I went the other route, 32 year old fiat ducato coachbuilt, didnt cost a huge amount when we bought it 15 years back (I think 4k) in the UK as a lhd and imported it here. It's not fast, but it will do 80mph on the autoroute eventually, though 70 is kinder, and we've driven it up into the alps, though its painful on the really steep inclines round there. The motor is the old sofim 2.5 diesel in its non turbo form, fitted to old shape renault masters, fiat ducato in the earlier years, iveco's etc, sofim standing for "society of french and italian manufacturers" and probably doesnt have the power to wear itself out. I've got the same powerplant in my renault master gypo pickup and Ive had about 7 renault master t35d vans with the same engine over the years, they are dog reliable if you change oil/filters and belt at the required intervals. Dry belt, front crank seal can be changed in situ as its on a sub plate on the front. Cambelt doesnt drive the water pump etc. In the master its rwd or fwd longitudinal and a quick job, but in the ducato its fwd on a transaxle, no issues around the transaxle though the belt is a bit of a pig to get to for changing because of how close it is the frame rails but I long since made a special animal spanner that fits in the space.
Not enough power to tow anything of note though it optimisitically came with a american style box hitch reciever, done the box & bike trailers with it, though there's no way I'd try to tow the car trailer. And spent a little each year upgrading the electrical bits and solar, satelite on the roof, external gas and power sockets for the caddac bbq and stuff under the awning etc, so we have as much refinement as a shiny new 100k van. More than most because its a alpine spec conversion from LMC who make the huge caravans so beloved of the traveling community for their luxury, so factory fitted with gas blown central heating and fire, double glazing etc. Its aftermarket airbagged at the rear too, which helps a lot with handling and you can alter bag pressures for different amounts of load/if your towing.
I have power steering ready to go on it when I get round to it because my mrs's finds it heavy to manoever, its rack and pinnion steering and the same pump setup as the mk1 phase2 master's so its a bolt in with factory parts. I would like to find a Renault safrane motor or master s9u engine one day as they were the turbo variant of the same motor, but 60 more hp. I find parts still quite easy to get because they made so damn many of them and the design stayed in production for so long (until the late 90's), and so many of them are still in use as builders vans etc.
As its old, its now registered as a classic vehicle here, so no emission zone restrictions, mot every 5 years etc. There's a sticker on the side window "Old, Slow, and Paid for". Because when your on a site surrounded by 100k vans with people looking down their noses at you, the reality is theyre owned by the loan companies or their bank.
At the moment Im doing some work on the coachbuilt section after ignoring a leak for too long (like maybe 4-5 years...) . which has damaged some of the framing around the side door and thats always a issue with old coachbuilt vans, and newer ones too but I'll have that done over winter in the dark months. It pales in comparison to the amount of welding and repair work my OM602 powered mk1 sprinter needed every year though, lovely as it was to drive with that epic pre emissions nonsense 5 cylinder turbo diesel...
Hotels? pah, this is our home from home and it owes me absolutely nothing and has been the UK, all parts of France, Italy etc. And between the holiday's we leave the holiday gear (folding chairs, little air fryer, bbq, blankets, sodastream, glasses etc) packed in it still ready to go so just clothes and perishable food to load. Definitely wouldnt trade it for a shiny new expensive thing covered in emissions crap or hauling all our stuff up to a hotel room for one night only.
Also when we go to bike race meetings, its our base, and with the box trailer the pit vehicle.
So perhaps instead of less flash and keeping up with the jones down the road and mortagaged to the hilt to afford it , a older simpler motorhome is what you need, if you will be the one fixing it & the wife is ameniable. I'd give really old stuff like the H van conversions and oddball stuff a miss, there's a sweet spot to aim for thats between chic and expensive, and modern and expensive for me, though I have a friend local with a Renault Golette 4x4 ex french army truck with a camper box on the back, and he's just come back from a holiday in Alaska in it. But his dad used to be a army vehicle disposal and parts specialist, and he has inherited barns full of bits and spare Golettes to fix it with
I have a vw type2 bay window camper also, but that is still a long term project. I suspect my mrs will use it eventually for local, then take the fiat for proper holiday use. That has no coachbuilt body problems, but it also has no permanent shower or toilet, and swaps water ingress for chassis rot issues. One day I'd quite like to make a demountable body for my 101FC once its resto is finished.
Not enough power to tow anything of note though it optimisitically came with a american style box hitch reciever, done the box & bike trailers with it, though there's no way I'd try to tow the car trailer. And spent a little each year upgrading the electrical bits and solar, satelite on the roof, external gas and power sockets for the caddac bbq and stuff under the awning etc, so we have as much refinement as a shiny new 100k van. More than most because its a alpine spec conversion from LMC who make the huge caravans so beloved of the traveling community for their luxury, so factory fitted with gas blown central heating and fire, double glazing etc. Its aftermarket airbagged at the rear too, which helps a lot with handling and you can alter bag pressures for different amounts of load/if your towing.
I have power steering ready to go on it when I get round to it because my mrs's finds it heavy to manoever, its rack and pinnion steering and the same pump setup as the mk1 phase2 master's so its a bolt in with factory parts. I would like to find a Renault safrane motor or master s9u engine one day as they were the turbo variant of the same motor, but 60 more hp. I find parts still quite easy to get because they made so damn many of them and the design stayed in production for so long (until the late 90's), and so many of them are still in use as builders vans etc.
As its old, its now registered as a classic vehicle here, so no emission zone restrictions, mot every 5 years etc. There's a sticker on the side window "Old, Slow, and Paid for". Because when your on a site surrounded by 100k vans with people looking down their noses at you, the reality is theyre owned by the loan companies or their bank.
At the moment Im doing some work on the coachbuilt section after ignoring a leak for too long (like maybe 4-5 years...) . which has damaged some of the framing around the side door and thats always a issue with old coachbuilt vans, and newer ones too but I'll have that done over winter in the dark months. It pales in comparison to the amount of welding and repair work my OM602 powered mk1 sprinter needed every year though, lovely as it was to drive with that epic pre emissions nonsense 5 cylinder turbo diesel...
Hotels? pah, this is our home from home and it owes me absolutely nothing and has been the UK, all parts of France, Italy etc. And between the holiday's we leave the holiday gear (folding chairs, little air fryer, bbq, blankets, sodastream, glasses etc) packed in it still ready to go so just clothes and perishable food to load. Definitely wouldnt trade it for a shiny new expensive thing covered in emissions crap or hauling all our stuff up to a hotel room for one night only.
Also when we go to bike race meetings, its our base, and with the box trailer the pit vehicle.
So perhaps instead of less flash and keeping up with the jones down the road and mortagaged to the hilt to afford it , a older simpler motorhome is what you need, if you will be the one fixing it & the wife is ameniable. I'd give really old stuff like the H van conversions and oddball stuff a miss, there's a sweet spot to aim for thats between chic and expensive, and modern and expensive for me, though I have a friend local with a Renault Golette 4x4 ex french army truck with a camper box on the back, and he's just come back from a holiday in Alaska in it. But his dad used to be a army vehicle disposal and parts specialist, and he has inherited barns full of bits and spare Golettes to fix it with
I have a vw type2 bay window camper also, but that is still a long term project. I suspect my mrs will use it eventually for local, then take the fiat for proper holiday use. That has no coachbuilt body problems, but it also has no permanent shower or toilet, and swaps water ingress for chassis rot issues. One day I'd quite like to make a demountable body for my 101FC once its resto is finished.
but I think he's open to offers...
or might see a bargain 
