Since following this channel, Alan, you've done a thorough job of showing us the huge variety that's available. I had a hunch that your personal choice would be a Hymer.
The stairs to your bed are ingenious, love them. The layout is great. Putting towels over the seating area makes perfect sense. Thanks for sharing. Haven't seen anything like this available in the US.
I have been looking at all my options in the rv world and I came across a video on the Hymer. I was so excited. I had finally found exacting what I was looking for! Then......sad sad news. Can't buy one here in the good old USA
Beautiful motorhome. I also want to buy a compact campervan under 6 meters. I preffer a smaller size so i can park it anywhere but i see that campervans are usually more expensive than regular motorhomes, especially one with the bathroom.
Just want to say that is a very nice vehicle! I would like to travel in something like this around the country when I retire from my dayjob many, many years from now.
I don't know it unfortunately. I am very pro Mercedes although the problem with the Sprinter is that the body slopes too much taking away much space and I have heard negative comments about the chassis for camper van use although I cannot remember what they were. I originally wanted to get a Sprinter and convert it but I think I made the right decision. We don't have Roadtreks in Europe so I don't have an opinion - sorry!
I’ve found a 2013 Hymer Eriba 563 which I’m keen on. It doesn’t have a wardrobe but is very similar in most other respects. It’s low mileage and I’m going to view it in a couple of days. However I can’t find any references to this model, or reviews of it on the internet. Not a successful model?
It was produced from at least 2006 - 2013 as far as I am aware. I think you should have a look at. Get a habitation check though - make sure the gas, fridge etc works and that there are no leaks.
Alan Heath thanks. Went to have a look but couldn’t fall in love. OK for one person but tight for two, especially in the front lounge. Good elsewhere but I’m sticking with our 15 yr old Bailey Senator Oklahoma caravan for a while longer. New policy of not towing too far in one day and radiating out on day trips from final base to see how we go. Can do a lot with 37k we might not need to spend!
Where can you rent one of these in the UK? This is exactly what I want for my husband, six-year old, and I when we travel to Europe. How much does it cost to fill it up? We were considering flying to Germany to rent one, but I would really rather rent one in the UK. It seems like it would be less expensive than hotels and we could also cook some of our own meals.
Looks like fun ! Would it be cheaper to buy a very fuel efficient car like a 2002 suzuki wagon r for 600 pounds. Use it for transportaion only and stay in cheap hostel rather than 35000 pounds for a motorhome with the cost of fuel and running it and repair and maintanience ?
I've recently acquired my first motorhome - a hymer van 522 as it happens. Alan - you don't quite demonstrate how the shower door works (& it's not in the manual). Do you have a video for that ? There seems to be a slot down the length of the door edge which looks like the screen edge should fit in there, but I cannot get it to fit. I get the screen to sit between the toilet & the door by pulling the screen toward me whilst pushing the right hand part of the panel behind the door. I'm just afraid that if I'm doing it wrong, I may be putting undue stress on the joint in the panel. Thx
Alan - I think they did an A class version called the Exsis. The early ones are based on a Ford whereas the latter models are based on a Ducato. Would you recommend the Ford as a base vehicle based on your experience?
I've seen your comments on other RV dwellers channels and thought i'd check out yours Alan. Glad i did :) I've subscribed and look forward to more of your videos. Cheers from Canada
Thanks Martin - you might like to see my facebook group too - facebook.com/motorhomefulltime I will start a website with a similar name before long too!
My wife and I went to an RV show in Toronto.We toured the lovely Roadtrek that is ONLY $120,000 plus 15 %. We have camped for 45 years so we know what works and what doesn't.We dtermined that they stuffed as many cheap cabinets into the Roadtrek making it fit for no one.The gas milage is 18 maybe and it's not something I would EVER want to own. I give it a 2/10 and that's being KIND !
Great van and a great life. I am gonna have the same life in 2-3 years when my son is old enough to take care of himself. Do you have solarpanels? How many watts? How many batteries do you have for the living area? Do yuo use gas or electricity for the refrigerator? Thank you for uploading this videos and letting us be a part of your life/adventure :)
Thank You for the tour. I've been waiting for that. Very nice camper. You're very neat and clean. That's a plus for full time living. . Is there LED lighting in there?
I've been watching a lot of van videos and, while customising your own van looks appealing, and can offer more of a stealth element, the reality for someone as unhandy as me is that it would be a time consuming, frustrating disaster. So, seeing your mobile home reviews convinces me that factory build is the way to go. Any advice on whether one should look to a reputable dealer, or go private?
John, I think the best I can suggest is to go to a dealer - at least you will get a guarantee and possibly help in learning how to use the equipment. Doing it yourself is not an option for most people, not only because they are not handy but more to the point is that they could end up using the wrong materials.
@@johnbarclay88 We had the same dilemma - we love quirkiness & a proper motorhome comes with boring wooden finish EVERYWHERE. However - it's amazing what sticky backed plastic (it's moved on since Blue Peter) & a few plants can do (we have also installed a neon flamingo :) )
Hiya alan Not been posting for a while was just wondering whether you making progress with your camper van that you purchased after the theft of your beloved hymer 522 would really enjoy an update if there is one cheers ohh and happy new year to you.pete
Thank you for watching and your interest! Yes there are three panels with a total of 170A - perhaps it should be more but there is not enough room on the roof. I have 365W of battery power. I use gas for the fridge - electricity only when I am on hook up.
***** I was thinking of looking for something costing around USD10k and living in it for a year. A friend bought a 1993 Winnebago for USD18k which was nice inside. He went to Alaska in it then sold it. A pity as I had considered buying it for my US tour. However I think I will stay in Europe for a while - maybe do the US later.
Excellent video....very nice van. You are 175 cm...but your friend usenetposts seems to be taller than you are...would he fit in that van with his 195 cm? (I don't know how tall he is but I've always imagined that he was well above average). Is that a false assumption?
I have now left the place where I spent the past five months and am on the road again. I am still in Sicily but am making my way towards the Ukraine now.
+wallaguest1 I have seen the full Challenger range as I go to various trade fairs, for me, I am a bit stuck on what I would say is the best compact motorhome!
bigfut .bigfut I had a VW T4 with a high roof too but I got nothing like that fuel consumption. I think the best was 8.5/100 but usually it was around 10 and around town even worse. And I am quite gentle with the accelerator! You must have a particularly good model!
I'm not a Facebook er alan so I wouldn't have known of your ongoing progress I'll get the wife to set me up with an account thanks for letting me know mate.
Pete, you can see it (I think) without being registered. However you can see my page www.MotorhomeFullTime.com which is now live. There will very soon be a weekly newsletter too!
12v charger - stick it into the cigarette lighter (as they were once called) and there is a converter to 19v for the computer! I have one plugged in now!
Thank you, actually there is three skylights! Skylights let in some much light, in fact I have come to the conclusion that only small windows are needed in a camper van, better to have the light coming in from the roof!
i think Samantha means it's the partially demonstrated movement of the wall that moves to create a separate shower space that she doesn't understand. hard to really imagine since we don't have anything like it here. change of topic: you have a lot of videos! i'll never be able to watch them all, lol. might give it a try anyway. :)
Love how they call it a “garage” it’s a cubbyhole u tit. And the table , I use for working on , eating at and a general table, Christ I was expecting to see the formal ringing room but never appears
You're living the dream brother, I'm glad for you :)
Thank you! It is very nice of you to say so! You might be interested to see my facebook site too! facebook.com/motorhomefulltime
Since following this channel, Alan, you've done a thorough job of showing us the huge variety that's available. I had a hunch that your personal choice would be a Hymer.
I think this is older? I'm not sure he still has this particular van.
You have a lovely van, lucky you! Great life to travel and do videos!
REALLY like the layout. I think if I was van dwelling full time...your van layout would be just about perfect in a nice, smallish sized rig.
The stairs to your bed are ingenious, love them. The layout is great. Putting towels over the seating area makes perfect sense. Thanks for sharing. Haven't seen anything like this available in the US.
Great review Alan, thanks for sharing!
It is brilliant. A wonderful way to live!
Yes, that is something I thought of too. But it would not be the same!
love the floor plan,nice camper
I have been looking at all my options in the rv world and I came across a video on the Hymer. I was so excited. I had finally found exacting what I was looking for! Then......sad sad news. Can't buy one here in the good old USA
Not yet - maybe in a couple of years time!
Beautiful motorhome. I also want to buy a compact campervan under 6 meters. I preffer a smaller size so i can park it anywhere but i see that campervans are usually more expensive than regular motorhomes, especially one with the bathroom.
I agree. If you don't want a tiny VW T3 then you need to get something much bigger. In the US there is nothing in between.
Nice design...puts the U.S. manufactures to shame. Come to America Hymer!
Very nice rig, jealous.
I wish they sold this style of van in the US
Just want to say that is a very nice vehicle! I would like to travel in something like this around the country when I retire from my dayjob many, many years from now.
Retire as soon as you can. Time is something which is limited in life!
I don't know it unfortunately. I am very pro Mercedes although the problem with the Sprinter is that the body slopes too much taking away much space and I have heard negative comments about the chassis for camper van use although I cannot remember what they were. I originally wanted to get a Sprinter and convert it but I think I made the right decision. We don't have Roadtreks in Europe so I don't have an opinion - sorry!
I am still in Sicily although I have started to go back now!
To be honest, I tidied the place up before I filmed this! Clean yes, neat - not really!
I’ve found a 2013 Hymer Eriba 563 which I’m keen on. It doesn’t have a wardrobe but is very similar in most other respects. It’s low mileage and I’m going to view it in a couple of days. However I can’t find any references to this model, or reviews of it on the internet. Not a successful model?
It was produced from at least 2006 - 2013 as far as I am aware. I think you should have a look at. Get a habitation check though - make sure the gas, fridge etc works and that there are no leaks.
Alan Heath thanks. Went to have a look but couldn’t fall in love. OK for one person but tight for two, especially in the front lounge. Good elsewhere but I’m sticking with our 15 yr old Bailey Senator Oklahoma caravan for a while longer. New policy of not towing too far in one day and radiating out on day trips from final base to see how we go. Can do a lot with 37k we might not need to spend!
Love your videos. Will you ever be doing a show in Ireland. Would love to go.
Where can you rent one of these in the UK? This is exactly what I want for my husband, six-year old, and I when we travel to Europe. How much does it cost to fill it up? We were considering flying to Germany to rent one, but I would really rather rent one in the UK. It seems like it would be less expensive than hotels and we could also cook some of our own meals.
Like the new motorhome Alan, very nice :-)
awesome video, thanks for sharing
I shall have to show better how the moveable wall works in another video!
Looks like fun !
Would it be cheaper to buy a very fuel efficient car like a 2002 suzuki wagon r for 600 pounds. Use it for transportaion only and stay in cheap hostel
rather than 35000 pounds for a motorhome with the cost of fuel and running it and repair and maintanience ?
Thank you for sharing your home. What do you have now?
great video alan
I've recently acquired my first motorhome - a hymer van 522 as it happens. Alan - you don't quite demonstrate how the shower door works (& it's not in the manual). Do you have a video for that ? There seems to be a slot down the length of the door edge which looks like the screen edge should fit in there, but I cannot get it to fit. I get the screen to sit between the toilet & the door by pulling the screen toward me whilst pushing the right hand part of the panel behind the door. I'm just afraid that if I'm doing it wrong, I may be putting undue stress on the joint in the panel. Thx
I don't Steve, but I had to fix mine. I left the false wall in place although I tend not to make a mess whilst showering so the toilet stayed dry.
@@VanlifewithAlan and that leaves you free to access the cocktail cabinet whilst showering :)
Alan - I think they did an A class version called the Exsis. The early ones are based on a Ford whereas the latter models are based on a Ducato. Would you recommend the Ford as a base vehicle based on your experience?
This Ford I would not recommend but the new ones are much better!
I've seen your comments on other RV dwellers channels and thought i'd check out yours Alan. Glad i did :) I've subscribed and look forward to more of your videos. Cheers from Canada
Thanks Martin - you might like to see my facebook group too -
facebook.com/motorhomefulltime
I will start a website with a similar name before long too!
Thanks Alan. I will Like your Face Bool group page for sure. :)
Martin Blair
My site will be www.motorhomefulltime.com but it is not active yet! I hope it will be by the end of June!
I'm looking forward to your site Alan. I really enjoy your channel and videos :)
Martin Blair
Thanks Martin - that is very nice to read!
My wife and I went to an RV show in Toronto.We toured the lovely Roadtrek that is ONLY $120,000 plus 15 %.
We have camped for 45 years so we know what works and what doesn't.We dtermined that they stuffed as many cheap cabinets into the Roadtrek making it fit for no one.The gas milage is 18 maybe and it's not something I would EVER want to own.
I give it a 2/10 and that's being KIND !
o proszę... widzę w szafce łazienkowej olej oraz sok "chyba" z Łowicza :D.
Pozdrowienia z Polski :)
Bardzo mozliwe Piotr!
Pozdrawiam z Rzeszowa!
Nice Van....can you recommend somewhere to rent in South of France or Spain to test for a long w/e?
paul smeaton I am sorry, I don't know anywhere there where you can rent vans!
" Cocktail cabinet one of them " loooool
Great van and a great life. I am gonna have the same life in 2-3 years when my son is old enough to take care of himself. Do you have solarpanels? How many watts? How many batteries do you have for the living area? Do yuo use gas or electricity for the refrigerator?
Thank you for uploading this videos and letting us be a part of your life/adventure :)
What made you sell this van eventually?
It is a bit on the expensive side. Even a 20 year old Hymer is likely to cost five figures in euros! However it is cheaper than a house!
Thank You for the tour. I've been waiting for that. Very nice camper. You're very neat and clean. That's a plus for full time living. . Is there LED lighting in there?
I've been watching a lot of van videos and, while customising your own van looks appealing, and can offer more of a stealth element, the reality for someone as unhandy as me is that it would be a time consuming, frustrating disaster. So, seeing your mobile home reviews convinces me that factory build is the way to go.
Any advice on whether one should look to a reputable dealer, or go private?
John, I think the best I can suggest is to go to a dealer - at least you will get a guarantee and possibly help in learning how to use the equipment. Doing it yourself is not an option for most people, not only because they are not handy but more to the point is that they could end up using the wrong materials.
@@VanlifewithAlan Thanks.
@@johnbarclay88 We had the same dilemma - we love quirkiness & a proper motorhome comes with boring wooden finish EVERYWHERE. However - it's amazing what sticky backed plastic (it's moved on since Blue Peter) & a few plants can do (we have also installed a neon flamingo :) )
Hiya alan
Not been posting for a while was just wondering whether you making progress with your camper van that you purchased after the theft of your beloved hymer 522 would really enjoy an update if there is one cheers ohh and happy new year to you.pete
Hello Pete, I have published quite a lot recently on my facebook site facebook.com/MotorhomeFullTime
Thank you for watching and your interest!
Yes there are three panels with a total of 170A - perhaps it should be more but there is not enough room on the roof. I have 365W of battery power. I use gas for the fridge - electricity only when I am on hook up.
Super nice design for a smaller RV. Very liveable, and really nice views! 35,000 euros, I think that comes out to around $50K USD?
Yes, it is about USD50k!
The next one will be a bit bigger!
USD50k here can get you a very nice 5-10 year old 25-35+ footer, possibly a diesel pusher (the most desirable here).
*****
I was thinking of looking for something costing around USD10k and living in it for a year. A friend bought a 1993 Winnebago for USD18k which was nice inside. He went to Alaska in it then sold it. A pity as I had considered buying it for my US tour. However I think I will stay in Europe for a while - maybe do the US later.
10K is low right now, used cars and RVs are going for premium prices.
*****
Maybe I could go to USD20k!
Thanks for watching!
Thanks Mike!!
Excellent video....very nice van. You are 175 cm...but your friend usenetposts seems to be taller than you are...would he fit in that van with his 195 cm? (I don't know how tall he is but I've always imagined that he was well above average). Is that a false assumption?
I have now left the place where I spent the past five months and am on the road again. I am still in Sicily but am making my way towards the Ukraine now.
*****AWESOME*****
Are you still in Italy or you back in Poland?
looks nice, do you knw challenger 100 model?
is the best compact motorhome i ever saw, check it at youtube
+wallaguest1 I have seen the full Challenger range as I go to various trade fairs, for me, I am a bit stuck on what I would say is the best compact motorhome!
+Alan Heath and you think its the hymer 522 i guess ?
wallaguest1
No, I think I would prefer something a bit bigger!
I would like to rent a 6 metre motorhome in Essex do have addresses please.
Why would you want to live in Essex?
brilliant!!!!
How much does it cost?
looking to get into class B market can you help with any up and coming class B shows i can shop in america ?
I don't know what the US market is like. Maybe I ought to do an RV tour of the US!
Could I ask, what's the normal motorway cruising speed of this van? Can it go 130 or is it too much? Thanks.
I did 130kmph without any problem at all and there was plenty left to go faster if I wanted.
***** Thanks for the answer. I guess the consumption is higher at that speed? We have a VW T4 with high roof and it's no problem to average 7l/100km.
bigfut .bigfut
I had a VW T4 with a high roof too but I got nothing like that fuel consumption. I think the best was 8.5/100 but usually it was around 10 and around town even worse. And I am quite gentle with the accelerator! You must have a particularly good model!
What happen to your camping car? Why you use s500 now?
This van shown here was stolen. I had the S500 only temporarily. I am now in a Sunlight T67!
Alan Heath how it was stolen? You rent? You got insurance? What to do to protect your van to be stolen.?
I'm not a Facebook er alan so I wouldn't have known of your ongoing progress I'll get the wife to set me up with an account thanks for letting me know mate.
Pete, you can see it (I think) without being registered. However you can see my page www.MotorhomeFullTime.com which is now live. There will very soon be a weekly newsletter too!
How do you charge your laptop while of gride?
12v charger - stick it into the cigarette lighter (as they were once called) and there is a converter to 19v for the computer! I have one plugged in now!
Awesome and thanks for replying. Where can i buy on of this in the internet? Or can you please make a video about it?
Wow I LOVE,LOVE, LOVE your motorhome it's one of the best I've seen so far...You got not one but TWO skylights amazing :)
Thank you, actually there is three skylights! Skylights let in some much light, in fact I have come to the conclusion that only small windows are needed in a camper van, better to have the light coming in from the roof!
:) You're welcome.
Aprentley computers are used to be eaten on. "As you can see I have my computer on there at the the moment I use it to work on I eat on it."
are you in America?
This is Sicily - Italy!
where in UK can you hire?
Try the Motorhome Group which you can find on the internet.
I have come to the conclusion that the moveable wall is a waste of time. I have stopped using it!
i'm considering one of these or the Hymer Exsis Sg
It is a very nice vehicle, compact, easy to park, but with everything at hand. I prefer this to the Exsis.
this looks like the toy version
Incredibly rich. In fact, I am an eccentric millionaire!!
how much is the van
Look for one which is for sale on the internet.
I don't get how the shower works
There is a tank which one fills up with water and then it works like a domestic shower. Water is heated via gas in the boiler.
Like how does it fold out
Samantha Jester
It does not fold out - there is a dedicated shower room!
i think Samantha means it's the partially demonstrated movement of the wall that moves to create a separate shower space that she doesn't understand. hard to really imagine since we don't have anything like it here.
change of topic: you have a lot of videos! i'll never be able to watch them all, lol. might give it a try anyway. :)
tremendous/
I would say that he is about 182cm ... I am better at telling you how tall women are ....
isaw one for 10k eu
I need small camper van prices. Please.
Tony, I usually mention the price with the new vans I review!
Should have bought VW Grand California instead.
The Grand California came out in 2018 - this was filmed in 2013!
Love how they call it a “garage” it’s a cubbyhole u tit. And the table , I use for working on , eating at and a general table, Christ I was expecting to see the formal ringing room but never appears