The obsession with motorhomes
Interesting article in the >Spectator< about the British obsession with motorhomes. Growth figures continue to increase along with prices. I have just been looking at a replacement and I am shocked at the cost.
peedee
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Why shocked? If there is an increase in sales, and even a shortage of supplies, then the market will naturally increase prices. Large amounts of capital have become available to people, some of whom may not have expected it. Do they spend it, or leave it behind?
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According to my Service Engineer there will be a lot L V 's available as he is certain that because people can go abroad as before lockdown. He is experiencing this in the course of his job and I must say my recent stay at Putt's Corner would suggest the bubble has burst. This time last year it was full to the brim last week probably less than 50%. This also reflected in the local resorts Sidmouth, Seaton ,Beer, Lyme Regis ect, some Pubs and Restaurant's were not even open at lunch time. Stay vigilant Peedee I am sure there is a deal to be had.
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It never took a genius to realise that people bought LVs because of restrictions during the pandemic and would return to their old ways as soon as they could. It’s almost certain there will be a flood of secondhand LVs on the market in due course.
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Last weekend the bubble had hardly burst, the site was full over the weekend and only one or two pitches over the rest.
Can well believe the MH increase it well over 70% MH and 80% on SP.
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We too have noticed how quiet sites have been all year during the week and only one CL has been full for one night on a weekend.
Peedee, I suspect that the prices won't drop much on second hand units, and certainly there won't be huge discounts on new ones as the dealers have to fork out for new vans from the manufacturers at their inflated prices.
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We have just got back from a 25 night tour up the east Coast of the UK and then across to Ayr in Scotland, then down to Garlieston, Ravenglass and finally a CL in Shropshire and all sites were pretty full and all with a pretty high proportion of motorhomes. I also noticed an increasing number of camper type vans which seem to becoming popular, perhaps a half way house between a tent and a full sized motorhome with the ability to go almost anywhere? If, and it is a big if the LV popularity is about to burst, although seemingly from observation little evidence, might it be more to do with inflation and potential recession rather than the COVID step up in ownership? I guess we won't know for a year or two?
David
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Well at current cost I won't be rushing to change. I agree with David it will be a year or two before the trends in the market become more evident. I don't share TW's confidence and I have my doubts about the bubble bursting. I will have to gamble on being able to obtain another 3 year C1+E licence. I think the odds are good but failure to do so may mean I will have to give up the life style.
peedee
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I did say "almost certain" and "in due course", PD. It may well take a year or two as said but I can guarantee used prices would drop through the floor if I decided to sell mine😄
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We got back from our D&G tour last Sunday, and by far the largest proportion of outfits we saw on the road, and parked up (CLs, Overnight stops, Club Sites) were PVCs, branded and very well done DIYs. They outnumbered coachbuilt, particularly the big ones by about 4:1 where we were touring, along the coastal routes. I would say this is where things are going at the moment, away from the very big park it up and walk jobs, to the get about all over sizes. We even saw some excellent 4x4 models, and some very nice Wildax conversions, they were very popular. Average age group more in the 35-65 range.
Sites were heaving with outfits all along the coast. We used a lovely community Aire designed for a maximum of 7 outfits. One night there were 15 outfits on it, and more driving past. (To be fair, the area easily took the 15 outfits, with plenty of room between, but that wasn’t the point😡) All I can say is that we now have an insight into what is coming to Scotland this year, loads of hire outfits of all shapes and sizes, from tiny to huge. At the start of our ten day tour, we didn’t see too many outfits out. By the end, ten days later, it was like a procession, lots of overseas visitors, lots of hire users. Heaven help anyone doing the NC 500.
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There was clearly a big uptick in LV ownership due to the consequences of COVID, not perhaps so much the impact of the illness but probably the restrictions placed on other sorts of holiday, particularly abroad. Not saying it didn't happen but it is beyond me how anyone buys a motorhome on a whim, especially in the £50000 plus price band? It still seems that manufacturers have issues meeting delivery times and how long will that last? Prices also seem to be rising exponentially and that was before the impact of inflation started so it seems those prices will continue to rise even more. It seems that the price of new motorhomes have risen by at least 10/20%. So even if people do decide to "give up" its likely they will retain value in their LV because of the difference between what they paid and the price of new vans. The other elephant in the room is how many older people will decide that after an almost two years interruption of their normal holiday routine have found it difficult to get back to a hobby they have enjoyed for years before?
David
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" and some very nice Wildax conversions"
Yes, very pleased with ours....
I too suspect that the bubble will burst at some point. Rising prices that outstrip wage rises for most of us, fuel prices, camp site prices etc, coupled with the realisation that larger motorhomes have disadvantages in terms of parking, popping off site sight seeing etc and the availability of a "proper" holiday (on a plane to a sunny beach) will start to make some people think again. But as said above, the supply constraints may keep used values up for a while. There will be a time lag as the cost of living rises work through into peoples mind set, I don't think we are there yet.....
Then when new electric van conversions start to appear in a few years there will be a rush to sell dirty diesel M/H's and prices should truly plummet.......
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Interestingly our drive past Bristol docks during recent travels showed no cars but lots of vans, some no doubt moving on to be converted to LVs. (No cars at all, the docks used to be packed with car deliveries.) On sites we saw the usual mix of new and used LVs, possibly a few more self-build conversions as we were away from CAMC sites for most of the trip.
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As corny as it sounds any LV's true value when it comes to selling or buying is what price you will sell or buy at . The true value to you has to have the pleasure that you have had with it in the calculations. I could give my Caravan away ( it is15 years old now but in excellent condition ) and still saved a fortune on wonderful holidays we have had. People looking to sell LV's for profit or even to recover their initial outlay of a recent purchase instigated by Covid or the so called Staycation I think will be disappointed. I hope I am wrong for their sake ,but it is certainly looking that way to me.
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if the intrest rates keep rising, if those that bought on finance and having mortgages, and the price of fuel rising and higher electric/gas bills a lot might reconsider that its not a cheap holiday. i looked a getting a vw before lockdown it would have costs me 45-50k for a newish one with low mileage now ive seen 50k ones with 80thousand on the clock. met someone on site and he paid £72k for a new one.
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I have orderd a new motor home for a fixed price. Should be here in September. I have just found out that the price advertised when I order could go up in September this could be another 10% on the ariganal invoice. Has anyone else experienced this.
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Surely if the price increases you then have the right to cancel? I suggest you read your contract very carefully.
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I think in this climate no supplier will guarantee a price unless it’s paid for fully at point of ordering. I can’t imagine the boom continuing into next year unless this country is rammed with rich folk🤷🏻♂️. The consumer squeeze over the next year is going to be unprecedented-no one is insulated from inflation🙁
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I’m not sure what is normal in these times for the reasons Rocky outlines.
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That sounds like used car salesman speak🤷🏻♂️. Waiting for a vehicle for 15 months?🤔, not for me that is madness🙁. Todays price is unsustainable, this situation isn’t new it’s part of cycles that have been with us for ever. Inflation up & down, troughs & peaks. The calm has begun unless some folk favour Moho’s above heating & eating.
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D D -- I think I might just take my Ducato for a leisurely drive next week -- just browsing of course not buying you understand Mr Salesman, Sir
It's my pension you understand 
.Seriously I have to admit nobody has offered me 20K in passing since early last year when i got a total of Five offers, none of which I accepted of course, but when I posted on here or told the younger family members, everybody seemed to think I should get a " Sit~in Armed Guard " for it
P.S. / Edit -- From your last line DD, any offer of £20K on top would get very serious consideration before the medics come & take him /her away !!
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In our FB group there are many members waiting to take delivery of new MHs. Some have been waiting over a year now with the delivery date still being extended. It seems the companies who do conversions to panel vans are struggling to get the base vehicles from the likes of Fiat and Peugeot etc.
Over here in France there are no shortages of MHs at the dealers, new or otherwise. Lots of them in the dealerships.
Campsites so far have not been full, some busier than others but none of them full. Mostly MHs very few caravans of any nation.
I thought this year it would be very busy and did wonder about coming over but it's not as bad as pre Covid.
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It does depend a bit on where the sites are and it would seem the French are more into long weekends than previously. Last Thursday was a BH and I can only assume that many decided on a 4 day weekend break. We had intended on stopping in a ACSI site in Saint Nazaire on Friday but it was full, as were all the Camping Car Park Aires close to the coast. Well two were showing 1 space which could have gone by the time we got there. Even 20 miles inland the Aire was three quarters full. All the full ones are now showing a reasonable amount of space.
Other Aires we have used on the way down have been OK. We were the only one on the current one when we arrived yesterday, but that was up to 8 by the evening, out of 15 spaces. Now only 4 tonight. Oradour sur Glane free Aire was full one of the nights we were there, but was only a third full on our first night. We will be avoiding anywhere popular this weekend, which is another long one.
So far all our stops have been on Aires. There certainly seems to be a lot of MH’s about, the majority French on the Aires we have used. Tomorrow we are intending to use a site, either municipal or ACSI0
