# caravans v motorhomes



## 96105 (Aug 23, 2005)

hi  why do you buy a motorhome instead off a caravan is a argument i had with tugger at work :roll: his argument was based on the fact that moving and parking was a problem most caravaners not all go to a site set up [1 hour later :lol: ] and stay the week and use the car for vists etc , where is i use my van for short stays 2 to 3 days touring along a coast or internally  the motorhome is more off a flexable touring unit like you find a laybye or park with a brillant view you just park up and put the kettle on like on exmoor over looking the coast
most motorhome owners where ex tuggers so what are forum members views :?: i dont think its a us and them thing but he thought so :roll: just differant way off camping to me hay!!but each to your own 

ray

:wink:


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## 96299 (Sep 15, 2005)

Hi 
I`m new to motorhomes and in fact I haven`t got one yet,but It never even crossed my mind to get a caravan.I mean,they look so naff compared to a m/h and they are more inline with the " gypo side of things" so I kept well away from them.Motorhomes are so cool and do more for your street cred..

:lol:


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## 96299 (Sep 15, 2005)

Now this is a funny thing.My in-laws are tuggers and whenever they are round our place I do chuckle to myself because I have loads and loads of m/h mags lying around and I mean loads.Now the mother in-law will have a casual gander through one or two of them but the father in-law will not even look at one from the outside,let alone pick one up and have a closer look.  What is it with them? I look at caravan mags at his place. :lol: I dont even think it`s a jealousy thing,he`s been tugging for donkeys years and I think it`s something he just likes to defend. :lol:


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## chapter (May 1, 2005)

a caravan is a big no no for me in my line of work i cant book in advance i need to be able to pack and go between jobs and that means w/ends and when you leave site at 10 am on a sunday with a caravan were do you go HOME


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## Rapide561 (Oct 1, 2005)

*Caravan v Motorhome*

Hi

For me, it is the convenience of arrival at site, park on pitch, plug in to the mains and the kettle is on. No corner steadies, no uncoupling (admittedly I do sometimes have the tow car on the back) and no silly water bottles outside the van providing the fresh water supply.

From "check in" at reception to kettle on is a matter of minutes.

Russell


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## TinaGlenn (Jul 7, 2006)

I love the convienience, no making sure that heavy things are over the axle, usually the middle of the floor  no messing about pulling and pushing the thing into position on a pitch, no having to try to connect back up to a car on slippery grass 8) 
Having the flexibility to get up and go, no planning, no fussing, everything you need already and waiting. Water, electricity, loo all under one mobile roof. A place for everything in lockers and cupboards.
We can go out for a day with the van and when the kids were younger get them washed fed and ready to be popped into bed once we got home.  You dont get tuggers dragging their vans about just for a days outing.
The best thing for me is I can go off on my own to visit friends or take the kids and can manage it all myself, I could never do that with a caravan 8O 

Tina


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## annetony (May 1, 2005)

We prefer motorhomes as there is no way Tony will tow anything, we had enough wingeing when he had to tow the horse trailer (without horse) to fill with bags of shavings for the stable. :x I think there are plus and minus on both counts, in fact if you look at it this way the caravan is towed by a car and the motorhome tows a car (well some do) 
:lol: :lol: :roll: so I suppose we are not that different :wink: 

Anne


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## hannah29 (Feb 13, 2006)

agree with all the other motorhomers but to add another consideration we use ours for winter ski holidays.....i certainly would not fancy tugging a caravan through the alps let alone staying in one in temperatures of minus 10 or more.
i think it all depends on what you intend to use them for....our parents have a caravan and have been tempted by a motorhome, however they like to go for days out and have a base so a caravan works for them. personally to me they may as well just have a week off work at home and do day trips but thats only my opinion.


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## ksebruce (Nov 5, 2006)

I think price has a lot to do with it as well. A top of the range caravan can be cheaper than a bottom of the range motorhome.


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## JockandRita (Jun 1, 2005)

Hi all,

Having "tugged" for sixteen years, we had just had enough of all the setting up on arrival", and all the packing up to come home, whereupon it would invariably rain. 
Back then, I could always pop the wet awning into the drying room at the Fire station, and it would be dry within the hour. Unfortunately, I no longer have the use of such a facility.  

We just adopted a different approach, when we converted to a MH, ie, do the shopping enroute, and only spend a day or two, rather than a week or a fortnight at any one place. We try to stop off near a town, or at least a bus route. Sometimes we take the bikes, and use them to get around.

With the MH, if it's piddling down upon arrival, you just relax and stick the kettle on. Can't do that with a caravan, without all the hassle associated with it.

Jock.


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## 101600 (Oct 30, 2006)

Yep a top of the range caravan is circa £20k what sort of a MH do you get for that?

I am moving back to caravans from MH as i find we do not benifit in anyway from the MH, we like to set up base camp and go off from it so the caravan is the only way.

Dont get me wrong i have loved the MH to bits but it just does not suit the way we like to camp we have a 1999 MH that is not top of the range worth about £18k and we are getting a 6 month old twin axel caravan for £15k, no extra tax not so much repairs etc. 

I love the MH but a caravan suits us better, and i have a Jeep Grand Cherokee so tugging is no problem.


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## johnandcharlie (May 2, 2007)

I went from the occasional couple of nights in a tent to my MH, and missed out the caravan bit. Last Wednesday I went to an evening meeting about 30 miles from home, so I booked a CL nearby for the night. I went to the CL on the way for half an hour to say hello have a quick bite to eat, drove to the meeting in the van and only had 2 miles to drive back to the CL, cooked a meal and went to bed. Next day I had a nice relaxing trip home. It cost £4 for the site and a bit extra for diesel in the van instead of the car, but it was worth it. I bet tuggers wouldn't do that, and it would have been too much hassle for me to do it with a tent.

I can stop in laybys for coffee, a meal, a loo break or a rest and everything is to hand, and I can easily stay on a site for one night. I have a small van that fits in a car park, so it wouldn't be so easy in a big one, but it's great and makes life so much more relaxing and enjoyable.


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## sallytrafic (Jan 17, 2006)

I do wonder sometimes whether some motorhome owners wouldn't be better off tugging.

Even with a small van you can take quite a while to set up properly how many of us nowadays just pull up and thats that? Hookup, awnings, side pieces, rafters, tie downs, chairs, tables, waste water containers, groundsheets, steps, drive away tents, windbreaks, dog stakes I reckon most of us have some of these items deployed and I haven't mentioned trailers or Toads.

Of course there are other advantages of MH but everyone always mentions setting up.


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## CaGreg (Mar 28, 2007)

Dreamed, fantasised, talked and wished for about 25 years about a motorhome. Sorry but tugging never featured in any of that!

Catherine


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## 96105 (Aug 23, 2005)

sallytrafic said:


> I do wonder sometimes whether some motorhome owners wouldn't be better off tugging.
> 
> Even with a small van you can take quite a while to set up properly how many of us nowadays just pull up and thats that? Hookup, awnings, side pieces, rafters, tie downs, chairs, tables, waste water containers, groundsheets, steps, drive away tents, windbreaks, dog stakes I reckon most of us have some of these items deployed and I haven't mentioned trailers or Toads.
> 
> Of course there are other advantages of MH but everyone always mentions setting up.


 hi frank you must be closet tugger with all that :lol: 
you can not be seriously think that setting up for a motorhome on site is like the caravaners :wink: get up to with motorised parking there vans and the kit they carry in there vans and car
washing machines and all :lol: 
my friend at work was more making the point that we have to go out in the mh to supermarket or sites off interest with the motorhome and hes uses is car because his van remains static on site not a problem for me  basically both have advantages and disadvantages :wink: i prefer mh  no dorema :lol:

ray

ray


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## RichardnGill (Aug 31, 2006)

Having a M/H is a good reason to take the dog for a walk to the shop to get essentials ETC. It also keeps you fit into the baragin. 

We have just been on a site and while walking to the shops we had a nice sea view with fresh air and the opptunity to meet people. The tugger all seemed to get in there cars and drive, what do they see? another road another car journey. 

I was talking to a tugger who was asking about our M/H and he was telling me he had a 5/6 journey home the next day. Most M/Hs would do that in 2/3 stages and enjoy the trip, where as this guy was not looking foward to his journey.

Never had a caravan, but it was our choice to get a M/H after considering a caravan. I do agree that Caravans do have some advantages too. 

Richard...


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

Tuggers are tourists or holiday makers, MHers are travellers.

How many tuggers do you see using a bike or public transport when abroad ? If you really want to get to know a country then travel on its buses and trains and talk to the locals - however brokenly.

If you sit insulated in your car all day then you'll only ever see the scenery.

G


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## moblee (Dec 31, 2006)

(IMHO) The only advantage i've really noticed on site for a Tugger is
the ability to whisk down to the local Intermarche in the car.


PHIL


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## peachy (Feb 9, 2007)

We like the spontaneity of a motorhome. A few years ago I can remember being at home one saturday night at about 5 ish, nothing on the tv and I said lets go up to the York Show,My OH never needs to be asked twice, and before you new it we were on the road, we found a site with a latecomers parking area. 
We have had a caravan but there is no comparison.
Do you ever think about how lucky it is that as a couple you both love Motorhoming?
How awful it would be if one of you longed to do it but the other half had no interest what so ever.
I think women are usually more concerned about security

Lin


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## Texas (May 9, 2005)

Well! we have both a campervan and a caravan, the campervan in my opinion is the easiest to use but the most expensive to run.

On the other hand the biggest expense on the caravan is the insurance...which compared to the campers' is miniscule.

The comparison to the internal space available is like chalk and cheese, the campers' useable space measures, including the cab area, just 11' x 5', whereas the caravan is 12' x 6' of useable space...to us it's like a ballroom.

Arriving on site with the caravan, it takes no more than 6 -10 minutes to unhitch and set up. The site owner always unhitches the van and pushes it onto its pitch.

Each to his own.


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## G2EWS (May 1, 2006)

Hi Ray,

Frank will always look at the opposite point of view which is brilliant in this kind of discussion, well done Frank!

Of course there are two sides to the argument and of course it takes some time to get correctly set up in the MH, but nothing like it takes in a caravan.

Some time ago as a caravanner I went over to a MH on CL site and asked 'why do you have a H, every time you go out you need to tidy everything up and hope your pitch is still there on your return'. The kind MH'er sat me down with a glass of wine and explained:

'We arrive on site at any time of the day or night, which means we can leave home late on a Friday for a weekend trip and miss all the traffic. We just pull onto the site, plug in electric if we want it and we can have dinner and go to bed. In the morning we get up and dressed, everything is neatly placed from the outset so it does not have to be moved or tidied up for the journey. We then drive to the beach - if that is where we are going - and get the choice of parking because no one else is there! We make a cooked breakfast and if we managed to rise early enough we can watch the sunrise! We then have our day on the beach. If it is raining we can play games in the MH and make tea and coffee at our leisure. At the end of the day we have dinner watching the sun set. Then have a leisurely drive back to the CL site drive into our spot, reserved with our sign and go to bed.

Now you as a caravanner would get up, have breakfast and drive with all those other holiday makers to the beach and struggle to get a parking space. If it is raining, you will move between cafe and car getting all stressed. At the end of the day you will probably rush back to your car to beat the traffic and spend a lot of time getting back to your caravan and then make dinner!

So what do you think is better Chris? And have a top up of wine'

I never forgot that Gentleman and he is the reason I wanted a MH and now own one!

Regards

Chris


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## sallytrafic (Jan 17, 2006)

Saruman said:


> sallytrafic said:
> 
> 
> > I do wonder sometimes whether some motorhome owners wouldn't be better off tugging.
> ...


hi Ray you must think I have a Tardis  I was pointing out what I have observed in others - I don't even have an awning. Things have got more complicated though, when I had a Romahome it was always ready to go at the drop of a hat and if I had forgotten a creature comfort well so be it! Now with 4-5 week holidays a couple of times a year the Renault tends not to be ready for the spontaneous weekend. I might be a closet tugger though I have just bought a tiny trailer. This we will take for any long holiday based in just a few locations so it won't be coming to any MHF rallies.


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## motaman (Mar 25, 2007)

*motorhomes or caravans*

Firstly i didn't realise there were so many people who couldn't sleep.The answers quite simple .If you get caught stripping lead off a roof or ruining the layby tarmac burning wire to strip it, plod will take no notice if your in a caravan , in a motorhome you will get your collar felt


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## mike_rolls37 (Feb 3, 2006)

We thought about both before deciding quite easily that a MH suited us much better. We often (we are both retired) look out he window, decide it looks a nice day, and nip out. Drive a couple of hours or so, park up somewhere attrctive, cup of tea, stroll around, etc.. Might ony stay around fot 3-4 hours, then back home. Can't see that sort of thing as being practical with a caravan.

Never yet stayed on any one site for more than 3 days. Ideally I would tow a small car behind the MH for longet trips away - we had intended to spend three or four weeks touring this summer , but have been prevented by health problems - all being well next year - for that sort of trip to have a small car to nip around rather thana 22 foot van would be useful, but not essential.

As others have said - depends on what suits you best.
Mike


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## johnandcharlie (May 2, 2007)

The site I was at last Sunday has fishing lakes. I was chatting to someone in quite a big MH who was just attaching his A frame ready to leave. He had spent the previous day at the fishing lake. I'd seen the van there by the water, with the awning out and with all the conveniences of home. Everyone else just had a car parked nearby, a groundsheet and a picnic basket.


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## 105317 (Jun 20, 2007)

I think Motorhomes are great but they do come at a cost. Our caravan would cost about £6k, a similar spec MH would cost about £20k. Of course you need a car to tow with? - well I presume most people will have a car as well as a motorhome anyway so you just need something big enough to tow with. 
The caravan is very cheap to run - no tax, mot, cheap insurance. 
Once on site set up takes about 10 minutes. If we are stopping a full week we'll put the awning up which takes a while but the extra space is great.
We use the caravan as a base for the holiday. Of course when we go to the beach we can't have a cup of tea when we get there, unless we take a flask of course. And as we know the car will fit under the height barrier in the car park there's no need to set off at sunrise to get the one space suitable for motorhomes. 
So why having said all that do I still want a MH? Touring - My wife has never been to Scotland and I would love to tour but Shed pulling on a single track 1:4 road in the highlands just isn't possible.


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## RichardnGill (Aug 31, 2006)

Good post schwantzz, it's always good to read a balanced view.

Richard...


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## 101600 (Oct 30, 2006)

RichardnGill said:


> Good post schwantzz, it's always good to read a balanced view.
> 
> Richard...


I agree and i have now done both sides of the coin. and gone full turn back to caravans, am i mad who knows :lol:


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## 101825 (Nov 18, 2006)

To me the biggest difference lie in the following:

Tugging - the real holiday starts when you reach your destination and set up. The holiday is also based on a specific location. Limited to the conveniences of the motor vehicle while en route.
MH - the real holiday starts when you leave home. The world is your campsite. Limited to the conveniences of the MH while en route (much less limited than the tugging car).

Other factors such as spontaneity also come into the picture.

Roger


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## vmeldrew (May 3, 2007)

Tugged for 30 years during which time also had a static on site. All were good at the time especially when kids were young. Have now MH'ed 3 years and find much more flexibility to explore places we just wouldn't risk with a caravan in tow. Feel much more like free spirits and enjoy the freedom of wildcamping in some of the remotest but most beautiful of places.


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## ChrisWade (Jul 3, 2006)

*Insulation etc*

So far, it seems there's been very little comment on comparative insulation. This is one aspect which interests me, but on browsing through caravan magazines none seem to mention insulation, let alone quote the thickness of it. Do they have any? OK, so insulation in MHs varies greatly, but it seems to be factor when buying. It certainly influenced us to get our Hymer.

The 'etc' refers to the 'lifestyle activities' with which CV-ers seem to fill their days. Notably walking the water barrel and wastemaster and fiddling with pumps. In my Hymer (like many of yours, dear readers) I have on board insulated and heated water tanks, pretty well matched in size and both big enough to last as long as I'm likely to stay on any one site. I also have a (pretty much) domestic standard shower room and loo, that is used in preference to site facilities. I really couldn't face all of the 'lifestyle' that goes with caravanning, unless these aspects were to change.


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## ChrisWade (Jul 3, 2006)

*Transformation*

Actually :wink: the reason I don't caravan is that I don't want to grow a beer belly and then make noise in an awning. I'd rather stay a cool-looking dude in a vehicle which teenagers smile at and wave too! :lol:

Hoping no offence caused!

"He who cannot laugh in God's presence cannot know God." Martin Luther


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## eddievanbitz (May 1, 2005)

To me it is simple: 

Caravan = stress, towing, packing, turning over on trip, pushing, pulling, loading, tanks underneath, everything in side during journey, kids in back arguing, toilet stops, food stops, theft worries.

Motorhome = pack up before I go, arrive, open beer, watch people set up caravans while I bbq and have another beer, eat food whist being entertained watching husband and wife argue about best way to put the awning up!

Cruel? possibly but it does sound familiar doesn't it?


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## CaGreg (Mar 28, 2007)

I hate 'them and us' arguments but one point that was made about MHs is that they are expensive. To me this is one reason why MHers go off more often. we need to justify the cost of the purchase!!

The spirit of a MH has always been 'freedom' and even though a lot of MHers use camp sites there is still always the possibility of wildcamping in a MH which just doesn't exist with a caravan. We have never been on a camp site yet but that is what suits us at the moment and we will prob stay on a couple of sites during our two weeks away. 

Our friends bought a caravan two years ago. They are a couple in their 40's and have a small boy and no dog. They have been away about four times since they bought it brand new (20K euros). There are very few sites open in the winter so whilst we were off wildcamping and having a great time their caravan was parked up decorating their driveway.

Our van will eventually be held together with blue baling twine and duct tape but that will be value for money as far as I can see. The more a thing costs the more it should be used.

(So no 'them and us' here. MH's are just better)

8) 

Ca


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## Mikemoss (Sep 5, 2005)

Like many, if not most, of the people on here I've taken both routes, and they do run in parallel for some of the way. I actually enjoyed towing, even though I now enjoying driving a motorhome more, but there are advantages in each. 

My points in favour of caravans would be:
More living space for your money when on site
Cheaper to buy in the first place (assuming you already have a suitable car)
Ability to extend your space more with an awning that doesn't have to be put up and taken down every day
Ability to drive off to local shops/pubs/nearby walks etc once pitched.

My points in favour of motorhomes would be:
Greater freedom and sense of adventure
Ability to stop and sightsee, have a cuppa, go for a pee etc along the way
Less faffing about with Aquarolls and waste masters (although filling and emptying MH tanks can be fiddly at times too).
No need to carry loads of stuff inside the van while travelling.
Quick setup and getway.
Roll-out awning for shade and shelter
Easier to store at home for get up and go.

I suspect most motorhomes are probably rather more rigidly constructed than caravans, and those with double floors will have better insulated water and waste tanks.

At the end of the day, for Sue and me the final choice is overwhelmingly in favour of motorhoming - but we did really enjoy our caravan years too.


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## eribiste (May 1, 2005)

*Caravans and Motorhomes*

I've done both of these leisure activities and have finally come off the fence and settled for motorhoming.

I like using the Aires and France Passion arrangements a lot, neither of which are really possible with a 'van.

Also, when motorhome mounted, without a trailer, I can stop pretty well anywhere that I see a boulangerie. As well as that, although I might be intending to go from Calais to Bonnieux, a trace of my route looks like a collision in a spaghetti factory as I wander about from place to interesting place. The flexibility of being able to drop anchor anywhere is invaluable for this sort of meandering.

Just remeber, each to his own, and no one is more right than anyone else!


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## Bazza (May 1, 2005)

*Caravans V. Motorhomes*

Hi All,

I couldn't face towing so went from tents to motorhome to full timing in just over a year.

We've been on the road now for just over 2 years, been down to Portugal & Spain, done many of the Stellplatz in Germany (for free) & the Aires in France (also for free). On occasion the bourne (i.e. fresh water) would be out of action - no problem we have enough on board for one night. Not to mention no need to book. If one Aire is full just drive on to the next.

We had one guy say to us that when MHs tow a car then the MH just becomes an expensive caravan - true up to a point but back to the Aires & Stellplatz.... (i.e. no caravans allowed & we don't tow a car anyhow)

Of course not everone wants to visit the same places, fair doos, each to their own, they say caravans suit long stay & MHs suit touring. (who am I to argue?)

Payloads on caravans can be very low so heavy items may have to be carried in the towing vehicle - more to set up/down. Caravans maybe cheaper if you already have a suitable towing vehicle, but if starting from scratch & you add together the cost of a reasonable sized caravan & a 4x4 then you're soon up to the cost of an MH.

We're now back in the UK & looking for work - don't know if we will keep living in the MH, rent a house or maybe even try a caravan - never say never!

If I'm honest though I still don't really fancy towing & driving the MH always puts a smile on my face - horses for courses, we all lean to what we fancy the most & why not!


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## IrishHomer (May 30, 2006)

We are in our 3rd year of 'mobile' camping. We started with statics in France but fancied longer holidays and figured a caravan would be ideal. Spent stg13k on a brand new Bailey and towed it around France for 5 weeks. We loved it but:
 - towing is stressful and worrisome
- not easy carrying 5 bikes
- just about everything is stored inside the caravan, so we have to unpack everything including that flipping awning before kettle can be put on
- Putting up awning (aargh!) we persuaded ourselves that MH's don't need awnings
- electrics blew indicators on car

So, 18 months ago we bought the Swift and sold the caravan. The storage space inside the garage is INCREDIBLE. Patio table and chairs, swing bin, laundry baskets, tools, wetsuits, an adult bike, dinghy (deflated) & oars, skateboards, other sports equipment, full barbeque, more tools etc.
- I can turn the vehicle without needing an empty car park
- kids can watch TV and play Playstation while travelling
- not wrecking my car
- insurance is low and only one insurance needed
- we DO travel more and farther

Negs - a little less space inside but bed is fixed (rear and luton)
- need to master the art of shopping en route and selecting campsites near towns

Gut reaction - arrive home from work - see caravan and dread towing it!
- arrive home - see motorhome and look forward to driving it - I'm happier.

Was waving at caravanners last weekend but they didn't wave back! They are at lower level and were not looking at me and he was concentrating on towing! Motorhomers were giving ourselves hernias waving and flashing lights but probably would not break breath on a site or in a supermarket car park! Strange! We are all campers - why not wave and get on? No need to be defensive!

Irishhomer


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## grumpyman (Sep 24, 2006)

If you tow a car around the only difference is one is pulling and the other is pushing. :wink:


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## TonyHunt (Oct 10, 2005)

Nobodys mentioned the fact that any four wheeled caravan is taboo on a lot of the sites in France especially municipals. We had a beautiful swift conqueror briefly for barely a season and got fed up touring france with all the refusals we encountered because of the gypsy problem and being tarred with the same brush. The standard quote was if we let you stay then we have to let the gypsy fruit pickers in also. Our friends travelling with us in their Bessacarr M/H could stay but not us. On returning to England we went with our friends to Chelston at taunton to look at their new van and ended up buying one ourselves. I managed to get more for the caravan as a P/X than I'd paid for it so not so bad after all. Would never ever go back to one again. The actual towing never bothered me as I'd towed boats and driven tractors & trailers for years.


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## Texas (May 9, 2005)

TonyHunt said:


> The actual towing never bothered me as I'd towed boats and driven tractors & trailers for years.


Ditto, plus 48 ton artics.


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## oldun (Nov 10, 2005)

I have recently changed from caravan (40 years) to a motorhome so I have some experience of both.

Early on, when we had kids, we would go to a site, stay for a few weeks and then come back home. The convenience of having a "static" caravan and a "mobile" car as transport was overwhelming. The problems only arose on the overnight stays to and from the main site. So without a doubt the caravan was, for us, the only choice.

Now we are foot loose and fancy free and find the greater flexibility of the motorhome far more important. We still need a small car to cover us when the mh would be too large to use.

The cost of the caravan, mentioned above, is not that relevant as an expensive caravan with the necessary huge 4x4 will cost as much as a motorhome with the added advantage that the 4x4 can be used on its own all year.

It appears to me that the choice is all about life style. If we all chose to have exactly the same things as everyone else life would be very boring.


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