Bertha
After
nearly a month I thought it was time for a review of our motorhome –
Bertha.
She
is a German (Burstner) body on a Ducato chassis, with a Fiat 2.3
litre diesel engine. A real European mix. Mechanically, puncture
aside, she has performed well, particularly downhill where we can
nearly keep up with other vehicles. Uphill she is slow. After nearly
2500 miles (the English have their own unique metric system) she is
averaging 33 miles to the gallon, which probably only makes sense if
you are aged over 50.
Internally
we have discovered that over time she is shrinking in direct
proportion to the amount we are expanding. The heating system is
fantastic, the kitchen bench almost non existent and both the shower
and toilet uncomfortably tight.
Our
two main grizzles are:
The
sound insulation at night, accentuated by the number of Spanish and
Portuguese who have dogs that bark between 10pm and 3am.
Ben
our navigator (satnav). It is a love hate relationship between Ben,
Gretel and myself. To be fair to Gretel it is Ben that instigates
most of the arguments. Roundabouts and narrow alleyways can be a
nightmare. We already have two scratches due to Ben assuring me that
we would fit, and we didn't. It becomes a bit scary when you find
yourself in a maze of alleyways, not knowing if you are going to
have to retrace your twists and turns in reverse.
Features
of Ben we are most impressed with are:
The
ability of the shower to convert to a drying room. This has been a
lifesaver when you realise that we have only used one laundrette to
date – lots of hand washing.
Good
storage. Lots more than we need.
