Good morning all. Just returned from Kendal campsite in the woods (a regular place for us) . While there I met a couple with an ERIBA 420 caravan, they were besotted with it and their enthusiasm rubbed off on me so much so that they encouraged me to go get the wife to have a look. Her first words on entering it were "Good grief it's like the Tardis". Anyway trying to cut a long story short she fell in love with it, so much so that the next morning we travelled to Tebay (J38 on M6) to the dealer, and guess what, every kind of ERIBA except the 420 and a month or two before any more come in. This is the only one the wife will consider as the cooking arrangements are at the front and it has single beds. We couldn't ask the import questions at that time as we only thought of them afterwards like many of the things that come with the campervan would be extras with the 420. I'll just ask the one here, our current sleeping arrangement is side by side across the van, so with age, getting up during the night to visit the loo sometimes more than once disturbs everyone (including our much loved dog) so single beds should make life easier and less tired the next day, so my question is "how wide are the beds", after searching online I can only find 600mm as the dimension, which is 2 foot not the 2 foot 6 inches of a standard bed. Am I correct in this? Sorry for the long windedness but the answer may mean yay or nay to the 420 (if I can find one) .

We have a 420 and there are two sleeping options. The single beds are 66cm wide and don’t feel too narrow. You do to need to disappear the back cushions into the awning or car overnight. It’s also easy to pull out the bed slats and have a full width bed, wide enough for two plus a rather large dog. Either option allows one person to go to the loo in the night without disturbing the other.
We’ve had the 420 for three years and have been extremely happy with it.
Capt C

Thank you Capt C, that is very helpful. The 420 seems to be very popular, just got to find one now.

Regards Geoff ( Leighther)

Thank you Randa, at the moment the front kitchen ticks the boxes. We may go back to the dealer and have another look.
Regards Geoff (Leighther)

Hi Geoff and welcome to the site

We own a Troll 540 but I think the layout for the beds is very similar to the 420.

We have two singles which act as the bench seats for using the table during the day. We often have a quick doze on them in the afternoon. We have slept on them as singles in the night but you are right that they are rather narrow. It is perfect for Kath who is rather petite but as a largish chap I like more room.

What you can do on ours, and I'm guessing it might be the same on the 420, is pull out the slats and drop the legs as if you are turning it into a double, but only on one side and you now have a wider single, using the backrest cushion as the inner part of the mattress.

However Kath & I now turn ours into a double. We can sleep either along the van or across it, as a king size. We now prefer to sleep across it. Sadly I am part of the prostrate crew but it is no problem as I sleep nearest the toilet, so don't disturb her if I need a visit.

Please don't take this as gospel but might be worth asking the question at ALV.

Good luck with your search

MikeT

Thank you Mike, I hadn't looked at this, mainly because the wife was so set on the front kitchen, but having spent the last couple of days trawling the net for a 420 it seems they are as rare as hens teeth, and no one can give me a date of when one will be available. Our first campervan had a huge double bed going lengthways and we managed although it had to be made up at night and put away in the morning. I suspect we will make another trip to ALV to have a good browse. Our current campervan is now gone as we sold it this morning so until we get a caravan we're stuck at home. We now have another dilemma - our runabout is too small to pull a caravan so we need to change it for something bigger, it's the chicken and the egg situation - do we get the caravan first and then the car to suit or visa versa. Life's never easy!

Geoff

Hello Colin, thanks for this. As you say a lottery win would help, it has all the extras included except a mover which would be another £1300 ish. I need to think about this as its a 3 1/2hr drive plus any stops and the same to return or overnight accomodation, plus the same to return for collection. Hmmm! We've been watching utube videos, and the wife is starting to think of alternatives. I'll take her to ALV this weekend first as it's 1 1/2hrs each way, easily do able in a day.

Thanks again
Geoff

Hiya Colin I ended up going to Teebay for the troll, Adventure Leisure I gave Red Lion a go as well as that is also near to us. I sent emails to both companies Red Lion did not reply, I rang Red Lion they could not talk to me the time said they would return my call I am still waiting!

Adventure leisure answered email also rang me and sent me brochures and price list hence why I went there. Only time will tell if I have made a good decision we will see.
Morphy (Bev & Steve)

We have just been through all this Geoff and our planning is (slowly) coming to fruition. We bought the car first to match the weight of the Troll we wanted but my campervan isn't been sold (to a friend) for a three weeks so now I find myself with two vehicles and only one residents parking disc! We will get there in the end!

Probably Colin maybe right maybe to busy with order books full hey ho. I though it was only fare at the time though to give both dealers a chance.
Morphy ( Bev & Steve)