Why would you buy a motorhome?

[wildbri]

It's for when you are past touring and cant be bothered, just want to nip off for a few days, now and again............ might consider it in a few years when I'm 80! Either that or the old folks home............. bri

camping, caravanning, tents and motorhomes are all part of the family of travailing and as
long as you enjoy it and are considerate to others and have fun thats all that counts.

My wife and I would be very sad if we had to give up our caravan and I know many others
who think the same................

[TONUP]

camping, caravanning, tents and motorhomes are all part of the family of travailing and as
long as you enjoy it and are considerate to others and have fun thats all that counts.

Agreed. my comments were purerly observational and did not mean to be critical of anyones liesure pursuits.

Regards

Alan

[Paul]

Where we keep our van there are alot of motorhomes parked up for about 10 months of the year, most are only a few years old so alot of money set in a yard.

Like the idea of just stopping and there you have it, but like others here once we set up the only time we see the van is when we get back from looking around where ever we are, bit hard to do when you have to packup just to go to the shops.

[lacroupade]

Originally Posted by zippy656

i had to dig up some of the front garden. so we could get on in. you could always store one some where else

as we are talking about caravans, I cant see the point of a seasonal pitch. can any one enlighten me as to why??

cheap second home?

theres a CCC site in Llandovery called Erwlon, bloody place is always chocker yet the town as very soso....OK they are by the River Tywi and they've got wireless broadband, but every weekend??????? They had awnings up in the blizzards in February!

[(RIP) PLANK]

a two pronged answer:

i wouldn't like a seasonal pitch and goig to the same place week in week out, it would drive you/ me mad (or do I mean more maderer? and have i just invented a new word?)

I have allways fancied a little camper maybe a transit coversion no bigger than a van just for a few little adventures, but i doubt it will ever happen.

[Paul]

Originally Posted by PLANK

a two pronged answer:

i wouldn't like a seasonal pitch and goig to the same place week in week out, it would drive you/ me mad (or do I mean more maderer? and have i just invented a new word?)

I have allways fancied a little camper maybe a transit coversion no bigger than a van just for a few little adventures, but i doubt it will ever happen.

Where the van is stored it's also got seasonal pitchs, for peeps like me who work 3 weekends out of four it's usefull for just getting away for a few days, but most of them are used by peeps who work at BAA making the euro fighter, as to be alot cheaper then b&b's or renting somewhere.

[wildbri]

Hi plank, what you need (want) is one of these www.longdogent.com bri

[Bibio]

Originally Posted by TONUP

Why would you buy a motorhome? That is my question and it's not meant to provoke any ill feeling, as a caravan was all that was in my budget and still seems to be the most practical means of transporting comfortable accomodation to my chosen destination (for me).

Recently whilst on holiday I watched the huge motorhome owners drive onto site and commence setting up. It appears that the they are split into two groups the ones that set up and don't ever leave the site, or the ones that tow a small car behind them.

Taking the car towers first this seems a bit of a back to front arrangement i.e. you have two vehicles to MOT, tax & insure. You are also faced with all of the reversing and manouverability problems associated with towing a caravan. Moving onto the ones that don't tow a car, they appear to be limited to carrying pedal cycles or possibly a small motorbike. In fact one couple who arrived on site in a really nice Hymer motorhome spent around 30-45 mins getting it level with wheel chocks, only the next morning having to undo all their work to go to the local supermarket, and having to set up again upon their return an hour or so later. Seems like a bit of a faff especially considering you must have to lash everything down in the unit each time.

Part of what I like to do whilst on holiday is explore the local area, which often means using single track country lanes etc, where I rarely see these motorhomes for practical reasons. In my opinion they are denying themselves one of the enjoyable parts of visiting new places.

In looking for the positive aspect of them, are they much more comfortable than a caravan, or better equipped? It seemed to me that to get one with the same level of equipment as my Bailey you would have spend £30k to £40k (or more). Perhaps it is that they are easier to drive than a car/caravan combination? One motorhome owner put an awning on the side of his unit, which looked quite tricky to do and seemed to make it even more planted in the one spot.

I guess I am missing some very simple point somewhere. What are your thoughts? It is probably just a case of having what you want and doing what you like.

Alan

Saves difficult Reversing LOL



John

[Deleted account DD]

Originally Posted by lacroupade

And BTW, the ones that tow cars along behind them? Every single one of them is breaking the law. Something to do with weight and trailer braking requirements - theres no way they can do it legally apparently, despite what they think - the only person that can legally tow a vehicle in such circumstances is a breakdown truck.

Correct in the greater part

It comes down to the definition between between recovery and transportation. A very grey area and in any case above (off the top of my head from memory) 750kgs the trailer must be braked.

Any car under that would be ok, over that in the crap unless some kind of ingenious system exists to brake it. (break away cables alone not acceptable)

And as far as cops not enforcing..............dont tar em all with the same brush

[Deleted account DD]

Ton up, your bang on about kit, we paid 1/3 of the cost of a modestly equipped but physically larger transit based motor home and got more kit including that premium item SAPCE on board our new bailey

We looked at all sorts from s/h trailer tents through to new motor homes, it was an interesting time

Each to their own at the end of the day though

[(RIP) PLANK]

out of interest when you tow a car it legaly becomes a trailer, and every trailer with a gross weight of 750 kilos or greater must have brakes acting on all the road wheels! so even a cable system operating front or bak brakes wouldnt be enough, a 'dolly' is only legal for recover not transport as this only allows for the wheel on the dolly to be have brakes.

on top of this ther is the lights reflecters etc, that are needed for trailers and are different heigts sizes stc froma car.

the only legal way to tow a car is on a trailer, then of course you get into train weghts and gross vehicle weights of the towing vehicle, and whether or not the law sees it as a commercial or a car.


so basically I agree there seems no legal way to tow a car behind a camper, unless you have in on a trailer and are onfident about the train wheights etc.

havng said all that, I will still buy a camper one day!

[lacroupade]

Originally Posted by daved

Correct in the greater part

It comes down to the definition between between recovery and transportation. A very grey area and in any case above (off the top of my head from memory) 750kgs the trailer must be braked.

Any car under that would be ok, over that in the crap unless some kind of ingenious system exists to brake it. (break away cables alone not acceptable)

And as far as cops not enforcing..............dont tar em all with the same brush

Allow me to introduce you to the Heddlu!

Think thats the issue; there isn't a car under 750kg except the Smart, and even that comes in at 730kg without extras, leaving a meagre 20kg for the substantial towing equipment - not even sure if that weight applies to the very latest variant..and of course you still can't brake it.

[Deleted account DD]

Some try to get around the lighting situation with a trailer board. They do suffice if fixed properly but not many know the dimensions

[Deleted account DD]

Originally Posted by lacroupade

Allow me to introduce you to the Heddlu!

I couldn't think of a car that clocks in below 750!!!! thought a panda might but nope.

Anyway vosa (and will lend them out) now have some very nifty portable weigh pads that would easily fit in a car boot, they measure up to 44t

[lacroupade]

Originally Posted by daved

I couldn't think of a car that clocks in below 750!!!! thought a panda might but nope.

Anyway vosa (and will lend them out) now have some very nifty portable weigh pads that would easily fit in a car boot, they measure up to 44t

Nasty! So I may still yet see one of these goliaths stranded in a layby because they daren't leave their towcar abandoned there...LOL