Why did you buy a motorhome (1 Viewer)

Big bus man

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Years ago we brought a tent, seemed a good idea at the time as tents are cheap, but didn't realise all the bits you need with is cost 10x more. On a cold frosty morning waking up next to a shiny new caravan with the owners reading their papers sitting in comfort in the warm van made use think, we want some of that, so we brought a caravan, it was great but needed a better car to tow it...more money! Watching motorhomes turn up and generally travel on the next morning looked appealing but well out of our price range so one holiday we decided to hire one, this we did a couple of times learning some valuable lessons in the process so when the time was right we took the plunge and got our own, it was the best thing we could have done. Nothing against caravans but last year on holiday we based ourselves in the dales and travelled out to distant places each day and it was that drive back to the static every time that sold us the lifestyle we wanted, put simply to move on not go back all the time. So how did you enter the Motorhome arena?
 

Chris

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We bought holiday places in Wales and then on the Kent coast before realising we didn't want to be stuck in one place.

So we went for the MH.

Not used it as much as we should have the last 12 months though.
 
Feb 22, 2014
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Not got one yet, but the reason for looking is the ability to have the perfect wheelchair access that allows us to travel where we want to without the worry of unsuitable accommodation. And believe me unsuitable accommodation is not uncommon!
 

lorger

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We have always loved the outdoors and after tents and caravan we moved on to a MH, the main reason was to spend quality family time together and see places we'd never dream of going if we didn't have a MH.

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Neckender

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Pat and I camped for many years in a tent with our VN1500 and then our Harley Road King Classic more so at motor cycle rallies. Ten years ago I said to Pat that I fancied a motorhome and she said we would have one when I retired which would have been 8 years later.
Anyway Pat was suddenly taken ill with Ovarian cancer she had emergency operation and all the tumour removed which weighed 1.5 kilo's. when I went to visit her after her Op the first thing she said was " John do you still want a motorhome" as her look on life had now completely changed.
We have now been motor homing 9.5 years and now on our 5th motorhome.

John.
 
Dec 27, 2014
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We bought holiday places in Wales and then on the Kent coast before realising we didn't want to be stuck in one place.

So we went for the MH.

Not used it as much as we should have the last 12 months though.
Likewise Chris.
Have a holiday home too and I don't particularly like being in one place either, so we have long term lets on them and finding motorhoming interesting and suiting what we want to do..... and particularly when time now allows us to travel.
 

magicsurfbus

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Every main holiday for me bar one (Florida) since the age of 15 has been some form of camping. I've holidayed in tents of all sizes from one-man backpacking tent to 8 berth trailer tent, and after 22 years of canvas we decided we'd had enough of draughts and bought an old VW Kombi which we used for 7 years while our kids were growing up. We'd had the MH retirement dream for some time, but with a 3 year window of opportunity before our eldest went to Uni we thought stuff retirement, do it now, and bought our MH new on a 3 year loan. That was 10 years ago and we're both agreed it was one of the best decisions we ever made (the others include marriage, parenthood, and bailing out of our jobs when they got far too silly).

It still amuses me when we pull up at a campsite, apply the handbrake, put the fridge to gas and uncork the wine with somebody nearby struggling to get their tent up whilst entertaining their shivering grizzling children at the same time. They give you that 'posh bastard' look like you've never been under canvas at any point in your life. No mate - got the teeshirt and moved on.

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Aug 4, 2013
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When we had our first bit of spare cash we bought a tent so we could always afford a holiday with our 4 kids. When we made a bit of money we bought a caravan which was our pride and joy, it got stolen, insurance replaced it but it did put us off a bit.
We were working for ourselves all hours by then. We made enough money to buy an old house in a nice spot with a couple of acres, we sold the caravan to enjoy that. We still live there, we are retired now and bought our motorhome two years ago ... on impulse really to recapture those years and the freedom that we lost when we didnt have time for holidays. The feeling of an open road the flexability to change / make plans when you want and sitting in your little home from home in a field or on a beach with a stunning view ticks all our boxes.
We have no regrets, we bought a motorhome that just felt perfect to us, we went in it, looked at each other blew the budget and bought it. Then we worried about if it would fit on the drive!
We don't swap and change things much. We have a five year plan to enjoy as much as we can in the motorhome. We might sell it then and travel much further afield for a couple of years. Then we might buy one again. For the moment there is plenty for us to discover in the UK and Europe. You can keep package holidays except for a quick bit of sun in the winter. I don't like flying, we dont make much of posh hotels either, they are ok for a couple of days but are pretty boring, I know who has slept in my bed, I don't have to buy posh clothes or dress for dinner and we can eat in or out as we choose. Love it! Carpe Diem.

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Aug 27, 2014
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Years ago we used to go motorcycle touring, camping - travelling light. I & Mrs F loved it, and we went to some amazing places.

But, kids came along, so those holidays were out. We got a frame tent, then a trailer tent, as the number of kids increased!

The problem with the trailer tent was that it was so much effort to put up and take down - and a right pain in the wet - that it was only getting used once or twice a year, it had to be at least a week in one place to make it worth the effort. We also liked to change location in the middle of our "main" annual 2 week holiday - and move day was so tiring. This was despite the fact that we bought a very good quick-erect trailer tent - it wasn't the trailer tent that took the time, it was setting up and packing away all the contents.

I don't like caravans, neither do the kids, so a MH it was! In the first year we've had 7 breaks away in it, which isn't bad considering I work full time and we're restricted to school holidays for anything other than a weekend. Motorhomes aren't just for the retired!

I do miss camping though - especially on the motorbike.
 
Mar 3, 2013
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We bought ours originally to stay the night before our motocross meetings. It has become a real social event with many riders camping over. It's brilliant as we often travel as far as 2 to 3 hours away and it beats getting up,at 4.30 am on a cold Sunday morning. We are now on our 3rd van and regularly holiday here and abroad in it. Particularly enjoy our skiing holidays at Easter in Les Deux Alpes.
 

mjltigger

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As a kid we camped all over Europe. Dad would spend an hour building a monstrous frame tent with Mum never seeming to understand how to help even after years. We would eat compo and have fried breakfast and play cards by the gas light. It was awesome.

When I left home I didn't holiday for years but when Mrs Tiggs (1st) suggested camping I wasn't totally against it and actually we got a great tent which cost a fortune. We shared it with some friends and had great times in it.

When y daughter was about 4 months old we took the tent to Clacton to visit family. What a nightmare. I ended up calling my dad to come help put the tent up because baby was so distressed by the journey etc that she wouldn't settle and I couldn't get the tent up on my own. Within a month I had a 4x4 and a caravan.

Moving g forward a few years and the new Ms Tiggs started having weekends away. The caravan was such a pain having to go and get it, inevitably sort something out that wasn't working and then drive at slow speeds to have to mess about with water and waste and gas... all fine for a week or two but not for a weekend.. so we got a MH, replaced it with a PVC and are now on our 3rd (another pvc) with eyes already open for an upgrade in the next couple of years.

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Nov 3, 2013
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Hi pappajohn.
The "Voice" that told me,belongs to the .......... First wife

After me.."I wish i was single my pockets would jingle...." LOL
Tea Bag (Battered husband)
 

DanielFord

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Well our motorhome acquisition story goes like this.....
About 5 years ago now, myself and my wife and I were running out of holiday ideas, we had been jetting off to warmer climates (Florida and the like) for many years, but we had a little baby to consider now. We had driven to my parents villa in Portugal on a couple of occasions, and whilst we liked the hotels we stayed at, there was something missing, we couldn't quite put our finger on it at that point.
Anyway, we had a light bulb moment, we were discussing holiday ideas, and I just happened to mention that the van hire company that we had just used also did motorhomes, why don't we check them out. After a quick mooch around the vans they had to offer one weekend, I found that I had booked a holiday van, and also upon returning home, also had a ferry booked!
So long story short, we had such a great time, we instantly booked up another van when we returned the one we had just rented. It was then official, we had caught the motorhome bug. I found that I was on the phone to the motorhome hire place almost continuously, renting different models each time.
So fast forwarding to last year, when the manager of the rental place said that he was selling off a bunch of the vans, I bit his hand off, this happened to coincide with us receiving a modest windfall.
We haven't looked back since, our van has been all over the UK, and Europe, sadly for the moment it is out of action because we are house training a puppy, but in a couple of weeks we will be back out again! :D
 
Oct 24, 2013
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Just before my other half retired, she asked me how did we want to spend the rest of our lives. After giving it some thought we came up with the idea of travelling the canals & rivers. After selling our old house & the company I owned, we bought a narrowboat. After spending 8yrs living on it & touring the UK we eventually bought an apartment in Nantwich as the boat was getting to much for me due to failing health. Not sure what to do next as we love touring, eileen came up with the idea of a motorhome. So before making a definette decision we hired one to tour Scotland. Within 3days we just knew that this is what we needed to give us the freedom we were looking for. Without a doubt. It is the best thing we did. We have met some fantastic people, made some great freinds. Joined a brilliant club with experts in their own right, ready to assist (funsters). On the whole, wished we had done it sooner. (y)(y)(y)

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Jul 19, 2015
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Travelled all over Europe in the 70's in a T2 with parents, always traveled and camped since then. Last year we spent 3 weeks touring New Zealand for our Honeymoon in a new Burstner. We promised ourselves we would get one when we retire but after only 18 months since New Zealand we could not wait any longer and brought a very nice pre owned Autotrail Tracker EKS and have not looked back since....
 
Oct 15, 2012
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I knew I would love Motorhoming, trying to convince my beloved, was a slight problem so she said lets hire one for a weeks holiday, so arranged one but then saw a van just up the road from us the week before we were due to go on holiday, after viewing it we decided it was such a good price and more or less what we wanted in a van, so after cancelling the hire van we took the plunge and have never looked back and my gorgeous wife loves Motorhoming as much as I do and really looks forward to our time away in it. :)

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TheBig1

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many many years! since I was a kid
well a long story cut brief.....my family had access to a dormobile for a while which I preferred to tenting so got bitten by the bug before I left home.
after getting married, we wanted cheap holidays and hopefully a hobby to get some extra cash in, as you do. so I started buying caravans and motorhomes that we did up as we used them, then sold them on at a profit. each time we tried to upgrade to something better so each year showed a healthy bank balance.

i still dabble with it many years later and my daughter has expressed an interest in doing the same to give the grandchildren the sort of holidays she had growing up, so i have passed the bug on
 

Judge Mental

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Every main holiday for me bar one (Florida) since the age of 15 has been some form of camping. I've holidayed in tents of all sizes from one-man backpacking tent to 8 berth trailer tent, and after 22 years of canvas we decided we'd had enough of draughts and bought an old VW Kombi which we used for 7 years while our kids were growing up. We'd had the MH retirement dream for some time, but with a 3 year window of opportunity before our eldest went to Uni we thought stuff retirement, do it now, and bought our MH new on a 3 year loan. That was 10 years ago and we're both agreed it was one of the best decisions we ever made (the others include marriage, parenthood, and bailing out of our jobs when they got far too silly).

It still amuses me when we pull up at a campsite, apply the handbrake, put the fridge to gas and uncork the wine with somebody nearby struggling to get their tent up whilst entertaining their shivering grizzling children at the same time. They give you that 'posh bastard' look like you've never been under canvas at any point in your life. No mate - got the teeshirt and moved on.

Our story more or less identical, years of camping under canvas, trailer tent, VW westfalia, demountable campers, coachbuilt and PVC's. Our adult children 24&23 now, have camped in vans since babies., every summer they used to plead with us " please daddy can we stay home!" as we always went away for 6 weeks:)
They wanted to go play with their friends......tough!:D

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ABZSteve

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Wife was recovering from a serious illness and wanted a dog to force her out and about during her recuperation. I had always wanted a MoHo and suggested that we hire one to see how we like it because we both agreed that we wound not kennel the dog during our holidays. Eighteen months later after much searching and 6-month lead-time the new MoHo was on our drive. We have used it extensively since March and love every minute of it (y).
 
Jun 17, 2012
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Tugged for 30 years. Mainly down to Cornwall. Children and grandchildren loved it. But was working so paying over £30pn in high season. Schoolteacher friend that we had met in Cornwall decades ago, started going to France instead of Cornwall in a Talbot MH he had bought. He told tales of FREE aires, room to park almost wherever you fancied, warmer, deserted roads, cheaper fuel, MHs welcomed rather than banned, no fear of tickets in supermarket car-parks. He could do 5 weeks in France cheaper than 2 in Cornwall.
Once retired, I used part of lump sum from pension and bought MH. Still go to Cornwall in the Spring for my "fix" but 2 months now in France. I drive on deserted D roads through forests, stop for a brew and walkies for the dog, there is no need to "get there" and get set up which caravanning requires.
I do sometimes miss the versatility of having a fixed base and flexibility of a car but you have to weigh up the pros and cons. Would never tow a car, no point in tugging again, that would be like caravan tows car.
 

Badknee

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Living the dream.
In a former life we had a T2 bay window till my daughter got too big to fit into the roof bunk and started tugging.
When Mrs Badknee and I got together we also bought a caravan, towed it to Spain, parked up,on a beach side site we found for three weeks and used the car for day trips. The kids loved the freedom of a caravan, get up when they wanted, ate when they were hungry etc.
Now they have flown the coop we decided that we would move into our 'little place in the country' and winter in Spain as we have family spread about there in a MoHo. This was to be in three years time ( two now) but we thought bugger it why wait and along came Maureen the motor home, we love Mo and have been away for about ten weeks since we have had her. Only two years to go. (y):LOL:

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Jul 29, 2013
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Always dreamed of a Motorhome we eventually bought our first four years ago and haven't regretted one minute of it,a life changing event.
 

Shrimp

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To start we B&B'd, then a tent, then we got a VW Trooper-pop top camper T4.
Traded that in for a used Autocruise Starfire.
Traded that for Herman Hymer B 654!
I had always wanted a MH and think I influenced the decision!
 

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