Under Van Storage

burlingtonboaby wrote:I used to strap my waste master to the rear ladders

Excellent idea

Gromit wrote:Chris

Please answer one simple question.

What is your motivation for spending so much time on here trying to make members feel bad about owning an Autosleeper?

Just that simple - why do you do it??

Gromit...I'm sorry, I didn't realise this was a forum for only bulling up AS...not having objective discussions about owner issues...
RE your specific point, i was merely questioning why some vans had such small tanks....in response to the OP attempting to fit containers under the van...to supplement them.....surely bigger tanks in the first place must be better?
and twas not I that suggested a large tank would be too heavy for a PVC....I disagreed and gave examples of vans that do it.
this forum is full of threads with customers querying aspects of their AS vans...I'm happy to give an non introspective view....however, any outside view, may not be tinted by the same glasses some wear..unfortunately, you always take that as criticism..
I'm sorry you don't like criticism (we've been here before) but that was hardly criticism.. the tanks are small by modern standards...and it would be a bit of a handicap for us, and perhaps some other off gridders, even AS ones, to have to operate with those constraints...
have a good night..

But you have carefully avoided answering the question.

Why do you spend so much time on a forum dedicated to a motorhome that you do not own, and obviously despise, incessantly picking up on any reported problem and making a meal of it . . . with the obvious result (and apparent intention) of making the unfortunate owner feel even worse about his pride and joy.

The question is simple.

It's very unkind, so why do you do it??

PLOUGHLIN wrote:

burlingtonboaby wrote:Before I had my Fiamma 500 fitted to my Nuevo/Sigma, I used to strap my waste master to the rear ladders without any problems.
I have a Thule 900 back box attached to my towball ( Thule easy base rack) ,it holds all of my bulky items including our water container and waste hog.
Fitting a towbar/ball maybe a more expensive option ,however I now have the choice (if I want to in the future) to tow a trailer or tow a A framed car.
Boaby

Don't forget to apply for your C1E licence shortly though.

Hi Peter
Noted, thanks.   
Boaby  no tow car.   

Gromit wrote:But you have carefully avoided answering the question.

Why do you spend so much time on a forum dedicated to a motorhome that you do not own, and obviously despise, incessantly picking up on any reported problem and making a meal of it . . . with the obvious result (and apparent intention) of making the unfortunate owner feel even worse about his pride and joy.

The question is simple.

It's very unkind, so why do you do it??

that's rather heavy....
I've told you that I try to be objective and spend time (on several forums) helping others when they have issues....
I'll admit, there are many issues I read of on this forum that should never reach the customer once, let alone repeatedly...
the fact is that some brands make a better job of certain things than other brands.....for example, AS was/is particularly bad at prividing a simple solar set up that avoids flat batteries on owners driveways.....
I and others came up with alternatives that work and spent time describing them...
in that particular scenario, I think I was only one who got berated for daring to suggest that AS/Sargent hadn't got it right.....other contributors were not vilified as I was...in fact I had several members PM to offer support and to say a few choice words about yourself as it happens.....
however, I don't bear grudges...you don't like me, but that's life....
many folk criticise many brands on many forums, but, like the Caravan Club, AS have their way of doing things even if the customer isn't getting the best service from their pretty pricy MH.
For some reason, suggesting a van with a 40 ltr waste tank was way too small you've got yourself really wound up....that was not my intention, nor is unwarranted criticism, but in that instance (and the solar panel debacle) criticism was justified IMHO...
..but that is all it was, criticism....constructive criticism....why do you think that As, Or any brand is beyond that?....my brand certainly isn't..there are alwanpys a number of issues running on that forum....
but the Mods grasp these and take them back to the manufacturer and they find a way forward...
raw customer data like a MH brand forum should be pure gold to any manufacturer...it seems that AS have nothing to do with this nor do the mods take issues forward to iron out going forward...
I'll try not to upset you in future....
again, have a great evening..

Sorry, but I agree with Gromit. Your comments are generally negative, anti AS and unhelpful. I have owned two AS vans for the last twenty years and both have 40 litre waste tanks.  I have used them for all sorts of touring quite happily and emptied the tank when necessary. A larger tank would make no difference to the frequency of emptying because waste water becomes smelly quite quickly especially in hot weather.

Anyway, getting back on topic....

Given that there doesn’t appear to be a neat alternative store for the waste water container when on the road then surely, if it was washed out after last use on a site, rinsed with a dose of Tank Cleaner, lid screwed firmly on and kept in one of the purpose made bags, it would not smell if it travelled in the loo ?

Granted anything stored in there is a nuisance but this will presumably be taken out and put under the van as soon as you stop.

bolero boy wrote:that is all it was, criticism....constructive criticism

I'm going to have to disagree with you, again.

Your criticism - in the context of a forum for AutoSleepers Owners - is not constructive. You say that the tanks that A/S fit are too small, and really the only "solution" to that problem (as perceived by you) is to own something other than an A/S product.

As I've already pointed out to you, the decision about size of tank (and of course a myriad of other spec decisions) is a commercial decision by A/S, based on their understanding of their market. The fact that you, as a frequent off-gridder, don't find the size adequate doesn't mean that A/S have made the wrong decision. It just means that it's the wrong spec for you. And yet you insist that a motorhome is not a good one unless it has large tanks, and that we all need large tanks.

If you were to make these comments on a general-purpose motorhome forum it would not be an issue. It's the fact that you choose to come onto the A/S Owners forum and repeatedly criticise A/S products as someone who does not even own the marque. I've tried to understand why you do this repeatedly, and frankly none of the explanations that I can come up with do you any credit.

I've down sized from a coachbuilt to a Warwick duo ,which has smaller fresh water and waste tanks, I find them perfectly adequate for our touring needs, we aren't of gridders, I like to chat to fellow tourers at the watering point and met people from other parts of the country,it's amazing who's touring these days.
Boaby

Roopert wrote:

bolero boy wrote:that is all it was, criticism....constructive criticism

I'm going to have to disagree with you, again.

Your criticism - in the context of a forum for AutoSleepers Owners - is not constructive. You say that the tanks that A/S fit are too small, and really the only "solution" to that problem (as perceived by you) is to own something other than an A/S product.

As I've already pointed out to you, the decision about size of tank (and of course a myriad of other spec decisions) is a commercial decision by A/S, based on their understanding of their market. The fact that you, as a frequent off-gridder, don't find the size adequate doesn't mean that A/S have made the wrong decision. It just means that it's the wrong spec for you. And yet you insist that a motorhome is not a good one unless it has large tanks, and that we all need large tanks.

If you were to make these comments on a general-purpose motorhome forum it would not be an issue. It's the fact that you choose to come onto the A/S Owners forum and repeatedly criticise A/S products as someone who does not even own the marque. I've tried to understand why you do this repeatedly, and frankly none of the explanations that I can come up with do you any credit.

Roopert, I'm not sure why you want to drag this out...
however, what I suggested was that AS could fit larger tanks, as other brands seem able to do....I didn't suggest the only alternative was to buy another brand...
I also said that IMHO an attribute of a good MH was decent self sufficiency....perhaps what youre saying is that all AS owners should visit CC type sites and perhaps spend even more cash on a serviced pitch so as to be able to top up and dump regularly?
I spend many hours (at shows and at two very large loacal dealers) crawling over many brands of MHs, UK and continental, as I like to keep abreast of the market, re design and build.....I glean much from these visits
however, a general attribute like tank size has nothing to do with the build 'quality' but IMHO much to do with usability away from sites....
similarly many AS forum members' issues with batteries going flat on their drives despite having solar systems factory fitted...
'quality' is a difficult thing to quantify and means something different to different owners. I obviously have different views than your good self and we will have to leave it at that....
I won't be able to give opinions 'as an AS owner' as the product doesn't meet my vanning requirements but this doesn't preclude my being able to offer support re generic appliances from Truma, Dometic, solar systems etc
I've never said they are bad vans, but they are at the top end of the U.K. mid market and customers should not be getting some of the issues that are regularly reported on this forum..
how will a supplier ever raise the bar if no one is prepared to admite there is ever a problem....'that's how AS designed it' isn't necessarily the aswer to all issues.....yet I've seen this mentioned more than once....
again, good luck with your van....ill try not to be too constructive moving forward.

Reading this as a coachbuilt van owner, I think the best solution is the suggestion to attach a waste container to a rear rack or ladder. I wouldn't consider scrabbling under a van in the rain..
But this thread has prompted me to actually measure my tank's capacities.
I've always known the figures published in the Nuevo handbook are way out, 47 litre fresh, 38 litre waste. Because when we're off gridding (I hate the term 'wild camping' as how can it be wild when the van is ten feet from a surfaced road!), we easily manage 3 consecutive days, that's 6 showers plus washing up etc.
My findings are, including priming the hot cylinder, it took exactly 100 litres to fill the van.
The waste took 70 litres before overflowing.
I'm the second owner of this van, so I can only assume bigger tanks can be specified on the original order. Maybe this is true of other models.
Al.

Ours is about the same Al.

Never had a problem. The trusty watering can keeps the fresh water topped up with minimal effort, and frequent emptying of the waste whenever an opportunity arises means we've never had ours full up. 

burlingtonboaby wrote:I've down sized from a coachbuilt to a Warwick duo ,which has smaller fresh water and waste tanks, I find them perfectly adequate for our touring needs, we aren't of gridders, I like to chat to fellow tourers at the watering point and met people from other parts of the country,it's amazing who's touring these days.
Boaby

Just had a thought       ,if one is orderlng a new van (I.e Bespoke from factory) is it not possible to have larger tanks fitted at the built stage.         
Boaby

I have no problem with the size of the tanks on either of my motor-homes, they are designed for a purpose and work, I do use a 23litre waste tank on wheels to put under the waste tank, as it is easier to  empty ( some sites have walls around the waste emptying points) also water goes straight into the tank. it is rinsed out a drop of zoflora put in and in a waterproof bag either goes under the long seat in the Amethyst or toilet compartment in the Topaz for travelling. I find it not a problem. 

If carried under the van, will get the grunge off the road, and not pleasant to retrieve in inclement weather, jmho.
Best regards,
Margaret