What made you spend all that money on a motorhome (1 Viewer)

[Abacist]

We started with Carefree Tent holidays in France and then I thought it would be cheaper in our own tent so we bought a frame tent. The first night it was blowing a hoolie and the wife chucked her bag of knitting into the sleeping compartment. By the time I went to bed my sleeping bag was sopping wet as the knitting needles had jammed in between the blow up lilo mattress and the sloping tent wall!

We did a couple of years with the tent then bought a trailer tent as it would be easier to set up but we bought such a big one with an extension that there was as much pegging out as ever!

That lasted a few years but then we bought a caravan and had holidays at home and abroad and wrote one off coming home from Scotland. Bought another one straight away and caravanned on and off for 25 years. We were by this time also holidaying by package holidays and had been to most places as the kids had grown up so thought it was time to replace the caravan with something brand new and almost bought a premium Buccaneer but at the last moment realised that even the Volvo V70 All wheel drive was not man enough to tow it as the weight was about equal to the car. I was not for changing the car as well and friends asked us to join them at the Malvern show. We then bought our 3 litre Autotrail Savannah. The thought of not putting a full awning up or even a porch and not having to make the bed up every night was very appealing along with no towing, hooking up, fetching water in the aqua roll etc.

We were tired of package holidays with the unpleasant travel squashed in uncomfortable aeroplanes and the sameness of it all. We have also been to Canada, done cruises and very much fancied exploring Europe and the motorhome is the best way to do that with the comforts of home with you rather than having to rely on local B and B and hotel hospitality like old style continental touring in a car.

I think there must be a gypsy element in us all as we just love the travel, the exploring, walking and biking wherever we fetch up.

This forum is now more exciting than the TV reading about the exploits and tech/mech improvements of others. I couldn't be without the MoHo or the forum but the wife just likes going away in the MoHo.

 

[Puddleduck]

Hubby's parents and family were keen campers (and then caravaners), Dad did a bit of cycle camping in his teenage years but my Mum was less than keen so it wasn't something we did as children. I found out later she has Romany ancestry and there had been a lot of bullying when she was a child so camping was a "no-no" as far as she was concerned.

We did tent camping with the children when they were small - loved the freedom. We were given a small (broken) trailer which we rebuilt and it became a camping trailer and we did many miles with that. Then I bought a mini-bus on a whim (saw it sitting in a garage all forlorn, cheap as chips and one look and I knew it was mine). We fitted that with bits that would lift in and out so it was a camper by weekend. Had that until I could no longer get the parts to repair it. Then we bought a huge old Hymer. By then we'd all taken up kayaking so the big bus was luxury. Then the kids left home, we moved house and Hymer had to go as there was no where to keep her 'cos we moved into a rented house.

Then after we built this house we did cruises for a few years...... I like cruises but they only give you samples and there were a few places I wanted to go back to. Now we have Buffy and will soon trade her in for Jemima.

Why a motorhome? Freedom, fun, your own space no matter where you are. I need a special medical diet so my own kitchen means no chance of cross contamination. Martin needs medical equipment overnight so with a motorhome that is easy. I find a motorhome much more convenient than a caravan but that is personal preference.

Yes, they do cost a lot new. But say you bought a £50,000 motorhome new (or newish). Even with no residual value after 10 years that is £5,000 a year (ignore inflation and interest) - that's about the same as some people would pay for a family annual holiday. A second-hand vehicle might be £25,000 so £2,500 a year ...... you can go away as often as you like and take the kids and grandkids if you want. Motorhomes are not expensive of you use them. They are expensive lawn ornaments if you don't. But it's not really about the money

 

[Puddleduck]

A motorhome is also an extension to the house that you can take with you when you move. Usually no planning permission required

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[scotjimland]

What made you spend all that money on a motorhome

could offer a hundred reasons .. but it's very simple.. we just wanted to..

besides there are no pockets in a shroud.. enjoy while you can

 

[snowdrops]

Over the years camped in teeny tent, ridge tent, larger ridge tent, frame tent, (remember those !! ), dome tent, then bought caravan. With new hubby went thro 2 dome tents, then had wonky old campervan. Lasted a year and a bit fore it died, but we loved the freedom of local travel, kipping outside friend's houses and more than anything, somewhere for me to run as I have a wasp allergy !!! Then decided on static caravan with a sea view in beautiful Pembrokeshire. 2 yrs later very very itchy feet. Took the plunge, lost a lot of money on the gorgeous static and bought panel van with the proceeds. Then used some and more to convert. Now have freedom of europe etc too as it's a newish van. We also pop our kayaks and bikes on, so much healthier. Never regretted selling up the static, tho was hard decision.

 

[laird of Dunstan]

ive done the tent,folding tent and caravan path ,always fancied a motorhome ,wifeys parents have been motorhomers for 30 years,when wifey mentioned to her mum that i fancied a motorhome,her advice was do it !! to quote MIL ",the only regrets that we have is that we did not start it sooner."

only been away 3 times so far but love it

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[Cyclewalkbob]

After a 6 week tour of France in a caravan with a broken motor mover we thought we should try a Motorhome - we have not looked back.

Although we do enjoy caravaning we find the Motorhome suits us better

 

[wizzer59]

I think if you buy wisely a Motorhome need not be a bad investment, I sold my first van for almost exactly the same money I paid for it after nearly 3 years of happy camping, My second Van a 2002 Hymer should keep me going for a good few years and hopefully still be worth a good wedge when I upgrade or die

 

[irnbru]

Mum has asthma and cannot longer bend. She wanted to leave me some money as inheritance. I persuaded her to follow her dream and buy a motorhome and share it and enjoy the fun together. Eventually she gave in and came around to my thinking..and so the fun began.

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[kip]

Had no interest at all ,she made me do it.

 

[Trevor Pettifer]

Couldn't bear to put our dog in kennels... !

 

[mustaphapint]

It allows us to go on extended trips in relative comfort, especially compared to camping, and without the expense of hotels which would not be sustainable for long periods. Freedom to go when and where we like, within reason.

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[Tony50]

We like the freedom , and living the life we like, plus we like our own bed and stuff we take , this year we lived in a Static caravan on a Park Holidays site until we bought another bungalow , near us were several for hire holiday statics , once you have seen some of the people who use and abuse them , plus the so called cleaners , i would never holiday in one a Cleaner told us she has had to clear up vomit in the bed , filth left by some, and some other stuff which I won't mention ,
we never lend out , we are currently without a Motorhome but hope to purchase a new one in the New Year, last one we had worked out over £ 700 a week when away most was depreciation ,but that won't deter us .

 

[Langtoftlad]

 

[Coastal Cruiser.]

We use to go on holidays 2-3 times a year flying mostly to the States.
Then a few years back I got diagnosed and was told not to fly to far preferably not at all, at that time my Dad died who was also our babysitter for the 2 pups, as we would never put them in kennels I decided to buy a motorhome.
Thought I found the one I was going to buy after a few years of research and then got something completely different

Big plan is hopefully 6 months in the States in about 3-4 years time subject to health

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[Chuns]

This might be a different angle for you, Jim.

For many years we were yotties, for the last ten years of ownership we kept our last sailing boat in Brittany. We used to manage our leave, weekends and public holidays so that we could take five 10-14 day breaks on her every year.

As we got older we realised that we had been to all the places we wanted to, and were not keen on longer passages or keeping the boat further away. And frankly we were a little bit fed up with sandy coves, bouncy estuaries, and marinas. For the first three years of our retirement we went for a month at a time, five times a year.

However during that we never considered that we were 'camping', we were just living on the boat, enjoying food, drink, and daily life as at home.

We toured New Zealand in a rented Motorhome for a month, and on the basis of that sold the boat, bought a Motorhome, and found new and much more varied pleasure away from the coast.

Because I'm anal, I did a massive amount of paper research, backed up by visits to the big shows. I went to the last one armed with a short list of six, pared that down to three, and decided the next day. I bought our Adria in Germany ( the exchange rate was very favourable at the time) and the dealers would discount, imported it myself and have never looked back.

I was told that I was not likely to keep my first van for long, but I'm happy to say that our choice fills every need. The only thing wrong with it was that the table was much too big - I solved that by buying one designed for a smaller model. It has a good sized shower, user friendly kitchen, adequate toilet and good sleeping arrangements. We carry our e-bikes in the 'garage' at the rear. We are fully self contained, no shortage of power and good tankage.

We only ever tour 'near Europe' (why I bought LHD), almost never go to Campsites (they rarely offer anything we need, or want to pay not to use), and enjoy every minute of our touring. We have met scores of very nice people along the way.

In conclusion I would say that we do not consider ourselves 'campers', rather, as with the boat, we are merely living our lives away from home, but in a vehicle this time. Motorhome says it all for us,

 

[Kozikot]

Her Indoors 7 Months 1st April - Oct 31st in a Seasonal Caravan at Stowford, 3 months Winter Dec - March Moho in the Spain/Portugal, home in North Devon for 2 months Rest/Holiday...Luckily I get to run our Holiday Let in the Summer, so only do the Caravan thing at Weekends...

 

[Gary Redfern]

I camped as a kid in South Africa. Wife and her family travelled around north America in a RV when she was 7 to 12 years old. I saw an article about the 'Overlanding Family' and thought it would be cool to travel fulltime in a motorhome with our (then) 7 year old daughter. Work meant I wasn't getting that much time with my daughter (despite it being pointed out that I was one of the first to leave the office every day) so it was time for a change. No buyers remorse (we had rented a RV in Colarado and a van in Spain so had an idea of what did and didn't work). Covid delayed the start of our trip and lockdowns have meant we haven't fulltimed as much as we had planned. In 2021 we have still travelled south to the Algarve (Portugal) and north to the Lofoten Islands (Norway). Next year we are planning to visit Italy, Greece and the Balkan states, then the UK and finally are planning to ship the motorhome to the USA

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[Clive Mott]

It's our escape. We can do what we want with who we want, where and when we want and if I am happy being a scruffy sod and relaxed then that's good as well. We always take auxiliary transport provision as well. Two leccy bikes for local and a motorcycle and sidecar for wider excursions. And laptops and clutter and favourite whatever. Hotels? No ta, cannot relax or be off duty in them.

 

[Harrietliberty]

Always said we would never have a motorhome because of the cost and need to maintain the engine as well as the body then on the day out of lockdown 2020 drove to Exmouth and as a motorhome pulled in my husband said "I think we should get a motorhome". Well you don't tell me something like that twice - 3 days later 18 year old Ace Capri bought.

We take our two Golden Retrievers out a lot - beaches, parks etc and we originally thought we would use it for day trips (so hubby could have a sleep after lunch) as well as trips away, but didn't actually do that until we had some decorating done recently and it was easier to be out of the way so drive to location, walk, coffee, lunch, nap, walk and home.

Not sure we would have bought one without lockdown but it has been great - we were able to get away as soon as the sites re-opened in April and have been away a lot - mainly fairly locally because living in Devon there are so many fantastic places within about an hour, but also been to the New Forest, Isle of Wight and Yorkshire this year. We are retired so it's great being able to look at the forecast and go at short notice.

Just waiting to win the lottery so we can buy the motorhome we really want with a drop down bed.

 

[Lostasusual]

Having always camped and enjoyed adventures outdoors, my motorhome journey began with buying cheaper small vans that also served as family and work transport. A 6v old VW combi was my first followed by a Sherper. Then, for £150, I bought an old LD ambulance and spent an awful long time doing a very crude conversion job. It’s the only vehicle I ever made a profit on, selling it for £650! Work then got in the way of motorhome ownership fun but I was determined to buy one with all the bells and whistles when I retired… and so I did. Is it getting the use it should? Nope. It’s done just 13k in 9 years. Tucked up safe out of the weather ‘Percy’ lives in a purpose built motorhome port, pawing at the ground, waiting for the next short adventure… A bit like me really. “So much to do, so little time.”

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[cheyanne]

Started camping with Parents as a child and camped with the guides as much as possible. Got married only way to afford holidays it’s children was camping, tents converted VW, hubby was a coachbuilder, always wanted a motorhome, eventually a legacy enabled us to buy a 6 year old Autotrail which we’ve had for 8 years, there be no going back to tents, grandchildren come now, next generation will the future campers.

 

[Jake Royd]

This might be a different angle for you, Jim.

For many years we were yotties, for the last ten years of ownership we kept our last sailing boat in Brittany. We used to manage our leave, weekends and public holidays so that we could take five 10-14 day breaks on her every year.

As we got older we realised that we had been to all the places we wanted to, and were not keen on longer passages or keeping the boat further away. And frankly we were a little bit fed up with sandy coves, bouncy estuaries, and marinas. For the first three years of our retirement we went for a month at a time, five times a year.

However during that we never considered that we were 'camping', we were just living on the boat, enjoying food, drink, and daily life as at home.

We toured New Zealand in a rented Motorhome for a month, and on the basis of that sold the boat, bought a Motorhome, and found new and much more varied pleasure away from the coast.

Because I'm anal, I did a massive amount of paper research, backed up by visits to the big shows. I went to the last one armed with a short list of six, pared that down to three, and decided the next day. I bought our Adria in Germany ( the exchange rate was very favourable at the time) and the dealers would discount, imported it myself and have never looked back.

I was told that I was not likely to keep my first van for long, but I'm happy to say that our choice fills every need. The only thing wrong with it was that the table was much too big - I solved that by buying one designed for a smaller model. It has a good sized shower, user friendly kitchen, adequate toilet and good sleeping arrangements. We carry our e-bikes in the 'garage' at the rear. We are fully self contained, no shortage of power and good tankage.

We only ever tour 'near Europe' (why I bought LHD), almost never go to Campsites (they rarely offer anything we need, or want to pay not to use), and enjoy every minute of our touring. We have met scores of very nice people along the way.

In conclusion I would say that we do not consider ourselves 'campers', rather, as with the boat, we are merely living our lives away from home, but in a vehicle this time. Motorhome says it all for us,

Very similar route to a motorhome for us.
Had a sailing boat for 20 plus years in Plymouth.
Getting on a bit and realising that we would not achieve any more steps up the experience ladder and by golly they are an expensive thing to own and maintain.
So sold it and bought a 'land sailor'

 

[Boy]

For me i feel I am on holiday as soon as I sit behind the wheel of my motor home
and I never think about the cost of the motor home purchase . I am not
rich I just enjoy traveling and have the ability to stop and enjoy the surroundings And the freedom
and it’s my hope that I can still carry on traveling for a few more years
at 73 that’s a big ask for sure

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[DDJC]

Easy choice for us.
We had a Bailey Unicorn Cadiz caravan, that sat on the drive and went out two or three times a year.
Got a Rimor Europeo 87 four years ago and it goes out seven or eight times a year.

But the answer really is more about why we don't do other stuff.

OK with boats in the main. Except cruises. Cooped up in a box, with a million and one ways to get you to part with even more money.

Hate hotels. No privacy, static - you can't upsticks, expensive on-costs especially eating. Frequently not clean to Mrs DDJCs standards, add in Covid and never again.

Hate flying. Even before they became recycled Covid infection vectors, flying is cramped, unpleasant and until they invent one with about ten wings and several dozen engines, I'm not interested. When a motorhome has a problem, it coasts to a stop. When a ferry has a problem, it drifts. When a plane has a problem it smashes into the ground at several hundred miles per hour.

Done tenting, both bivouac and big family frame tents. Too old for it now. Mrs DDJC heard some Tenting woman commenting about our caravan in an overloud voice "Well it's not real camping is it?" The next day as we sat outside enjoying the morning as Mrs Tent came out, knackered, grey and groaning about her back, Mrs DDJC remarked to me, in an equally overloud voice, "If waking up crippled and haggard is real camping, you can keep it."

Done gites and chalets, but again, you are stuck in one place. And with covid, you won't know how well it has been cleaned. In a motorhome, you only have your own germs to worry about.

 

[TheAleMan]

Bored with living in a house, we thought we might as well try living in the van.
It will be four years fulltiming next week and we are all still enjoying it

Exactly the same for us. Coming up 17 months for us and loving it.

 

[MarkinWales]

Did the full apprenticeship, as Jim said. Including boats! When in a tent we poo-pood people in caravans as being old and unadventurous. Then we became older (but with young kids!) and became caravanners poo-pooing big twin axle caravans. Then we got one to get away from the older kids! Then we poo-pood smaller caravans wondering how they all fit in there. The kids stopped coming as it was so 'uncool so we went back to a single axle with a fixed bed started poo-pooing motorhomes saying, imagine having to clear everything up just to go and get a pint of milk! Then we retired and the freedom to travel and just move on with a motohome really appealed. Now we poo-poo all caravaners and tenters and can't understand why they can't see the benefits of motorhomes. I Guess it's just depends on where you are in the cycle of life!
Although I cannot see us ever going back to a caravan and certainly not a tent, even though we enjoyed them all immensely when we had each.
Now the kids have started with a dome tent, already upgraded to a bigger one and are talking now of maybe a trailer tent! The circle of life continues.......

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[EmnM]

Hi, we had never thought about a motorhome but had a Harley Davidson and driving past a well known garage by the A1 decided to call in “for a wander”. We came out with Compass Suntor 400. 125000 miles and 15 years later we sold it without losing much capital. As soon as things calm down we will be out there hunting another. Best times of our lives. EmnM

 

[AnnieB]

Retired 12 years ago last May and after a few months acclimatising we decided to get our first dog. Sorrel came along the following February and we had every intention of putting her in kennels for 2 weeks in a June while we went on a train holiday to Italy.
sounded like a good idea until I found I just couldn’t do it. So we cancelled the holiday and hired a cottage.

We aimed to do a lot of cottages but on a visit the Dunham Massey NT, we saw 2 Autosleeper Topaz vans in the car park and could t resist a peek through the window.

That was me hooked and a month or so later I dragged my husband to Todd’s in Preston to look at 2 used models. Well ‘looking’ turned into ‘buying’ and we had the 3 year old Topaz for 4 years before making up the beds finally got to me - or rather my back.

Traded it in for a small coachbuilt in 2015 which we still have.

it’s been a godsend this last 2 years and kept us both sane, plus the dog loves it too.

 

[Minxy]

it’s been a godsend this last 2 years and kept us both sane, plus the dog loves it too.

Dog photo required!

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