Moving from Caravan to Motorhome

The pros and cons have been voiced on several threads - I often think about it but come to the conclusion that I will carry on caravanning as long as possible - even if I need to go down to a tear drop or similar - there just isn't enough space in a motor home the size I would like to drive or live in with my two dogs. 

We love our motorhome and have never regretted choosing it. We were in our 50s when we came to it, never caravanners.  We have hired them in nz too. Weather makes a big difference,  if you can sit/play/cook outside it feels much bigger 😆

If you have a dog and an 8 year old I'd think very carefully. Most with motorhomes tour on their way to and from sites, it seems to be a different way of holidaying. You'd need a fair size one, ours is 5 berth but I wouldn't want 5 in it 😂. We sometimes take our son's minature golden doodle with us and thats no issue she is secured to a convenient part of passenger seat frame. We are happy to walk, cycle and use public transport- would that suit you? We don't very often hit parking problems but height restrictions are very common. 

Plenty for you to consider and ponder. Do let us know what you decide.

We made the change four years ago and not regretted it. It might be useful for you to give us a bit of background as to why you are thinking of changing? Can't comment of dogs as we have never had one.

David

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If you intend touring, a motorhome is a good bet but your youngster may not be so keen to spend time on the road when they could be in a play area with other children on site. If you intend travelling abroad, then the youngster may not mind the mileage as everything is new.

Our young boys loved the European tours where we crossed into several different countries on two - three week trips.

Check out where your youngster is going to sit in the motorhome, whether the seat is suitable and whether s/he will be happy to sit alone in the rear - or one of the parents is dumped at the rear. It's almost impossible to talk to the rear passenger from the front seats - motorhomes are noisier than cars, motorhomes rattle, and there is a large space to fill.

Not all dogs take to motorhoming, the majority seem to love it - ours did!  However, there is a need to properly restrain the dog in a motorhome. Some people use harnesses, some cages; there are numerous options.  You can take the dog abroad with you or, as we did, send him on holiday to the local kennels.

Bear in mind in a motorhome you are still restricted on how much you can take in the van. Driving licence entitlement, axle loads, loading margins etc all have to be considered.

I do not normally recommend hire before you buy but on this occasion, with a young child, it may be worth it as it will tell you whether it is a terrible experience.

All that said, we had a great time for many years motorhoming with our two boys and dog. 

As our daughter got older and taller, we had had the MH since she was 3 months old to 9yrs, and found space constraints, making up beds each night and lack of capacity to bring a friend along were beginning to limit our holidays. Granted we had done some mega trips in the UK & Europe when she was young as it was easy to travel.

We also found it a faff to pack stuff each time we went out for the day.

Since we have had the caravan, there is more room, a friend can come away for short breaks easier, and going out for the day is more spontaneous with just the need to jump in the car.

And it's cool to have a caravan.

The older daughter, when at home did not think a MH was cool.

We also went from 4 vehicles to 2. The MH needs insurance as a vehicle, MoT, servicing, all adding to the family budget with all the other expense a growing child brings!!!

We did this with some trepidation last year after many years with a caravan and spending 40K on a motor home is a big step but is one we have not regretted for a moment. There are very well found arguments for both sides either van or motor home.

What decided it for us was that we no longer want to be sat in one place for 2 weeks we prefer to move about a bit. We also go for lots of short 1 or 2 day brakes and the motor home is better in every way for them.

I no longer want to be driving about on a holiday after all I am on holiday! so we always stay at a site within walking distance of a town or village or bus stop or train station and let the bus or train or sometimes taxi driver worry about it (there are plenty of them used to be a good thread here with list of site after site of them but with new format have lost it)

We have 2 mature Springer’s and have no problems with them apart from the car was used as a kennel when they were wet until they dried of we now dry them of as they come in that is the only disadvantage we have found and all the advantages far outweigh them.

It is right for us but you have to make own mind, possibly hire one as they are a big investment to get wrong.

Lots will agree and lots will disagree at the end of the day it is what’s right for you that is most important

(Might add the change in club name is a pointer in what is going on with motor homes they are on the up)

Just my thoughts

Roy

we no longer want to be sat in one place for 2 weeks we prefer to move about a bit

It isn't compulsory to spend 2 weeks on a site if using a caravan you know. 

We often consider this. Our thoughts always return to the fact that changing to a m/h would severely affect our ability to tour around the local area. 

We could, of course, use the m/h itself to travel around, but driving a small bus around local villages, narrow lanes and then finding somewhere to park, just does not appeal.

We could use public transport of course, if only it went to where we want to go, when we want to go there......and accept that a chunk of the day would be taken up with standing at bus stops, train stations etc. After paying a significant amount on fares. And that, with the car, we can change our minds, go somewhere else, go somewhere that buses don't go (or only go once a week) but with public transport, we would be very tied.

In the end, the lack of flexibility settles it for us. 

Contrary to the view that caravaners are people who stay in one place, we caravan because we like to get out and about in the area.......beyond where we can walk / ride bikes. 

I like the 'self contained' aspect of motorhomes, but for us they would be far too restrictive

Someone asked me the other day if I "tour" with my caravan - I guess they thought I sat on a site for a week or more at a time.  I certainly do tour seldom more than 3 nights in one place exploring the area and then moving on - sometimes I think I should slow down and sit a while but it doesn't happen too often!  I often think and look at MHs and always come back thinking one big enough to suit me would be the devil to drive down the country lanes on my "mystery tours".  At the moment and for the forseeable I will be staying with the tow!