Motorhomes with drop down double beds

[BeeTrees]

So with everything going on we have decided to look more seriously at getting a Motorhome, looking at the ones around 6m with a drop down double bed, so the bed is always ready and available and no sleep on 3000 lumpy cushion parts.

I’ve found the t-line 590 and the swift 614, what else do I want to look at? Trying before buying is proving difficult atm as everywhere is fair enough booked out through the holidays. Any forums good to join for advice?

Do I want a brand new one or second hand?

Or do I want a camper van/day van?

Main reasons for wanting the Motorhome are for the toilet facilities, possibly the shower but being able to stand up and not bent over. Will be used mainly for day trips out and then a few nights away to start with.

What's your budget? - bear in mind that everyone has suddenly decided to buy a motorhome/camper as a self-contained vehicle. Prices are rising and dealers are selling stock as fast as it comes in.

How many berths do you need and how many travelling seats? - a 4-berth may have beds for four but may only have seatbelts for two or three passengers.

For a separate toilet and shower you need a motorhome, campers may have a toilet but it's likely to be part of the main area. Panel van conversions sit between the two if you want a compact option with more facilities.

Read a lot of reviews, have a read through the specialist motorhome/camper forums, the motorhome/camper Facebook groups, etc.

We had a 7.5m motorhome until last autumn. We absolutely loved the life it gave us. We used it to go down thru France plus for short weekend breaks locally. We also kept the engine ticking over by driving it on weekends thru the winter.
We sold it as it was too big. We couldn’t bring it home so had to keep it in storage. Which was costly. Plus more so, annoying. We would have to pack our car to drive to the van, to un pack and then pack the van. Etc etc. Was a lot more hassle.

So....we have just bought a transporter. Due to collect it next Weekend. It won’t have a toilet, which admittedly was very useful with two children. But we can have the transporter on our driveway. We can pack it there and go. We can also use it simply for a day trip to the beach as it’s usable. The motor home at 7.5m was too big to access lanes to beaches etc.
Road access is an important factor to take into consideration.

Let us know what you decide. It’s a wonderful life in a van x

Lots of panel van conversions have proper toilets and showers now, and the advantage of not being prone to leaking / daml like the coachBuilds do. Many also have fixed beds, but the space may be an issue if more than 2 of you unless also taking an awning.

We have an Autosleeper Kingham, which is a real luxury 2 berth, and we love it. Fixed french bed, comfy sofa, toilet and shower etc, all you need.
Other vans are available...

Drop down beds are great, but you can’t have someone lounging/sleeping on it if someone else is up and about, unless you have a large Motorhome. I was tempted though. We used to have a huge 8.6m Autotrail Cheyenne with Island bed but downsized now just 2 of us and would never go back to a coach built now.

Forgot to say, Our current van is 6.3m

We've had a caravan, then a motorhome, then another caravan, and we've just bought a VWT6 which is currently being fitted out for us.

As much as we loved our motorhome, we found that once we were on-site it was such a hassle to pack up and go out for a drive. Try finding a big enough space at a supermarket or anywhere that you're planning on driving to. All of our planned holidays or weekends away involved making sure there was good public transport from the site - or that everything (shops, pubs, local attractions) was walkable. We couldn't store it at home so 'spontaneous' trips involved me and DH driving 30 mins to collect it from where we stored it, he'd drive the motorhome back and I'd drive the car back, parking on the road outside our house while frantically throwing stuff in it - and then the same when we came home.

So we're giving a VW a try. I'm planning on buying one of those cassette toilets and pop up toilet tents that we can set up next to the van of a night - as DH always gets up about 3am for a wee. I have the bladder of steel so the lack of a toilet doesn't really bother me.

Drop down beds are great, but you can’t have someone lounging/sleeping on it if someone else is up and about, unless you have a large Motorhome.

Depends where the bed drops down from. With a Hymer it drops down over the front seats and doesn't interfere with the living area.

Thanks for all the replies, they’re really helpful.

I think I want the Manoeuvrability of say a VW, but then I think I want the head height. It would mainly be used for day trips, but the toilet is essential. Currently have a camping one and a pop up tent for the car! The thinking of the fixed or drop down double bed is that it’s not a faff to make and it’s their ready and is more comfortable.

What size would you go up to length/width wise if you still wanted to park places or go to a supermarket etc?

Any particular forums you’d recommend?

Very much aware there are no vans to hire to try at the moment!
@DogInATent Budget is up to £50k from an inheritance that was going to pay part of the mortgage off, but figured you only live once! And wondering whether to get something cheaper/second hand etc.

@Milliways yours looks nice, I’m a complete beginner, what’s the difference between coach and panel built? I’m trying to research and watch as many YouTube videos as possible.

@Flossie44 how do you think you’ll find making food etc from a seated position in the VW? My friends have one and the kids love it.

I don’t think it would be from a seated position?? It has a pop top.
Also, even in the motorhome, I set up a table outside that I prepared food on etc and we cooked outside anyway

A panel van is just a standard boxer or transit type van with extra windows in side and roof, fitted out. A coachbuilt is the van base with a wooden /fibreglass or carbon body built onto it, so you get the extra width and height, just make sure you get a full damp check on any second hand van as any damage, even repaired, can let the water in and the wooden frame gets damp.

We had a VWT5 conversation and loved it. We sold it last year as our children were getting too big for the roof space bed or to share the double rock and roll bed in the body of the van. We had an awning which was great for unloading everything into. The bed was on rails so you could have a huge boot space for packing into then once on site unload into awning. We had a pop roof but think if doing is again I’d go for the hard top taller roof. This gives Hess space during the day and then ceiling pulls down to reveal a bed at night.

How many do you need to seat and have beds for just 2?

If I was buying again I’d go for a long wheel base VWT conversion with a kitchen at the rear (can ave a toilet here too if wanted) two single beds downstairs and a double in the roof. Or maybe a Mercedes Benz Marco Polo!

This one is the style I’d go for if doing it again www.facebook.com/pg/threebridgecampers/photos/?tab=album&album_id=1874060899366792&ref=page_internal

@beetrees
I'm mostly in Hymer specific groups. We spent under £8k last year on a MH that's over 25yrs old and it didn't miss a beat for over 4 weeks touring Europe last year. Read every MH forum/group you can find. I learned a lot from the OurTour blog - ourtour.co.uk - and they're probably the reason we ended up with a Hymer tbh.

£50k is a lot to drop on something you don't know how you'd use. Particularly if you're still throwing the idea of a day van into the mix. Prices are elevated now, so figure on losing more to depreciation than you'd think even on a new van. Ours has appreciated over the last twelve months with the way things have gone. So think about that first, and back to my earlier questions and a few new ones:

• how many people should it be able to sleep?
• how many people should it be able to carry safely on the road?
• where will you keep it when you're not using it?

@Milliways thanks for the explanation, that makes sense. So I guess if I go for a coach built then I want a newer one.

@DogInATent I like the look of the drop down double over the cab in the hymer.

I’ve had a quick browse for second hand ones and I think the rest of the country is thinking the same thing.

The one thing I like about the new ones is the built in fly screens everywhere.

I’m going to try and hire one as soon as the summer holidays are over to make sure what we want.

Currently just the 2 seats and bed plus the optional future small 1 depending on how treatment goes.

I need to measure my drive to see how I can fit it on. I think up to 6m we would keep at home. Unless that’s a theft risk/you can do things to make them safer.

@VeeDubber

We've had a caravan, then a motorhome, then another caravan, and we've just bought a VWT6 which is currently being fitted out for us.

As much as we loved our motorhome, we found that once we were on-site it was such a hassle to pack up and go out for a drive. Try finding a big enough space at a supermarket or anywhere that you're planning on driving to. All of our planned holidays or weekends away involved making sure there was good public transport from the site - or that everything (shops, pubs, local attractions) was walkable. We couldn't store it at home so 'spontaneous' trips involved me and DH driving 30 mins to collect it from where we stored it, he'd drive the motorhome back and I'd drive the car back, parking on the road outside our house while frantically throwing stuff in it - and then the same when we came home.

So we're giving a VW a try. I'm planning on buying one of those cassette toilets and pop up toilet tents that we can set up next to the van of a night - as DH always gets up about 3am for a wee. I have the bladder of steel so the lack of a toilet doesn't really bother me.

How much is that costing if you don't mind answering that! And where are you getting it done? 😊

Get yourself some of the motor home magazines from a newsagent or supermarket to help you as there often do tests. I got so fed up of having to leave it on site and get a bus and having Parking problems I swopped I tv g ft or a caravan

We just bought one last week, it is 25 years old so retro but already l am in love with it!! It has got a toilet and shower but as there is only myself, dh and dd it is perfect. How many of you are there op?

@Fishfingersandwichplease currently just need it for 2 people.

What did you buy and for how much?

@MiniMum97 it's from a place called Camper Versions in Darwen, if you have a look at their website it'll give you a good idea of prices. Ours is a 2019 van with 9k miles on the clock and it's under VW warranty until 2022. We are adding pretty much every 'extra' they do!

We hired from Adria while living abroad-loved them and were planning to buy one (before divorce ) hired both motorhome and van, but for sheer practicality lived the van www.adria-mobil.com/storage/1799/int-vans-2021-07-web.pdf

How practical would a 6.2m long can be for general getting around and accessing supermarkets/beach parking etc?
6.2m long, 2.3m wise and 2.85m tall.

How much would you budget for yearly costs? After the cost of buying it and petrol/campsite fees etc? So thinking insurance/maintainence things like that.

Have a look at adria ones. My parents bought a beautiful one, it is technically 6 birth, drop down King size bed but you can still use the kitchen area etc and provided no one is in the bed the seating area is still available. They do lots of designs so worth having a look on their website or going and having a look at a few to get an idea of what will work for you.

In terms of costs, parents keep on their drive so no storage costs. Insurance is ££££ as it is brand new but they also took out gap insurance so they don't lose anything in terms of depreciation.

You can spend what you want in terms of sites, i booked them a week away to say thanks for the childcare they do for £10/night on a stunning site, they have booked ones at £15-25 a night so really does depend on where you look. Pitchup is a good site, or join one of the formal clubs

Do you have to get it at the moment? As supply and demand has gone through the roof. Also if you are within a couple of hours of the nec there are 2 huge camping and caravan shows each year (one in Feb and one in may I think) which has every type of motorhome imaginable and great to have a look at everything under one roof (you can then go and find cheaper if needed). Obviously in the current circumstances the show's were cancelled this year, but fingers crossed they'll be back on soon.