New motorhome - what do I need?

thanks very much for your replies

Oh yes, screens are a very good buy, particularly if you intend touring throughout the year. Well worth the money, we have no condensation problems, they really do keep the cab area a lot warmer. We have Silver Screens. Fit like a glove as well.

Just remembered something else we have that has been a good buy for us. Our AS isn't brand new, so I have no idea what the heating is like in new vans, but we find leaving on any form of heating overnight stifling to be honest, so we bought a natty little oil filled radiator that plugs in and keeps the cab area just that bit warmer without getting stuffy overnight. Fits tidily behind the drivers seat when on the move, only cost £19.99 from Dunhelm. Some cab areas are a bit of a cold spot!

We always use a washing up bowl as well in our sink, as we don't put pot wash water into waste, prefer to dump after washing if we can, especially if a bit greasy! Same goes for in caravan as well.

More importantly a washing up bowl saves water.

peedee

If you want to avoid that sinking feeling don't forget to buy some mats to put under the wheels. These will help you get off the pitch in adverse weather conditions.

Suggest levelling ramps. 5l water bottles as we dont use the clean tap water for drinking and a small elctric fan heater similar to those for use in a greenhouse with a thermostat.

Kdee69, the biggest difference you will notice is how quick setting up is once you have chosen your pitch , drive/reverse on pitch ,ignition off ,handbrake on ,kettle on and that's it , the first time I did it I thought I had forgotten something 

Kdee69, the biggest difference you will notice is how quick setting up is once you have chosen your pitch , drive/reverse on pitch ,ignition off ,handbrake on ,kettle on and that's it , the first time I did it I thought I had forgotten something 

I think that's the thing I'm looking forward to most - that and the wind out canopy - though we did just buy a Thule canopy for our caravan, sadly wasn't wind out. I am dreading the levelling blocks though - don't know why but I'm not sure we'll really know when we should and how we should use them. I know that might seem odd but with the van it simple, I held the spirit level whilst my husband adjusted. If it's a similar process I "think" we'll be fine...

With two of you it's easy for one of you to check the spirit level as the other goes up onto the ramps, you're both in it (the van) together!  

We bought our AS this year after about 30 years of caravanning. Should have done it a few years ago. 

What you need depends where and when you plan to use it. We are fair weather campers and have no intention of using it in the winter when we do other things so what I would say is that you need far less than you think. We cut our Fiamma mat in half, replaced the waste container with a bucket and use empty mineral water bottles filled at the tap for drinking water. Didn't need a hose because the AS comes with all accessories but I did buy a Hoselock tap adaptor which I had to use once. 

We bought a Lafuma table but after a few trials have decided that the supplied table is fine under the canopy. 

Agree that anti-slip matting is essential but we had that in the caravan anyway.

Ditched all the bedding and bought two Duvalay covers to which we added a proper quality quilt and 5cm memory foam. 

Ramps are fairly important and we bought Milenco triples. Can't remember ever being completely level though. Much more difficult than a caravan  

Had to buy a Sat Nav. but that is almost essential because it gives you your speed and I can't read the speedo on the Peugeot!

Kdee69, the biggest difference you will notice is how quick setting up is once you have chosen your pitch , drive/reverse on pitch ,ignition off ,handbrake on ,kettle on and that's it , the first time I did it I thought I had forgotten something 

I think that's the thing I'm looking forward to most - that and the wind out canopy - though we did just buy a Thule canopy for our caravan, sadly wasn't wind out. I am dreading the levelling blocks though - don't know why but I'm not sure we'll really know when we should and how we should use them. I know that might seem odd but with the van it simple, I held the spirit level whilst my husband adjusted. If it's a similar process I "think" we'll be fine...

most MH lie slightly 'nose down' even on an apparently level pitch, so we generally use blocks under the front wheels on 'level' pitches...

also, whether you use your shower, and where the waste tank lies in relation to the shower, might make a difference as to whether 'nose slightly high' or 'nose slightly low' works best for water flow....