# Another Confused Newbie Who Needs Guidance Please.



## 102035 (Dec 7, 2006)

Hello all, firstly can i say what a terrific forum you have with what appears to be a very helpful and civilised community. As you may have guessed i am interested in purchasing an RV but what a minefield of do's and dont's and if's and but's. I am looking to spend between 30 and 40k and obviously want the best i can possibly buy with that money. So far i think i am leaning towards a diesel pusher preferably with a cummins, over 32' long, and thats as far as ive got. I have trolled through every website i can find and there are a few that have caught my attention, could someone advise me if these are good value for money or maybe point me in a different direction. Two that appeal to me are at www.dreamsrv.co.uk and are the gulfstream sunvoyager and the 1998 damon challenger although i dont think the Damon is a pusher though. Im not sure if i like the narrower wheelbase of the Damon is this an issue that anyone else has. Has anyone used or had any experience with dreams?


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## foggyparrot (Aug 28, 2006)

Hi Scottyboy,

Welcome to the forum and thank you for your kind comments.

We are relative newbies as well and have a 32' Winnebago Brave.

We deliberated long and hard about what to go for in terms of size, power plant etc.

The forum and it's members were invaluable to us because of their collective expertise but, at the end of the day, the dealer you use is a matter for your very personal choice. The opinions of others can be very conflicting where one person feels very let down by an individual dealer whereas another person may feel that they have had excellent service from the same.

In my very humble opinion, I think you need to match your needs and wants to the vehicle and not the dealer. I have no experience of the dealer you mention but I am sure that others will comment. Please be aware though, that there is no substitute for personal experience and to ignore hearsay. As we are all very different in our characters and expectations, so too will our interaction with other people vary. So please be aware that not ALL opinion is based upon fact.

On that basis, I would be inclined to concentrate on what you really need in regard to the RV.

I congratulate you on your thinking with regard to the American motorhomes in that most of us (RV owners) feel that you do get a lot more for your dollar.

You have mentioned that you would like a 34' ish pusher. If this is the case, please be mindful of the fact that you will MOST PROBABLY need to have a class C (HGV) license to drive it as it will probably be over 7500kg.

It sounds as if you are looking at a 'A' class (coach style) body and weight will be a serious issue at that sort of length, however, shorter bodies with slide outs can still give you the space but still keep you under the limit.

You really do need to think about what you want to achieve with regard to the time in which you will spend in the MH and the distances you want to cover as all of these are directly proportional to your needs.

This certainly doesn't answer your questions but I'm sure it will start an interesting thread.

You would be well advised to subscribe (if you haven't already), it will be the best £10 you have ever spent for the wealth of experience there is to offer from all here.

Good luck and happy hunting,

Mike and Jill.


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## 102035 (Dec 7, 2006)

Thank you Foggyparrot thats exactly the sort of reply that now gets me thinking of other important issues such as weight. Your absolutely right with regards to more for your dollar and thats why i chose the RV route.

HGV licence is a good point and fortunately i have a class one and have gained enough experience driving road trains on the continent to handle one of these beautiful beasties.

I suppose what i am looking for is something i can just jump into at a moments notice with my family and parents and take off for the weekend or for the week. I am certainly going to be looking at European holidays based around school holidays and the odd week or two away with just me and the missus.


There is a 34' Firan Europremier at Dudley's that looks like it would fit the bill, but maybe i am looking for what i think i want before i actually know what i want, it's all very confusing.


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## foggyparrot (Aug 28, 2006)

Hi again,

It certainly looks a nice coach! Have you seen it in the 'flesh' as it were?

For the money though, on first impressions, I think the Vectra might offer better value for money http://www.dudleys-rv.com/reg/RBXJ-YA4

But then I am biased!!!

The side aisle on the Vectra gives a better bathroom space with en suite access via the bedroom if my memory serves me right.

As I said, it's all down to personal taste but do try and get the 'feel' for the vehicle. You need to imagine everyone in it and where everything belongs (cupboard wise). It's amazing how you can just walk into a vehicle and 'know' it's right then adjust your mindset to fit it (if it's not to far out of the way).

You do have to be prepared to compromise a bit but think about where you will be camping. In Europe there are limitless places to park up without having to commit to sites, but this does mean that you should have adequate power/gas for doing all the things you need to do (boil a kettle, watch TV, get on the net etc). Think about 'free' electricity (solar panels/inverters, gennys and gas, heating (when it's cooler)).

All the 'toys' shouldn't impress you too much, but those extras (self seeking sat, solar panels, inverters, macerators) come at a price, so if fitted, they do add tremendous value on a personal level.

Good luck.

Mike


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## 88927 (May 10, 2005)

Hi Scottyboy
The Firan at Dudleys is a very impressive beast, I have looked in it twice now and on my second visit I noticed that there was a lack of overhead cupboards forward. Have a look at the forward facing interior picture to see what I mean. The lack of cupboards would, in my opinion, be a real disadvantage..... I also asked the staff about the length as it appeared to me to be more than 34 feet and they "guestimated" that it was 36+ feet, so again be careful and take a tape measure when you view anything, don't just take the sellers word for it :lol: :lol: 
I have no experience of Dreams RV either so cannot comment other than to agree with Mike about perceived attitudes of others. I have not personally read adverse comment, that I am aware of, so again proceed with caution mate.
Have you read through the acres of information on this site regarding RV's? There is an awful lot of good advice and comment that should help you to decide where to start.... My only real advice would be to seriously think (as Mike said) about what you want from the vehicle and how you will use it. If you go for a long RV you MAY have problems getting sited, although there are plenty of guys here who say otherwise :lol: The single most important thing for you to decide is the layout and I would spend a lot of time working that out. Go and visit some dealers and take a look at what is available, the internal layouts for A Class RV's is not that broad so it is not a huge task. Once you are inside the vehicle (and don't look at the screen price at this stage) take your time to imagine it full of you and yours, with all the chattels spread about. Think about the kitchen, and how much worktop is available to the cook when preparing a meal with the kettle and other things out on the top...... You will be surprised how small the kitchen area can become :lol: 
Once you have decided upon the desired layout, then you can start looking for the RV to suit your pocket, now the fun really begins :lol: :lol: 
The Cummins engine is certainly a good choice, but then again the Chevy V8 6.5 diesel is very popular and reliable. There are a lot of advocates for buying a petrol engine for its lower noise levels and superior power, this will be a choice that inevitably comes down to what is available in the RV of your choice and the price.
I agree with Mike that you may find investing £10 to become a subscriber of MHF will be the best investment that you ever make..... You will get unlimited questions (which you WILL have, believe me.....) and you will also be able to look at the photo albums where you will be able to see what people have done to improve their vehicles, it may give you inspiration.
Anyway, enough from me for now, I hope this has been helpful and look forward to hearing how you progress with your search. Please feel free to come back with further questions when they crop up :lol: 

Keith


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## DABurleigh (May 9, 2005)

You are clearly wedded to the RV route, and there is nothing wrong with that, but going by the feeling I got as to how you wanted to use it, sort of go anywhere at the drop of the hat mentality, the reality isn't quite like that for such a sized vehicle in these shores. As long as you appreciate that, fine.

The point about measuring it is an excellent one. RVs, for reasons I still don't understand, can be 2ft or more longer than the model number suggests.

Oh, and caveat emptor for the width, or get a written assurance from the dealer if having a legal vehicle matters to you. 

The low mileage of the Firan would bother me. Mechanical stuff needs to be used to keep corrosion at bay. The cylinder bores I'm less worried about; rather it is all the suspension and running gear.

Dave


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## 102035 (Dec 7, 2006)

I subscribed this morning and you are probably right it will be the best 10 pound i will ever spend. The RV is the only vehicle i am interested in, no offence to anyone with anything other but the euro's dont do it for me, the RV presents itself with a big WoW factor and i would imagine every driver has a big grin on his or her face when they pull up anywhere knowing they are in the biggest and the best, still feeling as fresh and joyous as when they left knowing they can now relax in comfort, style and space.

I see what you mean about the Firan's forward cupboard space it is a bit lack of.


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## 88927 (May 10, 2005)

Hi Scottyboy
Congratulations on subscribing :lol: :lol: 
You can now ask thousands of questions to help you decide what you want. I think the WOW factor is a big plus with an RV but don't be too concerned with what others think, some will not be best impressed with your new purchase at all......
You will also need to think about the type of roads that you will be travelling down, if it is going to be small tracks then an RV MIGHT not be the vehicle of choice..... 
There are lots of things to consider when buying one of these machines and I just hope that we can cover the basics for you.
You don't say where you are located, this may help to point you towards a particular RV or dealer mate....

Keith


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## 102035 (Dec 7, 2006)

Im learning (arrow pointing to location)

That would be great to be able to go and view a few if anyone knows of any in my area, thank's this is all very helpful.


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## 101411 (Oct 15, 2006)

Hi Scottyboy

If your looking at spending that kind of money why don't you do what we did and jump on a plane for a long weekend to USA. We did a 4 day trip flying on Virgin stayed in a great hotel and rented a car for less than £800. The amount and range of vehicles is mesmerizing. For every 1 you see over here there are 2000 in USA (probably more!!). We ended up buying a 2005 Fourwinds Chateau 31P C Class with 5600 miles on the clock for $46000. Landed and taxes paid should set us back about £38k. Absolute bloody bargain!!!!! A couple of days getting it converted and maybe a gas conversion later and a bit of messing about getting it registered and you have a £50+k motorhome for £40k!!

There were literally hundreds to choose from and we only went to Florida as this is where the shipping agent we are going to use is based. If its an A Class you want have a look at www.lazydays.com or www.independencerv.com (we bought ours from here). The lazy days site doesn't include prices but if you email me ill send over the last pricelist I had for UK compliant RVs.

We also had a great time shopping (especially at this time of year!!!). Its not fortune and if you find the one you want you will get the cost of your trip back tenfold.

Good luck

Darren


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## 102035 (Dec 7, 2006)

Cheers Dazzer, i read this on another thread and had a good look at both sites, was this a lot of hassle and how knowledgeable were you about RV's before you went out. 

Sounds like a good idea but i am one of these people who likes everything done for them and done at my pace like, right i want that one, heres the money, now i want it on my doorstep and i want to drive it tomorrow no messing about.


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## 101411 (Oct 15, 2006)

Hi Scottyboy

You have a PM

TTFN

Dazzer


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## foggyparrot (Aug 28, 2006)

Hi Scottyboy,

You haven't mentioned the possibility of buying privately.

If you were to buy privately over here, you can save up to £10000 on a vehicle! For instance; one local dealer has a 1995 Sunseeker for £31k and a similar vehicle (a year younger) was for sale in the Auto Trader for £23k. This is only one example, but if you are saving that kind of money it does give yousome scope for putting right any wrongs or making sure that you get theupgrades or toys you need.

EBay is also a good source. There are a number being listed at the moment.

Only a thought!


Mike


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## 102035 (Dec 7, 2006)

Cheers Mike i am following both Ebay and A/T closely. Still waiting for any opinions on the Gulfstream at Dreams, if anyone has one it would be much appreciated.


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## Bryan (Aug 9, 2006)

Hi Scottyboy,

We are relative newbies ourselves having only owned an RV for the last 6 months.

We wanted an RV because of the space, wow factor and because they can offer great value for money.

Our first one was bought very much at an impulse. We had only seen photos of it. Whilst it was very nice indeed we decided to sell it and get a newer on.

Our main issue was with the electric conversion which I'll come back to.

Our second RV is newer, less mileage and in better condition.

Both RV's are Damon Daybreaks.

The electrical conversions were very different however and this is one factor that I would advise to investigate fully.

The 240v conversion in our first RV amounted to nothing more than 3 double sockets on a UK consumer unit fed from the hookup wire.

This meant that whilst on hookup we could watch TV etc. but we couldn't use the microwave or air conditioning and I never did work out what battery charging may or may not have been in progress. The internal lights worked off 12v and so hookup was of pretty small use.

Also as the onboard generator only output 110v we could not use 240v appliances without an additional generator or hookup.

Our 2nd (current) RV has what would be called a proper conversion. All bar one of the sockets is on 240v (the remaining 110v one is for the coffee maker) including the external sockets. The on-board generator outputs 220v and whether we are on hookup or genny power EVERYTHING works.

I would never consider an RV with the limited conversion our first RV had.

Hope this helps in some way.

Regards

Bryan


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## 102035 (Dec 7, 2006)

Thank you Bryan, its all very helpful.


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