I took a drive to JMT Leisure in Weston Super Mare to see if I could really buy a decent motorhome for around £30K. Watch the video and make up your own minds.
Love the channel!!!.....Have to say DONT FALL INTO THE TRAP OF THINKING YOU HAVE TO BUY FROM A DEALER!!!.Plenty of private sales out there. You can get SO MUCH MORE for your money without paying inflated dealer prices. Plenty of companies who can do initial checks & you can buy comprehensive warranties which equal or even better dealer warranties.
Thank you for the interesting reviews. It's nice to see how different budgets and use cases for motorhomes can be. What I notice also, it appears motorhomes are a bit cheaper here in Finland. I started looking at 10,000 euro motorhomes and soon realised I had to go up to 27,000 euros (that's all I could afford without taking a loan). I bought a Carado/Transit - a bit longer and different layout compared to what you were looking at. Since the Transit is an old vehicle, I've serviced it, bought new summer tires with alloy wheels, new mattress, installed USB-A and C ports, led strip lighting, and bought heaps of other the necessities. I feel I can trust the motorhome and that it is ready for this year's season. I've been using the motorhome to work remotely on the road, away from my remote office at home. Of course when the wife and I have a vacation we will use the motorhome for leisure travel as well. The most surprising thing is that the Transit consumes only 7.5 - 9.0 litres of diesel per 100 kilometres depending on the speed (80 - 100 kilometres per hour) which is very little.
Remember! When searching for a used vehicle It's not how much use it has behind it. It is how much use it has in front of it. I would prefer to spend 30/40k on a well looked after 15 year old hymer. They're not thrown together on a factory production line where supervisors and managers have targets to hit.
My first video of yours that I have watched, really enjoyed it. Now subscribed. As much as I love videos that show the high-end items, I appreciate videos with more realistic budgets.
We have a Bongo pop top, conversion etc...and we love it for its size and auto box. The size is also the problem. I would love a larger van with a toilet/shower and auto box. I would be looking at £30k max...and I'm delighted to have found this channel. Gonna be fun watching your journey 👍
I’m with you on the dinette, they took so much room, I am looking to change my van for one with side benches and rear bed, makes it so much more roomy 😊
I've recently finished my own van conversion (Transit L4H3) and designed my layout based on my 58 years of camping experience in tents, caravans and campervans. I definitely did not want to lose so much living/relaxing space by having a fixed bed! On average you're asleep for 8 hours and relaxing and doing campervan stuff for 16 hours......I switch the kettle on when I wake up and me and the wife can have the bed, bedding and all window blinds packed up before the kettle boils 😊... so not a big deal really, and you gain quite a lot of valuable space! Our living, kitchen and bathroom areas are quite spacious, and we have a garage big enough to carry 2 electric mountain bikes, awning, water barrel, chairs and loads of other other bits and bats 😀 Good luck with your search for the right van for you 👍
A few things you guys should know before you buy a motorhome versus a camper. Motorhome folks tend to stay in their van and watch TV..because they can. If they drive anywhere it is more difficult and they can't really explore. When we in our camper park with them we never see them except when they are emptying their toilets or filling up water, their stomachs or larders. We, on the other hand in our Vivaro camper are out and about all the time because we are in a warm dry tent. So ours is an adventure, theirs is a hotel-driving holiday. So you decide what you want in your old age....I am 72 and active.
Well this is actually my thinking as well as I’m not one to park up on a camp site for a week and not go anywhere, I need to get out and about, hikes & sight seeing
really enjoying watching your search for a motorhome and viewing all these for sale, id still stick to buying a factory built one over the self build, but i havent seen what you have planned for one too.
In my opinion once you go over 6 meters it doesnt really matter (within reason) how long it is. The only reason to strictly go 6m or less is for parking in normal spaces. That 1st one would be my choice out of these.
How much is a 13 year old Fiat van worth? £5,000? Less? So that's £30,000 for the 13 year old conversion on it. You can get a lot of nights in a hotel for that.
I can only say one thing , and that’s a lot of money to spend on these overpriced buckets. The people that have the knowledge to be able to have the skills to fit their own fittings and electronics are absolutely in a class of their own with some stunning van conversions for a fraction of the price.
I like the space of the lounge areas in the Bailey and the Airstream. If the Sofas are long enough to use as two single beds they'd be perfect - if you use a Duvalay or giant sleeping bag is a two minute job to 'make the bed' and if there is just you, you have a comfy sofa and a bed without all the palaver. Was there a large outside locker with the Airstream or a huge wardrobe rear left? We have a self converted 2004 Mercedes Sprinter which has done over 500,000kms, previously belonged to the Ambulance service, older vehicles that have been serviced regularly can still be a good option.
Spacious and functional compared to a converted van. The interior looks like wood, but it's made of artificial veneer and chipboard inside. I know, wood is heavy and expensive, but I wouldn't like to live among plastic and fake wood.
Likelihood is that any second hand panel van you buy will have been driven fairly hard and have a high mileage . Campers tend to be driven calmly by older folks and often cover less miles , so I would go for a factory built camper in your situation
I agree. As an ex van delivery driver I know how much use/abuse a van can have. Make sure it has low mileage but then again that could mean that it has been a stop/start van mainly used for multi drop deliveries so the engine gearbox clutch brakes etc will have been used far more than a long distance vehicle.. my Renault trafic pop top was a one owner from new ( plumber) so they tend to just drive to a customers house then be there most of the day. Also had good service history. If it hasn't had at least one oil/filter change every year then don't bother. A factory built camper/motorhome will almost certainly have been cherished and driven carefully. After all who's going to spend 60k plus and drive it as though they've stolen it. Some food for thought!!
I would never spend 30k on a motorhome without warranty, Defo go to a dealer at least you will have a come back. Not worth the risk for that sort of money
lol 😁. My ‘Missus’ is too shy to appear in front of the camera at the moment. But we are going away on a camping holiday in June and I’ve told her she will have to start appearing in my videos then, ready for when we begin touring in a motorhome. Unless I can persuade her sooner.
Love your channel btw as I’m in the same stage of life as you as taking early retirement this year and my dream has always been to buy a home on wheels and hit the road for as long as l can..
I’m with you with the fixed bed but if it’s just for you I don’t understand going so big, if you plan to live in it full time and not travel very far fine but if you plan to travel you need to think about parking and getting down country lanes etc, and with regards to USB’s etc that can all be fitted quite easily.
Hi Terry. If it was just for me I would go down the converted panel van route. But there will be my partner also. It would also be nice to have one that can accommodate my two young grandsons occasionally, but that would just be a bonus.
😂 Funny you should say that because a friend bought a used motorhome about 2 years ago now, with only 500 miles on it. He says it cost nearly as much as his house!
We are looking for our first right now, sub £30k. The only thing we've seen that we could sleep in without going mental are the Murvis. Everything else (like on your vid) have horrible faux wood interiors like a 1995 Skeggy caravan, you can smell the candy floss.
I know how you feel. I’m still seriously considering buying a decent panel van and have it converted. That size van will probably be more practical for off grid camping too, which is the way I’d prefer to go.
Nice review...I've had the opportunity to take VR and early retirement so finish work on the15th May... Ive been looking at all types of motorhomes... ie do I convert a van or buy a ready made camper van? I have looked at the various VW type 4,5,6 vans but finding one with less than 200k miles is rare unless you want to spend 50K... The vans that you have reviewed and similar vans in contrast have much lower miles... I thought about the VW for ease of parking etc... but then I do like my home comforts with a bit of space...Its not a straightforward process picking a van!
It certainly isn’t an easy job choosing a van, and there’s usually a compromise to make. I now know the layout I want and have whittled my choice down to 3 models.
At the start of the video you said you wanted a 8 or 9 year old van and then just looked around older vans . Could not see the point of you wasting your time . Motorhome buying is a nightmare . You have to have a priority list and just look at models that fit into that or you will waste weeks/months of your life looking at things you will never buy.. Plus it is good that people buy £90k vans and only do a few miles so we can buy them as 2nd or even third as a low milage van. Saying that some low millage vans have not gone far but been hammered on camp sites as not moved much used loads.
Buy a decent van that is mechanically sound ...£10k ish . Higher mileage on a diesel engine is not a bad thing. From there build your home as you go. Doesn't need to be completed immediately. Live in it, see what layout works. Key is insulation, a leisure battery, solar panel on the roof, decent mattress for decent sleep "The basics", plenty of UA-cam videos of how to fit things. I moved full time into my van in 2017 slowly built it to my preference. I'm also houseless thank goodness...but I have a beautiful home on wheels.
@@meeeeeebojo Well done you! I cheated & moved into my motorhome a few months ago, bought a Burstner travel van 5 years ago but couldn't do full time due to family commitments. Agree, much happier out of bricks & mortar!
Love the channel!!!.....Have to say DONT FALL INTO THE TRAP OF THINKING YOU HAVE TO BUY FROM A DEALER!!!.Plenty of private sales out there. You can get SO MUCH MORE for your money without paying inflated dealer prices. Plenty of companies who can do initial checks & you can buy comprehensive warranties which equal or even better dealer warranties.
Thanks for your comments Russ 👍
Thank you for the interesting reviews. It's nice to see how different budgets and use cases for motorhomes can be. What I notice also, it appears motorhomes are a bit cheaper here in Finland.
I started looking at 10,000 euro motorhomes and soon realised I had to go up to 27,000 euros (that's all I could afford without taking a loan). I bought a Carado/Transit - a bit longer and different layout compared to what you were looking at.
Since the Transit is an old vehicle, I've serviced it, bought new summer tires with alloy wheels, new mattress, installed USB-A and C ports, led strip lighting, and bought heaps of other the necessities. I feel I can trust the motorhome and that it is ready for this year's season.
I've been using the motorhome to work remotely on the road, away from my remote office at home. Of course when the wife and I have a vacation we will use the motorhome for leisure travel as well.
The most surprising thing is that the Transit consumes only 7.5 - 9.0 litres of diesel per 100 kilometres depending on the speed (80 - 100 kilometres per hour) which is very little.
Remember! When searching for a used vehicle It's not how much use it has behind it. It is how much use it has in front of it. I would prefer to spend 30/40k on a well looked after 15 year old hymer. They're not thrown together on a factory production line where supervisors and managers have targets to hit.
My first video of yours that I have watched, really enjoyed it. Now subscribed.
As much as I love videos that show the high-end items, I appreciate videos with more realistic budgets.
We have a Bongo pop top, conversion etc...and we love it for its size and auto box. The size is also the problem. I would love a larger van with a toilet/shower and auto box.
I would be looking at £30k max...and I'm delighted to have found this channel. Gonna be fun watching your journey 👍
I’m with you on the dinette, they took so much room, I am looking to change my van for one with side benches and rear bed, makes it so much more roomy 😊
Great video I love the French bed layouts
I've recently finished my own van conversion (Transit L4H3) and designed my layout based on my 58 years of camping experience in tents, caravans and campervans.
I definitely did not want to lose so much living/relaxing space by having a fixed bed! On average you're asleep for 8 hours and relaxing and doing campervan stuff for 16 hours......I switch the kettle on when I wake up and me and the wife can have the bed, bedding and all window blinds packed up before the kettle boils 😊... so not a big deal really, and you gain quite a lot of valuable space!
Our living, kitchen and bathroom areas are quite spacious, and we have a garage big enough to carry 2 electric mountain bikes, awning, water barrel, chairs and loads of other other bits and bats 😀
Good luck with your search for the right van for you 👍
Exactly! A custom rig is the way to go!
A few things you guys should know before you buy a motorhome versus a camper. Motorhome folks tend to stay in their van and watch TV..because they can. If they drive anywhere it is more difficult and they can't really explore. When we in our camper park with them we never see them except when they are emptying their toilets or filling up water, their stomachs or larders. We, on the other hand in our Vivaro camper are out and about all the time because we are in a warm dry tent. So ours is an adventure, theirs is a hotel-driving holiday. So you decide what you want in your old age....I am 72 and active.
Well this is actually my thinking as well as I’m not one to park up on a camp site for a week and not go anywhere, I need to get out and about, hikes & sight seeing
really enjoying watching your search for a motorhome and viewing all these for sale, id still stick to buying a factory built one over the self build, but i havent seen what you have planned for one too.
In my opinion once you go over 6 meters it doesnt really matter (within reason) how long it is. The only reason to strictly go 6m or less is for parking in normal spaces. That 1st one would be my choice out of these.
I’ve fallen in love with The Peugeot that lay out is the best !
Thank you!
My budget is around £30k to £40k … I’d like a compact (space-saving) loo / shower, near-side door, 3 or 4 seat belts 🤔
How much is a 13 year old Fiat van worth? £5,000? Less?
So that's £30,000 for the 13 year old conversion on it.
You can get a lot of nights in a hotel for that.
I can only say one thing , and that’s a lot of money to spend on these overpriced buckets. The people that have the knowledge to be able to have the skills to fit their own fittings and electronics are absolutely in a class of their own with some stunning van conversions for a fraction of the price.
Yeah but you can't buy more time, enjoy spending 6 months building one.
I like the space of the lounge areas in the Bailey and the Airstream. If the Sofas are long enough to use as two single beds they'd be perfect - if you use a Duvalay or giant sleeping bag is a two minute job to 'make the bed' and if there is just you, you have a comfy sofa and a bed without all the palaver. Was there a large outside locker with the Airstream or a huge wardrobe rear left? We have a self converted 2004 Mercedes Sprinter which has done over 500,000kms, previously belonged to the Ambulance service, older vehicles that have been serviced regularly can still be a good option.
I live in madrid. For 30k euros, the best you can get is a 2007, 4 bed (overhead cabin) with 120k kms....
Good to see Mark Knopfler out and about.
Spacious and functional compared to a converted van. The interior looks like wood, but it's made of artificial veneer and chipboard inside. I know, wood is heavy and expensive, but I wouldn't like to live among plastic and fake wood.
Wood is usually much lighter than chipboard.
Likelihood is that any second hand panel van you buy will have been driven fairly hard and have a high mileage . Campers tend to be driven calmly by older folks and often cover less miles , so I would go for a factory built camper in your situation
I agree. As an ex van delivery driver I know how much use/abuse a van can have. Make sure it has low mileage but then again that could mean that it has been a stop/start van mainly used for multi drop deliveries so the engine gearbox clutch brakes etc will have been used far more than a long distance vehicle.. my Renault trafic pop top was a one owner from new ( plumber) so they tend to just drive to a customers house then be there most of the day. Also had good service history. If it hasn't had at least one oil/filter change every year then don't bother. A factory built camper/motorhome will almost certainly have been cherished and driven carefully. After all who's going to spend 60k plus and drive it as though they've stolen it. Some food for thought!!
Why? Surely the money saved can go towards a new clutch, suspension, Injectors etc. I say this, because I can turn spanners!
So do I. Have you attempted to remove the injectors on a m9e engine yet !!
@@daletinsley2954 Yes. I have replaced the Injectors on 5 of these.
I would never spend 30k on a motorhome without warranty,
Defo go to a dealer at least you will have a come back.
Not worth the risk for that sort of money
Your trying hard I like that would be good to see the misses with you to see her take and point of view 😊
lol 😁. My ‘Missus’ is too shy to appear in front of the camera at the moment. But we are going away on a camping holiday in June and I’ve told her she will have to start appearing in my videos then, ready for when we begin touring in a motorhome.
Unless I can persuade her sooner.
Love your channel btw as I’m in the same stage of life as you as taking early retirement this year and my dream has always been to buy a home on wheels and hit the road for as long as l can..
Thanks Terry 👍
Vans have had a very hard life. Motor homes not so I guess
That ford transit camper was unusual having the door on drivers side .
I’m with you with the fixed bed but if it’s just for you I don’t understand going so big, if you plan to live in it full time and not travel very far fine but if you plan to travel you need to think about parking and getting down country lanes etc, and with regards to USB’s etc that can all be fitted quite easily.
Hi Terry. If it was just for me I would go down the converted panel van route. But there will be my partner also. It would also be nice to have one that can accommodate my two young grandsons occasionally, but that would just be a bonus.
Buy at least 2015 or younger to get access to the new Low Emissions Zones in most cities now in the UK and EU.
I'd like to buy such a camper, where can I? But it should be for that low price ...
Thank you
Have tried Highbridge caravans and south coast motorhomes nr Taunton
Yes Paul, check out my previous videos where I visited both Highbridge caravan stores.
£30k you can still buy a house for that in Accrington.
😂
Funny you should say that because a friend bought a used motorhome about 2 years ago now, with only 500 miles on it. He says it cost nearly as much as his house!
That says more about Accrington than anything else 😁
A good strong canvas tent.
I have a very good large tent, and have been a tent camper for 60 years. But a tent isn’t practical for the touring I want to do.
Crap dealer. Bought rubbish off them No comeback
We are looking for our first right now, sub £30k. The only thing we've seen that we could sleep in without going mental are the Murvis. Everything else (like on your vid) have horrible faux wood interiors like a 1995 Skeggy caravan, you can smell the candy floss.
Enjoying your channel but this is my
Price bracket potentially and the choice is a bit disappointing. Thank you for sharing h though!
I know how you feel. I’m still seriously considering buying a decent panel van and have it converted. That size van will probably be more practical for off grid camping too, which is the way I’d prefer to go.
Mondeo, Astra, 3 piece suit
I would definitely pay more money and get a newer van.
With Motorhomes you get what you see and most have very low mileages. Buy what suits you best
Nice review...I've had the opportunity to take VR and early retirement so finish work on the15th May... Ive been looking at all types of motorhomes... ie do I convert a van or buy a ready made camper van? I have looked at the various VW type 4,5,6 vans but finding one with less than 200k miles is rare unless you want to spend 50K... The vans that you have reviewed and similar vans in contrast have much lower miles... I thought about the VW for ease of parking etc... but then I do like my home comforts with a bit of space...Its not a straightforward process picking a van!
It certainly isn’t an easy job choosing a van, and there’s usually a compromise to make. I now know the layout I want and have whittled my choice down to 3 models.
Everything overpliced almost by the double
You don’t get much for that price range. I didn’t like any of them
Lots of nights in hotels.
pretty shabby stuff for the price range[s]..unispiring stock for me ,
Get a van conversion done .cheaper ad yu get wot ya won't. Lol
‘Bathroom’ lmao……..
At the start of the video you said you wanted a 8 or 9 year old van and then just looked around older vans . Could not see the point of you wasting your time .
Motorhome buying is a nightmare . You have to have a priority list and just look at models that fit into that or you will waste weeks/months of your life looking at things you will never buy.. Plus it is good that people buy £90k vans and only do a few miles so we can buy them as 2nd or even third as a low milage van.
Saying that some low millage vans have not gone far but been hammered on camp sites as not moved much used loads.
If anyone is dumb enough to spend that amount of money on a pile of old scrap with outdated interiors then you're lost imo
Some people have no choice but to spend that kind of money on a motorhome, when they don't have a home!
Buy a decent van that is mechanically sound ...£10k ish . Higher mileage on a diesel engine is not a bad thing. From there build your home as you go. Doesn't need to be completed immediately. Live in it, see what layout works. Key is insulation, a leisure battery, solar panel on the roof, decent mattress for decent sleep "The basics", plenty of UA-cam videos of how to fit things.
I moved full time into my van in 2017 slowly built it to my preference. I'm also houseless thank goodness...but I have a beautiful home on wheels.
@@meeeeeebojo Well done you! I cheated & moved into my motorhome a few months ago, bought a Burstner travel van 5 years ago but couldn't do full time due to family commitments.
Agree, much happier out of bricks & mortar!
Bay a pie and stay at home