More on caravan versus motorhome

as was stated upthread, this is an interesting thread as there are so many requirements, so many designs, yet its not always possible to marry the two together.

it may be that what is missing is a rear lounge van, with garage for bikes underneath, sofas long enough to double as single beds, but not too high, with a length of around 6.5m and Teutonic build quality.

several Brits build the rear bit but lack decent storage, especially for things like bikes, several Continentals have worked out how to incorporate a garage under a rear lounge but dont have long enough sofas for single beds as this would add to the length.

there are some vans that come pretty close but would fall down as one of these requirements is missing.

as TT says, the Fiat (or Peugeot) base is a (fairly) common demoninator...and a very good MH base vehicle it is.

so, taking this out of the equation (and the easy to resolve required 'service' which anyone would surely work into any deal) the differences then become those associated with the respective brands' coachbuilding skills.

so, Im afraid, the Hymer will always be a Hymer and the Elddis will always be, well, an Eldiss....

unless Hymer decide to rebrand it, in which case there really will be no 20yr old Eldiss around...

still, see you in Spain in 20yrs but perhaps not in an Elddis

merry Christmas, to you and yours

To see how old  UK built motor caravans last you only have to see what model the base vehicles are ie Talbots/Old Mercs/Transits plenty still about all over 20years

still, see you in Spain in 20yrs but perhaps not in an Elddis

I'm hoping to retire in 11 years BB.......

If the apprentice they give the belt change job to can keep your German truck on the road for that long   ()  I might see you in Spain before then........

I would be quite happy to be there (in a newer cos it's cheaper..)  Elddis.......

Merry Christmas...!

see you in 11 then!.....i'll hang on....

Each to their own but as far as this subject goes I'm with you TT.

I would rather have two (or three) Elddis vans over a 20 year period than one Hymer. It's OK saying a van will go for 200,000 miles plus when used on a daily basis....but that's where the argument for a motorhome sometimes fails. Take it out once a month and you'll find them not so robust. We both have to work for a living and we get away when we can, but we're lucky to do 3,000 miles a year in our van.

Apart from the fact that I couldn't afford a new Hymer we don't particularly like the layouts either. Our two year old Elddis (bought new) suits us in both layout and base van quality. I know it's not the most expensive van in the world but who cares, it still takes us where we want to go and gives us great enjoyment.

i wasnt actually advocating multiple Elddis' over a single Hymer merely that a three/four yr old one might still have more life left than a new Elddis, and should a buyer wish to aspire to a Hymer, rather than to an Eldiss Aspire, taking a 3/4 yr old model might do the job.

either way, as your post suggests, the prospective purchasers are so different (on just about every front) for the comparisons to be of interest only to those discussing the point on a forum

The base vehicle is the same so you may well get 200,000 miles out of any make of van either Eldiss/Hymer/SWIFT/KNAUS etc. however not sure the British makes would still be as good inside.  Layout, interior colours and price are a personal choice so no one should be put down to choose one over the other. 

I think the continental vans are better thought out, better put together and IMHO have  better layouts because of this.  They put the work into making a good base van but then you pay to have the bells and whistles, unlike British MH's which have all the bells and whistles but lack build quality and they also seem to take a caravan and plonk it on the back of a truck, saw a new Bailey Autograph yesterday and driving up from behind we did literally think it was a caravan till we went past it...

BB you may well see 20 year old Hymers out there but that does not mean they are still waterproof, just better put together to last the distance though.

 saw a new Bailey Autograph yesterday and driving up from behind we did literally think it was a caravan till we went past it..

Maybe the people who buy them do so because they like the style and layout of them, we did. We have had ours for 5 years now and bought it because we like the layout, as I said up thread we don't like the layout of the continental vans, not all of them have great build quality we met enough while traveling to know that they too suffer 'issues' 

No matter still built on the back of a delivery van underpinning!

Have looked at lots of continental motorhomes and frankly, I don’t like them. Habitation door on wrong side, only two or three burners on hob, and often the rear wheel arch is in the shower. Oh and no microwave. 

Apart from that I’m pretty opened minded.