Diesel

Been asked to help source one and maybe chip in a bit... I like the idea - take off any weekend for an impromptu break or even tour abroad without worrying about nightly hotel arrangements and costs. However I cant see it making any financial sense. Its not about an 'investment' but a second hand one that would sleep 5 costs £20k. After 10 years I guess it will be worth nothing...and would have cost at least another £6k in tax/MOT/ins. That is an awful lot of money to 'lose' when £26k could be spent over 10 years for hols in far more interesting far flung places (cant see me driving to Machu Pichu or Petra for example!!!)

What am I missing here?

Are they mainly for retired people who might use it in UK for several months for the year and hence get freedom and value out of it (especially if the brats have left home)?

D

sti-04!!

They never get used to there full ability. I have a static caravan that i paid 32k for last year thats sited near loch lomond. I have used it twice..................... in 10 yrs it will be lucky if its worth 3k. The thing is i can site my jet ski's down there & have a great weekend but its costing me all the time. My advice is to save your money & book into a nice hotel when & if the need arises ......................... sound advise ?? thank *** i am reg'd by the fsa

Simon C

parents are on their 2nd 1. Improptu weekends away as well as planned, also meanss they can go on seperate breaks when they pi22 each other off.

Down side is their 2nd 1 cost 40k new!!!! and bout 500 to insure.

Boro

iTrader: (1)

Holidaying is never gonna make financial sense in terms of an investment. Whether you spend £26k over 10 years on holidays or £26k on a Motorhome.

I'd have a motorhome, but i'd still like to have proper holidays too. Theres no reason you cant have both is there?

DYK

You will never get your money worth for these things unless your living in the damn thing 11 months of the year,or touring alot....

Boro

iTrader: (1)

Check out some of these >>> Itchy Feet - Dealers of Quality American Motorhomes

Ignore the ET/Jurassic Park music lol

Simon C

I'd have loved 1 in wales last week for the europeans. Would have beaten sitting in a tent in the pouring rain.

Simon C

I see your poxy motorhome and raise you a man's Man camper

A Man's Camper'

Boro

iTrader: (1)

Now this is pretty cool...

corradoboy

The major hassle with campers is what you use to get around once you're at your destination. Some take bicycles, others mopeds. A lot now tow a small car like a KA on a rig behind. Caravans are a much better solution to this, but some are put off by the driving technicalities of towing, especially manoeuvring which is tricky at first. Driving a van is much easier, but they tend to be large, so parking can be troublesome in some tourist places. Also, in a caravan once parked, you won't need to safely store everything each time you go out for the day. You might also consider fuel economy. Whilst towing a caravan it will be awful, but once unhooked at your site your car reverts back to normal. A camper is always a camper.

Financially the justification is up to you, but sensibly you need to maximise their use. It's a lot of money to plough out for just a couple of weeks break a year, but if you can get away at least once a month then they are worthwhile.

When I was a kid we had touring caravans and usually had 3 full weeks and maybe 7-8 long weekends a year. Eventually we changed for a static, but that was an absolute bargain, especially compared to Sti04's outlay. We paid £1k inc the first years rent, and £300/yr after. It was in a country pub garden, 2 acres surrounded by orchards on the bank of the River Nene in Northamptonshire. After 12 years we simply walked away allowing the pubs new owners to do with the caravan as they wished having had more than our monies worth

Scooby Hoo?

iTrader: (3)

I LOVE MINE TO BITS

rossyboy

iTrader: (8)

I can assure you it wont be worth nothing after 10 years if looked after. There's a caravan dealer up the road from us with an L reg one (so 15/16 years old) for £11k!

Trout

iTrader: (1)

The one upside is that you get to hang out with trailer trash Britney wannabees.

I have heard they will do ANYTHING for a pack of 20 B&H and a six pack of Stella

Diesel

Jeez Itchy Feet - Dealers of Quality American Motorhomes 6.8 litre petrol £45k used (and they don't disclose the milage ). I'd be bankrupt before I got there (even if I did pass the PSV test!)!!!! Wonder if you could use it as an extension to the house?

[Nice vid mind - £2k's worth of lovely aerial photography ending in a 12p company 'logo'!]

Doesnt make any sense at all does it - at least not for working people.

D

Diesel

Its gorgeous here now!

£200 on a portable home tent still looks like the clever money to me! D

ALi-B

iTrader: (1)

We had one many years ago: Residual on second hand ones are much better:

Paid £14K for a six berth Eldis Autostratus on a Alko Chassis Ducato. Sold it five years later for £14K. So the only costs was running it (low 20s mpg - petrol, and maintanence - it was based on a Fiat ).

Biggest problem was parking the bu**er. Barring camp sites and truck/coach parks, everywhere else has height restrictions or too tight on space. So visits to pleasent tourist towns is totally ruled out unless you tow a car or carry some motorbikes/mopeds (We bought a Honda ST50 DAX for such purposes ).

Abroad is much easier - car parks are less restricted and gernerally more freedom to park the thing rather than being pushed into soe muddy camping site and forced to mingle with the shed draggers.

Tips: If its a EU/UK style motorhome, Look at the chassis. Alko conversions have rear torsion beams and lower floor deck (more headroom), and generally handle far better (less roll, better in side winds, doesn't move about when jumping up and down in the back ) than motorhomes built on the original van chassis (leaf springs).

RA Dunk

if i ever won the lottery this is what i would like, quit work load up the car and just tour europe/UK and stop and every track for a week or so doing trackdays

StickyMicky

Me and the missus were enquiring into one of these a few months back, but we figured it would just be easier and cheaper in the long run, to just rent them when needed.

I quite enjoyed my little static caravan jollie