Motorhome prices

rickyhobson
rickyhobson Club Member Posts: 7

Hi,

We've had caravans over the years but never had a motorhome.

 

Just started looking around motorhomes seem quite pricy these days.  Want an end bedroom and with a budget of around £40K it looks like the van will be around 10 years old.

Have the prices dramatically gone up over the last couple of years? Will they settle down like house prices seem to have or should I just go ahead and get one now?

Thanks,

Ricky

Comments

  • Randomcamper
    Randomcamper Club Member Posts: 1,062
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    edited April 2023 #2

    Have the prices dramatically gone up over the last couple of years?

    Yes, Covid followed by chip shortages pushed all vehicle prices up but motorhomes especially...........

    Will they settle down......?

    Nobody knows the answer to that ! 

    Not whilst people keep buying them no !  But how long will people keep dipping into pension funds, inheritances etc. Everybody seems to want a motorhome and whilst demand is high, so will be prices.  But the spring isn't a good time to find a bargain. Wait till November and you might get a better deal...?

     

  • brue
    brue Forum Participant Posts: 21,176
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    edited April 2023 #3

    Due to emissions and older engines you may find clean air zone charges coming into the equation. It will pay to weigh up all the factors involved.

  • DavidKlyne
    DavidKlyne Club Member Posts: 14,060
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    edited April 2023 #4

    Before COVID you could by a reasonably speced basic new motorhome for around £50000, probably a bit less in some cases, but that same van is now likely to cost you between £65000/70000 for all the reasons Randomcamper mentions. I think it's also likely that manufacturers, because of the shortage of supplies have concentrated on slightly more upmarket versions in order to maintain profit levels. How the future will work out depends on the demand, if that falters they you may see cheaper, less speced vans start to appear but how much that will impact on secondhand prices it's difficult to say. If you have a particular brand in mind it might be worth having a look at Facebook buying and selling groups dedicated to that brand as they might offer better value but, of course, when buying secondhand caveat emptor applies.

    David

  • rickyhobson
    rickyhobson Club Member Posts: 7
    edited April 2023 #5

    Now that's something I hadn't thought of.  We run an electric car so pay little attention to these zones but with a motrorhome that might be a problem!

  • Kasspa
    Kasspa Club Member Posts: 368
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    edited April 2023 #6

    Have the prices dramatically gone up over the last couple of years? Will they settle down like house prices seem to have or should I just go ahead and get on?

    The price of a similar 'spec' van as our 2019 model is circa £30k more in 2023.

    The only difference I can see is the new 9 speed auto gearbox compared to our comfort-matic + a chassis upgrade to 3650kg which mine could be up - plated to anyway.....

    So yes!

  • eribaMotters
    eribaMotters Club Member Posts: 1,222
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    edited May 2023 #7

    I'm surprised they have not started to dip as I thought they would follow caravan prices. I've recently bought a demo 2022/23 model from a dealer. Of the 5 dealers I spoke to they admitted being over stocked and finding it difficult to move vans. Big discounts are available, that more than offset the reduced trade in being offered.

     

    Colin

  • DavidKlyne
    DavidKlyne Club Member Posts: 14,060
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    edited May 2023 #8

    Colin

    I know new caravans are becoming expensive, particularly the better equipped they are. However I suspect motorhomes are on a different level and there are still delays in getting cab bases on which to build. This seems to have pushed new motorhome prices skywards since the pandemic. The prices new will always impact on the secondhand market. I purchased my first motorhome 10 years ago, new. Even today I see them for sale at prices that are only a few thousand below the original makers list price. Obviously prices can't continue to go up and perhaps some levelling off will start to impact on the market. I think the first sign of that will be motorhome manufacturers reintroducing budget ranges at slightly lower price points. I have not seen that yet but you can't rule anything out. A lot of it might be done to how a motorhome purchase is financed?

    David

  • Unknown
    edited May 2023 #9
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  • brue
    brue Forum Participant Posts: 21,176
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    edited May 2023 #10

    Our motorhome was a year old when we bought it and held it's purchase value until recently, to me it doesn't matter what has been paid eg 10k or 100k it's been the holding factor that has been surprisingly good. However this won't continue due to emissions and older engines. Pollution charges will continue to rise. They're not like houses and will fall apart at some point and they're also not something that everyone wants.

    It's a purchase that probably should only be considered with a loss in view. As most financial adverts warn, prices can go up or down.

  • eurortraveller
    eurortraveller Club Member Posts: 6,851
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    edited May 2023 #11

     My first caravan -  new - cost a quarter of my annual income, so I suppose the prices Young Thomas has quoted are about right for those on half a million a year these days. I’m out.

  • Unknown
    edited May 2023 #12
    This content has been removed.
  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Trusted Posts: 23,331
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    edited May 2023 #13

    You are correct and the difference between the prices of caravans and MHs has always equated to more or less the cost of a decent new tow car. 

    Your example on the previous page of budget brands of MHs becoming more up market as new base ranges are introduced and thus pushing top of the range prices even higher has happened with caravans too. Over the years I’ve witnessed many a 'basic' brand caravan ending up with all the trimmings of its up market siblings and with a similar price tag while the top of the range model gets new upholstery, a couple of toys and a heftier price. 

    We are told that difficulty in obtaining base vehicles is a large contributory factor in the rising price of MHs. Hmm 🤔

  • ABM
    ABM Forum Participant Posts: 14,578
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    edited May 2023 #14

    Took a stroll round my local m/home / caravan dealer for a couple of items including Steriliser tablets for the Ducky,  nothing on the m/home side that I could afford without seriously attacking the Bank Balance !

    At least I've got nice new mains lead [ orange ] & plugs ( 25 Metres )

    And there endeth my shopping innocent

  • rickyhobson
    rickyhobson Club Member Posts: 7
    edited June 2023 #15

    Thanks for all the replies.

    It's been a good few weeks since my original post and things have moved on a bit price wise.

    Once the wife had a good look around a few our budget jumped up into the £60K's and we are looking at a 2022 van on Saturday.

    Oh well, at least it will be Euro6 compliant :).

  • Unknown
    Unknown Forum Participant
    edited June 2023 #16
    The user and all related content has been Deleted User