# How many nights a year do you use your van?



## androidGB (May 26, 2005)

Whilst looking at what we had planned this year, and adding up the number of nights we will spend in the van, got me thinking about whether we are using it enough. 

I'd be very interested to know what the average usage was by other members. 

If this has been done before, I apologise, but I did a search and found nothing.

PS Could members occasionaly post something as well as voting so we can keep this on the first page, because I think the results could be very interesting .

Thanks 


Andrew


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## BrianR (May 1, 2005)

Not so easy to say, as it varies, but it is around half the year. Lets hope more people respond, so that we can get a representative sample

Brian


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## sailor (Aug 23, 2005)

Nothing like as many as I'd like!

Its our first year with the van, I estimate 40 to 45 nights by the time the year is up - but we are limited this year by a teenage daughter doing GCSE's.

Just a thought, I wonder if 30 is a high no for the lowest number - there must be quite a few who use theirs a lot less than that (but maybe not on MHfacts)

JeffO


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## RainDancer (May 24, 2005)

*Nights away in your van*

Hello androidGB

Just had a count up and up to now it will be 141 nights for the coming year. I have a wall chart in my office with them all marked so I don't forget to go to any rallies etc. Trouble is other members of my staff can see it and know when I am not in the office. I get the usual thing such as '' are you away again'. I may have to have a look and see if I can fit some others in. It's a lot of money to just sit on the drive you have to use your van.


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## 88741 (May 9, 2005)

About 55 for me this year I hope, not as many as I would like but this is 2/3 nights a month plus 1 fortnight main holiday and a couple of 4/5 extended weekends a year.
But as soon as I retire then 365 in a year as I aim to take off for a year before settling down to the rocking chair


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## Scotjimland (May 23, 2005)

Full time soon


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## 2point (Jun 10, 2005)

Estimate about 50.


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## GypsyRose (May 9, 2005)

All I know is that we want to go away more and more ..!! :lol: 
Selling the house so will just hit the road most probably (not full timing as we have a home in Spain) but certainly travel a LOT! Ana x


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## DABurleigh (May 9, 2005)

55-60 last year; I anticipate 45-50 this year.

This underestimates total use as for camper vans in particular, a popular use is as a day van.

I reckon the biggest discriminators are whether you work full time or are semi or permanently retired, then anticipated use versus historical use (the former probably generally has a more inflated view than the latter). I'll stick my neck out and say people who fulltime and/or who work from their motorhome are in the VERY small minority.

Also don't forget that the MHF population is biassed (in a statistical sampling sense), and those who answer polls are a further bias.

Dave


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## weaver (Jul 25, 2005)

Our total away since last May comes to 29 in our Trigano and 7 in a hired van, with 4 more nights booked, so total of 40 this year. Not typical, as we had various unexpected happenings which stopped us going away, so we are hoping for a lot more during the next year. Having said that - suddenly realised that the unexpected happenings meant we spent quite a number of nights at the weekend sleeping in the van on our driveway as there was no room in the house, so I suppose I should really have voted for the higher bracket than I did!

I sleep like a log in the motorhome, much better than in bed. Maybe I should sleep there every night!

Happy travelling
Louise


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## 92046 (May 1, 2005)

*Days Away*

Last year holiday cut short due to illness, but had a holiday :evil: in the NHS group of hotels, and now ready to roll, so hope to be away in a week or two for a few days, ""100+ I hope"" people say I need a holiday  not being one to disagree or cause an argument so had better have a holiday

Colin


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## Wanderwagon3 (May 27, 2005)

*As Topic*

Started camping cars 1996 ( prior ...14 years tents and then 20years caravans)
NIGHTS IN VAN
Maximum anual nights 112 Minimum 54 Average 85

Ken......with Wanderwagon3


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## 98316 (Mar 25, 2006)

*had to get the calculator out!*

Had to get the calculator out for this one. We've had our lastest van for 6 weeks and have so far spent 8 nights away and are off for another 4 next week, to Devon, 2 nights in Taunton having our Van Bitz alarm fitted then 2 nights near Axminster helping my nan get her house packed up ready for her big move to Wales to live with us.

We plan to get away every third week for four nights, and having been away in it during very very cold temps have now added winter into our travel plans providing we can find campsites in Wales open all year.

We eventually hope to do 4 week stints but that is going to be a couple of years down the line. But we love it so much .....


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## 96105 (Aug 23, 2005)

*nights*

hi :-k

not enough considering how much money is sitting on the drive :wink: could had a nice merc or bmw but thats not the point, i got the bug i love motorhoming  

saruman


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## arrow2 (May 9, 2005)

Bought the van in November. Despite working full time I am quite pleased with the use we are getting out of it. We have had about 7 or 8 weekends away, 6 days in Brittany and have 2 weeks in France in the summer and another week in Devon planned. So probably about 40 / 45 nights a year.

Would use it more if we could but other committments prevent. Retirement will help but that is at least 10 / 15 years away.

Never mind!

Kevin


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## androidGB (May 26, 2005)

Thanks for all the replies to date. I think the figures are looking very interesting and the general sentiment "not enough" seems fairly universal

Keep up the good work


Andrew


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## 89017 (May 11, 2005)

Although I have to work (that's a laugh!) and Ann's retired we reckon to have racked up about 93 days in the last year. 
The mileage on our current van is just coming up to 10,000 for the first year, and on a Kon-Tiki where we don't use it for any other purpose than holidaying, that's what I call keeping the wheels rolling.
The cost of our van new is about £46,000. How can anyone justify spending that sort of money and have it sat rusting on your driveway for weeks on end without it being used. Unless you're rich of course!!!


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## androidGB (May 26, 2005)

Bump. 

Lots of response when this was on the front page, as soon as it disappears into polls, nowt.

Please keep it alive by posting something so that we end up with a meaningful number of replies


Andrew


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## MOTORHOMER (May 9, 2005)

very interesting



Motorhomer


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## RainDancer (May 24, 2005)

Hello androidGB (Andrew)

This will bump it back, maybe you could run a competition to see who has the most nights away apart from the fulltimers, it would not be fair to all the members if the fulltimers were included. Perhaps a medal could be awarded to the winner, Just an idea to keep the post on the top. Hope this helps, good poll.


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## peedee (May 10, 2005)

How would you verify it? As an aside I always find it puzzling why so many read post containing polls but never vote :? 

peedee


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## DABurleigh (May 9, 2005)

Perhaps they don't have a motorhome or use it less than 30 nights a year.

Then again I'm sure some suck but never blow.

Dave


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## androidGB (May 26, 2005)

DABurleigh said:


> Perhaps they don't have a motorhome or use it less than 30 nights a year.
> 
> Dave


Well there is an option for posting less than 30 nights a year.

Probably more a case of needing to sit down and work it out, whereas something like how old are you? Doesn't require too much thought

The other thing I suppose is, if you have a niggling feeling you are under using your van, it doesn't help when you prove it to yourself.

Andrew


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## androidGB (May 26, 2005)

RainDancer said:


> Hello androidGB (Andrew)
> 
> This will bump it back, maybe you could run a competition to see who has the most nights away apart from the fulltimers, it would not be fair to all the members if the fulltimers were included. Perhaps a medal could be awarded to the winner, Just an idea to keep the post on the top. Hope this helps, good poll.


Interesting idea, I think you'd have to have 2 sections though for the retired and non retired

Andrew


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## DABurleigh (May 9, 2005)

Ah, the golf club subscription renewal dilemma. Don't wanna know! 

Been there, done that (sense prevailed in the end and I cancelled). I nearly bought a microlight once, researched it all, wanted it, could afford it, then when all is left is signing on the dotted line the mental calculation of cost per hour enjoyment kicked in and I forgot the whole idea 

Dave


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## androidGB (May 26, 2005)

DABurleigh said:


> Ah, the golf club subscription renewal dilemma. Don't wanna know!
> 
> Been there, done that (sense prevailed in the end and I cancelled). I nearly bought a microlight once, researched it all, wanted it, could afford it, then when all is left is signing on the dotted line the mental calculation of cost per hour enjoyment kicked in and I forgot the whole idea
> 
> Dave


Know what you mean, Dave.

The bit I'm trying to get my head around is this. I currently own a couchbuilt and would I go away more if I had a campervan (Timberland or something similar)

The argument of convenience versus space/comfort.

I would have thought I might do more shorter trips and might tend to do overnighters whereas I wouldn't in my present van

Andrew


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## DABurleigh (May 9, 2005)

You can't ask me; I'm biassed 

Dave


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## 96962 (Dec 16, 2005)

so am I but...

I have had a coachbuilt and a van conversion so can compare. The coachbuilt definitely 'seemed' more of an effort but in actuality the preparation is only a little different. Because the van is smaller we tend not to take everything we used to take and it's more compact to pack, so that saves some time.

Where the real difference comes is that the van is so much easier to get around in it seems less of an effort to get away; so yes we have used it more than the coachbuilt and gone further, down smaller roads: 

Perception maybe?


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## DABurleigh (May 9, 2005)

For me the key difference is parkability in the UK, plus travel time. Because we can go to more places, faster, without agonising over where to park it (if there is no height barrier, we go where cars go), we use it more. It seems less planning effort/ hassle.

Dave


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## carol (May 9, 2005)

Not as many as we should, or I want, why do men have to have hobbies (model railway in Duncan's case) and he reckons he can get it don in the winter, as he doesn't have to cut the grass then..... The idea was to go away to Spain for the winter, but he didn't enjoy that, so I get stuck at home, but am thinking of going with my aunt next year....it was too cold home here.

I recall a friend saying he had spent x no of nights away now, so B&B was now working out at £Y.... I suppose one way to look at it, ....

Carol


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## peedee (May 10, 2005)

androidGB said:


> The bit I'm trying to get my head around is this. I currently own a couchbuilt and would I go away more if I had a campervan (Timberland or something similar)
> 
> The argument of convenience versus space/comfort.
> 
> ...


I don't follow the logic of your thoughts at all. I would have thought it was the other way round. Bigger, more comfort and much more accommodating for long stays. With respect to short trips don't see size matters at all especially if you leave the van ready to go?

peedee


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## peedee (May 10, 2005)

DABurleigh said:


> Ah, the golf club subscription renewal dilemma. Don't wanna know!
> 
> Been there, done that (sense prevailed in the end and I cancelled). I nearly bought a microlight once, researched it all, wanted it, could afford it, then when all is left is signing on the dotted line the mental calculation of cost per hour enjoyment kicked in and I forgot the whole idea
> 
> Dave


Bin there and done that too, much more exciting things to do than follow a little ball around. Mine was a narrow boat, not a microlite though.

peedee


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## androidGB (May 26, 2005)

peedee said:


> androidGB said:
> 
> 
> > The bit I'm trying to get my head around is this. I currently own a couchbuilt and would I go away more if I had a campervan (Timberland or something similar)
> ...


Perhaps I expressed myself badly I meant convenience = campervan, space/comfort = coachbuilt.

For overnighters I think my thoughts are the same as Dave mentioned

Andrew


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## 88919 (May 10, 2005)

68-75 this year. as with lots of people work tends to get in the way!!!  

andy & amanda


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## CLS (Jul 25, 2005)

With the new year here already, planning trips here and there so will be aiming for approx 60 - 70 nights away this year certainly more if it was,nt for work  getting in my way


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## mangothemadmonk (Aug 6, 2006)

Since getting the van in the summer06 we have had 52 nights away. Some have been when the van has been on the drive though.....Does that count :? 
Does it matter?  
Johnny F


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## pneumatician (May 1, 2005)

*Nights Away & Hobbies*

Like Dave I have been on the verge of buying a Microlight three times. But Val Hates flying in anything smaller than an Airbus . As it is her money as much as mine we continued to buy new Motorbikes which she loved for about 38 yrs. Sadly she can no longer ride so 5yrs ago we bought our first Van. 
I satiate my Aeronautical desires with model aircraft, airshows and the odd glider flight.
Most men I find need hobbies and interests to prevent vegetative state setting in, also to get the adrenelin going. Its good to have a bit of a scare occasionally.
I suppose the alternative is sitting with a can of lager wearing a footy shirt watching the telly. 
The question:- 90 nights abroad, and about 35 away in the UK P.A.

Steve


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## 102001 (Dec 3, 2006)

*VAN USE*

NOT USED ENOUGHT THIS YEAR HOPE TO GET OUT A LOT MORE WHEN OUT IN VAN KEEPS BLOOD PRESSURE DOWN RELAXING MORE THAN ANY PILL CAN DO


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## DABurleigh (May 9, 2005)

"verge of buying a Microlight three times. But Val Hates flying in anything smaller than an Airbus"

Picture the scene. Us reading the papers in bed a weekend morning. Me picking up (again) the Shadow Streak microlite brochure. She seems in a good mood. I sigh (deliberately). She asks what's up. I say "You see, if we had one of these (pause, pointedly looks at the clock) we could have lunch in Edinburgh today" (flashes charming, loving smile).

She puts down the paper, looks at the tatty, well-used but lovingly caressed microlight brochure, then looks at me. I look expectant. She chooses here words carefully. "I don't want lunch in Edinburgh". And picks up the paper again.

Dream shattered (again).

Dave


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