I am about to buy a 630 and would like to hear views on whether there are any significant disadvantages (other than cost) to having the roof top bed. I don't really need it although it would be useful occasionally. This would be my first Eriba.

Thanks Colin

If I were speccing from scratch, I probably wouldn't go for the sleeping roof, but I am trying to choose from what seems to be current stock which means of aiming for the best compromise of spec / price etc. All the vans with an awning also have the roof bed hence my question. I know I could retrofit an awning or buy a Shadow, but that would just about remove the price differential.

John

United British Caravans of Newcastle (no.I'd never heard of them either) are advertising a 620, 630 and a 642 all at £33,210 in the CAMC Classifieds. All added 3 months ago.

ALV at Tebay have three different 630s (an all silver, a white/gold and a white/silver) at varying prices from £37,000 to £40,000. Added 11, 12 and 13 months ago.

Highbridge in Somerset have a 630 (white/silver) at £35,995 - added 2 years ago!! They certainly still had it in April when I was there...

Might well be some offers being seriously considered!

Simon

From my research the only 6XX vans actually on site are all 630's and all have the expensive sleep in roof. Some have a cooker, some don't.

Why there are no examples of the other two 6XX layouts around and why they all have the costly roof option I've been unable to figure.

I wonder if its another of Hymer's 'smashing wheezes' like lumbering dealerships with the enormous Eriba 820 that nobody wanted to buy.

Thought I'd posted this earlier, but gone astray somehow

Thanks for the replies.

Not too worried about wind (famous last words) and the Thule awning - doesn't look too hard to add a couple of guying points and if it's blowing that hard just wouldn't use it. Agree that I would think twice about spending £1200 to £1400 as a retro fit, but bundled with the rest of the spec and a bit of negotiation it doesn't seem to add a lot to the cost. Had an Isabella canopy on my Carlight and a simple roll out canopy for a Coleman right top camper as well as full awnings for both and the full awnings very, very rarely had any use.

UBC don't actually have any stock and the one at Highbridge seems to have sold (or the salesman couldn't find it on the system - not very convincing).

Down to Lowdham or Adventure Leisure :-) - thanks for the info about when they were added.

Bitten the (expensive) bullet and bought one from AL - now comes all the hard work sorting out the bits and pieces that I'd forgotten about needing.

Thanks again for the input.

Have just seen that Kool Classics have a fully-specced white and harbour blue 630 coming in shortly, posted at £35,000

Hi Colin

I looked at the one at Lowdhams - helpful staff - but the specs on the Legend at at AL worked better for me even though I don't really need quite a few of the extras (like the sleeping roof). Also means a drive from Nottingham to Tebay and thence back home to Cornwall.

Never had a proper cassette awning before, but had s simpler version on a Coleman rigid top camper which rolled up into a bag hanging from an awning track which survived well in all sorts of weather - only used the full awning if we had lots of additional children on holiday with us. It did have guy lines at the front corners which, I suspect, wouldn't be hard to add to the Thule. A bit like the sleeping roof, I'm not sure I could justify the retro fit cost, but, as part of a discount bundle, it's easier to pretend it's not a big cost.

Tried to post this yesterday, but when I'd translated the Geman error message, realised that there is a daily limit on posts (3?) which seems a bit low.

John

Sorry, Alison and I bought it on the way down the M5 after a month in a VW camper with a big dog… not fun!
At least it’s still gone to Cornwall!
Looking forward to seeing if it's as good as we hope. We are picking it up on Thursday.
Darren and Alison
Truro

Could explain why they didn't bother responding to my call enquiring about it and that I had to chase them to find out that it was sold.

No worries even though it would have been a bit less of a detour on my way back from Nottingham.

Hope your pickup goes smoothly and that you enjoy the van.

If I ever feel tight for space, I'll think of two of you and a big dog and tell myself to stop grumbling!!

I'm a bit further down than you, a couple of miles from Land's End as the chough flies.

John

Hi Colin

I bought one from Adventure Leisure who were a lot more responsive than Highbridge, hence my grumbling about a very roundabout route from outside Nottingham to the very south west tip of Cornwall

John