Luxurious and powerful, the Mobilvetta Euroyacht A-class motorhomes built between 1996 and 2002 should be on your ‘must-see’ list if you’re thinking of buying a deluxe motorhome.

As we do regularly at Practical Motorhome, online and in the magazine, here we are focusing on a great used mainstream motorhome, giving you expert advice so you are able to buy with confidence. We tell you which is the best of the bunch, what to pay and any problems to look out for.

This time, we are looking at the Iveco-based Mobilvetta Euroyacht. If you are looking for the best luxury used motorhomes for sale, make sure you take a look at some pre-owned Euroyachts. 

Mobilvetta Design began making high-end furniture in 1961 – in 1976 it built its first motorhome. Around 20 years later, the company launched the Euroyacht, which – when coupled with the bombproof twin-rear-wheel-drive Iveco chassis-cowl – resulted in one of the best A-class motorhomes ever built. 

These Italian lovelies really were in a class of their own, featuring 
quality cabinetwork with traditional joinery and radius hardwoods. The high standards of equipment levels and practical, new-to-Britain layouts led to them sailing out of the showroom with ease.

The Iveco-based range kicked off with the 6.8m 170 LX and 175 LX models. The 170 has a forward lounge and a midships kitchen ahead of a rear washroom. The 175, meanwhile, has double and single Pullman dinettes and bunk beds – bringing the sleeping-berth count to seven!

Next up was the 7.45m 180 LX, with a similar lounge to the 170. However, the extra length allows a fixed, European-style corner bed ahead of the full-width rear washroom.

The Mobilvetta Design Euroyacht A-class coachbuilt was built in Barberino Val D’Elsa, Tuscany, Italy between 1996 and 2002. The Euroyacht’s overall length is a modest 6.85m to 7.45m (22ft 6in to 24ft 6in).

So, what should you look out for when looking round a used Mobilvetta Euroyacht at a motorhome dealership? Here are Practical Motorhome’s expert tips to help you buy better. Let’s start with the base vehicle. The 2.5- and 2.8-litre mechanical injection TD units are under-stressed and should – given regular maintenance – last 250,000 miles. On early five-speeders, the first gear was so short that many drivers didn’t bother to use it: so do check that it can still be selected easily.

Some back-axle noise is acceptable, but avoid motorhomes with incontinent gearboxes and rear-axles. Almost all examples of the Mobilvetta Euroyacht are left-hand drive vehicles, which might be an advantage if you spend a lot of time on tour abroad in your motorhome. 

The skirts of the Euroyacht can discolour over time, and the gel coat on the moulded GRP front end cap goes flat! Bargain hard if this is the case, but be prepared to put a lot of effort in if you decide that you want to restore it to its former glory.

The foam in the habitation seat squabs was soft even when new, so this is likely to need replacing for maximum seat comfort. 

So, what do we think of these ‘vans? Here are our likes:

  • Eye-candy good looks
  • Revolutionary (in their day) layouts
  • Twin-rear-wheel drive
  • Easy chassis upgrade

And our dislikes: 

  • Three-piece windscreen has blind spots
  • Challenging access to the in-line engine

What’s our pick of the range? Well, unless you have a large family, go for the Movilvetta Euroyacht 180 LX. We think this is the motorhome that offers the most sensuous luxury. 

But what to pay? Mint examples are available from close to £18,000. Those that have been lived-in and need an interior overhaul are sometimes available on eBay from £10,000 (on European plates).

What alternatives are there? You could also try the Laika Ecovip 200i and 400i Iveco-based A-class models, or the Mobilvetta Icaro. These have the same layouts and are also based on Iveco vans, but have been built as overcab coachbuilt motorhomes. Consider all three if you see them come up at a good price on the secondhand market. 

Need help finding a good motorhome dealer that you can trust? Every year, Practical Motorhome invites readers and website users to rate their motorhome and also their supplying dealer, as part of the Owner Satisfaction Survey. As a result we have fantastic feedback on all the best and worst dealerships out there, as well as reliability ratings for different brands of motorhomes. So take a look at the findings in our 2014 Owner Satisfaction Survey when searching for motorhomes for sale, to help determine who to buy from and what to buy. The full results were published in the April 2014 issue of Practical Motorhome magazine – back issues are available by calling 08456 777 812, while stocks last.