Your thoughts please ....

[Cyclelife]

This is my first post here, we're considering buying a campervan for use at weekends and a 2/3 week European trip for the next 4 years. We then want to go off in it for possibly a year or more when we retire (maybe not return - who knows).
This question is most likely impossible to answer definitevly....
Should we buy now or rent for our 3 week trips and buy just before our retirement? I am concerned that diesel maybe too expensive or not possible to buy in a few years time and don't want to invest a large amount of money into something that may quickly become a white elephant.
So basically, which direction to you see the propulsion of large vehicles going by 2025?

Thanks for your thoughts

 

[Boringfrog]

Diesel power ain't going anywhere soon.

 

[maison]

Too much freight is carried by diesel powered vehicles to prohibit them as yet.

Electric vehicles still have too limited a range to be viable for eg inter European freight.

Hydrogen power and it’s necessary infrastructure is still a distant hope.

The idea of hiring for your two/three week break and buying later may be sensible, but for a couple of reasons...

You are not tying up a lot of money in something you are not using much until retirement.

You will experience at least one motorhome holiday and may form a better opinion on what you need regarding, size, layout, facilities etc.

Good luck.

 

[Carolyn and Kev]

Diesel as the guys above have stated.......is required too much by lots of equipment to be scrapped yet.
If it was a worry then we would all be packing it up would n't we?

Renting may help you choose but if you really have the bug for it now...dont hold on. Go for it whilst you both can. You wont look back once you have done it...Honestly

............PS...............Welcome to the club too. Kev and Carolyn

 

[ambulancekidd]

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[gus-lopez]

there is more chance of dying from the virus than diesel disappearing here in a country where 81% of vehicles sold are still diesel .Even though we have a law on the books stating nothing whatsoever after 2040 except electric.

 

[davidbaldam]

Hi and welcome to FUN.

 

[WynandJean]

Hello and welcome from West Midlands.

Wyn

 

[Rapido925M]

Welcome and I hope you find the answers informative.

Renting would certainly help you to decide what your needs, wants and priorities are. Pundits reckon that it takes you 3 purchases to get the MH which suits you: we got ours first time BUT we have had tents, trailer tents, caravans and also caravaned with our parents when we were young. Consider your own history and depth of knowledge!

The phrase "campervan" is often associated with VW-type vehicles favoured by the surfing community. These are wonderful things but tend not to have toilets nor showers: a few weeks touring Europe might be OK for you but you would probably spend much of your time, and money, on campsites. One of the joys of the Continent is the ability to stop in many many places, often at low cost BUT with your own facilities.

If you have UK citizenship then you may be restricted to a maximum of 90 days in any 180 days from Jan 2021.

Fully-equipped motorhomes offer you more opportunities to stay on your own terms BUT may be harder to drive on small roads, harder to park and more expensive for ferries. How much space do you need (especially if you wish to disappear and never come back)? They also tend to be more expensive!

Currently there are suggestions that MHs are a safe way to have a holiday whilst avoiding most CV19 problems so it is a sellers market and prices are high. In 6months perhaps the bubble will burst? There may be a surplus of vehicles available at cheap prices!

Only you can decide your way forward. Good luck.

Gordon

 

[Cyclelife]

Many thanks for all your helpful suggestions, this is a great forum

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