To Motorhome or not ?

Overall size, layout that suits you, and what you like to do will determine whether you will like a MH. Lots of things to consider, so read lots of the other threads about swapping from a van to a MH, or vice versa. Some things are the same, others are quite different. No right or wrong, it's entirely up to you. We are in lucky position of having both. For a short break, touring around, you can't beat a small MH. For staying on one or two sites for a good number of days, then caravan suits us better.

Good luck in your research

We swapped from caravan to Motorhome two years ago and haven’t looked back. For us it is the ideal way to tour the continent for a few weeks. We do, however, use different sites and try to look for ones close to towns to avoid having to drive the Motorhome to the shops etc.

We swapped to a motorhome 2 years ago ,and haven't looked back ,we use it so much more than the caravan ,from trips away to a day trip to the seaside or countryside, don't spend to much time deciding,do it and enjoy the freedom

Ask yourself if you will be happy to travel around in the MH or if you will need secondary transport or public transport. Whatever the answer, are you happy with that?

We made the change and adapted our way of touring so that we spend far fewer nights on each site and do our sight seeing and shopping etc en route between sites.

My tip is not to buy a huge MH that mirrors your caravan. Biggest is not necessarily best and small is far more practical.

i'll wager the OP has a Bailey and at least in 'design' probably does mirror their caravan.....its exactly why Bailey make their MHs like their caravans...

the thing is, the Autograph range are large, heavy MHs and this one will be nigh on impossible to run (sensibly) at 3500kg...

also, the Autograph range is (just about) the widest MH on the market at 2.49m wide....thats 44cm wider than a Panel Van...and 15cm wider than most 'std' MHs...

ok, it gives them a roomy feeling (again, the easy swap from a caravan) but the bulk will be noticed immediately on the road, especially by a first timer...so, an extended test drive is recommended, as is a trip to a weighbrige to check that vulnerable rear axle loading .....

Just googled it. That is a whopper.  Research carefully before committing is best advice I can give.

When we first thought about any type of van we looked at motorhomes and liked the feel of them, somehow, due to caravanning friends we ended up buying a series of caravans. Eventually we did what we originally planned and bought a van conversion followed by a small coachbuilt. We haven't needed anything bigger because we like touring in the UK and smaller vans are easier to use on narrow roads etc. We would probably go for something similar if travelling abroad too, others prefer large vans but we like small. Think about what you want to do, where you want to travel, how much time you'll actually be in the van etc etc. Really have a good look at all sorts of layouts and designs. Both our recent vans have been "nearly new," which has saved us quite a lot of money.

I would suggest you hire a comparable MH for a weekend or a week to find out the pros and cons - better a few hundred spent to test the water than a lot of thousands invested in something you find doesn't suit you.

We went down the hiring route for a couple of years before settling on a MH that suited our needs - and we're still going strong 6 years on ......

Certainly hire one and give it a try. I have the Autograph 75-4 and actually like the extra width. Yes I have to be careful because of the width, but you have to be careful when driving any large vehicle. 

I quickly got used to the width, watched a few videos on motorhome and RV driving from the UK & the US and picked up lots of driving tips. Eventually did the free half hour manoeuvring course when I visited a MH show.

i guess what I’m saying is, don’t let the width put you off.

Your question has been covered before and my comments here are personal views which won't necessarily be agreed by everyone.  

For me motorhoming is about mobility i.e. to go far and (reasonably) fast when I like. Some motorhomers want to replicate their caravan and look to have all the same facilities an a van of 7 or 8 metres long but to be truly mobile don't go over 6 metres. 

Motorhomes go A>B>C>D>A. Caravans or rather caravanners using their cars go A>B>A>C>A>D>A so your choice  will depend on your lifestyle and travel wishes.

To go to 6 metres or below needs some compromises. From a driving point of view its brilliant but some people cant or don't want to put up with the limited space and may want to carry lots of kit be it recliners barbecues satellite TV etc etc . Our 5.4 van has every facility we want (no microwave but we wouldn't use it anyway). 

Look at lots of vans and think very carefully. Hiring a van for even a limited time is expensive but may be worth it. As an interim "test" you could hire a comparable panel van for a day which will give you a similar driving experience.

Best of luck with whatever you choose.