Caravan or motorhome - which should you buy and why

When you are looking to buy your home on wheels there are an incredible amount of options available to you from how many berths you want to where you would like the bed to be situated.

The biggest question people who are in the market for a caravan/motorhome is whether they should purchase a caravan or a motorhome, both have significant pros with equally significant drawbacks depending on your usage of the motorhome and your preferences.

It’s a big investment to make and is likely to be something you will keep for a long time, therefore it’s important to ensure the decision is right the first time round.

The main difference between the pair is that the motorhome is self-contained with a cab that has an engine and can be driven, whereas the caravan must be towed by a car/van.

Upon arrival to your place of destination the caravan can then be unhitched from the car allowing you use of a car to travel around in and do some sightseeing, whereas the motorhome is one entire entity meaning you have to take everything with you to go site seeing, there are pros and cons to both.

Motorhomes are great for those that want to holiday to multiple destinations at a time without having to worry about towing around a caravan and the restrictions that may come with this including sites that have banned caravans.

They are self-contained meaning everything you want or need is with you at all times, there is no need to pack up each time you want to move from site to site as everything is already with you in your motorhome.

Not only that but they are much easier to drive as you do not have to tow anything along with you, it’s simply just driving a bigger vehicle, the cons to this being that you cannot simply go on days out as you would be able to with a car due to the lack of manoeuvrability which can cause extra issues with parking in car parks.

If you’d like the extra manoeuvrability, you are able to tow a trailer with a small car on it. The problem with motorhomes is that they are much more expensive than caravans to purchase and also require a yearly MOT and insurance, these costs can soon add up year on year. If you are looking for the cheaper option of the two the caravan is your best bet as it doesn’t require a yearly MOT nor does it legally need to be insured.

Motorhome pros

• Don’t have to tow behind a car
• More freedom on the roads

Motorhome cons

• Can’t just take it out whenever you want to go somewhere, need to bring it with you
• Needs insurance and MOT

Caravans are perfect for holidaymakers who want a simple and easy holiday without the problem of worrying about where they will park their vehicle, if it’s insured or MOT’d and the huge original expense of purchasing a caravan/motorhome.

The purchase of a caravan is much cheaper than a motorhome and gives you the ability to park up on a campsite, unhitch it from your car and leave it in one static location whilst you drive around in your car on days out. The last thing you want to be doing is bringing the kitchen sink with you on a trip to the beach.

As previously mentioned, caravans do not require an MOT or insurance, instead only being recommended a yearly service to ensure it is of roadworthy condition with no faults related to gas and electricity, this helps to keep the costs down for those wanting to go out on family holidays within the UK.

The issue would be that they are much more difficult to drive due to being towed and often require a car with enough grunt behind it to pull it along behind. Due to the weight of the caravan it makes it a liability when dealing with stronger winds whilst towing, it can also act unpredictably and it is recommended that a first time tower takes up some training before they attempt to tow a caravan.

Caravan pros

• Can unhitch it and go out in the car for a day without having to bring everything with you.
• Cheaper to buy
• Can leave everything behind on site whilst you go on days out

Caravan cons

• Harder to drive
• Difficult to park

To conclude, both options are great options for those who want to go away on trips in the UK, but it completely depends on your budget and the type of holiday you are trying to have. If you are looking to wake up in a new destination every day then the motorhome may be up your street, however, if you are looking to park up in one place and do some exploring, you may be more suited to a caravan.

Happy holidays!