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Subject Topic: Another one!!
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Personswaggy
04/12/2014 at 2:08pm
 Location: Reading. Berkshire
 Outfit: Terrano 2 + 2004 Avondale Dart 556-6 View swaggy's Profile View Profile   Reply to swaggy Reply   Quote swaggy Quote  
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Hi all,

Just popping over from the FC forum to ask your advice before taking the tin top plunge. Like several others before me, age and creaky joints means our evolution from an FC to a van will be this year.

I'm looking for some specific berth layouts and the sheer number of combinations is doing my head in. I thought if I listed my requirements here then someone may be able to point me at a model/manufacturer who comes closest to meeting them. Not bothered if new or second hand at the moment. Have looked at quite a few vans which are now a composite blur. I'm looking for:

Single axle
6 berth (effectively 6 singles) made up of:

Front dinette converting to 2 singles.
Side dinette
2 bunks at rear
Rear lounge converting to single.

I know its a tall order but you never know until you ask. Appreciate any guidance you can give.



-------------
Phil

Blood, Sweat and Beers.

The more I learn the more I know, the more I know the more I forget, the more I forget the less I know


Booked so far:
June:   Charity Farm
July:   Gullivers MK
August: Tregurrian, Cornwall
Sept:   New Forest


Personsunshinetours
04/12/2014 at 2:28pm
 Location: sunny south east!
 Outfit: Coachman View sunshinetours's Profile View Profile   Reply to sunshinetours Reply   Quote sunshinetours Quote  
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Hi Swaggy

Welcome to the tin-side !

I think you may struggle with that list to be honest. Its the rear lounge AND bunks with a side dinette that may be the struggle. That is likely to be a really big van as well

Having a front lounge long enough to be two singles also cuts out a lot of family layout vans on a single axle

Assume you have been through caravanfinder searching by layouts?


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PersonRogerGoff
04/12/2014 at 3:46pm
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2 doubles & 2 bunks are possible, you can't hate each other that much or you wouldn't want to go caravanning together.


Personswaggy
04/12/2014 at 4:35pm
 Location: Reading. Berkshire
 Outfit: Terrano 2 + 2004 Avondale Dart 556-6 View swaggy's Profile View Profile   Reply to swaggy Reply   Quote swaggy Quote  
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You underestimate SWMBO.

-------------
Phil

Blood, Sweat and Beers.

The more I learn the more I know, the more I know the more I forget, the more I forget the less I know


Booked so far:
June:   Charity Farm
July:   Gullivers MK
August: Tregurrian, Cornwall
Sept:   New Forest


PersonHEJC72
04/12/2014 at 4:59pm
 Location: North Yorkshire
 Outfit: Holi * Perran 4 * Airedale 5 View HEJC72's Profile View Profile   Reply to HEJC72 Reply   Quote HEJC72 Quote  
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As already mentioned, I cannot think of any van that has front singles, side dinette and rear bunks with rear lounge single as the van would have to be VERY long to fit it all in!
Certainly not likely to get all that on a single axle!!

An option may be to look at twin dinette models which would give you 2 singles at the front and 2 singles at the back, each with a bunk over, giving you 6 berths all in single beds.

-------------
Helen xx
Mini Mad Mum


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Personjim oldham
04/12/2014 at 5:23pm
 Location: Wigan
 Outfit: VWSharan. Sport 442. View jim oldham's Profile View Profile   Reply to jim oldham Reply   Quote jim oldham Quote  
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Have a look at these. Don't think any of them satisfy all of your wants.

http://www.caravanfinder.co.uk/caravan_layouts.html?berth=6


Personswaggy
04/12/2014 at 8:47pm
 Location: Reading. Berkshire
 Outfit: Terrano 2 + 2004 Avondale Dart 556-6 View swaggy's Profile View Profile   Reply to swaggy Reply   Quote swaggy Quote  
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A couple of suggestions I have had for a suitable van are:
Bailey Ranger 550/6
Avondale Dart 556/6

Thank you Helen for your double dinette suggestion. I suspect that the over bunks may have a weight limit but I will keep that option on the list.

-------------
Phil

Blood, Sweat and Beers.

The more I learn the more I know, the more I know the more I forget, the more I forget the less I know


Booked so far:
June:   Charity Farm
July:   Gullivers MK
August: Tregurrian, Cornwall
Sept:   New Forest


Personbessie500
04/12/2014 at 10:37pm
 Location: Lancashire
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Hi swaggy the vans you mention are 6 birth but with fixed bunks across the rear , is that the style you are looking for ??

Bessie


Personsooty
05/12/2014 at 1:19am
 Location: Long Eaton Nottingham
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For the same reasons as you we changed 6 years ago to a caravan from a folding camper. I had always said that I never wanted a caravan but having changed I love it. We have just changed it for an Avondale Argente 4 berth. Our first one was a 2 berth. I don't think you will regret it, it's so much easier.

good luck in your search.


-------------
* * Sue * *


Personswaggy
05/12/2014 at 8:08am
 Location: Reading. Berkshire
 Outfit: Terrano 2 + 2004 Avondale Dart 556-6 View swaggy's Profile View Profile   Reply to swaggy Reply   Quote swaggy Quote  
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Two bunks across the rear is not ideal but I'm realistic enought to realise that compromises will be necessary. As others have pointed out, the configuration I am looking for will make for a very long van and may not even exist.

-------------
Phil

Blood, Sweat and Beers.

The more I learn the more I know, the more I know the more I forget, the more I forget the less I know


Booked so far:
June:   Charity Farm
July:   Gullivers MK
August: Tregurrian, Cornwall
Sept:   New Forest


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Personsunshinetours
05/12/2014 at 8:47am
 Location: sunny south east!
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OK - if going for fixed rear bunks - check the size (length and width) of bunks to make sure they are suitable for the kids using them.

We looked at both of those vans when looking round and bunks were too narrow for our liking and to last too long ion our opinion. The Bailey ones were also short from memory

If that is the sort of layout then also consider the Adria Altea 542 range either DK or DT. The front benches will not be long enough to sleep as single however unless you are very short!

Best advice is to get out and see as many of the likely ones as you can at a larger used caravan place

If going second hand then ensuring its dry and looked after is the key,e specially on older vans like the Avondale will be


Personjim oldham
05/12/2014 at 10:56am
 Location: Wigan
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Try these:

http://www.caravanfinder.co.uk/caravan-layouts-6berth-bunkbed-bunkbed-02.html

Avondale, Bailey, Elldis, (and probably others), do a similrt layout. I think the top bunk is limited to 70 Kg, but double check that.


Personbessie500
08/12/2014 at 11:37am
 Location: Lancashire
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Hi Swaggy if your looking for a 6 Birth van of that spec have a look at the Coachman Amara 560/6, that's the same lay out as you already posted, with the added bonus of the  bottom bunk  folding up to create a garage area at the back that will hold 3 full sized bikes. coachman are also considered to be of a higher build quailty that the vans you mentioned earlier.

I know your miles away from me but i have my 2008 amara 560/6 up for sale at the moment, i've owned it from new and honestly say its in immaclate condition,probably due to me being anal about it.

if you want any details just give me a shout

Bessie


Personswaggy
09/12/2014 at 3:44pm
 Location: Reading. Berkshire
 Outfit: Terrano 2 + 2004 Avondale Dart 556-6 View swaggy's Profile View Profile   Reply to swaggy Reply   Quote swaggy Quote  
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Hi Bessie,

The Amara certainly looks like a great van. Do you have a link to your advert.?

The only problem is that it is a wee bit wide at 7'4" and its a twin axle. I have a pinch point to its storage position so a mover is a must. My max width is around 7'3"

-------------
Phil

Blood, Sweat and Beers.

The more I learn the more I know, the more I know the more I forget, the more I forget the less I know


Booked so far:
June:   Charity Farm
July:   Gullivers MK
August: Tregurrian, Cornwall
Sept:   New Forest


Personkawasakiversys
09/12/2014 at 4:37pm
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Twin axle?


Personswaggy
09/12/2014 at 6:47pm
 Location: Reading. Berkshire
 Outfit: Terrano 2 + 2004 Avondale Dart 556-6 View swaggy's Profile View Profile   Reply to swaggy Reply   Quote swaggy Quote  
Joined: 14/5/2012

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Oopps.... wrong picture.

-------------
Phil

Blood, Sweat and Beers.

The more I learn the more I know, the more I know the more I forget, the more I forget the less I know


Booked so far:
June:   Charity Farm
July:   Gullivers MK
August: Tregurrian, Cornwall
Sept:   New Forest



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