Indholdsfortegnelse for March 2020 i Practical Motorhome

Motorhome Rimor Seal 5 Duration 17 days When Spring 2019 Why? There’s no better way to explore the scenery, history and vibrant culture of this fabulous island Walking along a main street in the historic quarter of Habana Vieja, I found myself often smiling at nobody in particular, but with a sense of joie de vivre (or perhaps that should be vitalidad) from the outgoing, friendly Cuban people, the rhythms of live dance music drifting from the bars and side streets, and the wonderful, sultry spring weather. Gary and I were in the capital, Havana, for a few nights sightseeing before collecting our motorhome for a 17-day adventure touring west and central Cuba. Never heard of hiring a camper in Cuba? No, neither had we, but there’s a new government…

● WHO ARE YOU? Andria Massey, Footpath Secretary and Access Officer Ynys Mon Ramblers Group, and freelance photographer. ● WHY ARE YOU A LOCAL AUTHORITY ON ANGLESEY? I holidayed in Wales from childhood, so when I retired in 2004 there was a strong pull to settle here. I chose the Isle of Anglesey. ● WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT IT? It has everything, from Blue Flag Beaches to high cliffs, 30 miles of the All Wales Coastal Path, lighthouses and historic sites. It is only 30 minutes from Snowdonia National Park. The people are friendly, it has a fairly low level of crime and the food is fabulous. ● WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE PLACE TO VISIT IN THE AREA? South Stack, with its 1809 lighthouse on Ynys Lawd. This is accessed…

Third longest A-road in Britain at 284 miles long, connecting London at Hounslow to Land’s End SERVICES PENHALE • Where TR9 6NA Between Bodmin and Redruth Single site at junction with B3275 • Operated by Kingsley Village Shopping Centre/Shell • Parking Plenty of spaces behind the McDonald’s Drive Thru area and the surf centre. There’s no dedicated motorhome parking • Catering Cookhouse & Pub, McDonald’s Drive Thru • Amenities M&S, Next, TK Maxx, Mountain Warehouse, Starbucks, McDonald’s • Forecourt Shell, Autogas LPG, Select, Deli, Costa Express, AdBlue, car wash UPCOMING ROADWORKS Chiverton to Carland Cross dual-carriageway is scheduled to start 2019/2020 and to complete 2022/2023 SERVICES BODMIN MOOR • Where PL15 7RR Between Launceston and Bodmin Located at junction with B3257 • Operated by MFG • Parking Plenty of space…

A new ’van conversion with a raised double bed at the rear, and a new low-profile with face-to-face seating at the front, are among launches that Italian brand Laika will be making at the CMT show in Stuttgart in January. One half of the double on the new Laika Kosmo Campervan 6.3 slides under the other, to access the cabinets below and create a rear dinette. The new Kosmo 909L low-profile features two single beds in the rear, both more than 2m long, as well as face-to-face seating in the back. Laika is also launching the new raising-roof now available on all of its Fiat-based van conversions. Accessed via a removable ladder, the roof comes with three opening windows. Hymer, meanwhile, is to launch an 8.89m-long model in its B-ML…

You really have to work to earn your spurs in the motorhome market. In the case of Murvi, consider them well and truly gained. The Devon-based independent is into its fourth decade as a producer of premium van conversions and in that time, it’s been the winner of numerous Owner Satisfaction awards from the readers of Practical Motorhome. So, what about the Pimento XL? It’s a two-berth, reviewed here based on Ford’s Transit and boasting all the usual Murvi traits of quality build, plenty of style, and the back-up of impeccable customer care. In this latest guise, a considerable tweak to the seating means you can have a choice of sleeping arrangements – two single beds or a double. In either case, there’s enough space to access the washroom and…

It rained, it poured, and for a while I thought I was going to be cut off by rising waters and stranded at Derby station in my efforts to pick up our new long-term-test motorhome. But mainly thanks to the incredibly helpful people at Geoff Cox Leisure, who came back from having braved the floods once already to let us in, we eventually drove off with the ’van in question, an Adria Coral 600 SL Axess. A new inclusion in the line-up this season, the 6.99m-long 600 SL features fixed single beds over a garage at the back, and an L-shaped front dinette with an extra fold-out seat by the door. Thanks to its relatively short length and the fact that it is in Axess spec, this is the only…

As a motorhome dealership, the premises here on the outskirts of Warminster in Wiltshire date back to 2002. But there’s a new title up on the boards these days – that of The Motorhome Showroom. That’s the name of the dealership headed by Andy Cahill, who spent some 20 years before this working with the previous company here, Webbs Motor Caravans. Don’t worry, it was all done amicably. As Andy (pictured) explains, it was an “asset purchase” of stock, use of the site and goodwill, although the change of business owners meant that a new database of customers had to be set up, as under GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation), they couldn’t retain the database of the previous business. “We’ve been operating as The Motorhome Showroom since September 2018, and…

2014 (14) HILLSIDE BIRCHOVER ACTION At five years old and looking for its third owner, this is a good, solid used buy from a company that’s really come to the fore of the campervan sector in the past decade. Proven – and clearly upmarket – fittings such as the SCA roof and RIB rear seat hold this kind of conversion in good stead. This is not your typical Birchover, however. It’s the now-defunct Action variant, featuring a slimmer side furniture unit that allows the fitting of a three-person rear seat which, in turn, means a wider double bed. There’s a smaller sink than the norm, too, although the cooking facilities still allow a two-burner hob. The hinged section at the front end of the furniture unit opens to reveal the…

The Tribute name was first used by Trigano on a range of Fiat Ducato-based, high-top panel van conversions built in Italy and imported into the UK. In the summer of 2010, Auto-Trail (also part of the global Trigano Group) caused a major stir among fellow manufacturers and potential customers alike. The surprise (and for once not leaked!) was a range of Tribute-badged Luton overcab coachbuilts based on the third-generation (Mk 6) front-wheel-drive Ford Transit chassis-cab, and built at the company’s state-of-the-art Europarc factory. ‘Excellence through design’ was the strapline on the launch adverts and brochures. While that might have been just PR folk’s fluff and puff, there was no doubting the relevance of the range. The 2007 banking crisis and the subsequent recession had taken many casualties among motorhome converters,…

‘After disconnecting the pipe at regulator and manifold, it was blown through with compressed air and a big splodge of oily goo came out’ THE MYSTERY OF THE REGULATOR We see a wide variety of gas-related problems in the workshop – usually to do with specific appliances, such as fridges not cooling, cooker rings not staying lit, gas regulators clogging up with oily residue and so on – but I recently came across one case that foxed me for a while. The customer reported that the gas regulator was “knocking”, which is a fault I’ve never encountered before; but sure enough, on testing it, there was definitely a noise, and it was apparently coming from the regulator. Our best guess for the cause was contamination in the regulator causing it…

Things were different before the Trafic and the Master. In those days, Renault’s predominant light-commercial vehicle was the distinctively styled Estafette (1). This quaint-looking load-lugger was powered by a tiny 845cc engine that was destined for the company’s Dauphine passenger car. The van was a success, available in four body styles and four factory colours: grey, orange blue and yellow. It was produced in several countries from its 1959 launch right up to 1980, when the French giant launched its new double act. The Trafic was possibly the first van of its type to have ‘raked’ front styling (2), strikingly setting it apart from the competition. It was powered by a 1397cc or 1647cc petrol or diesel engine. A winning formula Other than engine power upgrades, the Trafic remained virtually…

So, does it really make that much of a difference, what the interior colour scheme of your motorhome looks like, when on holiday, you spend the majority of your time outside? We have put this question to ourselves on many occasions since we heard the news that our new ’van had inadvertently been upholstered in a different choice of material from the one we had originally specified. Better quality This admission came with the positive note from the dealership, that the fabric they fitted was in fact harder-wearing, of a much better quality, and consequently, more expensive. But we were not expected to pay the revised price if we agreed to accept their error. At the time, we convinced ourselves that we were actually much better off – the cheaper,…

Financing your purchase Financing your purchase is often easier than paying one lump sum, but be careful not to spend more than you mean to. Think about your monthly income and outgoings. How much is left to pay for the motorhome? Don’t forget to budget for annual servicing, insurance, and storage if you don’t have space at home. Dealers will offer finance packages, but compare the interest rates with a personal loan. A few minutes online will give you a clear idea of how much you’d have to pay each month if borrowing from a bank rather than arranging finance through a dealer. Carefully consider the size of the deposit and the whole cost of the loan, not just the monthly payments. Paying more up front or spreading the cost…

Coordinates 22°04’00.0”N; 81°02’00.0”W Why tour here? Cuba is a dream destination for many, and it also makes a brilliant place to explore in a motorhome. Gary Blake and Wendy Johnson did just that in a rental ’van for our Grand Tour this month – you’ll find it on p24 – and along the way they discovered stunning vintage cars, welcoming people, glorious beaches, and so much more. Don’t miss… Playa Coco, part of Playa Giron, is on the eastern side of the infamous Bahia de Cochinos (Bay of Pigs); it’s an area renowned for excellent diving and snorkeling. Photographer Gary Blake…

1 Our first motorhome holiday to France in September. We found this serene campsite near Mayenne, Le Parc de Vaux, on the banks of the Varenne. An idyllic spot. Colin Western 2 Taken during our tour to Sicily – we visited the town of Cefalù after staying a couple of nights at Camping Sanfilippo. David Johnson 3 Some fantastic items on sale in this shop in Dinan, Brittany. If only it had been open, we would certainly have bought the little yellow ’van! Tony George 4 Even wet days in the camper can provide some photographic inspiration! I always keep my camera ready, just in case. Sophie Dodds Email your pictures and their stories (40 words, plus name, address and contacts) to hotshots@practicalmotorhome.com. The best photo will win these guides:…

CAN YOU SOLVE THE MYSTERY OF OUR FAILING FRIDGE? Q Would you have any idea where I can get advice on a continuing problem with our motorhome fridge? The fridge is an automatic-energy selection unit fitted in a Fiat-based coachbuilt. The fuse on the leisure battery melts, which stops the fridge working. I have consulted various auto electricians, but nobody seems to have any solutions. I have checked the voltage at the fuse – it seemed low, at 5.5V. The fault occurs intermittently. I have owned the ’van for 13 years and it has happened on about six occasions. My leisure batteries do not last long, either; the most recent started giving off fumes last week, at a year old. Ron P A Gentleman Jack answers… This sounds irritating, but…

WAY TO GO The best time to visit Cuba is from November to May, so you can avoid the heat and the hurricanes. We went in March. We flew KLM via Amsterdam in Economy ‘Comfort’, giving extra legroom and seat recline. Virgin Atlantic flies direct from the UK in 10.5 hours. WHERE WE STAYED We booked the ’van through Cuba on the Road, via Daiquiri Tours (www.daiquiricuba.comand www.cubaontheroad.com). Our motorhome was a 2017 7.15m-long Rimor Seal 5, with a 2.3-litre diesel engine, and based on the Fiat Ducato. The overcab model slept four adults and two children. Providing kitchen, washroom with shower, and seating area, it was equipped with bedding, towels, kitchenwares, gas cylinder, and outdoor chairs and table. The vehicle also had air conditioning, a hot-water system and an…

Motorhome Swift Bessacarr Duration 3 days When Autumn 2019 Why? Remarkable vistas, gorgeous beaches, and lots of activities to keep the whole family entertained Although I must have viewed Durdle Door a thousand times in pictures, as we stroll down the gravel path towards the beach, I can see it in a new light and from very different angles. There are other visitors at the viewing point below us, and they help to add a spectacular sense of scale and depth to this dramatic vista. The sun has just set over Weymouth Bay and the Isle of Portland, away in the distance, and an ethereal glow bathes the vast limestone arch protruding out into the sea. After a warm day, the cooling air is clear, the sea is a translucent…

Motorhome Bailey Advance 76-4 Duration 4 days When Winter Why? To appreciate the joys of getting back to nature and learn new skills along the way There’s something quite magical about planning a major motorhome trip: sitting late into the night with an assortment of maps and books, reading fellow travellers’ blogs and tales, slowly piecing together a detailed itinerary that will take us far from home. From the moment the process begins, the excitement gradually builds. The allure of discovering foreign lands, the prospect of tasting exotic foods, the warm anticipation of stolen moments of escapism. They all add to the thrill of the experience long before we set off. Contrary to popular belief, however, we don’t need to travel thousands of miles over several weeks to have an…

VW’s Grand California reaches 1000 Volkswagen has already produced its 1000th Grand California camper. Production of the Crafter-based vehicle started in the spring, but already the 1000th model, a Grand California 600, in candy white/ cherry red two-tone finish, has been delivered to a customer in Germany. Your own roof terrace up for grabs A bespoke ’van with its own roof terrace was under the hammer as we went to press, expected to fetch around £250,000. The Nomad was built by Whittaker Coachbuilders in 2016 with an eye on the ski season. It also has a large heated wet locker, and a wine cooler.…

Dress for your activity Your choice of clothing will depend massively on which activities you’re taking part in. If you’re climbing Mount Snowdon, even in freezing temperatures, you’re unlikely to feel cold while you’re on the move. If you’re immobile for any length of time, sitting in a birdwatching hide or stood around a telescope in the dark of night, the cold will inevitably seep in, starting with your extremities. Pick your clothing accordingly, and consider taking extra layers, which can be thin and lightweight, but will still be effective. Static activities can also be made much more comfortable by adding hand-warmers to your kit. Waterproof There’s a small but very important difference between ‘waterproof’ and ‘water-resistant’ outdoor clothing. For the serious outdoor enthusiast who heads into the hills in…

2014 (14) HILLSIDE BIRCHOVER ACTION > Price now £32,995 > Price new £36,000 (est) > Base VW TransporterT5 Highline > Engine 2-litre turbodiesel, 102bhp > First registered March 2014 > Mileage 55,600 > Berths/travel seats 4/5 > L/W/H 4.89/1.91/2.00m > Extras Awning, bike rack, roof bars, Eberspächer heater, upper-level shelving > MTPLM 2800kg > Payload 600kg (est) + Plus points Quality conversion fittings and work, five travel seats - Minus points Wider seat/bed means less furniture/storage space…

2016 (66) DAYSTAR VENTURE This is a bit of an unknown quantity to me. It comes from Daystar Campers of Matlock, Derbyshire. It looks great, for sure. Items such as the paintwork, body kit, front grille enhancements and those 20in alloy wheels are all show-stopping stuff. The orange-coloured exterior detailing continues inside, too, where there’s a standard side-furniture format with the usual two-ring gas hob and sink combination, plus Dometic three-way fridge and a rail attachment for the table. Seating looks very nicely trimmed, but note those aren’t standard Volkswagen seats at the front. Also, the short backrest of the rear seat suggests it’s more suited to small children than full-size adults. What’s more, the flooring seems to be of the rather slippery, domestic-style vinyl kind. But neat touches include…

Budget available .................£6000 all-up Expenses so far LDV Maxus minibus .......................£3200 Cable grommets, connectors............. £70 230V hook-up kit and flush-mounted exterior socket .................................. £70 Rooflights x 2.....................................£85 Timber framing and ply sheets ........£320 Insulation (Dacron and Celotex)........ £101 Solar panel including regulator and monitor .................................... £235 Fabric roof trim, Trim-Fix adhesive....£82 Paint..................................................£64 LED lighting ....................................... £73 Upholstery foam and covers (including labour) ............................£363 Curtains (inc labour and rails).......... £275 Compressor fridge, frame, 230V adaptor and vents ..................£645 Porta Potti 365 ..................................£85 Rabbitgoo........................................... £17 Hobs.................................................. £23 Consumables (including drill bits, fixings and Sikaflex) .......................... £175 Adjustments (see Note 1 below)....... £150 Grand total ....... £6033 (£33 over budget) Note 1: Items already in our possession (removed from Peanuts 2): Zig unit, sink, tap, water porter, some LED luminaires and leisure batteries.…

The Omnivent (incorporating a multispeed fan) on our project ’van must be at least 18 years old. Over the years, the weather has taken its toll on the outer cover, to the point that it looks the worse for wear, and a hole has appeared on one corner because the plastic is brittle. There’s nothing wrong with the rest of the unit, other than the need for a good clean, so rather than replacing it, I looked at fitting a new cover. Although the basic design of the Omnivent hasn’t changed much, I wanted to replace like for like, so needed an opaque cover, rather than one of the later, transparent ones. First, find a cover I started the hunt for a ‘new’ cover, which took me to SFM Caravans…

> Price £155,400 OTR > Sleeps 4 > Belts 4 > Base vehicle Mercedes Sprinter > Engine 3.0-litre 190bhp Euro 6 > Length/width/height 8.04/2.30/3.23m (26’5”/7’7”/10’7”) > MTPLM 5500kg > Payload 986kg > Water (fresh/waste) 270/130 litres > Leisure battery 2 x 110Ah > Gas TBC There is a good reason why the Platins, such as this island-bed model, seem so astronomically more expensive than the more conventional Frankia motorhomes: they are equipped with everything you would need to live off-grid for several days at a stretch, including inverters and huge water tanks.…

letter of the month We recently purchased a new Swift C402, with a Dometic RMS 8406 fridge/freezer. The Swift will live on our drive, which has a fall of about eight degrees. I was keen to know the working tolerance of the fridge, as we pre-chill overnight on the mains before loading food on the day of departure. The fridge in our previous ’van worked on this slope (powered by the mains), even though its tolerance was six degrees side-to-side and three fore-and-aft. I searched the instructions for the Dometic, but could find no reference to such figures. I couldn’t find them online, either, so I filled in the contact form on the company’s support page, asking for guidance. Three days later, I had a reply, saying this type of…

Sungood Solar Cooker Harness natural power with this eco-friendly outdoor cooker. It might take a bit more time, but you can savour the process. Price £69 Web www.solarbrother.com Heat Holders Snuggle Ups Curl up in comfort in your motorhome with this soft and warm blanket - the perfect companion to a cup of tea and a good book. Price £26.99 Web www.heatholders.co.uk VIOFO dash cam The A129 Pro Duo 4k has clear night vision and uses Wi-Fi for quick data transfer, so you can watch live video on your phone. Price £229.99 Web www.amazon.co.uk Stay on charge on tour This clever RFiD wallet has an integrated charger pocket and powerpack to boost your phone’s charge on long journeys. Price £22.99 Web www.lifeventure.com Sophie Allport boot bag No need to muddy…

1 Claudia Dowell It’s not so very long ago that my visits to Scotland numbered just one, to the Isle of Bute. However, since my trip to Fort William in January a few years back – the journey was beautiful – and more recently, an autumn tour to Speyside and the Cairngorms, where the spectacular scenery simply took my breath away, I have become a bit of a fan of this beautiful part of the world. This year, I want to visit Inverness. From there, I will be able to explore Loch Ness and the Highlands, look out for dolphins in the Moray Firth and enjoy the heritage and culture of a very cosmopolitan city. And if time allows, I might even drive a little of the popular North Coast…

January 16-19 January Shopping for a new motorhome, awning or accessory? Then head to Manchester’s EventCity Caravan and Motorhome Show 2020, and take advantage of show-only discounts from the region’s dealers. If you’re new to touring, you’ll find plenty of support and advice, and you’ll get more from expert speakers at the Food and Travel stage. With more than 200 exhibitors, there’s plenty to peruse, and parking at the venue is free. 21 January - 9 February It only happens once every 76 years, but the Chinese New Year and Burns Night will align on 25 January, and Edinburgh is celebrating with a festival. On the agenda are ceilidhs, beginning with Chinese drumming, Chinese and Scottish traditional music, whisky tours conducted in Mandarin, giant lanterns, concerts, feasts and workshops. For…

Motorhome Swift Kon-tiki Duration 9 days When Christmas and New Year 2018 Why? Fresh air, great scenery and good food, all you need for celebrations Finding a campsite open in winter isn’t easy in France, but there are numerous aires. My friend Raphael and I decided to spend Christmas and New Year on the beautiful island of Noirmoutier, just off the north-western coast, where a fellow motorcaravanner had told us there was an excellent aire. Just 80 miles from my home, this seemed an ideal off-season choice. Raphael arrived early on Christmas Eve in his Kon-tiki motorhome, accompanied as always by his dog, Altor, and we were en route by 8am. The roads were quiet as we crossed the Loire via the spectacular Saint-Nazaire Bridge. We followed the Route Bleue,…

WHERE WE STAYED • Durdle Door Holiday Park Main Road, West Lulworth, Wareham BH20 5PU Tel 01929 400 200 Web durdledoor.co.uk Open 31 October - 1 March Touring pitches 57 Charges Pitch+2+2+hook-up £18-£60 This is a sizeable campsite, with a wide range of accommodation that includes holiday homes, camping pods, cabins and cottages, as well as plenty of touring pitches. The park’s excellent facilities include a bar and restaurant, shop, play areas with cable rides and football facilities, and immaculate washblocks. The site is also blessed with a stunning clifftop location, which offers staircase access to the fine beach at Durdle Door. WHEN TO GO Spring and autumn will be less busy if you are staying at the Durdle Door Holiday Park. If you’re thinking of visiting in winter, Hunter’s…

WAY TO GO Route Horsham – Rodmersham Green – Bearsted – Farningham – Battle – Lower Beeding – Brighton – Nutley – Horsham WHERE WE STAYED We used sites from the Caravan and Motorhome Club’s extensive network. Web www.caravanclub.co.uk • Bearsted Caravan Club Site Ashford Rd, Hollingbourne, Maidstone, Kent ME17 1XH Tel 01622 730 018 Open 13 March 2020 - 6 January 2021 • Battle Normanhurst Court Caravan Club Site Stevens Crouch, Battle, East Sussex TN33 9LR Tel 01424 773 808 Open 13 March - 2 November 2020 • Brighton Caravan Club Site East Brighton Park, Wilson Avenue, Brighton BN2 5TS Tel 01273 626 546 Open All year FIND OUT MORE • Bakery Course Run by Monique Bonney at Green Cottages Kitchen Web www.green-cottages.com/baking • Foraging Guided by Gavin from…

Italian brand Mobilvetta was brought back to the UK by Marquis Leisure a few seasons ago. Initially, the only models were its Tekno Line K Yacht A-classes, until last year saw the arrival of three Kea P low-profiles. This season, the Kea Ps are back, with a new selling point – a habitation door on the right side for UK drivers. The layouts are the same. We’re taking a look at the P65, with fixed single beds. Despite its 7.38m length, you won’t necessarily have a struggle driving this, as Marquis has had all the Mobilvettas it sells fitted with the more powerful 160bhp Fiat Ducato engine. The cab is standard Fiat, although the brown plastic trim on the dashboard looks a bit cheap and out of keeping. Just as…

2001 (Y) AUTO-SLEEPER TOPAZ > Price now £21,995 > Price new £32,293 > Base Volkswagen Transporter T5 > Engine 2.5-litre TD, 102bhp > First registered September 2001 > Mileage 62,953 > Berths/travel seats 2/3 > L/W/H 5.20/1.94/2.56m > Extras Twin-lens reversing camera, running boards, reversing sensors, solar panel, awning > MTPLM 3500kg > Payload 1157kg + Plus points Superior quality conversion work, brand pedigree - Minus points Faded upholstery, interior a bit dated in places…

2001 (Y) AUTO-SLEEPER TOPAZ These days, you’ll struggle to find an automatic Topaz, like this one, from this, the era of the T4 Transporter. This dates back to a time when Auto-Sleepers could lay claim to being the UK’s leading exponent of campers based on the VW. Using the long-wheelbase Transporter gave the few extra inches needed to include an end washroom, complete with hand-held shower, bench toilet and drop-down basin. It was never going to be the roomiest, but all of the facilities are provided. It’s a high-top, too, with all of the extra headroom and storage space that brings. The rest of the floorplan isn’t conventional ’camper, either. There’s a galley kitchen – cooker with two-ring hob and grill on the nearside, fridge and sink with separate drainer…

Well… we made it. Daughter Kate ‘took delivery’ of the Maxus on the promised date and the project came breathtakingly close to being on-budget. At the time of writing we have owned the Maxus for 11 months. It is occasionally used as a family car and load lugger, but it’s as an affordable high-top campervan for days out, weekends and holidays away where it has excelled. We have called it the Maxus Monterey but (almost inevitably, given the existence of its predecessor) it’s known as Peanuts (the third). The conversion is finished to the original spec, though we would like to add a diesel-fired blown-air space heater when funds permit. It drives like new – as you would expect from a ’van with only one owner, just 50,000 miles on…

WHICH MOTORHOMES CAN I DRIVE? Did you pass your driving test before 1 January 1997? ✔ You can drive a motorhome up to 7500kg on your B+C1 licence. When you reach 70, you must submit a medical form to renew your licence to continue driving a ’van over 3500kg, and do this every three years. Did you pass your driving test after 1 January 1997? ✔ You can drive a motorhome up to 3500kg on your B [car] licence. To drive a motorhome heavier than 3500kg, you must take a C1 test. HOW TO LOAD YOUR MOTORHOME CORRECTLY Heavy items, such as TVs and boxes of wine, should be stowed low down and as close to the floor as possible; medium-weight items, such as clothing, should go below head height.…

1 The first task is to remove the internal trim that keeps the blind in place 2 Remove the second trim panel very carefully: you don’t want it to snap 3 Here you can see the Omnivent unit after the whole trim has been removed 4 Taking out the screws securing the winding mechanism is the next step 5 The original cover, looking rather worse for wear these days, especially that hole in the corner 6 Now you need to unfasten the securing screws from each side of the hinge 7 Lift the winding mechanism out and retrieve the O-ring if it’s left behind 8 The ‘new’ cover, found at salvage firm SFM Caravans, near Halifax 9 Securing the replacement cover, then attaching the internal trim 10 Seal around the…

> Price From £58,499 > Sleeps 4 > Belts 4 > Base vehicle Fiat Ducato > Engine 2.3-litre 120bhp Euro 6d > Length/width/ height 7.41/2.32/2.93m (24’4”/7’7”/9’7”) > MTPLM 3500kg > Payload 469kg > Water (fresh/waste) 122/92 litres > Leisure battery 95Ah > Gas 2 x 11kg If you still think that buying an A-class is not for you because it will involve a huge amount of expense, then Sunlight is one of a number of relatively new brands that is out to prove you wrong. The company started out as the budget brand of Dethleffs (just as Carado was originally the budget brand of Hymer), but has since separated out on its own. Along with Carado and Itineo (part of the Rapido Group), it can provide you with a perfectly…