No matter whether you’re looking for a cost effective way to spend your family holidays, or you want a comfortable way to explore the country in your retirement, it’s always worth searching the market for something that will suit your lifestyle as well as your budget. The biggest question facing most people is whether to invest in a motorhome or a caravan!
Have a look through our checklist to see which would best suit you…
The Initial Cost
This is the decisive element for many people buying a caravan or motorhome. But instead of looking at the initial investment, you need to consider the cost effectiveness of your long term investment.
New motorhomes range from £30,000 to £100,000, whereas a new caravan can be a fraction of the price at around £10,000. Although most people choose a second hand option as they still have plenty of life left but cost a lot less.
So, which is the most cost effective long term?
Remember that where a caravan would depreciate quickly – like most cars – a motorhome would hold much of its value, so if you’re looking to sell it on in a few years, you’ll get a much better return for your investment.
This is because you get much more for your money with a motorhome, so if you’re buying one second hand, it is likely to cost a little more but has much more to offer!
So really it depends on your budget – if you’re on a tight budget then you’re best to look for a well-loved second hand caravan. But if you’re willing to pay a bit more, a second hand motorhome makes for a more sensible investment and will provide more years of reliable and comfortable service!
The Running Cost
Remember that a motorhome is a vehicle, so you will need to ensure that it is taxed, MOT’d and fully insured – but you won’t have the added expenditure of getting a car suitable for towing.
A caravan has much lower costs as it requires little mechanical maintenance, has no engine to service or MOT to carry out – but you may have to pay for storage to ensure that your caravan is safe and protected when you’re not using it – especially during the colder months, and you still have to service, tax, insure and MOT a car that is suitable to tow it!
Your fuel consumption will depend greatly on the age, type and model of your vehicle; so if you have an older car it will consume more fuel towing a heavy caravan, but a new, fuel efficient motorhome will probably save you money – make sure you look into the consumption of each vehicle before you purchase to avoid any surprises!
The Practicality
If you choose a caravan you must be prepared for the work you have to do every time you pitch up. First you must park your caravan in the exact required position, ensure it is level, set out the awning, connect your water and electricity supply and, inevitably, there are the regular trips to empty waste and refill water.
With a motorhome, you simply have to connect your electric hook-up and you’re ready for your holiday! But you must remember that if you want to explore, or just nip to the shops, you have to take the entire motorhome, so you must make sure that everything inside is secured for driving and find a larger parking space once you get where you’re going!
Year Round Use
Have you ever tried towing a caravan on an icy winter road? No? That’s probably a good thing – it can be a very dangerous task! Not only that, but with little insulation, you’re likely to experience a significant dip in temperature if you choose to holiday during the winter.
Motorhomes, on the other hand, are slightly more robust, will keep you a little warmer in winter and, whether you have experience or not, you can drive them throughout the winter (though this still isn’t always advisable).
So the choice is yours! No doubt your final choice will be made on budget, but remember that sometimes it will be more cost effective to invest a little more – although it depends greatly on your holidaying habits!
For more information, or to have a look around some low cost, high quality motorhomes and caravans, visit the extensive showroom at Glenns!
