Howdy. For a long time now, I have been taken by Eriba caravans and have decided that it is time to start looking for one in earnest. It will replace an Esterel folder that I have campaigned round Europe for many years but now it's time for a little more sophistication and comfort. The main criteria will be a big bed. My partner and I are not Koala Bears and crave our own space. So the first thing I need to do is establish what model choices I have. From my initial research, it appears that a Triton 410 or a Puck 230 or 120 give me the best options. Could some kind person confirm that please. It may be that these are just current models and that there are some older ones that I have missed. Again, if anyone could mention those, I would be very grateful. My budget isn't huge but I think reasonable and again, from initial researches, I think I will be looking in the mid 90's to early 2000's as a likely range for potential purchase. I'm undecided yet whether a 3 berth would be better. I'm inclined to think it would be, but I may be constrained by cost.

Any advice or comments gratefully received.. Many thanks in advance...

Hi and
Its worth looking in the Picture Gallery as there is a section with layouts of Eribas. We have a 430 which is 3 berth as we wanted the dinette area so we didn't have to make up the bed each day. We also wanted an on board toilet.
Anyway, good luck in your search.
Regards Chris and Keith

from us 2, Jen & Gray

from the Frantones.
I would seriously recommend considering the 420. It gives you the option of large singles or a huge double without having to sleep across the van. It also gives a great space for socialising. It is often said that people don't want to have the fuss of making up the bed every night but in reality the long singles in the 420 and 540 are made in seconds by one simple pull out of the base. You always have the option of one person staying in bed or reclining during the day.
TonyP

Good to hear you are looking and welcome from Derek and Carole, good luck

Thank you all for your warm welcome, it is much appreciated. Having thought about comments made here, done a bit more research and talked it through with the lady who really makes the decisions, I think we are coming down in favour of a Triton 410 or 420 - the jury is still out as to whether we want a dinette or bathroom layout. I'd be interested to know people's opinions of what sort of prices these command. As I say, I suspect my budget will enable me to acquire something between 10 and 20 years old, depending on whether it is a private or trade purchase (or import - I would not be averse to that) One thing I have seen on Eribas that I particularly like is the external locker granting access to the under bed space. Could someone tell me when that feature was introduced - did it also coincide with the redesign of the front locker arrangement when it went from a 'Bull nose' to a more incorporated arrangement with the front of the body.

Many thanks for the ongoing help, it really is much appreciated..

from Mr & Mrs Morphy (Bev & Steve)
We had a Puck which we have just sold a year 2000 which we had for approx. 15 months and had some good hols. We went to a couple of meets with this site which I can thoroughly recommend. I liked the Puck albeit a little small but it had an awning and bags of character we heard lots of good comments.

We now have a 540gt Troll and the difference you can not belief two single or one very large double or even 1 three quarter and one single up front and a single to the rear. You mention bathroom as most on here will agree the shower is a non starter very tiny but the toilet is the best upgrade from the Puck.

Take your time when deciding visit a few if you are near any members from this site I am sure you would be welcome to take a look spend some time for a natter. You could go to a dealers but there is no substitute for talking to people who actually use them. We are Lancashire and as said have owned a Puck and have the Troll.

Others on here more knowledge than me but it appears that the model with the locker under the bed is a gt or one with a fixed bed. Fixed bed are a preference and Ellen and Mark who own Doodah have a very nice outfit. We have the rear dinette and if we get away with plenty of sun our idea is to leave the large double made up and use outside more.
good luck in your search Morphy.

Our Triton 430 (three beds and a washroom) has an external hatch on both sides, but the one on the nearside houses both the leisure battery and the Reich control box, as well as the BIP unit, so not much can be stored in it. We use it for the hookup cable and the levelling ramps between trips. The offside (door side) locker stores one of the Duvalays if we decide to unmake the beds during the day. The other one goes in the nearside locker at the front.
As for the "shower", yes, it's a bit of a non-starter, particularly when you have a cold-water Eriba. However, at out last excursion (Whit Week) it was warm enough for a cold-water wash and hairwash, so the washroom certainly worked for us. Plus it's great to have the loo for No. 1s in the night.

Zitat

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Our Triton 430 (three beds and a washroom) has an external hatch on both sides,

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That,s unusual normally its just one on the door side.

The fixed bed model has 2 hatches as far as I know.

We are new to caravaning and after a lot of research and a visit to a meeting of the Eriba Owners Club who were at Sandwich Kent last year near to where we live we bought a Triton 420GT as me being 6ft 2in I can't sleep across the van. We did sleep making the bed up into a double which was huge but found that when the call of nature calls in the night you have to shuffle down the bed. So we now sleep in singles which take no time at all to make up and put away. One of the things the 420 has is a bathroom(no more cold wet night time walks to the toilets) which we have found is not only useful at night but when traveling with the van you don't have to find a service station. We bought our van from Dom Fox who I can highly recommend. Good luck in finding the right van for you, They are great caravans I am really please we bought one.

Thanks for the ongoing comments. They are helping me in forming an opinion. It would seem in my researches so far that the 420 might be slightly easier to buy as there appears to be more of them on the market - that's what my google searches have thrown up so far, anyway. Bev and Steve's 540 would be ideal, of course, but my (meagre) budget wont stretch that far, I fear.

I'm in East Anglia and would be delighted to visit anyone with a 410 or 420 to talk about their experiences and get a good feel for the vans if anyone was kind enough to make the offer. Equally, if anyone knows of a van for sale they think might suit, I'd be very happy to hear of it..

thanks once again..

Hugh

Quote: cabbie37 wrote in post #13

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I'm in East Anglia and would be delighted to visit anyone with a 410 or 420 to talk about their experiences and get a good feel for the vans if anyone was kind enough to make the offer. Equally, if anyone knows of a van for sale they think might suit, I'd be very happy to hear of it..

thanks once again..

Hugh

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that 1994 he has in stick would have tempted me but he located a 2008 exactly to the spec I discussed, before that 1994 came into him, and if it is the one I saw somepics of on eBay with him on the interior it's in fantastic condition and has been really well looked after. That said, I do love my 2008 420 and think it is one of my best buys, I smile every morning when I look at it.