Motorhomes - PVC or 'Wide-body'

[wildebus]

The answer to that is no. They are built for two or three weeks holiday each year and a few weekends. Didn’t someone state the number of weeks use in a Hymer or other expensive make brand? 6 months seems to ring a bell but I can’t remember who, where or when the conversation was.
Saying that mine is still quite solid and now 13 years old with over 100k miles on it. Soon be run in

Is that 6 months total use and worn out?
Shocking really but given the little use most seem to see, I would think very few have seen 6 month holidaying in total.

 

[wildebus]

Here's a good dual-purpose motorhome.

Nice Hymer good for touring, and with Nightclubs currently closed, could be used as a mobile pole-dancing club?

 

[in h]

Is that 6 months total use and worn out?
Shocking really but given the little use most seem to see, I would think very few have seen 6 month holidaying in total.

No, it's six months of daily use. And it's rubbish.

If you look at the design of the fittings in most motorhomes, they are indeed fairly lightweight and won't last a lifetime, but they will last many, many years of use.

We use our motorhome for between three and four months each year. Had it nine years and no sign of things wearing out yet (so that's three or four years of full-time living). In fact many things are as good as new.

It is now over 21 years old, and some things have got old, such as the double-sided tape that holds the mirrors in place in the bathroom. I had to replace that. But that was just a couple of decades of ageing, not worn out through use.

The hob needed replacing recently, because it was corroding (water from the draining board was designed to run into it), and parts are relatively expensive. It was cheaper to replace the whole lot than three burners and three pan rests.

The motorhome I had before was still in fine fettle after 26 years last time I saw it, despite being a cheap, lightweight build that I'd not describe as a quality van.

Of course in the hands of a ham-fisted clumsy owner who doesn't look after things, a motorhome can be trashed fairly quickly.

There are some bits that do wear out faster than you'd expect.

Apparently, the electric heater elements in Truma combi heaters have a design life of 10,000 hours, and cost about £800 to replace (not sure why). Seemingly a lot of people use them over winter on hookup when the van is laid up, which only takes a few winters to clock up 10,000 hours.

Thetford fridges don't all have stainless steel fridge burners, so they won't last all that long. But they're generally fitted in cheaply-made motorhomes: Dometic are far better, but a bit more expensive.

 

[2cv]

No, it's six months of daily use. And it's rubbish.

If you look at the design of the fittings in most motorhomes, they are indeed fairly lightweight and won't last a lifetime, but they will last many, many years of use.

We use our motorhome for between three and four months each year. Had it nine years and no sign of things wearing out yet (so that's three or four years of full-time living). In fact many things are as good as new.

It is now over 21 years old, and some things have got old, such as the double-sided tape that holds the mirrors in place in the bathroom. I had to replace that. But that was just a couple of decades of ageing, not worn out through use.

The hob needed replacing recently, because it was corroding (water from the draining board was designed to run into it), and parts are relatively expensive. It was cheaper to replace the whole lot than three burners and three pan rests.

The motorhome I had before was still in fine fettle after 26 years last time I saw it, despite being a cheap, lightweight build that I'd not describe as a quality van.

Of course in the hands of a ham-fisted clumsy owner who doesn't look after things, a motorhome can be trashed fairly quickly.

There are some bits that do wear out faster than you'd expect.

Apparently, the electric heater elements in Truma combi heaters have a design life of 10,000 hours, and cost about £800 to replace (not sure why). Seemingly a lot of people use them over winter on hookup when the van is laid up, which only takes a few winters to clock up 10,000 hours.

Thetford fridges don't all have stainless steel fridge burners, so they won't last all that long. But they're generally fitted in cheaply-made motorhomes: Dometic are far better, but a bit more expensive.

The electric elements in my Truma lasted far less than 10000 hours, 6 years and rarely on hook up though often in winter, I’d estimate less than 1000 hrs, but around £400 to replace.

 

[in h]

The electric elements in my Truma lasted far less than 10000 hours, 6 years and rarely on hook up though often in winter, I’d estimate less than 1000 hrs, but around £400 to replace.

Sounds like a fault. But after 6 years, you'd struggle to argue the case for a free fix. £400 still seems expensive to me! What does a convector heater cost?

 

[snapster]

We had a Truma heater in our Autosleeper, it lasted just over two years of light use before the 230v elements gave up. ( we use gas over 90% of the time). So, the heater was just out of warranty, but Truma supplied elements FOC, it just cost us about £500 to get them fitted! The van wasn’t well put together and I would put it in the “ flimsy” category with the amount of bits that broke, fell off or needed replacing.
Just after we bought the van ( 2013) we looked at a couple of Burstners in a dealer in Calais. The interiors looked really cheap and I wasn’t impressed at all. Everything seemed to shake about inside when you touched it.
Our new Burstner though is solid as a rock. In almost 2 years of ownership and having clocked up18000 miles before lockdown started, we haven’t had anything stop working, come lose or break. It appears very well made and solid.
And even though we have Truma heating, we opted for the Gas only version.

 

[nabsim]

Is that 6 months total use and worn out?
Shocking really but given the little use most seem to see, I would think very few have seen 6 month holidaying in total.

No not worn out Dave I think it was in relation to any warranty holding up. Most warranties are invalidated if they know you are full timing.

 

[Tezza33]

My Hymer is over 18yrs old and still has the original heater, the fridge has had a new burner unit and 240v element but still works great, I have replaced the shower floor and the bathroom sink because of cracks but it has had a lot of use, no rattles unless tyres are over inflated, averages 32mpg or 30mpg if towing my Panda, a PVC would not have enough room for me so a coachbuilt or A class every time

 

[Trotter]

My Hymer is over 18yrs old and still has the original heater, the fridge has had a new burner unit and 240v element but still works great, I have replaced the shower floor and the bathroom sink because of cracks but it has had a lot of use, no rattles unless tyres are over inflated, averages 32mpg or 30mpg if towing my Panda, a PVC would not have enough room for me so a coachbuilt or A class every time

Horses for courses. TBH. There wouldn’t be room for me and Roxy in my pcv. That dog knows how to spread herself out.

 

[Tezza33]

I think I got away with saying I tow my Panda Del

 

[in h]

We had a Truma heater in our Autosleeper, it lasted just over two years of light use before the 230v elements gave up. ( we use gas over 90% of the time)...
And even though we have Truma heating, we opted for the Gas only version.

So was the Truma unusable on gas when the electric element failed? Mine is gas only.

 

[in h]

Apparently, the electric heater elements in Truma combi heaters have a design life of 10,000 hours

Erm, on reflection, I think that may be 2,000 hours. Which is pants.

 

[snapster]

So was the Truma unusable on gas when the electric element failed? Mine is gas only.

Yes, it was useable on gas, but we had it repaired in anticipation of selling it in the future. I think we only used it on electric a couple of times between it being repaired and us selling the van.
Gas is the way to go!

 

[trevskoda]

Lots of room inside my bus,big loo room but i did not want a shower,fitted a 12v water wash unit and just use a face cloth for the naughty bits.

 

[Caz]

I've had quite a few different vans over the years and I'd vote for a PVC every time. My current van is a Ducato, the same cab as my Sundance had, both 2004 vintage, and it's a lot easier to drive plus doesn't have quite as many squeaks and groans - even though at the time the Sundance was only 9 years old whereas the Win is now 16.

Having said that, there's only the dog & I, for a couple or family a coachbuilt might be better.

 

[badgerdid]

I have had both, first I self built a Renault master minibus, good for weekends etc but for weeks away I had to fit an awning for better space, had to make the bed up every night etc and no room for a shower. I now have a hymer, the space is a lot more, the drop down bed means I don’t have to make it every time and the toilet and shower is quite big.
What is best? Only you can answer that as your needs would be different from mine. I changed as I wanted something with more room so I can tour easier, yes it’s wider but just driven through Wales, and there roads are narrow without any problems.
I’d say go and have a look at both and have a test drive and you will soon see what you prefer.
two pictures to show the internal size differences.

 

[CriftinsCampers]

I own both a PVC and a Box bodied Motor home, both diy, one complete one WIP.
Originally I had a £50,000 budget and started off down the coach built route but I was simply not impressed by the lack of value for money and often tacky build quality, hardboard reinforced with egg box materials covered in peeling sticky back plastics etc, on a £45k 2-3 years old vehicle just didn't appeal.

I was also less impressed with the oft reported issues of damp etc. apparently they still use wood framing in the walls etc!
It was very noticeable that coach builts plastics were vulnerable to I assume very expensive to repair body damage.

I fancy a 4X4 Overlander type of vehicle but not quite ready to invest that much money in a diy exercise, they aren't cheap to build and the chassis platforms aren't the best on fuel consumption either!

I did want the strength and ruggedness though of an overlander type vehicle so I bought a modular bodied ex Ambulance mines based on an 5000KG dually Automatic V6 Sprinter chassis cab. these are 2M wide internally and very strong I have already bounced this off a dry stone wall and the wall lost!

Most modular ambulances are also roll over tested which is worth knowing even if you never plan to test it out!

Total spend so far on it has been about £7500 including the base vehicle.
I built it relatively quickly as 'something to use' whilst I work on my longer term project a LWB Crafter, each van will serve a slightly different purpose.

The Crafter for longer trips away and once finished I will then be gutting and redoing the sprinter to add a body extension to the rear and to double or even triple the insulation because it is lacking in a few places it will be used then for colder climates.

During this journey I have learnt and shared via my YouTube channel, a lot of info on converting ex Ambulances.

Criftins Campers

Hello & welcome to Criftins Campers This Channel is presently focused on my VW Crafter & Mercedes Sprinter ex Ambulance to Camper Van conversions I am a semi...

www.youtube.com

 

[in h]

I now have a hymer, the space is a lot more, the drop down bed means I don’t have to make it every time and the toilet and shower is quite big.
..
two pictures to show the internal size differences.

I was impressed by the lovely green blind. Then I looked more carefully and realised it's grass through the window!

 

[in h]

I own both a PVC and a Box bodied Motor home, both diy, one complete one WIP.
Originally I had a £50,000 budget and started off down the coach built route but I was simply not impressed by the lack of value for money and often tacky build quality, hardboard reinforced with egg box materials covered in peeling sticky back plastics etc, on a £45k 2-3 years old vehicle just didn't appeal.

I was also less impressed with the oft reported issues of damp etc. apparently they still use wood framing in the walls etc!
It was very noticeable that coach builts plastics were vulnerable to I assume very expensive to repair body damage.

I did want the strength and ruggedness though of an overlander type vehicle so I bought a modular bodied ex Ambulance mines based on an 5000KG dually Automatic V6 Sprinter chassis cab. these are 2M wide internally and very strong I have already bounced this off a dry stone wall and the wall lost!

Yes, there are some really cheaply-made there are also some very good ones. You get what you pay for. My motorhome certainly has no hardboard, no egg box materials, no damp issues. Not sure that has any wood framing in the walls either.

As you say, ambulances are of good construction, but they can afford to be, because they're on a 5 tonne Sprinter and not built down to a price or a weight.

The big snag is that there's no way through from the cab to the habitation. Fine for an ambulance, but I'd not want a motorhome like that.

 

[CriftinsCampers]

The big snag is that there's no way through from the cab to the habitation. Fine for an ambulance, but I'd not want a motorhome like that.

It depends on the constructor, many have sliding doors. The one I bought didn’t so almost first thing I did was adding a door and frame made from solid oak. I have grown to really like the security a bulkhead and door provides so I wouldn’t be without one now.

The modular vans usually have a higher floor so the doorway heights are not ideal for taller people but perfectly adequate as a means of access and escape if the park up gets invaded by undesirables!

We have come to like the added security and temperature control so much in the sprinter that I am now reinstating a slightly staggered bulkhead in the crafter which will still allow the seats to swivel