http://www.englandmotorhomes.com is a site about motorhome hire in the UK. Th supplier, Motorholme use the UK’s largest network of campervans and motorhomes available for rental. If you’d like to hire a motorhome, call FREE (UK) 0800 612 8719 anytime!
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Campervan Hire New Zealand http://www.drivenz.co.nz. We have what we consider is an amazing cheaper alternative – Sleepervans.
But its not about Camper Van Hire New Zealand, its about visiting our incredible country. So click through on the video, and find out more about our amazing country.
DriveNZ Sleepervans – a great alternative to Campervans New Zealand.
Duration : 0:6:17
In the 1970′s, General Motors entered the RV market. Drawing on the exuberance of the times, the company set out to create the ultimate American Motor home.
Their aim was to produce a top-of the-line vehicle with cutting-edge design and construction, not just another competitor in the already crowded vacation vehicle market.
The common design in this era was a boxy, ungainly and top-heavy unit on a truck chassis. The GMC vehicle was intended to be a completely new design in every way.
Design work began in 1970, with the market introduction planned for 1973. “Doesn’t look like a box or ride like a truck” was the GMC ad slogan.
The new vehicle would be unusual for this era in several ways. First of all, it was to have a front wheel drive, a rare concept in cars of that day and unheard-of in mobile homes.
The drive train and suspension were taken from the design of the Oldsmobile Toronado. The 265 horsepower 455 cubic inch Oldsmobile engine was attached to a Turbohydramatic 425 transmission with torsion bar suspension.
The rear suspension was a product of GM’s bus design, using dual swing arms, one leading and one trailing, with a single air spring on each side.
Instead of a auto body steel, the body was to be made of lightweight aluminum and molded fiberglass-reinforced plastic such as was used in the Chevrolet Corvette.
The front wheel drive and independent swing arm rear suspension brought great improvement to the standard motor home design.
The lack of drive shafts and axles underneath the coach allowed a very low floor height, leading in turn to a low overall vehicle height and lower center of gravity.
Aside from easier entry and exit, this reduced rollover risk and wind resistance and made the vehicle much safer and easier to operate for buyers accustomed only to car driving.
A six-wheel braking system, with disc brakes on the front and drum brakes on all four rear wheels, further enhanced drivability. Previous motor home design focused mainly on the use of the vehicle as a temporary home once it had reached its destination, an extended stay in a mobile home park or a camping spot.
Ease of getting to the destination was of secondary concern, and cumbersome handling on the road was taken for granted. GMC made a special point of targeting this feature for improvement by adding visibility from the driver’s seat with a panoramic expanse of glass.
The motor home was featured in 23 foot and 26 foot lengths, fairly small even for this era.
Nowadays, much larger models are common. The motor home’s interior design was compact, with no permanent sleeping areas in the original design. All beds were converted from seating areas when required.
Hot water was provided by water heaters using engine coolant loops, which produced water so hot it could actually present a scalding hazard since coolant temperatures usually exceed 200 degrees Fahrenheit.
The refrigerator was powered by a standard automotive battery, adequate only for overnight use before recharging.
The prototype was first displayed in May 1972 at the Transpro ’72 trade show in Washington, D.C. Production started in 1973 with two models, Model 230 and Model 260, 23 and 26 feet long respectively.
They were sold with a finished interior for the public as well as unfinished to other RV manufacturers such as Avion and Coachman, who then provided their own interiors before reselling to consumers.
30 different floor plans were available, and models were priced from $35,000 to $40,000.
The GMC vehicle changed slightly over time, the most notable alteration coming in 1977 when the 455 cubic inch engine was replaced by a 403 cubic inch model in response to the energy crisis.
This decade caused hardship for all RV manufacturers as the increased price of fuel pushed large gas guzzling vehicles out of the market.
The GMC motor home had never sold at high volumes, and the company decided that the RV production facilities could be more profitably used to make light trucks. After the manufacture of 12,921 vehicles, production of motor homes was discontinued after the 1978 model year.
Almost immediately after production ceased, GMC motor homes became collectors’ items, with owners’ associations being established to provide parts and service for these vehicles.
Small manufacturers and garages developed a cottage industry servicing them. In 1992, as General Motors prepared to scrap all remaining tools and parts, Cinnabar Engineering purchased all the motor home manufacturing supplies and negotiated a deal to continue to provide parts for the discontinued vehicles.
In 1992, a monthly magazine called GMC Motor home Marketplace was introduced, and in 1994 Cinnabar started publishing a quarterly newsletter called GMC Motor home News.
The vehicle’s futuristic design has even found a place in pop culture: Mattel Toys created die-cast versions of the GMC motor home for its Hot Wheels line.
More than 50 different GMC Hot Wheels are available, and in 1977, Mattel released three toy GMC versions in a Barbie Doll Star Traveler promotion.
In an amazing example of customer loyalty and product durability, more than 8,000 units are still registered by owners.
An internet search of “GMC Motor home” produces 771,000 results, as sites advertise motor home parts, engines and upgrades as well as classic car rallies for owners.
Used GMC motor homes sell for $10,000 to $15,000 depending on the condition of the vehicle.
Camping for most people means a tent and sleeping on a mat on the ground. If that doesn’t really appeal to you, then camping in an RV is what you need. It is the ultimate camping adventure.
RV’s come in many sizes and shapes. They start with campers that fit in the back of a pickup truck. These can have full kitchens, beds, a shower and toilet in them.
Next there are van conversions called Class B motorhomes that are basically a cargo van converted into a camping vehicle. These can have a raised roof for more head room. They also contain the same amenities as the truck camper.
Next up is the Class C motorhome. The front end looks like a pickup truck, but the similarity ends there. There is a sleeper extension over the cab and the back end looks like any motorhome you are probably familiar with. Basically a cargo box with windows, but much prettier. The Class C has all the amenities of home. A kitchen, bathroom, bedroom and living room. You could live in a Class C.
The next step us is the Class A motorhome. This is roomiest of all motorized RVs. These motorhomes are like a mini one bedroom apartment. They are fully self contained. From the queen sized bed to the dinette that seats four people you find luxury. A refrigerator and stove are complimented by a microwave oven. You might even have an ice maker capable of making over 20 pounds of ice a day. Party ready!
If that weren’t enough choices, there are still the trailers. First is the travel trailer you can pull behind a larger sedan or SUV. Then the 5th wheel trailer that hooks into the back of a pickup truck. Both of these trailers are equally as luxuriant as the best motorhome. An advantage is they cost a lot less.
You can buy new or used. Whichever way you choose, you should do a lot of research on the internet first. Learn all you can about RVing. There are RV forums that you can find by doing a search in your favorite search engine.
When you decide that an RV might be for you, attend an RV show or two. There are major RV shows at fairgrounds and stadiums where many dealers and vendors are selling every type of RV there is. There are also local RV shows usually put on by one or two dealers to show and sell some of their inventory.
If you really are not sure you would like to spend $40,000 or $250,000 on a hobby you are not sure you would like, buy a used RV. You can get into RVing in a 34 foot used Class A motorhome for under $10,000.
The older and larger the motorhome the less fuel efficient it will be. You may get 5 to 7 miles per gallon on many older motorhomes. 7-9 mpg is realistic for mid 1990′s motorhomes and up to 12 miles a gallon on new ones.
Camping in an RV is a fun adventure awaiting you and your family.
http://www.motorhomesdirect.co.uk Motorhome hire in the UK
Duration : 0:1:38
Original 1971 Dormobile VW camper custom – mint! Available for weekend hire and short breaks. London based Dubhire offer original VW camper vans to hire – perfect for festivals – 6 foot star gazer roof, amp and sub for music lovers, fridges – 7 foot full width bed, thermal window matts. Ideal for a surf trip to cornwall!
Filmed by David Lee of Tiktaa in June 2009
Duration : 0:1:16
I am moving. I have three options. An apartment, A travel trailer, or A house.
An expensive high lined apartment with all the bells and whistles.
A travel trailer fairly new (the kind you go on the road with, option to buy it within a year and own a vacation home !).
A house as a rental, kinda old style, simple, not very snazzy.
Which would you choose and why?
I’m actually torn right now, the apartment is fun, the house is economical (maybe?), the travel trailer I would OWN.
The apartment is possible to lease longer but has no value after a year of payments, the house a possiblity to buy (long commitment.) therefore gaining with the payments but slowly, and travel trailer would be small and cramped but owned and capable of being used for ten more years as a vacation on wheels!
let me clarify, I will rent for the next fifteen years, hubby is Milatary (we have retirement in fifteen years) and I’m not throwing money away, we move every three years, thats alot of work to own a house, can cause huge issues. Taxes, up keep, on a small paycheck. The year of renting happens regardless, the travel trailer would be owned after one year. The house perhaps 1/10 th owned, and the apartment nothing but it offers the nicest amenities and is the most affordable. So, pros and cons besides loss of money (obvious…;} thanks)
Before you listen to all the HOUSE HOUSE HOUSE people, consider that owning is also a liability. Meaning if something breaks you get to fix it. Think increments of thousands. If your budget doesnt allow you to handle that, the house isnt the best way to go. Appreciation isnt guranteed anymore, and its a rough market to sell. I’ve seen transferees have to leave their houses empty on the market around here for nearly a year, and they surely had ot pay to live somewhere else. It is worth checking to see what provisions the military will provide to support transfers. Also how much stuff do you have, how much stuff do you want to haul around with you?
I think I’d choose the apartment if the region had nasty storms, and maybe the travel trailer if i had a nice place to put it and could customize the crap out of it. (again, budget permitting).
If the house was solid, in a nice enough neighborhood and the market was doing ok, then I’d consider the house.
But overall, Id lean towards the apartment. Some else can come fix the toilet. And you get closet space.
Good luck!!
A couple of sites I looked at showed about $450 for a compact, $500 for a standard, and $650 for a large one, PLUS mileage.
When looking to buy a new recreational vehicle think about what you would do if you were going to purchase a new car.
You certainly aren’t going to take the first deal you’re offered. You certainly aren’t going to purchase from the first dealer you visit without comparing prices. You certainly wouldn’t go without any idea of the value of the vehicle beforehand.
It is very important that you go armed with information when you’re thinking about purchasing a new recreational vehicle. This is some serious cash you’re going to be spending and you want to get the best possible deal. Recreational Vehicle dealers must make a large profit on the sale of each vehicle. They don’t sell the numbers that car dealers do so they have to make the maximum mark up on each vehicle.
There are many sites online that can be a help to you with finding the actual MSRP (manufacturers suggested retail price) of a new recreational vehicle. Recreational Vehicle dealers, like car dealers, buy their vehicles wholesale due to the number they buy, they have a fairly wide profit margin generally 15% to 35%. The dealer price you see on the vehicle isn’t necessarily what he has paid for it with incentives he receives from the manufacturer.
Make sure that you visit at least three recreational vehicle dealers with the same or similar vehicle. When you’re spending potentially hundreds of thousands of dollars on a motor home you want to make sure you are getting the best deal. Deals do differ from region to region and from dealer to dealer.
Don’t become attached to any one recreational vehicle. Again, when you’re talking potentially hundreds of thousands of dollars it’s a business deal and not one where you should wear your heart on your sleeve. Remember, this is a new vehicle, and if you bypass this one the factory can always build another exactly like it.
Make sure that you do a little research into the dealers after sales service. Many dealers are your best friends during the deal, but then lose interest in you afterwards. You will want to check with friends and family that own recreational vehicles and perhaps with the Better Business Bureau before you purchase. Also, RV blogs and forums are a good way to get information about a particular dealer.
You will find that any motor home that you buy will come with a warranty of some sort. Of course, the warranty will vary depending on whether you buy new or secondhand. New vehicles will attract a longer term warranty than secondhand vehicles, however, at some point the warranty on either vehicle will expire, leaving you exposed to the risks of paying for expensive repairs should something happen to your vehicle after that expiration. And guess what – something normally does happen!! You can, however, protect yourself against this by taking out an extended warranty on your motor home.
For many motor home owners, an extended warranty provides peace of mind and with companies offering extended warranties directly to owners via the internet premiums have come down a lot, thus making an extended warranty quite reasonable. You will find that dealer’s extended warranties are much more expensive because the insurance companies must raise their price to cover the commission paid to the dealer. Online companies don’t have this commission to pay and can therefore offer a better price.
When buying an extended warranty make sure that you are dealing with a reputable company. The most reputable companies are underwritten by “A” rated insurance companies, rated by Standard & Poor and others. Do not buy a motor home extended warranty from a company that will not disclose the rating of the company that backs the policy. You will find that extended warranties are available on new and used motor homes, however if a vehicle is very old or has very high mileage, you will not be able to take out a motor home extended warranty.
The cost to protect yourself from expensive repairs will vary on motor homes so here are a few guidelines to assist you.
1. Generally, you will pay more for diesel engines and then depending on the location of the engine, you will pay more or less. Generally rear engines are more expensive.
2. Most companies will exclude Renault built engines.
3. Some modifications on engines will void warranty, however the cost of coverage will be more if a turbo charger is added.
4. There will be a surcharge added for every year added over the first few years of age of the vehicle. With mileage, the surcharges will start earlier.
5. Any accessories added such as satellite dishes, TV, stereo etc…will incur a surcharge.
The best way to find out the cost of a motor home extended warranty is to contact a few companies and get a full run down of all aspects of the policy. In this way you can make an informed decision and then choose the policy that you feel suits you best.
You can find more information by clicking on the link in the resource box, or go to: www.motorhomessite.com
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