Caravan or Motorhome?
Having just sold my Gobur Folding Caravan, I’m trying decide whether to replace with a Motorhome or a ‘proper’ Caravan. I need to consider costs. I have 2 dogs, I enjoy walking holidays.
What are the pros and cons? I recognise that a motorhome needs insurance, maintenance etc and once on site you don’t have independent transport. I know that a caravan can be really challenging to tow and manoeuvre.
What other considerations, please? What solutions to the above issues?
Thanks in advance.
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It could well depend on what type of walking that you intend to do. If you are thinking of going into remote places, or popular walking areas such as the Lakes, then a car and caravan would probably be a better option than a M/H, leaving the van on site.
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I’ve just replied to the other thread. It’s not a great idea to duplicate posts and threads.
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A modern caravan is`nt exactly challenging to tow, with a mover it can be easier on a site than a largish motorhome.
If you want to get up every couple of days and move on then motorhome, If you stay on sites and don`t use from October to April a caravan. You get more space per £ from a caravan, a motorhome is less time consuming when it comes to preparing to move.
Its just what you want and use it for. Just bear one thing in mind the more you pay the more depreciation any vehicle will suffer from.
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Sorry folks, I’m not confident using this type of discussion, don’t know how to reply! Posted in two areas because my question applied to both.
vehicle is Dacia Duster, I think should be good to tow mid-range caravan.....
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I think tthe Duster is rated for a 1.5 tonne max C/van. That’s not a guarantee but I do think I remember reading that.
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No problem and no apology necessary but it means the responses are split between the two threads.
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It might be rated for 1.5T but the kerb weight is well below that. The engine isn't particularly powerful so, if you want an enjoyable tow, I wouldn't look at caravans with a MTPLM over 1150Kg.
Given that constraint, your choice of caravans becomes smaller and may incline you more towards a MH. They are certainly less hassle in preparing to travel.
Caravan - back car out of garage and position on road, fit mirrors, undo wheel lock and hitchlock,wind-up corner steadies, engage mover, switch on power, manoeuvre caravan off drive and hook up to car, switch off power, engage stabiliser and breakaway cable, connect electrics and check light/indicator function. Drive off.
Motorhome - reverse off drive. Drive off.
Depending on the size of a motorhome will affect the locations in and around towns where it can be parked plus there is no independent transport once on site other than bikes/scooter/towed car.
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Sorry.. but legs up hitch on drive off.
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What if you are in the situation of thousands of other liesure vehicle owners that HAVE to keep them in storage there are at least 50 motor caravans in amongst the 500 + where we store our in the past motor caravans and now our prefered caravan (as it is far more suited to our holiday pattern these days,back on steadies up and away,no more move motor caravan load up from car with what we are taking with us put car in motor caravans spot
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The choice of Caravan or Motorhome largely depends on how you holiday. We tend to use sites as a base and go out for days, preferring to stay at sites for a week or a fortnight. For us, we like to set up our unit and go out in the car for trips out, therefore a caravan is our preferred option. For me, I prefer the flexibility of using a car and prefer not to have to bend to timetables buses - coupled with the fact that my walking isn't too good these days. I can't imagine taking a Motorhome off site every day for day trips out. I know there are those who do things in a different way to us, and therefore who would find a Motorhome ideal.
Before you decide, work out how you would prefer to holiday.
David
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We caravanned for many years and then just over 4 years ago we decided to try a motorhome. We loved it biut as others have said it was a pain taking it off site and parking was difficult so we bought a little car to tow behind. This worked well for us and solved a lot of problems. During last year we began to look at replacing the motorhome as it was 12 years old and we were wanting a fixed bed however when looking it became apparent that this would cost a huge amount of money so decided to look at caravans again. At the end of last year we bought a brand new caravan, sold the MH and the little tow car and bought a Second hand Volvo. So far we are very pleased as we have a nice new van with fixed bed and a nice comfy big car and only1 vehicle to tax and MOT also the whole change over only cost £4k a lot less than we would have spent buying a new MH. We liked our MH when we had it but is a different way of touring so there are lots of things to be considered.
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Ocsid, you don't fit mirrors or check your lights then?
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Xine - we had a similar choice to make when we switched from tent camping several years ago. We also have dogs and our holidays are centred around walking. I'd never towed before, but for us the choice was simple - the caravan & car combination suited us best, not only from the point of view of transporting the dogs, but also from being able to get from a central site to the various walks we wanted to do in, say the Lakes or Peak District etc. I know folk do cope in a MH with dogs and use public transport, but for us I think it'd be a logistical nightmare! So I'd go with a smallish lightweight caravan which would not be much more difficult to tow than your trailer tent.
Whatever you decide, good luck and enjoy holidaying with your dogs.
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Electronics tell me about lights and indicators and the mirrors conform to the regulations on visibility whilst towing😜
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For us it was a natural progression to go from camping when first married (cheap) to a Caravan (best if travelling with children) and finally a motorhome which is the most convenient and mobile. We tend to choose overseas sites close to towns so no need to drive the motorhome every day.
The biggest plus for us is to turn up at a site, park and very little else. The fridge switches itself to gas, the solar panel charges the battery and if we have EHU we plug it in when we can be bothered to do so. Setting off is even simpler.
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So you do not drive off your pitch to fill your fresh water or empty your waste water tanks.You dot turn your gas cylinder off when on the road.Life is so simple
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Fill up with water at home or around every 3 days and the gas tank needs no turning off/on. Yep, it is simple
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I’m all for an easy life so have built-in LPG which is never off and needs topping up once per year. We do use EHU but it is not really necessary most of the time (no TV and rarely use the microwave). Solar panel keeps the battery topped up when the motorhome is stored. We have rear steadies but rarely use them. Waste can last up to about 7 days and water about 4 days. If the canopy is out it takes two minutes to wind it in. So, yes, occasional service required.
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That’s almost inevitable in a whacking great van.
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That’s what wedges are for. Drive on, roll off.
It sounds like your neighbour has over complicated the issue.
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It bemuses me that so many motor homes that are based on a van need wedges under the front wheels to level them fore & aft. Surely the idea of a motorhome is that you pull up on a pitch, turn the ignition off & you're sorted ..... not having then to drive up ramps to level you out. 🤔
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Ours certainly is back end high on level ground. I imagine its because vans are originally designed to carry a pay load of goods or tools rather than a fitted lounge / bedroom. The trick to avoiding ramps if required is to choose a pitch with just the right amount of opposite slope to counteract it so the floor ends up level on the inside.
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It seems to be a feature of the Sevel vans, J2. It’s not enough to worry about in our 6m Duo but your XL is, inevitably, longer.
Since buying ours last Sept, I can honestly say we’ve not yet needed to use the wedges.
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