what size vehicle should I go for?

Hi Natalia, and welcome to MHF!

I'm sure you will get lots of replies and advice - though it is a bit quiet on here this weekend.

As a 'starter for 10', think about :-

Storage space - where will you keep it and how much room is there?

How you will use it - campsites only, wildcamping, CL's, aires, rallies, shows?

How often will the 5 of you spend long periods indoors? Cabin fever can be alleviated to a certain extent by space.

How often will you use ferries? Mine is 21 feet long, and I have never paid more than £90 return dover-calais. Cheapest was £28. Many ferries charge a small premium over 6metres, but longer isn't a huge issue for cost - my mate just booked car/caravan for June and it's over £400, but his combination is over 12 metres - 40 feet or so. Try pricing different sized vans on the ferry to compare cost.

Anything over about 18 feet won't fit in a normal car park space, anything less will struggle to accommodate 5 people (even little ones).

Definitely think about hiring before you buy - you may not be able to hire the exact layout you want, but it will focus the mind on what works and not for you.

John's Cross does, I think, do a hire before you buy scheme - may be worth a look.

In terms of running costs, longer is not necessarily more expensive unless you go for a tag axle (two axles at the back) where you have 2 extra tyres/sets of brakes and suspension components. Campsites tend to charge per pitch/person, not length of van.

I have no experience of Swift vans, though many on here have them and Swift are members here and appear to be customer-focussed.

If you intend to use it all year, and particularly if going skiing, then think about how 'winterised' your prospective van is.

Hope this helps

David

First MH

I think hiring one (any one really), just to experience moving about inside, going to bed, getting up in the night for a pee... all those things you'd probably never imagine: you'll then have something to go on; either what you did like, as well as possibly things you didn't too. It's not something we did, and I now think it'd have been a useful and informative experiment.

We're on our 1st MH; we have a 2 yr-old, so just 3 of us. We didn't give much consideration to layout beyond a couple of afternoons at a local dealer's looking around their 2nd hand vans. But it was pretty clear a 3 berth wouldn't have been big enough for comfortable extended periods (we're planning a 2-month trip).
What we got (click the garage link) is apparently a 5-berth, but other than 'on the floor' I can't see where number 5 would sleep!

We've an over-cab double, which is great because it's always made-up, although really cosy, and 2 bunks at the rear: one folds up creating more storage space in the 'garage cupboard'.

It's not that I think we made a bad choice at all; and it'd be unlikely you'd end up with something you just couldn't work around, but I now think that there are quite a few more options out there we could have explored than those we initially considered.

Even going to a car-park in the woods for a night in a hired van would give you a benchmark to make decisions against.

As well as length, I reckon power is an important consideration not to overlook: ours is the 2.3 jtd and has enough 'guts' for general driving without being frustratingly slow, although of course you can relax and drive with the lorries to save fuel and the planet. I'm glad we didn't get a lower-powered unit: again, by hiring and trying one, you'd have a bench mark.

So, length: OK on the inside, bigger will always be best; it's just great to have space (within reason), but I must admit, having done a few trips now , to still being a bit phobic about driving into places I can't then turn around in etc. I guess this becomes less daunting with experience; but must always ultimately be a limiting factor to some extent.

I don't mind admitting that the first time I drove the small windy, overhanging, blind-cornered roads between Snowdonia and Portmaddog; I was 'bricking it' and was constantly worried about leaning trees at the side of the roads hitting our top corner: particularly after an oncoming vehicle wiped out my driver's side mirror! I've driven many types and sizes of vans up to 7.5t over the years, but a MH just seemed to be worse somehow; perhaps it's having the family on-board?

So, considering all the above; and assuming you've storage space to park it, I wouldn't shy away from a bigger one, particularly given your numbers.
We've at least once benefited though, on a campsite that was 'almost full', by "Oh, alright then; it's not a very big one is it."

Hope that helps!

Oh, nearly forgot to add: reversing camera =absolute must; such a help / comfort being able to actually see your own *rse!

what size motorhome

We also have 3 kids(14,12,10) and owned a 5 berth mclouis glen (21ft) for the 1st year, but after numerous holidays last year it was just too tight for us all to have any breathing space, and kids using power too quickly so we always stayed on sites, we have now changed to a 28ft rv and the difference in size and comfort is fantastic, not had any problems with any sites so far and the ferry cost (dover /calais) is same price as mclouis last year(£109 return) and when not on sites the built in genny will give us any power we need, the beauty of it was that it was cheaper to buy as well than the mclouis(albeit older) and with lpg it's almost as economical, take your time choosing and hiring would be a good idea, preferably for 2 weeks as well to get the feel for it and find out how you deal with the available space as a family.

I would look around very carefully, and work out what best would suit you - we hire out 20 foot motorhomes, and we keep roughly to that so the inexperienced are not put off by the size (and so we minimise damage! lol!)

They are 5 berth, but to be honest, finding a 5 berth that is spacious, has storage for 5 people - and this is the important bit - is comfortable for all five to stay in for a day if need be! You never know, you could find a day with a storm and you are all sat of top of each other. It's little things like this that you have to consider or elae it will ruin the whole experience.

Most ferries will only charge say £10 more for a few extra feet - and is comfort worth spending that? How many ferries are you planning to be on? If you spend £100 in two years, would it be worth the extra comfort?

Also bear in mind, apart from space and layout - the smaller then van the less storage - which means a roof box, and that means more height restrictions, again is it worth the pay off?

I would have a serious look into it and have a chat - by all means hire a 20 foot motorhome and see how you get on - but do remember, you may manage just about now, but kids grow! lol! They may get too big for the bunk, or you might get a heavier foot landing on your head each time they climb down! lol!

Try to think of every scenario, and remember you are investing alot of money into it, so make sure you make the best choice you can - if you end up buying the wrong one, and have second thoughts and change vans, the depreciation will cost alot more than a few feet extra in ferry charges!

Hi,

With that size family just shop at Tesco's and you don't need to worry about the cost of crossing the channel it will all be done for you and without chasing children around a ferry, just jump in the tunnel and you are there in 35minutes on ready to go. Using Tesco vouchers

We have friends who hired the CI 656 with 2 bunks , came away with us holiday to France with us and loved it so much came back and in 3 weeks had bought the Rollerteam 700 (quite a few owners of these on here now) .
http://tinyurl.com/r7j285 just to show you the van and the new price not recommending the seller, never heard of him

It seats 6 with belts and 6 to eat not many do that, you can sleep 7 if you wanted to. It is on a Ford RWD so very litltle problems with getting stuck in muddy fields.

If you need more info someone will have the answer on here I am sure.

Good luck
Mandy

thankyou everyone for your detailed replies, if meeting people like you whilst motorhoming is what we will encounter, then I can't wait to get started!
It is a bit of a minefield, but we have decided we are going to be strict about purchasing one with at least 5 seatbelts in total, and hopefully two dinnetts (if that is what you call them!) and a 6 berth.
As we have 3 children we do want them to have their own seating area as you cannot rely on the british or french weather for outdoor seating.
We are planning on using it for long holidays and just for weekends in uk and france, so we do need as much space as we can have. We are outdoor people so it makes sense to buy a motorhome.
We have looked at a few,
so far we like the rollerteam, swift sundance, and kontiki, but the more I look the more models keep on popping up with better layouts,so we have to do a bit more homework, thankyou all and I will update you on our purchase, but no doubt I will have a few more questions beforehand if that is ok, bye for now natalia