Sell the motorhome & get a Caravan???

[Stewart Hendry]

Please don’t tell any motor home friends that you may have, but we are considering selling the motor home after 4 years ownership and becoming tuggers purely for the ease of moving around once on a fixed site for any period of time. The motor home is great for many of the trips we have made to France, but we have to decide whether we take the scooter or the bikes. Unfortunately we can’t take both and I’m not going to buy another car to tow as that would mean 3 vehicles being paid for. Have considered selling the Golf and getting a smaller car to tow but if we are going to tow, why not a caravan then only one motorised vehicle to pay for!!!

 

Is there anyone out here who has made the switch and if so what do you see as the benefits or drawbacks.

 

Looking forward to your responses.

[Guest Peter Sharpe]

Uh-oh, here we go :)

It's funny that you should mention ease of moving about as a reason for changing to a caravan, as that is the main reason that people state for changing to a motorhome. That is unless you mean the ease of moving about locally if you are staying on one site for a whole week.

That seems to be the main difference really: caravanners tend to use their caravan as a home base from which to explore, whereas people with a motorhome are more likely to restrict themselves to short stops of a couple of days before moving on.

There are obviously all kinds of other considerations, as I'm sure people will be very keen to tell you. 

[Blizzard]

I suppose it's going to depend on the type of holiday you are looking for. ie short stay or long stay.

We recently switched the other way and so far have no regrets, but there were a lot of advantages to towing, especially when staying at one site for longer periods. We had a large caravan with a large awning, which took a good couple of hours to set up.

Once done, this was a superb base for 2 or 3 weeks on a site, but we reached the point where we wanted to tour around more and felt that we would be losing too much time on setting up and repacking. 

On the rare occasions that we got away without the kids, we used a porch awning which was much quicker to set up and take down, but not suitable for longer family holidays. 

We own a small car that we need for my daily commute, but I'm trying not to go down the towing route if I can help it. We're heading to France tomorrow with 4 pedal cycles on the back of the MH and I hope that I come back happy not to have towed the little car.

I've always got that option for future if I think the holiday would have been better with a car, or could even return to towing proper.

Over the years my parents have had the same dilemma and regularly changed from caravans to motorhomes and back, I assume trying to find that elusive answer to your question.

If only we were rich enough to afford both options, eh ??

[Stewart Hendry]

Thanks for your responses. I need to keep sitting down and supping red wine whilst pondering the big question of what to do. We have found that when exploring new areas you need a good few days just to get a feel of the place, so in our case we have never moved on quickly unless it is for a short stop on route to our main destination. Hopefully we will make the right decision in due course, but travelling and exploring this and other countries by motorhome or caravan is an experience not to be missed.

 

regards, Stewart

[CliveH]

We certainly intend to have a MH when we retire and use it to tour Southern Europe for weeks and weeks and weeks (bliss! - can you tell I am looking forward to it?) just stopping for a few nights or longer if we want.

 

So please do not think I am "Anti" MH's in any way. However - having seen and spoken to Motor homers it seems to me the biggest downside is when staying at a site and then wanting to explore further afield than by bike. To see people faff about packing everything away in the morning then drive off only to see them take it all out again in the evening when they come back seems a tad bizarre to me.

 

If you are touring then surely keeping it simple is best? – I still don’t get the concept of towing a small car behind a motorhome. Presumably so you can use the small car when you have parked the MH on a site and do not want to move it again. Sorry but that corrupt logic just makes me laugh.

 

Then there is the cost - these things are serious money. The good news is the relative lack of depreciation but to get the same level of space and comfort that I have with my TA cvan I would have to pay a great deal more.

 

To me my cvan is like towing a luxury hotel room behind me that I can put down, set it up with awning etc, then leave it their whilst we explore on bikes, on foot or with the tow car if we want.

 

Taking a MH to somewhere like Cornwall then using it to explore the area must be a nightmare. Hence the towing on a small car behind the MH. So why not tow a caravan?

 

Then there is the fuel costs. I like having this luxury hotel room on wheels behind me that I can set down and use as a base. But with fuel prices what they are and what they are going to be, do I want to drag that heavy luxury everywhere I go? - Errrr No, sorry - I don't.

 

Yes I may do when I retire and I have the ability to wander about without time restraints and there is just the two of us so two seats and sun canopy is all we need for a few nights stop. Here the compromise pendulum swings the other way - I think?

 

But whilst I am working and I want a break to relax and recharge the batteries - a caravan with its extra space, lock it and leave it flexibility and enormous awning (that takes us just 40 min to put up) is for us the only way to go.

 

What we will look for is a MH with the same level of luxury and space we have now but we must have an awning that zips away from the MH so we can have a base if we want. But even now as I write this – I think of those people who come here to the South Coast and then cannot get to some of the best bits because of narrow roads and height barriers that stop them parking their MH’s – when I can do so with ease and then go back to my hotel room on wheels that I left safely on a site and do not have to drag it around everywhere with me.

 

Personal choice it has to be.

 

[RogP]

Hi Stewart

 

We went from motorhome , to two caravans , and back to motorhome in the space of 4 years.

 

I really didn't like towing a caravan even though we had probably a relative low outfit match of 70% (mostly towed with either a Merc ML270 or Disco 3)

 

We now tow a small car behind the motorhome (but not all the time only when we know we will need it) and its far easier to do it this way - for us at least.

 

Before you make the leap can I suggest to try towing first as this may help you decide if you are happy to tow. I know many people dont do this , I really wish I had first as it would have saved me a whole heap of stress (and money). The 2 clubs run courses that may be of benefit (and if you decide its what you want you will have gained some valuable experience)

 

Also although you mention the issue of 3 vehicles being paid for consider as well if one of your cars would need to be changed in order to tow a suitable caravan and would that outlay off set any benefits.

 

Additionally if you intend to insure the caravan as well as have a dealer service it would these costs be much diffent to your MH - (my insurance is actually a lot less on the MH despite it being nearly 3 times the cost of the caravan).

 

Whilst the above may not be an issue I hope I've highlighted that there is a wider picture to think off.

 

What ever you consider I hope you get the best out of it

 

Good luck , its a tough decission to make

[Mel B]

Hi Stewart

 

Sit back, chill, and have a good long think - then make a long list of why you want a caravan and why you want a motorhome. Include how you intend to use each of them, the associated costs etc.

 

If you want to put your holiday accommodation on a site and leave it there for a week, then a caravan would win.

 

If, however, you want to just stop for the odd night on a site and move round, looking at things as you go, then a motorhome would win.

 

In mainland Europe you wouldn't be able to use the aires with a caravan, but you can with a motorhome, and many of the aires are right next to towns, villages etc that you'd probably want to visit.

 

We have a motorhome and can be off within 5 minutes if we need to be - we don't usually have loads of stuff lying around to pack away because when we've finished using stuff, it goes away into it's allotted place. If we do stay on a site for a number of days and have, for example, the BBQ, chairs, tables etc out, if we don't want to put them away in the motorhome, we also have a small store tent which can be pitched in about 2 minutes into which everything goes - this would be even quicker if we had one of those 'springy' pop-up type tents. If you have a motorhome and 'live' in it like a caravan, with loads of stuff to take out and put in, and leave things lying around, it will take a lot longer to be able to get off.

 

There are some disadvantages to tootling about in a motorhome as has been mentioned, as some places do have height barriers on the car parks, but in our experience rarely do we have a problem finding somewhere to park - it may mean an extra 1-2 minute walk but that's no hardship. There are however some very real advantages - you have all your bits and pieces with you, you can make a cuppa, have a meal, a lie down, get changed if you get drenched in the rain. We canoe so it's our mobile changing room and you just can't beat being able to make a nice cuppa and relax after a long paddle! :-D

 

One thing that beats a caravan and car hands down it being able to park up and leave the dogs in the motorhome even on very hot days and not worry about them getting heatstroke etc - you simply cannot do that in a car so even if you could park, if you have a dog, you'd have to take it with you which would then restrict where you can actually visit (museums, stately homes, and the like). Oh and our dogs just love being able to 'choose' which toy they want to take on the beach from their mass of balls, squeaky things etc! :D

 

We recently were on holiday in Wales and we'd gone to the beach, shortly afterwards a torrential downpour occurred, quite quickly. Fortunately we made it back to the van without getting totally drenched, but our feet were covered in wet soggy sand, no problem we just wound out the awning a bit and stood under it whilst we rinsed them down. The family in the car next door had unfortunately got drenched and also had soggy sandy feet - we let them 'borrow' the awning and gave them some water to rinse off too. They had brought a flask etc with them for lunch but they were so wet they had no alternative but to go home to change ... oh, their dog was very, very, very soggy too ... I'm glad I wasn't in their car going home! *-)

 

For us, a motorhome wins 'paws' down! :-> For others, a caravan does. Basically only you can decide ... take your time ... if you get it wrong it can be a very, very expensive business. :-S

[CliveH]

Mel B - 2010-08-03 6:29 PM

 

 

 

One thing that beats a caravan and car hands down it being able to park up and leave the dogs in the motorhome even on very hot days and not worry about them getting heatstroke etc - you simply cannot do that in a car so even if you could park, if you have a dog, you'd have to take it with you which would then restrict where you can actually visit (museums, stately homes, and the like). Oh and our dogs just love being able to 'choose' which toy they want to take on the beach from their mass of balls, squeaky things etc! :D

 

 

 

Now that is something I had not thought about. Because in many ways we prefer the cooler months as leaving the dogs in the back of the Discovery is possible whereas it is very foolish indeed to leave dogs in cars in this sort of good weather we have had of late.

 

But why exactly is it possible in a Motor home Mel?

 

Can not quite see how they would be any cooler than any other vehicle.

 

But if so, then that would be a very big plus for us when we start the "grand tour" - because our two dogs would be coming with us!!

[Mel B]

A motorhome doesn't get as hot as a car as it has a much larger internal space and the insulation is better (think cool box compared to a tin can!).

 

By putting the roof vents up a bit, closing the blinds, and putting on cab screen internal covers, leaving the floor bare (cooler than carpet if they want to flop out) and plenty of water, our dogs are more than happy to settle down and snooze whilst we go out and about. It is only in very, very hot temperatures, such as the time it got to 38+ degrees in France on our first foreign foray with them (2005 heatwave in May when it actually reached 41 degrees in Cognac when we were there!), have we ever not been able to leave them at all.

 

You have to be careful with leaving dogs in a car even in the cooler months, if it is a bright sunny day it can soon warm up a car - just try sitting it in a car a lovely day in October/November for 15 minutes or so and you'll see what I mean. IMV, if you are considering having a "grand tour" during any of the main holiday months with your dogs you are going to be restricting yourself with a car/caravan combination quite markedly. The best advice I can give is for you to think very seriously of what you "want" to do when away and "how" you will be able to 'manage' it so you can actually do so.

[CliveH]

That’s helpful Mel, but we still find that our caravan gets uncomfortably hot in the sun and the dogs prefer to lie on the cool awning floor.

 

I have been in MH's and from my recollection the heat build up was much the same. I agree that it would be better than a car, but not by that much I would suggest.

 

Best thing we do in the c'van is to but the roof fan on extract to suck the warm air out and draw cool air in.

 

Do you leave fans on for the dogs when you leave them?

 

We have done this when the dogs have to be left in the c'van on a hot day for a while - but never for long! – plus our caravan is “hooked up” – so no battery going flat to worry about,

 

And I agree - a car would be far far hotter - but my experience tells me that a Cvan/MH is just as potentially dangerous as a "hot box".

 

[rapidoman]

 

 

Hi i was a caravaner for 25 years and loved it. kids grew up and the wife had shoulder problems which left me to do all the towing and fetching and carrying. because of this changed to m/h . would i go back? NO the freedom and the stress free traveling make it worthwhile,the added bonus is leading fairly hectic lives we keep it stocked up on drive and when things get to much i come home fill with water and disapear for the weekend we were never able to do that on the spur of the moment with c/van. we also have a small buggy which we tow when we want to go somewhere to explore,it makes no difference to fuel consumption and is easily removed this gives us the ability to go anywhere on or of road beach or mountain. we still like to move on after a few days normaly when things need emptying . as time goes by and you need to chill out more i dont think it is so easy with caravan mind you have great fun watching people moving vans with motor movers sit down think hard about your needs health and abilities before you make you choice.we are all different so what suits us and many others may not suit you,maybe go to a show or a few rallies and ask around why people choose one above th other

[lennyhb]

We changed the other way 2 years ago and would never go back. A caravan was fine with kids it gave you a base to explore an area.

 

With the Motorhome we find we drive less miles as we do not have to keep returning to a site, holidays become cheaper (not counting initial investment) less fuel, rarely stay on sites, ferry crossings cheaper.

 

Easier to manoeuvre a Motorhome through towns than a car & caravan, easier to reverse when you do get stuck (speaking from experience with both). Height barriers can be a bit of a pain in the UK but hey that's just another excuse to hop across the channel.

 

Never found the lack of a car a problem in fact a positive benefit we do more walking & cycling keeps us fitter & we quite enjoy the novelty of using public transport.

 

With the Motorhome we can be on our way in 10 min try doing that with a caravan.

 

Also found after years of towing I just went off it & did not feel comfortable towing, unhitching & manoeuvring a caravan around on site even with a motor mover is a pain, lowering & raising the corner steadies gets the back.

 

Going away for the weekend always seemed too much hassle with a caravan. With the Motorhome we can decide to go away for the weekend be loaded & on our way out of the drive in 15 min.

 

No I would never go back to a caravan.

 

 

[CliveH]

All good points that make me think a MH is best for the likes of our planned "grand tour" when we will be touring all the time, but for now when all i want is a base away from home, office, telephone etc. - the cvan seems to suit us better.

 

Currently am fit and healthy and towing is not a problem. But no doubt it will be in the future - so another good reason to plan for a MH in the future.

[Mel B]

Hi Clive

 

I'm afraid I must disagree with you - a car is a totally different thing altogether in hot weather to a motorhome - the speed that the heat builds up in a car is frightening ... even a couple of minutes can see the temperature in a car rise massively.

 

I think one of the main difference between a caravan and a motorhome when it's hot is in the use of reflective silvered screens. Even if its cool outside, if it is very sunny, the heat can still build up a lot in any enclosed space so in our motorhome in warm/hot/sunny weather we always put them up on the inside of the large area that is the windscreen and cab doors as this is where a lot of the heat comes in.

 

I made some refelctive screens to fitted all the windows (I adapted some cheap silver sun screens for cars and they sit between the window 'glass' and the inner blinds). I also made one to cover the large roof light which is held on by suckers on the glass itself - it means that we can have the roof light open to let the air in but the reflective screen keeps the sun out, by using some angle pieces we can also stop the sun getting in the sides of the rooflight too as required. We always put the screens up as soon as we stop driving in warm/hot weather (after either having the air con on or the windows open to keep it cool on the way to our destination) so it doesn't get a chance to heat up inside.

 

With a caravan you don't use these screens at all - even good thick thermal lined curtains will still let a heck of a lot of heat through them. Why not try doing as we did and make some screens for your caravan - you'll really notice the difference I promise!

 

As for using a fan - no we don't, we have a dog who gets frightened by things like that so it's not an option for us (power woundn't be a problem as we have a solar panel). However, our 'methods' keep the van cooler than the outside temperatures anyway so by using a fan we'd actually be making it hotter inside than cooler! If it was so hot that our dogs were going to be distressed or uncomfortable we simply wouldn't leave them, but at least our way of doing things means this is very much the exception rather that the rule.

 

How cool a motorhome is, compared to a caravan, or a car, really is very, very dependent on what methods you use to keep it cool. We've found a way of doing things that works for us - we've often gone back to the van absolutely swealtering and its been lovely and cool inside ... the dogs just look at us as if to say "have you been in a sauna?"! :D

[MandyAndy]

Hi,

We don't have dogs but have to agree with Mel here.

 

Something we do have in our van is a Fiamma turbo vent which is an amazing piece of equipment, not only does it keep the air cool and moving but it sucks as well as blows, so you can get rid of doggy/burnt toast smells in no time at all.

 

We have an 85 solar panel and in the summer it keeps the fan going all night over our bed and it is just great, with no real drag on the batteries.

 

Came with the van but I know of a few that have had one fitted to replace a standard roof vent.

 

Mandy

[Mel B]

Mandy&Andy - 2010-08-04 9:58 PM

 

... so you can get rid of doggy/burnt toast smells in no time at all.

 

 

Oh, how I dream of having to deal with the problem of burnt toast in our van!!! :D

 

I have considered one of these turbo fan thingies (the dog who gets the jitters notwithstanding) but the only suitable vent for it is right above our bed - directly above my head!!! Don't think I'd be able to sleep with that buzzing around ... I'd be thinking it was a mozzie!!! *-)

[CliveH]

Mel B - 2010-08-04 9:06 PM

 

 

 

With a caravan you don't use these screens at all - even good thick thermal lined curtains will still let a heck of a lot of heat through them. Why not try doing as we did and make some screens for your caravan - you'll really notice the difference I promise!

 

:D

 

Sorry Mel - my turn to disagree with you! - Have you been in a caravan of the last ten years or so?

 

They all have pull down/up reflective blinds - the days of curtains only are long gone. (shame in some way because at night I liked to see all the lit windows on a site.)

 

These blinds are usually made of mirrored/silvered material just like you say you have made yours out of. They are on the roof vents bar the shower room and all the windows on our caravan.

 

And yes we do use them when we leave the dogs in the c'van and yes they do keep the interior cool - far cooler than a car.

 

But from what you say, if you have to make for a MH what a caravan has as standard, then I think that would be another plus for a caravan! 8-) 8-) :-D :-D

 

Seriously tho - the car comment is valid - and it is a problem when you have dogs and it is clearly a point in favour of MH's if you have dogs in that blinds or no blinds/standard fit or DIY blinds - I can see how having the MH on hand when you want to leave the dogs would be an advantage over leaving dogs in a car which can so easily be a death sentence for them - so we just do not do it in hot weather.

 

But as an advantage of MH over c'van - no - I don't think so from where I stand. With the standard fit reflective blinds and the ability to suck warm air out and cool air in via the roof vent fan means that a cvan is at least on a par, but where a MH does score is that you take it with you whereas the cvan stays on a site.

 

I can still see the advantages and the disadvantages of both. But if you have to make the blinds that are on a caravan as standard – I fail to see how a standard MH would be cooler than a caravan as you suggest Mel – Sorry!!

 

 

 

[lennyhb]

Hey Mel & Clive the 2 of you seem to have highjacked this thread & turned it into a dogs welfare discussion.

 

 

[CliveH]

From my point of view given the loyalty, companionship and total honesty that dogs provide over some humans, I tend to prefer the company of dogs. :-S

 

In return I make sure that their welfare is 100%.

 

Hence my interest in how a MH compares to a caravan when in hot climes. I think the conclusion is clear that from this aspect a MH wins hands down over a car/caravan - but i am not so convinced on the other matters

[Brian Kirby]

First I would say go here, and put yourself on the mailing list for a copy of this book http://tinyurl.com/2czfsbk

It is a truly excellent and informative guide, and may well steer you clear of some of the "traditional" (and expensive) errors folk make when buying a first motorhome.  It has been out of print for months while the editors, Chris and Meli (who self-publish) revise it - so I have just left them a message with them "to get on with it" - because I keep recommending it and no-one can buy it!  Are you listening, Chris and Meli??  :-D

Next, I would say hire a van, as close in type as possible to the one you think you want, and try it for a couple of weeks - ideally abroad if that is where you mainly intend going.  There are differences in the way one begins to think with a motorhome, that differ from the way one may be used to thinking with a caravan, that are quite difficult to put into words, and in any case differ from person to person, but which colour one's judgements about where one may go, what roads one may travel, where one may stay, what extras one may need etc etc, that really only strike home as one uses, and sees the potential (and limitations), of the vehicle.  Many seem to find that what they then think they actually want, is not at all what they first thought they wanted.

[Mel B]

Clive ... you need to go to Specsavers chuck ... I actually said:

 

Mel B - 2010-08-04 9:06 PM

 

I adapted some cheap silver sun screens for cars and they sit between the window 'glass' and the inner blinds).

 

So yes, we do have the same blinds that a caravan has but I supplement them with additional reflective screen material - the double sided stuff with a small aire gap in between - like bubble wrap but with a mirror finish. Even standard caravan and motorhome blinds with a [/u]silvered[/u] finish to one side still get quite warm on a hot day so by putting in an extra reflective layer of insulation, rather than just a silvered one it really does help a lot.

 

The point about curtains is that some motorhomes and caravan still have them in addition to the blinds - our motorhome has both blinds and proper curtains (not just sham ones), so some people may not use the blinds if they have thermal lined/backed curtains in the belief that they are sufficient on their own, unfortunately they are not.

 

This thread has just remined me .... must check what 'extra' reflective screens I've still got in the motorhome since hubby tidied it up ... I'm sure I saw them 'lurking' in the workshop the other day ... we'll need them in a week's time when we're in France and there's no doubt a heat wave!!!!

B-)

[Brian Kirby]

Mel B - 2010-08-06 10:25 PM .............. with a small aire ..........

I've heard of tight parking on aires, is this a new record?

[CliveH]

Mel B - 2010-08-04 9:06 PM

 

I think one of the main difference between a caravan and a motorhome when it's hot is in the use of reflective silvered screens. Even if its cool outside, if it is very sunny, the heat can still build up a lot in any enclosed space so in our motorhome in warm/hot/sunny weather we always put them up on the inside of the large area that is the windscreen and cab doors as this is where a lot of the heat comes in.

 

:D

 

Specsavers or no Mel - I read the above and thought - "a caravan does not have a windscreen or cab doors - what it does have is reflective blinds on all windows.

 

Sorry Mel but you also seemed to state that "caravans do not have any screens at all" - I quote you direct:-

 

"With a caravan you don't use these screens at all - even good thick thermal lined curtains will still let a heck of a lot of heat through them. Why not try doing as we did and make some screens for your caravan - you'll really notice the difference I promise!"

 

So as I say - specsavers notwithstanding - I can only determine what you mean Mel from what you say. "caravans do not use these screens at all" - Errrr - yes they do - they are fitted as standard all round on mine, rooflights as well - the only exception being the shower room.

 

I can understand you having to make your own for a vehicle with a windscreen and cab doors - and that was really my point - surely a MH in this respect is more like a car?

 

Better than a car I grant you!

 

In that it does not have all round windows.

 

But to infer that caravans do not use screens and seem to rely on curtains does not seem to me to be a problem with MY eyesight Mel (lol) (lol) (lol)

[Mel B]

... me thinks you are confusing screens - ie like silver screens that are removable - with blinds which are attached .... :-S

[Mel B]

Brian Kirby - 2010-08-06 11:58 PM

Mel B - 2010-08-06 10:25 PM .............. with a small aire ..........

I've heard of tight parking on aires, is this a new record?

Flipping heck Brian ... you're on the ball! *-) Unfortunately fingers not too good at the moment (being hammered at work), hence the typos in several posts ... :-( Now don't you go trying to park you 'van there!!! :D