My wife is coming into a bit of money and fancy a motorhome. Unfortunely my Stylus still has to go (I need the cash) but it will at least be a bit of motoring fun to be had.

We've both fancied one for quite a while, we love the idea of touring through Europe (and the UK a bit!!), going where we want, when we want and taking our dogs with us.

So, anybody on here got one? We looking to spend around £10k next spring, and don't want anything to huge as it's just us two (the daughter will be 16 by then so defintiely doesn't want to come with us - yeeehah!!).

I don't know why, but the idea of a caravan doesn't appeal at all.

Any thoughts, recommendations, advice gratefully received.

buy it bring it to stoneleigh and make us tea, coffee, toast and bacon butties.

well I have a caravan and many of the aspects of the hobby are similar for obvious reasons. It's actually quite a pleasant way to relax and recharge the batteries.

I would love a motorhome with a car trailer to tow my track day car or hill climber to events.

£10 K should get you some thing decent but not particularly new.

Take your time, look at a lot of them before you buy. Then you can understand what you need from one to make sure you get the right one for you, would be my advice.

Cheers

Mark

Mate of mine has just bought one to take to race meetings. Tows a two car trailer too! Very nice but cost significantly more than £10k.

Have you driven one or holidayed in one before? If I were you, before splashing the cash, I'd be tempted to hire one, about the same size / spec as you can afford and then take a trip in it. That way, if you like it, you have a better idea of your actual needs, and if you don't like it, hand it back and spend the money on something else.

HTH

Mike

Me and wife discussed getting one, one of the comments that I found interesting was that if you pitch up at a site, plump in, put up your awning etc. and then find you need to pop somewhere you have to dismantle everything.

So in some respects a caravan is better - or get a motobike rack on the back and put a 125 scooter on it for nipping around on

We've been toying with the idea this year largely because of being able to go away with the dog. I could also put the 7 on a trailer behind it.
I did have a look at an old (1990ish) Merc coachbuilt jobbie that had fairly low miles and was tidy enough. This would've been well within your budget.

Oh yes, a scooter on the back will be a must ...

Like the idea of hiring one for a trip too....

Spent a lot of time driving large vans around Europe, so that aspect doesn't bother me .... infact I enjoy it.

[Edited on 5/9/09 by Jasper]

parents have got one which I have borrowed for stoneleigh and cornwall. as mentioned above, once parked up you have to dismantle to go anywhere.... I really don't like the idea of caravans, but we went to cornwall in june and took the camper and parked it and the girlfriend followed in her car.... so used it in the same way as a caravan... two years ago we did cornwall without the car and the camper was a pain to park and drive on all the small roads and tiny villages.
When I was 11 years old my family of 5 and the owner of the camper did a road trip from L.A. to detroit covering several thousand miles between national parks over four months... it was incredible.....
what I am trying to say is:-

If you want holidays in an area... drive there and then travel around and back to where you are camped.. get a caravan...

If you want a route holioday staying a different place each evening... get a motorhome... with a cycle rack as campsites tend to be on the edges of towns... you can't have a drink then get on motorbike or a scooter

I bought one a few years ago, done the camping and caravaning thing all my life. Used it once and sold it, they are such a pain in the arse. When you pitch up, as mentioned earlier, if you need to pop out you have to pack up before you can go, you can take a scooter etc on the back. Most campsites don't allow a car trailer with a 7 on the back and then you have to tax, MOT and insure something that is hardly going to be used. Lets face it a good 6 months of the year it will be sat on the drive. Some people love them but personally I think they are more trouble than they are worth. Buy a caravan or a trailer tent.

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Originally posted by Dangle_kt
Me and wife discussed getting one, one of the comments that I found interesting was that if you pitch up at a site, plump in, put up your awning etc. and then find you need to pop somewhere you have to dismantle everything.

So in some respects a caravan is better - or get a motobike rack on the back and put a 125 scooter on it for nipping around on

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Motorhomes and Caravan, the cholesterol of our roads Can think of nothing worse than trundling along in an aluminium box (or dragging one behind you) creating a massive queue of annoyed car drivers.

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Originally posted by MikeRJ
Motorhomes and Caravan, the cholesterol of our roads Can think of nothing worse than trundling along in an aluminium box (or dragging one behind you) creating a massive queue of annoyed car drivers.

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We're in to the whole going from place to place thing, rather than pitching up on a site for a week, so for that reason I'm happy to go with the motorhome.

My father-in-law has a caravan that I can borrow, I might try that and rent a MH for a weekend and check out the difference.

If you get a drive away awning then the going out in it for a day aspect isnt so bad. But id get a caravan so you have your car still.

Look at Hymers when u come to get one. You get alot of vehicle for your money compared to a a van fronted one. Theyr either merc or Fiat ducato chassis based.

I did a few trips in a motorhome. Good when you're skint but otherwise it's a bit of a faff.

MPG is attrocious so it costs to get anywhere, the beds tend to be quite small (ready uncomfy), you have to muck out the chemical toilet and then after 4 days when you really pong you have to go into the communal showers and try and avoid dropping your soap......

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Originally posted by MikeRJ
Motorhomes and Caravan, the cholesterol of our roads Can think of nothing worse than trundling along in an aluminium box (or dragging one behind you) creating a massive queue of annoyed car drivers.

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I converted a horsebox. Posting from it now

10k will buy you a very classy newish caravan, or a seedy unreliable camper van.

Caravan - you can leave it at the site while you explore, easy to level up, comfortable

Campervan - Contantly setting up putting away, lack of space, and you have to drive it around for the rest of the year

No contest

My caravan goes to Silverstone at least twice a year (from Penzance!), relatives can stay in it when the vist, and I can drive my golf to tescos instead of a dirty grat campervan!

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Originally posted by Mark Allanson
10k will buy you a very classy newish caravan, or a seedy unreliable camper van.

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The Hymer bit may be fine but it is all sitting on a 14 year old Fiat

Seriously, try a campervan out first, and then try a caravan, I did. I only spent £600 on a caravan, best value ever

I have similar(ish) thoughts, currently have a Hi-Top LWB Transit Van with a bunk in the back, and space for all the race related stuff. Car sits in an enclosed trailer behind (that's your cholesterolic caravan). Sometimes the moped keeps the car company, useful for nipping off the site. It seems the best option, since the van can be used for other things.
I've thought (a lot) about a 7.5T, which really appeals, i.e, one lump all together (AKA your motorhome). Apart from the fact it'll be idle a lot of the year, running costs are higher, I don't like the risk of having everything hanging on one engine.... comparison with having a spare tow car around.
So, I stick with the van/car-trailer. Which is like your caravan solution, seems more flexible.

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Originally posted by motorcycle_mayhem
I've thought (a lot) about a 7.5T, which really appeals, i.e, one lump all together (AKA your motorhome).

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Originally posted by mookaloid
Your perception is probably based on the fact that you can't actually see what's going on infront of the caravan and you can't tell that the caravan is being held up too! (usually)

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Originally posted by MikeRJ

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Originally posted by mookaloid
Your perception is probably based on the fact that you can't actually see what's going on infront of the caravan and you can't tell that the caravan is being held up too! (usually)

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My perception is based on living in the South West, which appears to be some kind of mecca for Caravans and Motorhomes. In the summer a queue of cars with a Caravan in the front on the B road part of my commute is an almost daily occurrence. To be fair it is made far worse by the incredible number of drivers who trundle along at 35mph, 2 feet from the back of the mobile holiday accommodation but make no attempt at overtaking.

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