Motohome Show - Who's going?

[Trabi601]

We spent around 4 hours wandering around. Spent a lot of time looking at the smaller campervans for ideas. Also looked at the Eriba caravans - heard some guy saying 'I'll never spend that much on one' - I did think that they were not cheap (blame the plummeting £ vs € for that!) - but you have to consider that an Eriba is amazingly well built, will hold its value (as they don't change very often) and is very lightweight (so saving fuel costs etc).

Anyway, saw some good ideas for fridges, worktops and gas hob units. Looked at awnings, but can't find any pull out job that will fit an Alphard. Will probably go for a tailgate attachment instead.

Had a really patronising idiot on one of the solar stands refusing to tell me what panels were available until I either told him exactly what charging system I was fitting - or until he'd told me his entire knowledge about them. Walked away from that... found someone who gave me a few pointers and leaflets with specifications - guess which one I'll go back to if I want a panel?

Overall, it was a pretty good day out for us, as it has given us a lot more clarity over what we can do, what we can't do - and where we can save a bit of cash.

Striking thing is that a basic Nissan NV200 rear kitchen conversion was over £25k. Makes our £10k Alphard budget look very reasonable now!

[chasingracecars]

We went and have decided we will not go again.

Went with the idea of buying a sun canopy type thing, generator, aquaroll mains connector, new chairs etc, also look at new vans as looking to upgrade.

No one offered a show around. No real interest in cash. Couldn't even find our dealer on Eldiss stand.

Ended up leaving the show with a pair of gardens cutters and a jumper!!!

Going to consider going to the Bath and West show next year, they seem to offer more on the accessories side. Will just go to dealers when I want a change in future.

Keeping our 2010 van for another couple of years now and going to make it more ours.

[Tony427]

Got dragged to the show by my mate and his Mrs ( with my Mr's collusion) as they are looking for a replacement caravan. I have had lots of low cost holidays when kids were younger by buying caravans , slightly refreshing them, having the hoiliday and selling before the summer ends, and proud to say I've never lost money yet. They were cracking holidays. The best ever.

My God the prices, the prices. And yet as I followed the eager beavers around looking at the permanent end bedrooms, the led lighting, the panoramic roofs etc etc I started having flashbacks to the Jubilee Viceroy of 20 years ago, the freedom, the fun, the horrendous 12mpg whilst towing across France in a Shogun V6 petrol auto.

I had a look at the Motorhomes...my Giddy Aunt... how much for an ffing Transit with some plywood fitting out. Some had a waiting line to have a look around. The Mrs liked the captain seats in one.......

This got me thinking about our present touring requirements, mainly because we don't have kids to spoil our fun until the grandkids come along, but we do have an open top sports car.

This would seem ideal .

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FOqUK8qXs9E


Apart from the £1.2m Euros price tag.

Which led to Ebay.

12 metre long Monocoque Coaches are quite cheap you know. Interiors can be sorted out by bespoke companies.

We can everything we want, even the captain chairs, and I only need to take a Class C test.

If I park it on the drive it will only stick out into the road by 4 metres.

What could possibly go wrong?

Cheers,

Tony

[oblio]

We went on the opening day. It was brisk but not too busy. We enjoyed it. Got there too late to see Wiggo open the show though...

We managed to get around and see what we wanted to see MH-wise. Had to nearly physically stop Mrs Oblio from putting a deposit down on a Thor RV though ...I suspect we may well go this way in a year or two's time depending on road access to where we move to.

We wanted to see the Thule quickfit awning but they didn't have one on display.

I think we'll probably go every other year to this show from now on. We find all the smaller shows we have been to very underwhelming so wont waste money on them any more

[Morningside]

Or just motorhome show as the caravans seem to be taking more of a backseat these days.

My partner had some complementary tickets for the show and we decided late Friday to go up on Sunday.

We booked a hotel for Saturday night as she said that doing it all in one day is crazy and I do agree with her. (330 mile round trip).

Arrived just before 10am and stayed until 3:30.

Really, really enjoyed ourselves and were totally 'motorhomed out' as they all look roughly the same after a while. I mean, how many more Fiat Ducato configurations can you do?

Cannot remember its name but I did like the idea of the bed that came down from the ceiling. Loved the use of LED lighting and the toilet/washrooms seem so much better these days.

Also think that motorhomes should have cameras as standard fitting.

But anyone else amazed that a small campervan was more expensive than a full motorhome?

[Morningside]

Just to add. Seriously looked at the Chausson motorhome and loved it immensely.

Also went to the Devon conversion stand and found their latest model was hardly that much different to our 2001 home and STILL only two single beds. Strange.

[ColinM50]

We went Friday evening and stayed at Drayton Manor as chasingracecars recommended. Thanks. Strange though, when I phoned them on Wednesday they said two nights minimum for an electric pitch which gets a bit pricey, then on Friday I phoned and they said non electric only so agreed we'd stay there and pay on arrival. When we got to the site they offered us hook up for one night. Anyway it's a nice site with a smashing restaurant 5 mins walk away within the theme park complex. So instead of £28 only cost £14 so that was good

Got to the show and realised I'd left the printed off tickets that I booked online on my computer, so instead of having already paid £7.00 each I'd have to pay another £11 each on the door. Jokingly told the chappie on the ticket booth what I'd done and he said, "Oh you don't need to pay again, go to booth in Hall 19 and they'll track your tickets and reissue them". Which they did. So saved £22. That was second good

Looked at most of the m/h's and there was only one that we thought would work for us, a Benimar with two electric beds coming down from the ceiling, but the headroom's marginal. And for an extra £15k over what we'd get for our Swift, find it hard to justify. So that was the third good.

Overall had a good weekend and saved £15,036.

Edited by ColinM50 on Monday 17th October 12:08

[Morningside]

I see a lot of these motorhomes have raised beds with 'garages' as the call them. I know they make a great storage area but I still think of them as unused space.

[oblio]

You would be surprised how good having a garage is: blow up awning; BBQ; foldable bike; windbreaks; 2 tread stair; flooring for awning; whirlygig and pegs; 2 x chairs; flimsy BBQ table; sturdy proper table...and other 'stuff'

Soon fills up

[Trabi601]

Morningside said:

I see a lot of these motorhomes have raised beds with 'garages' as the call them. I know they make a great storage area but I still think of them as unused space.

My wife said 'Is that where you put the kids?'

[Busterbulldog]

My Knaus has a garage with a huge transverse bed, it's a good use of space...what would you have above the bed anyhow ?

[GlenMH]

oblio said:

You would be surprised how good having a garage is: blow up awning; BBQ; foldable bike; windbreaks; 2 tread stair; flooring for awning; whirlygig and pegs; 2 x chairs; flimsy BBQ table; sturdy proper table...and other 'stuff'

Soon fills up

+1 And the buggy, kids bikes etc etc etc

[KrissKross]

Morningside said:

I see a lot of these motorhomes have raised beds with 'garages' as the call them. I know they make a great storage area but I still think of them as unused space.

Mine is big enough to get a motorbike (ped) and a couple of bicycles in if needed. Plus I have tools and other stuff, a bloke always needs a garage!

[bristolracer]

Trabi601 said:

Had a really patronising idiot on one of the solar stands refusing to tell me what panels were available until I either told him exactly what charging system I was fitting - or until he'd told me his entire knowledge about them. Walked away from that... found someone who gave me a few pointers and leaflets with specifications - guess which one I'll go back to if I want a panel?

Solar panels are easy to install
Theres no voodoo to it.

I bought mine off a well known auction site came with a control unit cost about £130 (100w)
Took about 4 hours to install, fix panel,wire to controller,wire to leisure battery job done.
Meant we could run our 42w fridge and lights off an 85 amp battery with no problems during the summer.

As to the awning issue you could just get a nice tarp,some poles and guys. Cheap and quick and easy to put up and down.
These are good for attaching guys to the van

http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/products/small-storage-o...

Oh and your comment about the eriba, thats what we moved onto after the Regius camper we had. (bit more space and comfort for our maturing bodies!)

[Rosscow]

ColinM50 said:

Overall had a good weekend and saved £15,036.

Edited by ColinM50 on Monday 17th October 12:08

[eatcustard]

I went and thought it was very disappointing, the caravans on offer seemed to have been built by former British Layland employees, such the poor quality of them.

Most the staff of the Swift stand seemed to have PMT as they were as miserable as sin.

Dont think I will bother again