Why are more and more caravaners buying motorhomes ? (1 Viewer)

[Pollyandarthur]

When we were young we tented and liked moving every couple of days, when we had a family we got a caravan and usually stayed a week or more in one place. I've just taken early retirement and hubby retires Jan 2018, we wanted to get back to moving around and exploring Europe so bought our motorhome.

 

[JJ]

Tuggers get older, less fit, and wiser.

They eventually realise that motorhomes are BETTER!

JJ

 

[Louis]

Tuggers get older, less fit, and wiser.

They eventually realise that motorhomes are BETTER!

JJ

Not sure if that's the reason? I was with three tuggers in their seventies in France near St Quentin. There were others we saw at Dunkirk ?

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[JJ]

Tongue in cheek Mr Louis, tongue in cheek.

JJ

 

[sciac2001]

We've never had a caravan so cannot comment on physical pros and cons.
However if touring on the European mainland, aires makes motorhomes a better choice as they are usually placed conveniently in or near the towns which we want to visit and so there is no need for separate wheels to get you there.
In the UK however, I would say that a caravan makes much more sense for exactly the reverse reasons: no aires at all (let alone near towns) and campsites usually located miles from where you want to visit. Separate wheels essential!

 

[Louis]

I get your drift good sir

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[Movinon]

Increasing affluence, ease of use and greater flexibility - any one of these reasons would be sufficient for people to prefer a motorhome to a caravan. All three together doesn't make it a hard choice come retirement. The caravan started to be at risk for everyone else when cheap foreign holidays with guaranteed sun became preferable to two weeks on a campsite in the rain.

 

[two]

I think that motorhomes tend to be bought by the retired. As we reach that age, there’s no requirement to take off-spring or am large awning for them to expand into. The style of travel changes from grabbing a one stop escape to something more adventurous. With age, the need for a loo can become more frequent and a motorhome is more ‘convenient’ for this than a caravan when travelling. Finally, with more time to take longer trips, the benefit of the continental Aire system is denied to caravanners.

 

[Charlie]

I reckon...

Caravanners buy motorhomes so they can buy an A frame and a toad so they can be told they should buy a caravan... Bet no one else thought of that one ????????

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[DL42846]

France has the most Motor homes per head of population. You rarely see a french caravan. We prefer a MH as you can more or less stop any where and at any time. You can just stop for lunch or carry on driving till the early hours of the morning without having to set up a caravan. There are aires for MH everywhere. You see a lot of caravans from Netherlands travelling through France, I think they mainly go to a campsite and stay there for there entire holiday. I think the main reason is with a MH you have more freedom. MH works for us.

 

[Louis]

Increasing affluence, ease of use and greater flexibility - any one of these reasons would be sufficient for people to prefer a motorhome to a caravan. All three together doesn't make it a hard choice come retirement. The caravan started to be at risk for everyone else when cheap foreign holidays with guaranteed sun became preferable to two weeks on a campsite in the rain.

Stayed in hotel in Spain, wishing I could have gone home after two days. Anyhow we used public transport while there. Now can't stand hotels! Could not be bothered to fiddle around with a tugged thing and fit a heavy awning, more curtains than bl...y hotels? Only bit that I was apprehensive about was mobility when with motorhome, so three bikes , public transport, legs and feet ?? Hands& knees should have crossed over years ago

 

[vwalan]

france hardly had any caravans at all . they were into tents years ago. only a very few had caravans . thats why aires got started as caravans couldnt use campsites when folk started buying m,homes they couldnt use campsites either . they parked all over the place . then the manufacturers and the clubs got aires off the ground with the help of the local govts etc .
even big residential caravans werent at one tome available in france . i know a few caravan places here that made a fortune sending caravans to france . but only as holiday places and started caravan sites .

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[Bluemooner]

We started with a Caravan them a couple of Motorhomes now we have a Fifth Wheel and love it its like an articulated Motorhome own water tanks etc and we have a pick up with us

 

[JJ]

We started with a Caravan them a couple of Motorhomes now we have a Fifth Wheel and love it its like an articulated Motorhome own water tanks etc and we have a pick up with us

When you park it at the Etihad do they think you are one of Jamie Oliver's catering units?

JJ

 

[Bluemooner]

When you park it at the Etihad do they think you are one of Jamie Oliver's catering units?

JJ

Make a fortune we do

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[JJ]

france hardly had any caravans at all

I suspect it took the French caravan bods too long to learn to reverse their rigs into the spaces on the aires so as to leave a two foot distance (maximum) between them and their neighbours.

JJ

 

[buttons]

They move to a motorhome when they become too old and decrepit to handle a caravan any more. Simples..........

 

[vwalan]

no, have a word with franky . there were hardly any touring vans . they went from the big continental tents straight to m,homes . there was several french m,home manufacturers we dont here about these days . plus they did clipcars a sort of clip on caravan extension . but it was strange no caravans .

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[laird of Dunstan]

after spending 1.5 hours , in the pouring rain moving and levelling my caravan into place,muddy wet through ,i watched a guy come onto site in his MH and set up in 10 mins without getting soggy wet ,i thought that id sell the caravan and buy a MH

 

[Bluemooner]

after spending 1.5 hours , in the pouring rain moving and levelling my caravan into place,muddy wet through ,i watched a guy come onto site in his MH and set up in 10 mins without getting soggy wet ,i thought that id sell the caravan and buy a MH

wow that's a long time usually 15 mins is all it took us in our caravan

 

[Louis]

after spending 1.5 hours , in the pouring rain moving and levelling my caravan into place,muddy wet through ,i watched a guy come onto site in his MH and set up in 10 mins without getting soggy wet ,i thought that id sell the caravan and buy a MH

Oh yes got the wet t shirts and tow ball knees

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[laird of Dunstan]

wow that's a long time usually 15 mins is all it took us in our caravan

i did it on my own,including putting up a full size awning,fetching the water and sorting everything else out,if you can do that with a caravan in 15 mins,then im impresed

 

[Bluemooner]

Must admit no awning but 2 of us

 

[Neil S]

Were finding it difficult being without transport when away with the Motorhome and don't really like cycling or walking as the other half has mobility issues .
SWMBO doesn't like not having a car to get out and about so more often than not the motorhome gets left and fraid to say the caravan gets preference

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[Louis]

Were finding it difficult being without transport when away with the Motorhome and don't really like cycling or walking as the other half has mobility issues .
SWMBO doesn't like not having a car to get out and about so more often than not the motorhome gets left and fraid to say the caravan suits more

That's quite understandable, as you rightly point out its all to do with suitability.

 

[vwalan]

i dare say the mini artic in my avatar is shorter than your catr and caravan .
its 10 mtrs . in fact just under.
it gets measured every year at brittany ferries here and in spain .
it comes under the 11mtr length for car and caravan . and is cheaper than my mates 6,5 mtr m,home .
i didnt know this 16 years ago but i,m glad i chose the mini artic . but a fifth wheel might suit you . it possibly suits many but thety wont do it .
mind artic is better by along way .

 

[vwalan]

i forgot i also carry a small m,bike in the back as well. ideal for adventures .

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[maison]

We started with a motorhome when we were in our forties, twenty years ago. Had four in succession then sold a m/h to finance our purchase of a property in France. We then bought a caravan.

We used that for three years then realised we preferred the freedom of a m/h, particularly with all the Aires in France. So here we are again!

 

[Stealaway]

after spending 1.5 hours , in the pouring rain moving and levelling my caravan into place,muddy wet through ,i watched a guy come onto site in his MH and set up in 10 mins without getting soggy wet ,i thought that id sell the caravan and buy a MH

I watched a guy arrive in his caravan last Friday, he spent over 1/2 an hour setting it up in a wet field in the rain. I'd arrived and put on the hand brake - job done.

 

[Neil S]

i forgot i also carry a small m,bike in the back as well. ideal for adventures .

solves the transport issue , but shall I say I'm of the larger build although SWMBO is quite petite so couldn't see us on a small motorbike as I doubt it would have the power to climb any steep hills

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