Motor caravan, Motorhome, Camper van ??

BlueVanMan
BlueVanMan Forum Participant Posts: 382
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edited March 2017 in Caravan & Motorhome Chat #1

What do you call yours and why ? 

Some discussions touch on the correct terminology. Nearly  of the above are classified as "Motor Caravans" on the V5C but different use and apparently perceived meaning of the alternative names seem to be in circulation. For example in parking signs one local authority prohibits parking for "campervans" but permits PLGs which is to say the least confusing  

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  • mickysf
    mickysf Forum Participant Posts: 6,474 ✭✭✭
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    edited March 2017 #2

    I'm confused, I know what a PVC is (panel van conversion) but what's a PLG?

  • BlueVanMan
    BlueVanMan Forum Participant Posts: 382
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    edited March 2017 #3

    Taxation class of motor caravans under 3.5 tonnes.Stands for Private/Light Goods. So they will have a motor caravan body and be in PLG taxation class. Have a look at your V5C for more info 

  • obbernockle
    obbernockle Forum Participant Posts: 616
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    edited March 2017 #4

    I don't know why Motor Caravans (I believe it's actually motorised caravans) aren't called by their correct name. We have a caravan which we call a caravan. We also have a motorised caravan (Hobby Tag Axle) which we call a camper.

    Officially, they are all caravans, so I think the club's rebranding is a pointless excersize.

  • DavidKlyne
    DavidKlyne Club Member Posts: 13,867 ✭✭✭
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    edited March 2017 #5

    I don't understand why there is so much fuss about what it's called. I think the Club in deciding to change its name to The Caravan and Motorhome Club is just accepting modern parlance. Magazines call them motorhomes, manufacturers call them motorhomes most owners call them motorhomes. It is just the modern word for them which I doubt is going to change anytime soon.

    David

  • peegeenine
    peegeenine Forum Participant Posts: 548
    edited March 2017 #6

    Yes, Motorhome is just the modern term for a Motorcaravan and is obviously causing confusion to a lot of people. I don't see why it had to change but suspect that converters had a hand in it. If the club had changed its name to The Caravan and Motorcaravan Club then it would have been criticized for not using the more modern term.

  • EasyT
    EasyT Forum Participant Posts: 16,194
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    edited March 2017 #7

    Personally (is it me?) I do not see 'so much fuss about what it is called'. A few think that the name change was needless. Personally although I can see some logic I do not believe that it was at all necessary. There are more that dislike the new logo. Whilst I am not too upset I also think that the new logo is poor and very unimaginative.

    By far, from what I observe, the biggest disillusionment has been the lack of prior information on this and also upon other changes/additions/subtraction; not only forthcoming changes but also changes that have actually already occurred.

    Am I upset? Not really. Am I disillusioned? No because it is what I have come to realise as normal CC practice.

  • obbernockle
    obbernockle Forum Participant Posts: 616
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    edited March 2017 #8

    It is the fact that " it doesn't really matter much " which makes the name change so silly.

    According to the new banner on the web site and everywhere else, the Caravan & Motorhome Club has been around since 1907 anyway, so we're all about 110 years too late discussing it.

  • JCB4X4
    JCB4X4 Forum Participant Posts: 466
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    edited March 2017 #9

    “A Rose by any Other Name.”

    Both Motor Vehicle and Motor Home maker and others, do like to come up with some hitherto unused terms to describe and hopefully sell their products or services.  For example ‘ Hobby Tag Axle’  as if that were something other than what would have been referred to as ‘Front Wheel Drive’. Unless describing a vehicle with Twin Rear Axles with only the Front one of the Pair being a Driven One .

    How long before someone refers to your average 'FWD Hatchback' as a ‘Tag Axle’?

  • JayEss
    JayEss Forum Participant Posts: 1,663
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    edited March 2017 #10

    Motor caravan sounds like something my grandad would have said. 

    You can't stand up in a campervan but you can in a motorhome. Hope this helps 

  • Takethedogalong
    Takethedogalong Forum Participant Posts: 17,060 ✭✭✭
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    edited March 2017 #11

    Camper vans don't tend to have bathrooms, full sized fridges, full sized ovens and blown air central heating either if that helps! Bonus if you don't have arthritis and rheumatic as well if you have one! The capability to bend easily is often required.

  • eurortraveller
    eurortraveller Club Member Posts: 6,830 ✭✭✭
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    edited March 2017 #12

    The French call all shapes and sizes of them Campingcars.

  • JayEss
    JayEss Forum Participant Posts: 1,663
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    edited March 2017 #13

    Campervans are wonderful things. I'd love a T2 but I suspect I'd be using it on my own.  Very small.  We keep thinking about converting a T4 or T5 to our own spec but can't justify it for the extremely occasional use it would get. 

     

  • Takethedogalong
    Takethedogalong Forum Participant Posts: 17,060 ✭✭✭
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    edited March 2017 #14

    Our old camper was the most ingenious vehicle we have ever owned. It was our only vehicle at the time. We did toy with buying another, but they go for seriously silly money now, and age and common sense kicked in. We ain't as bendy anymore, and neither are the dogs! 

  • JayEss
    JayEss Forum Participant Posts: 1,663
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    edited March 2017 #15

    What's interesting is that people with vintage vws don't use the word campervan. They tend to call them busses. As in busfest or busjam. 

    I don't think I've heard or seen the word motorhome at any of the bus events I've been to. 

    I think the club is right to use the word motorhome in the new name 

  • ABM
    ABM Forum Participant Posts: 14,578
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    edited March 2017 #16

    Not  Quite  sure  about  that  TTDA  !!  laughing

    My  Fiat  has  a  'bathroom/shower room',  an  oven  which  I  use  as  another  cupboard,  ( in  which  I  keep  no  cups surprised  but  cereals  &  breads )  The  fridge  freezer  is  full  sized  for  MY  needs  on  a  three  week  tour  of  Scotland,  and  it  certainly  does  have  blown  air  heating  to  all  rooms  !!

    But  Now  I've  finished  with  the  'Funnies'  I  have  to  admit  that  I  call  it  The  'Van'  unless  i'm  on  here.  Then  I  bow  to  the  Clubs  superior  standing  &  call  it  a  Motorhome  'cos  they  do  &  I  don't  want  to  go  thro'  that  mularkey  of  listing/changing  my  vehicle  type!

    Brian  innocent

    P.S.  I  remember  looking  at  the  Sales  Video  that  advertised Triky  Auto's  new  vehicle --  It  is  a  beautiful  but  very  large  &  well  appointed  beast ( green  eyed  Brian  ! )  which  the  salesman,  who was  giving  the  guided  tour,  insisted  on  calling  " A Camper "

    B

  • Takethedogalong
    Takethedogalong Forum Participant Posts: 17,060 ✭✭✭
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    edited March 2017 #17

    Shame picture posting is still not so easy, or I would post one of our old camper. What model is your Fiat ABM?

  • ABM
    ABM Forum Participant Posts: 14,578
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    edited March 2017 #18

    AutoCruise  Jazz  5.41  metre  2012  -  sadly  no  longer  made,  but  Ideal  for  an  old  fellow  like  me,  who  has  strange  tastes  in  pastimes  laughing  Its  a  Fiat  midi-length  hightop,  2 berth, 4 seater  and  about  the  biggest  I  can  get  away  with  seeing  as  I  live  in  a  terreaced  house  with  no  access  for private  parking  !

     

    I've  had  a  few  TDA,  from  a  1972  Bay  windowed  Dormobile  Eurovette,  Motorhomes  International Sherpa,  Autohomes  Bambi,  Odd -ball  Nissan Day Van,  Renault  RHT,  ,Autosleeper  Trooper,  Romahome  Dimension  and  my  present  one  !!

    Not  sure  if  there  will  be  any  more  (  The  Cost , The  Cost,  Oh Dear,  The  Cost   money-mouthwink   )

  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Posts: 23,147 ✭✭✭
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    edited March 2017 #19

    I once met someone who declared a motorhome could only be called that if it had a fixed bed. What! Where did that idea spring from?surprised

  • JayEss
    JayEss Forum Participant Posts: 1,663
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    edited March 2017 #20

    Some people live by a complicated set of made up rules Tinny. 

    My mind is made up. Don't confuse me with facts wink

  • Takethedogalong
    Takethedogalong Forum Participant Posts: 17,060 ✭✭✭
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    edited March 2017 #21

    Ah, romahomes. We used to covet those back in our camper days.....

    They are all great vehicles, something to suit all tastes and budgets. May your wheels roll onwards forever....laughing

  • ABM
    ABM Forum Participant Posts: 14,578
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    edited March 2017 #22

    The  Romahome  I  had.  TTDA,  was  not  one  of the  smaller  ones,  it  was  on  a  Citroen  version  of  the  Pug/Fiat  family --  about  the  size  of  the  Fiat  Ducato  short  wheel  base  now  but  certainly,  shall  I  say,  Very  French  laughing!!

  • DavidKlyne
    DavidKlyne Club Member Posts: 13,867 ✭✭✭
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    edited March 2017 #23

    Trouble is Alan that was then and this is now as they say. I am perfectly happy to accept that some, maybe more than some, don't like the re-branding. Some don't like it because they were not asked in advance, some don't like it because they think it cost too much money and I imagine some just don't like it, period as our chums across the water would say. However there are some who question why the term motorhome was used rather than motor caravan. All my post was saying was that the term motorhome is what is in common use now and that is why the Club chose to use that term. To refer to it as a motor caravan would have just clung onto an old fashioned term for the same thing. If the Club had decided to use the word motor caravan it would not have achieved its objective of encouraging people new to the world of motorhomes to join the Club as it would have just reinforced the view that some might hold that we are a bit old fashioned. 

    David

  • BlueVanMan
    BlueVanMan Forum Participant Posts: 382
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    edited March 2017 #24

    You are right up to a point but my new van will have full facilities including a washroom headroom and fridge room. But I will still think of it as a campervan as it is  PVC and only 5.4 metres. It is this blurring of description which prompted my question.

  • Takethedogalong
    Takethedogalong Forum Participant Posts: 17,060 ✭✭✭
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    edited March 2017 #25

    We are astonished at how much gets put into PVC's nowadays. From the inside, many are similar to those termed motor homes, more the coach built kind. We came across one that had the shower base in the centre of the floor, with wrap around bathroom doors! 

  • JVB66
    JVB66 Forum Participant Posts: 22,892
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    edited March 2017 #26

    Motor caravan is what they are as everyone who has one it is as is on your V5 e.g. document,and also as described by the chairman where we spoke to him a Birmingham on the22 Feb wink

     

  • DavidKlyne
    DavidKlyne Club Member Posts: 13,867 ✭✭✭
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    edited March 2017 #27

    I know you persist, ad nauseam, to put forward this as an explanation but you seem to ignore modern parlance which suggest the Club were correct in using the term motorhome. I think if you were a motorhomer, rather than a caravanner you would understand and appreciate this point.

    David

  • peegeenine
    peegeenine Forum Participant Posts: 548
    edited March 2017 #28

    Yes. motorcaravan is the legal term but everybody now calls them motorhomes so the CAMC is keeping step. Even the Which Motorcaravan magazine has changed its name to Which Motorhome magazine.

  • JVB66
    JVB66 Forum Participant Posts: 22,892
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    edited March 2017 #29

    We have had two motor caravans and the name "home" was  a marketing ploy to make out it was a mobile "home"?to differentiate them from real homes on wheels i.e.  RVs

  • BlueVanMan
    BlueVanMan Forum Participant Posts: 382
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    edited March 2017 #30

    Somewhat Bizarrely as I understand it a "mobile home" is actually a residential caravan i.e the least mobile or agile of the caravan genus being  only mobile if you put it on a truck and even then it is an oversize load. 

    I respect your view that a vehicle can only be a home if it is RV sized but I certainly don't agree with it. Big isn't always beautiful and I am willing to trade mobility and ease of driving/parking (not to mention mpg and emissions bearing in mind that many RVs are petrol) as the price for out and out luxury. So we think of and refer to our van as a camper-van (arguably the most mobile or agile of the caravan genus) even though some would say motorhome.    

  • Rocky 2 buckets
    Rocky 2 buckets Forum Participant Posts: 7,101
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    edited March 2017 #31

    It seems easy & straightforward to me-'Motorhome' is a home with a motor. So if you can live in something then it's a home, if it is motorized it becomes a Motorhome. Happy dayssmile