Prospective Ravenna owner - or similar

Hi there,

We are new to motorhomes this season. We've discovered we like motorhoming but as they say, your first motorhome is always the wrong one. We bought a Carioca 10 (2000). Now we are going out and about in it a bit, we are finding it very uncomfortable in the evenings (upright dinette seats only - no lounge area at all and a long corridor with furnishings both sides - no passing space inside). We've seen a couple of Ravennas on our travels and are seriously thinking of trading in our van for one. We like the rear L shaped lounge and the way the overcab bed lifts up and the two swivel seats upfront. Just the two of us plan to use it, but we would like to have the facility to take along two grandchildren for the occasional weekend out....

Can any kind people out there help / advise on what I could get for my budget? I'm looking for:

1. MAXIMUM budget 21/22K, preferably around 18K
   
2. Maximum age 10 years 
   
3. Any alternatives to the Ravenna? i.e. something similar we could look out for as well?
   
4. I've seen some ads for Ravennas with 4 seat belts, others with 3. - Can we have a 4th belt put in if we go for a 3 belted van?
   
5. When did they stop making Ravennas, and what did they replace them with?
   
6. Any difference between Transit and Peogeot versions?
   
7. Any other comments?
   

Dave

Hello and from Leicestershire. Good luck with your search for your ideal motorhome.

I was lucky and knew what I wanted, first a Topaz a great little van, then the next size for more room, same engine and both Auto-sleeper. I did look round a few before I found a good ones,

Monocoque `s are good vans, can get some with extra belted seats also a dinette, Pullman style, best to look at as many as you can, try to picture yourself living in them, you now know what you do not want,( no lounge area,)

Amethyst, Talisman, both have rear seat belts. both monocoque`s

Hi and welcome to the forum from the shores of Lock Linnhe.
Boaby

Hello & welcome from S/Yorks. 

Hello, hope you find what your looking for, met a guy with a Ravenna in Norfolk this week while on a Norfolk trip and like you on our first motorhome. Unlike you we love the comfort of our Amethyst. Considering the Ravenna was a few years younger than our van it was to be blunt a mess. Don't be too guided by thinking newer is better it's the condition that counts. Not sure about the seat belts in the back of other models, but in ours we have 2 in the rear but there is also provision for 2 more.