I remember some years ago now watching a rather harassed man trying to hitch up his caravan in the rain. It was one of those end of season days where the weather had decided to switch from a warm summer breeze to a late autumn rainstorm in the space of an hour. We had slipped inside as the rain started and settled down with a cup of tea and a book when I noticed him fretting around his hitch. For a moment, I debated the relative merits of ‘being a good temporary neighbour’ against the seemingly more attractive option of ‘burying my nose back in my book and staying in the warm’. In the end, I threw on a coat and went to help.
It turned out he was having a minor problem hitching the caravan to his car, and he needed to go. Between us, we sorted it all out quite quickly despite the rain and the man thanked me before jumping into his car. Of course, the sun came out again immediately, and I said “I bet you wish you had another day before you left now.” He looked back at me and thought for a moment and then said “No, I wish I had decided to buy a motorhome.”
So would he have been better off with a motorhome? Well, here are some pros and cons to help you decide.
- Motorhomes are undoubtedly a very attractive option because of their compact nature and clever design. However, if you are thinking of buying one you need to keep your feet firmly on the ground and be a little practical. The huge Winnebago style American RV’s you see on television are very different from the average motorhome. To start with the UK versions tend to be considerably smaller. This is mostly practical because negotiating the long, straight, freeways of Nevada is one thing, getting a huge RV around a country road in Wales is quite another.
- Driving in a motorhome is usually considered more difficult than towing a caravan. Also, it means that you often have no other transport so unlike a caravan you cannot pop into town for bread without taking the whole lot with you.
- There is a flexibility of size in both cases but for many people the camper van is a perfect vehicle for getting away for the weekend or festival visits. It’s generally faster to pack up and get on the move with as well. However, the caravan tends to be more versatile in the use of the available space and is more homely.
- Cost of driving is often higher in a motorhome. A lot of the additional cost is in using the motorhome for driving around when you arrive at your destination. However, you often see motorhomes laden with bikes or sometimes even trailers with mopeds on them.
Overall the decision is, as always, horses for courses and about the right thing for you. Come down to Venture and have a look around some of our caravan and motor home stock to get a feel for what might suit you. We will be happy to chat through your needs, discuss your requirements and, of course, help you make the right decision.
Author
This blog was written by Dave Brown. Dave is a Director of his family business which began in 1971. He has a wealth of experience in this sector starting as a workshop apprentice straight from school in 1982. Married with two children, Dave has been an enthusiastic Rugby player since the age of 8, only retiring this year. He will now spend more time travelling in his VW Campervan and watching his favourite team, the Northampton Saints.