Caravan or Motorhome
Discussion
I'm sure there's previous threads but I've got that classic problem.
I want a motorhome but the wife wants a caravan. Had caravans over 25 years and I swore I was finished with towing 3 years ago. Took her to see some motorhomes at the weekend and she liked two but as we left she said no, she only wants a caravan. Ffs.
The problem is getting around when away, which concerns me too, just not enough to put me off a motorhome. I would be ok on an electric bike but she'd be run over/fallen off in minutes.
Plenty of lovely caravans out there but I'm concerned re damp. All the owners' tales of damp in 1 to 5 yr old vans puts me right off, especially come resale time.
Is it really that bad, and do repairs actually fix the faults?
I want a motorhome but the wife wants a caravan. Had caravans over 25 years and I swore I was finished with towing 3 years ago. Took her to see some motorhomes at the weekend and she liked two but as we left she said no, she only wants a caravan. Ffs.
The problem is getting around when away, which concerns me too, just not enough to put me off a motorhome. I would be ok on an electric bike but she'd be run over/fallen off in minutes.
Plenty of lovely caravans out there but I'm concerned re damp. All the owners' tales of damp in 1 to 5 yr old vans puts me right off, especially come resale time.
Is it really that bad, and do repairs actually fix the faults?
Tomm3 said:
Plenty of lovely caravans out there but I'm concerned re damp. All the owners' tales of damp in 1 to 5 yr old vans puts me right off, especially come resale time.
Is it really that bad, and do repairs actually fix the faults?
You pays your money...Is it really that bad, and do repairs actually fix the faults?
Buy a decent caravan and you'll not see any damp. A general starting point is to avoid British marques.
Have you looked at Adria caravans?
Damp issues will be the same on a coach built motorhome as on a caravan, they will be constructed in a similar manner.
Does your wife do any of the driving when you are towing? Is easy to state your preference when you are not dealing with the stress and hassle of towing the caravan behind you
Does your wife do any of the driving when you are towing? Is easy to state your preference when you are not dealing with the stress and hassle of towing the caravan behind you
I hired a motorhome for silverstone in 2019, this year i have purchased a new caravan. Mines a swift basecamp 2 and it its plastic and aluminum there is no wood to be seen, it has a 10 year water ingress warranty for the first owner which changes to 5 for the second owner.
We chose the caravan as it was easier to find storage, towing isn't so much of an issue. You cannot hear plates and cups rattle. Space inside is better, Motorhomes despite there size seem to be small inside. YOu don't have to put everything away with a caravan, you just take the car and go you would struggle to park a motohome anywhere.
For me a caravan wins
We chose the caravan as it was easier to find storage, towing isn't so much of an issue. You cannot hear plates and cups rattle. Space inside is better, Motorhomes despite there size seem to be small inside. YOu don't have to put everything away with a caravan, you just take the car and go you would struggle to park a motohome anywhere.
For me a caravan wins
stevemcs said:
I hired a motorhome for silverstone in 2019, this year i have purchased a new caravan. Mines a swift basecamp 2 and it its plastic and aluminum there is no wood to be seen, it has a 10 year water ingress warranty for the first owner which changes to 5 for the second owner.
We chose the caravan as it was easier to find storage, towing isn't so much of an issue. You cannot hear plates and cups rattle. Space inside is better, Motorhomes despite there size seem to be small inside. YOu don't have to put everything away with a caravan, you just take the car and go you would struggle to park a motohome anywhere.
For me a caravan wins
Basecamps have one of the worst damp records of any contemporary caravan.We chose the caravan as it was easier to find storage, towing isn't so much of an issue. You cannot hear plates and cups rattle. Space inside is better, Motorhomes despite there size seem to be small inside. YOu don't have to put everything away with a caravan, you just take the car and go you would struggle to park a motohome anywhere.
For me a caravan wins
We went motorhome for a few reasons -
- Wanted to tow the track car
- Ability to use campsites with no facilities
- Do pub stopovers
- Have cooking / toilet facilities when we stop off on the way to somewhere.
We went for something that is pretty self contained, so minimal packing required when we need to move, although I do have the option of towing a little car if we desperately need it. Though I'd rather not. We don't have much in the way of set up when we get anywhere either, which with 2 small children about is ideal.
- Wanted to tow the track car
- Ability to use campsites with no facilities
- Do pub stopovers
- Have cooking / toilet facilities when we stop off on the way to somewhere.
We went for something that is pretty self contained, so minimal packing required when we need to move, although I do have the option of towing a little car if we desperately need it. Though I'd rather not. We don't have much in the way of set up when we get anywhere either, which with 2 small children about is ideal.
We have a motorhome. When we go anywhere we never stay more than three nights and always look for sites near bus routes or with easy public transport access. When we get to site it's very quick to get set up and levelled, plugged in, telly on and kettle boiling - it's usually within 20 minutes of arriving at our pitch that we're sat outside on a sun lounger.
You don't have to worry so much about weight distribution in a motorhome, and of course if it's pissing down when you get to site it's easy to just go in the back and make a cup of tea while you wait for it to pass. Should you wish to go to events, you may find motorhomes permitted but caravans not. A motorhome also takes up less space than a car and caravan and I would suggest is easier to manoeuvre both on site and on the road. I might also suggest it's easier to wild camp in a motorhome than a caravan too. Those last to points are what I imagine rather than know for a fact.
Couldn't tell you the pros of caravanning though, never owned one and current have no desire to do so either.
You don't have to worry so much about weight distribution in a motorhome, and of course if it's pissing down when you get to site it's easy to just go in the back and make a cup of tea while you wait for it to pass. Should you wish to go to events, you may find motorhomes permitted but caravans not. A motorhome also takes up less space than a car and caravan and I would suggest is easier to manoeuvre both on site and on the road. I might also suggest it's easier to wild camp in a motorhome than a caravan too. Those last to points are what I imagine rather than know for a fact.
Couldn't tell you the pros of caravanning though, never owned one and current have no desire to do so either.
(Small) Eriba Caravanner here. I'd prefer a motorhome for simplicity (no faffing with an awning) but we have a 6yo kid so it's really handy to have a car to go out and do trips to the beach etc. One of my pals has kids of a similar age, he has navigated this problem by buying a small old Yaris and tows it behind his MH with an A frame like this:
https://www.lnbtowbars.co.uk/products/towmaster-2-...
Ironically, its the Yaris that gives him least maintenance woes of his fleet of vehicles!
Otherwise, how about something like a decent powered Vespa style scooter that you can store in the garage or on a rack at the back of the MH?
Lots of people do this, means you are not tied to the site, don't have to cycle, can get around away from the site, and have luggage capacity and weather gear storage should you get caught out.
https://www.lnbtowbars.co.uk/products/towmaster-2-...
Ironically, its the Yaris that gives him least maintenance woes of his fleet of vehicles!
Otherwise, how about something like a decent powered Vespa style scooter that you can store in the garage or on a rack at the back of the MH?
Lots of people do this, means you are not tied to the site, don't have to cycle, can get around away from the site, and have luggage capacity and weather gear storage should you get caught out.
We had a similar dilemma and plumped for a PVC type motorhome. It’s small enough that we can use it for going out and about whilst away (yes, not as easy as a car but a little forward planning pays dividend and if Amazon can deliver there, I can get there) and it’s way, way less hassle when setting up.
I’ve got fixed beds, shower, dinette and cooking facilities and can stand up without whacking my head and it has a decent payload. As another has said, we don’t spend more than 3-5 days on a site so the faff factor is important to us.
I don’t bother with awnings except the wind out thingy that’s attached permanently to the van. I can be set up in five minutes drinking a beer whilst a caravanning neighbour is still at it an hour later. Water and waste is taken care of by driving to the points rather than lugging bottles or canisters back and forth every bleedin’ day.
Plus, if you intend to go over to Euroland, they tend to favour motorhomes over caravans (reverse seems prevalent here) and some aires don’t allow caravans.
Horses for courses though. Why not rent one with the missus and see how she feels after a few days on one?
I’ve got fixed beds, shower, dinette and cooking facilities and can stand up without whacking my head and it has a decent payload. As another has said, we don’t spend more than 3-5 days on a site so the faff factor is important to us.
I don’t bother with awnings except the wind out thingy that’s attached permanently to the van. I can be set up in five minutes drinking a beer whilst a caravanning neighbour is still at it an hour later. Water and waste is taken care of by driving to the points rather than lugging bottles or canisters back and forth every bleedin’ day.
Plus, if you intend to go over to Euroland, they tend to favour motorhomes over caravans (reverse seems prevalent here) and some aires don’t allow caravans.
Horses for courses though. Why not rent one with the missus and see how she feels after a few days on one?
V8mate said:
Basecamps have one of the worst damp records of any contemporary caravan.
Early ones did but the newer ones appear to be much better, splash backs fall off the walls and the shower seems to leak but they appear to be better.Besides in theory it has a 10 year warranty so if it leaks they can fix it.
Motorhome owner here 
I echo the words regarding a quick set up: literally do nothing outside until the rain stops as you can make a cuppa using gas .After that it's minutes to get hooked up to the EHU and get the chairs out.
In terms of getting around in a MH...
- It depends on the size of your MH and your confidence on using it in towns/cities and finding parking. If you know where you will be going do some research first as many places will have a car park or several, that will be able to accommodate you. Depending on size you can use normal car parks but perhaps will need to pay for 2 parking tickets.
- Research where you will be staying and choose places with a bus stop or railway station nearby. It works for us.
- Similarly stay at places walkable into the nearest village/town/pub/restaurant/shops etc
- When we are abroad i Spain for the winter, we occasionally hire a car for 2-3 days. we do some sightseeing and a big shop (as beer is quite heavy
) The cost of car hire in Spain in Jan/Feb is cheap. Last trip out I met a bloke who hired for 2 weeks for only 140€.
- If the Mrs isn't steady on a bike then consider a trike...or you can get stabilisers for adults I think (not for electric bikes though) if she is prepared to use them.
I echo the words regarding a quick set up: literally do nothing outside until the rain stops as you can make a cuppa using gas .After that it's minutes to get hooked up to the EHU and get the chairs out.
In terms of getting around in a MH...
- It depends on the size of your MH and your confidence on using it in towns/cities and finding parking. If you know where you will be going do some research first as many places will have a car park or several, that will be able to accommodate you. Depending on size you can use normal car parks but perhaps will need to pay for 2 parking tickets.
- Research where you will be staying and choose places with a bus stop or railway station nearby. It works for us.
- Similarly stay at places walkable into the nearest village/town/pub/restaurant/shops etc
- When we are abroad i Spain for the winter, we occasionally hire a car for 2-3 days. we do some sightseeing and a big shop (as beer is quite heavy
) The cost of car hire in Spain in Jan/Feb is cheap. Last trip out I met a bloke who hired for 2 weeks for only 140€. - If the Mrs isn't steady on a bike then consider a trike...or you can get stabilisers for adults I think (not for electric bikes though) if she is prepared to use them.
For us it was caravan all the way. We spent 4 years motorhoming around Europe and driving what is basically a fiat ducato carrying a small house huge distances isn’t overly comfortable. Would and do far rather spend our journeys sat in the cayenne with it blowing cold air through the front seats, radar cruise set at 100kph and a decent sound system.
The car barely notices the van behind (large twin axle hobby premium)
The beauty of the caravan as it can be set up on the campsite and then you still have your car to nip to the shops etc.
It’s one less service, cam belt and road tax to worry about.
The only downside is we have to pay extra to use a lot of European roads as we are over 3500kg
Caravan makes for far more comfortable accommodation too.
Avoid the British brands and damp becomes much less of an issue.
The car barely notices the van behind (large twin axle hobby premium)
The beauty of the caravan as it can be set up on the campsite and then you still have your car to nip to the shops etc.
It’s one less service, cam belt and road tax to worry about.
The only downside is we have to pay extra to use a lot of European roads as we are over 3500kg
Caravan makes for far more comfortable accommodation too.
Avoid the British brands and damp becomes much less of an issue.
Thanks for all your replies, wife is still adamant on a caravan. To be fair I'm coming round to it a bit more. Anything will work as long as we can spend plenty of time away starting in the Spring. Only work part time, very easy job, but have decided to call it a day after 3 yrs post-retirement age after this winter.
Retirement is the key here: surely you've got loads of time on your hands? Why the rush?
We have a young kid in primary school, we like to do weekends away in our Eriba but we are limited by how far we can go due to school hours, then having to do the journey and check in before the site offices close for the night. For example, we are going on Friday, have to be there by 7pm, strict no check in afterwards), then need to get set up. We won't be hitched up until 4pm, sop I have 3hrs to tow the van on a journey that Google says will take 1hr 50 mins. I should make it, but it's not a lot of contingency.
Meanwhile you can take all day and get there at your leisure, I'd take a caravan over a motorhome every single time in your position.
Why did you say you were 'done with towing', incidentally?
As I get older I imagine I will fit a motor mover to any van we have to handle any problems moving it around on site, but given that motorhomes ren't a lot faster than car & caravan combos on the road, why the reluctance to tow?
We have a young kid in primary school, we like to do weekends away in our Eriba but we are limited by how far we can go due to school hours, then having to do the journey and check in before the site offices close for the night. For example, we are going on Friday, have to be there by 7pm, strict no check in afterwards), then need to get set up. We won't be hitched up until 4pm, sop I have 3hrs to tow the van on a journey that Google says will take 1hr 50 mins. I should make it, but it's not a lot of contingency.
Meanwhile you can take all day and get there at your leisure, I'd take a caravan over a motorhome every single time in your position.
Why did you say you were 'done with towing', incidentally?
As I get older I imagine I will fit a motor mover to any van we have to handle any problems moving it around on site, but given that motorhomes ren't a lot faster than car & caravan combos on the road, why the reluctance to tow?
Tomm3 said:
Thanks for all your replies, wife is still adamant on a caravan. To be fair I'm coming round to it a bit more. Anything will work as long as we can spend plenty of time away starting in the Spring. Only work part time, very easy job, but have decided to call it a day after 3 yrs post-retirement age after this winter.
Out of interest, has your wife said why it has to be a caravan rather than a motorhome? Perhaps if we knew why she's so against motorhomes those of us who do have them might be able to offer advice on the issues she has?V8mate said:
Antony Moxey said:
Out of interest, has your wife said why it has to be a caravan rather than a motorhome? Perhaps if we knew why she's so against motorhomes those of us who do have them might be able to offer advice on the issues she has?
Because swingers don't use motorhomes?V8mate said:
Antony Moxey said:
Out of interest, has your wife said why it has to be a caravan rather than a motorhome? Perhaps if we knew why she's so against motorhomes those of us who do have them might be able to offer advice on the issues she has?
Because swingers don't use motorhomes?oblio said:
- If the Mrs isn't steady on a bike then consider a trike...or you can get stabilisers for adults I think (not for electric bikes though) if she is prepared to use them.
My 75 year old mother went this route, with a folding e-bike with adult stabilisers so she could get out and about but still fit it inside the van rather than needing a rack on the back. Unfortunately she couldn't find anywhere she could test ride one and so had to buy blind, and wait ages for the wheels to arrive at the bike shop. She didn't get on with it though as she found on roads with any camber it was always tipping her down hill and most places she was visiting it was all small country lanes with a really steep camber, so she just didn't feel safe on it.Gassing Station | Tents, Caravans & Motorhomes | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff