Whether you’ve always wanted one or have recently decided to explore your more adventurous side, a motorhome is the perfect companion. With the ability to head off anywhere you like while bringing all of your living essentials with you, these vehicles truly unlock your travelling potential, and there are options for families of all sizes.
That said, there’s a fair amount you should be aware of as you decide which type of motor home best suits you. This article has you covered: here are six of the most important aspects to consider as you look to make the perfect decision.
1. Determining Your Budget
As is the case with any type of vehicle, motorhomes can range from dirt cheap to extremely expensive and everything in between, and working out your budget should be the very first thing you do.
Alongside the cost of the motorhome itself, you’ll need to factor in insurance, fuel, and maintenance, too, as well as the equipment you’ll require to make the interior livable. You’ll be able to bring many of your everyday items from home with you, but some things may need to be bought in addition.
2. New vs. Used Motorhomes
While you think about how much you can realistically spend, consider what features are essential for you and what you can do without (this is highly individual, of course, so your priorities may be wildly different from someone else).
Ultimately, your decision will initially come down to whether you want to buy new or used. New vehicles have the obvious advantages of modern feature sets and a higher degree of customisation, but many people find used motorhomes to be more ideal: while they may exhibit general wear and tear, they’re far cheaper, and reputable dealerships will always have a stringent quality control process in place to make sure you’re receiving a high-quality product.
3. Size and Layout
The size and layout of your motorhome are going to be of critical importance. The last thing you want to be is cramped, so be sure that you’re choosing a size that accommodates your whole family.
In the same vein, layout is also key. Many motorhomes are carefully designed for optimal efficiency, using slide-out compartments, countertops, and draws to maximise the space, so think about these sorts of features carefully so far as what design would be most useful for you.
There’s also the matter of aesthetics – which style do you simply like the look of the most and would enjoy spending time in?
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4. Running and Maintenance
Running and maintenance were touched on briefly in the budgeting section of this article, but it definitely requires its own section. Motorhomes are large vehicles, and many people underestimate just how expensive they can be to run.
As you work to make your decision on which model to buy, place fuel economy high on your list and compare the data between models. You should also factor in the sort of tyres the motorhome uses and how expensive they are to replace, as well as how much it’ll cost to service the engine.
5. Manoeuvrability
Your ability to drive the motorhome is something many people neglect to factor in. Naturally, larger vehicles will be more unwieldy, so if you’re not the most confident driver, you may need to make some compromises somewhere between size and driveability.
That said, it can pay to take some lessons in motorhome driving if you can afford it – even if you currently struggle to see how you’d drive such a big vehicle, a few lessons will likely instil within you the confidence you need!
6. Storage and Parking
The final essential aspect of owning a motorhome to discuss is whether or not you actually have space to store that huge six-berth behemoth you’re eyeing up.
Head out and measure your driveway or the parking spaces near your property, and be sure to check with your local council that you have permission to store the vehicle there. This latter aspect usually isn’t much of an issue, but it pays to be certain before you buy.
Wrapping Up
Hopefully, this short article has given you a solid head start on planning your first steps for buying a motorhome. It may seem pretty overwhelming at first, but providing you take things bit by bit, you’ll get there in the end. Lastly, be sure to read reviews for whatever motorhome you’re considering – don’t just go on the vendor’s word for things. Best of luck on your future adventures!
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