Hi everyone
My wife and I are looking to become Eriba owners. Trying to pick our way through the bewildering number and types of vans!
We’ve decided that we want on onboard bathroom, so the next decision is between a fixed bed or extra seating?

But is there, anywhere, a full description of the different models?

We will be towing with a 2018 2 litre diesel automatic Mini Countryman which I think will handle any of the Eriba pop top models?

Any advice is welcome!

Peter and Hazel

There are core layout vans that have been going for decades and lots that shone for a couple of seasons and then disappeared. Budget and size determine what sort of age you are looking for. Be aware that as standard Eribas are relatively bare spec. wise and options add weight but also are at the whim of the original buyer.

Eribamotters, you made me laugh. "We camp as a mature couple so a large dinning area is not needed". We are an aging couple and definitely need the big table for dinner..... you obviously aren't as greedy as us LOL

We have the 430 so we have a bathroom. We put up a big sunshade and use a Decathlon séjour.....this : https://www.decathlon.fr/p/sejour-a-arce...aMaAjKrEALw_wcB to cook in and use a storage and another space to sit if the weather isn't top. I'm not keen on giant awnings - spot the caravan hiding behind LOL. We all have different needs. Motters is right when he says that a fixed bed is more comfy but we enjoy the extra "living" room especially when sitting outside is a little nippy.

Hi Peter & Hazel & welcome to the Forum.

just a couple of things to add to the good advice above.

A key question might be do you want an Eriba with the bathroom. Depends of how you intend to use your van. For us as tent campers who reached retirement age it was a key feature, as was having one with an on board water tank and a hot water boiler.

Another is as a couple how much size do you want to live in. After sitting in all the models available we decided that the Troll was the right size for us not to be bumping into each other all the time...................!

Another is the issue mentioned by Colin about having a fixed bed or not. There is a school of thought that fixed beds are a bit more comfy. However our view was that we didn't want a fixed bed that took up lots of space but preferred the flexibility of the multifunction bed that you can get on the Troll 540 and I think one of the Tritons. This gives us a lounge area during the day with two long bench seats to lounge around or doze on and a large table. At night there are slats with legs that pull out to give various options. You can sleep as two long singles or a single and a three quarter or turn it into one large king size bed. We tend to do the latter and we sleep like logs. If we are feeling lazy we might leave it as virtual fixed bed for a few days or put it back to a lounge area. We have got the making or putting down of the bed and bedding down to 7 minutes........

Good luck with your search. We started ours by visiting a couple of main dealers and sitting in every Eriba model that they had in the showroom, new & used.

MikeT

We're just about to pick up a Troll 540 for those very reasons Mike writes about above - an infinitely adjustable sprung frame bed (a Triton 420 is similar) - I found it to be very comfortable when I tried it out at the dealer (much more comfortable than our basic foam-on-plywood Triton 430). We often camp for one or two nights when travelling and use a sunshade with the removable table attached to the outside of the van. If it turns cold we roll up our Duvalay toppers (with sheet attached), pop them in the car and then use the table inside. Unlike Colin we find the smaller front table a bit too small for all our cooking and eating paraphernalia! If stopping for longer we put up our Kampa Air awning and, again, have the table on the outside. We constantly use the front dinette for the coffee machine and milk frother (Oh yes!), for quick breakfasts, or (in my wife's case) as a make-up table. Flexibility is key for us and made the decision to move to a 540 easy. We loved our two 430 Tritons, but now need longitudinal beds for easy night-time and early morning get ups. Our first Eriba was a Triton 420 (front kitchen) and the bed was great, but we needed a second seating area.

Write a list of "must haves" and "ideals", then go and look at some variations - and don't decide until you have seen them all! Remember the old adage: decide in haste, then repent in leisure.

Have fun looking, Simon and Claire

Thanks Colin, useful advice!

Hi Randa
Thanks for that advice. I think in the end it will come down to what's available. We are looking at the secondhand market for something up to about 10 years old.
Our Mini is the Countryman, based on the BMW X1 and a towbar can be fitted. It's booked in for that next month.

Peter

Hmmm, hadn't thought about the comfort angle ref fixed beds. How much difference does that make?
I do like the idea of two sitting areas as I will sometimes be attending virtual meetings so one end will be the "office".

Peter

Hi Mike

Leaving the bathroom out makes everything much easier as I'm informed that I will be caravanning on my own!

So, bathroom is a must!

Peter

Thanks everyone for all the good advice. I think it's one of those situations where you can do all the research available but then find much of it redundant after the first couple of days of ownership, when you find out what you should really have bought!
So, does anyone hire these out for the odd weekend?

Hi Randa
We are in Kendal and have just had a quick trip to Tebay to see the stock at Adventure Leisure.
Very nice people and we had a good look at the different layouts. As you indicate, we prefer the larger sizes and have decided that the dinette bed layout is the one for us. There was a 540GT there:

https://www.adventurelv.com/used/caravan...l-540-gt-11150/

We decided that this would suit us although it was a little above what we were looking to pay. It didn't have an awning so would have to add something for that.

But when we get the towbar fitted I may be tempted to go back and see if it's still there .......