Any advice for new member?

Geek · Sep 15, 2025

debboz said:
Oh hi
I’m driving down to Spain in a Toyota Alphard 2007. I didn’t wan’t a big van with the kitchen sink just a bed for me and my dog, besides I don’t have a lot of money. I’ve tested it out a couple of times around where I live in Bournemouth and it’s very comfortable. The only thing I’m worried about is the sound system,

I looked at Alphards, but the combination of the size and the sheer ugliness of the front led me buy an Estima instead.
Mine is a hybrid and had a new HV battery fitted by Toyota dealer in Japan three or four years ago. It makes a wonderful car. It'd be a bit of a squeeze as a camper, but certainly possible.
Having a big A class motorhome spoils you a bit, so the Estima remains just a car for me.

Sharon the Cat · Sep 16, 2025

Hi debboz, if you have a way to heat water, then hot water bottles make an incredible difference. With two of those and a dog you could be toasty.

debboz · Sep 16, 2025

Geek said:
I looked at Alphards, but the combination of the size and the sheer ugliness of the front led me buy an Estima instead.
Mine is a hybrid and had a new HV battery fitted by Toyota dealer in Japan three or four years ago. It makes a wonderful car. It'd be a bit of a squeeze as a camper, but certainly possible.
Having a big A class motorhome spoils you a bit, so the Estima remains just a car for me.

It’s not beautiful I know but I wouldn’t call it ugly

marchie · Sep 16, 2025

debboz said:
It’s not beautiful I know but I wouldn’t call it ugly

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder... If the vehicle suits you, then other members' opinions are irrelevant. The value of other members' opinions lies in technical/practical ways to improve the usability of the vehicle [e.g. Sharon's suggestion re hot water bottles which I endorse heartily!]

Every M/Home has its limitations, unless you have a very, very rich relative who will stump up the £x hundred thousands to pay for a bespoke conversion ... And, even then, if it's your M/Home owning debut, unless you know exactly what you need and are confident that it can be bought within your budget, you are almost bound to experience the 'Thanks, it is a nice Van, and I enjoy it; the only drawback is ... [and that becomes quite rapidly anywhere between 6 and 15 'only thing is' izzies ...

Steve

debboz · Sep 16, 2025

marchie said:
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder... If the vehicle suits you, then other members' opinions are irrelevant. The value of other members' opinions lies in technical/practical ways to improve the usability of the vehicle [e.g. Sharon's suggestion re hot water bottles which I endorse heartily!]

Every M/Home has its limitations, unless you have a very, very rich relative who will stump up the £x hundred thousands to pay for a bespoke conversion ... And, even then, if it's your M/Home owning debut, unless you know exactly what you need and are confident that it can be bought within your budget, you are almost bound to experience the 'Thanks, it is a nice Van, and I enjoy it; the only drawback is ... [and that becomes quite rapidly anywhere between 6 and 15 'only thing is' izzies ...

Steve

Thanks, it’s a nice van and I enjoy it, the only drawback is the Chinese head unit sound player thats installed in it!!
I don’t know how it works

can’t figure it out at all!
It’s got a really weird reverse camera with three screens in black and white

It’s only got fm stereo not DAB so I can only find a few stations and they all crackle which is super annoying and ……. I can only find Waze on it, not google maps so I have to Bluetooth it to my iPhone

it’s hard being a woman sometimes, I need a wingman

marchie · Wednesday at 10:48 AM

debboz said:
Thanks, it’s a nice van and I enjoy it, the only drawback is the Chinese head unit sound player thats installed in it!!
I don’t know how it works can’t figure it out at all!
It’s got a really weird reverse camera with three screens in black and white
It’s only got fm stereo not DAB so I can only find a few stations and they all crackle which is super annoying and ……. I can only find Waze on it, not google maps so I have to Bluetooth it to my iPhone it’s hard being a woman sometimes, I need a wingman

I go for the old-fashioned Garmin 780 Camper SatNav; it accepts the M/Home dimensions, so, in theory, it shouldn't send me down a street where I'll get wedged between the lamp posts ... I also bought the Garmin BC40 Reversing Camera [Bluetooth connection, mounts on the rear number plate and displays a 'Bike Rack free' image on the SatNav when reversing. The camera is also detachable for theft/vibration damage protection, and is small enough to sit in the driver's door pocket.

Music is not a priority, [Pioneer Head Unit doesn't work], but I do have a 30 hour Playlist on my phone from the days when we drove to Spain via France, and that gives decent playback! Each trip produces a 'Things we need for a [better] next trip' List - next week is a basic rear air suspension system to stop the nose dive on large traffic islands, plus an upgraded Solar Panel so that I can use the Lithium battery without sweating on the remaining capacity if the December trip becomes Spanish Winter Rain [rather than Sun] jaunt ...

Steve

Geek · Friday at 8:44 AM

debboz said:
It’s not beautiful I know but I wouldn’t call it ugly

Not as ugly as the latest Toyota styles, no.
The Alphards and Vellfires just look big and toothy.

Geek · Friday at 8:54 AM

debboz said:
Thanks, it’s a nice van and I enjoy it, the only drawback is the Chinese head unit sound player thats installed in it!!
I don’t know how it works can’t figure it out at all!
It’s got a really weird reverse camera with three screens in black and white
It’s only got fm stereo not DAB so I can only find a few stations and they all crackle which is super annoying and ……. I can only find Waze on it, not google maps so I have to Bluetooth it to my iPhone it’s hard being a woman sometimes, I need a wingman

Are ypu sure it is original? The Japanese ones are really good but are all in Japanese. Obviously the TV doesn't work, the built-in Internet doesn't work and the FM needs a band shifter to work.
Oh, and the DVD player needs Region 2 NSTC encoded discs, which you have to make because you can't buy them.

Not having DAB is no loss at all. In my experience, DAB in any vehicle is trouble. They're very prone to interference and in a motorhome, where you're in remote places, the signal is generally very weak.

The stereo in my Estima makes a copy of every CD played and stores it for later playing. It rarely copies the track and artist names, so you end up playing a lucky dip.

A good replacement Android stereo will cost a couple of hundred pounds. I was offered one for free, but I prefer the Japanese one which has a LOT of additional features.

Geek · Friday at 7:55 PM

marchie said:
unless you have a very, very rich relative who will stump up the £x hundred thousands to pay for a bespoke conversion ...

Oh, bespoke conversions might be expensive, but they're unlikely to be as good as tried and tested designs made under good process control.

Rumour · 2025-09-22T10:49:21+0100

Debboz. No one has mentioned the CritAir stickers! For under a fiver, it is almost essential if you travel in and also near some towns and cities. For instance, if you travel near to Rouen, you will need one for most of the routes around, even motorways like the A28, You nee to have a number 1, 2 or three classification to travel through. Any lower and you have to apply for a one day exemption at least a day in advance. Without that exemption and you do also need the Critair, there is a fine. But make sure you apply and make sure it is the official Government site. which is:

Apply online for a Crit'Air sticker (Air Quality Certificate) for a foreign registered vehicle (Online Service)

The approach is available in English, French and German. Carte grise Steps to follow: 1- Prepare a credit card and the vehicle registration certificate (TBR). Carte grise carte grise You must send the file in pdf, png or jpeg format not exceeding 2 MB.2- Enter the requested information3- Pay the...

www.service-public.fr

Roundabouts! Taking the slower route will cost you more in fuel. We just went from Dieppe to the Med at Marseillan Plage and on the motorway type roads, we got 29 mpg in a coachbuilt. On the way back, on the ordinary roads and with all the towns and villages with 50 and 30 km limits and what seems to be roundabouts galore, it dropped to just over 22 mpg, so we use non toll motorways where possible when we want to get somewhere.

Without your own facilities, cooking and the like, it will increase your costs. No toilet and washing facilities, will limit your stays unless on a site. But they may be few and far between in January. As has been said, www.searchforsites.co.uk os a great asset. You can advance search for those open all year. We wish safe and happy travels.

Bigshug · 2025-09-22T19:20:34+0100

When you say Spain, where are you intending to go, the common areas are the Mediterranean costas, or the Atlantic coast side?
The route will be different although both are easy to drive to

Any advice for new member?

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