Beginner's guide to getting started
Be independent.
Be a motorhome owner.
Travel wherever and whenever you want.
You can travel across Great Britain and explore every nook and cranny undiscovered.
Take a short break in Bournemouth.
Enjoy a long-stay in Scotland.
Point the motorhome in any direction and enjoy freedom, flexibility and fun.
What an exhilarating experience.
You are in control: choose every destination and when you want to arrive.
There's no hurry...
Enjoy the ride and the scenery.
Enjoy your new motorhome.
Enjoy the possibility of even exploring Europe.
Enjoy a new motorhome supplied by Simpsons.
TYPES OF MOTORHOME
Panel Van Conversion
The body shape of the basic van remains largely unchanged.
Van-based converters do build extended roofs, or design elevating roofs into the layout.
High top designs offer extra headroom inside and also better insulation.
Van-based conversions are extremely popular: they are the gap between a car and much larger, coachbuilt motorhomes.
In consequence, many touring caravanners choose a van-based conversion to act as a combined car and motorhome.
Coachbuilt Design
Converters construct a caravan body onto a cab and chassis: this is a coachbuilt design.
Naturally enough, you can enjoy multiple designs and interior configurations.
The 'coachbuilt' concept offers caravanners much more interior space and considerably more home-comfort facilities, including large kitchen areas, built-in showers and toilet facilities, and far more storage.
A common site is the overcab sleeping area, or luton style.
Low profile coachbuilts are more aerodynamic and lack this facility: they can look aesthetically more eye-catching.
Coachbuilts are taller than van based conversions (2.8 metres or more): they offer considerably more headroom inside.
In addition, they are wider than van-based conversions, and a new owner must be sure the overall length and width of the vehicle can access the driveway for parking.
A coachbuilt can easily accommodate from two to seven berths and many luxurious extras like air-conditioning, cooker, microwave, shower, toilet, fridge/freezer, and a home-entertainment centre including flatscreen TV and DVD.
Leading designers like Auto-Trail have given the whole coachbuilt concept an exciting new dimension for caravanners.
'A' Class
Welcome to the big league.
'A' Class vehicles are designed and constructed from the chassis upwards.
The cab area extends across the vehicle's full width and both cabin seats are usually swivel operated.
Insulation is good and each 'A' Class vehicle will come complete with a comprehensive interior configuration.
For those of you considering long-haul exploring - or continual exploration after retirement - it is an ideal investment.
Some are designed with towbars to haul a trailer for carrying a small car or motorcycle: the lighter car or motorcycle will offer a more practical transportation system at campsite destinations.
American built models - or RV's (Recreation Vehicles) - can be considerably larger than their European counterparts, designed on far heavier truck and coach chassis.
First-time buyers would be wise NOT to plumb for a large 'A' Class motorhome as a starter vehicle.
Spend time planning your requirements and give careful consideration to interior configurations and the maximum number of berths required, especially if transporting a family or friends.
Talk to Simpsons' motorhome experts, first.
We can advise first-time buyers about avoiding all the pitfalls it is so easy to make.
Trust the experts: trust Simpsons to find your first motorhome.
