Simon looks up with hesitation. "I was expecting you at three", he says, and smiles. "Fancy a coffee whilst you wait?" In our excitement, we have arrived early for the handover, so a trip for lunch being preferred, we leave for the Pack Horse pub nearby.
Handover is quite a ceremony. It is like a right of passage. One arrives in campervan puberty, and leave in motorhome adolescence - full of vigour and new information, keen to try out all of the new opportunities created by the vehicle. Paperwork completed, we are passed to Jack who is our handover specialist. A genuine motorhomer over twenty years (now owning a top-of-the-range Hymer), Jack knows everything about the Tracker and motorhoming. He tacks carefully like a yachtsman, gauging what we know and what we need to be told. Outside, the features and how to access them - from the bonnet release to the rear view camera, via a plethora of lockers, fuel cap and waste disposal points.
I glance at Stephanie as she takes in the technical detail. But her interest is to set foot inside, which we do after examining both outside shower and barbecue point.
Entering the Tracker FB via the single Omni-step, ones first impression is the light. Yes, a sunny Friday, but the vehicle is drenched with bright daylight and warmth. Up front it feels open, thanks to the twin-sofa layout and removable, stow-away table. A serious issue with other manufacturers was the presence of a fixed table, dominating the forward part of the living area. Some swivel, slide and turn - but the effect is that the area is claimed by table, rather than accessible for leisure. We turn and lower the cab seats, taking in the sat-nav screen which doubles as an entertainment port and rear camera view. Above the cab is the drop-down television, offering a superbly placed screen for media and DVDs.
Here in the centre of the vehicle opposite the entrance door, is the kitchen area - with full Thetford Aspire cooker, four ring hob (including 800w electric plate), 800w microwave, Dometic 80l fridge and separate freezer running on electric or gas, domestic style sink with mixer taps and clever half-cover for the basin. I reflect on how sophisticated the designers have become at utilising space and placing whatever you need as close to hand as possible. Work surface is not plentiful, but adequate given the dimensions of the van.
To the rear - extends the French bed, possibly shorter than some, with the typical tapered foot. At 6'2" in height, is this a problem? In fact, no, when sleeping at a slight angle, facilitated by the bed's width. Above, acres of lockers, to the left, useful shelves, and just beyond the end of the bed, the bathroom.
In reality, the bathroom is tight, the Thetford cassette toilet swivelling just enough to accommodate a tall user. Forward is the square hand basin, plastic of course, but looking like porcelain, topped by a large LED backlit mirror. Again, plenty of storage, with cabinets below and to one side. To the rear is the shower with double folding doors and domestic style shower head. Usefully, above the shower is a hanging point for rain wear, doubling as a drip point for clothes washing.
Finally, fore of the bathroom is the wardrobe - half-height, restricting for Stephanie's Vivien of Holloway dresses, but certainly sufficient in width for two travellers.
Jack explains the Truma combi heating system - electric, gas or combination of fuels for extra heat. Here is a blown air system that starts beneath the bathroom, effectively giving under-floor heating there, and ends up in the living space. A fast flow of water is provided by the usual pressurised system from the boiler.
Van electrics are delivered via the Siemens EC 500 power supply unit and EC325 control panel, giving all of the options of 230v, 12 v from the leisure battery and automatic switching between both.
Are we confident? Yes we are. This has been a superb presentation, helped by my previous 23 years motorhoming, but nevertheless combining the right level of information whilst avoiding overload.
Dani, our favourite mechanic from Buenos Aires completes the last minute fit and vehicle check, and then the vehicle is ours.
Where now? Whitley Bay, of course, to try it out for real. And that will be the subject for the next blog.
I glance at Stephanie as she takes in the technical detail. But her interest is to set foot inside, which we do after examining both outside shower and barbecue point.
Entering the Tracker FB via the single Omni-step, ones first impression is the light. Yes, a sunny Friday, but the vehicle is drenched with bright daylight and warmth. Up front it feels open, thanks to the twin-sofa layout and removable, stow-away table. A serious issue with other manufacturers was the presence of a fixed table, dominating the forward part of the living area. Some swivel, slide and turn - but the effect is that the area is claimed by table, rather than accessible for leisure. We turn and lower the cab seats, taking in the sat-nav screen which doubles as an entertainment port and rear camera view. Above the cab is the drop-down television, offering a superbly placed screen for media and DVDs.
Here in the centre of the vehicle opposite the entrance door, is the kitchen area - with full Thetford Aspire cooker, four ring hob (including 800w electric plate), 800w microwave, Dometic 80l fridge and separate freezer running on electric or gas, domestic style sink with mixer taps and clever half-cover for the basin. I reflect on how sophisticated the designers have become at utilising space and placing whatever you need as close to hand as possible. Work surface is not plentiful, but adequate given the dimensions of the van.
To the rear - extends the French bed, possibly shorter than some, with the typical tapered foot. At 6'2" in height, is this a problem? In fact, no, when sleeping at a slight angle, facilitated by the bed's width. Above, acres of lockers, to the left, useful shelves, and just beyond the end of the bed, the bathroom.
In reality, the bathroom is tight, the Thetford cassette toilet swivelling just enough to accommodate a tall user. Forward is the square hand basin, plastic of course, but looking like porcelain, topped by a large LED backlit mirror. Again, plenty of storage, with cabinets below and to one side. To the rear is the shower with double folding doors and domestic style shower head. Usefully, above the shower is a hanging point for rain wear, doubling as a drip point for clothes washing.
Finally, fore of the bathroom is the wardrobe - half-height, restricting for Stephanie's Vivien of Holloway dresses, but certainly sufficient in width for two travellers.
Jack explains the Truma combi heating system - electric, gas or combination of fuels for extra heat. Here is a blown air system that starts beneath the bathroom, effectively giving under-floor heating there, and ends up in the living space. A fast flow of water is provided by the usual pressurised system from the boiler.
Van electrics are delivered via the Siemens EC 500 power supply unit and EC325 control panel, giving all of the options of 230v, 12 v from the leisure battery and automatic switching between both.
Are we confident? Yes we are. This has been a superb presentation, helped by my previous 23 years motorhoming, but nevertheless combining the right level of information whilst avoiding overload.
Dani, our favourite mechanic from Buenos Aires completes the last minute fit and vehicle check, and then the vehicle is ours.
Where now? Whitley Bay, of course, to try it out for real. And that will be the subject for the next blog.
 |
| Approval from Stephanie |
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