Anyone own a motor home?

[Cinderellas]

Hi
We have been thinking about purchasing a motor home for when we take early retirement in the not too distant future 😊.

Just wondered what we should be looking for? Probably get one that’s a couple of years old and only really need a 4 berth.

We plan to travel abroad mainly. Don’t know where to start really. Any tips and advice welcome. Thanks

[Melbatb]

We rented one last weekend - could you try renting different models to see what set up you like the most?

[Cinderellas]

Originally Posted by Melbatb

We rented one last weekend - could you try renting different models to see what set up you like the most?

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Yes thanks. We have a place local to us that hires them out. Can’t decide whether we want a fixed bed or not. Going to have a look round.

[archibald]

We don't have a motor home but do have a small caravan site. Have a big think about where you want to go and what you want to be doing. Get a moped/bicycles with a larger one or your destinations can be quite limited. I'd get a large van size with a free standing awning - can still fit in tesco's car park, and enough elbow space on site.

[cherub85]

We have in the past and have also had a caravan. Pros and cons of both. My parents have had motor homes for years and go abroad for extended trips. I’d probably say go to a motorhome show such as at Peterborough or Malvern as you can then look at lots of different makes and lay outs in a short period of time. I’d go for a fixed bed definitely, making your bed up every day is a hassle! Do ask any other questions and I’ll try to help!

[Floridasun]

Not got one yet but plan to in the future. The shows at the NEC at birmingham in Oct/Feb are well worth a trip to see them all under one roof. Some good youtube vlogs out there too. A bus and beyond , Bob Earnshaw, Alan Heath, Andrew Ditton, Gadget john on Tour. Plenty of others but these will give you some good info to start. They have been lent various different types which they then review.

[Tigger71]

We had one for 3 years and aold it just before last Christmas as we feared we wouldnt usw it as much as kids are teenage and have far too many weekend activities now. I still miss it and we said to get one when we retire in 15 years time :-)

Before we bought one, we rented one for a week. This was really good as we learned what we liked/wanted and what didnt work for us. For example we wanted fixed beds but not a double one so ended up with two singles and a drop down double which was perfect. We also found we needed a large “garage” at the back for chairs, tables and all the other junk we brought with us everywhere. Large fridge and that it matters where the TV goes :-). It was also a good opportunity to see if the lifestyle would work for us.

Last summer we took it to Europe and Scandinavia for 3 weeks and it was great.

We had an Adria Matrix model and never had a problem with it.

I would definitely recommend renting for a week first. This will narrow down what type of layout you want. Then from there you find out which manufactures do those models and then look for reviews on those manufacturers and decide your max price. If I hadnt done it this way, would have really struggled to decide. Practical Motorhome magazine have good reviews.

Also - another tip if you dont have space at your drive - start looking around for storage places - I was astonished how fully booked and/or expensive that was.

[Cinderellas]

Thanks all of you for the advice. Definitely need to hire one first and also go to a motor home show. Husband is really keen I will need to try it first. Never had a caravan or been on caravan holidays so will be very different for us if we decide to go for it. Also have a dog which will be coming on our travels so have to think about her as we wouldn’t be able to leave her for any length of time. Decisions decisions 😁

[anneeb]

We don't have one but want one in a few years. My brother and his wife have one and are touring Europe at the moment for 90 days. They generally use aires that are for motorhomes, cheap but usually have everything that you want.

[Gingerlife]

Have a look at a you tuber called Wandering Bird, they travel all over Europe in their motor home. They are also currently in the process of downsizing theirs and have done a vlog on the pitfalls of owning too large a vehicle especially when driving abroad, covering everything from the cost of road tolls to fuel.
It may just give you something to think about that you hadn't considered before.