New (But Old!) Motorhomers

Hi to everyone, from Jeff and Di Giblin.

Firstly, thank you for providing such a friendly and helpful site for us to be part of.

We're very new to motorhomes, but have been camping/caravanning for over 30 years. We discovered the hobby/way of life initially as a way of enjoying family holidays at a cost we could afford, but even though the children have grown up and left home, we continued as it's the way we most enjoy spending our leisure time.

We progressed from tents to very old (but much loved caravans) and culminated in a very new Bailey Ranger, to help celebrate retirement from the "Rat Race", three years ago.

So, how did we get where we are today i.e. the very proud owners of a 1995 Auto-sleepers Symphony?
Well, it all started three years ago, with a very perceptive wife, who, as we began to pack up after a very pleasant two week holiday based at Tavistock, in Devon, said "You're not looking forward to the tow home are you? The answer was "No" and this forced me to admit that for several years I'd been less comfortable with the physical and stressful side of lugging and pitching a 1.5 ton tin box around the countryside.

When we got back we began exploring the motor home options, and quickly discovered two things. One, we really liked the AS panel van layouts, and two, they were all far too expensive for us to contemplate!
There followed a period of a year or so, where we looked at every idea we could think of, including buying/building a self-built unit, or commissioning a self build of our own. The first option was fraught with dangers, and the second was still too expensive, and anyway, we kept coming back to AS panel van conversions as our ideal solution.

We started monitoring the stock list of a small, independent dealer in deepest darkest Somerset! and made several visits over a year or so, to look at likely (though still expensive!) vehicles. We soon settled on two options: the AS Duetto, or the AS Symphony, both very similar, but in the end opted for the Symphony because the vehicle "footprint" would still fit on a standard car parking space.
In November 2010, at said dealer, we finally came upon our ideal motorhome, a 1995 AS Symphony, which, with an agreed trade in for our nearly new caravan, just about tipped the financial scales in our favour.

We collected "Alice" as Di has christened her, in November last year. Not the best time to take delivery, as the weather then became impossible for several months, and we were faced with, not enjoying our new mobile home, but with trying to protect her from the worst effects of sub zero temperatures!

There then followed several "reality checks". We discovered various faults, both habitational and mechanical, which required sorting, and the dealer, who was so very friendly when selling, was not quite so friendly when asked to put them right! Nevertheless, but waiting a month, most were corrected. But, when other more serious mechanical problems were encountered we then discovered that the "Third Party" Warrenty provided wasn't worth the paper it was written on (others beware!)
All that said, we are still absolutely delighted with our new "Home from Home". We've given up on trying to get things fixed under warrenty, and have pushed forward at our own cost.

The interior has been very well looked after, and Di has made new (matching)Sleeping bags to fit the two singles option that we think will best suit our needs. As others in your forum have said, this frees up the overhead locker for bedding. We have had to be very mindful of the reduced lack of storage space, but have enjoyed the challenge of fitting everything in. That said, the amount of storage provided in such a relatively small space is amazing.

Our efforts in sorting out the base vehicle have provided some interesting benefits. We live in a small village, with a small but well respected repair garage, well used to dealing with less than perfect vehicles. From them we have learnt that all is never lost, and the interest in our "Alice" has produced some gems of advice. During a radiator change I was invited down into the pit, with the mechanic, to inspect the undersides of what is, of course, a fifteen year old road vehicle. I was advised that as motor homes can spend a lot of time standing still (their words, not mine!) they can dry out underneath, and so, for a very modest sum they recommended a generous spray with used engine oil, to stop the rot setting in. This was done, but she dripped over everything for days!

And so to the present. We've been on many "outings" but, until the upcoming Easter Weekend, have yet to spent a night away. We're sure all will be well, and have every confidence in our new home from home. She drives well, the 2.5 Turbo Diesel engine would pull her up the side of a house, (but makes a good deal of noise doing so, but we like that) a "good honest simple lump that will go on for ever" as the engine was described by our mechanic.

One question before we go. We're a bit confused by what should be the correct tyre pressures. The ride is a bit firm, creating more rattles that perhaps could be, and understand that softer tyres might ease the problem, but how soft?

Bye for now, and we're pleased to be with you.
kind regards

Jeff and Di Giblin

Hi Jeff & Di and glad you are enjoying your new M/H life where age is not a barrier. I like your story drifting into motorhoming seems very common. I bought my first one to to use when working away, the co-pilot was never going to go in it, now I can't keep her out of it! Interesting about the spraying the underside with oil, I have used Waxoyl on all my three M/H's and swear by it, got to be hot day though and you do get a bit messy!

Happy travels,

Graham

Welcome Jeff and Di,
Good to have another Symphony on board, I was getting lonely!. Your story was so familiar to mine , look at my introduction and I'm sure you will agree.

As regards tyre pressures, I know the AS handbook says refer to base vehicle handbook I I spoke to AS over the phone and they said to go by the sticker on the drivers door pillar. Yes things do rattle inside but I find the ride acceptable and the steering not too heavy.

Paul