a drop down anyway!!!) 

I can appreciate that its a lot easier to leave the bed made up during the day (which you can do with an overcab or A class of course) BUT that means a huge area of your MH is not used for at least two thirds of the day !!!! 

A 6 metre MH with either an overcab or drop down has to be the best compromise, plenty of internal living space but not too big to manoeuvre! Plus no restriction on the sites you can stay on, cheaper ferry prices, lower motorway tolls, lower fuel consumption Blah Blah blah blah !!

At the end of the day its all down to a number of factors such as, how much money you have to spend, how many occupants there are,how much time you are going to spend in it, whether you always go somewhere warm and sunny so you can spend your time outside, how confident you are driving a larger vehicle.

The bottom line is that the best sized MH is the one you are happiest with !!!


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## Mikemoss (Sep 5, 2005)

Mrplodd said:


> The bottom line is that the best sized MH is the one you are happiest with !!!


Says it all, absolutely! Well put Mrplodd.


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## bognormike (May 10, 2005)

I want the latest "Tardis" model - 5m long by 2m wide, 2m high (to get under height barriers) on the outside, and 8m x 5m x 3m inside! (with slide-outs :wink: )


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## 38Rover (Nov 9, 2006)

On my return to Motorhomes after 30 year gap I decided driveability was the most important so purchased a panel van conversion about 5.5 m drove great but no fun to live in took ages to make up the double bed at night and small washroom/toilet.After just 5 nights away decided not suitable so criteria for next one was 2 single fixed beds end washroom large fridge.Came up with limited choice all 7m ish so went for the Burstner Solano t700 @ 7.2m.
Great to live in and in many ways better to drive than the previous 2.8 Fiat its an X250 so only good going forward.
Have never found any problems parking or on sites above that of the 5,5m


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## 103356 (Mar 11, 2007)

buttons said:


> An earlier post regarding recent site restrictions for motor homes over 7m long, put me to thinking why people put themselves through the hassle of owning such a beast.
> Personally I can't think of a single benefit of owning something so huge. Ok you have room, luxury and maybe a washing machine but do you really need all that stuff to spend a couple of weeks on a camp site.
> 
> Why put yourself through all that hassle in getting there when you would be just as happy and contented in something a bit smaller. Or would you?
> ...


What hassle? I absolutely love driving my 9.8m coach. I found smaller MHs had too many compromises for my liking, so definitely would not have been happy and content. We tow a small 2-seater convertible car, so no problems getting to where we want to go locally after we arrive at the campsite. To me big is beautiful when it comes to accomodation. How fortunate that we are all different - and long may that continue to be the case.


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## Biglol (Jul 16, 2007)

Any size would be nice   

When I do buy one it will need to be small enough for just the two of us and big enough to swing a very small cat in  



Biglol


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## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

Chrisdy said:


> buttons said:
> 
> 
> > An earlier post regarding recent site restrictions for motor homes over 7m long, put me to thinking why people put themselves through the hassle of owning such a beast.
> ...


Are they realy that nice to drive (American Coaches that is)?


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## tubbytuba (Mar 21, 2007)

teemyob said:


> Are they realy that nice to drive (American Coaches that is)?


For Chrisdy obviously yes. And why not?

I abhor the idea of electric bikes! But the are a good solution for some people. 31,000 members - good job we are mostly different, the manufacturers would be in trouble if we all went for the same size vehicles :lol:

PS I could not afford to run one of those beasts even if I wanted one :wink:


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## CandA (May 1, 2005)

Thank goodness there are so many motor homes out there to suit everyone.
We were backpackers in our younger days and so still think that a VW that is 5.3 m long is the height of luxury. No we can't entertain more than 3 or 4 other people in it, but we can afford to bring a bottle if invited to a larger mh.


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## colonel (Oct 11, 2008)

tubby tuba said



> I wouldnt knock bigger vans, everdody has different priorities and tastes.


Which knocking are we talking here, not your avatar I hope? You seem to have put on a bit of weight up top :lol: :lol: :lol:


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## bigbazza (Mar 6, 2008)

Now now Colonel, I hadn't noticed until you mentioned it.


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## colonel (Oct 11, 2008)

BigBazza, you's a little liar :lol: :lol: :lol:


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## RichardnGill (Aug 31, 2006)

We are changing our 6.6 meter van as it is too small for the 2 kids, dog and us 2. The new van is 8.7 meters and that seems about right for us.

Everyone has diffrent needs and gets a van to meet there needs I guess. 


Richard...


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## tubbytuba (Mar 21, 2007)

colonel said:


> Which knocking are we talking here, not your avatar I hope? You seem to have put on a bit of weight up top :lol: :lol: :lol:


I have to say Colonel (Sir) they are natural, no augmentation for me, just a few daily excercises help to fill things out :lol:


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## Chris_s (Jun 5, 2008)

For the two of us (and perhaps the cat) our PVC is just the right size. We can go on practically any road, stay on campsites, rally or wildcamp. There is enough space and we are high enough when travelling to see over most hedges! Fab!!


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## TR5 (Jun 6, 2007)

bognormike said:


> I want the latest "Tardis" model - 5m long by 2m wide, 2m high (to get under height barriers) on the outside, and 8m x 5m x 3m inside! (with slide-outs :wink: )


So that's a slide-up as well, then!  :wink:


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## StAubyns (Jun 4, 2006)

we are very happy with our truck but realise it would not suit everybody 

Fixed king size bed, dinette, settee, fridge, full oven, toilet& shower and six belted seats all in 5.5 metres   

The size was limited by the parking size at home but we are now in our third year with it and no plans to exchange. 

After all, its been trouble free from new, so why risk buying some trouble :wink:


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## 103356 (Mar 11, 2007)

teemyob said:


> Are they realy that nice to drive (American Coaches that is)?


You bet; excellent vision, light steering, responsive engine (for its size) it's a real blast. I take mine out of storage every few weeks between trips just for fun and do about a 2 hour drive each time. Due to the recent poor weather did the first one of the year on Monday this week - ABBA on the stereo, sunshine, clear roads, lovely Dorset countryside - fabulous. :thumbleft: :thumbright:


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## Sonesta (May 10, 2005)

Hi Buttons,

You ask what we all think is the "ideal" van?

We have a 9m Auto Trail and for us personally it is our idea of the "ideal" van! Hubby adores driving it and is very pleased with its peformance etc. We just love everything about it - and the seperate fixed bedroom is just perfect. When we were looking for a new motorhome this model ticked all the right boxes for us. Obviously, our choice wouldn't suit everyone and we all have our own take on what makes the "ideal" van. However, that said, if we won the lottery, then there are many other models that I could soon find that were even more suitable to our tastes - one being the Concorde Charisma! Now that is the kind of motorhome I dream of!  

To sum it all up: Some of us relish the space that a larger vehicle allows us, and I must confess, I certainly like having plenty of living space and really appreciate being able to have all my home comforts and all our luxury gadgets to hand. However, another person may prefer the more practical qualities of a smaller vehicle and for them, easier parking, cheaper fuel bills and less of the home from home comforts, is more their cup of tea. 

At the end of the day, as I have already said I suppose we all have our own ideas of what makes the "ideal" van, but I am sure we all assess the pros and cons of the models we choose quite carefully before we finally fork out our hard earned dosh on one?

Basically Buttons, as with everything in life, we all have differing tastes and needs and providing we are all happy with our own particular choice then from where I'm sitting, I think we have all got ourselves the "ideal" van don't you agree? It sure sounds like you have anyway, so that's the main thing  

Sue


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## hefalump (Aug 5, 2008)

*Length & Width*

Ours is 6.60m, which includes 2 single fixed beds & a huge garage. There's also room for 4 to sit at the table, but for a van basically for 2 we would certainly need nothing bigger. The really useful aspect of our Burstner Travel Van, though, is the width - just 2.18m instead of the more usual 2.30m. This seems to make all the difference (with the wing mirrors tucked in) when parking in 'ordinary' car spaces as long as there's somewhere for the back to overhang!


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## Briarose (Oct 9, 2007)

Mrplodd said:


> Hymer B544 A class. 6 metres long, drop down bed so loads of room inside for the two of us to lounge around in.
> 
> The current fixation for fixed beds is a bit beyond me as well (especially in a A class which has a drop down anyway!!!)
> 
> ...


Aw we love our fixed bed and wouldn't be without it, and to be honest I personally would hate a over cab bed or drop down. But as others have said it is horses for courses and hence the choice that the makers of MHs give us...............for us that was one of the things that we loved about the Bolero but it is good that we all don't like or understand the same things. I wouldn't personally judge anyone else if they liked a drop down bed.


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## MrsW (Feb 8, 2009)

Ours is around 7m and suits us down to the ground! We do have the hassle of making up the bed each night, but for doing that we have a massive sleeping area, bigger and at least as comfortable as our king-size bed at home. We dislike fixed berths as we have yet to find one that has a big enough bed and many of them have a corner missing to accomodate the washroom. Fine if wifey is only 5 foot 4, but useless when she is 5 foot 11!

We have a washroom which is actually big enough to use and to dry in after a shower - a real luxury after some where you daren't even lift the flannel for fear that something will get damaged!

In the kitchen I can cook a 3 course dinner without any serious space issues, and there is room for 6 to sit to eat. All in all we could not be happier with it. Oh, and it just goes into the courtyard of our house, although it is a significant skill to do so (and one I have not yet mastered). Thank heavens for a skillful husband!

Having said all this though, as others have said, each to his own. We would not get a huge American RV down the Devon lanes to our house, but we loved having one in USA where the roads had a very different dimension.


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## buttons (Dec 19, 2005)

Well it certainly looks like size matters to most of you.
Interesting posts and long may you continue to be individuals.
All motor homes have their place, the RV was developed by the Americans for America and if I lived in the US I would probably consider owning one.

European motor homes were produced for our more compact society and my opinion for what it is worth 6m would be a good all-round size. Anything less would compromise comfort and anything more will progressively become more of a chore to own. 

A 9.5m tag for two of you to do a bit of camping sounds a tad excessive to me. Do the benefits of those two extra wheels and a couple of extra metres really outweigh the parking storing and sighting problems that you will obvious encounter?


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## Sonesta (May 10, 2005)

buttons said:


> A 9.5m tag for two of you to do a bit of camping sounds a tad excessive to me. Do the benefits of those two extra wheels and a couple of extra metres really outweigh the parking storing and sighting problems that you will obvious encounter?


Obviously for us who have chosen to own such a vehicle we do not find it the huge chore you describe as otherwise we would all be busy selling them and looking for smaller vehicles wouldn't we?

As for being a tad excessive for 2 people - I must say that for us personally, we don't find it at all excessive and we like having plenty of room and loads of locker space etc and if we take family members along with us (as we often do) then it allows us to do this quite comfortably too.

Storage in our case is not a problem either as we have a fenced off, high gated driveway at the rear of our property which is large enough for us to keep ours. I am sure fellow motorhomers who own large vehicles too have taken storage into consideration prior to buying their vehicle and I would imagine they either have sufficient space at home to keep their vehicle or they use a secure compound for storage purposes.

As for getting on campsites etc we have never as yet, been turned away from any campsite due to the size of our vehicle. Granted sometimes there are only limited pitches for larger outfits, but touch wood we have always been okay and most campsites have purpose built pitches set aside for this.

Parking again is another area we have not really had an issue with and generally we find somewhere that can accommodate us. Very often I contact the local council or tourist board beforehand and ask if there are any suitable parking spots for our sized vehicle and 9 times out of 10 they direct us to somewhere which can facilitate us.



buttons said:


> European motor homes were produced for our more compact society and my opinion for what it is worth 6m would be a good all-round size. Anything less would compromise comfort and anything more will progressively become more of a chore to own.


Driving around UK roads is really not a problem either and if large articulated lorries can manage to get around our UK roads then obviously a 9m plus motorhome can!

So really Buttons - large motorhomes are NOT the major chore you envisage them to be ....... honestly they aren't and we that own them are quite happy with our choices.

As you say we are all individuals thank goodness and I am pleased you are as happy with yours as those who have replied to your post are with theirs and I hope you will now appreciate that not everyone looks at the world of motorhoming through your eyes!

I wish you many happy and safe travels and please stop fretting about how long yours is compared to others - size don't matter, it's how you use it that counts! Ha ha! :lol: :lol: :lol: Just enjoy what you've got Buttons and if ever we cross paths you are more than welcome to come in for a cup of tea or a nice glass of wine as we always have plenty of room in our van for socialising with our fellow campers! 

Sue


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

We have a Swift Kontiki 640 which I think is 7.25 metres, probably getting on for 8m with the scooter rack on the back. There are just the two of us and I spent a lot of time looking for the right layout and we love the Kontiki layout. I’ve been into boats for years and I was determined that our first motorhome would be much more spacious than our last boat. The only thing I find is that unlike a car where you tend to underestimate the space behind you when reversing I find it the opposite in the van. I.e. you think you’re a good distance away from an obstacle only to find you’ve either hit it or are about to. So far I’ve only managed to clip the neighbor’s land rover bumper. We don’t find parking a problem as we tend to use the scooter a lot once we have reached a destination. We are planning a long trip soon and I wouldnt want to be in anything smaller even for just the two of us.


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## buttons (Dec 19, 2005)

barryd said:


> We have a Swift Kontiki 640 which I think is 7.25 metres, .


I had a Kontiki for a few years also, we did 80K miles in and around Europe with three kids in it and loved every second of using it. We are now two and own a wee jobbie less than 5m long and less than 2m high has 4 good size beds and cooker fridge/freezer sink WC shower awning and all the comforts of home. 
We now enjoy the benefits being parked on the other side of the height barrier. But there are compromises of course. 
If you asked me which is best I can only say, I will be changing this one next year for one of the same. But that is not everyone's choice is it.


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## PAT4NEIL (Jul 21, 2007)

When we first started looking we had the notion in our heads that we could manage with a bongo or VW conversion, However on actually trying them out the bed was far too small for our silf like bodies. (he he).

We then said okay lets get a Hymer 544 with a pull down bed, really loved this layout, but because we dont travel light we came to the conclusion not enough storage.

So In the end we have bought An A class Laika 7.15metres long with a fixed bed and a pull down bed. It also has a fantastic payload, we also now tow a trailer of 3 metres behind with our motorbike on. We tend to go away for longish touring holidays, and the odd weekend.

On using it for at least 4 months this year, I am really pleased we went for the fixed bed, I know people have said that its a waste of space. But We have a lot of storage underneath the bed via a external locker, which holds most of the rubbish we need to take. Plus the times we have done longish journeys in it we tend to stop for lunch somewhere and then have a stretch out on the bed for 30minutes or so and its pure luxury, after being in the passenger seat for hours on end.

Also I tend to get up quite a few times at night for the loo which is right next door, and even though I could negotiate that in the pull down bed it wouldnt be as convenient and would wake me up more from my sleepy state. 

I have lots of romantic notions in my head, thinking I could manage with a Panel van and that would be a lot easier to park and could store it on my drive, but I like my comfort and the choice of necessities with me. Also if you tow a motorbike on the back most of the time you cant park that easy with the length and tend to use that as our main transport when we arrive some where. It is horses for courses and a very personal thing and you get used to what you got. But always hanker for something else.

Then again in a few years we will be doing a self build on an Unimog or ex military vehicle which will be a different kettle of fish. But that will be for worldwide touring, but then again the ideal length will probably be 7-8 metres long.

Sorry for the ramble.

Pat


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## olley (May 1, 2005)

Hi we started off with a Sherpa pop-up in 1978 at about 6metres, and have gradually got bigger, like my waistline. :lol: until we finally arrived at an 9.5m RV, won't downsize unless the DVLA makes me when I get older and more decrepit. :lol: 

Are they easy to drive, you bet, damm great 6 way power seat with arm rests like you have in your lounge to sit in, and being 5 feet up in the air gives superb vision, plus all the usually yank refinements like power brakes/steering/ABS and 5 speed autobox. and an engine that will happily pull you up the side of a mountain no matter what your towing.

And because of the size and weight you feel very safe in one, that is unless your sitting in the suicide seat. :lol: 

Olley


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