We're interested, but haven't got a motorhome yet (1 Viewer)

wneva

Free Member
May 25, 2012
2
2
South Buck
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21,193
MH
Don't own one yet
Exp
Newbie
Hi everyone

My wife and I have been talking about getting a MH for a while. We've had a caravan for 10 years. I initially resisted the MH idea - another vehicle to maintain and insure, where would we keep it, how much would we use it, mpg, having everything rattling around wherever we go etc etc. I'm now coming round to the idea - it'll help us keep in contact with the grandchildren and we can have some holidays etc. And it would be fun!!

Our concerns now are about what we can afford (which is not a lot) and what sort of reliability we can hope to get. It'll certainly be preloved.com or even ebay for us! We read about people with 20+ year old MHs - what might the maintenance costs be on a rig that old? Would we be buying a money-pit? I'm not up to doing the maintainence myself - my limit has been fitting a new top hose to the Honda.

So you see we are teetering on the brink, trying to pluck up the courage to make our first MH purchase. Which is why I've joined this forum!
 

chatter

Free Member
Aug 3, 2009
3,689
937
cheshire
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7,812
MH
5th wheel
Exp
10+
Hi an welcome to Fun
Im sure you will get plenty of advice shortly, most motorhomes dont do a lot of yearly milage and if you have had caravans you will know of the dreaded damp, it can inhabit motorhomes as well, but well maintained vans are usually good, if you think you want a 2 berth get at least a 4 berth, and u shaped lounge ones in my mind are better as you can either have a big double bed or usually 2 singles at night and you have somewhere to lounge and stretch out on those wet days rather than just the dinette area as some of the smaller ones have
 

ukbill

LIFE MEMBER
Nov 3, 2011
5,501
5,274
Pinoso
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18,740
MH
4 berth low profile
Exp
starting on saturday 10/3/2012
buy a good damp meter to test for damp yourself i would go for a fixed bed but its your preference mine is in storage as the advice i got was if at home when you go on your travels people know you are away not a good advert best insurance i got was from comfort and includes europe cover and breakdown also try to buy 1 with as many extra's as possible that saves u loads at the start mine was from ebay and i struck lucky great van and great people we bought from but i would also say don't rush it took us over a year to find what we wanted and at the price we wanted to pay good luck and happy times

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Jim

Ringleader
Jul 19, 2007
36,191
128,630
Sutton on Sea, UK
Funster No
1
MH
Adria Panel Van.
Exp
Since 1988
Ebay is the market place for motorhomes and there is a lot of choice, however its best to know what you want before you go shopping there. Visit a motorhome show, there are loads of them, and sit in a few motorhomes, and try and get the feel of a layout that will suit you. You'll be familiar with all the kit on the habitation side as its likely to be exactly the same has you had on your caravans. While doing this research you'll become keenly aware of the price of the motorhomes you like. When you have made your mind up on the make and layout you like and you have a good idea of what it will cost you. Only then start looking seriously at eBay:thumb:

Check out the motorhome buyers guide in my signature or look for it on Amazon:thumb:
 

DP+JAY

LIFE MEMBER
Mar 17, 2010
2,526
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Dalbeattie
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Laika 5009
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since 2007, 25 years tuggin before that.
Age should not be a problem as such,motorhomes are built on commercial chassis/running gear, which is designed to last hundreds of thousand miles.
In fact the very low mileage ones can be worse as they can get "sleepy van syndrome" where things rust, sieze & perish.
We were tuggers too for 20+ years & only converted as our lifestyle changed.
Caravans are great for site based holidays where you stay on one site for a week or more & motorhomes excel when you are moving to a different place every day or two & on the continent where they are more geared to motorhomes. So first think about how you want to use it & then about the layout.
We prefer fixed beds as we spend most of our time abroad (outside the van), and the last thing we want to do when ready for bed is to start making it up.
 

DESCO

Free Member
Mar 11, 2009
2,646
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London
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18 years +12 years tugging
Age should not be a problem as such,motorhomes are built on commercial chassis/running gear, which is designed to last hundreds of thousand miles.
In fact the very low mileage ones can be worse as they can get "sleepy van syndrome" where things rust, sieze & perish.
We were tuggers too for 20+ years & only converted as our lifestyle changed.
Caravans are great for site based holidays where you stay on one site for a week or more & motorhomes excel when you are moving to a different place every day or two & on the continent where they are more geared to motorhomes. So first think about how you want to use it & then about the layout.
We prefer fixed beds as we spend most of our time abroad (outside the van), and the last thing we want to do when ready for bed is to start making it up.

Agree totally, we changed to MH when lifestyle changed, we now normally only stay on a site at the most 2 days, so found the swap ideal and have never looked back. The main thing is to find the MH that suits you, try as children say get in and play house, the only way.
If you are like us you will know when you have found the one it will tell you, or ours always have.

Best of luck

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hilldweller

LIFE MEMBER
Dec 5, 2008
605
36,108
Macclesfield
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5,089
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Zilch Mk1
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From Aug 2007
I'm now coming round to the idea - it'll help us keep in contact with the grandchildren and we can have some holidays etc. And it would be fun!!

Well we thought of grandchildren and got the appropriate number of seatbelts, they've been in it about twice. We thought they'd ( their parents ) would jump at the chance of borrowing it - WRONG. Did not fit their idea of holiday, very difficult once grandchildren get their own circle of friends.

You can't have a holiday in you caravan ? It's my contention caravans are for holidays, motorhomes are for touring adventures which need a holiday to recover from.
 

grumps147

LIFE MEMBER
Jun 6, 2010
1,838
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St.Helens
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Between
Exp
MH 12 yrs -Tent/Caravan 49 years
Well we thought of grandchildren and got the appropriate number of seatbelts, they've been in it about twice. We thought they'd ( their parents ) would jump at the chance of borrowing it - WRONG. Did not fit their idea of holiday, very difficult once grandchildren get their own circle of friends.

You can't have a holiday in you caravan ? It's my contention caravans are for holidays, motorhomes are for touring adventures which need a holiday to recover from.

A familiar ring to this, but hope to have some of our grandchildren out for the first time this summer.

About the only thing thats not been covered above is economy. We used to reckon average of 25mpg for tugging, and we now get 23 mpg in quite a large uk motorhome. If you are keeping your car allow extra for insurance, tax and service etc, but this seems to be less than a 2 week vacation somewhere hot.

The only other cash you will need is for becoming a funster on this site, and the £10 per year would never buy all the tips, and for the book mentioned above.

:thumb:
 

injebreck99

Free Member
Dec 5, 2011
1,706
1,795
norfolk
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19,123
MH
Low profile C Class
Exp
Since 1997
Caravan to M/H

We switched from tuggers to M/H last year, wouldn't go back, the biggest downside we have discovered is the lack of the towcar when onsite, we are remedying this with a Smart car, already posessed, and have just bought a trailer.
I'm sure you will get lots of good advice from others, just take your time and research a lot, ask qqestions on this site, best advice anywhere, good luck and keep us informed.:thumb:

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Jan 4, 2012
2,240
2,022
somerset
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19,320
MH
Fiat Ducato
Exp
A few years now
We have 2 toddlers and they love going off and tears appear when we got to go home :cry:

We have itchy feet, and could not stay some where ,more than 2 days, so we like the whole idea of exploring somewhere new to park up.

Not too worried about having a car when parked up as we tend to pick sites that have what we need within walking distance :thumb:--- catching a bus in to a local town with traffic/pavements/shops ect with little ones does not work and we end up wishing we stayed on site.:Eeek:

What with sat nav , google earth, you can pick out what area you want, and online Camping and caravan sites to see what facilites you want , it is great nowadays :thumb:
 

Kasey

Free Member
Nov 10, 2011
49
35
Hertfordshire
Funster No
18,856
MH
5th wheeler
Exp
since 2009
In view of "Chatters" Avatar, am surprised he didn't mention the 5th wheel option. So I will. Everyone to their own but I find it the perfect solution to having to own a number of vehicles / motorhome specifications / commuting off site.

As others have said, it depends what you want it for, but they are worth considering at least. Very good value for money as well.
 

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