# to RV or not to RV



## tmalmb (May 21, 2007)

Hi,

I've been looking at campervans for about 6 months now, looking to find the right vehicle for my family (5 of us). I've always been concerned about the short space in the regular campers and have a real hankering for an RV.

On Sat I took a spin (approx 300 miles) to see my first RV. Its a 96 Fleetwood Flair (7ltre pusher Engine), it appears (visually) to be absolutely spotless, I didn't take it for a spin however when it was started up, the engine purred. Theres approx 35k miles on the clock (which I assume is low considering the year.)

Anyhow I'm concerned that perhaps its too big (32ft long, 7ltre Engine) and thought I'd post here to see if folks can help me with the Pro's and Con's to owning an RV.

Any viewpoints you have on owning one or indeed a fleetwood flair is appreciated.

I'm based in Ireland (so RV's are few and far between, while I'm interested in the RV I saw over the weekend, I don't want to jump straight in and buy the first I see)

thanks
T


----------



## teensvan (May 9, 2005)

Hi.

I would love an RV, but because we love the french aires way to see france we went for our 27 foot burstner. We have found that even this van is too long to get on some aires. You must think long and hard where you would like to tour before buying a van. It is no good getting a large van and wish to go down B roads.

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


----------



## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

Hi tmalmb,
We have had 12 RVs all over 35ft. and I would have one today but for not being able to keep it registered in France. So the annual MOT would cost far too much with the ferry.

I loved the challenge of piloting a 38/39ft. rig around France. With a car on tow we never had any problems and the benefits of more space more than outweighed the odd difficult access.

Be aware that the Flair is Fleetwoods bottom end rig. Big on power but short on quality.

Ray.


----------



## Jezport (Jun 19, 2008)

You need to think:

Can I keep it where I want to?
Can I afford the fuel to run it?
Can I go on roads that I want to in it?
Can I pitch up where I want to?
Do I want a LHD?
Will I need a toad?
Am I happy to pay higher tolls and ferry fees?

Those are a few questions that I asked myself when I briefly considered an ARV and I went for a large Frankia tag axel motorhome instead.


----------



## emjaiuk (Jun 3, 2005)

We've had 28' Allergo (Our first motorhome) for 17 years! For two children and 3 dogs it's been perfect, although now the kids have left home we're about to sell it and get a smaller european motorhome in order to go to alll the places we couldn't before. We've always towed a car with it, and I personally certainly wouldn't consider using one without a toad. They are truly self sufficient with extra large fresh water and waste tanks, generators, full size fridge frezzers etc. We once had 8 days on the beach near Sete without having to move or fill or empty anything.

In all that time I've only once not been able to get on a pitch, BUT there have been several occasions where 30' + would have been to big, and accesing some campsites has been hairy sometimes. 

The major considerations I have had are :- 

Width on anything other than motorways and dual carrigeways.

Weight in terms of pitch firmness if not on hardstandings.

Access to toilet emptying facilities, a lot of dump points are either grey water only or not suitable for 4" sewer hoses. I've never had one, but if I ever got another RV I'd fit a macerator pump.

Although we've been lucky in not ever having a major breakdown, I've always been nervous about the lack of repair facilities/knowledge on the continent.

Hope this helps, best of luck with your final choice.


----------



## eddievanbitz (May 1, 2005)

Well since 1988 Lyn and I have owned 12 motorhomes: 

Autohomes Highwayman, Swift Kontiki, Gulf Stream, Rexhall Airex, Georgie Boy, Georgie Boy Royale, Georgie Boy Royale (1st wrong options lol) Benimar Europe, Benimar Europe (1st wrong option again! lol) Dethleff A8000 XXL, Condor R Vision, Winnebago Minnie Winnie!

The Benimars were circa 24' the Georgie Boy Royales 36' So it seems that we have gone European - RV, European -RV :roll: 

I think that we tend to like the practicality of RV's glass double glazing and much better security overall due to the construction, like the idea that we get generator, Air Conditioning, big fridge freezer, ice makers, big telly's, domestic type plumbing and sinks with proper U bends and proper toilets and showers all as standard in the main. 

Another point that may not be important to some, is when Lyn (my wife) and I attend the NEC show in February we use our van (as we hate hotels) we live in it from the Sunday to a week Monday, so the more domesticated the better for us. 

Another example is having loads of wardrobe space! as we are working there and need to look smart on our stand for seven days, plus being able to get changed after work, some nights going out with our colleagues, some nights being really lazy and curling up on the domestic style settee watching TV? 

The capacities suit us as well with holding tanks for black and grey water being huge by comparison with little or no fear or "filling up" overnight and causing problems. The addition of a " Waste Hog" on wheels means that I can empty the Black water as easily as a Cassette if I need to so, in my opinion the best of both worlds!

Downsides? Plenty LOL Appalling MPG but when you consider what your dragging around it becomes less appalling. We bought a Diahatsu Terios to tow behind the Winnie, we had always steered clear but buying a great big hairy dog forced us to rethink. Don't know it is there (unless I look in the camera) and when towing we get about NINE miles to the gallon! Mind you when we are not towing we still get about NINE miles to the gallon! :roll: 

Switches? all over the place LOL the yanks will fit ten different things (excellent toys) but they seem to install them one at a time, often with different people installing them so nothing matches or is lined up!. 

RV manufacturers tend to have only a couple of sizes of screws :lol: The fact that the screw is too long or too short doesn't seem to matter to them they will use them anyway.

Taste Ahem! Many RV's have fabrics that even a blind man would find nauseating, and window blinds that a fabric man would hate! (see you thought that I wasn't being PC then didn't you? ) No seriously some fabric choices can be bizarre! There is a general move away now from tassels and gold plating, but the average European of a similar cost is far more subtle.

Spares for RV's are surprising easy go get, just go direct to the manufacturer. I wouldn't bother with the importers as there is a trend to want to bring any spares in the next batch of RV's coming over to save money (yet you still get charged carriage fee's LOL) Anything that I have needed I have simply phoned and received excellent service.

My friends Hymer S820 was off the road for 3 months for lack of a rear axle and nothing could move anyone to help. My last Chevy needed a replacement gear box and it was on the shelf a GM UK dealer West Midlands American Vehicles. So don't worry about spares.

European vans, are easier to drive around, but don't forget there are very few sights or places you can't get a coach trip to! so within reason size is not as big a problem as some think. We took a 36' RV to Corsica and had a great time, others wouldn't. In essence, if your not a good driver don't buy a big yank! Simple.

I think that European vans on average are much prettier, and probably German and French vans (some) are better built overall. 

The A800 XXL was superbly built! 45mm thick walls, the most professional wiring and plumbing systems I have ever seen and excellent joinery throughout, I regret selling that van, but it was on the Iveco chassis and at 28' was as flat as a dab and simply wouldn't pull the boat trailer that we were towing at the time up over mountains in France. 

We changed that motorhome to a Condor RV 28' which had the Workhorse 8.1 petrol engine 8O This towed our RIB (boat) on the trailer without any trouble at all. Hit France set the cruise to 70 and it could stay there all day long, up hill and down dale. 

We sold that van because although it towed superbly and the layout was excellent considering that it was only a 28' van (it had a massive slide out) but it was a dreadfully built thing! It became depressing that for a new vehicle so many things broke down, fell off, or were so badly designed and thought out they were infuriating, and after the undoubtedly higher quality of the A8000 XXL if was too much to take! 

However, that was the first our first slide outs. I had always been sceptical before expecting water leaks and such problems. I didn't anticipate what a great thing a slide out is! You arrive in a van that it suitable to drive on the road, press a button and "Hey Presto" you have doubled the amount of living space available! What an excellent concept and daft that more European manufacturers haven't produced a slide out model.

Currently we have a 30' Minnie Winnie. It is a C class van so I have the safety of a crash tested cab, with crumple zones and air bags and energy displacing channels, in short I benefit from millions of dollars worth of Ford crash testing and research into surviving a crash, and all the disadvantages of have a useless cab area that I cant use when on site except as a dumping ground!

The van has two slides, the settee and part of the kitchen slide out giving us a good sized lounge area and a "L" shaped kitchen area, with a 2nd slide to turn our bedroom into a walk around Queen sized bed with loads of wardrobe and drawer space.

Two things that I would really like to see European manufacturers implement, slide outs and more importantly hydraulic levelling jacks. 

I would also love to see RV manufacturers move away from the dreadful blown air heating that 99% of Yanks have. It is so noisy and pumps out really hot air which floats up to the ceiling. So your sat down feeling chilly and stand up and nearly pass out. The size of the furnace means that the system runs cold air through the system to bring the furnace down to a “safe level” once the thermostat (which is always halfway up the wall) has told the system that it is “up to temperature” So you alternate between too hot and too cold” The Americans have not heard of the Alde wet system it would seem LOL 

Why the motorhome manufacturers would think that we want to crawl around on our hands and knees putting bits of wood or plastic under the wheels so the shower trays and sinks drain properly, or the fridge door doesn't crash back ever time you open it! On the Winnie, we arrive, push a button and the jacks go down, push another button and the slides go out and we sorted, it is that easy.

Our next van? probably another RV, despite the lesser build quality, the poor MPG the slightly increased driving hassle, the laughable choice of fabrics (we pick the least offensive rather than picking one we like as that rarely happens LOL) We will stay RV as the standard of domestic comfort and value for money just seems higher.

However! I have always said, that motorhomes are like religion! What suits me and what I believe doesn't make me right or wrong, it suits me at the time! I may change my mind in the future, who knows? So I am not suggesting that anyone else's choice is right or wrong either.

The bottom line is that if I could buy a European van that could tow a decent sized trailer down through France and wouldn't (even after being chipped) be a dog on long, high, climbs, that had a decent loo (and holding tank bigger than one good wee) hydraulic automatic levelling jacks, roof and dash AC, a generator (5k’ish) slide outs and domestic style plumbing and glass double glazing I would be daft not to!

That’s what I think anyway

Eddie


----------



## richardjames (Feb 1, 2006)

Thanks eddie for that very informative insight into RVs - it's given me food for thought


----------



## DABurleigh (May 9, 2005)

"holding tank bigger than one good wee"

Respect! I had a Uni Physics tutor who, despite being a small man, was simply a big bladder!

I echo the frustration of German motorhomes not using slides. Why have we got to look to custom MCL or RS Motorhomes to get a continental slide?

Dave


----------



## Hsimpson (Apr 9, 2008)

Have you considered a 5th wheel ? we're about to upgrade our 25ft motorhome to a 5th wheel supplied by calder leisure - beware though, looking at their website might give you more problems as their product range is fantastic - it did with us.

good luck in whatever you decide


----------



## eddievanbitz (May 1, 2005)

Hsimpson said:


> Have you considered a 5th wheel ? we're about to upgrade our 25ft motorhome to a 5th wheel supplied by calder leisure - beware though, looking at their website might give you more problems as their product range is fantastic - it did with us.
> 
> good luck in whatever you decide


Personally all of the advantages of a motorhome are lost when your sat in a car with no ability to beg sweets or titbits from your wife.

5th wheels and caravans are too much hassle for me personally, I enjoy the travelling as much as anything else, my son will lay on the setee, with his XBox 360 on, wireless controllers and wireless headphones, no moans about needing a wee/drink/food/are we nearly there yet and Lyn and I can talk or listen to Radio 4 without cries of "Dull" and Boring" coming from the back!

The thought of a car drive down to the South or France would do my head in!

Eddie


----------

