Advice on buying Forums

Thinking

Hi All

Just came here to ask your help in my decision on whether to but a motorhome or a caravan.

I guess M'Homes are more flexible, go anywhere, more self-contained, etc. However, they are more expensive pro rata space, need to stay on site and diff to park, so I'm told.

So what are the overriding reasons why I should buy a motorhome????

By the way I see more MH towing cars - must say that seems a bit daft. Why not use your own car to tow a van?

John

overthehill

Hi,
I used to tow a caravan and had a catalogue of disasters, ended up writing it off, plus the car that it took with it Shocked

The police who attended the accident, plus various members of my family, said that there are many accidents with caravans as you are basically a light articulated vehicle. You don't see motorhomes blown over Sad

plus they don't bend as easily.
I have found with mine that setting up time (excluding awning and windbreaks) is five minutes max. There is no fiddling about with water butts or waste containers, as these are built in (and considerably bigger). There is no back-breaking levelling, hitching and unhitching, trying to back a car up close enough when on my own. Sad

The headroom and insulation make for extreme comfort and the plumbing and heating is far superior to caravans that I have seen. Cool

Yes there are downsides, particularly if you want to base yourself on a site and go out on trips as a coachbuilt will not fit in most car park spaces, or go under height restricted barriers. However, some panel van conversions WILL do that. It just depends what you want. In terms of parking on a pitch, I know which I find easier to manoeuvre, especially backing in. Wink

The big difference to me is that I actually feel safer in a motorhome. Smile

Gill

spykal · Moderator

[quote:38998db44d="Thinking"]By the way I see more MH towing cars - must say that seems a bit daft. Why not use your own car to tow a van?

John[/quote:38998db44d]

I think he may have a valid point!

I have a motorhome because it is better than a caravan when it comes to driving, parking, speed of setting up at a stop for the night and as I live at the top of a steep drive I would get a hernia pushing a caravan into the space next to my garage!
Also there are less Motorhomes than caravans and I always thought of my self as elitist Laughing

Mike

Malc

Ask yourself,
`how many caravans are hitched up to go out for the day?
How many caravans do you see in winter?
How many caravans are just used in the summer annual holidays?
Yes the MH is a versitile go anywhere vehicle and you find the nicest people in them who are only too ready to help and give a friendly wave!
But beware, dont go looking at the ones in dealers showrooms and sales lots, you will probably end up buying one!
Malc

BarryandSue

Hi, 'Thinking' - welcome to our "club".

There are NO overriding reasons for buying a motorhome rather than a caravan ([u:53921d38a1]and car[/u:53921d38a1] don't forget!)

There are "fors" and "againsts" both choices, and it's not for anyone else to try to persuade you either way. All anyone (caravanner or motorhomer) can do is present why [u:53921d38a1]they[/u:53921d38a1] made their choice. You can then apply your preferences and circumstances to what you've seen and heard, and hopefully come to the right decision [u:53921d38a1]for you[/u:53921d38a1].

I'll let caravanners defend their choice, but here are some of my considerations:

Motorhomes, motorcaravans, camper vans, etc (all are different; I'll call them 'vans), are extremely versatile. They can not only give you an extraordinarily cheap annual holiday(s), but endless weekends, days out, overnights (visiting family and friends), and so on. You would probably no more think about parking your [u:53921d38a1]caravan[/u:53921d38a1] on Auntie Mabels drive and sleep the night, but with a 'van that's normal. A day out at the coast ends a bit late? No problem - don't drive home late at night; just spend the night (and the next day) there.

Do you have children? Days out can be a nightmare, with clean (dry!) clothes, endless food, toys, etc. With a 'van, all this is left packed from previous trips, and resurrected as necessary. Under the same circumstances would you have packed everything in your car? Would you have taken the caravan? For a day out? I think not!

A touring caravan is a misnomer. But touring in a 'van is excellent - everything is on hand, wherever you are. Height barriers and parking generally are problematic, but compare like with like - you wouldn't be taking the car [u:53921d38a1]and caravan[/u:53921d38a1] to the car park, would you? So what about all your belongings that you've left in the caravan, and that aren't in the car?

Motorhomers have great fun in seeing how quickly they can be sitting down with a cup of tea after arriving at a new site. It's often 4 or 5 minutes. It's more fun to then watch the antics of the caravanners as they struggle to get everything set up (sometimes hours go by . . . !) I'm being cruel here, but you get the point.

Carrying water (waste and fresh) to and from the points? Caravanners have to; motorcaravanners don't.

Out for the day and get "caught short"? Motorhomes mostly have a 'bog' on board - [u:53921d38a1]very[/u:53921d38a1] convenient!

Motorhomes generally have a very high % re-sale value (higher after three years than all cars, Mercedes included).

Motorhomes are generally built on commercial vehicle bases - extremely strong, built for abuse, and with'bullet-proof' engines. Well-looked-after, they can last for many more years than the manufacturer intended.

I could go on. I've only scratched the surface of how thoroughly [u:53921d38a1]practical[/u:53921d38a1] a motorhome is. Caravans are nice (on site) - cars are nice (off site). But motorhomes are nice [u:53921d38a1]everywhere[/u:53921d38a1]!

Good luck with whatever choice you make, and that it's the right one for [u:53921d38a1]you[/u:53921d38a1].

Barry

Anonymous

I know quite a few caravanners who say they would like to own a motorcaravan but I don't know any motorhome owners wanting to change to a caravan Rolling Eyes

I agree with Barry that both have pro's & cons but ultimately it has to be what you want & if you get the use out of them both will give you a lot of enjoyment. Main difference to me was when we had a caravan we often had to plan ahead & book a site, stay for the time we booked & usually come home. With a motorhome we never book & often take off at short notice.

RogP

Hi John ,

some of the reason we chose a motorhone rather than a caravan.

- driving safety , I've seen too main accidents involving caravans (and most were write offs after the incident). Also in a MH your driving position is higher giving you a greater view of the world around you.

- praticality - jump in the MH and your off no hitching up etc etc.

- travelling time - MH can do the same (legal) speeds as other road users where as caravans are restricted (i.e on a motorway) thus your journey times are reduced and your relaxtion times increased.

- arrival at site - generally within 10-15 minutes you're pitched up and can start to enjoy the break. with a caravan this can take a lot lot longer (we've seen people over an hour later fiddling around).

- everything you need is in the MH so if you go out for the day theres no making sure you remember the camera or the brolly or the kitchen sink etc

- time to leave for home again takes minutes to pack up. Therefore you can stay a little long if you want , journey time home will be a quicker again gives you the choice to stay longer etc etc etc.

There are many more reasons we chose the MH , and a few that frustrate us like when we can find parking due to height barries or insufficient space to manouver on car parks. But these are minor and we try to plan for this any way and often have found better places/attactions we might otherwise have missed.

Either way look at what you want to do when you are away and choose accordingly , both have good and bad points but its what you are happy with which will make the experience all that more enjoyable. We currently have a 5.6m MH and have had little or no problems getting around or parking even down some very narrow lanes and on rather small carparks in wildest Cornwall. (some of the beaches we like to surf at are out of the way)

If you do go down the caravan route sign up for a manouver course first to see how you get on , this may help to sway the decission.

I hope my comments help and the others you'll see on this site as well. I've found it one of the best and friendliest places to swap ideas and get useful information.

Andysam

[quote:2fbc7ff812]MH can do the same (legal) speeds as other road users where as caravans are restricted (i.e on a motorway)[/quote:2fbc7ff812]

Not strictly true. Anything over 3050kg is limited to HGV speeds.