Well here's a thing. SWMBO and I have just enjoyed a couple of weeks touring France and Spain, staying in some very nice hotels, plus a few days at our villa (now sold ) - seen loads of great places.
She's been pestering me about motor caravans. We could buy one and do some touring, use the van instead of hotels, the man maths is slightly appealing. Now I know sod all about them other than what I learned on our honeymoon in NZ when we rented one for a couple of weeks, so I'd be interested in what people who have one think. What's hot and what's not.
To get you started, spec wise, we'd need (by which I mean, "she wants") good spacious accommodation for two including a dedicated sleeping cabin with decent bed that you can get into without climbing over one another (an "island berth" in boaty speak), proper shower, comfy lounging area, galley (or whatever a kitchen is called). Storage. Has to be an automatic. Diesel probably essential for fuel costs. Good enough to drive long distances so it's not a trial. Parkable.
What do people do for transport once you arrive where you're staying, if you want to go into local town or go sightseeing or shopping? I'd feel the need for a small car too...
Definitely not: VW vans. Surf buses. Dude / stud day vans, old bangers.
Budget (if we did it) would be £20-30k for a used one.
Last edited by A1GSS on 5th Sep 2016 5:13 pm. Edited 1 time in total
5th Sep 2016 4:39 pm
JackNorris
Member Since: 06 Jul 2012
Location: Beds/Bucks Border
Posts: 1879
Anyone reason for not getting a tintent? You could get something very nice and have a bit left over towards a D5 MY2023 Discovery 5 R-Dynamic 3.0
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5th Sep 2016 4:50 pm
woody32 Site Sponsor
Member Since: 11 Mar 2009
Location: Somerset
Posts: 3551
I've been looking into this a little lately and for 20 to 30k you don't get a lot for a motorhome but for 20k you can get a lot of caravan so think I will be swaying towards a tintent
If you don't mind a left hooker prices seem a bit cheaper look at
Campers and caravans nl
Good luck Wanted D4s non runners pm for competitive price.
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5th Sep 2016 4:52 pm
al cope
Member Since: 08 Nov 2005
Location: Oldbury, WM
Posts: 10361
some nice 5th wheel campers at less than 30k new as well
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5th Sep 2016 4:53 pm
Landy_andy
Member Since: 05 May 2013
Location: Hertfordshire
Posts: 676
There is a massive show at Peterborough show ground that has new and used campers and a year. We are in also looking into the same as you, and certainly won't be going anywhere near a wobble box. We've looked at a couple now, and think we can get something nice for the above budget.
That's an idea, might go look, I think it's April?
Don't fancy a tin tent, dunno why seems to make perfect sense on paper...!____
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5th Sep 2016 5:45 pm
SouthernWombat
Member Since: 30 Aug 2014
Location: Devon
Posts: 224
Had both camper (including hiring a monster in the US) and tintent - now with a tintent. Have an Arizona for the large bathroom and shower, looking at the Barcelona in the future if the bathroom is big enough - as we free camp mostly.
Camper is great if you want to keep on moving, we spent 3 weeks in US traveling across the mid-west. Also with own UK sized across Europe and Eire.
Now with tin tent, means D3 comes on holiday with us! We now park up in a central spot and prefer to drive around in the D3, this will include a trip to the highlands where we do not intend to drag the tintent everywhere.
If retired maybe a different decision but while still working a lot of money parked up for very long periods not been used. Although nice for day trips to New Forest and Dartmoor, so it really is down to your personal choice.
Going up to the NEC on 14th.October for the main annual show.
5th Sep 2016 5:56 pm
Gazellio
Member Since: 08 Jan 2011
Location: Chilterns
Posts: 4130
You need £60-90k to get a decent Camper from Hymer/Dethleffs and other German makes.
UK vans are getting better but a class apart from German. Resale is an issue the more you spend the more you get back.
Island beds are all the rage now but you wont find one is a pre 2010 van...
We travel all over Europe about 5km a year and love it
looks good. Don't have that kind of money though the inevitable conundrum.____
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5th Sep 2016 6:11 pm
geoffsnook
Member Since: 13 Jun 2014
Location: south wales
Posts: 3170
Tintent all the way looked at campers but why would i want to tow a car around behind a camper the only reason you would is because you don't want to pack everything away each time (cups/plates/kettle etc) you want to go anywhere so therefore it was a tintent for me Discovery 3 se gone
Range rover sport supercharged here:)
Had Tintents for the last 25 years. When I took early retirement thought about a motorhome so we hired one for 5 days to try them out. I t was bloody expensive but we decided it wasn't for us. Looking soon to upgrade current caravan.
If in any doubt I would recommend hiring or if you can borrow one to try it out. I'm glad we did before we took the plunge
5th Sep 2016 6:48 pm
Mogwyth
Member Since: 03 Oct 2014
Location: Pwllheli
Posts: 3976
We thought about a camper/motohome and came to the conclusion that you either have one small enough to park and use as a daily driver and compromise on space and creature comforts or had a big one and then need to lug around alternative transport and if that was bikes or mopeds you still need a daily driver. So quickly came to the conclusion a caravan was a much better idea more space, makes use of the existing vehicle and better value for money.
That said my S-in-law and her husband have recently ordered one based on a VW T6 after hiring one on two occasions so horses for courses. and my mum has just brought a Peugot boxer conversion but for one it's probably fine.==================================
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Some interesting thoughts here. I like the idea of hiring. We'll maybe do a holiday next spring, not too taxing say Loire valley / chateau / wine etc in a hired one and see how she likes it.____
Gone: 10MY L320 RR Sport HSE, Ipanema Sand
Gone: 20MY Jaguar iPace HSE, Silicon Silver
Gone: 17MY RR Evoque SE Tech, Loire Blue
Gone: 08MY Discovery 3 XS, Stornoway Grey
Gone: 07MY FFRR TDV8 Vogue, Stornoway Grey
Actually, can I borrow yours... ____
Gone: 10MY L320 RR Sport HSE, Ipanema Sand
Gone: 20MY Jaguar iPace HSE, Silicon Silver
Gone: 17MY RR Evoque SE Tech, Loire Blue
Gone: 08MY Discovery 3 XS, Stornoway Grey
Gone: 07MY FFRR TDV8 Vogue, Stornoway Grey
5th Sep 2016 7:50 pm
Landy_andy
Member Since: 05 May 2013
Location: Hertfordshire
Posts: 676
I've been told the camper show in the NEC is not as good as it is mainly new vehicles, where as the Petbog has lots of used vehicles.
Campers appeal to us as we don't do multiple days at campsites, the max would be two or three. To us there's more to be seen by traveling, and there are so many free/cheap ares where you can park campers, making it very cheap to travel. Also many towns have set areas aside for campers that are very close to the Center. There are many people out there that buy the £70 + thousand vans every three years, and they then are sold massively reduced in price.
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) - seen loads of great places.
