Caravan v Motorhome.

[Andrew_5105555]

That has crossed our mind when we visited Cornwall there was lots of hired motorhomes knocking about,we are going away to Scotland early next year we may try to hire a motorhome to experience it first hand ta,

Andrew.

 

[gypsy]

Hi Frank, I could give many reason's why we sold the motorhome, but it would be a long post,but if you want anymore info, just say, we found it very noisy when travelling everything rattled even though I wrapped everything in Bubble wrap, we had inside and outside cab screens, but it was always cold from the cab area, and there were a lot of places for draughts to get in and around the cab area, we had the Swift Kontiki, it was a beautiful motorhome, but the Caravan is more comfortable,we found some area's difficult to park, barriers on some Supermarket parking, plus we have two small dogs, and there is no way I would park up and leave them in it, in case of theft, they could have the motorhome, but I think they would just throw the dogs out, what a nightmare.

 

[Robert_374242026]

An interesting thread.....We have (and still are) considering our next decision regarding the motorhomes and caravans. I am thinking of buying a VW/Merc van derived camper (such as the Bilbo) to tow the caravan with. This way we will have a "day" vehicle that is not much larger than a people carrier, a day camper and when we tow to Spain for our 3 month stay we can leave the caravan on site and go off to the beach or touring into the mountains for odd overnight stop using the camper.

Anyone done this? Yet to convince my wife of this though!

Hi, we went down that road many years ago and as motorhome owners for 20 years we decieded not to tow as it meant keep coming back to the site although you could stay out when ever you wanted.Towing a car was an option for going to small places and that was the way we should have gone ,our van at the time was a Bessacar 645 24ft which was no problem over any mountain passes and towns, the exception was in crowded shopping centres hence the car thoughts.We then changed to a Hymer Merc' 520 which was a dream for anywhere. Problem arose that my wife became disabled and could not walk far so changed to caravan and the car fits to that way of travelling/parking.We both wish we could go back to motorcaravan but are unable to do so . Good luck to which ever you do .

 

[Val & Frank]

hi Shiba,

I can understand what your saying, they can be difficult.!!!!!!!!!

Val & frank

 

[Ogre]

We had a Motorhome for a while, but returned to a caravan.

The big plus to us is that once you have reached your destination, you can use your car as normal. We found that packing up everything breakable every time we moved the motorhome became a real pain. Also, when you park and leave it, you have effectively put 'all your eggs in one basket' and the risk of theft of belongings is ever present.

But the biggest nuisance (and the one that has ensured that we don't go to Cornwall again), is these stupid height barriers that they put up at the entrance to so many Car parks.

These things are often not apparent until you are actually in the queue, and then the ensuing chaos as you have to back out is something out of the realms of hell. I wonder if these areas actually want tourists (who spend MONEY)...Take note Devon and Cornwall.

In a car you can use town centre parks just as you would at home. you certainly can't use multi storeys in a Motorhome.

OK, so you could buy a small car to tow behind your motorhome, but then you've got two vehicles to tax, insure and MOT. Not for us.

So for us it's the caravan. Once it's on site you're finished. Set it up, get everything cosy, and then enjoy your holiday.

If the journey is too much, then why not consider setting off earlier, or drive at night as we do, so as to have a less stressful drive. You've got your 'home' with you, so you can always pull up for a break wherever you want.

 

[Geist]

Hi,

Having a few MH's, including over-cab and 'A' class models, I might be able to help a bit.

Firstly, MH's are an 'aspirational' purchase, they have considerably higher social status in the yes of the non-caravaning population, and it's almost impossible not to feel extremely proud sitting behind the wheel of your new purchase

The cynic in me is also of the opinion that the profits derived from MH's are *much* larger than that to me made from selling caravans - and that's why the Trade love 'em so much....

Now, about the practicalities.

Firstly, the cost, and the depreciation. Forget the screen prices on S/H models - the price the dealer would pay you if you suddenly had to sell your newish MH would come a a huge shock. How about a six month old low-mileage Autosleeper, costing

 

[Geist]

We will be changing to a motorhome ,towing car for main holidays ,hopefully by the end of the year.The main reason is being able to use a motorhome for days out . Due to work my caravan is only used 3 or 4 times a year but with a motorhome we could get away on a Saturday evening,when I'm off on Sunday, and spend the full day somewhere before returning home in the evening,and really no need to book a site.

Replacing a twin axle isn't easy so it will be one of the bigger Hymers.

Brian (",)

Just a quick comment (I've posted a more comprehensive reply further down the thread) about 'over-nighting'

I don't know whether you're thinking of 'wild camping' in lay-bys - but we only tried it once, and that was enough!

The idea is great - you have everything you need, full water tanks, empty waste tanks, TV, heating, all mod cons BUT, if you're anything like us (and I'm certainly no frail Pensioner you will sleep VERY uneasily.

At two in the morning, every noise, every car pulling up, every raised voice, make you wonder "What's happening?, is someone going to try and break in?....

When the sun comes up, these alarms can seem ridiculous - but, in the middle of the night...

This is, sadly, no longer the England where one can sleep completely at ease when parked on the public road.

 

[Rioja]

Geist...thanks for your thoughts. You have swayed my opinion with some observations that I certainly hadn't considered. I'll stick with the caravan for now !

 

[Val & Frank]

Thanks Geist,

Good post with lots of food for thought, along with Shibas comments it looks like staying with the van.

Val & Frank

 

[BrianStAlbans]

Hi Geist , my post may have been misleading. What I meant was to travel overnight ,arriving at our destination early in the morning and parking up for a few hours sleep.I didn't mean Free camping.

We quite often overnight in services with the caravan and have no worries with that and I would think being in a Motorhome ,if anything would being even safer given that you have the option to drive off without leaving the vehicle.

Brian (",)

 

[Dustydog]

Hi Andrew,

What makes you think a motorhome will get to Cornwall much quicker than your current rig? On the motorways we cruise comfortably at 60 mph, only 10 mph slower than the speed limit. Have you noticed that very few motorcaravanners paste their wagons much above 60mph? We did consider a m/c a few years ago but found them cost abortive with far less space than the c/van.

My wife recently went on a Caravan Club 2 day towing course. She has since towed all the way to Buxton, some 3 1/2 hours for us on a mixture of road types. Sharing the towing does help considerably.

Good luck with whatever you do.

Cheers

Alan

 

[Geist]

Hi Geist , my post may have been misleading. What I meant was to travel overnight ,arriving at our destination early in the morning and parking up for a few hours sleep.I didn't mean Free camping.

We quite often overnight in services with the caravan and have no worries with that and I would think being in a Motorhome ,if anything would being even safer given that you have the option to drive off without leaving the vehicle.

Brian (",)

Hi Brian - I'd have no qualms about using a Motorway service area (other than actually getting any sleep) - I had wondered if you were planning to wild-camp.

On the face of it, wild-camping is absolutely ideal for MH's - pull up in a lay-by at 7pm on a sunny summer evening, then sit outside and listen to the birds (assuming you're not on an A-road

It's as dusk falls that the shine goes off it - like I said, I'm not particularly nervous by nature, but it was too much for me - youths in souped-up bangers, tyres screeching, vehicles coming and going, music, shouting - aghhhhh! (and this was in a rural lay-by) Never did a fiver for a CL seem such good value

That was five years ago, and these days, with the advent of unsavoury practices such as 'dogging', etc, I would think that a public lay-by is even less of a venue for any respectable MH family

 

[SteveW77]

Steve i am not up on the law regarding towing on back of motor home,but i saw at least 1/2 dozen doing this without a trailer coming back from Corwall also a Hymer on site with a Fiat on the back,

Regards Andrew.

As you say you do see them, but that does not mean it's legal.

You also see extra wide Hobby and other continental vans being towed by large 4x4's but that ins't legal either, the law requires a tow vehicle of over 35000Kgs. Some police officers know the law, some dont. All continental police know when a "Brit" is breaking the law and will enforce it to the letter.

Steve W

 

[Andrew_5105555]

Thanks Geist yours is the most thought provoking reply i have had ,i think with all that i am going to stick with the caravan,at least until the kids have stopped coming with us.

ta again

Andrew.

 

[emmerson2]

Andrew, having done both, I can only echo Geist's reply.Our's got to be a real pain in the bum, over the smallest things, like having to unwrap my glass and put away the bubble wrap before I could have a drink!

 

[coopsbridgecottage.plus.com]

There are plenty of reasons that make one more suitable than the other, most have been explained, at the end of the day it's what you feel most comfortable with. I can't see much different in towing a caravan or driving a campervan,

a 9 hour journey is a long day, personally not what we would ever consider but there again some people are happy to do this.

Why not find a half way over night stop, experiment with CL's or CS's, if you use one located close to the motorway you will soon reach your destination the next day.

 

[DeliDave]

we looked at a hymer but when we went to see the Glastonbury carnival in november motorhome owners were going in on the bus,a scooter or m/cycle in autumn on country roads at night is anightmare laso all the packing up to go anywhere is not for us as I am not very tidy at the best of times.Also the 500kgs payload sounds good but that is for both vehicles my galaxy is 1040 kgs iirc and van is 240 so we dont leave much,could also have van uprated with new plate to cars max towing for

 

[Gwilym_374316238]

First of all, it is not illegal to tow a car behind a motorhome or any appropriate vehicle so long as you use a type approved towing device and the tow vehicle has a type approved towbar fitted.

However while motor homes are handy from the point of view of stop and camp with no fee's, be prepared that an officer of the law may make you move on as technically if you stop on the side of the road even where parking is permitted, you could constitute obstruction of the highway. Park off the highway without permission and that's called trespass. I like quite a lot of other caravanners do get a little "hot under the collar" when you see fare dodging motorhomes parked across the sea front!

Looking at the practicalities. You would have to pack all you stuff away each morning if you didn't have a small car in tow, where as in a caravan you setup once per stay.

You get more room in a caravan and with an awning most are as spacious as home. To get the same in a motor home you'd be looking at a very big Hymer.

Now thing of parking and drivability. You can *** under most 2 metre carpark barriers in a car even with a roof box fitted, now try finding a carpark for a 12 foot tall motorhome. Next one is finding a 30foot long parking space!! It's difficult enough to find a 15 foot one in most tourist places unless you go out at the crack of dawn.

Finally, you need to look at fuel consumption as some of the bigger motorhomes do less than 20Mpg on diesel.

Just a few observations which told me that our 20foot twin axle van and full awning is a good choice and also we don't have to cram 4 adults and 2 Labradors into a Renault 5, because we have a 1998 Renault Laguna 2Ltr estate to do the carrying and towing in style and all at 30Mpg towing and upto 48Mpg solo on unleaded petrol which is on average 3p cheaper per litre than stinky diesel.

But in the end the choice is a yours.

Steve L.

YOU ARE SPOT ON STEVE, We are changeing from a small Motorhome to a caravan soon.

The hight barior lark and haveing to pack and unpack every morning on site with a camper is doing my back in lol.

And when we had a big campervan we could not go to quite a few places of interest.

So caravaning here we come.

Gwil