My new R20

[Megan]

I have, sitting in our drive one very beautiful new white shiny van, I have to keep looking at it, the window in the roof is really big (the hylo didn't have one) and there is also the smaller window. The interior colour is lovely, in fact everything about it is lovely, can't wait now to have the first meal at the table or the first glass of cider, even my husband is impressed (he is into his sailing boat rather than the motorhome), we will both be off to France and Spain next month in the R20 plus 'Jimmy' the Miniature Schnauzer and after that hope to join some 'meets' and get to know some folk

[pendel]

Congratulations on your lovely new R20. Have you taken any pictures yet, we like to see them so we can drool over them & be jealous. Have a fantasic trip to France & Spain . Hopefully we will see you sometime at a "meet".

[Ian.C.S]

congratulations,Im sure you will both be very happy with your new roma.

[peterholden]

Hope you enjoy yours as much as we enjoy ours!

Peter

[jayjay]

I'm surprised you haven't been out and slept in it on the drive!! I know I wouldn't be able to wait to try it out! go on, you know you want to!

Congratulations on getting your new van!

[VonUK]

I know that feeling!!! I was told it lasts for some time, and it certainly does, 2 months later I still feel just the same Have a wonderful time in France and Spain, we are in France for the whole of June - can't wait.

[diggdeep]

R20

good for you we get how tue dinner time red int 2 long seats only thing i do not like battery is in back not under seat as we have a one leg tabel that we can tern at night put it in to cab or leav it to put stuff on get home by 3 pm pack it up then south on wed if you see YK11HKF give ose a wave be a little white dog in back [email protected]

[VonUK]

Whoever uses the front passenger seat will be very happy the battery is in the back, if we are talking about the leisure battery. The other place for the battery is underneath the passenger seat, it is covered with a high lid that makes the passenger seat extremely uncomfortable for anything other than the shortest journey eg to the local shops!

Bet you are looking forward to tomorrow - we'll be thinking of you

[peterholden]

Our battery is under the passenger seat but you cannot feel it through the seat as the seat has a sheet steel base.

I have made a new battery box to accommodate a bigger battery

[Graham]

We had a battery under the passenger seat when we had our Duo and we didn't notice any difference in comfort.

[VonUK]

We certainly noticed it the our 2009 R20 Hylo, the seat didn't have a steel base, and the high lid on the battery could easily be felt through the upholstery of the cab seat. it might not have been quite so bad if it was completely under where you sat, but it was only halfway, so we had a ridge halfway across the seat, and the seat effectively had two levels. My somewhat bony partner complained bitterly, as the driver I didn't realise how uncomfortable it was until I travelled as a passenger myself. We got round it by removing the battery lid, and securing a small tray over the battery box, and by always having a couple of cushions on the seat. This was only a temporary measure until we could act on Ant's suggestion to replace the battery with a sealed one which didn't need venting, and therefore wouldn't need a high lid.

Apparently the passenger seat on the Citroen base vehicle was only meant for occasional use, which is why you couldn't adjust the back or slide it backwards or forwards.

The R25 based on the later Berlingo has a fully adjustable passenger seat, and the battery is in one of the lockers in the habitation area. Ok, we lose a locker, but with the extra space generally, it's a small price to pay for passenger comfort. It might also explain why the battery has been sited in the habitation area in the latest R20.

[diggdeep]

thank you

ni a big thank you to you all [email protected]

[Megan]

Thank you everyone for your kind comments, I have spent a considerable amount of time looking through the van window and seeing how lovely it looks, I have looked down at it from our upstairs window, and the window at the top seems lovely and big. I did think of sleeping in it last night but then thought I really should read all the information Ant has given me. My husband is glad that the battery is not under the passenger seat anymore because he used to find it very uncomfortable - well I always insist on driving - and he is quite happy about that. 'Oh isn't life exciting'

[peterholden]

The current Berlingo First that is used for the R20 no longer has the fixed van seat, it uses the same seats as in the Multispace which are adjustable. Anyone who is really handy could adapt the space behind the seat to fit a sealed battery provided some type of fixing and protection could be arranged. Stops can easily be fitted in the seat runners to prevent the seat from going too far back. If you examine the space behind the seats you will find a lot of storage space. We keep levelling blocks, a small hydraulic jack and a picnic stove behind the spare wheel. One EHU lead lives coiled in the spare wheel , the other in a bag on the floor in front of the wheel. Silver screens also live in the space between the seat and the wheel. Tools and a myriad of other things live in the space behind the battery. I also hide other things away in small nooks and crannies.