MH v Caravan (1 Viewer)

[RollingRog]

Hi All

my daughter and her husband are thinking of buying a MH/Touring Caravan, they are undecided as to which is best. they have been going round in circles about the whole business!

any comments gratefully accepted

cheers

Den

 

[SandJ]

Simple

Arrive at destination put kettle on or open the beer then sit back and relax

Usually you are sitting watching a caravanner taking an age to set up

Simples

Oh and you can also set off in no time as well, you do not have to spend ages packing up

To be honest there are a lot more reasons :thumb::thumb::thumb::thumb::thumb:

 

[laneside]

Hi All

my daughter and her husband are thinking of buying a MH/Touring Caravan, they are undecided as to which is best. they have been going round in circles about the whole business!

any comments gratefully accepted

cheers

Den

Oh dear what a question, over the last three years we have had both and we still go around in circles wondering which is best.

Undoubtably getting there in the motorhome is a more pleasant experience than dragiging a big van.

Many will argue that setting up is much quicker with a motorhome but we find the difference very marginal.

The space pound for pound is far better value in a caravan,especially with a young family and as a taster a secondhand van can be a cheap entrance into camping.

The biggest downside of a caravan is the restrictions on wild camping and the none use of aires when touring France, but do the sums as we would never wild camp in England instead prefering cl sites so how much per year can you save using aires in France. If you get two to three weeks each year due to work commitments then it is not significant. If like us you are retired and can go for months on end then the savings become far more useful.

Good luck with your choice but remember one thing it has to be FUN for all.

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[normanandsue]

Den,
As you and your family appreciate there are lots of pros and cons regarding having a MH or caravan but the first and most basic is cost.
The MH is far more expensive.
If they are not going to use it extensively then a caravan is by far the better financial option. The MH needs buying (dearer than a caravan) it needs Road fund license, MOT, and insurance so the running costs are dearer.

OK so finance is not a problem, the MH every time. Sue and I have had both and to be able to toddle off somewhere put the kettle on open the door and enjoy the view, then poddle off a few hours later - great.
To be able to wildcamp is the best and most attractive part of MH - why pay for services you already have in the MH - especially with the ridiculous prices campsites even CL sites are charging these days.

We were out in our MH today just for 3 hours it was just great; I hadn't realised how much I had missed being away even if only for a short time.

Last thought buy a MH first, if it isn't right for you it can be sold and a decent caravan bought for what you get. (It doesn't work so well the other way round)

Happy MHing.

Norman

 

[Gooney]

Easy, you buy a caravan, you enjoy the lifestyle, you get older, you buy a motorhome!! (anyway thats how it worked for me)

 

[scotjimland]

All is compromise

Different tools for different jobs .. apples and pears.. one is not better than the other, it all depends on where and how the plan to use it ...

Longish stays of several days or more a caravan is better. For touring and moving every other day a mh works better .. but again it all depends on size of MH , they range in size from 15ft to 36ft +

A large RV is not a good touring van but great to live in, on the other hand, a panel van conversion is great for touring but you sacrifice comfort and space for convenience .. all is compromise.

A caravan is cheaper to buy and own than a MH .. .. No MOT or Road Tax, cheap to Insure and maintain .. + low depreciation ..

why not use your psychic powers ...

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[DESCO]

Different tools for different jobs .. apples and pears.. one is not better than the other, it all depends on where and how the plan to use it ...

Longish stays of several days or more a caravan is better. For touring and moving every other day a mh works better .. but again it all depends on size of MH , they range in size from 15ft to 36ft +

A large RV is not a good touring van but great to live in, on the other hand, a panel van conversion is great for touring but you sacrifice comfort and space for convenience .. all is compromise.

A caravan is cheaper to buy and own than a MH .. .. No MOT or Road Tax, cheap to Insure and maintain .. + low depreciation ..

why not use your psychic powers ...

Have to say I totally agree with Jim, there is only one best and that is what suits you at the time

 

[Reallyretired]

Depends on whether you are going to use it mainly in the UK. If so a caravan is preferable as sites are limited and usually sited inconveniently. Parking provision is also poor in the UK so you need a car to get about. We tow a car with a motorhome, but wouldn't if we predominately toured in the UK.

 

[smudger]

motorhome.........oh yeh...iff, you dont mind...whats the chances of me winning the lotto next week....

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[Mags52]

We used to have a caravan and have now changed to MH.
Our MH insurance is cheaper than our caravan insurance used to be. I think caravans have higher insurance because they have more accidents.

The caravan had more room but the MH is more fun and we use it for days out regularly.
Yesterday went walking in the Pentland hills then back to the MH to use the loo, take our boots off, eat hot soup and sandwiches, read the paper and a nice cup of coffee. Grand!
We feel a lot fitter because we use bikes, walk or use public transport when on sites.

But the space is an issue - I don't know if I would have made this decision if we had children. It's bad enough tripping over the dogs in the MH.
Good luck deciding!

 

[jonandshell]

A swift reply would be-

UK touring- caravan

Continental touring- Motorhome

UK and Continental touring- Motorhome

On a vote, a 2 to 1 majority says buy motorhome!!

 

[Terry]

Different tools for different jobs .. apples and pears.. one is not better than the other, it all depends on where and how the plan to use it ...

Longish stays of several days or more a caravan is better. For touring and moving every other day a mh works better .. but again it all depends on size of MH , they range in size from 15ft to 36ft +

A large RV is not a good touring van but great to live in, on the other hand, a panel van conversion is great for touring but you sacrifice comfort and space for convenience .. all is compromise.

A caravan is cheaper to buy and own than a MH .. .. No MOT or Road Tax, cheap to Insure and maintain .. + low depreciation ..

why not use your psychic powers ...

Not sure this is quite right I have only had m/hs so cannot realy coment on the caravan bit through experience.We have gone from a 2 berth to 4 to 6 and back to a 2 (odd time 3)and by far the most comfortable van is the one we have now, this 2 berth :thumb:Room does not equal comfort but the layout does :thumb:As to insurance my mate pays more to insure his caravan than I pay for the M/H :thumb: Deprecation WHAT is that ? I have only ever made money on every M/H we have owned :thumb: We do not use a toad or anything but use the van to go evrywhere while on holiday not forgoing the convieience of the van :thumb: for days out in a car or anything
terry

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[scotjimland]

A swift reply would be-

UK touring- caravan

Continental touring- Motorhome

UK and Continental touring- Motorhome

On a vote, a 2 to 1 majority says buy motorhome!!

Sorry, don't see the logic ..

I've toured all over Europe with a caravan.. and will probably do so again .. don't see the difference between UK and anywhere else .. except not being able to use the Aires in France but there are hundreds if not thousands of good cheap municipal sites and in Morocco we saw plenty of French, Dutch and German caravaners.

Once on site, it is a lot easier to take the car out than to pack up a van and go sight seeing . Having used both extensively, as I said in my first post, different beasts for different jobs.. there are pros and cons for each ..

Cart Before The Horse ?

Q. Why do so many motorhomers have toads ?

A. Because it makes life easier once on site..

All is compromise... not such thing as a 'one size fits all' ... each to their own and what suits them best .. and only they can decide.. not us.

 

[beachcaster]

Ask me in a year

Just sold a caravan and bought a motorhome.

So ask me in a year.

SWMBO hates putting up awnings ..hitching up the caravan etc. as it is a chore and often ends up in a
breach of the peace

I love the idea of driving up winding out a sun shade
breaking out the barbie and a beer and relaxing.

We will take bikes with us because we enjoy cycling........and interestingly enough our insurance on the MH... all singing and dancing with breakdown cover in Europe was cheaper than insuring our caravan !!!!

So time will tell ....but glad we are giving it a go

barry

 

[barryd]

Another consideration is how much time you have off. If your both working and only get 4 weeks holiday a year a motorhome is a flipping expensive investment thats never going to go very far. My neighbour is a bit younger than me in his 30's has a wife and kiddie and they both work and dont get very many holidays. they bought a super caravan for less than £5K. It really does look lovely. You wouldnt get a decent motorhome for anywhere near that money. Having a little one they like to drive to a nice site with facilities, stay in one place and enjoy themselves. Their caravan is ideal. We on the other hand have longer breaks, like to stay where we choose (never on a campsite) and move on every few days.

If your fortunate to get long breaks where you go tour europe for maybe a month or three then a Motorhome has to be the best bet.

We take a scooter on the back of ours so parking in the UK is never a problem. Our blog might help you www.hankthetank.co.uk

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[Brian and Jo]

MH OR Caravan

for us its a simple answer,motorhome every time we started with trailer tents,folding campers,caravans,nothing wrong with any of those.but a motorhome works better for us:thumb:we now have an RV but we are seriously thinking of downsizing to a european motorhome at the end of this season,watch this space,could be an rv for sale:Cool: regards brian jo and the guvner