I'm continuing to expand your vocabulary and technical knowledge of motorhoming.
What type of rigger do you want for your vehicle?
A brief definition of what a rigger is:
it's the towing part of the vehicle, i.e. the driver's cab and chassis.
I discovered that there were 7 rigids that shared 99% of the motorhome market (data 12/2023 from ‘Le Monde du Camping-Car’):
FIAT Ducato and Scudo - 31.5%
FORD Transit and Jumper - 20%
CITROËN Jumper - 19.5%
VOLKSWAGEN Crafter and Transporter - 9.6%
RENAULT Master and Trafic - 7.6%
PEUGEOT Boxer and Expert - 6.2%
MERCEDES Sprinter - 4.7%
The remaining 1% is shared between IVECO Daily and MAN TGE.
That's all very nice, but it doesn't help me much because the supporters of one brand argue against the others and vice versa.
A salesman then suggested a different approach, asking me to think about how much fun I would have on the road, and about the technological developments of the years to come. So what?
One thing is certain, I want something new, because if anything goes wrong, the van will be under warranty!
So this seller sums it up for me:
1. Ultra-compact?
Citroën Berlingo, Ford Transit, Renault Kangoo, VW Caddy
Between 4.32 m and 4.87 m
2. Small carrier?
Citroën Jumpy, Peugeot Expert, Ford Transit, Mercedes Vito, Renault Trafic, VW Transporter Between 4.61 m and 5.48 m
Ultra-compacts and small rigids are around 2 metres high, and I can only stand up with a pop-up roof, ...
After 20 years in this type of space, I have major doubts.
Let's see what happens next ...
3. Big rig?
Citroën Jumper, Fiat Ducato, Ford Transit, Iveco Daily, Mercedes Sprinter, Renault Master
Between 4.95 m and 7.54 m
Large rigids are more in line with my expectations, which are still, shall we say, vague and which vary according to the motorhome's interior layout.
Emotion when you hold us!
It's time for me to draw up a list of needs so that I'm not running around all over the place.
New or used ?
I opted for the new model for the following reasons:
o modern equipment, guaranteed technology and fittings,
o no hidden defects - accidents,
o I suspect it will cost more than a second-hand motorhome.
How many people will be travelling in the motorhome ?
o 1 person (I know that's a bit navel-gazing),
o otherwise 2 or 3 with my two children, or Cradinette or Craquelin, ...
Do I need a kitchen area or do I prefer to eat outside ?
o Well, both. I like to cook inside if it's freezing and outside when the weather's fine.
Which countries do I want to go to? Warm or cooler temperatures ?
o Everywhere unless they're at war, that's easy, isn't it ?
Long or short journeys ?
o I don't have to make a living posting videos on YouTube, I go where the wind takes me, I consider 80 to 100 km a day to be a good average.
Size of motorhome ?
o 5.41 m, 6 m - first estimation.
Engine ?
o What do I expect in terms of performance and efficiency? .... Electric motorhomes are still in their infancy, with a range of just 250 km, and few countries outside Europe are suitable for recharging. Petrol or diesel? Almost all carriers are diesel-powered, offering lower fuel consumption and greater range.
My choice is diesel.
What about safety ?
o What equipment do I want: seatbelts, ABS brakes, electronic stability, cameras, etc. ?
Family?
o I've eliminated the capucine, which I find too old-fashioned, and I'm not a fan of integral vehicles.
I've narrowed my family down to the converted van (manoeuvrability, discretion, versatility of use) and the profile (habitability, manoeuvrability and price).
Budget ?
o I have no idea what the market will be like, but my target is € 160,000.
It's the end of December 2020, and I've narrowed my choice down to :
fitted van or profile,
diesel,
6 metres long,
3 to 4 seats,
and no more than € 160,000.
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