Dreaming of a newer van

[gasgas]

Personally I would go for the Malibu. It is German made which makes it 10000 times better than anything English in my considerable experience. All the 'english' / british vans use Sargent electrics, which I would never tolerate again. You need to either live next door to a competent dealer so you can continually park it there for them to repair or you have to be a competent electrician to fix all the design faults and the wiring faults. The gold colour is about the best you can get - it doesn't show the dirt. It never looks dirty, and in fact it looks no different after you have washed it. Furthermore it doesn't stick out in the scenery as much as a white one does.
Some years ago we put a deposit on a new Malibu van in that colour, but later retracted it because we already had a very similar panel van and thinking about the deal it would have cost us £20k to change from one van to another. However if I were buying a new PVC or even a used one, it would be a Malibu.

 

[Pudsey Bear]

As said I like both, but neither are perfect, the Sargent has been in most of our vans and been trouble free, but I've never messed with it.

The Malibu kitchen is a bit pants, no oven (in the video) I bet you can't get a full sized dinner plate on the raised bit, from a driving point, yes please.

As for the auto trail if I could have the Malibu's cab/engine spec that would be nice, far better kitchen, proper hob/oven & fridge, better worktop too.

It doesn't exist I suppose, but put the Auto trail Hab on the Malibu cab you'd have a cracking van.

 

[mark61]

As said I like both, but neither are perfect, the Sargent has been in most of our vans and been trouble free, but I've never messed with it.

The Malibu kitchen is a bit pants, no oven (in the video) I bet you can't get a full sized dinner plate on the raised bit, from a driving point, yes please.

As for the auto trail if I could have the Malibu's cab/engine spec that would be nice, far better kitchen, proper hob/oven & fridge, better worktop too.

It doesn't exist I suppose, but put the Auto trail Hab on the Malibu cab you'd have a cracking van.

Aren't they on the same base vehicle?
Perhaps the Malibu just includes a few cab/engine spec items that are optional on the Auto Trail.

Plenty of independent converters around, can have exactly what you want.
Just means a lot more homework.

 

[wildebus]

Personally I would go for the Malibu. It is German made which makes it 10000 times better than anything English in my considerable experience. All the 'english' / british vans use Sargent electrics, which I would never tolerate again. You need to either live next door to a competent dealer so you can continually park it there for them to repair or you have to be a competent electrician to fix all the design faults and the wiring faults. The gold colour is about the best you can get - it doesn't show the dirt. It never looks dirty, and in fact it looks no different after you have washed it. Furthermore it doesn't stick out in the scenery as much as a white one does.
Some years ago we put a deposit on a new Malibu van in that colour, but later retracted it because we already had a very similar panel van and thinking about the deal it would have cost us £20k to change from one van to another. However if I were buying a new PVC or even a used one, it would be a Malibu.

I love how so many people think a German van is instantly far far superior to a British van. You just assume that based on your personal experience and reasons and think everything has the same experiences and anyone who has a different opinion is wrong. I have to say, based on your posted experiences, I don't think I would ever buy anything you have as nothing seems to ever work!
As far as the Sargent Electrics and wiring is concerned, I don't think I have ever had to deal with any issues whatsoever on it. For sure I have made lots of changes and additions to the electrics, but I have never had to make any changes BECAUSE of a problem with the wiring.

Also, all british vans do NOT use Sargent electrics. Bailey for example don't to give one example.

You have got one thing right though .... Gold is great for not showing the dirt . I used to have an Austin Ambassador Company Car .... only had it for 13 months and it was off the road for around 6-7 working weeks in total in that time getting various repairs done. But it did have 2 distinct virtues ... one was it was very comfortable to be in, and the other was it was Metallic Gold and I am not sure if I washed it morre than 2-3 times as it never looked any different afterwards.

 

[Pudsey Bear]

Aren't they on the same base vehicle?
Perhaps the Malibu just includes a few cab/engine spec items that are optional on the Auto Trail.

Plenty of independent converters around, can have exactly what you want.
Just means a lot more homework.

Yes both Ducatos but one was a brilliant spec the other was pretty tame, but yes maybe the Auto Trails have a higher spec, I'd want to buy new though,

I've seen some independents and I'm not impressed with them, we have three in Keighley.

 

[mark61]

Yes both Ducatos but one was a brilliant spec the other was pretty tame, but yes maybe the Auto Trails have a higher spec, I'd want to buy new though,

I've seen some independents and I'm not impressed with them, we have three in Keighley.

Yes, finding someone you are happy with is the beginning of all the homework.

 

[Pudsey Bear]

And having already built the 99% perfect one already, I do so wish I could do it again but with a real budget.

 

[Pudsey Bear]

There is one builder just down the road who does conversions, I was in need of a small piece of lightweight ply to make a little divider in the bottom of the wardrobe where we keep tins of grub, I saw a pile of offcuts outside next to the pavement, they were closed so I had a look and was surprised to see it was all MDF and cheap fibreboard, I left it all there.

 

[gasgas]

?November 2025 for a Malibu? Perhaps I had better order one now, for when I would have changed my current mh several times by then. They really are very well made.

 

[gasgas]

There is one builder just down the road who does conversions, I was in need of a small piece of lightweight ply to make a little divider in the bottom of the wardrobe where we keep tins of grub, I saw a pile of offcuts outside next to the pavement, they were closed so I had a look and was surprised to see it was all MDF and cheap fibreboard, I left it all there.

A few years ago I went to visit a small UK converter who had an open day at their works. I saw what they were using for insulation and turned round and came home. It was just 3mm thick foam. If you look carefully at that Malibu youtube, at one point you can see their insulation, a special product, is 25mm thick - and they stuff it in all the nooks and crannies as the chap explains.

 

[gasgas]

And having already built the 99% perfect one already, I do so wish I could do it again ........

Presumably you are referring to your manly body?

 

[Exwindsurfer]

I've notice that none of builders use very thick insulation on the floors when I did mine I put two 25mm layers of Kingspan + 25mm ply so you can still walk around in the winter with no shoes on .

 

[Pudsey Bear]

A few years ago I went to visit a small UK converter who had an open day at their works. I saw what they were using for insulation and turned round and came home. It was just 3mm thick foam. If you look carefully at that Malibu youtube, at one point you can see their insulation, a special product, is 25mm thick - and they stuff it in all the nooks and crannies as the chap explains.

Yes I saw that, better than some but no one seems to use spray foam which is unbeatable but not cheap.

Liz and I visited here looking at buying a new or used van via a bank loan https://www.vantagemotorhomes.co.uk/

Bearing in mind this was 2010/11 we were impressed by quite a lot, but at that time you had what they were selling or you didn't buy one, insulation was basically camping mats glued to the skin, the kitchen was not really what we wanted as Liz likes to cook out evening meals but no oven provided, the sleeping area was designed for racing snakes, and we felt that for serious 100% wild camping it was a bit pants so we made a few notes and went and bought a crap used L4H2 Relay but we did get three years of use out of it and made a good profit twice.

 

[Pudsey Bear]

Presumably you are referring to your manly body?

Why for you are questioning this FACT?

 

[Pudsey Bear]

I've notice that none of builders use very thick insulation on the floors when I did mine I put two 25mm layers of Kingspan + 25mm ply so you can still walk around in the winter with no shoes on .

The arches and floor did get done, I have it on video but no pictures.

 

[marchie]

Id need a hoist to get up into that bed LOL.

As a Social Services Area Manager colleague said in his leaving speech at his (early) retirement do, 'I am leaving now, before the resources problem requires me to say, 'Well, Mrs Smith, you can either have a hoist, OR someone to help you use it ...' '

Steve

 

[trevskoda]

Fact is we all should be retired by 50 giving us a fre years if lucky before the hart attacks strokes cancers etc start to kick in and no longer fit for purpose, true facts of life.

 

[marchie]

Fact is we all should be retired by 50 giving us a fre years if lucky before the hart attacks strokes cancers etc start to kick in and no longer fit for purpose, true facts of life.

How would the extra 16 or 17 years be funded, though?

Steve

 

[Okta]

Fact is we all should be retired by 50 giving us a fre years if lucky before the hart attacks strokes cancers etc start to kick in and no longer fit for purpose, true facts of life.

Retirement 52, quit part time work 55, cancer 60 and heart attack 72. However still fit for purpose, just needed a few repairs along the way. Performance has dropped off a bit but that is probably true of most older machines.

 

[wildebus]

How would the extra 16 or 17 years be funded, though?

Steve

Simple ... Just get a job once you retired.