itz Posted March 16, 2016 Share Posted March 16, 2016 Bought a motorhome, spent a fortune on updating, spent money on Camping and Caravaning Club and ACSI card, now when I start to plan to make use of it for the first time I find I am so worried about all the pitfalls and technical problems that I have read about I really don't think this is for me, back to planes and hotels I think. One final question for the forum, where is the best place to advertise motorhome for sale? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billggski Posted March 16, 2016 Share Posted March 16, 2016 Folk only contribute when they have a problem. You'd never buy a car if you read the forums first. Book a crossing, head south, stop at a few campsites and Aires, soak up the atmosphere and forget your troubles. Bon voyage! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qwark Posted March 16, 2016 Share Posted March 16, 2016 I felt worried when we first started, we gradually improved. First we went to a local site with all facilities, and learned all the workings of our motorhome, next we went further and longer distances , then sites with no hook up. Sure we made mistakes, but thats how you learn. A couple of times we got a hand from fellow campers, but we loved it. Last Summer we went to Scotland for 6 weeks, at stayed at pre booked sites, and a few wild campsites. Then our ultimate challenge 4 weeks in France , just booked the ferry each way, and used our ACSI card to travel around the Dordogne , Brittainy and Normandy, making our mind up each night would we stay or move on. Most French sites speak English, but try to greet them in French. A few words seem to be appreciated. I think if you plan well and try to anticipate you needs - Gas, water, food ( plenty of out of town hypermarkets) I'd say at least give it a go, dont be afraid to ask fellow campers for advice, usually they are only to pleased to talk about their motorhome/travels and give you some ideas, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikebeaches Posted March 16, 2016 Share Posted March 16, 2016 As others have said, just chill out and give it a go. Suggest staying not too far from home to begin with, perhaps at a Camping and Caravanning Club site (since you've joined), that will have all the facilities you could need. Likewise ACSI sites. Then progress from there. We all had to start somewhere and I suspect most would have some apprehension to begin with. After 18 months, taking it step by step, we found ourselves travelling through France, Spain, Portugal, Switzerland, Germany, Luxembourg, Belgium and Netherlands. Much more remains to be explored... But we still enjoy flying / hotel holidays too. Go for it...! PS By the way, in our opinion, motorhoming in France (for example) is much easier than in the UK. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
747 Posted March 16, 2016 Share Posted March 16, 2016 Planes crash or disappear. Hotels collapse during earthquakes. The prospect frightens me. That's why I bought a motorhome, much safer ...... apart from the odd mad Midnight axeman that is ...... and the odd Cow or wild pony rubbing its backside against the van at 4 in the morning ....... and the bloody seagulls tap dancing on the roof as dawn breaks. *-) I don't want another night like that. :'( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malc d Posted March 16, 2016 Share Posted March 16, 2016 itz - 2016-03-16 8:13 PM Bought a motorhome, spent a fortune on updating, spent money on Camping and Caravaning Club and ACSI card, now when I start to plan to make use of it for the first time I find I am so worried about all the pitfalls and technical problems that I have read about I really don't think this is for me, back to planes and hotels I think. I don't like the sound of planes - doesn't that mean queues in crowded airports - delays - airsickness - turbulence - and maybe even hijackers ? ... and as for hotels - I've seen those holidays from hell programmes on TV - with all those cockroaches, and hotels with noisy building sites next door. Don't fancy that myself. Easy to take things a bit too seriously - and sounds to me as if you are worrying too much. Why not just try a couple of short stays on sites not too far away from home and see how you get on. Seems a shame not to enjoy the van now you have put so much work into it. As someone else said people only write on the forum when they have a problem - we don't hear from the majority. ( They are away enjoying themselves ). Once you have built up a bit of confidence you can go further afield if you want to - but it's not compulsory - that's the beauty of it - you decide for yourself where you go. Good luck anyway - what ever you decide to do. ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robbo Posted March 16, 2016 Share Posted March 16, 2016 If you find yourself out of your depth and can't swim - don't take the ferry, use the tunnel. Before you give up, just go on a trial trip to France and then decide - I'm sure you'll love it and never look back. I do get a bit apprehensive when starting a trip but in 35 years of travelling around Europe we've never had a major problem. We did have a wheel bearing replaced in Spain but the RAC put us up in a hotel while it was being fixed. Since you live so close to Dover/Folkestone, Europe is your oyster - just go and enjoy and stop worrying. If the worst should happen, providing you have breakdown and medical insurance, you should have no problems. The RAC and AA have a 24/7 helpline in Lyon, France so you're only a telephone call away from assistance. You'll soon get used to driving on the wrong side, when you get to a junction just get into the habit of first looking left and then right (opposite to UK). Don't give up but give it a go. Best of luck and we look forward to hearing about all your future adventures. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave225 Posted March 16, 2016 Share Posted March 16, 2016 As others have stated, give it a try first. However, if it is an incentive do be aware that selling the thing will result in a very hefty dent in your wallet. You are looking at a loss of at least 20% of what you paid, so possibly better to use it than lose it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brock Posted March 16, 2016 Share Posted March 16, 2016 I've been motorhoming for over 20 years and still don't have a clue how it works other than which buttons to press. To me, the motorhome is a tool that allows me to do other things I enjoy like local history and rambling. So I take no more interest in the motorhome than I do with say my PC. Mr DIY, I am not. Somehow, you find a way to deal with the very few troubles you encounter. And they become epic tales which get embroidered every time you tell the story. I might be incompetent at the oily and electrical bits but I'm seen as heroic by the family! Give it a go. Go to a site in the UK for a few nights and see how you get on. Wardens or whoever runs the camp will help you if you get stuck as will any other person on site. It's like having a motorhoming wikipedia! You could go on a rally and not be short of friends. Probably a good starter would be the Motorhome Show at Peterborough; dedicated service personnel on sites and thousands of motorhomers. To be honest, in that 20 years I haven't come across anything that spoiled our enjoyment of motorhoming. What I do well, though, is ask when I get stuck! "Can you help me please" is a pretty good ice breaker on sites. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arthur Brown Posted March 16, 2016 Share Posted March 16, 2016 You have got the van, you have joined the C&CC so why not go to your nearest club site. Take your cable for electricity (Hook-up) So, you have a level place to park, you have power so start testing your kit. You get water on site, you can dispose of your waste on site and if a problem arises you can ask fellow campers or if you prefer not to then ask the wardens. The majority are good people who will help you. If you are very unfortunate and come across the occasional moron, and they do exist, then accept you have been unfortunate and put it down to experience. Like most of us you will find that the problems outlined on here are few and far between. When we first started we discovered how everything worked and it did indeed work. Give it a whirl, I think you will find your fears are unfounded. Once you have tried it you will not be looking at planes and hotels but don't dismiss them, they are part of the wider choice you now have. Become happy and efficient in the UK before you go abroad, however, when you do you will find that the French in particular, are much more motorhome friendly. If you can survive in the UK then you will find France a complete pleasure. For your final question, no matter where you advertise your van you will be disappointed with the offers you receive. You can keep it for a year - trying it - and still get around the same for it in a years time. Best of luck and please do try it, you never know, all these problems may be for others to solve and your experience may be trouble free. Art Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don636 Posted March 16, 2016 Share Posted March 16, 2016 Must admit I don't really follow the thought process here. If you have managed to get to the point of sourcing a motorhome that you think suits your requirements and budget and have made some upgrades (and this is not an easy process in itself), I can't see why you should not be capable of actually giving it a try. Most things in life involve some sort of risk and challenge but to me this is part of the fun. Nothing really bad is going to happen and if you run into a problem I can assure you that the motorhoming community will only be too happy to offer help should you ask for it. As an example of what can be done my wife and I, some time ago, decided to take a year off work and set off for the USA with our two year old daughter in tow. We bought a 30ft RV, toured for a year, sold it and came back home. It all felt very risky and out there at the time and we did have a few issues to deal with including our daughter getting ill and requiring a hospital visit in the middle of the night, in the middle of nowhere, but it all worked out and was well worth the effort in terms of life experience gained. Compared to that, organising some trips down the road should be a piece of cake so why not go for it. Of course, if you have changed you mind and decided that camping is not for you then that is a different matter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith T Posted March 16, 2016 Share Posted March 16, 2016 Bit late for getting cold feet, and certainly it appears you have not actually used the MH yet? It appears you are in an excellent part of the Uk for sites, or for that trip across (or under) the channel. We all had to start somewhere, and even now after 25 years of doing so, I still get some apprehension when setting out on the annual trip to France. But there is no obligation to go overseas for the first trip - although I have to say I enjoy driving more in France than the Uk - but it really is very little different from driving the car, and in some ways easier, as you are up higher and have much better vision from the MH. Give it a try before you decide to see - you might even enjoy it after all your fears subside. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Jones Posted March 16, 2016 Share Posted March 16, 2016 What's all this heretical talk of aeroplanes??? (see my strapline - and Nike's motto!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itz Posted March 17, 2016 Author Share Posted March 17, 2016 I perhaps should have explained more clearly my concerns, I bought the motorhome thinking I could use it quite extensively during the coming summer as I travel around the county and country playing lawn bowls, in August I will be in Leamington Spa for 15 nights, in September I am in Devon for 8 nights and I am visiting 38 clubs at all sorts of locations on various dates from April to end of September. I hadn't taken into account the problems of finding and booking sites, also getting to and from venues from those sites. I know nothing about batteries be they vehicle or leisure batteries, I just thought when I was driving batteries charged, when I stopped I hooked up to a point and batteries charged, output or input of said batteries and numbers and formulae for working out if I am running them down too quickly or charging them too quickly, I never thought I would need to know anything about. The MH has butane gas bottles which I thought were fine for cooking and heating, I never imagined there was a difference in the way the gas operated was dependant on winter or summer temperatures and that I should consider different gas for different circumstances. There are other things that have just really confused the hell out of me, this is far from my first thought of buy it, fit it the way I want it, use it, get someone else to maintain it. I just thought I could just jump in it and drive it. Thanks for all your thoughts and encouragement, the driving of it wherever that may be, the sleeping in it both present no problems or concerns, it's the technical bits that are of concern, I have always been the person who knows what he is doing, the person people went to if they had questions and the person who made the right decisions at the right time, becoming a novice, a newbie, a learner and someone without a clue is very hard and humbling for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don636 Posted March 17, 2016 Share Posted March 17, 2016 There is a lot of talk on this forum about technical issues related to things such as batteries and charging thereof, problems with the base vehicles and technical faults on installed equipment. Whilst I read these with some interest I don't give these potential problems a minutes consideration. I just get in the van and go. If something does ever go wrong I will simply take the van to someone who can fix it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Jones Posted March 17, 2016 Share Posted March 17, 2016 Re the problem of sites - take a look at www.britstops.com , a network of "non-sites" where you don't normally book, just turn up (or in some cases phone on the day). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike88 Posted March 17, 2016 Share Posted March 17, 2016 I think itz is concerned about issues he need not worry about. There are posts on here about issues that make even getting into the driver's seat sound complicated (OK I exaggerate but you get my point) . There is no need to know about batteries or gas. If the lights go out your battery is flat. If you use butane in the winter the chances are that the gas will not light. So what? Change to propane as you can swap to that at any Calor dealer and that issue will be extinguished. I have been caravanning/motorhoming all my life. I was nearly born in my parent's caravan. I know nothing about batteries either but in 67 years I have only experienced one battery issue which was last year on a site in Spain. I telephoned the insurance people and the problem was sorted. Many of the issues you get with a motorhome can occur with a traditional car such as punctures, battery, electrical issues and mechanical breakdowns but in reality these occur very infrequently, if at all. Does that make you stop using your car? Of course not. If you read car forums about even new vehicles you might never get in your car again if you are the worrying type. If itz is concerned about getting to his venue from his overnight stop then perhaps he has the wrong type of motorhome as there should be no problem with say a 5.5 metre panel van conversion. My advice would be to stop reading this forum, stop worrying about issues that are unlikely to arise and get in your motorhome and use it for the purpose originally intended. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickt Posted March 17, 2016 Share Posted March 17, 2016 As you are in CCC and live in Kent I suggest that you go on a rally with the motorhome section in Kent. This way you will meet many other owners who will help you. You donot have to be a member of the motorhome section just a club member.Why not go away Easter they are staying at Broadstairs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Hart Posted March 17, 2016 Share Posted March 17, 2016 Its - Does look a lot to learn, I'm just starting out and dont even have MH yet. Also live in Kent and that tunnel isnt far away to get to France and beyond. Once we've learnt a bit more, we'll get a MH and then use it in this county for festivals and weekends away first, find out what we know and dont know. I used to keep Koi, was once a newbie at that learnt loads, built a bigger newer pond, eventually went to Japan to buy Koi. Out of that game now, I'm sure MH's will be fun to learn as much as the Koi was. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted March 17, 2016 Share Posted March 17, 2016 itz - 2016-03-17 1:07 AM ...Thanks for all your thoughts and encouragement, the driving of it wherever that may be, the sleeping in it both present no problems or concerns, it's the technical bits that are of concern, I have always been the person who knows what he is doing, the person people went to if they had questions and the person who made the right decisions at the right time, becoming a novice, a newbie, a learner and someone without a clue is very hard and humbling for me. There’s no reason to remain clueless regarding the technicalities of motorcaravanning - buy a book. For example http://www.amazon.co.uk/Motorcaravan-Manual-Choosing-Using-Maintaining/dp/0857331248/ref=dp_ob_title_bk Reading it won’t miraculously and instantly transform you into a motorhome technical expert, but it should give you a foundation on which to build if you so choose. Becoming more techno-savvy won’t help you with campsite bookings, parking and other ‘usage’ issues, but it certainly won’t do you any harm to have some basic background knowledge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted March 17, 2016 Share Posted March 17, 2016 Mike88 - 2016-03-17 7:51 AM I think itz is concerned about issues he need not worry about. There are posts on here about issues that make even getting into the driver's seat sound complicated (OK I exaggerate but you get my point) . No, you're not exaggerating! There have been posts highlighting the problems of using a handbrake extender, and I could point out a couple, but in reality I use one without thinking about it. But as the rest of Mike's post, best to just 'get on with it', being one of the worlds great worriers I can to some extent see where your problems are, but once you have a trip or two under your belt you will be fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike88 Posted March 17, 2016 Share Posted March 17, 2016 Derek Uzzell - 2016-03-17 8:54 AM itz - 2016-03-17 1:07 AM ...Thanks for all your thoughts and encouragement, the driving of it wherever that may be, the sleeping in it both present no problems or concerns, it's the technical bits that are of concern, I have always been the person who knows what he is doing, the person people went to if they had questions and the person who made the right decisions at the right time, becoming a novice, a newbie, a learner and someone without a clue is very hard and humbling for me. There’s no reason to remain clueless regarding the technicalities of motorcaravanning - buy a book. For example http://www.amazon.co.uk/Motorcaravan-Manual-Choosing-Using-Maintaining/dp/0857331248/ref=dp_ob_title_bk Reading it won’t miraculously and instantly transform you into a motorhome technical expert, but it should give you a foundation on which to build if you so choose. Becoming more techno-savvy won’t help you with campsite bookings, parking and other ‘usage’ issues, but it certainly won’t do you any harm to have some basic background knowledge. Not to decry Derek's advice but I am firmly in the camp that the more you know the more there is to worry about. I would much rather drive around in blissful ignorance than to worry about every squeak or rattle that would impair my enjoyment of simply getting on with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will H Posted March 17, 2016 Share Posted March 17, 2016 Itz, Choose one item and post it on here, Have it answered then post another. Quite straight forward. There is always someone who can give a good reply. Give us a clue to age and gender. Will (87) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malc d Posted March 17, 2016 Share Posted March 17, 2016 Will H - 2016-03-17 9:41 AM Itz, Give us a clue to age and gender. Will (87) Don't know why you want to know that but with a name like Rick - I reckon he's a bloke. ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spospe Posted March 17, 2016 Share Posted March 17, 2016 I don't know about the C&CC, but the Caravan Club run loads of rallies every weekend throughout the year. Assuming that the C&CC have a similar system, why not try a few local rallies and get the feel of using your motorhome whilst you are surrounded by lots of help should you have a problem? Don't be put off by jargon and the feeling that you are an outsider trying to learn a completely new set of tricks; just give it a go and build your confidence up step by step. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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