Guest peter JC Posted May 31, 2013 Posted May 31, 2013 Having reached the grand old age of 68 and having no ties I am thinking about moving out of my rented flat and buying a motorhome to travel around Britain for a few years but have no experiience of it at all. So any advice A) How much will I need to pay for a decent comfortable motorhome for one person and what are annual running costs likely to be? b) Is it a suitable life for a 68 year old on thier own c) Any other advice or thoughts welcome
Guest pelmetman Posted May 31, 2013 Posted May 31, 2013 Welcome to the asylum Peter ;-)..................this is really a thread for Motorhome matters, but we're not prejudiced over here in chatter box :D....... A...... Running costs....... is a how long is piece of string question, but in general you have the base vehicle to service and the caravan part to service once a year................for me with insurance tax etc that's about 1k,... You also need to allow for repairs etc as you'll be using your van more than most..........How much do you need to pay for a comfortable reliable van?.............well not as much as some would have you believe on here >:-).... B.........68 is just a number........although if you stay below 3.5 tons with your van you'll save yourself a lot of hassle ;-) C........I expect other residents of the asylum will be along with their views shortly :D D.........Its cheaper to travel Europe than the UK...........and there's plenty of people on here that head South for the winter sun...........just a thought B-)
malc d Posted May 31, 2013 Posted May 31, 2013 peter JC - 2013-05-31 4:46 PM Having reached the grand old age of 68 and having no ties I am thinking about moving out of my rented flat and buying a motorhome to travel around Britain for a few years but have no experiience of it at all. So any advice A) How much will I need to pay for a decent comfortable motorhome for one person and what are annual running costs likely to be? b) Is it a suitable life for a 68 year old on thier own c) Any other advice or thoughts welcome As you have no experience at all I would suggest that you first of all hire a motorhome for a week or two and see how you get on. Hopefully you will like it - but best to be sure !. You may need a friend or relative who can supply you with a ' home ' address for insurance purposes etc. Don't know if you been over the channel before, but touring over there is a lot easier, and more motorhome friendly than the U.K. Best of luck
antony1969 Posted May 31, 2013 Posted May 31, 2013 Hello Peter , what a fantastic thing to be doing ( some may say not depending on opinion ) and good luck with it . Another site motorhome365 may have more people on it that can help .
Dave225 Posted May 31, 2013 Posted May 31, 2013 You mention is it a suitable life for a 68 year old. That is something only you can answer. It depends on your health, financial security and temprament. If you have things requiring medical attention then possibly not such a good idea but if fit and active then why not. You also say you have no ties which is a bit sad. I assume this means your life partner is possibly no longer around and any family have their own lives to lead. However if there are familial ties do not cut them off totally. I would also suggest that you get a dog for company and have a purpose if you wish. As for vans I would be looking at the range of panel vans at 6 meter lengths. These have a fixed bed, washroom and are easily driven. They are small enough to allow access to supermarkets without looking like a pantechnicon has arrived but big enough to handle all your requirements. However, any van has space limitations so you need to take what you need, not all you may wish. Again, if you are cutting all ties with a previous life then this can sometimes present problems, unless you can store non essential, but important stuff somewhere. I also assume you have done some form of campjng before or you will find it all a bit strange. Possibly joining either the Caravan Club or the Camping and Caravanning Club and one of their District Associations would be a source of both company and 'hands on' advice as a beginner. Good luck with what ever you do.
Guest peter Posted May 31, 2013 Posted May 31, 2013 I don't agree about living in a panel van full time. Nowhere near enough room for comfort and absolutely hell in winter. For a start the condensation would be dire and you would go stir crazy stuck in there when it gets dark at 3pm in the winter. You would be better off getting a continental van at at least 6.5 Mtrs as they are way ahead of any british vans for insulation and winterising, with inboard water tank and insulated and heated waste tank. Do not make any hasty decisions and have a good look around at waht's available to make sure it meets all your primary needs. You will of course have previously made a list of what you want the van for and what it must have for your daily requirements. Don't make an expensive mistake. You will need a fairly new van so that you can get many years out of it without having expensive repairs. It's a massive lifestyle change to make, so do as someone has suggested and hire one for a couple of weeks and you will get a feel for it. You could also of course just buy a cheapie to start with and see how you get on a few weeks holiday or more, then if you feel you are ready to take the plunge you can then sell it or trade it in for the one you really need. If you feel it's not for you, you won't lose a fortune and you will have had some eyeopening experiences. Another tip is to join a motorhome club and go on rallies (one make or general club) you will meet a lot of people who will help you with your new lifestyle. Ther are loads of fulltiming webstes for you to join or read up on as well. Good luck and enjoy if you do decide to give it a go. Peter
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