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Topic: motorhome length

arkiboys

31/3/2021 at 6:46am
Location: None Entered
Outfit: None Entered

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Hello,
Hope you are well...
I am after a motorhome with:
1- lounge end
2- up to max 6.5 meters
3- toilet, shower, heater, A/C, etc.

Questions:
1- Any suggestions which particular motorhome?
2- Does an automatic option limit my search?
3- what is the max berth for this motorhome length?

Thank you kindly

Capt Lightning

31/3/2021 at 7:40am
Location: Turriff Aberdeenshi
Outfit: Romahome R30 Dimens

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1. No, it's a personal choice. Look in Autotrader motorhomes. You can set filters for price, type, berths etc.. and get an idea of what's available. When they're open, visit dealers. Buy some magazines and look at reviews.
2. Yes it greatly limits options, but not impossible.
3. It's not just the berths you need to worry about, but the number of belted seats.

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I'm tired of reality, so I'm off to look for a good fantasy.

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Colin21

31/3/2021 at 1:18pm
Location: East Herts
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I'm amazed that anyone still builds motorhomes with manual gearboxes, I know I'd never buy one. I would imagine that all American motorhomes are automatic, like most of their cars since the 1930s. Maybe that's what to look for.

A manual gearbox in a small nippy sports car such as a Lotus/Caterham 7 maybe, but a large vehicle designed for leisure touring, no way! To me it would be like going back to my early days of coach driving, when they were nearly all manual boxes. All that clutch-pumping would be much too much like hard work.

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Best Regards,
Colin

dk168

31/3/2021 at 2:09pm
Location: Devizes Wiltshire
Outfit: MWB VW Crafter PVC

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Quote: Originally posted by Colin21 on 31/3/2021
I'm amazed that anyone still builds motorhomes with manual gearboxes, I know I'd never buy one. I would imagine that all American motorhomes are automatic, like most of their cars since the 1930s. Maybe that's what to look for.

A manual gearbox in a small nippy sports car such as a Lotus/Caterham 7 maybe, but a large vehicle designed for leisure touring, no way! To me it would be like going back to my early days of coach driving, when they were nearly all manual boxes. All that clutch-pumping would be much too much like hard work.

I opted for an automatic base van for the reason mentioned.

The bigger car I had with the intention of towing a caravan was an automatic and I liked it, especially when I was doing about 140 miles roundtrip commuting to and from Bristol every day!

DK

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Capt Lightning

31/3/2021 at 3:40pm
Location: Turriff Aberdeenshi
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I don't like automatics, though I admit they've improved a lot. You can't compare modern manual vehicles with what we drove 50 years ago. My van with it's diesel 'lump' under the bonnet is no problem to drive. The engine is very flexible and forgiving, the gear change and the clutch are light - a whole world away from my first Bedford CF based van.

Back to the original question... Limiting yourself to an automatic will restrict your choice especially on older vehicles. If you are wanting to buy new, you may have the option of an automatic at a higher cost.

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Two drifters off to see the world.

I'm tired of reality, so I'm off to look for a good fantasy.

Fiona W

via mobile 31/3/2021 at 4:30pm
Location: Ayrshire
Outfit: Auto-Sleeper MHs

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Turn the question on its head - how many berths & seatbelts do you want? How many visitors might you have? (Adults & children because some berths would only suit vertically challenged adults). If you only need 2 adults, our Autosleeper Nuevo EK is 5.8m, has 2 belts & we can squeeze 8 round the two tables because the front seats rotate; ah but you want a rear lounge....
As for the rest, I’d say most have got air con, toilet, shower, heating: not limiting factors.
So many layouts - but Q.1 is how many sleeping.

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Lukeledge

via mobile 31/3/2021 at 6:27pm
Location: Scotland
Outfit: Adria Compact 590SP

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You have decided on maximum length, which is a good start, also worth thinking about whether you want a compact MH (I.e. not wider than the cab, like a panel van), also your max amount to spend!
Plus all the decisions above!
Try as many different ones as you can, making sure you sit on the seats and lie on the beds.
As to automatic or not, if you can drive a manual then I would suggest a test drive in a modern MH before ruling one out , as they are really easy and car like to drive these days.

David Klyne

31/3/2021 at 9:14pm
Location: Milton Keynes
Outfit: Bailey Alliance 66-2 Motorhome

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I think it depends whether you are buying new or secondhand. If new no problems whatsoever with auto boxes apart from anything built on a Peugeot base all other manufacturers offer auto boxes and at long last Fiat have now got a proper automatic!!! Bailey even produce one range where having a manual box is not an option.

If buying secondhand it could be more difficult to find ones with auto boxes but they are out there but not in the numbers which you will find manual boxes. You are probably going to struggle to find a 6.5mts motorhome with more than two berths but some continental models have a drop down bed over the front lounge as well as a rear bed, usually over a garage.

David

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