I've just noticed that although your post has been read more than 30 times, you have not yet had a reply or even a welcome to the forum. How strange!

So welcome, Phil, and I hope that between us we can help you in your quest.

I suspect that one of the problems for our members lies in the difficulty of advising people in general terms about what really is a personal preference. There are some general considerations however that may help get you started:

1. You say that you want 'a fixed rear bed' but do you mean a permanent rear bed or one than can be either left erected as a bed or converted into a dinette when not being used as a bed? There's a big difference between the two.

2. How tall are you both? Would you be able to sleep across the van or do you need the longer 'langslepper' beds that allow you to sleep along the caravan? If the latter, you will need a model with longitudinal beds and a dinette and that will really cut down your options.

3. All the Eribas have electrical hook up but not all have a leisure battery and charger depending on which market they were built for. If you require a motor mover, you will need a leisure battery.

4. If you are planning to do all cooking and living outside the van in the South of France, then you will need a full awning as, from personal experience, I can confirm that the weather in that region can be far from idyllic even in the middle of summer and protection from torrential rain and the Mistral may be needed.

5. You need to have a look at the layouts in our Picture Gallery (above) and on the Automotive Leisure web site.

6. (This should possibly have been No 1 in the list) What size van are you looking for and how will it match with the vehicle with which you intend to tow it? This web site will help Outfit matching

A lot of the information you require can also been found in threads discussed on this forum over the past two years, so you need to enter keywords into the Search facility above to track it down.

When you have firmed up your requirements and done some more research, come back to us with more specific questions and we'll do our best to help you.

Quote: Deeps wrote in post #3

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A few owners actually import their van from Holland (either new or used) where they more often than not are much cheaper due to the fact that these vans are more common and popular in Holland. I've not read or heard anything negative about doing it this way and the process is fairly simple. To use the van in the UK one would have to change over the rear reversing light and fog light along with changing over the gas regulator although non of this is beyond a reasonably competent DIY'er.

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Hi Phil and welcome to Eribafolk.
There are a few Eribafolk members in Ireland and they also find it difficult to locate an Eriba locally.

Here is a list of the UK dealers, UK Eriba Dealers and Clubs and presumable the nearest ones to Ireland would be Eriba Caravan Sales for used models and Airstream for new models. Silver Eribas are fairly new to the market so you'll be unlikely to find a second hand one. The waiting list for new models is normally several months long.

I'm presuming that because of the fact you mention the exchange rate you are living in the south? It may therefore be more economical for you to buy from mainland Europe. Only last week one of our Eribafolk Facebook members (Stephen Davey) from Northern Ireland made a 56 hour journey from Belfast, Larne, Cairnryan, Hull, Rotterdam, Amsterdam, Newcastle, Cairnryan, Larne, Belfast. He purchased a 1984 Eriba Pan Familia from the Netherlands and enjoyed every minute of the journey.

Randa

Sorry Phil but I've just had a thought. When I suggested that Eriba Caravan Sales and Airstream might be the nearest UK dealers to you I was basing my thoughts on the fact that you may use the Welsh ferry ports as your quickest crossing point.

However, if you are able to cross from Northern Ireland to Scotland then your best bet would be http://www.eribacaravans.co.uk/ (Jandi)

Moreover, when we paid them a courtesy visit in September, if I've got my facts correct, they explained to us that they don't take advantage of the strong pound and buy and sell new Eribas based on the current Euro rate. They also have a small stock of used Eribas.

If you give Jean or Sandy a ring they will be able to explain further. Really nice people

Randa

Hi Phil. I have grouped some of the points on your wish lists:-

[quote="Philbre"
It will only be occupied by herself and me, herein called snorer.
We both like the idea of a fixed rear bed with the option of the snorer being banished to the front dinette where he wont be so annoying.
We suspect we would like a permanent fixed bed across the eriba,,
I'm tallest at 5'10 so I guess we would easily fit?

Nobody seems to have heard of bunk beds at the front?

I have seen \ bunk bed I think in a 420 Triton & really like this idea, with storage in one of the bunks and the snorer in the other.

A 1.6L nissan quasqui will pull it
Phil[/quote]

Regarding the fixed cross bed and another bed/dinette to the front of the van, you'll be looking at a Triton430 or a Troll 530. We have a Troll 530 and although not a fixed rear bed we can leave it down if we choose. The bed in the front is a very wide, comfortable single (it will be narrower on the Triton 430).

Front Bunk bed. Kool Classics have designed one but it doesn't appear on their current website. Here a brief forum thread about it. Bunk Bed

A 420 bunk bed? Yes there is such a thing but it's as rare as hen's teeth. here's the thread:- A 3 Berth Triton 420GT

Quasqui 1.6 litre:- I'm not qualified to comment on the towing capability of this vehicle although the Quasqui is a popular tow car. My main concern is whether the 1600 engine (diesel?) will be powerful enough to tow a Troll. We used to tow our Troll adequately with a 1600 90bhp Focus but our Troll is only 1000kg max. Trolls < the year 2000 are normally 1000kg while Trolls > the year 2000 are 1200kg fully laden.
Here's a good website to see how your car rates :- http://www.towcar.info/

Randa