First timer! (1 Viewer)

[Gail Jenner]

Hello
My husband and I have just turned 45 and have decided the long term plan is to ft if it works for us in about 5 - 7 years.
We are hiring a motorhome next month for a week to trial things
Originally, we were going to wait 10 years and then by a mhome but ten years feels like a lifetime right now and you never know what's round the corner!
We have teens so the plan is to wait until they are young men and then begin our adventure.
However the last few days has got me thinking that life is short, that maybe we can get one now and enjoy the odd weekend a month where we don't have kids with us. This would be a good test run.
The question is buy new and finance whilst both working or buy second hand?
Craving a simpler life and for financial reasons we moved to a tiny urban flat so we are used to a very confined shared space.
Thanks for joining me and I love reading your posts. Inspiring!!

 

[MC 55 FUN]

&

 

[Gail Jenner]

Thankyou

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[El-Nido]

Welcome and I hope you enjoy your first motorhome hire. I think it's a great idea to 'try before you buy' - it can save an expensive mistake. We hired several motorhomes before we decided on the layout we wanted. I'd also suggest going to the motorhome shows - either at the NEC (the next is in October) - http://www.thenec.co.uk/whats-on/the-motorhome-and-caravan-show/ - or any of the other shows around the country: https://www.outandaboutlive.co.uk/shows. Go in all the vans, poke around, sit in the seats, talk to other motorhome owners (but be wary of the dealers offering an unbeatable deal!).

You mention you're now in a small flat, so don't forget to think about where you'd keep your motorhome, such as the cost of storage if you don't have space to park it at home.

As for new or second-hand... Funnily, last night we were having dinner with some friends who first got us into motorhoming - they had a motorhome hire company for many years and we hired our first van from them. We were talking about new vs second hand. Their view (which I agree with), is that a solid, low-mileage second hand motorhome is probably better than buying new. As well as not lining the pockets of the VAT-man, any 'snagging' should have been ironed out on a van that's a year or two old. Not all, but many new motorhome buyers do suffer from a number of defects and problems and it can take some time, effort and patience to 'persuade' the dealer that it's covered under warranty. So let someone else sort this out and then swoop in and buy their motorhome when they upgrade!

Anyway, that's my point of view. Those on this forum are not slow in coming forward and they'll no doubt be other views. But good luck on the start of what will be an exciting time. We retired in May (in our early 50s - life's too short) and are off on a 4 month trip to Europe in October and so looking forward to it. Our journey into the motorhoming life is covered in my simple little blog: http://www.vanvoyage.co.uk/

Have fun!

Paul

 

[Baldeagle7470]

Hi Gail and just go for it,as said no pockets in a shroud,whatever you do enjoy the fun.

 

[wigster]

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[Mickey1]

Mickey.

 

[buttons]

Hi and Welcome......

 

[The Dudess]

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[Dan and Jan]

Welcoming to the group. I brought my first 2 Motorhomes while we were working. I still made time to tour Europe and the UK. I didn't buy new, I bought wisely. My 2 boys loved the lifestyle. Now early retired we have the freedom to tour. Sometimes life is to short to wait.

 

[Kingham]

.... If you can do it, do it now because life is too short and you're correct, you do not know what's round the corner.

My last 2 vans were bought on finance while still working and we had some fantastic family holidays and will always treasure those memories, as will the kids.

By the time I retired at 55 a few months ago, I was single and if I'd waited until retiring before venturing into this wonderful lifestyle, I would have missed out on making all of those motorhoming memories

 

[Silver-Fox]

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[davidbaldam]

Hi and welcome to FUN.