Motorhome on a small budget or touring caravan (1 Viewer)

Paulfy4

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Hello everyone

Can I please ask for your advise,looking at buying out first MH but only have a £4,000 budget,not much I know,thinking of getting a tourer for about £1,500 and using that for a year or two and keep saving for a MH.

What in everyone's opinions are the firs and against for both MH and tourers

Thanks in advance for anyone's advise

Cheers Paul
 

MattR

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IMHO, it depends on how many people need to be accommodated, where and when you plan to use it and whether you have another vehicle.

We have a Mazda Bongo (which is a small campervan) and can cosily acccommodate 4 adults but is much better for warmer camping than camping during the wetter and colder periods of the year. It is, however, a great everyday vehicle.

If you bought a caravan, you would need a vehicle that can pull it so you may end out losing twice on depreciation but might find that the caravan gives you more living space than a small camper. A caravan isn't so good for wild camping or using aires etc. on the continent.

I don't know much about motorhomes at this price but I have heard of people that have been lucky and got older MHs that have done them well for a few years. You might find, though, that the cost of storage becomes an issue and you might find it difficult getting a vehicle that isn't a dud.
 
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Paulfy4

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Yeah the storage issue was a concern,as for the people it will be me the wife and our two boys 20/14 but we all get on great so that's fine

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Paulfy4

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Sorry also I have a Vauxhall zafira 05 plate but it is a trusty car never let me down,towing with this ?? Would it be ok
 

MattR

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Yeah the storage issue was a concern,as for the people it will be me the wife and our two boys 20/14 but we all get on great so that's fine

You might consider letting them use a tent when on sites - that would give all of you more space.

I don't know about tow cars but there will be a cost of the tow bar installation (guesstimating £250 supplied and installed).
 
Feb 22, 2014
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Our Micr Mini Winnebago Motorhome cost us £3500 and I know where you can get another one from for the same price. It's 5 Birth, two doubles and a single. We've been to Poland and back in her. She was born in 1991. We're going again next year and touring more too.

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Nov 18, 2011
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View attachment 122122 Our Micr Mini Winnebago Motorhome cost us £3500 and I know where you can get another one from for the same price. It's 5 Birth, two doubles and a single. We've been to Poland and back in her. She was born in 1991. We're going again next year and touring more too.
Don't hold back pm the man the details he is just bursting to get a MH
Willdbill
 
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This was our last one, took us 3500 miles France Italy and Spain, £3500 sold it two years later same price(y)(y):)
 
Nov 18, 2011
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Only thing I would say is don't expect much for that amount of money you get what's you pay for I only spent £2800.
But it had some serious mechanical issues and a poltigist once we got the priest in to do a exorcism every thing seems to be fine now
I hah a completed engine rebuild to do
Thee will be sum issues with a motor home of that age but if you are fairly good with your hands and can do a few Jobs it's no a issue
Loots of fun to be had go on buy the winner go on go on go on you know you want to
Wildbill

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Nov 18, 2011
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I have got every one of my motor homes of eBay or gum tree except our firs one I built it my self from scratch from a patent transport 17 seter bus
A layland freight rover the Sherpa
We had sum grate holidays in it it owed us nothing wen she went to the scrap yard
The engine I sold to a guy with a barge and helped him fit it still going strong ten years later:Smile:
Bill
 
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BreweryDave

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Sell the car, add the money to the budget, get a camper van like those above, and have only one set of running costs - best of both worlds! Just a thought ...........

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Paulfy4

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I would sell the car but I'm working in quite a mucky job so the poor car gets a bit of stick now and again so would not be allowed to take the MH to work,on the plus side of maintenance issues,the guy who owns our yard is an enthusiast for old vehicles and would happily fix any issue at all
 
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I would sell the car but I'm working in quite a mucky job so the poor car gets a bit of stick now and again so would not be allowed to take the MH to work,on the plus side of maintenance issues,the guy who owns our yard is an enthusiast for old vehicles and would happily fix any issue at all
Old tranny or ldv with tranny engine, run for ever, find one with no rot, rephrase that, find one with small amount of rot and you are fixed up for thousands of miles.

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Nov 18, 2011
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I think we should have a olds mee
I would sell the car but I'm working in quite a mucky job so the poor car gets a bit of stick now and again so would not be allowed to take the MH to work,on the plus side of maintenance issues,the guy who owns our yard is an enthusiast for old vehicles and would happily fix any issue at all
So what you wating for Pm the woman winne for £3500 good old American enganering :Eeek:
Bill:welc:
 
Feb 22, 2014
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I think we should have a olds mee

So what you wating for Pm the woman winne for £3500 good old American enganering :Eeek:
Bill:welc:

We are not selling our Winnie .... We saw a Winnie lookalike on the way to Lincoln. It's base vehicle is a Ford if I remember correctly, ours is a Toyota. It's a Sea Breeze I think.

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Nov 18, 2011
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Thankyou all so much for all the time you have taken to provide help and advise,what a great forum to be a member of,cheers to all
Wat till your feet are under the table and your fully comited when you buy a motor home the well start taking the piss big time :Eeek::rofl:

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Teuchter

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I have been caravanning for 32 years but in 2014 I have"gone over to the dark side"
OK - so you've come on to a motorhome site to ask which is best for you a caravan or a motorhome, is it a huge surprise that everyone is recommending a motorhome???

Lots of us on here are ex caravanners who have "seen the light" or "gone over to the dark side" depending who you talk too ;)

So my thoughts are - if you intend to only travel in UK and tour around staying 2, 3 or 4 nights in each place then a motorhome is the obvious choice however with a family of 4 (all adults) it will be very difficult (though not impossible) to buy a suitable, reliable motorhome at the price you are prepared to pay and remember the running costs are likely to be substantial.

On the other hand if you intend to holiday at home or abroad and stay more than 4 nights in one place then on your budget a caravan would be a better bet - easily within your budget and the flexibility of a car (possibly to be used by any of the adults) it is less likely to be immobilised if something goes wrong and you can always make it home in the car.

Either way good luck in your hunt! :)
 

stcyr

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See 'a complete change' on here. (y)
 

DanielFord

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Only just picked up on this thread! :D
If you buy well, and you are reasonably competent at DIY repairs, there is no reason why you shouldn't be able to find an (admittedly old) second hand motorhome within your budget.
I will now tell you a story :D
Last year, we attended an event, where we had to camp in the New Forest. So we obviously rocked up in our van. There were lots of peeps in tents, but then that is just madness, so we won't talk about them. About an hour after we turned up, a couple rolled up in their very old Renault Traffic (I think it was) PVC, I wouldn't swear to it, but I think it was W reg, which is 80's sometime????
There was admiration in both directions, I loved his little van, and obviously all its little quirks. Whereas he was equally envious of ours. Motorhome envy is a strange beast :D
Moral of the story, look hard, and buy well. Even if you don't get a great motorhome, it will be a 'GREAT' motorhome, I hope that makes sense :D

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Steve and Denise

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Motorhomes are an expensive hobby, if your car goes bang you can buy another car to tow your caravan if your motorhome engine goes bang it will cost you more than a car and caravan to put it right just my opinion.
 

ColinandDawn

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We have a caravan and a motorhome at the moment. I say at the moment because we are still deciding which is best. Well, I know which is best but Dawn loves her big caravan.

The caravan is best for staying in one or possibly two places for the duration of the holiday and taking days out with the car.

The motorhome is best for one or two nights camping then move on. Although there is the problem of no car for days out. It is also great for wild camping.

From a money point of view....

The caravan is much newer 2008, and bigger - 7.3 metres length

The motorhome is older and shorter - 6.3 metres length

They cost similar monies.
 
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