stillthinkingaboutit Posted September 3, 2010 Share Posted September 3, 2010 Hi everyone, first time post, looking for some guidance. My wife is trying to persuade me to buy a motorhome, for week-ends away in the UK and longer trips to France. Up until April we had been looking at buying a property in Normandy, but as women will, she has changed her mind on that. We are in our 50's and have now a bit more time on our hands. We currently spend a number of week-ends on City Breaks, plus 4/5 day touring in France, staying in various types of hotels. Now she likes her luxury, does Mrs G, but is still pushing me to look into our first motorhome. What I'd like to hear, is why should I spend, say £25k, on a motorhome instead of spending, say £2k per annum on trips away, staying in hotels. I like to be able to get to the hotel, dump the stuff and tour around from a base. I can't see how I can get this with a Motorhome. Second question, bit premature probably, we have started looking around, I'm showing willing, the style I'm looking for is a pull down bed above the cab, but not a coachbuilt with an overcab bed, tried one of those, didn't like it. Looking for one about 7 metres long, any suggestions please. Thanks in advance Roger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Tracker Posted September 3, 2010 Share Posted September 3, 2010 The first thing to try is to hire a motorhome for a week - preferably in as near to the layout that you think you will favour and just see how you get on in the real world of motorhoming. Much cheaper than a very expensive mistake. Some people find that the layout they think they favour does not work out quite so well in practise - hence so many low mileage nearly new vans for sale in dealers who must be rubbing their hands with glee at people's disregard for their savings! We tour around and explore in a motorhome and with practise there are not many places that most people take a car that a proficient motor home driver can't get his van into and out of! City and town centres excepted where finding somewhere to park can be a real issue. That said it even a motorhome in the countryside can be a worry and a handful at times and if a mobile unit is your favoured holiday style why not consider a luxury touring caravan which gives you the nice place to stay and a detached 4x4 tow car to explore in - and all for less than a motorhome usually? I'm not going to try and convince you - you will have to do that for yourselves! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted September 3, 2010 Share Posted September 3, 2010 if you are not convinced that camping is right for you hire one for a week in France and see how you get on.....bring some bikes as well. pointless making such a large investment if not sure you will like it......You never know the wife may hate it and you love it *-) I can assure you a luxury caravan and large 4x4 (horrible things) cost a lot more then £25000 :-S I just wonder that you have got to 50's and never had the inclination for the outdoor life before and want to start now...for most of us it is in the blood lol Saying that a lot wait till retirement to buy there first van so Hey Ho and away you go ;-) Personally I dont like pull down beds, a bit claustrophobic, not much through ventilation, and a pain to get in and out. I much prefer a massive rear bed over a large garage for all the junk you need to take with you...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dawki Posted September 3, 2010 Share Posted September 3, 2010 Hi Roger why dont you hire one and see if you like it or not? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flicka Posted September 3, 2010 Share Posted September 3, 2010 Hi Roger & welcome to the forum. Depends on lifestyle, but Motorhomes can be a great way of touring. If you prefer spending long periods of time in the same place other holiday options would be more suitable (i.e. your "buying a property in Normandy) The big benefit of a Motorhome is ease of being able to get away atshort notice, especially if you are able to keep the Van at home. Most things you need are already in the van, add fresh food and clothes & ready to go. Why not HIRE a Motorhome for a week to find out if it suits your lifestyle / asperations. Better that than spending lots of money to find out it then does not suit you. I assume you £2k excludes travel costs or at least use of your car. So I would expect costs (after initial purchase), should be less based on your current breaks pattern. However expect the greater flexibility may increase the No. taken. To get the pull down bed normally means an "A" Class Motorhome example http://www.chelstononline.co.uk/motorhome-sales/adria-matrix.html Common makes are Hymer, Burstner, Dethleffs, Adria, Pilot, Rapido but no UK manufacturer currently produce "A" Class Motorhomes. Alternatively there are some Low Profiles (see link - Adria Matrix as an example - there areothers) but as there are a fairly recent introduction (last couple of years) I don't think you will get one within your budget http://www.chelstononline.co.uk/motorhome-sales/adria-matrix.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david lloyd Posted September 3, 2010 Share Posted September 3, 2010 stillthinkingaboutit - 2010-09-03 4:50 PM Hi everyone, first time post, looking for some guidance. My wife is trying to persuade me to buy a motorhome, for week-ends away in the UK and longer trips to France. Up until April we had been looking at buying a property in Normandy, but as women will, she has changed her mind on that. We are in our 50's and have now a bit more time on our hands. We currently spend a number of week-ends on City Breaks, plus 4/5 day touring in France, staying in various types of hotels. Now she likes her luxury, does Mrs G, but is still pushing me to look into our first motorhome. What I'd like to hear, is why should I spend, say £25k, on a motorhome instead of spending, say £2k per annum on trips away, staying in hotels. I like to be able to get to the hotel, dump the stuff and tour around from a base. I can't see how I can get this with a Motorhome. Second question, bit premature probably, we have started looking around, I'm showing willing, the style I'm looking for is a pull down bed above the cab, but not a coachbuilt with an overcab bed, tried one of those, didn't like it. Looking for one about 7 metres long, any suggestions please. Thanks in advance Roger Hi Roger Not being funny here but, if you have so many doubts, you are probably not ready yet to get into motorhoming. That said, the main difference (from B&B/package holidays/own holiday home etc) is the freedom that motorhoming offers. If tomorrow is sunny we can put a few things in ours and go somewhere, anywhere. If it is raining at home, equally, we can put a few things in and go somewhere that is sunny, stay for as long, or as short, as we want or move on to another place. We get up when we want, go to bed when we want, have breakfast when and where we want. Every trip is different. Different place, different people. If we just fancy a day trip to the local seaside we go and have toilet/kitchen facilties with us. In short, it is a totally different way of life and is like trying to compare chalk and cheese. Hope you come to the right decision for you though. David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LordThornber Posted September 3, 2010 Share Posted September 3, 2010 Financial matters aside, a motorhomer can still go on short breaks, fly to whereverville for a fortnight and/or own a property in Normandy. We don't have to go everywhere for a break/big hol/dirty weekend in our van. That's freedom. Martyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stillthinkingaboutit Posted September 3, 2010 Author Share Posted September 3, 2010 Thanks for those replies. We did hire a Swift Sundancer for a week, staying on a big campsite in Devon, with our daughter and her partner, who have a tourer, using their car was great. We liked the concept of the pull down bed, but on the coachbuilt, it was just too high. Getting up and down a ladder is just too unseemly at our age. We had a touring caravan years ago, Mrs G isn't prepared to go back to faffing about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Tracker Posted September 3, 2010 Share Posted September 3, 2010 With even the most luxurious and largest van in the world there is 'faffing about' as you put it. Water to be got and waste water got rid of, electric to be hooked up and unhooked - or is that hooked down? - loo to empty and clean - levels to be set up. If you don't want any faffing about - the joys of the hobby for most of us and hardly faffing about - perhaps you are not looking at the right sort of holidays after all? There is also faffing about at airports and car hire offices as well if you use hotels for holidays. Life is one big faff about! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stillthinkingaboutit Posted September 3, 2010 Author Share Posted September 3, 2010 Sorry for the use of "faffing". Filling and emptying water and toilets on a motorhome is really easy, compared to what we were used to in our caravan. What we really liked was how easy it was to move from sleep mode to eating mode to travel mode, with the drop down bed. Making the bed up every night was my main gripe with the caravan. Also I think having a fixed bed appears to be a waste of space, I really liked how much room their was in the Swift Sundance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Tracker Posted September 3, 2010 Share Posted September 3, 2010 Fair enough - we have a 'make it up every night' bed in our Starburst and as we use the Raskelf all in one Duvalay beds it takes but a minute or two to pull out the bed bases and roll out the bedding. It can be bind when we are overtired but for the freedom of movemnet in the van by day and the feet up lounging of an evening we consider that it is a 'faff' worth 'faffing' with! On the other hand with a fixed bed you do get a huge void that you can fill with all those things that you may never need - but carry just in case - payload permitting - and the trade off is usually a purpose made bed and uncomfortable lounging. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duffers Posted September 3, 2010 Share Posted September 3, 2010 I agree with David, I think you are looking for justifications not to buy while trying to look interested for your wife's sake It's a life style choice of freedom vs conformity - in my view but each to their own . . . . . . . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyg3nwl Posted September 4, 2010 Share Posted September 4, 2010 Hi, Just a few comments. We have been through both caravan and motorhome options in the past, presently on motorhome. Normandy property..fixed location...might get fed up in one location. Property upkeep rates taxes etc versus van tax and insurance and depreciation. Property might appreciate in value. Who does the domestic chores. cooking, washing etc is van kitchen big enough versus all mod cons in property? Cross channel ferry costs for van versus travel costs to get to Normandy property. Are you proposing to live fulltime in normandy or just holiday there.? just some things to consider. Enjoy it whatever you do tonyg3nwl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stillthinkingaboutit Posted September 4, 2010 Author Share Posted September 4, 2010 duffers - 2010-09-03 8:29 PM I agree with David, I think you are looking for justifications not to buy while trying to look interested for your wife's sake It's a life style choice of freedom vs conformity - in my view but each to their own . . . . . . . Crikey, didn't realise we had psychologists on the forum. You actually may be right in some ways though. Still looking around to see what style of mtorhome would suit us. In all probability she will get her own way, as usual. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Part Time Posted September 4, 2010 Share Posted September 4, 2010 We started motorhoming in our late fifties. Prior to that practicalities prevented us doing so and to be honest we were more hotel and someone else doing the cooking so's to speak. Since our first van we haven't looked back and love every minute of the life. We are retired and have been ever since we got our first van so that was probably a helpful factor. I would strongly recommend the "Hire First" approach. We actually bought an old relatively cheap model first but would still suggest the hire approach. Good luck whatever you do. :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Tracker Posted September 4, 2010 Share Posted September 4, 2010 Crikey, didn't realise we had psychologists on the forum There are all sorts on 'ere mate - from the sublime right through to the flippin ridiculous! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duffers Posted September 4, 2010 Share Posted September 4, 2010 Tracker - 2010-09-04 5:03 PM Crikey, didn't realise we had psychologists on the forum There are all sorts on 'ere mate - from the sublime right through to the flippin ridiculous! ooRUcallinridikulusRichard seriously - sort of writing from experience - I have the travel bug OH has territorial / home based approach accepts camping option because it manages to combine both bit like snail - carrying its home along with it camper van gives more freedom - imv - than caravan life is full of compromises :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LORNA Posted September 4, 2010 Share Posted September 4, 2010 Hi Newbie, I am very much a newbie myself - bought our first small motorhome (Autosleeper Executive) just a few months ago and never really had much more experience other than the static tent thing from Eurocamp when the children were small. We've had to learn a lot but we absolutely love it. We hired a year ago and were still unsure, kept looking and going to shows, talking to people and eventually took the plunge. This summer we have been able to go on 3 hols when the sun has been shining and stay at home when the rain poured down. Personally, I love the fact that everything I like/want is on board and it is my home. It isn't as luxurious as hotels (and we have done that previously) but we see places in a different light and really slow down and live life at a much more simple (and fullfilling?) pace. It's got drawbacks but overall I have not regretted our decision. Best of luck, Lorna Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted September 4, 2010 Share Posted September 4, 2010 while a motorhomer for many years visiting Europe on trips can hardly be considered travelling can it......I mean come, on it is a very narrow and prosaic pursuit. There is a whole wide world out there to enjoy and experience before your dead :-S Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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