What's better: A motorhome or trailer?
The endless debate rages on – what’s a better leisure vehicle to buy? A motorhome (RV), or something towable like a camper trailer or caravan? Of course, there’s no clear-cut answer. It depends on your lifestyle preferences, where you intend to go and what you intend to do when you get there. Bill Tsouvalas, CEO and managing director at Savvy Caravan Loans explains it all here and below are few questions to ask yourself to help make your decision.
Do you need an always-there home?
It’s agreed that caravans and RVs are the perfect “go-anywhere” home on wheels. Once you make an investment in either type of leisure vehicle, you never have to pay for a hotel again. You may want to stay at a caravan park, but even then, you can find free alternatives. If you only take yourself or your family on the road once or twice a year, an RV is a costly investment compared to a caravan or camper trailer. One can buy a camper trailer for a fraction (sometimes a tenth!) of the cost of a standard sized RV or motorhome.
Are you there for day trips or are you constantly moving?
RV owners won’t shy away from telling you finding parking can be a massive challenge. Since your RV is your home and vehicle in one, you have no other option than moving it around when you need to go somewhere. If you’re setting up a “basecamp” at a camping ground or caravan park, you can detach your car and go daytripping around the local area, or simply wander into the nearest town to pick up food, water and other supplies. If you own an RV, you have to take almost everything with you in advance, unless you want to leave your campsite every time you need something.
Do you have a car that can tow a trailer?
If you own a 3-cylinder hatchback that struggles reaching over 100km/h, it’s not going to be suitable for towing a decent sized caravan. It could do fine with a pop-top or a camper trailer, but anything less than a medium-sized sedan with at least 6 cylinders won’t handle towing today’s modern caravan. An RV solves that problem by combining the home and the vehicle into one chassis. There’s no guessing whether your car can tow your caravan.
Finance and cost
Of course, it all comes down to the bottom line. RVs and larger motorhomes require a hefty amount of finance – sometimes as much as a small house. This could suit some families or retirees who are adventuring around the country for years at a time. One could sell up their family home and buy a new RV outright.
On the other hand, a caravan or camper trailer is easy to finance, as dedicated brokers and lenders can help you find a great deal on loans of this type. Caravans also don’t need as much maintenance and cost less to insure.