Too old for a Rock n Roll Bed?!

At 71 sometimes I feel that maybe I should trade in my beautiful Trident and find a camper van with a bed I don't have to make up every night ........... but - once it's all sorted in the morning I think, maybe just a little longer!  Also at least I have four forward facing seatbelts.  The latter is a great problem to overcome if you go up a size as invariably there are only two or three forward facing seatbelts, so no good for grandchildren. Any thoughts on this?

If it's the same bed as in the Trooper, they are so quick to put down, they are as close to being as convenient as a fixed bed as you can get - compared to all the others where you have to move seat backs and shuffle cushions around!

Thing is that almost anything with a fixed bed is going to be huge compared to a Trident/Trooper, so it won't fit so easily down country lanes, and will cost half as much again in fuel...

True words - thank you !

I have messaged you

Thank you Rose

India, keep rocking, its a great layout tried and tested. We leave a double fitted sheet in place and the duvet and pillows tuck away behind the backrest then have a throw over the seats. 10 seconds to make and 20 seconds to fold away. We looked at every layout and found this one the best. I'm 6"6" so sleeping across the way was a non-starter for every van we looked at. Possibly a rear lounge would've suited allowing the bed to remain in place. Of course a toilet cubicle would be nice but thats for the future.

I have got it down to a fine art - mattress topper rolled up at the back. I leave out the shelf now, duvet and pillows ‘up top’. Not much space when bed down

Not sure where the rest of the message went ..... sent on my phone but now on my computer. I have a little loo in the cupboard, which I don't think is in the newer models. The smallness of the van appeals to my ott tidiness and the husband is banned.  We also have a caravan, it has a fixed bed, but I love the freedom of my Trident.  Particularly like it when it's sorted out in the morning!!!! It has a very low mileage and my friends call it my grown up dolls house. Thanks everyone to encourage me to carry on rock n rolling!!!

Like you, when we got the van we thought the parcel shelf was a nice touch but now its just in the way. We leave it in the roof and the throw covers the space nicely. We haven't a topper but find the duvet and pillows roll up and tuck behind the seat back

We outgrew the Trident bed (had a T4 for 15 years), and wanted a bit more living space.
Changed to a Nuevo last year and no regrets..far from it. Enjoying a good night's sleep and making up the double bed is very quick, the extra space, washroom, and better kitchen/microwave etc. OK, it is bigger but at 5.7m is still easy to drive, shop, and tour..we live between the Lakes and Dales and we can still take advantage.

If I was on my own I would probably stick, but as a couple with a dog we feel we made the right choice and are set up for the next few years.

India Hannaford wrote:At 71 sometimes I feel that maybe I should trade in my beautiful Trident and find a camper van with a bed I don't have to make up every night ........... but - once it's all sorted in the morning I think, maybe just a little longer!  Also at least I have four forward facing seatbelts.  The latter is a great problem to overcome if you go up a size as invariably there are only two or three forward facing seatbelts, so no good for grandchildren. Any thoughts on this?

Plenty of thoughts as i use a similar set up with my van. Much depends on health and types of touring you do. I've used my van doing lengthy tours around Europe. However i suffer arthritic problems which each year has increasingly worsened. Like you i kept thinking 'another year' but last year i finally decided i'd had enough of making up the bed each night plus it was uncomfortable. I need a proper bed with firmer mattress that i can leave made up, and still have a useable van....and that means a coachbuilt with fixed bed. But i've struggled to find one of a sensible size within budget and the end-bed layout i want, (you'd be amazed at the number which are end lounge or kitchen ~ it seems to be 'a british thing'). I'm no longer in the best of health anyway so don't know what the future is right now.

whilst I agree with others that any move to a fixed bed van will inevitibly mean a larger van..
however, the Adria Twin SP (the most popular van layout in Europe) is only 6m long and 2.05m wide and can go anywhere white van man can...
the rear bed is huge (Sleeping area, rear berths (l x w, cm) 196x145) and there is a swingwall shower making good use of space.
perhaps, more importantly, it has four seatbelts in automotive type seats.
if I wanted a small van with a fixed bed, this would be my first port of call.
thousands about used...
good luck.

BG re your post above FYI...our own van is only 6.4m long and nicely slim at 2.12m wide, has a huge double at the rear (and another over the cab...a garage for bikes etc, large water and gas capacity, double floor etc...
it's certainly possible to get a quality van in a managable size with a great bed and storage...

bolero boy wrote:BG re your post above FYI...our own van is only 6.4m long and nicely slim at 2.12m wide, has a huge double at the rear (and another over the cab...a garage for bikes etc, large water and gas capacity, double floor etc...
it's certainly possible to get a quality van in a managable size with a great bed and storage...

Yes i'm looking at sub 6m so i can get it on my drive but what i'm finding is the smaller van lengths are newer models so more expensive. Another 'quirk' i've noticed is older vans with fixed corner beds often have windows to the rear and side. Quite why i've no idea as 1) it means you need the curtains/screens kept closed all the time you're in bed, and 2) i feel it's a security weak point. Later model vans dispensed with windows there altogether.

As i 'fly solo' there's only need for one bed. Garage would be nice but as long as there's some decent storage i'm prepared to compromise. At the moment though i'm in limbo as my health hasn't been too good so not sure yet what the future plans are.

the 'Twin' PVC layout I was describing has a transverse bed at the rear with decent storage under, but not a garage...I'm sure older models are a shade under 6m and a good deal less than modern new vans.
the rear side bed you describe (French bed) tend to have less storage and more compromised washrooms, although there are models from Rapido, swift, etc..
good luck with the search.

I have only just read all these observations and thoughts.  Not only is it expensive to change, when you have an old but reliable one off Trident (synchro, refurbished and low mileage) the inconvenience of the bed and no shower disappears when it is all sorted. We do have a caravan for more luxury, but I won't tow this and as my day to day car is a fiat 500 this would be impossible.  My husband has the freelander (now sadly also extinct - stupid Land Rover). Maybe i will win the lottery!!!