Nuevo ek

After so much deliberation between the Broadway EK TB, the Broadway EB and the Nuevo ES, we’ve finally ordered .... a Nuevo EK! Well I like a challenge and packing for 8 weeks away is certainly going to provide one. So this is a shout out for your best storage tips you could share, please. We've have had a caravan for years, but this will be our first motor home. I'm having a bike rack fitted, just in case I need to lash my wife to it.... 

One thing I am considering is creating a storage shelf across the cab roof, which might take some bedding. I am looking at having something like this made, but using it as a shelf base. Thoughts? 

packing for 8 weeks shouldnt be that different for packing for 10 days or so....sites have washing/drying facilities, most places have shops! for food, drink etc...
no need to overload, just take the 'one off' things you need, bikes, windbreak, chairs, tools but most else can be cleaned, washed, replaced.
re: the cab shelf, most manufacturers are hastily ordering vans without them, even panel vans now have a smart open feel with an extra sunroof....why?....cos folk keep bashing their heads....
i understand the shortage of storage (its a small van) but i wouldnt be lashing up something unless it was absolutely necessary....give the van a trip or two and see how you get on...

Agree with BB not to buy anything special until after the first trip. When we transitioned from caravans 4 years ago and bought new equipment we ended up getting rid of a lot of it. You do need to downsize considerably from a caravan.

Things not to take - water and waste container. Picnic table (the van table can be used outside).
Things to consider - a small awning mat (if you have a canopy), a collapsible bucket.
Essential - something to sit outside on e.g. folding picnic chairs. We strap ours to the back of driver and passenger seats.

I agree with bolero boy.  The length of trip shouldn't require you to take any more.  We also moved from a 4 berth caravan with fixed beds and an end bathroom to the Nuevo EK and we wondered where everything was going to go.  We needn't have worried - there is plenty of space and Nuevo EK has the largest loading margin of all the 3500 kg coachbuilts.  We treated ourselves to a pair Duvalays.  They are a bit expensive but they do an excellent job.  They fit snuggly into the o/s under seat locker providing you move the leisure battery forward and turn it through 90 deg so it sits laterally.  Our pillows crush up into the two open side lockers above the cab seats.  There are many other ways of storing things which you will no doubt hear about from other members.

BornAgain wrote:Agree with BB not to buy anything special until after the first trip. When we transitioned from caravans 4 years ago and bought new equipment we ended up getting rid of a lot of it. You do need to downsize considerably from a caravan.

Things not to take - water and waste container. Picnic table (the van table can be used outside).
Things to consider - a small awning mat (if you have a canopy), a collapsible bucket.
Essential - something to sit outside on e.g. folding picnic chairs. We strap ours to the back of driver and passenger seats.

The picnic table is the only thing I would disagree with here - and of course I speak only from our experience.

I have long since put our van table in the loft. It's a pain in the backside in the van, as the legs are always in the way as you try to get seated or have to move past it. Outside it always wobbles on any surface other than smooth tarmac.

Better (in my opinion) to get a Fiamma Tripod and a suitable table top. (The small table top that comes with the van is a bit too small to be practical as a main table.) Your dealer will probably have second hand table tops lying around, or have a look on eBay. Ours doesn't match very well, but who cares - and it cost only a tenner! Fix the Fiamma boss to the underside and you have a serviceable table for inside, which is less of a trip hazard, and it will be stable outside on almost any surface.

Having said all that, the best advice is never to buy any accessory until you are absolutely sure you really need, and will regularly use it. That's how lofts and garages get filled up!! 

Even with a useless wardrobe we can easily pack enough clothes for 2+ weeks in the overhead lockers of our Warwick. We've been away for about 6 weeks and just do the laundry when necessary. 

We carry a small reserve of essential foods and shop as we go for provisions. 

Pots and pans, crockery etc was drastically reduced when we shifted from a caravan. Do I need 3 pans when I've never used more than 2 at a time? Why carry crockery that's never used etc etc.

Folding chairs we carry on the bike rack and the big unused table stays at home along with the surplus scatter cushions and a few other bits.

Have AS stopped offering the option of having storage above the cab? I'd much rather have that than a potential leak source of an acrylic skylight but that's just my view.

Hi 
Welcome to the forum from Bridington.
Boaby

Welcome to the forum from a soggy site in North Yorkshire. When we moved from the Duetto van conversion to the Rienza we were surprised how much we had crammed into lockers and corners. It was then a case of were did we put things and empty lockers.
We manage some long breaks before by using sites with laundry  facilities as we did in New Zealand for nearly two months. 
We are lucky having had a large over cab locker that takes all the bedding in both the van and the motorhome. For clothes storage we used a lidded plastic box each and as meany hangers that would fit for things that crease for management.

I purchased my Nuevo EK in February 2017 after having two larger motorhomes with Garages and before that 25 years of caravaning.


I would agree whole heartedly buy nowt till you have been away a few times and then only add what you will regularly use.

All those wise words were given to me when I first got the Nuevo and they were quite correct.

I looked at drive away awnings, bike racks with luggage boxes and have managed without either (if you have bikes and will use them that’s different)

It’s a great feeling as you leave a site and it’s pouring down with rain and you watch all the caravan owners getting soaked as you nip out to undo your mains lead and empty the waste water (normally do it the night before if bad weather is forecasted for the next day)

Terry

we regularly go away for 8-10 weeks at a time in our Nuevo EK with no real issues beyong having to book into a "proper" campsite every 10 days - two weeks to do laundry and do a good clean of the motorhome there is plenty of storage if you are careful and have the cupboard above the cab which takes all the bedding  - I cant believe that AS took that away!

BornAgain wrote:Agree with BB not to buy anything special until after the first trip. When we transitioned from caravans 4 years ago and bought new equipment we ended up getting rid of a lot of it. You do need to downsize considerably from a caravan.

Things not to take - water and waste container. Picnic table (the van table can be used outside).
Things to consider - a small awning mat (if you have a canopy), a collapsible bucket.
Essential - something to sit outside on e.g. folding picnic chairs. We strap ours to the back of driver and passenger seats.

We retained a water barrel from our caravan which we carry in the shower and find useful.  We also have a collapsible bucket for grey water disposal.  We travel with an empty or nearly empty fresh water tank but have a small collapsible water container for use en-route and if the pump packs up!  We bought a very small folding alloy table for use outside.  It's just large enough for the George Foreman or a couple of drinks.  When we take them, our two folding chairs travel in the shower but I have previously strapped them to the cycle rack.  We have retained an awning mat from the caravan but so far haven't taken it.  After buying our Duvalays, we bought Taylormade windscreen and bike rack covers which we use when needed.  When we take the windscreen cover, which we don't in the summer months, it travels in the shower.  If using the bike rack a lighting board will be required.  We replaced the section of carpet at the entrance and EK with a couple of more practical floor mats.

Caraman wrote:

BornAgain wrote:Agree with BB not to buy anything special until after the first trip. When we transitioned from caravans 4 years ago and bought new equipment we ended up getting rid of a lot of it. You do need to downsize considerably from a caravan.

Things not to take - water and waste container. Picnic table (the van table can be used outside).
Things to consider - a small awning mat (if you have a canopy), a collapsible bucket.
Essential - something to sit outside on e.g. folding picnic chairs. We strap ours to the back of driver and passenger seats.

We retained a water barrel from our caravan which we carry in the shower and find useful.  We also have a collapsible bucket for grey water disposal.  We travel with an empty or nearly empty fresh water tank but have a small collapsible water container for use en-route and if the pump packs up!  We bought a very small folding alloy table for use outside.  It's just large enough for the George Foreman or a couple of drinks.  When we take them, our two folding chairs travel in the shower but I have previously strapped them to the cycle rack.  We have retained an awning mat from the caravan but so far haven't taken it.  After buying our Duvalays, we bought Taylormade windscreen and bike rack covers which we use when needed.  When we take the windscreen cover, which we don't in the summer months, it travels in the shower.  If using the bike rack a lighting board will be required.  We replaced the section of carpet at the entrance and EK with a couple of more practical floor mats.

Yes likewise I tend to take the water barrel for fresh with me especially on rallies and always have a collapsible bucket for disposal of the grey water,
Terry

Save for the water barrel, we tend to do / carry almost exactly as Caraman does.
We can usually stay for 3 days or so without having to empty the grey water tank, and if we're staying on a site longer we usually use the van for an excursion and so empty the grey tank at the service point on our way out.

On the very rare occasion when when the grey tank is full-ish, and I don't want to bother to take the van off ramps and wind up steadies etc etc to drive to the grey water dump, I first empty the WC cassette, and then fill it with (usually soapy) grey water, and take that to the WC emptying point. 2 or 3 journeys empties the grey tank, and also washes out the cassette. Saves hassle.
Cymro

raymondo wrote:we regularly go away for 8-10 weeks at a time in our Nuevo EK with no real issues beyong having to book into a "proper" campsite every 10 days - two weeks to do laundry and do a good clean of the motorhome there is plenty of storage if you are careful and have the cupboard above the cab which takes all the bedding  - I cant believe that AS took that away!

I also find it hard to believe AS took the cupboards above the cab away on the EK. What a daft idea for such a small van where every available space should be utilised.
We use the large centre cupboard to store all our clothes, the nearside small one contains all my wife's cosmetics etc, the offside holds all my guidebooks and maps.
Bedding is stashed in the nearside under-bench storage space.
Al.

The Nuevo EK low profile is still available with overcab lockers as an option. 

Maybe Edruthen can amend his order.