End of the road?
Having fallen a couple years ago on my daily walk and wrenched my shoulder and it has never healed and I am now struggling to change gear on the van. So that time has come when I have to consider letting the motorhome go. We are off tomorrow on an 8 day break and depending on how it goes, a decision will have to be made.
Any sales tips would be appreciated.
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Why not change it for an auto?
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We drive both manual and automatic vehicles, in today’s stop start city and town traffic, manuals are less pleasant than they used to be. Fine on the open road, motorways. We have two 4x4s, one manual, one auto, and the automatic is an absolute dream in all kinds of driving conditions and towing.
Given the way many cars have changed, there’s a generation now who perhaps initially learned to drive in a manual (I did) and have stuck to manuals. Automatics are therefore a bit of an unknown quantity. But they are actually just so much easier, and if you have a tendency to be a clutch wearer (my Sister🤨) are the perfect answer. Conversely, younger generations look upon manual gear boxes as something from another era (possibly correct) and of course are opting for auto lessons and tests.
Automatics are just so easy. You simply keep one foot at rest, the left one, and seldom need to use a hand off the wheel. The vehicle does 99% of the gear selection for you. Worth considering @greylag. It took me 10 minutes and one drive in an automatic to be familiar. The other way around, auto to manual has slightly more challenges. Hence the different tuition and test.
You can also get gearing via paddles on steering column.
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@greylag Sorry to hea that you are considering giving up motorhoming. We made the same decision last year, mainly because Margaret was in so much pain with her hip and it seemed the right thing to do. With hindsight with what has since happened to me (stroke) it seems an even better decision although obviously we didn't know that at the time. If you think that, apart from immediate medical concerns, that you have more years touring ahead of you it might be worth considering a van with an automatic gearbox as others have suggested. In the last couple of years the number of motorhomes with auto boxes has grown massively and it would have been my choice had there been better availability at the time we got our first motorhome. Even Peugeot now offer an automatic.
As for selling you have several options from selling privately, getting someone like Motorhome Depot to sell it for you or sell it back to a dealer. It was the latter method we used and I now think we got a pretty good deal all things considered. The market has slowed so dealers might not be as keen to buy depending on what they have on their forecourt.If your brand of motorhome has a Facebook Owners Group that might be a good place to start if you are happy to sell privately.
David
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Hi Greylag, Sorry to hear of your shoulder. Go automatic if you wish, though we switched seamlessly to travelling on trains and planes, plus comfortable accommodation, and no more dragging toilet cassettes across fields to empty them. Look forward not back. Good wishes.
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Well I survived the trip, awkward getting first gear, but apart from that overall control ok.
I think I will postpone any decision on future trips and see if there is any improvement over the winter, it does seem less painful at the moment.
As to going Auto, at 79 and not knowing how long I will be able to continue, it is not financially sensible.
Many thanks for your info.
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