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Caravanned for years, then Motorhome for 6 years. Sold Moho last year and thought we were done but realised 10 months on that hotels weren’t our thing but loved having the freedom of the car whilst visiting places. Pick up new caravan next month! This vlog summarised our feelings and was great to hear somebody else feels the same as us.
Had caravan for years. Had planned to move to motor home in retirement, but having toured Spain for 7 weeks and other long tours in Europe we spoke to many motor home owners who were trapped in their van because they are too big to tour the local roads. Sticking with a new caravan and tow car. With you all the way.
Yes we really enjoy our change from MH to caravan, best thing we did so much easier when set up and have a car to tour around, also cheaper only one vehicles running costs, no hassle of parking, no worries of security when parked up in public places off a site, thanks for watching 👍
Watched this when you first posted it Andrew. Just spent the last couple of days looking at motorhomes with a view to changing from the caravan. Glad I came back here, you make so much sense. So many good reasons to stick with what I have. Thanks 😊
It’s great when you find the ideal outfit for you. We loved our caravanning and were happy for over 30 years with a caravan. More recently we needed fresh challenges and our coach built motorhome and now van conversion have given us new challenges and opened up opportunities to travel differently. Never say never, there’s no right or wrong, just different. Safe travels 😃 Trev
Hi Trev, yes it certainly suits our lifestyle now, we seem to have a lot more relaxed holidays & freedom to explore easily, looking to go back to France next year, in September were touring some of the west side of Scotland, Not long before your 6 week European tour 👍
Hi ,did the same as you.got new car and caravan for what we sold motorhome for.As you say height barriers and parking in 2bay fines they are coming up with, also a lot of villages you cannot park in the summer with a motorhome. Glad it worked for you to.
I full-timed in a motor-home for six years, so I understand everything Andrew said against them. I did wonder, though I never got round to trying it, whether the best solution might not be a small motor-home towing a small caravan? By " small motor-home" I mean something with a footprint little if any bigger than the old Ford Mondeo. The theory is that you get the best of both worlds. The trouble is, you might get the worst of both worlds! I did speak to a few people who were doing it, and they all said it was great, with no problems. But I'd be interested to hear if anybody has tried it and has a contrary opinion.
Hi Bill I can only answer your question with our own personal circumstances in mind. We found for us it was the initial outlay & running costs for 2 vehicles. We did think about downsizing our car to tow but we still have running / maintenance cost for 2 vehicles. We worked out probably 35 - 45% of the year the MH was in storage & we were paying running cost for Motorhome and not using it. We always used sites when away never free camped or stopped in pub carparks. With me retiring early and taking an annual salary from my pension pot (less than half of the income I was earning when working) financially for us it worked out it was a lot cheaper for us to update the car, trade in MH (at a good price due covid & no stocks at dealers ) buy a new caravan and have some money left over to bank so only we were left with only one vehicle's running cost / maintenance & storage for caravan & yearly habitation so for us it was the best solution. Suppose it's down to your own personal & financial circumstances
Interesting update, thanks Andrew. We had a Bürstner motorhome for a year around the time you had your Chausson. I wanted motorhoming to work for us, because I was tired of towing a big caravan. However, we decided to switch back to a caravan in the end. We switched back to caravanning because: * We have a Knaus 400LK caravan now, which I find really easy to tow. I made a mistake of buying too large and heavy a caravan in the past, but at only 6 metres this one is great. Our BMW tow car can to up to 1700kg and we usually run the Knaus at around 1200 kg fully laden. I would always urge potential buyers to buy a caravan which is well within the tow car towing limit, both for ease of towing and safety. * Neither of us have full time jobs anymore, so we have more time to go away for three or four nights, which for us is the minimum stay to make the preparation and towing to site worthwhile. For one or two nights, motorhome and camper vans are better. * The caravan is easier to keep warm in the winter than the motorhome, even with an insulated cab screen, as you mentioned. * The Fiat Ducato based Bürstner had a poor ride for long journeys, and the engine noise was tiresome for long drives. We are much happier sitting in the car. Don't be taken in by those smooth videos with background music, but hire a motorhome or camper van before you buy. Hiring is expensive, but nowhere near as expensive as buying a motorhome or campervan that you can't get on with. If you like the hire vehicle, then you will have peace of mind when making what these days is an extremely expensive purchase decision. * We like to stay at least four nights to a week in one place before moving on. The caravan is better for this, for the reasons you outline in the video. For those who love many short stays and European grand tours, I would get a campervan of say around 6 metres.
Yes MH suited us when working full time, easy to get away, had enough of trying to work out where you can park, paying for 2 bays, or trying to find sites within easy reach of village / town, easy access to public transport and not waiting for the bus that never turns up then having to pay over the top for a taxi to get back to site, security of personal items in MH when parked up in public areas. Life's so much more relaxed once the caravan is pitched safely on site, since retirement I'm certainly in no rush to get anywhere or get back home 👍
Hi Andrew & Karen, you’ve just reiterated all the reasons why we chose a caravan over a Motorhome. I thought I wanted a motorhome until we really researched it. You can buy a beautiful caravan for almost half the price of a Motorhome. Life is all about choices. I love to watch Motorhome and Vanlife vlogs too but for now, we’re staying with a caravan. Great open, honest video. Cheers Dave & Helen.
When a nice caravan is £30k and a good tow car is at least £35k new the cost is practically the same. We tow a Toyota IQ behind our motorhome so have far more options with our setup 👌🏽😉
Each to there own it's reverse of a caravan but you tow a car, we find the caravan suits us better it has more room a lot more comfortable & relaxing, a MH you sit in the captains chairs to get there & sit in them when on site (yes they do recline but do get uncomfortable) Cab area is cold even with a silver screen on cab windows in winter. A decent new low cost coach built MH cost 60k - 80K, my caravan new cost 22.5K the tow car was 6 month old with 6000miles on clock cost 26k (total 48.5K) this left us with some money over from sale of MH & we only have the running cost of one vehicle in the household so it was win win for us 👍
We started off with a lwb campervan, which costs many tens of thousands of pounds, which we still have. It is great for things like the NC500, single track roads and constantly touring, day trips out and the likes. Further to that we have very recently bought a second hand 7.5 metre fixed bed, 4 berth caravan because we also wanted fixed holidays with more room but still have the ability to park easily. The caravan literally cost 1/4 of what the campervan did but we find ourselves gravitating to it mostly now when we go away. We have even towed it 300 miles to Bunree. If we had bought the caravan first, I don't think we would have bought the campervan. Side to side levelling was the only thing we found problematic, because the motor mover made the caravan pirouette, when trying to climb a ramp with it. We found the only way to do it was to re-attach the car and pull it up, which was a pain. Since then we have bought a lock n level and put a rubber mat under it and a rubber mat beneath the opposing wheel as well to replicate the friction on each side, whilst using the motor mover and levelling is now simplicity itself. As for a motorhome, I would never consider one at all. I could see the problems they present, with a parking and security nightmare.
Yea side to side leveling can be a bit of a pain, but I manage to drive it up the levelling ramp with motor mover, we certainly made the right choice caravan is so much more relaxing and does not really take anymore time to set up than the MH & no queuing up to fill up with water and emptying grey waste at service point 👍
We had same difficulties with ramps and swiveling when trying to level up so we have now got lock n level but not tried it out yet, nice to hear that you are happy with it
I am very new to caravanning, having my first trip away today and have never owned a motorhome. I never understood the attraction and massive cost of a motorhome and you confirmed it for me. As you say pitching somewhere and then unhitching and travelling around locally sounds much easier than driving a huge motorhome about.
Hi Thanks for watching and commenting - We actually never thought of caravanning when we started back in 2014 - Always thought caravanning was so much hassle (how wrong I was), we've had two MH's it was so easy to jump in and get away straight after work for a quick get away on a Friday evening, But circumstances changed I took early retirement and did not intend to work again so needed to be more careful with our finances so just running one vehicle was a win win situation for us - Happy Caravanning
After years of camping in the UK and France in a trailer tent followed by ten years of ordinary holidays we began to yearn for our camping adventures. A trailer tent wasn’t a consideration so, it was the age old Caravan or motorhome debate. After 12 months of research, visiting dealers and sitting in dozens of caravans and motorhomes we finally bought a new caravan, a Coachman VIP 575/4. It’s been faultless and we still love it. I do have occasional thoughts about swapping it for a motorhome but, videos like this remind me exactly why I shouldn’t. Thanks😊👍
Yes that's the big debate either Motorhome, campervan or Caravan, depends on your budget, finances & salary & how you want to tour Etc, caravan is the right choice for us once set up, you have the car, without having to Google where you can park a bigger vehicle, or relying on unreliable public transport or taxi's to visit places & no worries about height barriers ETC
We bought our caravan ( she is called Doris) in January and had our first outing last weekend for 2 nights - we went local to get used to it as we have no previous experience - had our mishaps but got there in the end - we are off again tomorrow for 5 nights farther afield. We wanted a caravan as we like to explore once we have set up - perfect for us for many of the reasons you have stated. The first time I ever towed anything was the day we picked up the caravan - I towed it home 93 miles without issue and was chuffed about that. Steve
Hope you create some wonderful memories in your caravan - we much prefer the caravan life to motorhoming, so much easier to get around once your on site, thank you for watching
Hi there glad you feel you've made the right choice, we have a large motorhome, we have our last trip in 2 weeks time, then we're putting it in for a caravan and large car (we do have a small tow car but it's to small for at home in everyday use) I hope we're making the right choice. Take care x
Interesting video, thank you. 15 years ago we had an old motorhome and when we were looking for a newer one, we just by chance had a look at a caravan and decided there and then that was more for us with our family of dogs. About 6 years later on, we had to sell the caravan (long story), moved house and bought a campervan with a portapotti. It was ok apart from the fact that I always had to get the portapotti out of the back before we could use it. 2 years later we bought (part exchanged) the van for a 5m campervan with a proper small wet room inside that we use as a day van. If we didn’t have the dogs, we could sleep in it, but now we are considering getting another caravan to tow with the campervan (being of a certain age, and because of our dogs, we really need to have a toilet on hand instead of having to look for bushes). We are making the decision this week. Your video has helped us make this decision.we love the freedom of the campervan, being only 5m we can still get/park everywhere but the caravan will give us extra “home” space.
Thank you, it's perfect for us now, set up and leave caravan on site, suppose campervan & caravan is probably rthe ideal outfit as we have seen on sites, short overnights in campervan, longer stays in caravan and campervan to get out and about with your own facilities 👍
Thanks for the video Andrew. We gave up our motorhome for the same reasons and have been back Caravanning for 12 months now and love it. Example last year 2022 we went to Port Grimaud in the south of France and felt trapped. Couldn’t get out as the roads were unsuitable. We went back again this year in the caravan and what a difference. We had days out and went to some nice villages in the car. Working my way through your videos. Looks like we have been to similar places. Thanks again for posting.
Yes its the best thing we did, so much more freedom when away without the worry of where to park & security of you personal possession's when parked up in public areas away from the site, we always stopped on sites, it's also saved us money so we can have more trips away - Thanks for supporting the channel by watching my videos 👍
I think I mentioned it in my comment Andrew when we changed back to a caravan for the same reasons and I mentioned it made such a difference when we we went to Port Grimaud last year and i'd put some videos on. Hope you are both well. Thanks for posting your videos.
Pleased you have found balance in your decision and you are enjoying your caravan. I caravanned as a child and I love my Motorhome, the high riding position, the quality of build, the self-sufficiency and the fact you can stop in a lay-by or rest area and lie on, or even get into your bed for 30’ to freshen up. Had to do that last night on the way home! I appreciated your earlier videos, as we have a Chausson and I was impressed at your modifications, sorry to hear about your guarentee wors! We have a 2015 Chausson 728eb Welcome, the same size but different configuration to yours. We are very happy with it. Yes there were some snagging issues at first, which the dealer sorted, but it is also a learning curve for new owners. Even this past year, we have learnt something new using the van through the winter months on a regular basis. We had -11DegC at one point on a C&MHC site, but it was toastie inside, and everything worked fine. We just dropped all the water out prior to moving off and let the water “shoogle” out on the journey before closing the valves. Safe travels, enjoy your retirement.
Yes caravan suits us now, were in no rush, no work commitments, so happy to travel a short distance set up for a few day's, explore the area by foot or car & then move on to the next site - Thanks for watching
Hi Andrew. It's really useful to hear the opinion of someone who has the experience of both motorhome and caravan. Thought about a motorhome at Times but will definitely stay caravaning. Thanks for sharing
Thanks for the video. I have been caravanning about 33 years. Loved it. Bought a new van 19 months ago. Previous one was an Elddis which was fine, now a Swift deaker special with a fixed rear bedroom and a central washroom. I had been thinking about a MH as I will be 70 soon and want to keep under 3,500kg (and my towcar and the 1,560 MTPLM caravan are pushing that). My thoughts: VANS - nuch more room when you put an awning up; easier to do trips in a car when you have an awning (unlike a MH, detatching etc); better for longer stays as you can set up, leave stuff in car then travel around the area from your van "base", onky one vehicke to tax, insure & run; issues parking anything but a small MH; the sort of MH that would give a separate shower & effectively a dressing room in the centre of the van would cost LOADS (more than a van + towcar). We have used our van as a spare bedroom as it psrks on the drive. MOTORHOMES - Better if you were touring something like the NC500 with only a night or do in each place (only need to disconnect water + elec, roll off the ramps & drive off - no hitching and no taking down an awning); might be easier getting on & off some sites in a MH than a van+tow car (but not in mud or wet grass!); you can travel faster in a MH amd on longer journeys if you need to refuel, you don't need to worry whether you'll need to unhitch to get access to the pump. I have mate who has a MH, a campervan AND van with a towcar. On longer meets he takes the 4x4 campervan (buikt on a LWB Transit) which has a towbar fitted, and a van. That way he has room for grandkids, can leave the van on site if he needs shopping or wants to do any trips from site. ALSO - if you are going to Scotland in September then, depending on the dates, consider popping into the Teesside DA THS which is at Beadnell on the Northumberland Coast literally 2 fields from the C&C Club Site. Great position - a field away from the sandunes to Beadnell beach, about 0.5 miles from Beadnell village, 2 miles from Seahouses, 4 miles from Bamburgh etc. Last year it was £10 per unit per night (facilities: a great field, several water taps & an Elsan point but no other "facilities" - last year someone asked if we had a shower/toilet block - for £10 a night!!!). Open usually late July to mid Sugust for about 23 nights but stay as long or as short as you want. No need to book. We've never yet had to tirn anyone away and the THS is (according to what people tell us, including many "see-you-nect-year types") really welk organised. Might be worth your while having a look at Out+About to see if tgevdates woukd fit in. A great base for Craster/Alnwick/Walkworth/Bamburgh even as far as Eyemouth and Berwick or Wooler. Hope that helps, and I apologise in advance if my typing has left evidence of fat fingers....
I think your video and some replies are persuading me this summer I don't need a MH but a slightly lighter caravan so we are well under 3,500kg when fully loaded, including the towcar.
Hi we still do 1 night stays with caravan after a few times we found setting up it takes no longer than pitching a MH - We still do 1 night stays if travelling a fair distance. On our last trip for New year as Storage was closed for Christmas & you had to give them a time to pick caravan up we stayed 1 night half way there to get caravan sorted , then moved to our other site for 3 nights, Thanks for the Info about Teeside DA
We love your channel Andrew! We caravaned for 35years (15 Tourers in that time) We loved every minute of our times doing it! Don't do it now but love watching people like yourselves enjoying it. I could probably write a book on it on the different experiences we had and the characters we ever met. Keep on going as long as you can it's a great hobby!😊👍
We’ve also had both went back to a caravan the motorhome was great for a 7 week winter break in Spain We also towed a little car behind the motorhome in GB my views are the extra space and comfort with the caravan benefits us enjoy your videos good honest reviews thank you
Must agree the caravan has more relaxing & room for lounging, we don't miss having to sit upright in the captains chairs after a long drive in the chilly cab on a cold winters night
We sold our Moho 2 years ago and since then we have been ‘sitting on the fence’ about whether to get a caravan or a large camper. I think we’re erring towards a caravan mainly because of the same pony’s you raised. We’ll have to see. The Moho was costing around £1000 before I moved it when you add up all the costs, storage, mot, insurance, tax, habitation checks and base vehicle servicing.
Must admit it's the best thing we did, we even travelled to Ireland this year with a caravan, so much easier to explore in the car along those narrow Irish roads 👍
We are making the same decision this week ...after the hubby was I'll the thought of just my wage sustaining and car and motorhome..tax, mot, insurance and repairs put our brakes on to still enjoy adventures in comfort but with one vehicle and caravan
Hi - Thanks for watching, It all comes down to your personal finances, why waste money on paying for extra vehicle when one will do, it's the best decision we made changing to caravan
Must admit it's the best thing we did, it's all down to personal circumstances & the way you want to holiday, for us it's so much easier to get out and about when away, thanks for watching 👍
Caravan is definitely the one for me I find it most practical although I think it's how you use it we tend to do week away here and there. If it's a impromptu weekend thing then I think the motorhome could be the way to go but your only going to see the campsite and whatevers in walking distance. Enjoyed your video happy adventures to you.
Enjoyed the vlog ( as I do all your uploads). An excellent honest and frank update with many valid points. Finally someone addressing the issue of security. We have a caravan and pondered over getting a MH but the thought of leaving not only 50/60/70k of vehicle PLUS all your belongings, tech, personal effects in a car park whilst you trundle around Poundland and the charity shops, scares me. And every time you want to go out from the site you have to stow away the bone China and crystal glasses as you drop down off your ramps is another issue. But …. Each to his own and you’ve done both so are well qualified to comment for and against both. Keep up the great vlogs - appreciate all your work Regards Howard
Thank you Howard, It's down to what you want & your personal circumstances, we never freedom camped or did pub stopovers, we always used site (even in France) a Caravan is the best for at the moment
Glad your happy with the caravan as opposed to the motorhome. I have to agree with everything you’ve said. One thing that you never mentioned was??……. The seating in a caravan is so much better (I think) I always feel that motorhome seating looks so uncomfortable the seat backs are too upright if you know what I mean. Have a great time in Scotland you’ll love it, I look forward to you vlogs. I live in Scotland East Lothian so can recommend yellowcraigs Club site near North Berwick. Have a great trip. We’re currently in Belgium just now then heading down into Germany for w weeks then back home with our caravan and I just would not want to do it with a motorhome. All the best David Bowie
Yes I must agree I missed it out, the captains chairs after a long drive you turned the chairs round, due to the cab floor being higher than the habitation floor your feet would not reach the floor correctly, the seats did not swing round a full 90 degrees and if you wanted to put your feet up on the habitation seat your body was slightly twisted also cab area was always either to hot in summer or colder in winter than the habitation are of the motorhome even with the silver screen over the cab windows, Thank you for watching and have a lovely time in Germany
The nicest thing to hear are vlogs with no selling involved. Good points raised too. There’re are plenty who tour who keep changing MH 2 caravan vice versa it’s all down to personal choice. Thanks for making the vlog.
You can tow a car behind the motorhome and someone can still knock off your caravan when you go driving in the car. Also if you have idiots come around in the middle of the night harassing you, you can just jump into the drivers seat in the motorhome home and drive off, whereas with the caravan you have to get out of it to get to the car, also you can have automatic levelling with the motorhome
So you're telling me something I already know 🤔 - it's less of a problem when it's pitched on a site, if you can afford to tow a car with MH to get around (illegal in some European countries unless the car is on a trailer), MH can still get nicked when your out and about, even if you don't have a car and out walking it can still get nicked or trashed as far as I'm concerned if you can afford to run two vehicles with tax, insurance, maintenance & fuel costs, tow frame / trailer & auto levelling your better off than I am - OH by the way caravans can come or could be fitted with Auto levelling as well 👍😀
Had my first caravan in 1974, and several caravans later decided to try a motorhome, in 2020, after two trips to Spain, plus loads of weekends away, the motorhome was great for long journeys but missed the flexibility of caravan, July 2023 have sold the motorhome and ordered a new caravan for November 2024, my verdict, enjoyed both but 40% motorhome 60% caravan.
Yes MH is really ideal if you travel a lot in Europe they are well catered for, Here in the UK it's a lot harder, we decided after retirement we would change to caravan leaving us with just one vehicle's running cost saved us a fortune and means we can get away more, don't miss MH and planning to venture to Southern Ireland with caravan next Month and France next year 👍
We love ours it was between Swift island bed and this one, the trouble with the Swift was the wall at the bottom of the bed it seemed to be too closed in and a little clostrophobic, thanks for watching 👍
Agree with all that's been said, a caravan is an ideal base for a holiday, set up and go out in the car. From a cost point of view a good motorhome now costs almost 100k, for that price you can have a lovely new caravan 30-35k and a new VW camper to tow it with. The Dub provides you with a place to stay if just nipping off for a night or two when it is not worth taking the caravan, a tow vehicle when using the caravan, and somewhere to make a cup of tea when exploring, as well as another vehicle to use at home. Thinking this will be the best option for us, in early years of retirement when we no longer need two cars, and will be using the caravan more.
Hi there, only just seen you. I’m going to get a caravan soon. I think it’s the much better option for us. Thanks for the vlog and I’ve just subscribed and look forward to seeing more Happy new year btw xx
thank you for the interesting video ! I'm about to buy a caravan or motor home. I was looking for some comparison and this video gave me great insights 😉🙏
Glad it was helpful! Yes that's the big debate either Motorhome, campervan or Caravan, depends on your budget, finances & salary you can afford to run & how you want to tour Etc, caravan is the right choice for us once set up, you have the car, without having to Google where you can park a bigger vehicle, or relying on unreliable public transport or taxi's to visit places & no worries about height barriers ETC
@@andrew-karens-adventures yeah there are many questions to answer. I preparing myself a list of them. Are the caravans permitted to park up anywhere ? How do protect them from stealing ?
@@adriana77w.22 Do you mean wild camping (free camping) if so no not really with a caravan, security is better on the caravan as it's on site. I also have hitch lock, wheel clamp, steady locks & flip over external door lock on it as well, MH if you want to go out of site you have to pack everything away, yes you have everything with you & your own onboard facilities if left in a public place you have security to think about, steering lock, external door lock, any valuables which you may have & don't want to leave you will have to take with you, both have there good and bad points depends how you want to spend your leisure time 👍
IMHO for most people : young families want a caravan as its about holidays mainly. When the kids grow up, motorhome is nicer as it allowes for nice and easy road trips and weekends. In retirement it depends how you roll. Do you want to move around or go to a place and stay for a few days. I liked caravans the past 20 years and now moved over to a motorhome. I am looking forward to all those little trips.
Hi Michael - It's down to personal circumstances, how you want to spend your time away & personal finances, Not sure where you live but in Europe it's better for Motorhomes as you have Aires, Stel Platz Etc which welcome Motorhome stopovers, here in the UK we have Height barriers on car parks, lots of NO overnight camping & lots more restrictions here in the UK, so for us a caravan is the best way to spend our time away, thank your for watching & commenting
@@andrew-karens-adventures agreed. I am in Nelson, NZ. I think, a lot of people who should rather have a caravan (like a family with young kids) might buy a motorhome and then regret it as they are either stuck on the campground without a car or have to pack up all the stuff, every time they wanna go somewhere for a few hours. If you get a motorhome, make sure you are not the person who drives around at the destination a lot as that's just nicer with a car. And don't be intimidated by towing, as many people are, as we all know that's it's easy and you learn very fast.
Here in France I did the maths. It was a fraction of the cost of owning and using a motor home to simply drive from place to place in my Porsche and stay in a château or similar comfortable chambres d’hotes. I still go camping several times a year. For my camping trips I take my motorcycle and a tent.
Interesting to hear your views. We've only had motorhomes never had a caravan but we can see how much easier things are with a car. Great video guys 😎x
Thanks, great video. I guess one another disadvantage for caravan is always need a place for it (campsite and storage), which is not an issue with a campervan, what do you think?
Good point, it depends on your personal requirements, we like to have plenty of room small campervans are not for us, we have always used storage & campsites even with both previous motorhomes which were 7.5mtr long & we never did any overnight park ups, advantage to us is one vehicles running cost, we have the car to explore, Caravan safe and secure on a campsite, we don't have to try and find a carpark without height barriers, pay for 2 parking bays if you cant find somewhere for rear overhang reverse into, no issues with security of personal items or carrying round valuable items, to us it's a win win
hi.Andrew had m/h for 10 years when I retired I bought a 6 seater transit custom great for the family etc traded the m/h for a caravan all the kit awning etc in the back of custom great towcar park anywhere wouldn't entertain a m/h.Roger
Hi Andrew many thanks for sharing your experience with caravan and Motorhome ,we sold are caravan 3 years ago and want another, twice a month we used to go to the newforest an hour away from where we lived, set off Friday came back Sunday, as you highlighted we could set up the caravan within less than an hour, then where free to do as we please, think there are pros and cons to both, but for me the the cost of a motor home is huge ,then you have mot, tax and insurance ,i know you have to do the same with a car ,but I'm guessing people who do own a motorhome also have a car too? im glad to see its working for you both.
Everyone is different Andrew, we caravanned for 32 years and three years ago changed to a MH. We would never go back to a caravan. No more lugging water and waste containers and being restricted to 60 MPH on motorways. Our MH is an Auto-sleeper van conversion and we find no problem taking it where we would take our car. We use it as a second vehicle and during the pandemic especially it was great to go somewhere knowing we had our own facilities. We have an electric car which is very cheap to run so we find running the MH/electric car combination cheaper than the large car we needed for our caravan.
Yes I agree everyone is different, Our last two MH's have been 7.5 mtrs long, we did think of downsizing to a campervan conversion but we like a bit of room, Even with motorhome I used water containers to top up fresh water & get rid of grey waste instead of having to move MH or queue at MH service point, Don't mind sitting at 50mph on A roads & 60mph on motorways I've no need to rush nowadays , Thank you for watching
@@andrew-karens-adventures Wow, these were very large MH's. We are happy to have less space but are able to park MH outside our flat (bought when we retired). As we don't have anyone who comes with us now - kids are all grown up, we find the space big enough for two and like the convenience the MH brings. Enjoy your caravan and I'll follow your adventures.
We have a new vantage 6m sol camper van lovely vehicle I certainly wouldn't leave it in any carparks so I have a 125 scooter on the back which gives us loads of freedom, I'm now 60 but im thinking when I retire in 7 years to get a caravan because I won't have to tax and pay so much insurance ,And there's probably more space in a caravan and I probably won't want me and mrs riding a scooter at nearly 70 , at the moment my set up is perfect but when I'm older I think I will be changing for a caravan.
Must admit we thought about a campervan but decided the caravan and bigger car for day to day was the best option for us at this time, thanks for watching 👍
Just had the discussion (within the last week), about selling or VW Campervan and getting a car able to tow and a caravan instead. Your decisions are closely linked to ours. We also have a dog now so was a bit tight in the van. Thank you for this. Any tips on what car or best for towing (£18k ish) and first time van for the same amount would be welcomed
Sorry I won't recommend a caravan or tow car, it's all down to how you want to use it, the layout / size of the van etc, May I suggest (as we did) is visit some local dealerships look at different manufacturers and layouts and go from there, once you have narrowed it down it's time to choose the tow car which will tow the MPLM weight of the caravan, we tow our 1500kg MPLM caravan with a 2ltr diesel 180 BHP AWD Ford Kuga, tow bar and electrics cost was extra (fitted by a mobile tow bar fitter), Hope this helps & thanks for watching and commenting 👍
We're toying with the idea of moving from a campervan to a caravan. We avoid the UK. But the Instagram vision of parking up where you like, in some idyllic spot is less and less reality anywhere in Europe now😟 so we've gravitated towards campsites. When we see a MH towing a car (on a trailer) it's beyond ridiculous🤣 So a caravan makes more and more sense👍
Must admit it's the best thing we did, we always stopped on sites anyway, you can still park up on a long journey (granted not as easily as with a campervan), go to Loo (No1 only) as you don't have water onboard have a cuppa some lunch & even a nap.
Interesting view on it .. we have both motorhomed and caravaned tbh I don’t think it’s much cheaper caravaning which surprised us , we do miss the ease of the motorhome and weren’t tied down on site at all as it’s a different aspect on touring, enjoying the caravan at the moment like you and off exploring in the car but we’ll definitely return to a small Moho Cheers Glyn
Agree that it's the same cost to go away, fuel, site & food costs are the same, we always used sites & did not freedom camp or pub stops in MH, we now only have tow car + caravan so running costs are massively cheaper than having 2 / 3 vehicles running costs so leaves us more money for our travels 👍
As far as I know you can't stop on Aires with a caravan, I would think staying on a site would be the only option, we've only been to France twice and that was in MH staying on sites so can't comment
We've always used sites, they are certainly a lot more expensive nowadays, we pick and choose sites to suit the area we are going to and everything gone up so some are cheaper than others
Hi Andrew and Karen I’ve just watched your video on the same subject I’m also vlogging about as you know we are having debates at the moment as we changed from caravan to Motorhome was it the right decision started looking at caravans and different motorhomes to see whats out there we will then decide if it’s back to a caravan or we are staying with a Motorhome but a different layout . Just subscribed too 👍👍
After caravanning for 50 years can't see the sence of a motorhome. Having to pack up each day to go out for a drive. yet with a caravan you don't have to pack up each day to go out. Just jump in the car and off you go.
Sorry but I'm going to have to correct you. Wiid camping is under canvas, next to a lake, in woodland on a hill or moorland, Campervan / Motorhome do park ups overnight where permitted 👍
I hope you enjoy the video if you did please consider subscribing (IT'S FREE), click the link below to go to my channel
th-cam.com/users/andrewrichards9
Thank You 👍
Caravanned for years, then Motorhome for 6 years. Sold Moho last year and thought we were done but realised 10 months on that hotels weren’t our thing but loved having the freedom of the car whilst visiting places. Pick up new caravan next month! This vlog summarised our feelings and was great to hear somebody else feels the same as us.
Thank you for watching and enjoy your new caravan 👍
Had caravan for years. Had planned to move to motor home in retirement, but having toured Spain for 7 weeks and other long tours in Europe we spoke to many motor home owners who were trapped in their van because they are too big to tour the local roads. Sticking with a new caravan and tow car. With you all the way.
Yes we really enjoy our change from MH to caravan, best thing we did so much easier when set up and have a car to tour around, also cheaper only one vehicles running costs, no hassle of parking, no worries of security when parked up in public places off a site, thanks for watching 👍
Totally agree with you on the Caravan V Motorhome issue.
Certainly better for us now, thanks for watching
Watched this when you first posted it Andrew. Just spent the last couple of days looking at motorhomes with a view to changing from the caravan. Glad I came back here, you make so much sense. So many good reasons to stick with what I have. Thanks 😊
Glad I made sense, I suppose it depends on your personal circumstances & finances, both have there good and bad reasons
It’s great when you find the ideal outfit for you. We loved our caravanning and were happy for over 30 years with a caravan. More recently we needed fresh challenges and our coach built motorhome and now van conversion have given us new challenges and opened up opportunities to travel differently. Never say never, there’s no right or wrong, just different. Safe travels 😃 Trev
Hi Trev, yes it certainly suits our lifestyle now, we seem to have a lot more relaxed holidays & freedom to explore easily, looking to go back to France next year, in September were touring some of the west side of Scotland, Not long before your 6 week European tour 👍
Picking our caravan up tomorrow. Our motorhome up for sale. Being retired now I think will be better for us. I agree with everything you have said.
Thank you for watching, have a great time creating memories with your caravan 👍
Hi ,did the same as you.got new car and caravan for what we sold motorhome for.As you say height barriers and parking in 2bay fines they are coming up with, also a lot of villages you cannot park in the summer with a motorhome. Glad it worked for you to.
Yes we are really happy it worked out for us, thanks for watching 👍
I full-timed in a motor-home for six years, so I understand everything Andrew said against them.
I did wonder, though I never got round to trying it, whether the best solution might not be a small motor-home towing a small caravan?
By " small motor-home" I mean something with a footprint little if any bigger than the old Ford Mondeo.
The theory is that you get the best of both worlds. The trouble is, you might get the worst of both worlds!
I did speak to a few people who were doing it, and they all said it was great, with no problems.
But I'd be interested to hear if anybody has tried it and has a contrary opinion.
Hi Bill
I can only answer your question with our own personal circumstances in mind.
We found for us it was the initial outlay & running costs for 2 vehicles.
We did think about downsizing our car to tow but we still have running / maintenance cost for 2 vehicles.
We worked out probably 35 - 45% of the year the MH was in storage & we were paying running cost for Motorhome and not using it. We always used sites when away never free camped or stopped in pub carparks.
With me retiring early and taking an annual salary from my pension pot (less than half of the income I was earning when working) financially for us it worked out it was a lot cheaper for us to update the car, trade in MH (at a good price due covid & no stocks at dealers ) buy a new caravan and have some money left over to bank so only we were left with only one vehicle's running cost / maintenance & storage for caravan & yearly habitation so for us it was the best solution.
Suppose it's down to your own personal & financial circumstances
Interesting update, thanks Andrew. We had a Bürstner motorhome for a year around the time you had your Chausson. I wanted motorhoming to work for us, because I was tired of towing a big caravan. However, we decided to switch back to a caravan in the end. We switched back to caravanning because:
* We have a Knaus 400LK caravan now, which I find really easy to tow. I made a mistake of buying too large and heavy a caravan in the past, but at only 6 metres this one is great. Our BMW tow car can to up to 1700kg and we usually run the Knaus at around 1200 kg fully laden. I would always urge potential buyers to buy a caravan which is well within the tow car towing limit, both for ease of towing and safety.
* Neither of us have full time jobs anymore, so we have more time to go away for three or four nights, which for us is the minimum stay to make the preparation and towing to site worthwhile. For one or two nights, motorhome and camper vans are better.
* The caravan is easier to keep warm in the winter than the motorhome, even with an insulated cab screen, as you mentioned.
* The Fiat Ducato based Bürstner had a poor ride for long journeys, and the engine noise was tiresome for long drives. We are much happier sitting in the car. Don't be taken in by those smooth videos with background music, but hire a motorhome or camper van before you buy. Hiring is expensive, but nowhere near as expensive as buying a motorhome or campervan that you can't get on with. If you like the hire vehicle, then you will have peace of mind when making what these days is an extremely expensive purchase decision.
* We like to stay at least four nights to a week in one place before moving on. The caravan is better for this, for the reasons you outline in the video. For those who love many short stays and European grand tours, I would get a campervan of say around 6 metres.
Yes MH suited us when working full time, easy to get away, had enough of trying to work out where you can park, paying for 2 bays, or trying to find sites within easy reach of village / town, easy access to public transport and not waiting for the bus that never turns up then having to pay over the top for a taxi to get back to site, security of personal items in MH when parked up in public areas. Life's so much more relaxed once the caravan is pitched safely on site, since retirement I'm certainly in no rush to get anywhere or get back home 👍
Hi Andrew & Karen, you’ve just reiterated all the reasons why we chose a caravan over a Motorhome. I thought I wanted a motorhome until we really researched it. You can buy a beautiful caravan for almost half the price of a Motorhome. Life is all about choices. I love to watch Motorhome and Vanlife vlogs too but for now, we’re staying with a caravan. Great open, honest video. Cheers Dave & Helen.
Thank you - we will certainly be stopping with caravan for a few years now
When a nice caravan is £30k and a good tow car is at least £35k new the cost is practically the same. We tow a Toyota IQ behind our motorhome so have far more options with our setup 👌🏽😉
Each to there own it's reverse of a caravan but you tow a car, we find the caravan suits us better it has more room a lot more comfortable & relaxing, a MH you sit in the captains chairs to get there & sit in them when on site (yes they do recline but do get uncomfortable) Cab area is cold even with a silver screen on cab windows in winter. A decent new low cost coach built MH cost 60k - 80K, my caravan new cost 22.5K the tow car was 6 month old with 6000miles on clock cost 26k (total 48.5K) this left us with some money over from sale of MH & we only have the running cost of one vehicle in the household so it was win win for us 👍
@@stevebennett6727 as long as everyone is happy with their choices, that’s all that matters 👍
We started off with a lwb campervan, which costs many tens of thousands of pounds, which we still have. It is great for things like the NC500, single track roads and constantly touring, day trips out and the likes. Further to that we have very recently bought a second hand 7.5 metre fixed bed, 4 berth caravan because we also wanted fixed holidays with more room but still have the ability to park easily. The caravan literally cost 1/4 of what the campervan did but we find ourselves gravitating to it mostly now when we go away. We have even towed it 300 miles to Bunree. If we had bought the caravan first, I don't think we would have bought the campervan. Side to side levelling was the only thing we found problematic, because the motor mover made the caravan pirouette, when trying to climb a ramp with it. We found the only way to do it was to re-attach the car and pull it up, which was a pain. Since then we have bought a lock n level and put a rubber mat under it and a rubber mat beneath the opposing wheel as well to replicate the friction on each side, whilst using the motor mover and levelling is now simplicity itself. As for a motorhome, I would never consider one at all. I could see the problems they present, with a parking and security nightmare.
Yea side to side leveling can be a bit of a pain, but I manage to drive it up the levelling ramp with motor mover, we certainly made the right choice caravan is so much more relaxing and does not really take anymore time to set up than the MH & no queuing up to fill up with water and emptying grey waste at service point 👍
We had same difficulties with ramps and swiveling when trying to level up so we have now got lock n level but not tried it out yet, nice to hear that you are happy with it
Great video many thanks
Thank you 👍
I am very new to caravanning, having my first trip away today and have never owned a motorhome. I never understood the attraction and massive cost of a motorhome and you confirmed it for me. As you say pitching somewhere and then unhitching and travelling around locally sounds much easier than driving a huge motorhome about.
Hi Thanks for watching and commenting - We actually never thought of caravanning when we started back in 2014 - Always thought caravanning was so much hassle (how wrong I was), we've had two MH's it was so easy to jump in and get away straight after work for a quick get away on a Friday evening, But circumstances changed I took early retirement and did not intend to work again so needed to be more careful with our finances so just running one vehicle was a win win situation for us - Happy Caravanning
After years of camping in the UK and France in a trailer tent followed by ten years of ordinary holidays we began to yearn for our camping adventures. A trailer tent wasn’t a consideration so, it was the age old Caravan or motorhome debate. After 12 months of research, visiting dealers and sitting in dozens of caravans and motorhomes we finally bought a new caravan, a Coachman VIP 575/4. It’s been faultless and we still love it. I do have occasional thoughts about swapping it for a motorhome but, videos like this remind me exactly why I shouldn’t.
Thanks😊👍
Yes that's the big debate either Motorhome, campervan or Caravan, depends on your budget, finances & salary & how you want to tour Etc, caravan is the right choice for us once set up, you have the car, without having to Google where you can park a bigger vehicle, or relying on unreliable public transport or taxi's to visit places & no worries about height barriers ETC
We bought our caravan ( she is called Doris) in January and had our first outing last weekend for 2 nights - we went local to get used to it as we have no previous experience - had our mishaps but got there in the end - we are off again tomorrow for 5 nights farther afield.
We wanted a caravan as we like to explore once we have set up - perfect for us for many of the reasons you have stated.
The first time I ever towed anything was the day we picked up the caravan - I towed it home 93 miles without issue and was chuffed about that.
Steve
Hope you create some wonderful memories in your caravan - we much prefer the caravan life to motorhoming, so much easier to get around once your on site, thank you for watching
Thanks Andrew, very helpful
Thank you for watching, glad you found it helpful 👍
Listening to you Andrew, I’m so glad we made our choice to swap back to a caravan : ) xx
Thank you - Glad you found it informative
Hi there glad you feel you've made the right choice, we have a large motorhome, we have our last trip in 2 weeks time, then we're putting it in for a caravan and large car (we do have a small tow car but it's to small for at home in everyday use) I hope we're making the right choice. Take care x
Interesting video, thank you. 15 years ago we had an old motorhome and when we were looking for a newer one, we just by chance had a look at a caravan and decided there and then that was more for us with our family of dogs. About 6 years later on, we had to sell the caravan (long story), moved house and bought a campervan with a portapotti. It was ok apart from the fact that I always had to get the portapotti out of the back before we could use it. 2 years later we bought (part exchanged) the van for a 5m campervan with a proper small wet room inside that we use as a day van. If we didn’t have the dogs, we could sleep in it, but now we are considering getting another caravan to tow with the campervan (being of a certain age, and because of our dogs, we really need to have a toilet on hand instead of having to look for bushes). We are making the decision this week. Your video has helped us make this decision.we love the freedom of the campervan, being only 5m we can still get/park everywhere but the caravan will give us extra “home” space.
Thank you, it's perfect for us now, set up and leave caravan on site, suppose campervan & caravan is probably rthe ideal outfit as we have seen on sites, short overnights in campervan, longer stays in caravan and campervan to get out and about with your own facilities 👍
Thanks for the video Andrew. We gave up our motorhome for the same reasons and have been back Caravanning for 12 months now and love it. Example last year 2022 we went to Port Grimaud in the south of France and felt trapped. Couldn’t get out as the roads were unsuitable. We went back again this year in the caravan and what a difference. We had days out and went to some nice villages in the car. Working my way through your videos. Looks like we have been to similar places. Thanks again for posting.
Yes its the best thing we did, so much more freedom when away without the worry of where to park & security of you personal possession's when parked up in public areas away from the site, we always stopped on sites, it's also saved us money so we can have more trips away - Thanks for supporting the channel by watching my videos 👍
Love Port Grimaud. Very jealous!
@harrysamuppet6804 thanks, not sure what Port Grimaud has to do with this video though 👍
I think I mentioned it in my comment Andrew when we changed back to a caravan for the same reasons and I mentioned it made such a difference when we we went to Port Grimaud last year and i'd put some videos on. Hope you are both well. Thanks for posting your videos.
@@CaravanningAdventures Ahhh now I read your comments it's all become clear, 🤭
Pleased you have found balance in your decision and you are enjoying your caravan.
I caravanned as a child and I love my Motorhome, the high riding position, the quality of build, the self-sufficiency and the fact you can stop in a lay-by or rest area and lie on, or even get into your bed for 30’ to freshen up. Had to do that last night on the way home!
I appreciated your earlier videos, as we have a Chausson and I was impressed at your modifications, sorry to hear about your guarentee wors!
We have a 2015 Chausson 728eb Welcome, the same size but different configuration to yours. We are very happy with it. Yes there were some snagging issues at first, which the dealer sorted, but it is also a learning curve for new owners. Even this past year, we have learnt something new using the van through the winter months on a regular basis. We had -11DegC at one point on a C&MHC site, but it was toastie inside, and everything worked fine. We just dropped all the water out prior to moving off and let the water “shoogle” out on the journey before closing the valves.
Safe travels, enjoy your retirement.
Yes caravan suits us now, were in no rush, no work commitments, so happy to travel a short distance set up for a few day's, explore the area by foot or car & then move on to the next site - Thanks for watching
Hi Andrew. It's really useful to hear the opinion of someone who has the experience of both motorhome and caravan. Thought about a motorhome at Times but will definitely stay caravaning. Thanks for sharing
Glad it was helpful!
Thanks for the video.
I have been caravanning about 33 years. Loved it. Bought a new van 19 months ago. Previous one was an Elddis which was fine, now a Swift deaker special with a fixed rear bedroom and a central washroom.
I had been thinking about a MH as I will be 70 soon and want to keep under 3,500kg (and my towcar and the 1,560 MTPLM caravan are pushing that).
My thoughts:
VANS - nuch more room when you put an awning up; easier to do trips in a car when you have an awning (unlike a MH, detatching etc); better for longer stays as you can set up, leave stuff in car then travel around the area from your van "base", onky one vehicke to tax, insure & run; issues parking anything but a small MH; the sort of MH that would give a separate shower & effectively a dressing room in the centre of the van would cost LOADS (more than a van + towcar). We have used our van as a spare bedroom as it psrks on the drive.
MOTORHOMES - Better if you were touring something like the NC500 with only a night or do in each place (only need to disconnect water + elec, roll off the ramps & drive off - no hitching and no taking down an awning); might be easier getting on & off some sites in a MH than a van+tow car (but not in mud or wet grass!); you can travel faster in a MH amd on longer journeys if you need to refuel, you don't need to worry whether you'll need to unhitch to get access to the pump. I have mate who has a MH, a campervan AND van with a towcar. On longer meets he takes the 4x4 campervan (buikt on a LWB Transit) which has a towbar fitted, and a van. That way he has room for grandkids, can leave the van on site if he needs shopping or wants to do any trips from site.
ALSO - if you are going to Scotland in September then, depending on the dates, consider popping into the Teesside DA THS which is at Beadnell on the Northumberland Coast literally 2 fields from the C&C Club Site. Great position - a field away from the sandunes to Beadnell beach, about 0.5 miles from Beadnell village, 2 miles from Seahouses, 4 miles from Bamburgh etc. Last year it was £10 per unit per night (facilities: a great field, several water taps & an Elsan point but no other "facilities" - last year someone asked if we had a shower/toilet block - for £10 a night!!!).
Open usually late July to mid Sugust for about 23 nights but stay as long or as short as you want. No need to book. We've never yet had to tirn anyone away and the THS is (according to what people tell us, including many "see-you-nect-year types") really welk organised.
Might be worth your while having a look at Out+About to see if tgevdates woukd fit in. A great base for Craster/Alnwick/Walkworth/Bamburgh even as far as Eyemouth and Berwick or Wooler.
Hope that helps, and I apologise in advance if my typing has left evidence of fat fingers....
I think your video and some replies are persuading me this summer I don't need a MH but a slightly lighter caravan so we are well under 3,500kg when fully loaded, including the towcar.
Hi we still do 1 night stays with caravan after a few times we found setting up it takes no longer than pitching a MH - We still do 1 night stays if travelling a fair distance. On our last trip for New year as Storage was closed for Christmas & you had to give them a time to pick caravan up we stayed 1 night half way there to get caravan sorted , then moved to our other site for 3 nights, Thanks for the Info about Teeside DA
it's your own personal circumstances & the way you want to travel that will persuade you - Must admit we've never looked back & saved money
We love your channel Andrew! We caravaned for 35years (15 Tourers in that time) We loved every minute of our times doing it! Don't do it now but love watching people like yourselves enjoying it. I could probably write a book on it on the different experiences we had and the characters we ever met. Keep on going as long as you can it's a great hobby!😊👍
Thank you, we will certainly make the most of the for as long as we can
We’ve also had both went back to a caravan the motorhome was great for a 7 week winter break in Spain We also towed a little car behind the motorhome in GB my views are the extra space and comfort with the caravan benefits us enjoy your videos good honest reviews thank you
Must agree the caravan has more relaxing & room for lounging, we don't miss having to sit upright in the captains chairs after a long drive in the chilly cab on a cold winters night
We sold our Moho 2 years ago and since then we have been ‘sitting on the fence’ about whether to get a caravan or a large camper. I think we’re erring towards a caravan mainly because of the same pony’s you raised. We’ll have to see. The Moho was costing around £1000 before I moved it when you add up all the costs, storage, mot, insurance, tax, habitation checks and base vehicle servicing.
Must admit it's the best thing we did, we even travelled to Ireland this year with a caravan, so much easier to explore in the car along those narrow Irish roads 👍
We are making the same decision this week ...after the hubby was I'll the thought of just my wage sustaining and car and motorhome..tax, mot, insurance and repairs put our brakes on to still enjoy adventures in comfort but with one vehicle and caravan
Hi - Thanks for watching, It all comes down to your personal finances, why waste money on paying for extra vehicle when one will do, it's the best decision we made changing to caravan
I have a Chausson 630 and has opened my eyes we have decided to sell motorhome maybe caravan like you have done
Must admit it's the best thing we did, it's all down to personal circumstances & the way you want to holiday, for us it's so much easier to get out and about when away, thanks for watching 👍
Caravan is definitely the one for me I find it most practical although I think it's how you use it we tend to do week away here and there. If it's a impromptu weekend thing then I think the motorhome could be the way to go but your only going to see the campsite and whatevers in walking distance. Enjoyed your video happy adventures to you.
Yes we certainly made the right Decision changing to caravan so much easier once on site & exploring the surrounding area , Thanks for watching 👍
Enjoyed the vlog ( as I do all your uploads).
An excellent honest and frank update with many valid points.
Finally someone addressing the issue of security.
We have a caravan and pondered over getting a MH but the thought of leaving not only 50/60/70k of vehicle PLUS all your belongings, tech, personal effects in a car park whilst you trundle around Poundland and the charity shops, scares me.
And every time you want to go out from the site you have to stow away the bone China and crystal glasses as you drop down off your ramps is another issue.
But …. Each to his own and you’ve done both so are well qualified to comment for and against both.
Keep up the great vlogs - appreciate all your work
Regards
Howard
Thank you Howard, It's down to what you want & your personal circumstances, we never freedom camped or did pub stopovers, we always used site (even in France) a Caravan is the best for at the moment
Glad your happy with the caravan as opposed to the motorhome. I have to agree with everything you’ve said. One thing that you never mentioned was??……. The seating in a caravan is so much better (I think) I always feel that motorhome seating looks so uncomfortable the seat backs are too upright if you know what I mean. Have a great time in Scotland you’ll love it, I look forward to you vlogs. I live in Scotland East Lothian so can recommend yellowcraigs Club site near North Berwick. Have a great trip. We’re currently in Belgium just now then heading down into Germany for w weeks then back home with our caravan and I just would not want to do it with a motorhome. All the best
David Bowie
Yes I must agree I missed it out, the captains chairs after a long drive you turned the chairs round, due to the cab floor being higher than the habitation floor your feet would not reach the floor correctly, the seats did not swing round a full 90 degrees and if you wanted to put your feet up on the habitation seat your body was slightly twisted also cab area was always either to hot in summer or colder in winter than the habitation are of the motorhome even with the silver screen over the cab windows, Thank you for watching and have a lovely time in Germany
The nicest thing to hear are vlogs with no selling involved. Good points raised too. There’re are plenty who tour who keep changing MH 2 caravan vice versa it’s all down to personal choice. Thanks for making the vlog.
Thank you for watching, yes it comes down to your personal choice 👍
You can tow a car behind the motorhome and someone can still knock off your caravan when you go driving in the car. Also if you have idiots come around in the middle of the night harassing you, you can just jump into the drivers seat in the motorhome home and drive off, whereas with the caravan you have to get out of it to get to the car, also you can have automatic levelling with the motorhome
So you're telling me something I already know 🤔 - it's less of a problem when it's pitched on a site, if you can afford to tow a car with MH to get around (illegal in some European countries unless the car is on a trailer), MH can still get nicked when your out and about, even if you don't have a car and out walking it can still get nicked or trashed as far as I'm concerned if you can afford to run two vehicles with tax, insurance, maintenance & fuel costs, tow frame / trailer & auto levelling your better off than I am - OH by the way caravans can come or could be fitted with Auto levelling as well 👍😀
@@andrew-karens-adventures
Looks like we'll just agree to disagree 😁
@mypointofview444 you left the comment & I answered 🤣😂👍
Had my first caravan in 1974, and several caravans later decided to try a motorhome, in 2020, after two trips to Spain, plus loads of weekends away, the motorhome was great for long journeys but missed the flexibility of caravan, July 2023 have sold the motorhome and ordered a new caravan for November 2024, my verdict, enjoyed both but 40% motorhome 60% caravan.
Yes MH is really ideal if you travel a lot in Europe they are well catered for, Here in the UK it's a lot harder, we decided after retirement we would change to caravan leaving us with just one vehicle's running cost saved us a fortune and means we can get away more, don't miss MH and planning to venture to Southern Ireland with caravan next Month and France next year 👍
Glad it worked out well, it’s a big decision and there are so many caravan choices to consider. You made the right decision 🙂
Thank you Martin, yes we're really enjoying the caravan 👍
Good morning good video .. I like eldis caravans looked around a few ... but never owned one so I can't comment iv always had swift
We love ours it was between Swift island bed and this one, the trouble with the Swift was the wall at the bottom of the bed it seemed to be too closed in and a little clostrophobic, thanks for watching 👍
Agree with all that's been said, a caravan is an ideal base for a holiday, set up and go out in the car.
From a cost point of view a good motorhome now costs almost 100k, for that price you can have a lovely new caravan 30-35k and a new VW camper to tow it with.
The Dub provides you with a place to stay if just nipping off for a night or two when it is not worth taking the caravan, a tow vehicle when using the caravan, and somewhere to make a cup of tea when exploring, as well as another vehicle to use at home.
Thinking this will be the best option for us, in early years of retirement when we no longer need two cars, and will be using the caravan more.
Agree, we may invest in a small camper van instead of a car at some time, thanks for watching 👍
@@andrew-karens-adventures good motorhome costs 100k ? LOL nonsense. You can easily get a beautiful motorhome for under 20k
Yep that may be so it all depends on your own personal choice,
Caravan suits us
Hi there, only just seen you.
I’m going to get a caravan soon. I think it’s the much better option for us. Thanks for the vlog and I’ve just subscribed and look forward to seeing more
Happy new year btw xx
Ahh Thank you, it's the best thing we did & you won't regret it, hope you enjoy our videos, Happy New Year
thank you for the interesting video ! I'm about to buy a caravan or motor home. I was looking for some comparison and this video gave me great insights 😉🙏
Glad it was helpful! Yes that's the big debate either Motorhome, campervan or Caravan, depends on your budget, finances & salary you can afford to run & how you want to tour Etc, caravan is the right choice for us once set up, you have the car, without having to Google where you can park a bigger vehicle, or relying on unreliable public transport or taxi's to visit places & no worries about height barriers ETC
@@andrew-karens-adventures yeah there are many questions to answer. I preparing myself a list of them. Are the caravans permitted to park up anywhere ? How do protect them from stealing ?
@@adriana77w.22 Do you mean wild camping (free camping) if so no not really with a caravan, security is better on the caravan as it's on site. I also have hitch lock, wheel clamp, steady locks & flip over external door lock on it as well, MH if you want to go out of site you have to pack everything away, yes you have everything with you & your own onboard facilities if left in a public place you have security to think about, steering lock, external door lock, any valuables which you may have & don't want to leave you will have to take with you, both have there good and bad points depends how you want to spend your leisure time 👍
IMHO for most people : young families want a caravan as its about holidays mainly. When the kids grow up, motorhome is nicer as it allowes for nice and easy road trips and weekends. In retirement it depends how you roll. Do you want to move around or go to a place and stay for a few days. I liked caravans the past 20 years and now moved over to a motorhome. I am looking forward to all those little trips.
Hi Michael - It's down to personal circumstances, how you want to spend your time away & personal finances, Not sure where you live but in Europe it's better for Motorhomes as you have Aires, Stel Platz Etc which welcome Motorhome stopovers, here in the UK we have Height barriers on car parks, lots of NO overnight camping & lots more restrictions here in the UK, so for us a caravan is the best way to spend our time away, thank your for watching & commenting
@@andrew-karens-adventures agreed. I am in Nelson, NZ. I think, a lot of people who should rather have a caravan (like a family with young kids) might buy a motorhome and then regret it as they are either stuck on the campground without a car or have to pack up all the stuff, every time they wanna go somewhere for a few hours. If you get a motorhome, make sure you are not the person who drives around at the destination a lot as that's just nicer with a car. And don't be intimidated by towing, as many people are, as we all know that's it's easy and you learn very fast.
Here in France I did the maths. It was a fraction of the cost of owning and using a motor home to simply drive from place to place in my Porsche and stay in a château or similar comfortable chambres d’hotes. I still go camping several times a year. For my camping trips I take my motorcycle and a tent.
Interesting to hear your views. We've only had motorhomes never had a caravan but we can see how much easier things are with a car. Great video guys 😎x
Thank you, depends what suits you and your circumstances at the time, at this point our lives this suits us 👍
Thanks, great video. I guess one another disadvantage for caravan is always need a place for it (campsite and storage), which is not an issue with a campervan, what do you think?
Good point, it depends on your personal requirements, we like to have plenty of room small campervans are not for us, we have always used storage & campsites even with both previous motorhomes which were 7.5mtr long & we never did any overnight park ups, advantage to us is one vehicles running cost, we have the car to explore, Caravan safe and secure on a campsite, we don't have to try and find a carpark without height barriers, pay for 2 parking bays if you cant find somewhere for rear overhang reverse into, no issues with security of personal items or carrying round valuable items, to us it's a win win
hi.Andrew had m/h for 10 years when I retired I bought a 6 seater transit custom great for the family etc traded the m/h for a caravan all the kit awning etc in the back of custom great towcar park anywhere wouldn't entertain a m/h.Roger
Yes caravan is so much easier once on site - Thanks for watching
As a matter of interest who was the dealer on your motorhome one to avoid
It shutdown back in 2021
Hi Andrew many thanks for sharing your experience with caravan and Motorhome ,we sold are caravan 3 years ago and want another, twice a month we used to go to the newforest an hour away from where we lived, set off Friday came back Sunday, as you highlighted we could set up the caravan within less than an hour, then where free to do as we please, think there are pros and cons to both, but for me the the cost of a motor home is huge ,then you have mot, tax and insurance ,i know you have to do the same with a car ,but I'm guessing people who do own a motorhome also have a car too? im glad to see its working for you both.
Hi David, thanks for watching, we're so happy with the caravan, a lot more freedom to explore 👍
Everyone is different Andrew, we caravanned for 32 years and three years ago changed to a MH. We would never go back to a caravan. No more lugging water and waste containers and being restricted to 60 MPH on motorways. Our MH is an Auto-sleeper van conversion and we find no problem taking it where we would take our car. We use it as a second vehicle and during the pandemic especially it was great to go somewhere knowing we had our own facilities. We have an electric car which is very cheap to run so we find running the MH/electric car combination cheaper than the large car we needed for our caravan.
Yes I agree everyone is different, Our last two MH's have been 7.5 mtrs long, we did think of downsizing to a campervan conversion but we like a bit of room, Even with motorhome I used water containers to top up fresh water & get rid of grey waste instead of having to move MH or queue at MH service point, Don't mind sitting at 50mph on A roads & 60mph on motorways I've no need to rush nowadays , Thank you for watching
@@andrew-karens-adventures Wow, these were very large MH's. We are happy to have less space but are able to park MH outside our flat (bought when we retired). As we don't have anyone who comes with us now - kids are all grown up, we find the space big enough for two and like the convenience the MH brings. Enjoy your caravan and I'll follow your adventures.
The main thing is your happy and it suits you and Karen, we also have an Elddis caravan and a caravan suits our lifestyle also.
We certainly are happier with caravan & the layout of the caravan
We have a new vantage 6m sol camper van lovely vehicle I certainly wouldn't leave it in any carparks so I have a 125 scooter on the back which gives us loads of freedom, I'm now 60 but im thinking when I retire in 7 years to get a caravan because I won't have to tax and pay so much insurance ,And there's probably more space in a caravan and I probably won't want me and mrs riding a scooter at nearly 70 , at the moment my set up is perfect but when I'm older I think I will be changing for a caravan.
Must admit we thought about a campervan but decided the caravan and bigger car for day to day was the best option for us at this time, thanks for watching 👍
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Cost is also a big factor, a decent Motorhome is 35k plus you can get a nice caravan for 10-15k
Yes correct, thanks for watching
Just had the discussion (within the last week), about selling or VW Campervan and getting a car able to tow and a caravan instead. Your decisions are closely linked to ours. We also have a dog now so was a bit tight in the van. Thank you for this. Any tips on what car or best for towing (£18k ish) and first time van for the same amount would be welcomed
Sorry I won't recommend a caravan or tow car, it's all down to how you want to use it, the layout / size of the van etc, May I suggest (as we did) is visit some local dealerships look at different manufacturers and layouts and go from there, once you have narrowed it down it's time to choose the tow car which will tow the MPLM weight of the caravan, we tow our 1500kg MPLM caravan with a 2ltr diesel 180 BHP AWD Ford Kuga, tow bar and electrics cost was extra (fitted by a mobile tow bar fitter), Hope this helps & thanks for watching and commenting 👍
@andrew-karens-adventures I'd does help. We intend to do some research as soon as we can. No rush, but now is the time to buy a caravan. Thanks again.
We're toying with the idea of moving from a campervan to a caravan. We avoid the UK. But the Instagram vision of parking up where you like, in some idyllic spot is less and less reality anywhere in Europe now😟 so we've gravitated towards campsites. When we see a MH towing a car (on a trailer) it's beyond ridiculous🤣
So a caravan makes more and more sense👍
Must admit it's the best thing we did, we always stopped on sites anyway, you can still park up on a long journey (granted not as easily as with a campervan), go to Loo (No1 only) as you don't have water onboard have a cuppa some lunch & even a nap.
Interesting view on it .. we have both motorhomed and caravaned tbh I don’t think it’s much cheaper caravaning which surprised us , we do miss the ease of the motorhome and weren’t tied down on site at all as it’s a different aspect on touring, enjoying the caravan at the moment like you and off exploring in the car but we’ll definitely return to a small Moho Cheers Glyn
Agree that it's the same cost to go away, fuel, site & food costs are the same, we always used sites & did not freedom camp or pub stops in MH, we now only have tow car + caravan so running costs are massively cheaper than having 2 / 3 vehicles running costs so leaves us more money for our travels 👍
Great vid.
Thank you for watching 👍
Blimey that years gone quickly 😮
You make a very good case for caravans and We are Still tempted 🤔 never say never 😉
Stay Safe 😜👍
Bev & Jez
Thank you 👍
If thinking about travelling Europe is the caravan more difficult to find places to stay unless at campsites
As far as I know you can't stop on Aires with a caravan, I would think staying on a site would be the only option, we've only been to France twice and that was in MH staying on sites so can't comment
Don’t you find it expensive staying on big sits or do you use cl sites
We've always used sites, they are certainly a lot more expensive nowadays, we pick and choose sites to suit the area we are going to and everything gone up so some are cheaper than others
Hi Andrew and Karen I’ve just watched your video on the same subject I’m also vlogging about as you know we are having debates at the moment as we changed from caravan to Motorhome was it the right decision started looking at caravans and different motorhomes to see whats out there we will then decide if it’s back to a caravan or we are staying with a Motorhome but a different layout . Just subscribed too 👍👍
Thank you, will return a Subscribe to you to 👍
If you have a motor home you need a small tow car in my opinion ie smart car
Correct that's why we now have a Caravan, in our opinion it's a lot better 👍
Don't forget more room in caravan than motorhome of same length
Yes so true 👍
After caravanning for 50 years can't see the sence of a motorhome. Having to pack up each day to go out for a drive. yet with a caravan you don't have to pack up each day to go out. Just jump in the car and off you go.
Yes the best thing we did was changing to a caravan and saved money as well 👍
You can't wild camp in a Caravan.
Sorry but I'm going to have to correct you. Wiid camping is under canvas, next to a lake, in woodland on a hill or moorland, Campervan / Motorhome do park ups overnight where permitted 👍