Hi All,

We are looking at buying a campervan. 

Having rented one, we like the small size and ability to park at Coles etc to drop in for food shopping.  

We tend to drive in regional rather than remote areas, so the ability to easily park in towns is important to us.

But how long is too long?

Any thoughts or advice would be appreciated.

6.2 metres. The Campervan we rented and liked very much, was a Fiat Ducato.  It was easy to park everywhere!  It only stuck out a tiny bit in regular car spaces.  Though I think they may have over estimated the length on the specs.  Sure it was 6 metres..

6 metres.  The Applause 500 Fiat Ducato.  Actually seems inside, the same size as the one we rented above?

6.4 metres.  That Applause 600.  Slightly more internal space that allows more storage. but not a deal breaker. BUT.  Worried this might be too long for a supermarket car space.

7 metres.  A KEA Nomad Type Mercedes Sprinter.    This sounds like it might be hard to park in regular car parks like a packed Coles car park?  

At the moment, for the convenience of parking, which is more important to us that a bit of extra space, we are leaning towards the Applause 500 at 6 metres.

If you have any experience of parking these types of campervans, I would love to hear your thoughts and experience on the topic.

Better to stay at 6 metres long?

Or have you found longer was not a problem?

RoboLB wrote:

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But how long is too long?

 

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 6m is the legal maximum for unrestricted street parking including angle parking.

Cheers,

Peter

Peter_n_Margaret wrote:

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RoboLB wrote:

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But how long is too long?

 

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 6m is the legal maximum for unrestricted street parking including angle parking.

Cheers,

Peter

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Ah OK, thanks Peter.

I was doing lots of research to find out.

All I could find was 7.5 m and 4.5 T was the legal limit, but that didn't make a lot of sense.

RoboLB wrote:

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Hi All,

...... 

Having rented one, we like the small size and ability to park at Coles etc to drop in for food shopping.  

...

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 Don't be one of those lazy, inconsiderate jerks who parks the whole rig in the carpark and takes

up half a dozen spaces. Park somewhere more considerate and walk. The world won't end if you

have to walk a bit. You've got plenty of time.

deverall11 wrote:

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RoboLB wrote:

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Hi All,

...... 

Having rented one, we like the small size and ability to park at Coles etc to drop in for food shopping.  

...

---

 Don't be one of those lazy, inconsiderate jerks who parks the whole rig in the carpark and takes

up half a dozen spaces. Park somewhere more considerate and walk. The world won't end if you

have to walk a bit. You've got plenty of time.

 

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I don't intend to be 'that jerk'.........

That's why I need a van that only takes up 1 car space........

You presume a lot.

RoboLB wrote:

          Ah OK, thanks Peter.

I was doing lots of research to find out.

All I could find was 7.5 m and 4.5 T was the legal limit, but that didn't make a lot of sense.

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 If you are over 7.5m (that includes all cars towing caravans) or over 4.5T GVM, you are limited to 1 hour parking in any built up area unless there is a place set up especially for heavy/long vehicles.

Cheers,

Peter

RoboLB wrote:

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deverall11 wrote:

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RoboLB wrote:

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...

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I don't intend to be 'that jerk'.........

That's why I need a van that only takes up 1 car space........

You presume a lot.

 

 

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 No just stating the obvious from what I have witnessed. You are probably in the few minority. Thank you for the clarification.

It seems to me that once you go larger than the HiAce type of campervan then parking et al immediately becomes an issue and whether you're trying to park 6m or 7m is neither here nor there.

I chose a larger caravan over a small one on the basis that I spend a lot more living in it than I do towing it.

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deverall11;

Don't be one of those lazy, inconsiderate jerks who parks the whole rig in the carpark and takes up half a dozen spaces. Park somewhere more considerate and walk. The world won't end if you have to walk a bit. You've got plenty of time.

----

Your logic is skewed: if it's OK for RoboLB to "walk a bit" why is it not OK for the drivers of the six spaces he's taken to walk a bit too?

RoboLB wrote:

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I think we might rent a 7 m Merc Sprinter Campervan for a few days, just to see what the extra length is like.

The 'Boss' is now suggesting we think about the Applause 600, (6.4 metres) as it has a little more storage space.
But I want to get a sense of how that bit of extra length might complicate things using regular car parks.

We are not really 'outback' travellers and spend quite a bit of time in the towns we pass, so easy parking and not causing inconvenience to the locals when parking is important for us.

Anyone have much experience in 6.5 to 7 m campervans?
Was parking an issue?

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 Hi Rob,

Motorhomes/campervans are easier to park/find spaces for than a car and caravan. A lot of regional towns have long parking bays for RV's, usually a short stroll to the main street, which is good to stretch the legs.

I have done a few laps around towns trying to park my rig, and usually see someone else going around in circles at the same time....Echuca comes to mind one busy Sat morn.

Don't stress too much about it, get the right size for you and the 'Boss', inside the RV so you are comfortable.

Cheers Bob

Mike Harding wrote:

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It seems to me that once you go larger than the HiAce type of campervan then parking et al immediately becomes an issue and whether you're trying to park 6m or 7m is neither here nor there.

I chose a larger caravan over a small one on the basis that I spend a lot more living in it than I do towing it.

 

Thanks for the feedback Mike.  And you make sense.

I suppose we are somewhat odd though LOL  Or weird !

 

We actually tend to spend most of our time 'on the road'.

We love the open road and sightseeing. Dropping off at 'lookouts' for a picnic in the campervan whilst enjoying the view.  Exploring towns along the way.

We don't stay more than 1 night anywhere, and tend to stop for the day about 4 pm.   Have dinner at the van and relax with some wine.

Then we head out again the next morning.  Maybe making breakfast before we leave, but often stopping somewhere along the way.

 

Yes, as I write this, I realise we are probably very Odd ! LOL

 

But hopefully that explains our weird logic.   A small van suits us nicely.

Though a Hiace would be too small.   We like having toilet/shower, so we can stop anywhere.

And the 6-7 m campervan layouts we like, have a dinette with extra seats, behind the driver.

Perfect for us, as the bed at the back is permanent, and the dinette is ample space for lunches/dinners.....

 

We only plan to be 'on the road' for a week or 10 days at a time.  That's what we have tried so far. Business doesn't allow much time away.

If we were away for months..........different story.  I'd go for a bigger vehicle for certain.

 

Thanks again for your perspectives Mike.

I'm sure you are right.  6 or 7 m is much the same.

I reckon we'll try out a 7 m and see how we go.

 

 

 

 

Bobdown wrote:

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 Hi Rob,

Motorhomes/campervans are easier to park/find spaces for than a car and caravan. A lot of regional towns have long parking bays for RV's, usually a short stroll to the main street, which is good to stretch the legs.

I have done a few laps around towns trying to park my rig, and usually see someone else going around in circles at the same time....Echuca comes to mind one busy Sat morn.

Don't stress too much about it, get the right size for you and the 'Boss', inside the RV so you are comfortable.

Cheers Bob

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Thanks Bob.  All good 'food for thought' and much appreciated.

The Boss is already considering a longer van.......

I think trying out the longer van is a good idea.  When getting into a parking bay in a carpark, it's not just the available length of the bay, but the space available to turn into it (or, more importantly, to reverse out of it).  My towing car (Kluger) is a bit of a "tank" (it's around 5m long and has a towball).  Some carparks are very "mean" with the carpark and they shove bays in without as much manoevring room as others.  If there's a decent distance between each row, I can reverse out and get going without drama.  Sometimes the rows are closer together and I have to back out and go forward and back to adjust the angle to get free.  Add a couple of metres and you could be having to do a bit of to-ing and fro-ing to get out, depending on the carpark. 

In the places I've been with my caravan, I have found places to put them.  As mentioned, regional towns know there will be travellers with long vehicles and there will be bays you will be able to use without having to negotiate a regular carpark.

hufnpuf wrote:

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I think trying out the longer van is a good idea.  When getting into a parking bay in a carpark, it's not just the available length of the bay, but the space available to turn into it (or, more importantly, to reverse out of it).  My towing car (Kluger) is a bit of a "tank" (it's around 5m long and has a towball).  Some carparks are very "mean" with the carpark and they shove bays in without as much manoevring room as others.  If there's a decent distance between each row, I can reverse out and get going without drama.  Sometimes the rows are closer together and I have to back out and go forward and back to adjust the angle to get free.  Add a couple of metres and you could be having to do a bit of to-ing and fro-ing to get out, depending on the carpark. 

In the places I've been with my caravan, I have found places to put them.  As mentioned, regional towns know there will be travellers with long vehicles and there will be bays you will be able to use without having to negotiate a regular carpark.

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 As a professional driver I am happy to  tell you that if you find that parking spaces are a bit tight to get into, it is much easier to reverse into them. Much easier, using your mirrors. My Landcruiser Ute is over 300mm longer than the Kluger, and has an atrocious lock that means you  need a football field to turn it around in, but I easily park anywhere in carparks by reversing. However, it's 2500mm high, with another 1100mm for the CelFi Go aerial, so underground carparks can be a "challenge". (the flash modern word for "problem").  Cheers

yobarr wrote:

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hufnpuf wrote:

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I think trying out the longer van is a good idea.  When getting into a parking bay in a carpark, it's not just the available length of the bay, but the space available to turn into it (or, more importantly, to reverse out of it).  My towing car (Kluger) is a bit of a "tank" (it's around 5m long and has a towball).  Some carparks are very "mean" with the carpark and they shove bays in without as much manoevring room as others.  If there's a decent distance between each row, I can reverse out and get going without drama.  Sometimes the rows are closer together and I have to back out and go forward and back to adjust the angle to get free.  Add a couple of metres and you could be having to do a bit of to-ing and fro-ing to get out, depending on the carpark. 

In the places I've been with my caravan, I have found places to put them.  As mentioned, regional towns know there will be travellers with long vehicles and there will be bays you will be able to use without having to negotiate a regular carpark.

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 As a professional driver I am happy to  tell you that if you find that parking spaces are a bit tight to get into, it is much easier to reverse into them. Much easier, using your mirrors. My Landcruiser Ute is over 300mm longer than the Kluger, and has an atrocious lock that means you  need a football field to turn it around in, but I easily park anywhere in carparks by reversing. However, it's 2500mm high, with another 1100mm for the CelFi Go aerial, so underground carparks can be a "challenge". (the flash modern word for "problem").  Cheers

-- Edited by yobarr on Thursday 19th of May 2022 02:59:23 PM

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Totally agree.  My car is an old 2000 Lexus, but I always reverse park just using the mirrors.

A new campervan with reversing camera will be heaven!  

Mike Harding wrote:

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It seems to me that once you go larger than the HiAce type of campervan then parking et al immediately becomes an issue and whether you're trying to park 6m or 7m is neither here nor there.

I chose a larger caravan over a small one on the basis that I spend a lot more living in it than I do towing it.

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deverall11;

Don't be one of those lazy, inconsiderate jerks who parks the whole rig in the carpark and takes up half a dozen spaces. Park somewhere more considerate and walk. The world won't end if you have to walk a bit. You've got plenty of time.

----

Your logic is skewed: if it's OK for RoboLB to "walk a bit" why is it not OK for the drivers of the six spaces he's taken to walk a bit too?

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 No I never said that. I said DON'T be like the others. The inconsiderate anal orifices that take up those 6 spaces are lazy and selfish and a few other adjectives.

hufnpuf wrote:

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I think trying out the longer van is a good idea.  When getting into a parking bay in a carpark, it's not just the available length of the bay, but the space available to turn into it (or, more importantly, to reverse out of it).  My towing car (Kluger) is a bit of a "tank" (it's around 5m long and has a towball).  Some carparks are very "mean" with the carpark and they shove bays in without as much manoevring room as others.  If there's a decent distance between each row, I can reverse out and get going without drama.  Sometimes the rows are closer together and I have to back out and go forward and back to adjust the angle to get free.  Add a couple of metres and you could be having to do a bit of to-ing and fro-ing to get out, depending on the carpark. 

In the places I've been with my caravan, I have found places to put them.  As mentioned, regional towns know there will be travellers with long vehicles and there will be bays you will be able to use without having to negotiate a regular carpark.

 

 

 

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Yes, I think we'll try out a 7 m and see how we go.

Though I have to say I find reverse parking a lot easier.

The 6 m RV we rented was really easy to reverse park, though the 'Boss' would need to sometimes jump out and watch me back the last metre.  No reversing camera.

deverall11 wrote:

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Mike Harding wrote:

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It seems to me that once you go larger than the HiAce type of campervan then parking et al immediately becomes an issue and whether you're trying to park 6m or 7m is neither here nor there.

I chose a larger caravan over a small one on the basis that I spend a lot more living in it than I do towing it.

----

deverall11;

Don't be one of those lazy, inconsiderate jerks who parks the whole rig in the carpark and takes up half a dozen spaces. Park somewhere more considerate and walk. The world won't end if you have to walk a bit. You've got plenty of time.

----

Your logic is skewed: if it's OK for RoboLB to "walk a bit" why is it not OK for the drivers of the six spaces he's taken to walk a bit too?

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 No I never said that. I said DON'T be like the others. The inconsiderate anal orifices that take up those 6 spaces are lazy and selfish and a few other adjectives.

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Much fun can be had with people who occupy 6 spaces! Just park your car hard up against their front  bumper, and get your mate to park up against the  rear! Now go to the pub for the day! Cheers

RoboLB wrote:

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No reversing camera.

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 My "tank" has one, my normal car doesn't.  I have become quite used to it, so that I miss it on my car without it.  When you get your motorhome, you can have one put on if you like.  I've had a dual camera put on my caravan and that's wonderful to always know exactly what's happening behind. 

hufnpuf wrote:

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RoboLB wrote:

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No reversing camera.

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 My "tank" has one, my normal car doesn't.  I have become quite used to it, so that I miss it on my car without it.  When you get your motorhome, you can have one put on if you like.  I've had a dual camera put on my caravan and that's wonderful to always know exactly what's happening behind. 

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 I have reversing cameras on both the car and the caravan. They're very convenient to see what's directly behind you where the side mirrors have a blind spot.

I have a rear view window that also gives me the exact perspective on distance.  

My motorhome is 5.2mtrs long. I can park almost anywhere a car can park.

Have to be careful in centre of the road carparks and backing into parks in the main streets that have varandah overhangs. Its 3mtrs tall.

You say you only overhang a little bit. I only takes one pedantic parking inspector to get you into trouble and they are everywhere. Oh underground carparks are also an issue.  So, regardless of length don't get a high roof Vehicle unless you are prepared to avoid these parks.