Motorhomes & Campervans off grid Vs Traditional?

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Mr. Dazzle
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Re: Motorhomes & Campervans off grid Vs Traditional?

Post by Mr. Dazzle »

weeksy wrote: Fri May 06, 2022 11:35 am A chunk of that is luck due to the previous couple of years though i guess.... but still, a cracking result.
Yeah nearly all of I'd say. My currently car is the most valuable it's been at any point in the last 4 or 5 years, but it's nothing special.
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Re: Motorhomes & Campervans off grid Vs Traditional?

Post by KungFooBob »

weeksy wrote: Fri May 06, 2022 11:35 am What you buying today ?
Well... there's a couple of loans that'll get paid off and I'll pay off the full 10% over payment on the mortgage.... that'll leave a few grand for the premiums... but i'll be £1100 a month better off and I do still fancy a Crosstourer.
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Re: Motorhomes & Campervans off grid Vs Traditional?

Post by Demannu »

KungFooBob wrote: Fri May 06, 2022 11:27 am I did use a broker tho' (saved me a shit load of hassle) and they take quite a large cut.
Motorhomedepot?
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Re: Motorhomes & Campervans off grid Vs Traditional?

Post by KungFooBob »

Demannu wrote: Fri May 06, 2022 1:51 pm
KungFooBob wrote: Fri May 06, 2022 11:27 am I did use a broker tho' (saved me a shit load of hassle) and they take quite a large cut.
Motorhomedepot?
Yup, sold in 2 days.

The agent had a 3k fee, but the first £500 of the 'haggle' comes out of their commission, so it cost us £2500.

She listed it pretty much everywhere and dealt with all the times wasters, she wrote the ads and took all the pics, they do all the HPI and secure fund transfers. It's a lot of money, but buyers seem to trust agents more than private sales.

You don't even have to see the buyers if you don't want to, they deal with all that shit.

I originally put it on gumtree to test the waters and got so many numpties it actually put me off selling it.
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Re: Motorhomes & Campervans off grid Vs Traditional?

Post by Taipan »

Went to see my Sisters Campervan yesterday. The off grid setup was interesting. 3 solar panels and three leisure batteries, running investors for 240v . Every light is LED as is the TV etc. One thing was clear though, I'm too tall for a small shower room! Also just standing up in it was challenging as I needed to be stooped over, but I guess that is something I'll have to suffer, or buy a high top van, but then people always tell me they are a PITA in high winds? It certainly focused our needs and where we'd be prepared to make compromises etc.


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Re: Motorhomes & Campervans off grid Vs Traditional?

Post by Yorick »

Ours was high top Jumbo Transit. No problems in wind.
I'd hate to be stooping all the time.
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Re: Motorhomes & Campervans off grid Vs Traditional?

Post by Rockburner »

I never had issues with my high top. Just have to be a tad more cautious near rail lines and potential low bridges.
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Re: Motorhomes & Campervans off grid Vs Traditional?

Post by Pirahna »

My Crafter is around 3 metres tall, no issues in the wind. I reckon my Smart car suffered more in side winds than any van I've owned.
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Re: Motorhomes & Campervans off grid Vs Traditional?

Post by Taipan »

Both of us are quite taken with this one. Not sure why it would have a 5 speed box if its a 2010 though, although its not a deal breaker. Thoughts?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/115373909232 ... SwMTViZ8Ls
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Re: Motorhomes & Campervans off grid Vs Traditional?

Post by Yorick »

Taipan wrote: Sun May 08, 2022 10:45 am Both of us are quite taken with this one. Not sure why it would have a 5 speed box if its a 2010 though, although its not a deal breaker. Thoughts?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/115373909232 ... SwMTViZ8Ls
It can feel a bit cramped sat around fixed table.
We prefer a folf down bed to give more space and seating
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Re: Motorhomes & Campervans off grid Vs Traditional?

Post by weeksy »

Taipan wrote: Sun May 08, 2022 10:45 am Both of us are quite taken with this one. Not sure why it would have a 5 speed box if its a 2010 though, although its not a deal breaker. Thoughts?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/115373909232 ... SwMTViZ8Ls
Seems close by, thoughts are, go spend an hour in it.
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Re: Motorhomes & Campervans off grid Vs Traditional?

Post by Mr. Dazzle »

Potter wrote: Sun May 08, 2022 11:51 am
They're proper money aren't they.

Can't you fix a tow bar to your motor and get a caravan? You'd get something proper for less than half that.
You say that, but my rentals paid more for their caravan than they did for the Jag they tow it with!
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Re: Motorhomes & Campervans off grid Vs Traditional?

Post by Taipan »

Towing is a ballache! Lat caravan I had I left in Spain and then went down to it each year. We deffo want a camper and the one above has a very similar layout to my F-I-la so we now that lay out can work for us. The bed is a stumbling block on most van conversions but that one might be more workable. Sadly I can’t view/buy it today but trying to sort out a viewing one evening. I think because it’s motor home depot they don’t have them on site?
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Re: Motorhomes & Campervans off grid Vs Traditional?

Post by Druid »

Taipan wrote: Sun May 08, 2022 10:45 am Both of us are quite taken with this one. Not sure why it would have a 5 speed box if its a 2010 though, although its not a deal breaker. Thoughts?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/115373909232 ... SwMTViZ8Ls
Ducatos have better engines than the Citroen/Peugeot models but the gearboxes are notoriously weak. 5 speeders are better than 6 speeders so they're a bonus. Bed looks to be across the van which might be an issue. They're wider than other vans so often have beds across but if you're over 6ft you might find it uncomfortable.

Strangely for Fiats they don't rust, unlike Transits and Sprinters/Crafters.

As others have said, high tops are not a problem except in some car parks.
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Re: Motorhomes & Campervans off grid Vs Traditional?

Post by dern »

We've got a 2015 T5 SWB with a lift up roof and a drive away awning.

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We've done Glastonbury in it, several weekends away and gone down to the south of France twice in it via Belgium, Luxembourg, Switzerland and Italy.

We use it as our family car if we need the space, take the dogs out in it, take the kids to uni, cart stuff to the tip and I use it to tow the bike to track days. I've fitted all year round off road tyres and even though it's only fwd I can get through most mud and crap if need be and it has handled an awful lot of snow with no bother.

I thought about building a bigger van with a fixed bed, loo and shower but we always go placed with facilities and just washed in the sink at Glastonbury. It's much easier with it being this size as you can park it anywhere and can even get in to multi stories with a limit of 2.0m or more.

It's gone up in value an awful lot as we bought it four or five years ago.

Wouldn't be without it.
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Re: Motorhomes & Campervans off grid Vs Traditional?

Post by Taipan »

Druid wrote: Sun May 08, 2022 2:42 pm
Taipan wrote: Sun May 08, 2022 10:45 am Both of us are quite taken with this one. Not sure why it would have a 5 speed box if its a 2010 though, although its not a deal breaker. Thoughts?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/115373909232 ... SwMTViZ8Ls
Ducatos have better engines than the Citroen/Peugeot models but the gearboxes are notoriously weak. 5 speeders are better than 6 speeders so they're a bonus. Bed looks to be across the van which might be an issue. They're wider than other vans so often have beds across but if you're over 6ft you might find it uncomfortable.

Strangely for Fiats they don't rust, unlike Transits and Sprinters/Crafters.

As others have said, high tops are not a problem except in some car parks.
Top info, thanks. :thumbup:
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Re: Motorhomes & Campervans off grid Vs Traditional?

Post by Count Steer »

May be a daft question but what's the score with setting these things up with 2 sofa seats/single beds. Is the space available such that they'd be so close that they're effectively a double? Thinking...if you were travelling solo just chuck a single quilt in, 2 people who aren't bed buddies, 'snoring separation' etc etc etc. Seems much more flexible.
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Re: Motorhomes & Campervans off grid Vs Traditional?

Post by Felix »

You want a nice little LDV Convoy you do. My last one made it to Lake Como and back :D

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Re: Motorhomes & Campervans off grid Vs Traditional?

Post by Taipan »

Re: The Adria. I asked about service history and got the following reply. I don't know if that's a deal breaker or not tbh?

"Unfortunately there doesn’t seem to be too much written service history – it has just an oil and filter service and there are 4 new tyres on the camper – but you then you only have one further documented service prior to that. I have asked the owners to see if they can dig out anything else as I am sure it would have had something else done".
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Re: Motorhomes & Campervans off grid Vs Traditional?

Post by weeksy »

Well, you could ask them to service it, or get an RAC check.

History would be nice, but is it really essential? Hmmm