If you are tired of paying enormous amounts of money to stay in hotels and eat in restaurants while on vacation, you probably considered investing in an RV. There are many factors to consider before buying something so big and expensive, but there is also a lot that your own camper may give you in return.
Not to mention the autonomy and isolation you get when you travel in a motorhome. Sometimes you just need a break and a change of scenery – but you might not feel safe travelling where there are large groups of people – hotels, restaurants and the like. An RV gives you a chance to go far away while staying “on your own”.
It doesn’t matter if you are a single adventurer or live the family life with a bunch of children. Everyone can find something for themself in a motorhome. The primary reason for buying one is to have an opportunity to travel on numerous holidays and short breaks without much planning and to have the freedom to choose your unique destination. But is it a good choice for you?
Source: NW Insurance Council
Contents
Things to Consider Before Purchase
A motorhome is a significant investment. The top models range from £50,000 to over £100,000. Of course, it is possible to buy a used one for less than half of that price. If you don’t want to stretch your wallet to the limits, you may want to check out Oaktree Motorhomes here.
Buying an RV from a trusted dealer may save you a lot of trouble. They put in a lot of work into making sure the RV is in tip top shape and ready to use straight off the lot, unlike any purchase you might find out there by yourself. If you are seriously considering the purchase, you need to do a thorough check-out and look for any signs of damage, especially water damage and mold.
When you are choosing a camper, you have to consider the kind of lifestyle you have. It is a factor that shall determine whether it is a good idea to buy something cheaper and used or a newer model. There are many ways you can use your motorhome, depending on where you want to go and what you want to do. If you enjoy eating in restaurants and despise cooking on your own, maybe your RV doesn’t need a cooking stove. On the other hand, stocking up supplies ahead of time may make you some considerable savings on food.
Source: Solbio
Frequency of Use
Unused campers can fall into disrepair – it’s best to go on at least one trip a year, even if it’s just for the weekend. Air it out, give it some life Of course, longer trips are even better – both for you and for your motorhome.
After sitting for a long time in the storage you need to prepare your motorhome for a road. The most important things to check are:
- Wheels and tires. Like every vehicle, sometimes you have to refill your tires before pulling it out. You have to be most careful if the camper stood in a sun for a prolonged period of time, as the explosion can weaken the tires.
- Roof, especially ones made with rubber. They tend to deteriorate fast and start to leak.
- Seals my have dry because of the sun. You should check all your windows, doors and valves. Don’t stop at only the exterior, do a thorough inspection of all the body caulking.
- Batteries. You should always check if they don’t need charging. It’s best to do it right before the trip.
- If you plan any type of remote camping it’s best to see if the generators work properly. They should be pretty hard to break but it’s always better to be careful
Remember, these are only the basics. It’s best to do a check at the mechanics after a long term storage.
Source: Financial Times
Advantages
Community
An RV community is very tight and helpful. People are always friendly to others that share their hobbies. Campers also created a lot of blogs and articles with helpful tips about RVing to help out newbies.
Renting
It is hard to constantly use your motorhome, but now you have another option – renting it to others! Offering your RV to other people is a great way to pay for storage and even make some profit. With the Internet and various apps, it was never easier.
Source: Head Topics
Packing
Packing for vacation is sometimes an impossible job. If you are flying cheap airlines you often have to face the decision: Am I able to take only one small backpack or pay the equivalent for a bigger suitcase? An RV lets you take as much as possible and you don’t have to worry about bags. You can just put everything neatly in a wardrobe or cupboards.
Disadvantages
Storing an RV
If you are not considering making an RV your new home, you will need someplace to store it. Most of us don’t have a commodity to park it in the driveway. Fortunately, there are car parks to rent. They differ not only in location but also in prices. You can find some for 50£ per month, but they can go up to 450£.
Source: Mum’s Money
Maintenance
If you thought that regular cars require a lot of maintenance, you don’t have the faintest idea how much you have to do with RV. It’s not only about changing oil but keeping every appliance in shape. With all the seams, they are especially prone to water leakages.
Limits
Even though a motorhome gives you a lot of mobility, you have to face the fact that you can’t go everywhere you want. It will be hard to travel across the ocean with an RV, and even in Europe and Asia, some countries have Low Emission Zones that don’t allow you to drive through.
Source: NerdWallet
The Bottom Line
A motorhome can be an excellent investment for people willing to change their lifestyle and adjust it to a new vehicle. Even if you did extensive research online, it is hard to understand the new way of travelling. If you are used to hotels with a full-service, life on the road can surely surprise you. A motorhome offers the flexibility and comfort that you have to experience. You will never have to worry about restaurants and hotel rooms on the road. Everything you will need is going to be at your fingertips.
