Why did you buy a motorhome (1 Viewer)

Don Quixote

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Jul 29, 2012
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Lost in La Mancha, Spain
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Not long enough, but a little common sense helps..........
Never ever wanted a MH never in a thousand years. Our Spanish neighbors had one sitting in their garage ( which we share ) and I never saw it move for over a year. One day on a "whim" I said "Disculpe señor está interesado en la venta de este?" - Excuse me sir are you interested in selling this? and he replied make me an offer. Not only did he sell it, but he gave me his parking space for it for free.

As they say the rest is history
 

GeebeeJaybee

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May 28, 2015
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We had for the last 11 years gone to Florida twice a year as we own a villa there (and still do). We are however about to adopt children - in fact we have our approval panel this afternoon!

During the approval process we have been told how difficult it can be to take adopted children away on holiday for the first few years. To some of these children who have been passed from pillar to post the sight of a suitcase means they are being sent away again and can trigger panic or emotional breakdown (I know, its tragic).

We decided to look at a way of breaks without having to pack and decided on a motorhome (having tried tents and hated the chilly walk to the loo). So we bought a MH 5 months ago and have been travelling round assessing places that will be good for our kids when we hopefully get them.

With the MH being on the drive we don't have to pack suitcases - the kids will see it every day so it won't be strange etc and hopefully they will settle. We can still try to go to Florida but if we can't we may sell the villa and upgrade the MH! We rent the villa out anyway so it doesn't matter.

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scousebird

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Apr 18, 2012
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South East Kent
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March 2012
We are however about to adopt children - in fact we have our approval panel this afternoon!
045767e97a0be378adcd1b86851206c5.jpg
 
Oct 20, 2014
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Since 2014
@GeebeeJaybee all the best for your meeting. Think your plan is ace.

We hired a MH for first time last year and toured New Zealand and loved it, parking every day by lakes, rivers or sea. Thought about buying one but they seemed so expensive. Couldn't get it out of our heads, so bought a ten year old MH a year ago. Love going off on our little trips.
 
Feb 9, 2008
4,079
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SW Scotland
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LP Coachbuilt
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Since 2008 after caravanning for 20 years
We towed a caravan, kids loved it, but when they turned 17 and went off to Uni we found that we were touring more than going to a place and staying a week. I got fed up pitching the van and mobilising again. We realised we were only staying put for two or three nights. Bought a motorhome 7 years ago and tour properly now, and since we are both retired we can have loads of holidays/breaks/trips, call them what you will. It was the Ayshire Real Ale Festival last weekend, went in the van, great time had by all, as far as I recall.

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ambulancekidd

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Sep 23, 2014
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Swift Kon-Tiki 640
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Since 1964 Gosh that makes me feel old.
My dad built "Caravanette's" when we were children (early 60s) & I adored the freedom that wild camping all over Scotland gave us. When I got to adulthood I took up caravanning & kept that up for 30 wonderful years. I honestly hadn't thought about motorhomes but when I retired, I took up a job with Powrtouch fitting & repairing caravan motormovers. I covered a huge area. Cumbria, south west Scotland & The west Highlands. Very often I was travelling huge distances to get home, only to head back to similar area's the next day. I didn't fancy being in B&Bs so I bought a Mazda Bongo poptop. I adored the wild camping again, so sold the Bongo & now have a Sprinter camper. I've never looked back.
 

s7ev0

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May 31, 2010
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Since 2009
We sort of bought our first van by accident!

We thought we'd hire a vw campervan to go to a festival, then saw how much it'd cost for the weekend, so ended up on Ebay - one thing led to another and before we knew it we'd bought a 1992 LHD Dethleffs Globetrotter with 150k on the clock for £5000! 18 months later, and after taking a family of five around France very happily (four bikes on the bike rack, one in the shower!) we sold it for £6000 (ok, we did have to replace the cylinder head). Great old van and still miss it at times.

Steve :)
 

Teuchter

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Nov 4, 2014
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I have been caravanning for 32 years but in 2014 I have"gone over to the dark side"
We were avid tuggers for more than 30 years - UK & France, Spain & Portugal
Tugged for 30 years. Mainly down to Cornwall. Children and grandchildren loved it.
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.

We were avid tuggers for more than 30 years - UK , France, Spain & Portugal and loved it - usually "parked up" for at least a week and used the car to explore. Then we found that we were only spending 3 or 4 nights (if that) in one place so we took the plunge an bought a MoHo and have never looked back!!

Like Larby we do sometimes miss having a car and if we wanted to tow we would go back to tugging but we have always found that it is easy to hire a car on site for 2 or 3 days if we feel like it.

We also use our bikes a lot more than we used to - in fact we plan on getting "E" bikes before our next trip :)

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Apr 11, 2015
5,333
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hull
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Laika Ecovip 300
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since 1988 with breaks until 2009
Wanted one since I was 5 bought first at 32
 

SuperMike

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Apr 28, 2010
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11yrs, but many years a tugger.
For many moons, we had a caravan, from the tiny ones up to a double axle Swift. Now, Management is disabled and one day she said to me "this caravan just won't do". Why ? says I, and she replied, because it is too small and difficult to get around with walking sticks and the seats are uncomfortable and the bed small etc. Shall we look at motor homes ?". Well says I, methinks they will not be a lot different. So we went and had a look around a couple of dealers and Management agreed they were not a lot better. At which point she came out with "What about those big American things." The rest, as we say, is history. ;)

The only downside of any motor home is that, just occasionally, you bump into the VeryOldMoIceCreamInternetMan. :sneaky:

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R

Robert Clark

Deleted User
Got fed up with flying, endless waiting round, crap food (even in first class) and hoping your bags are going to appear on the carousel.
A Motorhome on the other hand is like a little palace on wheels, your personal oasis of fun and comfort wherever you go in the world.
 

TallBlonde

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Sep 2, 2015
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Searching, searching ...
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Complete beginner
We had for the last 11 years gone to Florida twice a year as we own a villa there (and still do). We are however about to adopt children - in fact we have our approval panel this afternoon!

During the approval process we have been told how difficult it can be to take adopted children away on holiday for the first few years. To some of these children who have been passed from pillar to post the sight of a suitcase means they are being sent away again and can trigger panic or emotional breakdown (I know, its tragic).

We decided to look at a way of breaks without having to pack and decided on a motorhome (having tried tents and hated the chilly walk to the loo). So we bought a MH 5 months ago and have been travelling round assessing places that will be good for our kids when we hopefully get them.

With the MH being on the drive we don't have to pack suitcases - the kids will see it every day so it won't be strange etc and hopefully they will settle. We can still try to go to Florida but if we can't we may sell the villa and upgrade the MH! We rent the villa out anyway so it doesn't matter.
Whooo! Brilliant. Hope that the panel has gone well - what a fabulous step for holidays with the children. Adoption is tough (we weren't able to make it work with the children who were placed with us and we called 'time' after a year, but would never, ever diss the step you are taking) but the difference you can make will be fantastic. All the very, very best to you and lots of happy times and memory-making ahead.
 
Oct 20, 2014
452
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2020 Avantgarde 175
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A good few years
Bought ours for 2 reasons,
1. So we could bring our Dog with us...
2. We both hate flying, even more so in recent years...

Have had VW Campers years ago and a big RV when I lived in the States....Just got back from a great Euro Trip...

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Apr 27, 2008
11,778
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Eastbourne East Sussex
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Hymer low profile
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Since 1972
I wanted a motorcaravan since I was a child, they seemed such a brilliant idea. The garage next to us sold a nice range of rather pricey PVCs so I looked at them and was totally blown away.
I got my first when I was 25, a VW high top home conversion and have had all sorts since, including a couple of caravans when the kids were smallish for the extra space.
 

Debs

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Jun 9, 2014
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A class Adria Vision
I was never comfortable with the thought of towing the caravan.......the idea was I could drive the mh and Les take his motorbike.....

Love the mh life......and love driving her........but Les has never taken the bike yet:rolleyes:

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Nov 18, 2011
11,854
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Planet Earth
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A van
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Over 25 year's
when working away from home a friend of mine had one though would be nice got a old bus converted it had it abut 10 years our next three have ben coach built we love the out door life
bill
 
Nov 18, 2011
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Thanks for your thoughts everyone - the adoption panel went well and we are now officially approved to adopt one or two children!
well done I am sure you will give a loving and safe home to sum deserving children hat's off to you both best of luck for the future
bill
 
Sep 16, 2010
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Bungay Suffolk
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Autotrail TrackerEKS
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Since 2010
When my ((current )) wife ;) ((it keeps her on her toes )) Got the all clear from the "big C" after a double mastectomy, we decided to get her her retired and "go traveling", as her first hubby didn't want to leave the UK and she had never been abroad.
She's now seen 14 countries and we spend about 6 months a year "away"..
It is a , truly wonderful lifestyle which, like the rest of you, we relish and consider ourselves to be very lucky "baby boomers", "silver surfers" and absolutely LOVING IT !!!!
:LOL::LOL::LOL:.
PS. GeeBeeJaybee. People like you deserve all the luck in the world...Congratulations...(y)(y)(y)

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TheBig1

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Nov 27, 2011
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many many years! since I was a kid
Thanks for your thoughts everyone - the adoption panel went well and we are now officially approved to adopt one or two children!
wonderful news I expect you are getting very excited. big changes ahead but worth every minute
 

Wombles

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Oct 28, 2013
10,778
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SW England
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Van Conversion
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A few years now
Most Funsters we have met (us too) have had health issues, bereavements or life experiences which have made them realise just how short life really is & not to spend it waiting to live. We want to stomp around the planet a bit, engage with people & enjoy life as much as we can for as long as we can...
 

Tootles

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Deceased RIP
Sep 14, 2013
9,511
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Was a newbie, now a Middie.
Because the wife didn't want one. She preferred the tug, but she didn't have to tug it, and unlike a real Sat-Nav, I cant switch her off, so I reasoned that if I bought a loud motorhome, then I could at least pretend that her switch was off. (y)(y)

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