Do you own a motorhome?

Seriously thinking about purchasing a motorhome - like the idea of being able to get in and go off to where ever.

The budget will be in the ball park of 15k - so not in the 'new' vehicle arena - but looking on the internet should be able to purchase something quite comfortable - 2 berth.

The auto sleeper clubman looks to be the main front runner at the moment - on a ford transit chassis - is such a beast exists.

Anyone on here own a motorhome - if so what should we be looking out for, what are the pitfalls?

Who would have ever thought that we'd be signing up to the caravan club - they have loads of sites at good rates apparently - anyone used them?

Ta

 

Husband has been threatening to buy a RV. we went to an RV show last February, all indoor. If you can find a local one, go look. Its amazing what is out there. We, will be closer to deciding next year, and probably another show. Our thing, we discovered is finding the right size bed. The other is do we purchase a new truck to pull the thing, or buy one with the built in truck. I don't like the huge ones. And if we had a separate truck that pulled the cab, like I can't back it up. If I share in driving I need one that I find comfortable. I suggest you get to a show before you buy one. They will tell you about engines etc. In my casual looking, I did google, there are others that have put out thoughts about traveling with one. So if you just google some sentences, that insight, good and bad is there. They say, you have to be really tight with your partner. Our hurtle is actually leaving beyond 2 weeks, as our cats are still with us. I don't like leaving them beyond two weeks. Again, find a RV show, should be one soon, as they seem to schedule it in January or February when folks might be thinking that way for the summer. Also at the show they are actually for sale, you can wheel and deal there also with the salesman. some good prices are there. One thing, is the insides of them are in the "brown" color area, light, dark, medium. so boring.

 

We still have our ordinary one , very old now but used it a lot when our tribe were young.....loved the freedom a caravan holiday gave us! We now use it for extra storage!
We were members of the Caravan Club way back in the day, very good then and probably still so now I would like to think @clanless

 

Assuming you mean the Caravan And Motorhome Club, formerly the Caravan Club.

I’ve been a member for a few years. By and large, their club sites are very good. Always to a high standard, with very clean facilities. That said, not all club sites have a toilet block, but most do. You’ll just need to check. The club also has a network of CL’s (certificated locations). These can range from someone’s back (large) garden to farmers (put aside) fields. I actually stayed on a set aside area beside a golf course, near Hereford, out in the magnificent countryside, quite superb and only £12 a night, including electricity and use of the shower and toilet. Facilities on CL’s vary greatly, but it’s easy enough to check, using the clubs website. CL’s are restricted to no more than 5 ‘vans or MH’s a night, so are low key, something I appreciate.

 

We haven't a motorhome, but youngest son has "Ruby." He restored it ten years ago. She came from Utah, so no rust. Now as it was in 1967. Except for leather memory foam filled seats. His partner made the curtains on her sewing machine.

 

Not got a motorhome but we got a campsite here

 

Shameless plug
I gotta say though, looks lovely

 

CL sites were some of the best when our boys were young, especially the farm locations:bigthumb:

 

He's cheeky that @Zigs

 

I stay at both ‘regular’ sites and CL’s. It’s always the CL’s that I find more laid-back and relaxing

 

In 100% agreement with you there @Freddy :bigthumb:

 

Well, do you have RV shows over there?

 

Caravan, Camping and Motorhome Show 2019

 

We have been caravanners since 1999 and love the freedom it gives us

We belong to the Caravan & Motorhome Club and we enjoy visiting their network of sites.I know that the CL’s are very popular with a lot of members but having talked to other members that have used them and some having enjoyed their stay on them others have given up and gone back to the larger sites.Be prepared with CL’s that are on working farms that you might end up in a field that has held sheep so you might end up treading in unmentionables

We like the larger sites as they are usually close to towns and villages and a lot of them have a bus stop near the site for those that don’t want to use their car.The toilets and showers are cleaned every day plus the rubbish and recycling bins are often emptied twice a day.

We have a caravan which we have serviced by the dealer we bought it off of and keep it in a secured compound when not in use.With a caravan there is no road tax to pay and you don’t have to have it MOTed each year unlike a Motorhome which has to have both plus they dont seem to hold their value like caravans do. Also you need to consider that unless you are going to be driving around every day in your Motorhome while you are on site you will either have to rely on public transport/bikes or your legs to get you around

It is much of a personal taste as to whether you go for a Motorhome or a caravan and there are some nice Motorhomes around but we have found that unless you go for a really old one then to have something decent will set you back thousands of pounds just to get you started

 

From a purely practical point of view based on my knowledge I would go for a caravan. I base this simply on the deisel emmision standards that were introduced from 2000 onwards. In late 2005 Euro 4 was common (ready for the mandatory introduction in January 2006) and it is at this point that reliability nosedived. By the time that Euro 5 and 6 were introduced (2011 and 2015) repair costs were astronomical and ever more frequent. Euro 4, 5 and 6 vehicles are great if they're getting ragged up the motorway regularly but completely wrong for touring holidays and possibly day to day use. I've just had to clean the EGR valve and clean out the inlet system on my mates 2015 Renault camper that has done 14000 miles - Renault quoted £1200 (they wouldn't clean the valve which is £280 worth) but even at mates rates it still cost him £300.
Add to this the fact that the modern way is to make engines with timing chains instead of cam belts. Timing chains are more accurate which allows the manufacturers to acheive the ultra low emmisions but unbelievably they've actually succeeded in making them less reliable than cam belts!

Just my thoughts.