Spizz1 Posted February 16, 2022 Share Posted February 16, 2022 Hi everyone,we've just joined the group and already got lots of info. We are hoping to get our first MH this year ,but there is a tiny bit of us that wonders if a caravan would be better for us. We are going to the NEC show soon and really need to decide which to look at. We would like to know how much opportunity there is in Europe to wild camp/park. We are now thinking that it we have to spend most I our time on sites, then we should just get a caravan. Thanks guys Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted February 16, 2022 Share Posted February 16, 2022 I've lived/holidayed in touring caravans, and holidayed in Campervans/Motorhomes, both have there good and bad points, in UK we mainly stay on sites but still prefer a Campervan/Motorhome, on continent a campervan gives you the choice of sites or aires so for us a Campervan/Motorhome is a nobrainer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GandJP Posted February 16, 2022 Share Posted February 16, 2022 Personally I think that if you intend to tour europe as much as you can then a motorhome is the only way to go. If you intend to sit on a campsite in Europe then a caravan is the way to go. if you intend to tour in England then a caravan is the best way. You can of course drag a car behind which also works very well in England. In europe with so much space dragging a car in my opinion not necessary. In all the years of touring in Europe I have never needed a car. Others here will have different views of course. For the last two years i have only toured in France using Aires that are a fantastic facility and have not gone anywhere near a campsite. Apart from the odd difficult village there has been nowhere I have not been able to visit. France in particular is a mind boggling country to tour in a motorhome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Den Posted February 16, 2022 Share Posted February 16, 2022 We have been using aires since 2002 and find it works perfectly. We do use a site in 2 towns we go to, this purely because they are both very reasonable with loads of space. We have in the past used electric bikes to look around rivers and canals and the last Spanish loaned is FOC 2 electric bikes. Perfect. We started like most camping then a short spell with a caravan and then Motorhomes Coach built, A class and an American followed by a PVC FOR 3 years and now a 7mtr a class. A superb way to holiday. We are going Tuesday in the MH Den Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted February 17, 2022 Share Posted February 17, 2022 There's a fair amount of online discussion about the motorhome-or-caravan choice - GOOGLE-search on "motorhome or caravan". This is a useful example https://thegapdecaders.com/caravan-or-motorhome/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted February 17, 2022 Share Posted February 17, 2022 Car plus caravan means taking the caravan to a site, setting it up, and then leaving it there while you tour around in the car. Depending on where you are, for instance hilly/mountainous areas, this can mean you see an awful lot of the same road because, in most of those areas, the roads run up and down the valleys, which is where the campsites tend to be: valley = reasonably flat ground = happy caravanners. :-) A motorhome, OTOH, generally facilitates touring as you go, so that longer journeys, especially around continental Europe, can be taken in shortish stages, stopping and visiting as you go, rather than in long blasts behind the wheel. Oddly, comparatively, and just in my experience, the total mileage covered on an equivalent trip with a caravan is liable to be greater than with a motorhome, because of all that toing and froing around the sited caravan. Then, there is the issue of whether you prefer to use site sanitary facilities, or to use your own, on board, facilities. Some people are uncomfortable using communal facilities, meaning they prefer to use their own - even when on a site. Only you will know where you will fit in! :-) I had a brief conversation with a Brit on a French site, who asked me, why, when we had our own facilities, we went to the toilet block. My reply was that someone else had the job of cleaning the site facilities, that we used less water, so needed to refill less frequently, that out toilet use was limited to night time, so the cassette needed less emptying, and that our unused shower and lightly used toilet needed less cleaning, so we had more time to do what we wanted to do outside the van, and away from the site. His reply, was "that wouldn't do for them". So, if you prefer the idea of using your on-board facilities rather than communual facilities, and you like the idea of being able to stop more or less at will, without the need to seek out campsites, the motorhome becomes the clear winner. If you prefer not to use your on board facilities in preference to using site facilities, but are drawn to breaking your trips into bite sized chunks by touring as you go, the motorhome, IMO, still comes out on top. If you think in terms of a particular destination, with extended driving times to get there and back, and then touring the local area, the caravan probably becomes the best choice - providing you are comfortable towing a caravan, although this can be done equally well with a motorhome, albeit the touring around is more disruptive (packing for the road etc.) and less easy, due to the car park unfriendly size of the motorhome. Then, there is size. Large caravan = large tow car = an unforgiving rig if you miss a turning and need to turn round to go back, plus a necessity to route along wider roads, often in company of more trucks, buses, and traffic generally, and away from the less busy, more rural roads. Much the same can be said for the larger motorhomes, some of which are approaching the size of buses. The smaller the vehicle, the more places you can get to with relative ease, at the expense, in the case of motorhomes, of "home comforts". If you have never tried either, you face something of a learning curve. In the case of motorhomes, this curve can be flattened somewhat by hiring before you buy. I've never considered hiring a touring caravan, so have no idea if this is possible, but your car would have a) to be of suitable power and weight to tow a caravan safely, and b) to have a towbar and electrical connections installed. There is one other consideration that no-one, IMO, can guide you on. That is the way - once you have tried a few trips in either, and you begin to find out which features "work" for you, and which you either never use, or simply drive you nuts - your mind tends to question the suitability of what you have! :-) Things that looked impressive, or even indispensable, in a showroom, can lose their appeal in every day use, while some absences/deficiencies become obvious. Then you start to think about a change, which is the costly way to find what you really wanted - but didn't know when buying! This applies also to what you do, and where you go. If you like what you have, your mind begins to think about other things you might do, and places you might go, but what you have just isn't quire "right" for those other uses and places. So, as the interior arrangements of both caravans and motorhomes are broadly similar, and motorhomes are the most readily available to hire, I'd say look at vans that you think suitable for your purposes, and see if you can hire one, or a similar one, for a week or so, and give the idea a thorough appraisal. You may love it or hate it, but all it will cost you to find out is the hire cost. If that is nearly right, you can try again with a different van, again, at far less cost than if you only find after you've bought one - and then decide to change it! Final point, if considering touring Europe in a motorhome, give some thought to a left hand drive van. The advantage is not that great (although it is there), but your vision at oblique junctions will be better, as will lane changing on dual carriageways, as will seeing around slower traffic (especially agricultural vehicles!), that you may want to overtake on two lane roads. Worst of all, IMO, in right hand traffic, is the low eye level of a RHD tow car, which restricts your forward view as well as giving the foregoing snags. RHD vans, OTOH, with their higher driver's eye level, which allows you to see forward road conditions over the tops of many cars, do make life that bit easier than with a car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charleydog Posted February 17, 2022 Share Posted February 17, 2022 Other point is economic, the cost of purchase and devaluation. Caravan,say £20000. three years time,value,£12000,loss £9000. Motorhome,cost, £50000 up,three years on.value £30000 loss,£20000.plus more running cost.Plus if you already own a suitable tow car why leave it idle.And if there are four or more of you,a caravan wins the space race. I have a camper van.which I can take for a day somewhere.Park up and enjoy.Plus I hate seeing caravans jammed in front gardens for months at a time.You would soon tire of dragging it out for the odd weekend too. Just another angle to consider. :-D Plus campers are COOL! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laimeduck Posted February 17, 2022 Share Posted February 17, 2022 Spizz1 - 2022-02-16 8:24 PM Hi everyone,we've just joined the group and already got lots of info. We are hoping to get our first MH this year ,but there is a tiny bit of us that wonders if a caravan would be better for us. We are going to the NEC show soon and really need to decide which to look at. We would like to know how much opportunity there is in Europe to wild camp/park. We are now thinking that it we have to spend most I our time on sites, then we should just get a caravan. Thanks guys Paul hello From your comments above it would seem that you have neither caravanned nor motorhomed before? If so have you camped under canvas or glamped or holidayed in any like manner on camp sites? If so what is it you enjoy about camping? It would be useful to know what sort of experience you have because that could tailor the comments. Inevitably this being a motorhome site, most comments will show bias towards motorhomes. Within that bias there will be those who prefer sites, those who prefer aires, and those who prefer to wild camp ... all with their own fairly fixed ideas! Give us a clue! Jeremy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crocs Posted February 17, 2022 Share Posted February 17, 2022 Interesting point in a previous post about RHD or LHD vehicle when driving abroad. I actually prefer RHD, even taking into account its 'idiosyncrasies' and the need for a trusted lookout. I think it might have something to do with 'muscle memory' eg assessing where the corners of the vehicle are. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vindiboy Posted February 18, 2022 Share Posted February 18, 2022 crocs - 2022-02-17 10:29 PM Interesting point in a previous post about RHD or LHD vehicle when driving abroad. I actually prefer RHD, even taking into account its 'idiosyncrasies' and the need for a trusted lookout. I think it might have something to do with 'muscle memory' eg assessing where the corners of the vehicle are. I have never had a left hand drive vehicle , and never would want one, although I have driven a few, I have no problem with a right hand drive in mainland Europe and find it so easy driving over there, it seems so natural and easy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barryd999 Posted February 18, 2022 Share Posted February 18, 2022 Nothing much to add other than if you are doing Europe then definitely get a Motorhome. Its so well set up for motorhomes and yes wild camping is much easier there. Certainly in countries like France, Spain (not as good as France) and Italy and coupled with the thousands of free or cheap motorhome stopovers in all those countries its definitely a major advantage having a motorhome rather than a caravan. I like the mountains and high passes many of which wont be suitable for a Wobble box so consider that also if you are going to the Pyrenees or Alps. As for buying, buy wisely and you wont lose much money if you decide its not for you. I wouldn't be tempted to purchase new. Prices have rocketed though for motorhomes but it means you will have no bother selling it if it doesnt work out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve hill Posted February 18, 2022 Share Posted February 18, 2022 The answer is fairly easy to this, if you want to explore,move and stop a lot, get a van. Read and use the App Park4Night. It show masses of "wildcamp" spots all over the world as well as places to fill and empty for free and the paying types. We have thrown out all our similar paper guides, just put it on your mobile and go travelling. At present the App is taking us all round Spain and working great, we have only stayed on real campsites for a few days in the last 60. Go for it..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spirou Posted February 18, 2022 Share Posted February 18, 2022 I'll just say this.... Dump or ignore the Park4Night and other apps showing you anything other than official spots. Or do you perhaps believe police, tourism and other enforcement officers/inspectors don't know about them and don't show up with a fine? Do you perhaps think the locals enjoy seeing a constant stream of motorhomes that keep showing up in previously quiet streets, lots etc. that someone decided to publicize as free parking for the night? Most app users just shut down their brains and crowd in exact same spots as everyone else when equaly useful spots usually exist nearby. Sleeping wherever you want is rarely completely legal in any country, specific county ordnances might ban over night parking even in countries that otherwise have no problem with motorhomes etc. These apps have done more harm to wildcampers than anything else as they draw attention to otherwise low key, usually tolerated behaviour. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted February 19, 2022 Share Posted February 19, 2022 Regarding 'wild camping', this UK link may be worth reading. https://omcmotorhomes.co.uk/a-guide-on-wild-camping-for-motorhomes-in-the-uk/ I've always considered 'wild camping' to involve parking your motorhome where it shouldn't really be and accepting that if someone tells you to bugger off, they have every right to insist that you do. I don't equate wild camping with not parking on campsites, or parking on 'aires' (free or pay) where motorhomes are specifically allowed to stay. The French Campingcar-Infos website https://www.campingcar-infos.com/Francais/recherche.php shows the number of motorhome parking opportunities in a list of countries, and it's possible to filter the parking records by type (8 alternatives). What should be obvious from the list is that it will be a helluva lot easier to park a motorhome in Continental Europe than in the UK- which was what Paul was concerned about in his original posting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GandJP Posted February 19, 2022 Share Posted February 19, 2022 For us when we usually go in September to October we are often the only van on an aire and so its almost like wild camping. One was on a high hill about an hour from Bergerac and the view was amazing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColinM50 Posted February 19, 2022 Share Posted February 19, 2022 The only thing I'd add is that some of the restaurant chains, Toby, Beefeater, Harvester etc allow parking overnight in their car parks. Phone and check first but we've never had an issue. Of course it's first come first served and no EHU. When we go to the NEC we always stay at the Toby so for the cost of a meal, you get free parking. And no washing up :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vindiboy Posted February 19, 2022 Share Posted February 19, 2022 https://ibb.co/By1ycrV Motorhome for me , but we have moved to and fro between Caravans and Motorhomes nothing to choose between them really its all down to choice,https://ibb.co/By1ycrV Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverback Posted February 19, 2022 Share Posted February 19, 2022 spirou - 2022-02-18 7:14 PM I'll just say this.... Dump or ignore the Park4Night and other apps showing you anything other than official spots. Or do you perhaps believe police, tourism and other enforcement officers/inspectors don't know about them and don't show up with a fine? Do you perhaps think the locals enjoy seeing a constant stream of motorhomes that keep showing up in previously quiet streets, lots etc. that someone decided to publicize as free parking for the night? Most app users just shut down their brains and crowd in exact same spots as everyone else when equaly useful spots usually exist nearby. Sleeping wherever you want is rarely completely legal in any country, specific county ordnances might ban over night parking even in countries that otherwise have no problem with motorhomes etc. These apps have done more harm to wildcampers than anything else as they draw attention to otherwise low key, usually tolerated behaviour. totally agree with you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted February 20, 2022 Share Posted February 20, 2022 spirou - 2022-02-18 7:14 PM I'll just say this.... Dump or ignore the Park4Night and other apps showing you anything other than official spots... Which apps that just show "official spots" would you recommend, please? (There's a wide variety here.) https://thegapdecaders.com/motorhome-apps/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spizz1 Posted February 20, 2022 Author Share Posted February 20, 2022 Thanks for all the informative replies everyone.it's given me lots to think about and work with . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spirou Posted February 20, 2022 Share Posted February 20, 2022 This one by Promobil.de https://www.promobil.de/tipps/download-stellplatz-radar-app-kostenlos/ For everything else use a map, your eyes, brains, and avoid following others Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted February 21, 2022 Share Posted February 21, 2022 As far as I'm aware there is no English-language version of the Promobil stellplatz app for Apple devices (which is what I have). It's certainly the case that - when I used the Park4Night website and looked at areas I was familiar with - there were overnight parking places suggested that I'd have serious reservations about using. But it is possible to filter searches if wished to reduce the chances of 'non-official' parking places being selected and, in any case, the information provided seems sufficient for people to know what they'd be getting. Park4Night and similar applications are all potentially useful tools, but their usage requires common sense. (If a person buys a hammer and batters his next-door neighbour with it, it's unreasonable to blame the hammer or the hammer's vendor.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DickB Posted February 22, 2022 Share Posted February 22, 2022 I am currently in Portugal en route to Spain and home. I have used Campercontact almost exclusively for the past month with great success. I used it a few years ago for a 3 month tour of France with equal confidence. I have Camperstop, park4night and ACSI as well, but Campercontact comes out on top as most users try to provide updates. Obviously sites which are less used, and the restriction on travel with Covid, mean that some info could be out of date. DickB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spizz1 Posted March 2, 2022 Author Share Posted March 2, 2022 Thanks again guys. Plenty of info to work with Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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