Indholdsfortegnelse for February 2017 i Practical Motorhome

WHY TOUR HERE? With easy access to the beautiful Ring of Kerry and the rugged Wild Atlantic Way up the west coast, Killarney makes a fantastic base for an Irish tour. It’s also a Mecca for golfers, with the Killarney Golf Club boasting three courses including Killeen pictured here, host venue for the 2010 and 2011 Irish Open on the shore of Lough Leane, with views of the stunning MacGillycuddy’s Reeks mountains WHAT MOTORHOME? Bailey Approach Advance 665…

We enjoyed an armington end-of-season . The break No vember in ‘Mar sun got mad ’, at e Fir a welcome Tree campsite appearance in W , after a d amp and miserable previous day. Tony Jones A peaceful picture taken by my son George at a campsite on the edge of Eguisheim in the A lsace. With beautiful clear skies and little light pollution, y ou can see all the stars. Susan Dibble A shot of the beautiful coastline at Pléneuf-Val-André in Brittany, France. Alan Stephenson We left Sheffi eld in pouring rain, and arriv ed at Lochmaben in Dumfries and Gallo way to a glorious autumn suns et. Dave Hutchinson A stay at the Cheltenham Racecourse Caravan Club site in…

YOUR TOUR Dingle Peninsula DISTANCE 182 miles BESSACARR E795 DURATION 5 nights The beauty and the heritage, and the Dingle peninsula’s constantly changing weather Dover is approximately 320 miles from where we live, but we don’t need to travel that far to go abroad; there’s a ferry just 10 miles down the road at Pembroke Dock, so for one of our tours this year, we chose to visit Ireland over France. We first visited the Irish Republic about 30 years ago, and have returned several times since. The climate in the west of Ireland can be described as temperate and maritime and, since it sits in the Atlantic Ocean and experiences the Gulf Stream, it enjoys quite a lot of rain. However, the fine days of blue sky, white fluffy…

Benimar’s Mileo 313 was a deserving winner of the best family ’van category in our Motorhome of the Year awards 2016. Groups of four or more will warm to the 313’s clever use of space, and the sub-6m body length means it’s easy to pilot, park and pitch, as well as take overseas on ferries. Some would say that overcab coachbuilts have gone out of fashion, but a compact example like the 313 has a lot going for it. Its short body gives it an appealing look, and that double bed and bunks are always ready to be used – ideal after a long slog to your campsite. With a habitation area switched for the UK, a high standard spec including Fiat’s 150bhp engine and family-friendly 500kg user payload for…

‘While most popular commercial sites have great electrical facilities, most of us have at least one favourite site that’s little more than a well-kept field on a cliff-top’ Sceptics will always insist that the only truly quiet generator is one that’s switched off. And even ‘silent generator’ is very much a relative term, referring to units that slip under a certain sound output level. While the majority of sites offer mains hook-up, most of us have at least one favourite place that’s little more than a well-kept field on a cliff-top, or behind a farm or pub. You’re unlikely to find hook-up in such locations – and you certainly won’t if you’re wild camping – which means that you’ll need either a substantial solar set-up, or a generator, to enjoy…

As the new motorcaravanning season approaches, those of us who cannot use our motorhomes all through the year can start thinking about recommissioning our holiday accommodation. Bodywork, mechanicals and batteries, plus the water and gas systems, will need to be checked over. Even if you do use your motorhome all year round, now is still a good time to do some basic checks prior to the season starting in earnest, because it reduces the chances of something going wrong when you’re miles away from civilisation. of removing things you don’t need is that you’ll recover some of that all-important payload. Of course if you have to hibernate your motorhome over winter, the sensible thing would be to empty it first and then restock it at the start of the new…

Can re-upholstering really be done in a day? Yes. There are several firms that can give your motorhome’s tired interior a facelift. We visited Regal Furnishings, based in Ilkeston in Derbyshire, which can transform an interior in just one day, although, larger American-style RVs may take a little longer. Proprietor Barry Hartley reports that Regal’s refurbishment services are continually in demand from owners who have made the decision to reinvest in a sound ’van that’s perhaps is not looking its best. Over time, cushions lose their firmness or collapse and edges often show signs of wear or grubbiness. So how does Regal’s operation work? Customers arrive with their ’vans the day before, so that measurements can be taken and patterns made, if not already held. While this is taking place,…

Marquis Leisure’s South Yorkshire branch is one of the newer outlets in the 11-strong network. Its six-acre site was occupied by South Yorkshire Motorhomes until the end of 2013, with Marquis taking over and re-opening under its own name in time for 2014. Facilities here include some showroom space as well as outdoor displays on two levels, a massive area for parking your vehicles, equally extensive workshops, and a huge storage lot. Branch manager John Ivell also points out the benefits of the three-year Automarq warranty that Marquis provides with every used motorhome that it sells. There’s a difference with the three vehicles we’ve concentrated on this month, because there are still the balances of the initial warranties to consider. However, as John points out: “What we do is make…

STAR LETTER Ben Wooding win Milenco levelling ramps Although I live in a soft-water area, I travel to – and therefore take on water from – locations across the UK and Europe. As a precaution, and in accordance with the instructions for my motorhome’s heating system, I de-scale the boiler from time to time using white wine vinegar. To ensure I have enough in the system, I use around 10 litres. The problem is buying the stuff in large enough quantities – therefore I have just emptied the shelves of my local Tesco, Lidl and Asda of their entire stock of 350ml bottles of white wine vinegar! As if that wasn’t bad enough, while putting 30 bottles into my motorhome’s water tank on my drive, a passer-by enquired why I…

Making a sound investment Price £16.95 (RRP £29.99) Web www.prezzybox.com If you want to amplify audio around your ’van, but you don’t want something bulky to stow that will eat into your payload, this Wireless Touch Speaker could be the answer. And at £16.95 at the time of writing, it’s wallet-friendly, too. It requires just three AA batteries. It’s refreshingly simple to use. Just turn it on, place your phone on top and press play. We found that careful placement of your phone is key to good sound, a smidge left or right of the optimum spot resulting in a noticeable difference. We found we didn’t necessarily need to remove our phone’s case for the speaker to work, either. LP Win show tickets Web www.caravanshowscotland.com Looking to refresh your…

YOUR TOUR County Kerry DISTANCE 242 miles CARTHAGO Chic I47 DURATION 12 days The dramatic coastal scenery, idyllic sandy beaches, ancient sites and Irish charm It all started with a cow. I have vivid memories of a childhood holiday in County Kerry, in which I see white sand beaches and three hills in a row. I remember playing hide and seek in old-fashioned hay ‘stoops’ and learning to milk a cow by hand. I was determined that Geoff and I would visit Kerry on our first motorhome trip to Ireland. But would it prove as idyllic as I remembered? The Ring of Kerry, the famed loop drive around the Iveragh Peninsula, attracts many visitors to the county. We were curious to know whether it lived up to its much-hyped reputation…

Way to go We used the Irish Ferries crossing between Pembroke Dock and Rosslare. The roads can be very narrow, particularly around the Slea Head Drive. Where we stayed Most campsites cost around £25 a night for two with electricity and there are a few pubs with free overnight parking. • Ferrybank Campsite Wexford Swimming Pool & Leisure Ltd Ferrybank, Wexford Tel +353 (0) 53 9185 256 Web www.wexfordswimmingpool.ie Open All year A short walk across Wexford Bridge into town. Site has all the usual facilities, plus a well-equipped campers’ kitchen. • Flesk Caravan and Camping Park Mucross Road, Killarney Tel +353 (0) 64 663 1704 Web www.killarneyfleskcamping.com Open All year Comprehensive campsite facilities, plus nearby Chinese takeaway, a supermarket and the Gleneagles Hotel, which offers 25m indoor pool, children’s splash, jacuzzi,…

Price £60,739 OTR Sleeps 4 Belts 4 Base vehicle Fiat Ducato Engine 2.3-litre turbodiesel, 148bhp, Euro 6 L/W/H 5.98/2.33/3.19m(19’7”/7’8”/10’6”) MTPLM 3500kg Payload 542kg Water (fresh/waste) 150/100 litres Leisure battery 80Ah Gas 2 x 11kg Eura Mobil’s frequent visibility on British roads must be a sign of customer loyalty, because the German company hasn’t had a dealer network in the UK for some years. But Derbyshire-based Geoff Cox is hoping to address the issue; the Eura Mobil models it is taking on for 2017 include this, the Terrestra TA 570 HS, one of an all-overcab range. Family buyers are said to be back in the market, so is it an astute move? Judging on exterior looks alone, perhaps not: the Terrestra has the kind of front bulge that gave overcabs a…

Auto-Sleeper Broadway EK Price From £56,700 OTR Mileage 1480 Economy 25.4mpg Faults None Expenses None For some time now, the touring industry as a whole has been trying to drive more people into the pastime with a campaign called ‘Freedom to Go’, designed to extol the virtues of camping, caravanning and motorcaravanning, rather than pushing one branch of the hobby above the others. In early autumn, the Clements family’s annual long-weekend outing with old friends could have made a perfect poster for the campaign – with five families inhabiting two tents, one campervan, one caravan and a motorhome, in this case the Auto-Sleeper Broadway EK. There was little doubt over who had landed the most luxurious accommodation: although the habitation area is a little narrow, the Broadway is beautifully appointed…

WATER SYSTEMS WHICH VINEGAR WILL CLEAN MY WATER TANKS? On a recent episode of Practical Motorhome TV, Dave mentioned cleaning freshwater tanks using vinegar. Will malt vinegar work and, if so, how much should be used for a 66-litre tank? Tony Hemsley Diamond Dave replies Malt vinegar is probably cheaper than wine vinegar, and works just as well. It does smell stronger and there is the very slight possibility of it tainting the water system, however. A couple of litres is usually enough to thoroughly clean a system: pour it into the tank and then top it up with clean water, drive it around for a mile or two to thoroughly mix the vinegar and water, then run each of the taps in both hot and cold settings until you…

Why buy new when you can buy nearly new? It’s a theme that I’ve explored for my Used ‘Van Challenge this month (p78). As you’ll see, it could save you thousands of pounds. The bigger bargains are always on the secondhand market, where any initial depreciation has been wiped away. Some useful extras may well have been added, and any manufacturing niggles rectified. This is an ideal time to pick up a nearly new model – an ex-demonstrator from a bigger dealership, or something that’s had one owner but has been traded back in. Just don’t let the savings cloud your vision: – ensure that it’s the right vehicle for you. Reliance Caravan and Motorhome Services is an all-new name on the motorhome-servicing front, but it has the backing of…

On holiday in California recently, I was very impressed with the touring infrastructure for motorhomes. With so many ‘campgrounds’ to choose from in state and national parks, visiting major attractions like the Redwoods and Yosemite in a recreational vehicle really is a no-brainer. Given the high cost of some bricks and mortar accommodation, one can see why it’s so popular. The road system in California features ‘turnout’ lanes on tourist routes, so RV users can pull over and let build-ups of traffic pass them safely. Space isn’t at a premium in the US, of course, but wouldn’t it be good to have something like turnouts included in future improvement schemes for our main holiday routes? It would certainly ease congestion – and frustration – during peak-time periods. On behalf of…

Price From £58,990 OTR Sleeps 2 Belts 2 Base vehicle VW T6 LWB Engine 2.0-litre turbodiesel, 140bhp; 6-speed DSG transmission L/W/H 5.4/2/2.5m (17’7”/6’5”/8’2”) MTPLM 3000kg Payload 700kg Water (fresh/ waste) 23/0 litres (no waste-water tank) Leisure battery 95Ah Gas 1 x 6kg The owner and founder of Leisuredrive, Derek Andrews, has almost five decades of industry experience. The company has been in business for 48 years, and prides itself on being one of the UK’s longest-established converters. The factory has recently been doubled in size, as the firm has flexed up to service a growing order book. Primarily converting on VW units, the Leisuredrive team can build to a customer’s specifications using pre-owned as well as brand new panel vans. Leisuredrive also manufactures its own furniture and GRP high-tops. Leisuredrive’s…

Benimar Tessoro 481 Price £45,995 OTR Mileage 1118 Economy 26.2mpg Faults Drop-down bed isn’t elevating properly Expenses None The latest Benimar to join our fleet was to be pressed into service almost immediately with a tour of the Loire Valley, but first it had to be collected from Marquis Leisure’s South Yorkshire branch at Dinnington. This involved a six-hour round trip but it gave me a chance to get used to the Benimar before I took it to France. Benimar’s Tessoro range slots in under Mileo and is based on the Ford Transit. Measuring a whisker under 6m long, the 481 is the smallest in the line-up and weighs in at 3500kg fully laden. Essentially, it’s designed to appeal to couples, but will easily sleep four people. During the handover…

Instant recognition of the Laika name and its distinctive logo might depend on which generation you belong to: the Russian stray dog, after which it’s named, was the first living creature to orbit the earth back in 1957. This Italian motorhome manufacturer’s roots go back to 1964, though, and it’s been designing and building A-class models for 40 years. Export to the UK has been sporadic; the first company to import them in any number was Lowdham Leisureworld. Originally they were only available in left-hand drive, with the conversion ‘handed’ for Europe. This made the decision to import them a brave one – although Lowdhams has never been shy in pushing the boundaries, and it was rewarded with praise from both press and purchasers alike. With the possible exception of…

HOW IT WORKS 1 MAX WEIGHT The Maximum Technically Permissible Laden Mass (MTPLM) is the most that a ’van is allowed to weigh when fully loaded. If you obtained your driver’s licence after 1 January, 1997, you’re restricted to driving motorhomes up to 3500kg MTPLM, unless you take a re-test. 2 BERTHS & SEATS Bear in mind that not all motorhomes have the same number of belted seats as they do sleeping berths. You’ll need to make sure that you have sufficient belted seats to carry as many people as you intend to tour with. Our buyer’s guide lists front-facing or rear-facing seats with lap belts as well as three-point belts. 3 LAYOUT Deciding which layout suits you best is probably the most important factor in choosing a motorhome. In…

Long ago, my first husband hired an old VW camper, in which we toured Scotland. That started my longing to have one… I had this idea about having a mini-van, with a mattress and a gas ring in the back, and getting back to Scotland; sadly, it never came off. The years passed, I remarried, and we became caravanners. On a trip back from Scotland, we passed what would have been a wonderful wild camping spot if we’d had a motorhome. It started us thinking, so we looked at a few. One small problem: we needed around £20,000 to buy one, and the money we had was locked into a long-term investment. We didn’t win the lottery, but the Halifax contacted us and said we could re-invest our money for…