Motorhoming through France

ivanthereasonable said:
Well obviously he has to wear the gloves, or no-one would know he was there. I remember David McCallum as the invisible man. I 'm still amazed how they managed to get his clothes to walk about.

It'd be interesting to calculate how much they depreciate in value. Theres a place on the main road through Birtley that sells them. They may even hire them, not sure. Gone past a few times on my bike and stopped to look at the prices.Don't recall seeing any for less than £21k. Find out that models new price and work it out from the year. Probably get them a bit cheaper if you buy private. I would think any Diesel ones might be cheaper, given that they are being fazed out. Theres a few along our road. If you buy, then you need to stick it on your drive all year, or pay for storage.
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I paid £15k for mine. Was a 2004, and I bought it about 2012. Had it for 3 years, and sold it for £15k.

Albeit I'd spent £2k on air con and cruise control to be retrofitted. (No way I was driving all the way to southern spain without AC and cruise!)
 


PTR said:
I paid £15k for mine. Was a 2004, and I bought it about 2012. Had it for 3 years, and sold it for £15k.

Albeit I'd spent £2k on air con and cruise control to be retrofitted. (No way I was driving all the way to southern spain without AC and cruise!)
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Thats good going. Well done.
 
Flared Hicks said:
If you’re paying tolls, you’re doing it wrong.
Other than that you can’t go far wrong whichever route you choose. West coast as said previously for the beaches, central for rivers, vineyards, fields of sunflowers and lavender, east for mountains.
Have a rough plan but be prepared to wing it and play it by ear and you won’t go far wrong.
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Some tolls are worth paying, but not many. Sometimes extra miles and time make a few quid worthwhile. Especially if you're trying to cover large distances as quickly as possible
Bob Fleming said:
About what I was getting towing with a 2010 XC90.
Picked up a VW T6 last month. Getting over 40 with it which is great but that's empty at the moment so would expect a bit less with conversion and the family in.
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I really fancy a converted VW. Maybe a splitty T2 though. Mind a T6 could be my daily driver and my day van......
 
PTR said:
I really fancy a converted VW. Maybe a splitty T2 though. Mind a T6 could be my daily driver and my day van......
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That's what I've done. Got rid of my car and just drive this. Can get the two kids in the front at the moment and I will convert next year.
So far so good. Need to get it lowered mind as rocked up to a car park the other week which I had to back out of. And it's a LWB as well so street parking isn't so easy where busy. But I reckon the extra space of the LWB will be well worth it once I've got it done.
 
Bob Fleming said:
That's what I've done. Got rid of my car and just drive this. Can get the two kids in the front at the moment and I will convert next year.
So far so good. Need to get it lowered mind as rocked up to a car park the other week which I had to back out of. And it's a LWB as well so street parking isn't so easy where busy. But I reckon the extra space of the LWB will be well worth it once I've got it done.
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Oh aye, if its for a camper, you have to go lwb. I'd probably want front and rear parking sensors mind :lol:
 
PTR said:
Some tolls are worth paying, but not many. Sometimes extra miles and time make a few quid worthwhile. Especially if you're trying to cover large distances as quickly as possible

I really fancy a converted VW. Maybe a splitty T2 though. Mind a T6 could be my daily driver and my day van......
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If you're pelting down toll roads then the end point is the goal rather than the journey, and I agree if that's the aim. Driving through France on the back roads is what it's all about. 9 times out of 10 there's the "old road" which winds and criss crosses back & forward over the toll road.

August is mental in France the first & last weeks as they all pile off on their summer breaks on top of all the tourist traffic from other countries. La Rentrée, when they all head back for the start of the new school year is definitely to be avoided if at all possible.

One other thing to keep an eye on is what happens in the next few weeks re: Brexit. You may need to plan ahead for a European driving license (in the old days there were different ones for France & Spain, green card insurance and health/travel insurance as the EHIC may or may not be valid. Also gen up on requirements such as need to carry a gilet jaune, alcohol breath testers, triangle pack etc. Your hiring company should be able to help with most of this.
 
PTR said:
Some tolls are worth paying, but not many. Sometimes extra miles and time make a few quid worthwhile. Especially if you're trying to cover large distances as quickly as possible

I really fancy a converted VW. Maybe a splitty T2 though. Mind a T6 could be my daily driver and my day van......
Click to expand...
Aye need to remember that the motorhome the op is using is over 3mtrs. high, group 3 on the peage. A lot of the big supermarket car parks are barred off at 2 mtrs. max. which can make shopping difficult, the reason why most of the traveller lads are towing low line caravans with Vito vans.
Got all the way down the Western Sahara in my old 72 combi early 90's, spent 2 years on the road, would love to do it all again.
 
black cat in france said:
Aye need to remember that the motorhome the op is using is over 3mtrs. high, group 3 on the peage. A lot of the big supermarket car parks are barred off at 2 mtrs. max. which can make shopping difficult, the reason why most of the traveller lads are towing low line caravans with Vito vans.
Got all the way down the Western Sahara in my old 72 combi early 90's, spent 2 years on the road, would love to do it all again.
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The one I went in was the style "coachbuilt" style. I had no bother anywhere tbh.
 
black cat in france said:
Aye need to remember that the motorhome the op is using is over 3mtrs. high, group 3 on the peage. A lot of the big supermarket car parks are barred off at 2 mtrs. max. which can make shopping difficult, the reason why most of the traveller lads are towing low line caravans with Vito vans.
Got all the way down the Western Sahara in my old 72 combi early 90's, spent 2 years on the road, would love to do it all again.
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Think I might need to take a push bike with a basket on lol
 
Drive down the west coast of France some lovely places en route, Nantes
La Rochelle, Bordeaux, Biarritz, San Sebastián......plenty of campsites along the way
 
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PTR said:
I paid £15k for mine. Was a 2004, and I bought it about 2012. Had it for 3 years, and sold it for £15k.

Albeit I'd spent £2k on air con and cruise control to be retrofitted. (No way I was driving all the way to southern spain without AC and cruise!)
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Air con unit installed on the roof? Or thru the cab?
Just about to start converting a Jumbo Transit and this is something I’ve been looking into.
 
Westoe SAFC said:
Air con unit installed on the roof? Or thru the cab?
Just about to start converting a Jumbo Transit and this is something I’ve been looking into.
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On the roof. Rhino Installs did the work. Cost a couple of grand. Worked well when stationary, but useless when driving in 25+C sunny weather.
 

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