How many people regret buying a MH and then go back to a caravan?

Clangers

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Gone from 3 years 700 miles in Motorhome back to Caravaning
Having owned a MH for 3 years and covering 700 miles we have sold it and thinking about going back to a caravan.
Is this common?
 
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3 years 30,000 miles UK and Europe.. Campsites and off Grid.
Having owned a MH for 3 years and covering 700 miles we have sold it and thinking about going back to a caravan.
Is this common?

Strikes me that if you have only done 233 miles a year you didn't really need a motorhome.

I did 18000 in 18 months in mine since new.

We manage the exploring locally with a motorbike/cycles and the weather by only going to sunny places!! (As much as possible)
 
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stevewagner

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Short stays motorhome, long stays motorhome and been doing it since 1976. We carry e-bikes in the garage and a Honda Lead 110cc on the back so never feel isolated. We still love every trip as if it was our first and are currently on van number 18! We must have lost thousands over that time but we don't care as the memories are priceless. We have worked the odd package holiday in over the years as well and are not long back from 16 nights in Florida with the entire brood. We are spending it on them now while we can watch them enjoying it.
Considering another upgrade in March when a dealer has a newer model coming in.

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Have never owned anything other than a camper/motorhome but have towed and holidayed in a caravan, that was with young children and worked well for days out, in fact when we take the grandchildren with us now I take the motorhome and John takes his car. Like going along a road and thinking we could stop there for a day or two without having to go back for our accommodation, we do take a motorbike with us but only for the past 6/7 years might be longer but i have been motorhoming since the 80s
 
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Realist

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Caravan before 2000 / Motorhome From 2018 to 22 / Now Caravan again.
Done it early this year.

Caravan, motorhome and now back to a caravan why.... Well!

I left my job that provided a works vehicle for the last 13 years so needed a car but that meant us having 3 vehicle's in the house.

So sold the motorhome, purchased a caravan and a 4x4 to pull it, this was we now have just 2x cars and still wheels to have jollies in.

Would I go back to a motorhome, YES.
But this was its a saving all round, more space in the van, not pull a car via A frame and my caravan is now on a seasonal pitch 12 months of the year.

Each to their own.
 
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Ridgeway

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The big difference for us when moving from a caravan to a Motorhome was that the holiday started as soon as we turned the engine on in the MH, kids got their drawing books out and we were in our holiday vehicle. The the caravan we drove there in our daily drive so didn’t have that same holiday feeling, also the set up once we arrived 😳 in the MH it takes 15mins from arriving to putting the kettle on, the caravan was 2-3hrs of huffing and puffing..

And like many we rarely stay still long enough to benefit from long set up and pack up times, 1-3 days is our average and the teenagers are now the SAS of MoHo set up with each one knowing her task 🫣 (this translates to me doing 99% of the work unless it involves the Wi-Fi router🤣)
 
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Wingingit#1

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Best of both - buy a camper that can tow a caravan ;)
Youve got something to set up home in but still something that you can go out shopping in or spend the weekend away
 
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Was tempted to go for a nice caravan before we got our first van 2 years ago as I have a decent tow car already so it would have worked out a lot cheaper, having looked at the build quality and layout that idea went out the window😁
We have a fairly big van so cannot park in normal car parks but 2 years and 13k miles on we have not missed a car and like going on trains and buses when out and about.
Probably change my mind if I only did a few hundred miles a year though as Motorhomes need to be used I think…

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(My perspective is a motorhome is for short stays, one or two nights then you move on even if only a few miles to the next place. Caravans are pitched up and left for longer periods whilst you use the towing vehicle to travel further afield.)

Totally agree with that.
We should never have bought a MH as we used to pitch up and then go and explore the area. The caravan was just a base to stay in the chosen area and then off we went in the car.
Three years old and 700 on the clock? I'm looking for a new MH, do pm me if you are looking to sell.
Thank you
 
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Best of both - buy a camper that can tow a caravan ;)
Youve got something to set up home in but still something that you can go out shopping in or spend the weekend away
We saw a couple recently who did that. Brilliant set up as they had a lovely big German Shepherd dog:giggle:(y)
 
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Personally we have never had a caravan, still have the 70s camper for 20+ years, we used to travel everywhere when the now teenagers were tiddlers, moved onto a T5 and T6 camper which were fantastic. Travelled into europe numerous times but as were getting older getting bored of the faff of awning, portaloo, pup tents etc. Even ordered a new T6.1 which we now have to convert but have kept it as a daily/workvan, had our motorhome end of the summer and have covered 2500 miles since only shortfall is moving about when away but most places are easy to park, the fact that I have to drive at moderate speeds the 400 mile trip last night soon passed but Im sure at 80 mph would of been quicker. A T6 sounds the perfect answer until you have actually sat there listening to the rain and squashed in one place with a 40 kg dog spread across the whole floor or need to pack the camper up in the bad weather....

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Bluemooner

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We have had 2 motorhomes changed to a Fifthwheel for 7 years bought a new Caravan this year and love it takes 15 to 20 mins to set up, we like the Caravan as we like to stay for a few days and 3 months in Spain on the same pitch, only thing I miss is the 250ltr fresh water tank
 
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Langtoftlad

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We have had 2 motorhomes changed to a Fifthwheel for 7 years bought a new Caravan this year and love it takes 15 to 20 mins to set up, we like the Caravan as we like to stay for a few days and 3 months in Spain on the same pitch, only thing I miss is the 250ltr fresh water tank
Fifth wheel sounds like good compromise
 
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hja

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We are in a similar position but not through choice, after 10 years caravanning we got ourselves a motorhome four years ago, now
unfortunately due to Mrs Cs health issues (she can no longer walk very far) we are thinking of going back to caravanning so we would
have a car to to be able to move around.
Have considered a toad but that means considerable expense, tow bar fitting to moho ,buying a car to tow and having an A frame fitted.
Selling the Moho would give us enough funds to buy a caravan and we already have a car big enough to tow a decent size van .
It`s a difficult decision to make we love the life style being able to move every couple of days without the messing about a caravan brings
but due to circumstances it looks like we will be tugging again in the near future.
Have you investigated folding mobility scooters? They help us get around.
 
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dna

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They could have gone for a walk to the lake/village etc if they wanted, just like you. But they CHOOSE to drive off for the day as they had a car available to do so. If you fancied a drive like they did, you would have to remove the screen cover, lower the TV aerial, secure all the loose bits and pieces, etc.

Pros and Cons to both options.
exactly - i was meaning i'm more constrained for the day time options unless i pack up - an advantage for tuggers with the car available if wanted
 
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I don't get all this talk of packing up to move. My view is that things have their place and if not in use they go back there. Should only take minutes to be ready to move off if needed in a hurry..

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We bought a beautiful new Burstner caravan, air con, the lot! We used it once and really didn't like it. It then sat in our garden and it became the most expensive garden awning ever. We eventually gave it away and bought a proper garden awning. We also bought a VW campervan which we loved, and still do. The layout is good and the seating is very comfortable. We can go anywhere as it is 'All wheel drive'. We don't have a dog and I think that would make things more difficult though we've seen VW users with more than one dog. We wouldn't want to change but I do understand that different people like different things, caravans for some, campervans or motorhomes for others, tents for some. Thank goodness we don't all want the same.
 
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OutTheOffice

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Covering 700 miles in three years suggests to me that motorhoming might not bring you the same happiness as it does me!

Indeed, if this was the case for me, I might give up on a caravan as well and stay in hotels.


JJ :cool:
Our van is 3 years old, and we are now approaching 25,000 miles, they are touring vehicles and we use ours as such, caravans are stay and explore.
 
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We are in a similar position but not through choice, after 10 years caravanning we got ourselves a motorhome four years ago, now
unfortunately due to Mrs Cs health issues (she can no longer walk very far) we are thinking of going back to caravanning so we would
have a car to to be able to move around.
Have considered a toad but that means considerable expense, tow bar fitting to moho ,buying a car to tow and having an A frame fitted.
Selling the Moho would give us enough funds to buy a caravan and we already have a car big enough to tow a decent size van .
It`s a difficult decision to make we love the life style being able to move every couple of days without the messing about a caravan brings
but due to circumstances it looks like we will be tugging again in the near future.
We changed back
Partner can’t cycle or walk very far and that’s not going to change because of the cancer treatment she has had
And if the truth be known I don’t like walking although I’m more than able
So changing back was an easy decision.
Bought myself a 72 plate Audi Q5 Tfsi hybrid which is a joy to drive and has all the bells and whistles
and 2022 Coachman caravan .
Always enjoyed towing and as we don’t use an awning in the summer months just a sun canopy setting up is a breeze and takes very little time .
Just about to depart for Spain for 3 months and driving / towing that sort of distance doesn’t faze me one bit .

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we started with tents then moved to caravans and the last 12 years and three Motorhomes later will be staying with MH, if we do Scotland touring the toad is left at home but if we decide on a site for more than a four day stay we take the toad unless we are doing a Dark Night site for Astronomy but really its a personal preference thing, the same things don’t apply to everyone so it’s what you are comfortable with and certainly don’t have to keep up with the jones’s.
 
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Been caravanner for over thirty years,now going to have motorhome very soon.
Covering 700 miles in three years suggests to me that motorhoming might not bring you the same happiness as it does me!

Indeed, if this was the case for me, I might give up on a caravan as well and stay in hotels.


JJ :cool:
Only had our m/h 16 months now clocked just under 5K miles,it’s thier to use…
 
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Clive Mott

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Horses for courses. have had both but each time we had a caravan just wished it was a motorhome. Better driving position. better driving view, an arrangement that is not overstressed like many towcars.
 
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3 years 30,000 miles UK and Europe.. Campsites and off Grid.
Three years old and 700 on the clock? I'm looking for a new MH, do pm me if you are looking to sell.
Thank you

Not sure something with that lack of use is the best buy mechanically.
 
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PxJ

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Well having gone back to a Moho even if we do not use it as much as we’d like it’s still in my opinion the best option & when we decide to go away at a last minute decision it’s so much quicker to be ready to go In the moho
 
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