Hi,
We feel we're getting a little too old for tenting now, and would like to move on to either a caravan or campervan/mobile home. I know a bit about the latter but not much at all about caravans.
Could anyone tell me please of the advantages and disadvantages of a caravan over a mobile home, and also how much I should expect to pay for a reasonable 2nd hand 4 berth one.
Difficult to answer your questions specifically as much is down to personal preferences. We made the move a year ago as we are both now pensioners.
For me, a caravan / motorhome has:
Pros: It gives you the ability to tour and visit the many wonderful places on this Isle. If you don't like a place you can move. Makes the journey part of the holiday as you can stop off enroute. Flexability. You could always try a seasonal pitch if you don't wish to tour.
Cons: Pitching and packup.
Mobile home. More comfort. Cost. No setup or packup. If you are happy to visit the same location year after year then maybe thats for you.
As for 2nd hand caravan costs - how long is a piece of string. All depends on the condition, age , any damp etc and whether you want all singing and dancing or something more modest. Pop down to your local caravan dealer and have a good look around at different models and layouts before making any final decision. Cost is not the deciding factor as you need to be happy in your van not tolerating it.
------------- Phil
Blood, Sweat and Beers.
The more I learn the more I know, the more I know the more I forget, the more I forget the less I know
Booked so far:
June: Charity Farm
July: Gullivers MK
August: Tregurrian, Cornwall
Sept: New Forest
Unless you are happy to stay on the same site all the time a mobile home is only a disadvantage. You can get a good caravan for under a grand if you are happy to do a bit of diy.
Thankyou Swaggy and Opensauce for your replies, I'm afraid I didn't word my question properly. I meant to ask about the advantages/disadvantages of a caravan over a campervan, apart from having to tow it that is. I'm sorry about that.
If you search on this forum and the motorhome forum you will find that this subject has been discussed many times over the years.
The first thing to consider is if your current car would be a suitable towcar. If it is you could fit a towbar and be caravanning very cheaply compared with the outlay on a motorhome.
Again campervan vs caravan thing is entirely how you see it. If you need 2 vehicles then a VW camper is useable as a second car. If you only need one car then a car & caravan will be cheaper.
How I do it is modern car old caravan. Thats most cost effective. Provided a caravan has the running gear serviced & recent tyres it is good to tow any distance no matter how old it is. It depends if cost is an issue. If you have plenty of money then buy what you prefer not what makes financial sense.
At this moment in time I would be very cautious about investing in a motorhome or a campervan merely because of the issue regarding diesel engines and the future government policies on the exhaust emissions. After all, they don't come cheap so unless you have a big budget and intend buying a vehicle 5 years old or less, an extra tax could be implemented on diesel vehicles over a certain age which of course then leads to extra running costs and would most definitely difficult to sell under the circumstances. However, due to the fact that there's a lot of uncertainty at present on how and when the government will proceed then a caravan is the safest option as it's going to be cheaper to replace just the towing vehicle than a motorhome or campervan.
Although it's down to a matter of personal choice which you prefer, I thought it was just worth mentioning as it's something that you probably haven't considered so could be an easier decision than you first thought.
My view is that a campervan is best for continual touring, but beds need to be made up every night, and converted back to seats for the daytime. It can be used as an everyday vehicle too, so you don't need a car.
A motorhome offers more comfort than a campervan, and often beds can be left made up. Standing headroom throughout too. Great for touring, but the disadvantage is that you don't have a vehicle for running about when on a site, unless you don't mind using the motorhome for that too, but then you may have problems parking in some places.
A caravan has the advantage that if you want to stay on a site for several days or even a week or two, you don't need to pack everything up when you want to go exploring, shopping, etc. You just use the car.
We are retired too and have a car and caravan. Both of them are old, but they do us just fine. We are a bit concerned about forthcoming legislation though, as our car is both old (17 years) and a diesel, but we can't afford to change it. Another advantage of a caravan is that if you are able to keep it at home it costs nothing while it is not being used, unlike a campervan or motorhome that have to be kept taxed and MOT'd all the time, unless you can park them on private land and have another car for use when you are not on holiday.
Caravan: on site you have your car with you to use as normal
Mhome: on site you will have to pack everything away before setting off for the day, unless you plan to carry and use bikes, scooters or tow a small car.
Caravan: set up time may lead to longer stays and strict use of sites.
Mhome: easier to move from site to site and free overnight parking in many places abroad. Better for on the move touring
Caravan: apart from damp checking, storage not really an issue, even for long periods
Mhome: Like your car, regular use is better, for brakes, air con units, seals etc.
Caravan: if you needs change or you want something else/better, cost to change the unit will be less, though you may have to have a beefier towcar than you you may strictly need day to day.
Mhome: generally a lot more expensive as unit, especially like for like on size
Caravan: serving is one stop
Mhome: may be body service via caravan workshop; cab unit via it own manufacturer i.e. two stop
Its quite a hard decision, but I think Tangos points are very valid at this time of fuel uncertainty, as even euro5 engines didn't appear till late 2009. I would certainly avoid any diesel before euro 5
Amazing family weekend with old steam engines, classic car displays, market stalls, and full catering and bar. And camping on site - Save £25 by booking in advance.
Topic: Caravan Info Please
