Buying a Camper Van

AdrianC

Ibrahim5 said:

A motorhomer would have to disconnect their awning and when they arrive back on site would have to reconnect their awning without crashing into it. What a palaver.

Umm, driveaway awnings aren't exactly common, compared to retractable ones - which take a couple of minutes to wind in.

Ibrahim5

A retractable awning on a motorhome takes the same time to wind in as a retractable awning on a caravan. Most caravanners prefer the full awning which has 'walls' which protects from the weather. A caravan is more spacious than a motorhome and the awning normally doubles the floor space of the caravan leading to accommodation that the owner of a 5m x 2m camper could only dream of. Of course you can put a full awning on a motorhome but then you have the palaver of reconnecting it every time you leave the site. Which is why, as you say, people don't tend to buy them.

LudaMusser

There’s a lot of ppl falling for this romantic idea of going off camping watching the sun come down on the coast but make sure you don’t fall into the trap that many do, having a damp old mouldy van sat on your drive or in storage that you never actually use

lordmountararat

LudaMusser said:

There’s a lot of ppl falling for this romantic idea of going off camping watching the sun come down on the coast but make sure you don’t fall into the trap that many do, having a damp old mouldy van sat on your drive or in storage that you never actually use

I have been going off camping watching the sun go down since 1989 is a series of motorhomes and campervans. I only ever had one issue of damp which was fixed under warranty. It is true that my van has been sat on my drive recently, for obvious reasons, but once lockdown is over my wife and I will tour the UK and Ireland extensively as we have done in the past. 

I'm no longer licensed to tow, but I wouldn't even if I could. I live  near the M5 and every year there are huge hold ups caused by caravans overturning. We used to stand on the footbridge at Tickenham between junctions 19 and 20 watching hair raising attempts by drivers trying to stop their caravan overtaking them down that steep hill. On one occasion we saw the aftermath of  a caravan actually overturned with its contents spilled all over the three carriageways and gridlock going back to Almondsbury. It wasn't pretty, but luckily no one was seriously hurt - that time.

Ibrahim5

I have been down the M5 loads of times with a caravan. No idea what you are talking about to be honest. All sorts of vehicles use motorways. Generally not very steep. If you are not licensed you would have to take a test unless you are banned. Drivers that are not confident can go on training courses. Towing isn't difficult when you know what you are doing.

Herzlos

lordmountararat said:

If they do leave it takes them ages to pack up and put a poxy sign on their pitch.
It takes me a few minutes to secure my van, reel in the electric and drive off. It is only 5.3m long and 2.0m wide, so easily fits in a supermarket parking space. When I arrive at a site I can be  set up and enjoying a cup of tea in about a tenth of the time it takes a caravanner to erect his awning.

And put away everything *in* the van. You can't drive off with a table set for dinner...

BOWFER

Was getting a good laugh at motorhome prices on facebook marketplace over the weekend.
Examples
2008 Fiat motorhome (not a big one) = £34500.00
2005 something or other (not big) = £25000
2002 Fiat (not big) = £19000
Who, in their right mind, spends £19K on a 19 year old motorhome? (LOL!!!)
Or £34 big ones on a 13 year old one?!!
Now, of course, it doesn't mean they're actually selling, but prices are just laughably ludicrous right now.

Ibrahim5

We have been on holiday with other people in their motorhomes. If you have a spacious one that is nice to be inside you need to sort out how to travel when you get there. Take a car with you etc. The ones that you can park are very small inside. OK for a single person. It's the families that really need to think again. The normal default for a family should be a caravan. I just don't understand why they are buying motorhomes.

BOWFER

Ibrahim5 said:

. The normal default for a family should be a caravan. I just don't understand why they are buying motorhomes.

TBH I often wonder if some buy motorhomes so that they can't possibly be confused with travellers.
I don't think it's a massive leap given that a fair number of motorhome buyers are older and perhaps a bit 'gammon' in their thoughts/ways.
I suppose there may be an element of not being able to hitch/unhitch a caravan as well ( honestly can't remember how difficult this is, I was young when we used one for motorbike racing weekends).

lordmountararat

Ibrahim5 said:

I have been down the M5 loads of times with a caravan. No idea what you are talking about to be honest. All sorts of vehicles use motorways. Generally not very steep. If you are not licensed you would have to take a test unless you are banned. Drivers that are not confident can go on training courses. Towing isn't difficult when you know what you are doing.

There are several  caravan accidents on the M5 south of Bristol  every year. Just Google 'M5 Caravan accidents'. The section I was specifically referring to was Tickenham, between Junctions 19 and 20 where the hill is deceptively steep. When I lived there we used to watch drivers desperately trying to control their caravans, often speeding up in an attempt, not always successful, to avoid jack knifing. I am over 70 so lost my grandfather entitlement to tow. Before I turned 70 I had the right to tow without taking a test having passed in 1963.