With the summer holiday season descending upon us with frightening speed once again, it is time for households and families to plan out their summer holidays and excursions. Purse-strings are tightening across the nation as a result of the growing inflation crisis, leading more families to opt for more cost-sensible domestic holidays. What better way to holiday domestically than with a campervan or caravan in tow?
Of course, holidaying with a motorhome or static home requires investment in one – but choosing which to go for is a difficult thing all of itself. Campervans are vehicles with built-in accommodation arrangements, an all-in-one solution for travel, while caravans are towed behind a regular vehicle for an instantly-ready bed and kitchen wherever you go. But what are the pros and cons of each? From needing to winterise a static caravan, to mainting older campervans…
One key difference to understand out of the gate relates to the insurance requirements of each vehicle; this is neither an advantage nor a disadvantage, but more something to take into consideration logistically when you do come to make a decision. Campervans, being combined vehicle and accommodation, require motorhome insurance to be road legal, whereas caravans require a separate form of caravan or static home insurance. The difference could have cost implications, but the main advantages and disadvantages of each can be discovered below:
Campervan: The Advantages
Campervans are an eminently convenient way to travel, being a one-stop-shop for travel and accommodation. With a campervan, you could simply jump in and head off to wherever you’d like – without complicated hitching and towing administration. Campervans can also be cheaper overall, as you are not paying for – or indeed insuring – two separate things as with a car and caravan.
Campervan: The Disadvantages
However, campervans can be prohibitively expensive up-front. Newer motorhomes are kitted out with modern technology, pushing up showroom prices, while older vintage campervans are highly sought-after – meaning inflated prices across the board. They can also be costly to maintain, especially when it comes to those older models.
Caravan: The Advantages
Caravans, conversely, can be relatively inexpensive to purchase up-front, presenting a cost-effective option. Caravans are also cost-effective if you already have a car, as you will not be responsible for the running costs of two vehicles. Caravans can be unhitched from your car on arrival, and ‘installed’ wherever you are legally able to – opening up the possibility of renting your caravan out to other holidaymakers.
Caravan: The Disadvantages
Caravans can be a little less luxurious than their motorhome counterparts, and older caravans can be especially prone to the ageing process. They retain much less value than motorhomes, meaning you would not be able to recoup costs if you decided to sell your caravan. It may also be the case that your car’s gross train weight is less than the weight of your car and caravan together – making it illegal to tow until you upgrade your vehicle.
This is a collaborative post. Photo by Kevin Schmid on Unsplash