big bad lindz Posted February 23, 2017 Report Share Posted February 23, 2017 After getting into a bit of a heavy exchange on a caravan discussion forum which I decided to pull out of the but still watching, regarding some of the pro`s & con`s between caravans & motor homes I thought I would ask the PW members for their views as I know there both caravan & motor home owners on here. So what are they ? I have been caravaning for 25 years and I have my own ideas and it would be good to find out some other views. Cheers, BBL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vince Green Posted February 23, 2017 Report Share Posted February 23, 2017 Caravan every time, motor homes cost a fortune, depreciate like mad and can't go into most car parks. You can use your tow car all year round but its impractical to use a motorhome as day to day transport Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
figgy Posted February 23, 2017 Report Share Posted February 23, 2017 (edited) Motorhome they retain more value, you don't need a site for them, motorhome a van park up in lots of places, your not towing anything. Cons expensive to buy and if you want to go shopping have to pack stuff aeay and the site level etc when back on site, thirsty every mile you drive. Caravan pros cheaper to buy when sited off you go no problem with good mpg again. Had various caravans over the last 25 years and it would be a motorhome or nothing for me now. With a 125cc moped to pop out to shops etc Edited February 23, 2017 by figgy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GRamsay Posted February 23, 2017 Report Share Posted February 23, 2017 Caravan every time, motor homes cost a fortune, depreciate like mad and can't go into most car parks. You can use your tow car all year round but its impractical to use a motorhome as day to day transport Not f you happen to own a diahatsu hijet camper van, I use it as an every day motor, and you can Park it up almost anywhere due to its small size. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UKPoacher Posted February 23, 2017 Report Share Posted February 23, 2017 There is no answer. It depends on your circumstances, budget and future plans. Apples and oranges. In France it s more defined. The camper van every time. But in the UK each have their merits and what is right for one isn't the best for others. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
team tractor Posted February 23, 2017 Report Share Posted February 23, 2017 I've just ordered a new T6 and want to pull a caravan but can't :( I need to pass my test so I'm thinking of converting another van as I need mine as a work horse . I passed my test in 99 so missed the cut of and I'm limited to 3.5t gutted as my van is mam 3.2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilR Posted February 23, 2017 Report Share Posted February 23, 2017 We've had a couple of caravans in the past and after a twenty plus year break bought a motorhome last August. It's main use will be for accommodation when we're clay shooting here and in Europe. We have a dog and trying to get hotel or self catering accommodation that accepts them near where we want to be is difficult. We're both retired and will also be having random breaks in it too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grrclark Posted February 23, 2017 Report Share Posted February 23, 2017 I had a caravan for a good few years, but sold it as was just not using it enough. I think it is a horses for courses type of question and the benefits of either for one person may be a limitation for others, but I would opt for the caravan again. Towing doesn't bother me at all so tugging the van behind the car was never an issue and the flexibility of being able to leave the van behind at the campsite and use the car as normal is the major benefit. Pitch the awning with the van and you double your living space and can keep the inside of the van clean if the weather is grotty. I have rented motorhomes to travel in mainland Europe and Canada and found it a nuisance to have to always pack everything up if you wanted to take a trip anywhere and anything in the city became a huge bind as so many car parks were ruled out due to the height of the van. If the motorhome is big enough to tug a small car behind then the game changes, but that is a serious amount of pennies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Geordie Posted February 23, 2017 Report Share Posted February 23, 2017 (edited) Having had both, I would punt for a caravan! But then I am biased due to costs. I had a Bedford rascal with Danbury conversion. Great little camper! But having to move your holiday home every time you want to go anywhere, means packing everything away just to nip out for a few hours! With a caravan you just lock it up, hop in the car and swan off. So a lot easier for spur of the moment etc! You can also have the dinner on the go while your out using a slow cooker. Can't do that in a camper on the go. I had a 1995 5 berth abbey piper that was awesome. But storage was an issue. So went back to my little Rapido folding caravans. Fold out of a box of approx 5' wide, 7' long and 3' high into 13' x 7' full height caravan. Weighs 400kg and is so small you don't need any towing mirrors, you get no wind sheer either. Fab little things. And of course the fact it's 400kg, the combined weight of van and car means you don't go over the prescribed weights for the tow restrictions. I am away in May with it, for a week in the Breacon beacons One folded next to another that's ready to go. https://uk.images.search.yahoo.com/images/view;_ylt=A2KLj9OQGa9YSxsApTTw3olQ;_ylu=X3oDMTIzcjA1bnNzBHNlYwNzcgRzbGsDaW1nBG9pZANiNGFiZmNlZGU3MDZhZTkzOWVlMjJlYzYwZWRkZDg2OARncG9zAzYyBGl0A2Jpbmc-?.origin=&back=https%3A%2F%2Fuk.images.search.yahoo.com%2Fsearch%2Fimages%3Fp%3Drapido%2Bconfort%26fr%3Diphone%26fr2%3Dpiv-web%26nost%3D1%26tab%3Dorganic%26ri%3D62&w=400&h=186&imgurl=www.kobbenette.be%2Fhercules%2Fmijn%2520rijwielen%2Frapido%2520confort.jpg&rurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.kobbenette.be%2Fhercules%2Fmijn%2520rijwielen.html&size=23.8KB&name=Caravan+%3Cb%3Erapido+confort%3C%2Fb%3E+-+1979&p=rapido+confort&oid=b4abfcede706ae939ee22ec60eddd868&fr2=piv-web&fr=iphone&tt=Caravan+%3Cb%3Erapido+confort%3C%2Fb%3E+-+1979&b=61&ni=21&no=62&ts=&tab=organic&sigr=11n2kgqhu&sigb=13gp5e6lo&sigi=120a891s8&sigt=114lpnukn&sign=114lpnukn&.crumb=YhmkfIoBF6T&fr=iphone&fr2=piv-web Edited February 23, 2017 by Lord Geordie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danger-Mouse Posted February 23, 2017 Report Share Posted February 23, 2017 If the motorhome is big enough to tug a small car behind then the game changes, but that is a serious amount of pennies. You're not thinking big enough Graham . . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vampire Posted February 23, 2017 Report Share Posted February 23, 2017 We had this discussion of which to buy for our first venture into camping world,obviously caravan is a lot cheaper and still use car all year as well as when on site,but motorhome is preferable to me because i found out i was hopeless at towing, this would be a big investment so after much deliberation we gave up and just used the money to move to a bigger property. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moondoggy Posted February 23, 2017 Report Share Posted February 23, 2017 Motor homes don't seem to do much over 40mph. At least the ones I always get stuck behind don't. We love our caravan for most of the advantages already stated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrM Posted February 23, 2017 Report Share Posted February 23, 2017 (edited) If the motorhome is big enough to tug a small car behind then the game changes, but that is a serious amount of pennies. Driving through France once, saw a vast motorhome with a Bentley on a trailer behind it! Edited February 23, 2017 by MrM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ips Posted February 23, 2017 Report Share Posted February 23, 2017 Have had both. Extended touring in Europe MH. If short breaks and a couple of weeks hols in UK then caravan. Top of the range caravan 18k entry level MH 40+k. Then you have extra insurance, tax, mot, servicing. Do the math Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wb123 Posted February 23, 2017 Report Share Posted February 23, 2017 Ive always thought a caravan would make more sense, but then i keep a tow car anyway for the horse box. If no other need for a tow car it would probably change the argument. I suspect in a few years i will move to a 10ton or so for the horse which will double up as a motorhome. Mpg shouldnt be hugely worse than towing the box. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UKPoacher Posted February 23, 2017 Report Share Posted February 23, 2017 https://www.facebook.com/easytaken/videos/1133619380033061/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grrclark Posted February 23, 2017 Report Share Posted February 23, 2017 Driving through France once, saw a vast motorhome with a Bentley on a trailer behind it! In Canada and the US I have seen a few towing full size 4x4's as well, although nothing quite as extravagant as a Bentley. DM, we visited a motorhome showroom just outside Calgary where they had one with a rear garage in it big enough for a VW Polo size car, the living accommodation was split over two levels. You would need an HGV license to drive it here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ferguson_tom Posted February 23, 2017 Report Share Posted February 23, 2017 Caravan for me mainly because of the costs. An equivalent age and size motorhome to our 7k caravan is around 20k. New your probabaly looking 25k for the caravan and 70k for a motorhome. I have always had and always will have a big car so having something big enough to tow doesn't cost me anything extra. I may look at a motorhome when it's just me and the Mrs but it won't be a massive one, not a campervan though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ferguson_tom Posted February 23, 2017 Report Share Posted February 23, 2017 I've just ordered a new T6 and want to pull a caravan but can't :( I need to pass my test so I'm thinking of converting another van as I need mine as a work horse . I passed my test in 99 so missed the cut of and I'm limited to 3.5t gutted as my van is mam 3.2 Cheaper to just do the test, it's pretty easy anyone can pass it with a small bit of training. Also means if you ever needed to tow something with the van you will be legal Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bruno22rf Posted February 23, 2017 Report Share Posted February 23, 2017 With a decent size Motorhome you will find that visiting some smaller attractions is a nightmare, wherever you go the beast goes with you. With a Caravan you can leave it at the site and just use your car as usual. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
team tractor Posted February 23, 2017 Report Share Posted February 23, 2017 Cheaper to just do the test, it's pretty easy anyone can pass it with a small bit of training. Also means if you ever needed to tow something with the van you will be legal I've looked and it's £600 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wheelie Posted February 23, 2017 Report Share Posted February 23, 2017 Demountable camper fits on the back of a pick up for moving from site to site .Demount camper on arrival on site then use pick up as a normal car . Plus truck is ideal shooting truck . I've had a few North star was my last one moved on to a Arctic fox now . Best of both worlds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TaxiDriver Posted February 23, 2017 Report Share Posted February 23, 2017 A caravan is nice if you're not going to keep moving about daily. Each option has its plus/minus points. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loriusgarrulus Posted February 23, 2017 Report Share Posted February 23, 2017 We sold our big caravan last August and just bought a 1991 Compass Shadow lightweight caravan. Plenty of room for us and the dogs and the Landy doesn't know its towing it. Cost £800 in good nick and about £200 to fettle it how we want it. OH is redoing the electrics and we are replacing the carpet with cushion floor. We like a caravan as it can be left set up while we go out in the Landy. Cheaper to buy and insure than a motorhome, but take longer to set up when you get there. Don't need the upheaval every time you go out though. Whatever you decide to have look at The Camping and Caravanning club for lots of info and cheap sites to stay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wb123 Posted February 23, 2017 Report Share Posted February 23, 2017 I've looked and it's £600 Its worth shopping around. My better half paid a little under £350. I need to sort mine out but given i also need to do cat C there is an argument to just going the whole C+E hog instead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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