[Closed] Caravan/Campervan???

Caravans are much easier as you can pack it and drive to the shops without packing stuff away and have more space. Harder to reverse and less cool though.

Depends on what kind of camping holidays you like. If you do a lot of miles to your destination or you only like staying 1 or 2 days at a time in one place then campers are better. Caravans have more space as well especially for a larger fsmily. We have a 7.5m long camper and with all six of us in our family is ridiculously cramped in the colder months. The journey there is much nicer in the camper though. Caravan running costs also much cheaper.

Campervan, I wouldn't like to be the caravan driver that other motorists are looking at in that way.

Caravan
Cheaper
Larger when on site/better set up inside
Awning is much more functional than in a van
You still have a vehicle to go and do day trips when you get where you want to go
No insurance/VED etc so reduced "running costs"
Can be left packed and ready to go
keep your current car - trust me a campervan is a poor first choice as primary vehicle.

Downside is its a caravan
Essentially massive plus on practicality massive minus on cool

The cost issues of a camper are a bit offputting. I was looking at the large van types (rather than coachbuilt) but not many got to 5 berths - and new they are pushing £60k which is just taking the piss.

I do like them though 😉

T'other half doesn't want a coachbuilt job, which does make it kind of tricky!

The caravan idea just seems cheaper and simpler. Just could I live with myself???

(I can see me just giving up, putting the insurance onto either a cheap "fun" car or 4x4 and sticking with normal holiday cottages at this rate!)

I've just bought a van based 7m camper project and i agree with all of the above.

How ever I commute by jumbo jet and don't need my own car for day to day when I'm home.

We have a caravan, bought about 5 years ago for £3k (and prob still worth over £2k). Great with 2 kids, wouldn't want to have to pack away all their stuff everyday to drive off site as you would with a camper.

Wife and I quite like the idea of a camper once the kids have stopped coming away with us, I think it will lend itself better to a 'touring' holiday, where you are moving onto a new site every day or so, whereas the caravan is better if you are staying put for a few nights at a time.

We also tend to have pretty active hols so are off out and about everyday. If your holiday will consist of lots of time spent on the campsite, then a camper might work better for you than it would for us!

Caravan has proved cheap to run, insurance on an older van like ours is about £50 a year, service done every couple of years for ~£150 & few other minor issues that I've sorted out myself for a few quid.

I plan to just ride my bike to places once parked up.

We are a family of 4 (5 with dog) and have just swapped from a circa 6m long caravan towed by a very capable 4x4 to a T5 camper. 10 years of caravaning with and without kids was great, but we (I) fancied a change. Both are compromises and the Benefits / drawbacks of each are obvious.

Can only reflect on motorhome ownership. A caravan definitely wouldn't suit us. In ten years we've rarely been on a site. I do go to sites occasionally but it's usually out of laziness more than anything else. I see it as an enabler that allows us to do things with ease and comfort, MTB/Hillwalking and Snorkeling. A lot of the Scottish roads I end up on would be fun in a caravan 😀 and pitching up impossible. Initial outlay might be a factor, running costs probably less than big estate. Road tax and insurance for mine less than our car. The servicing I do myself. Major and annual service cost me £200 for all the belts, rollers, filters and oil.

I guess it boils down into how you see yourself making use of it once you own one. If you're happy on sites for a few days at a time, and some are very comfortable, a caravan would save you a lot of outlay. If you hanker after stopping in remote and out of the way places with not another person for miles around a MH would will get you there.

It's a great feeling after coming back from a cycling epic or a day in the hills to the comfort of a hot shower, a proper meal and ice for the cocktails 😀

Whatever route you go down, the kids are going to love it.
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Junkyard summed it up pretty well. With 3 kids you really don't want a Transporter sized van. We have two small(ish) kids and if the weather is crap then you get a massive case of cabin fever. A big motorhome thing would be better for us, or a caravan. But we love the van and that bloody awful cliqued 'scene' thing that it gets labelled as.

Campervans are insanely expensive. Those modest ones are £60k - for that price you can get a brand new high end van AND a Mercedes to tow it and drive around the rest of the year. That alone makes it sheer madness imo.

Caravans can also have awnings so if you want to stay somewhere for two weeks, you can get tons of room and a nice place to sit out, helps a lot when it's a bit chillier. Also when it's hot you can cook and eat in it.

With reference to sites - some caravan sites are like this:

[img] [/img]

These are awful hateful places, full of caravanning stereotypes. Old people who put plastic flowers and lace doileys on their tables and go to the same place every year forever and meet the same couples and have sherry with them in the evenings. And they cost a sodding fortune.

However we don't go to those. We go to places like this:

[img] [/img]

They are usually less than a tenner a night, and can only have 5 other people on. Often we're on our own.

A lot of people think having a caravan means being one of those stereotypes and staying in those awful sites. It doesn't - it's just like camping but much comfier; more comfortable than a small campervan; and more convenient and way the hell cheaper than a big motorhome.

Plus I don't think there's anything to stop me putting the legs down in a coastal car park like the pictures above. Legality is probably the same. Just access is a bit harder.

3 kids and a caravan here. For all the reasons above. Got a real cheap (but solid) 3 berth van for £180! It's been fine until child #3 made his appearance. I'm about to rip out the interior and fit it out to fit us all and carry bikes/surfboard etc inside when on the move. Biggest expense has been the trailer test, but I needed that for farm purposes anyway.

I've had caravans, now having a camper van/motor home built to my spec

have a look here

http://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/my-camper-van-transit-base-vehicle-not-transporter

I don't see anything wrong with the 1st site you posted mol - I've stayed on plenty and barely notice anyone nearby - if I do, I certainly don't let it bother me. The busy sites will also have the best amenities and (sometimes, not always by any stretch), be int he best locations.

I'd love another caravan - I'd consider a camper, but it would have to be huge

Motorhomes are not necessarily that expensive. In my searching for a T5 camper i've often been amazed that a nearly new T5 camper conversion is almost as much as a used proper full on camper van. And if you're looking at a proper VW California's then you're well up into decent family camper van territory. I spotted a 6 berth Swift motorhome, a few years old last year for about £40k.

Caravaning is not that cheap. Obviously depends on alot of things, but for me when we considered it, for a large twin axel van - which are not particularly cheap at all, i'd probably need a new car too, so by the time i've factored that into the equation you're well into decent camper van territory.

But for me the biggest flaw of both the caravan and motorhome options is that i'd have to store them away from my house (no room and deeds forbid the storage of caravans or motorhomes on the property) which brings in the convenience factor , in that if i've got to make an extra effort to retrieve and prepare the caravan/motorhome, then the chances are that once the initial novelty has worn off we'd probably end up not using it often enough - not to mention the additional cost of storing the thing in a farmers field somewhere. So we're going down the T5 campervan route. The van will be my daily drive and it is there ready to go at all times even if we just want to pop up the road 40 minutes into the Peak District for one night. It's all about compromises at the end of the day, pro's and cons to all options. Were trading for size for convenience - what is sure to make any option expensive is if you don't use it.

Motorhomes are not necessarily that expensive.

I spotted a 6 berth Swift motorhome, a few years old last year for about £40k.

Make ya mind up!

Wev'e gone through all this & we'll be getting a caravan, budget around 12K.

My mate got a new Rollerteam MH last year, 38K. nice enough but It's just as well he doesn't have a cat to swing around.

Wobbliscott, how come your'e comparing a T5 van with a twin axle caravan?

T5 . Big enough to be a pain in the arse to live with but small enough to be a pain in the arse to live in 🙂

One or the other IMO.

I'd have a caravan over a t5 sized van for 4 any day.

Y'see Davesport - that is *my* idea of a good time... however... I am not convinced that the rest of the family are quite so onboard with that! My wife spent her childhood on big caravan sites - and the kids have had a good dose of that with the grandparents for a few years too.

Which makes a Caravan more sensible.

But I am not really known for sensible 😉

Kinda looking forward to next weekend to see what is out there, what it costs (and then look at some second hand stuff - or build your own options!)

aravaning is not that cheap. Obviously depends on alot of things, but for me when we considered it, for a large twin axel van - which are not particularly cheap at all, i'd probably need a new car too, so by the time i've factored that into the equation you're well into decent camper van territory.

You're not comparing like with like. You talk about a T5 on the one hand which is tiny then a gigantic caravan setup.

A single axle van can be towed with a family car; even if you have a smaller car there are plenty of smaller vans. So the new car argument is bobbins. And if you try and find a cheaper campervan they are ancient vehicles.

Caravan dealers stick a massive premium on pretty old second hand vans. If you have the budget, you could look for one with timber-free construction, they are around on the second hand market now.

Something else to note is that caravans are a lot more commodious inside than even big camper vans. They are taller, wider, have more windows and are a lot more spacious. But they don't have the huge storage bin underneath.

I carry bikes on the roof of the car when I tow. Then everything else is in the van. I have a bit of water in the bog and a small water container with 5l of water in it, so we can stop wherever we want.

I thikn I will take my caravan up to Scotland this year to take pictures like Davesport, to show it can be done!

molgrips first pic - we've stayed on a few sites like that. Usually inhabited by Audi Q7 drivers with huge twin axle caravans who sit in their box and watch Sky. Odd.

I thikn I will take my caravan up to Scotland this year to take pictures like Davesport, to show it can be done!

Might see you there Molgrips!
My mate wants to do a road trip. Me & my Mrs in our caravan & him & his Mrs in their MH.
I wonder who'll be driving if we all want to go somewhere that's not in walking distance? Maybe me & my Mrs will go in our car & they'll go on a scooter? 🙂

Hehe 🙂

They will get there first though!

molgrips first pic - we've stayed on a few sites like that.

That's a caravan club site. I've looked at one or two that were in convenient locations, when we needed acommodation for a night or two. For a family of four they are nearly £50/night!

molgripos - most of those unofficial sites you would not get a caravan on or would be moved on.

Really? So you're allowed to park up in a big motorhome but not a caravan?

Pretty much the just of it

MOst of the pots would be too small to get a car and caravan on. almost never see a caravan not on a site - infact I can't remember ever seeing one roadside

You not get traveling fowk ( pikeys) in Edinburgh tj ?

I did a bit of googling, seems to be a local byelaw issue as much as anything else.

infact I can't remember ever seeing one roadside

Seen loads on my travels, from the shores of Loch Indaal on Islay to Kinlochourn. (wouldn't fancy hauling a van down there myself though)

Molgrip - those bylaws are largely due to the issue of the traveling fowk mostly. Certainly used to be a big issue up here in the north east....But now we are all skint due to low oil price so they tend to stay away 🙂

Certainly camper/motorhome is alot less inconspicuous as the old van I'll still be careful where I park it. I've slept in some really in yer face places in the van ...From centre of towns when I've needed to be there for what ever reason to outside on the street of mates houses after party's when the house is full.

I'd be less inclined to do that in a caravan or even the motorhome - not sure why....Although I'd be less likely to haul the caravan over with me to even have that option

How ever the campers an itch I've wanted to scratch for many a year so I jumped in with an older van needing work for a few k rather than spending 20+ on building my own.

http://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/another-camper-thread-not-my-usual-ambitious-projects#post-8283076

Our van is awesome. Cost £500.

[img] ?w=480&h=480&fit=clip[/img]

Wobbliscott, how come your'e comparing a T5 van with a twin axle caravan?

I'm not directly comparing - I appreciate they're opposite ends of the scale, it's just on a cost basis hence my comment on making compromises. Initially I didn't know what I wanted. We had done a couple of years of camping which the family loved and were looking at investing in bigger tents, but I decided tenting would be too limiting if we wanted to shoot off somewhere at short notice just for a weekend or even just one night. We then considered caravanning (much to my horror!) and started browsing caravans. We decided we would want a larger caravan so when looking at the larger twin axel ones (or even the larger single axel ones) they were quite spendy (about £20k or more depending on age and spec) and i'd need a bigger car so another £20k or so.

I then rented a 6 berth motorhome for a weekend which was great, they are very expensive but can be had for around £40k for the model I rented when a few years old - still too pricey for me.

But by then our requirements had changed and we wanted the convenience to go somewhere at the drop of a hat and for just one or two nights at the weekends, which ruled out caravans and motorhomes due to the away from home storage issues (also cost). Which is where we've ended up at a T5 camper option. It'll be my daily drive, perfect for quick spontaneous "Let's go" decisions and for our main fortnight holidays in France we would use a large drive-away awning for additional space - which we wouldn't use for quick one or two night get away's.

It's been an exhausting journey over a 2 year span, but hopefully we're within a few weeks of getting the van - test drive today! I'm aware the T5 option is a big compromise - these things are small inside and not really any good for spending time in the van, but for quick one or two night weekend stop overs we wouldn't be in the van much - for short one or two night stop overs we'd not spend much time in the van.

The first response is the correct one;

Caravans are much easier as you can pack it and drive to the shops without packing stuff away and have more space. Harder to reverse and less cool though.

That being said, and loving every caravan trip i've been on, I'd still go camper. Being a mountain bike, the ease to rock up to any car park and go is ace. We've hired coach built vans and reckon that's the way to go, especially with kids. Set some weekends aside to hire them, cheaper season at the moment.

I was looking at renting one for our summer hols this year... holy**** - over £2k for a 6 berth, then I have to get it to Orkney and back!!! Although that may make us rethink the plan (though I have wanted to introduce the family to their cultural home for a long time!)

I was wondering about getting an extra-large van (Sprinter/Crafter/Big Fiat thingy), sticking some insurance on it and then converting it myself either through a pre-made flat pack kit... or just getting someone else to do it for me.

The Campervan thing works better in my mind, but I just think a T5 size job is going to be way too small. Of course we could go down that route, and then stick a caravan on it when we wanted to go for a longer trip. Which may be the best of both worlds (although I am still more inclined to something bigger - possibly with a small caravan when the kids get bigger!)

Well to get someone else to do it decently is 7999 as I saw based on a Vito....Hate to think what it is on a big van.

I'm going for a post ride shower and I'll go take some interior shots of the post bus. It's not as big inside as cozz as I wanted the bikes stored separate to the living.

Capt. Kronos - the T5 thing is not really about motor homing, it's more like tenting on wheels. They are not big inside. Fine for sleeping in, fine for lounging around in and out of, but if you want to spend any significant time inside the van then it's going to be a bit cramped. For me the benefit over a Motorhome, apart from cost, is convenience. If you spend £40k+ on a motorhome and only use it a handful of times a year then that makes it a whole lot more pricy prospect - you can rent a cottage for a fair few weeks with £40k. But hopefully with the T5 van, apart from being alot cheaper than a motorhome, we'll use it alot more frequently over the summer and it will be a practical daily drive all other times.

Go on, depends what you want to do with it with the camping/campervan/caravan/motorhome thing. It's all good fun at the end of the day.

My advice would be to rent as many different options as possible until you make up your mind what is most important to you (ie what has the least in the way of compromises)

This is a good time of the year to rent as it is a bit cheaper and you can often get a camper/motorhome/caravan for a Long weekend rather than a week.

We did this and settled on a ducato mwb which we decided to convert ourselves.

I''m amazed at how many folk spend upwards of £40k on a van without trying all the different options first.

Have to admit, stopping places on your way somewhere can be a pain with the caravan. Going to the supermarket for instance.

But given the cost saving and space benefit, I'll take it. Camper vans feel so cramped.

For sure molgrip

[img] [/img]

[img] [/img]

More than a couple adults in there and it starts to feel squashed....

The coach built we hired previously had 9 folk living out of it at the puffer and was grand with dedicated split sleeping and living arrangements....Bed over Cab etc.

Found the biggest camper van dealer I have ever seen in Germany. Even the huge 90k ones were cramped compared to a 15k caravan.

We get two separate living areas with tables if required. The front one is a comfy lounge about space, I can lie down; the other is the kids one where they play games and whatnot on the table whilst we chill. I'd hate to be sat in the driver's chair. A lot of camper van kids beds seem to be inaccessible during the day, or they stay as beds.

Of course you can be outside if the weather's nice, but this is the UK.

Hmmmm - I think the show next weekend is going to be interesting. Not planning on anything new (I don't think), but it seems the best place to get a good look at all the options!

Other than a DIY Van conversion 😉

We bought a campervan on impulse at the Birmingham show in October 2014 for delivery in the following summer. There were some great deals going which made the decision easier. We had some criteria that were a must. We needed a secure garage that would take four 29ers without stripping them down as well as some other stuff in it like tables and chairs. We wanted a double bed that didn't need making every night. Needed to be under three metres high for the French tolls and a few other things. Also needs to sleep four.

It was a babtism of fire as we took delivery and set of for a month touring the Alps.

15000 miles later we wouldn't be without it. Gets used most weekends and for our holidays. Never missed not having a car when it's parked up. We either walk or use the bikes.

A caravan wouldn't have worked for us.

We weren't planning on buying or buying new but with the deals on offer it was a no brainier. Dealers were selling three year old versions of what we bought for more than we paid new at the show.

Chausson Welcome 718 EB

Agree you get a lot more for your money with a caravan but with certain downsides.

This:

[img] [/img]

is about as long as you can go without another axle and as heavy as you can go to tow with a family car with a decent sized engine (2.0 Mondeo minimum). It's not that bad to reverse if you take it somewhere quiet to practice first and easily driven so long as you remember to overshoot corners somewhat. It's also legal on any licence which is a big plus. Oh and the electric mover is good for parking up if you're shattered and can't be bothered any more.

As I said there are downsides; tight roads can be a nightmare (worse than single track truth be told), there's no cycle storage, resilience is an issue (there is a huge on board tank at the front but I dread to think what that would do to the nose weight and MAM), "wild" camping is probably out and it needs 6-7 spaces widthways to park at a supermarket (if they don't move you on). All other problems are fairly universal between caravans and similar sized motorhomes (speed, maneuvering, storage etc.)

Tracy - I think I have admired your camper on other threads! It would need to be a stunning deal, with a stunning payment plan, to get me to order anything at the show! I am somewhat financially embarrassed at the moment 😉

I must admit though, that's how I want to use it - weekends popping out, holidays... even just running to the central Lakes from here for an early start on the hills would be great (only a half hour drive up into Langdale!) - just have it packed up and ready to go at any time!

We want to take the kids on more adventures - both the two that live with us and my daughter when she comes down to stay.

Space for keeping something is less of an issue. My bottom drive will take 3 vehicles reasonably easily, and once I re-make the gate it would probably take 4. The top drive will take a couple - or would be about ideal for a campervan/motorhome (probably not a caravan though, manoeuvring it in would be... interesting... the bottom drive would probably be more straight forward for that!).

Hmmm... we shall see...

I could always pop the Moto Guzzi on a trailer for getting two of us about once parked up 😉

Don't need to service, tax on indie caravans either.

lf you choose a camper van, for the love of god and for the sake of the children, please please choose a petrol or electric one...... 😀

A bit of consideration from caravan drivers and the fact they don't have to congest the roads, I could be talked into one of these.
[img] [/img]

Camper van without a doubt. We brought ours a year ago wouldn't be without it now! Ditched my car purchased a small run around. One saving you can make is avoiding the stereotypical camper vans. Theres a huge choice such as bongos, fords transits, Vauxhall Peugeot's. I chose a Renault trafic having read the forums and talking to windsurfing buddies...

Where did you take it to a year ago ? 😉

Same places it takes me now;) Wales, Scotland last year. This year France and Scotland again....

the T5 thing is not really about motor homing, it's more like tenting on wheels

Have a LWB T5 with a pop top and would agree with this.
We have a bench downstairs that contains the kitchen plus lots of storage which can quickly be converted to a double bed as well as the upstairs for sleeping.

It's great for a fair weathered weekend away for four... Maybe a week at a push, but it is a little cramped, especially with all the associated luggage (more so when we have a bike each).

The GF and I spent 3,5 weeks touring Italy over new year. Removed the 2nd row bench and had lots of space. But still, space is tight and you are always having to move something in order to get to something else. Being organised is key. I turn into some "everything in its place" Nazi.

However, we could have the bikes inside the van and still sleep downstairs if we wanted (in the middle of town,no roof up) so as not to attract attention, which we often do.

Our van is great for the two of us and still good for four. We tend to go away with just the two of us and as such it is great for 90% of our trips, be that 3 weeks away or a weekend jaunt down to the alps biking or hiking.

With a VW sized van you are much less conspicuous and can get away with parking in most places. And you can get to places you otherwise wouldn't with either a caravan or larger van/motorhome.

If you are using it often then fuel consumption might be a consideration.

Whichever you choose it'll be a compromise. Nothing is 100% perfect.

Bear in mind if your towing a caravan with a van, some campsites won't accept you, fearing your a pikey.

Pjm7

That happened to my mate in his van....Without a caravan.

His is decked out on the inside looks like a boggo builders van outside. No windows or stickers .

Campsite not interested.

Doesn't have to go that far, even the wrong model will get you refused entry (continental brands such as Hobby with the door on the "wrong" side, usual excuse is if it needs to be towed out in an emergency ignoring the point of minimum fire gaps)