Bourton Advice

Hi All

First post, hope its in the right place!

Wannabe Bourton owner, so to all of you, especially Bourton owners can you please advise/guide/offer an opinion or possibly laugh 
about the following questions;-

1. There is no allocated privacy area, so where one can make a quick change of clothes, don on beach wear or similar without closing all of the blinds. The combined bathroom/shower area appears restrictive for this task. Do any owners feel the same? have any found a way round it. (have myself thought about rehahanging and handing the bathroom door which would create a partial screen when partially open meaning only the entrance door and kitchen window blinds would need to be closed). Anyone have any thoughts on the practicalities of this? obviously would need entirely new bathroom door.

2. The 60/50 sized water/waste tank arrangement seems possibly restrictive (other vans seems to have almost double these capacities)?

3. T.V. positioning! Microwave end or cab, fixed or freestanding how practical is the swing small table for this and using a freestanding one, storage of a freestanding one?

4. Is accessing the under sofa/bed storage from inside the Moho aggravation? bearing in mind the size of the cushions, when raised the passenger side one bumps into the small flap table!

5. Does the dual bathroom/shower work well?

6. The internal cab blinds look/feel flimsy, are they?

7. Can they be connected permanently to an on pitch water supply, our caravan can be via a water pressure reducer.

8. Any niggles that we should be aware of?

9. Where is the wine rack we've looked everywhere for it?

The site is an absolute gem for information but the above hasn't appeared despite intensive reseach in it.

Thanks in anticipation.

S&R

Hi Ray....not a Bourton owner (you'll get plenty of advice from the guys here) but heres some general stuff....

1. yes you could rehang the door, this would give some floor area at the very rear of the van. our own van makes use of the shower door to give some standing/dressing space. how about fixing a full height concertina blind from the forward edge of the wardrobe that can be pulled across to the forward edge of the fridge area. these blinds can be cut to fit the exact shape of the fridge/cocktail cabinet and look like it was designed for the job. used by a few makers as a solution to this issue.

2. as ypu say, in general the size of AS water tanks are small by comparison to most other brands, but how much of an issue this will be depends on where and how you tour. if always on sites with easy access to water (and waste) like you were with your caravan, no problem. someone will answer question re hooking up water on a pitch. the issue might be when youre camping off grid, say an aire (something you didnt domwith your caravan but ypu now have far more freedom in a MH) and you only have a system that needs the water pumping into the tank (cant just stick a hose in) then you'll need containers (water barrel, think storage) and the pumping kit...again, how much of a problem (asset) this might be depends on the individual.

3. TV. if, like me, you find the reclining cab seats the most comfortable then thats where youll choose to sit (with feet up on side seats) and put the TV further up the van...if you're a sofa guy it will be the other way round.

5. the swing wall shower. ive seen many, many of these and AS is the only one that has the door facing the loo which means, to use the shower, the person has to squeeze by the swinging door to get in there. a recent MMM test suggested potential purchasers check this as it was a bit tricky for 'larger' folk. every other interpretation ive seen of the swingwall works the other way round...the user faces the sink on entry (not the toilet) and the toilet can be easily accessed, as then can hand washing. when showering, then user just pulls the sink section towards themselves and it swings away over the toilet, leaving the full shower directly in front of them, no squeezing past required. identical to the AS design in its physical workings, but with the door in a more convenient place for shower access. again, you and OH need to check that this works for you.

good luck with the van.

LG
I We have a 2017 model so offer the following after one year of use:

1. There are many Motorhomes without a specific ‘privacy area’ but so far we have managed to dress/undress in the washroom - we are not the smallest of people and both have some mobility issues. To change from trousers to shorts during the daytime I have simply chosen the least overlooked area (usually between fridge and wardrobe) to do this perhaps with one blind closed if overlooked. Think this is all a matter of how private you wish to be.

2. The water tanks are restrictive. We use about 25 litres a day so I tend to refill using a container every day. For waste disposal I use a rectangular black container and empty that as and when - this is possibly the best way to manage grey water in winter. I have thought about replacing both fresh water tanks with one inboard 100l tank under the offside bed but am still pondering that.

3. I have positioned our TV on a multi position arm bolted through the microwave housing. We tend to sit at front end of van. The small swing table is useful sometimes for coffee or using laptop but doubt it would be good for a freestanding table of any decent size.

4. In a word, yes.

5. In a word, yes.

6. The cab blinds are the type in general use across many manufacturers. They do feel flimsy and I have managed to break one of the small locking tabs but they do their job. I often use fitted silver screens which take just about the same length of time to deploy/remove if you take into account having to clear the window of condensation most of the year.

7. In a word, yes.

8. Biggest boggle for us is the 25 litre lpg tank - we stay offsite a lot and use about 2 litre a day which gives a maximum of 10 days - another thing Ian pondering is replacing with a 40 litre tank.

9. Our wine rarely lasts long enough to be stored......

David

ray reynolds wrote:Hi All

First post, hope its in the right place!

Wannabe Bourton owner, so to all of you, especially Bourton owners can you please advise/guide/offer an opinion or possibly laugh 
about the following questions;-

1. There is no allocated privacy area, so where one can make a quick change of clothes, don on beach wear or similar without closing all of the blinds. The combined bathroom/shower area appears restrictive for this task. Do any owners feel the same? have any found a way round it. (have myself thought about rehahanging and handing the bathroom door which would create a partial screen when partially open meaning only the entrance door and kitchen window blinds would need to be closed). Anyone have any thoughts on the practicalities of this? obviously would need entirely new bathroom door.

2. The 60/50 sized water/waste tank arrangement seems possibly restrictive (other vans seems to have almost double these capacities)?

3. T.V. positioning! Microwave end or cab, fixed or freestanding how practical is the swing small table for this and using a freestanding one, storage of a freestanding one?

4. Is accessing the under sofa/bed storage from inside the Moho aggravation? bearing in mind the size of the cushions, when raised the passenger side one bumps into the small flap table!

5. Does the dual bathroom/shower work well?

6. The internal cab blinds look/feel flimsy, are they?

7. Can they be connected permanently to an on pitch water supply, our caravan can be via a water pressure reducer.

8. Any niggles that we should be aware of?

9. Where is the wine rack we've looked everywhere for it?

The site is an absolute gem for information but the above hasn't appeared despite intensive reseach in it.

Thanks in anticipation.

S&R

1. Just manage as best you can. It's unlikely anyone will see. Your washroom is huge compared to ours.
2. Can't help.
3. Depends which way you want to sit.
4. Not very.
5. Yes
6. They do the job.
7. Yes but why would you want to? Have engine, will travel.
8. Can't answer.
9. You're likely confusing the Bourton with a caravan - don't make the common mistake of trying to replicate your caravan in a MH.

"You're likely confusing the Bourton with a caravan - don't make the common mistake of trying to replicate your caravan in a MH. [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]"

the best bit of advice youre likely to get in this thread....

Have to agree with Bolero Boy about the swing wall washroom. Although we manage fine the arrangement he describes works much better and, if that layout had been used, it could have included the much better bench cassette loo instead of the swivel bowl type.

Generally, there are always compromises to be made in getting the right motorhome for you - more so than in a caravan. However, now that we have adapted the way we use the facilities we have I can honestly say it’s working far better for us than any other motorhome (of which we have had numerous!) we have had.

David

Sorry, double post

We have the Broadway which is very similar but are thinking of trading in for a Bourton next year. One thing to note is that on recent Bourton models the auxiliary water tank has been scrapped which frees up space in the offside bed locker but reduces fresh water capacity to around 40 litres. If you are staying on one site for a while it would therefore help to be near a tap.

Can’t say I’ve ever worried about changing clothes. Just check that you are not overlooked when you do it!

There should be bottle clips in the cupboard by the microwave but you need to check. Easy to fit I think.

The thing about AS is that the design is well proven over many years and small changes are made as a result of customer feedback, however, what suits some people may not suit others. For example, the washroom swing door is clever and well regarded but you may not like it. It’s personal preference.

BornAgain wrote:on recent Bourton models the auxiliary water tank has been scrapped which frees up space in the offside bed locker but reduces fresh water capacity to around 40 litres. 

Correction - I think you'll the find the underslung tank is actually over 60 litres as per the technical specification.  Have also confirmed this from personal measurement as well.

LDPD wrote:

BornAgain wrote:on recent Bourton models the auxiliary water tank has been scrapped which frees up space in the offside bed locker but reduces fresh water capacity to around 40 litres. 

Correction - I think you'll the find the underslung tank is actually over 60 litres as per the technical specification.  Have also confirmed this from personal measurement as well.

Yes, 62 litres. Apologies. Good for a few days I should think. We try not to use the waste tank as smells build up. A bucket and the hedge seems to work at the kind of places we go to in Europe.

ray reynolds wrote:Hi All

First post, hope its in the right place!

Wannabe Bourton owner, so to all of you, especially Bourton owners can you please advise/guide/offer an opinion or possibly laugh 
about the following questions;-

Hi Ray and welcome.
What do you make of the advice/experience you've been offered so far? Any help with your deliberations?

Hi all

Broad cross section of thoughts,opinions and views all very welcome.

Still pondering which way to move fancied the Mercedes (auto) set up and the Broughton in particular because of its good payload for a 3500 Kg vehicle which I am restricted to.

The privacy area is becoming a real issue for us. We are now considering a Broadway EB which overcomes this but they come with Peugot power not a big issue but they do not offer an auto box which is a problem for me.

Marquis advise that they can be ordered with Fiat power and their auto box. Very acceptable but in the next breath they state that this would eat into the payload by 50 Kg's unbelievable!

At the moment I cannot find any information on this combination myself thinking that it might possibly be a mistake on his behalf somehow? say's he hopefully.

So now we need weights information on A/S Broadway, Fiat powered with auto box if any one can point us in the right direction to where we could get this we would appreciate it.

S&R

The Fiat auto is indeed heavier than the Peugeot. The extra weight of the auto box is a factor but the Fiats are sometimes built on heavier chassis, although that could be model dependent.

Having had a Merc auto, a Peugeot manual and now a Fiat auto, I still consider the Merc to be the best of the bunch. It's a superior vehicle in so many ways.

Forgive me for speaking bluntly but I feel you are making too big an issue of the privacy thing. In nearly 50 years of using caravans and motorhomes, it is not something we have ever considered when choosing a van. Motorhomes tend to be higher than caravans which restricts visibility from outside and I have changed trousers many a time without using the washroom or pulling blinds. A lady might wish to pop into the washroom to change her T shirt perhaps. I certainly wouldn’t put ease of changing clothes ahead of selecting the right layout and base vehicle as the changing won’t occur all that often whilst layout and driving experience will be with you constantly.

ray reynolds wrote:Hi All

First post, hope its in the right place!

Wannabe Bourton owner, so to all of you, especially Bourton owners can you please advise/guide/offer an opinion or possibly laugh 
about the following questions;-

1. There is no allocated privacy area, so where one can make a quick change of clothes, don on beach wear or similar without closing all of the blinds. The combined bathroom/shower area appears restrictive for this task. Do any owners feel the same? have any found a way round it. (have myself thought about rehahanging and handing the bathroom door which would create a partial screen when partially open meaning only the entrance door and kitchen window blinds would need to be closed). Anyone have any thoughts on the practicalities of this? obviously would need entirely new bathroom door.

2. The 60/50 sized water/waste tank arrangement seems possibly restrictive (other vans seems to have almost double these capacities)?

3. T.V. positioning! Microwave end or cab, fixed or freestanding how practical is the swing small table for this and using a freestanding one, storage of a freestanding one?

4. Is accessing the under sofa/bed storage from inside the Moho aggravation? bearing in mind the size of the cushions, when raised the passenger side one bumps into the small flap table!

5. Does the dual bathroom/shower work well?

6. The internal cab blinds look/feel flimsy, are they?

7. Can they be connected permanently to an on pitch water supply, our caravan can be via a water pressure reducer.

8. Any niggles that we should be aware of?

9. Where is the wine rack we've looked everywhere for it?

The site is an absolute gem for information but the above hasn't appeared despite intensive reseach in it.

Thanks in anticipation.

S&R

We love our Bourton and are now on a our 2nd, bought in 2020.  The layout feels rather like a tardis, bigger inside than it looks!
On purchasing a motorhome after years with a caravan, getting used to less space for all our "clutter" was like putting a quart into a pint pot. We soon realised that the ease of the motorhome outweighed the caravan.

Answering your concerns:

1)  The toilet/shower area is adequate, and manageable.  However, after a caravan end-bathroom it will take a little getting used to.

2) The 65 litre water tank is smaller than many other make of motorhome, but with either the automatic whale-filling or the garden hose choice, we haven't found a problem. The tank will last 24hours for general use and two showers.

3) We have our TV mounted on a flexible arm at the microwave end of the van, and we remove the TV and store it in a fleecy blanket in one of the overhead lockers when not in use.

4) Raising the sofa to get into the under-storage areas is not difficult, once you get the knack. We certainly couldn't be asked to remove the sofa cushions each time we needed access. We have learned to pull the cushions forward somewhat in order to raise the lid. It stays up perfectly well....   touch wood, so far !!

5) Yes

6) The Remis blinds need treating with respect.  It takes a delicate hand to open/close them, but they are so much easier than putting out outside silver screens.

7) We use the automatic whale for filling the water when on a serviced pitch, However we do switch off the tap on the pitch, once the tank is full, and switch it back on again when needed. I suppose we do not trust the whale pressure switch.

8) Niggles?  Our current niggle has been and still is the randomness of the "electrics"!!!!   Please see previous posts on this forum re: 2019 / 2020  "Bourton Electrics". 

9)  The most important of all is the....   Wine Rack!!!  We find that you can put 5 or 6 bottles of the slimmer bottles of wine in the "cubby" at the side of the fridge on the left-hand side of the door. Any bottles that are "too fat", sit in wine carriers in the wardrobe, along with the Beers and Prossecco !!!

As I said .... we wouldn't change our  Bourton ....   the style and layout suit us perfectly.

Cath Dawson

Thanks again for all the input, but cant get head office HWMBO to look at the situ. differently, so sad as its such a super van :-(

We have a 2017 Bourton.

When we bought we asked about a bigger water tank but were told that the rear wheel drive set up of the Sprinter meant there was no room underneath. We fill up using a can and if buying again i would ask that the Whale filling system was deleted. I know people like it but we have never used it. I do carry a  flat water hose but find it just as easy to fill up using the can - don't have to move the van on site or deal with unwinding/rewinding the hose.

if we need a bit of privacy to change then we just raise a couple of blinds.

We changed the crockery storage cupboard - took out the wire contraption and installed slot in mug holders and a lever thing to keep the plates and bowls in place. At the same time we put in wine bottle holders at the back of the cupboard which hold wine, of course, as well as spare ones which hold tumblers.

Seat cushions - pull forward slightly bring forward backrest and  lift up bed base easing cushion past the flap - only a slight inconvenience and not enough to be bothered about. I think some people have put in drop down doors on the front of the bed box but access would still be quite limited without lifting the base.

We don't have a TV in the van. We have never used the swinging table and after the first time out have never bothered to rotate the cab seats.

Doubt it would save money but just less unused gubbins. Not particularly worried about a future owner.

One of the things we did have done by Autosleeper is have the bit above the front seats turned into a locker rather than being open. Gives quite a bit of extra storage for spare bedding etc.etc.

We have recently changed from a larger Peugeot manual gear box Motorhome to the new style cab Mercedes automatic Bourton. We removed the bench cushions and bought decent mattresses and they are made up as small single beds. With covers over to sit on by day. We also like to swing the cab seats round to face the seated area and view the TV mounted on the side of the microwave with a small excellent sound bar sitting on silicon pads on the ledge beneath so it never moves! We dress in the bathroom with no problems. 
My husband loves the smooth auto Merc engine that drives like a dream with no reaching for a handbrake or gearstick in the cab.
Motorhoming is always about compromise and yes this Motorhome is smaller but so far we love what it offers us in it’s quality.

Caraman posted....


"I agree using a water hose is a messy business and it concerns me that they are permanently wet inside.  I only carry them now as a back-up for the water barrel."


we all do things differently but surely the inside of the barrel must also remain damp/wet, depending on how long there was between trips? otherwise youd have the same issue as (perceived) with a hose.


i guess you having to get your hand in and wipe it out thoroughly..with a nice clean cloth i hope....


a sufficiently long hose (in two parts, where the shortest piece serves for by far the greater useage) can fill a 150 ltr tank in one go, not three or four trips with an Aq.....(i cant even type the name....lol) 


i dont find using the hose a messy business, quite the contrary. when the hose is finished with, just lift the centre area and any excess water runs out from the two ends...i then fold it up empty....it takes up far, far les space than a barrel and doesn't need to be stored inside the van...verbotten in our van anyway.