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I would value your opinion on the onboard toilets, especially those on the Pathfinder.

I have been looking at the FCs and cannot decided whether the toilet is a good idea.

On the plus side:

- keeps the kids in one place, no need for them to head off to the toilet at strange times of the night (I am guessing that they may not be too keen on using a bucket as they get older)

- We know how the toilet will be, even on the less looked after sites

- No early morning dash accross the camp site

On the downside:

- Cost

- Having to tow a larger camper

- Is it diificult to put up?  Is it an extra hassle that takes time and could break?

We had a pennine sterling and loved it but at night time my wife insisted on putting the porta-loo inside the camper.This was ok but it meant moving it about all the time plus we have a large dog that sleeps in the camper on the floor.When we packed the camper up and placed the porta-loo inside the camper in a bin bag we found that the next time we opened the camper up the blue toilet stuff leaked out all over the floor(yes we did clean it out before packing away)

We ended up buying a pathfinder for : the extra room for the dog,less hassle with the toilet,oven,king size bed with sprung mattress and bigger wheels that go over the road humps better in our road.It is more hassle to manover as it is 3 ft longer and heavier.The toilet compartment is no trouble to put up when you get use to it,I would think it takes an extra 5 minutes to erect the pathfinder as you have 4  poles to rig up to support the canvas on the length.I find the camper easier to pack up and balance the weight than the sterling,I all ways had problems keeping the nose weight down on the sterling but thats me.We could justify the extra cost but if we didn't have a dog,road humps and a wife that didn't have a weak bladder(she will kill me for saying that)then I would have stuck with the sterling.

The onboard toilet is not needed and neither is the wardrobe.

We looked carefully at several fc's having initially proved the concept with a new Trigano. The Pathfinder is much more complex to erect, looses space because of the bog area and is heavier. If we wash we do it at the sink. The hot water is brilliant.

The Pullman we settled on works really well now with a Porta Potti. The bog goes in the doorway at night and in the awning during the day.

Setting up is much quicker now I have removed the wardrobe and we can get access to the inside now when loading before travelling. Clothes etc are much better in suitecases which go in the trailer or car boot.

We've just got back from 2 weeks in Cornwall in our Pathfinder and have to say we found the toilet and oven to be great ( first trip away in it ). I wasn't convinced but lost out to my wife who was adament thats what she wanted , on this occasion i have to say she was right . We found it really usefull having a young lad , as you say no late night or early morning trips to the loo's and he is prone to getting up for one in the middle of the night . We used to take a porta potti in our old Sterling but we found it better to have a proper toilet area instead of moving the potti about , its shut away out of site and the cassette is easy to use and handle . The sink is nice to have also , i know you can use the normal sink but thats usually got pots in and when kids get washed and brush their teeth who wants that splashing on the carpet and furnishings . The canvas wall in the bathroom is plastic coated so is easy to clean and the floor is lino .

It does take a little longer to put up than the Sterling but not much and whats the rush , just open a bottle of wine or beer and take your time .

Also found we used the oven as funds were a little tight and meals out can get expensive .

Just my view but if you can afford it why not , you'll get more for it if you sell on and you may still wish you had one if you buy something else .

we couldn't justify the increas in price for what, on the surface, is just the toilet and oven.  plus the extra size of the pathfinder meant it wouldnt go into our garage - the sterling only just squeezes in with about 1/2 inch to spare each side.

but we have compromised and since bought a luggable loo for night time use, and Lidl had some inexpensive electric ovens a while back and boy do they do the trick well - and cost nothing to run as we are using the pre paid for electric hook up, as opposed to our own gas.

What we do is to have  a cheap toilet tent and put this up inside the awning.

Works for us even when we take the grandkids

we purchased our pathfinder just over two years ago .because it had a toilet and oven .i have no idea how much extra it cost over a basic camper .the one thing i do know is that it was worth every penny.

 if other people like doing a half mile sprint for a crap in middle of the night no problem .its not for me im not the athletic type .and knowing my luck i wouldent make it.

We also put the loo in a toilet tent inside the awning.