Ever dreamt of road tripping around the country without having to worry about accommodation? There are definitely those who prefer traveling in the comfort of their own home, which sounds theoretically impossible…until recently.
The motorhome concept was recently introduced to Malaysians by way of Luxe Motorhomes & Caravans. The company is owned by WTA Ventures Sdn Bhd and they’re the leading sole distributor of Benimar Motorhomes in Malaysia.
The Discover KL team recently got the chance to test drive the Benimar Mileo 3 series motorhome and got to learn more about this interesting home-car concept.
We spent one Saturday test driving the vehicle in Shah Alam and got plenty of curious stares. We don’t blame them. It’s not a common sight in our country to see a motorhome casually cruising down the street. It’s also a lot larger than a normal car, and its precise measurement is at 5.95m by 7.12m. To put its size into perspective, it’s like an Estima—only longer, wider and taller!
The Benimar Mileo 3 series can comfortably accommodate 6 people and it comes with plenty of sweet specs like a large overcab double bed, a built-in stove and even a swivel toilet. One thing’s for sure though, it’s clear that the Benimar doesn’t sacrifice on looks either, because if you asked any of us, we wouldn’t mind bunking in this motorhome. It sure looks as stunning inside, as it does outside.
Of course, with such a large vehicle, one would expect that the consumption of electricity would be high. That’s not the case with this smart vehicle. In fact, it uses LED and solar panel which saves more energy.
The recharge cable for this motorhome is similar to that of a smart/hybrid car. The vehicle works in such a way whereby there’s a master switch which charges all the mobile appliances within the home, such as the heater, oven and more. That way, one does not have to separately charge certain appliances in order to use it.
The dining table area is extendable and it can easily be converted into a kid-sized bed when pushed downwards. Talk about practicality! The Benimar Mileo 3 series is able to have the functions of a normal home due to its smart placement and collapsible function of certain furniture like the dining table.
When it comes to sleeping, we were eager to test try the comfy-looking beds. There’s a queen size bed right above the driver seat and a double decker bed at the other end of the motorhome. Both beds can sleep 2 persons comfortably. A word of caution though, be careful when getting out of bed. You might hit your head on the ceiling, especially if you’re tall. One of our writers learnt this the hard way.
With a built-in stove and sink, you can do your cooking and cleaning right in the comfort of your motorhome kitchen. When driving about, it’s best to remove the metal grill as it does produce a rattling noise though. However, if it doesn’t bother you, then this step is not necessary.
The Benimar Mileo 3 series is built-in with secure positive catches on all their furniture doors to ensure that they remain securely closed at all times. It also comes equipped with soft closing hinges. That way, you won’t have to worry about angsty teens slamming the cupboard doors! 😛
One cool thing about the motorhome is that it allows for some romantic stargazing too. All you’ll have to do is open the built-in ceiling windows. It comes equipped with mosquito nets to keep out pesky mozzies and blinds for sunny days.
When the folks at Luxe Motorhomes & Caravans told us about the swivel toilet seat, we were rightfully intrigued. The toilet has plenty of legroom and you can swivel the toilet bowl seat around to catch a different view each time. There’s also a spacious shower area. However, the bathroom and shower area can only be used when the motorhome is not moving—for obvious reasons.
As for the entertainment aspect of the motorhome, it comes equipped with a digital control panel which allows one to control the lighting, television and air conditioning on one specific panel.
When it comes to the driver section itself, they are made up of bergen fabric and it’s actually a pretty comfortable seat, suited for prolonged driving periods. For drivers who wish to take a short nap at R&R stops, they can pull the blinds close to keep the area nice and dark and catch some much-needed shuteye.
If you’re worried about parking this big baby, you don’t have to worry as it comes with an in-built camera which can help assist the driver as they park. The gearbox comes with manual and auto functions which makes sense as it was manufactured in the West, where manual vehicles are more common. However, Malaysians would probably be more comfortable driving an auto vehicle as they are more common in our country. If you prefer driving in manual though, you’d be able to.
Overall, riding in the Benimar Mileo 3 series was a pretty cool experience. Despite it being a large vehicle, it was surprisingly not a really bumpy ride, especially when travelling down a straight road. The motorhome concept is still relatively foreign in Malaysia so we were happy to be educated on what owning one would entail.
With insurance and GST, the Benimar Mileo 3 series will cost approximately RM609,066.55 (with 5 years warranty). The reality of living in a motorhome though is that you would have to pump your own water (for consumption and shower) and remove your own rubbish and waste. However, Benimar makes it easier by being in-built with easily portable tanks for water and waste, which can be wheeled around.
You don’t even have to get a separate license as those with the D license are able to operate this vehicle. If you’re comfortable with the lifestyle of traveling around with your home and would pretty much lead a nomad lifestyle most of the time, you could consider getting yourself a motorhome. After all, it’s a pretty worthy investment, considering how it’s a home and car all wrapped in one.
Interested? Read more about it here.