To wonder if a camper van is worth it? Have campervan envy!

[malificent7]

I am in a campsite in a tent with campervan envy.
They are so lovely but very ecpensive and i am on a budget. If i did get one it would be 2nd hand. Any advice / recommendations about owning a van without breaking the bank?
It is the mechanics that worries me most after hearing some horror stories.

Now you’re just making me jealous, needsahouseboy. 😁

Here’s the small one sat in the back waiting for food

Omg I have massive van envy every time I go camping. I’d love a van... but my idea of having a van is not reality. In reality, a £200 tent does us well enough for the weekends we get out camping and we wouldn’t get out any more if I had a van.

That’s brilliant. Is that a special side awning designed for the vehicle?

Always wanted one , but dh says pointless as we tend to go abroad.
Still I can dream .

S1naidSucks it’s one designed for small vans. It’s not a perfect fit as my car doesn’t have an awning rail but it’s a drive away one and does the job well. It also comes with a sleeping pod section and cost about £250 by Kampa.

Local economy is massively boosted by someone staying in a hotel - tables need waiting on, rooms cleaned, food purchased. Hotels create jobs and are at the end of supply chains.

Camper vans have their own cooking facilities and, apart from site fees (round here most just park at the side of the road) they take up space and give little back.

Toilets being emptied is a problem - possibly from hired vans where they don't know the score but we are struggling round here (Skye area) with burns full of poo in blue water.

And, why recycle or watch and weep at Attenborough documentaries if you are going to buy a giant van to drive around?

Friends have a Daisy which they also use as a four-seater everyday vehicle; there are only the two of them so they have a rollout awning rather than a driveaway.

I've got an old five berth caravan which lives on the drive. It's much easier as I've got several dogs who love it. They try and get in it at every opportunity. Last holiday we had was a fantastic stay on Arran.

An ex of mine had a camper. It was great fun.. until, as others have said you want to go somewhere. Its easier with an awning but then you are back to pitching which kind of defeats the object of a van.

We've just changed our VW camper for a bigger Adria Twin (in orange). So much better, just had 4 weeks round the Orkneys and Western Isles and slept better than I do at home. Minimal set up (just swivel the front seats) so we're off for the day very speedily. Blinds built in so no complicated silvers, loo and shower, comfy permanent bed so no set up there - I'm in love with it.

@Cismyfatarse. I find it quite insulting really your attitude that us campers and motorhomers etc don't contribute to the local economy.

We park up and pay a site fee = money to owners. These owners either do everything themselves just like b&bs or even hire people in to help them, so we create jobs.

I presume most campers also buy food at local shops, go to the pub, cafe, pay parking fees for attractions and sites, pay money at these attractions etc, so yes we do contribute just because we sleep under canvas or a bit of metal and maybe cook our food for ourselves doesn't mean we don't help out the local area .

Uk residents took 14.91 million trips contributing 2.1 billion pounds to the economy as an example in 2016.

Caravanners and campers stay longer as well, we spent as a group 366% more nights away then people in b&bs.

But hey we're terrible for your area right? If we left no offence you would feel the affects alright

Lol at camper van people being shit for the local area.

It’s not the same thing staying in a tent/van versus a b&b. Not a direct replacement. I wouldn’t stay in a b&b instead of camping on the camping weekends, not unless they were detached woodland lodge style things.

There's pros and cons

We have a caravan as opposed to a camper van, but haven't used it enough. Costs insurance/servicing/storage, and a big enough car to manage the towing.

But we have started using it again, and a good caravan club site costs about £200-300 a week. Cheaper again on a farm site/certified location. Much cheaper then as holiday cottage once you have it, so it depends how much you use it. Also you can move around, and just stop a day or two. Hard to that with a cottage.

Campervan's are easier in some ways, (easier to drive) - but it's an extra vehicle unless you use it as a second family vehicle. Also when on site, you have to pack everything up to go out - unless you take bikes with you.

You often see people in a camper van but towing or driving a small car separately. Bigger ones have a garage that can accommodate motor bikes etc.

Good luck.

Yes I would say that Caravanners and campervanners and tenters are all really good for the local economy. We're all exploring our own countryside, going to the pubs and the local attractions and spending our money in our country.

@Tiscold Honestly, that may be the case elsewhere but here in the West of Scotland they are a curse - not a blessing.

Some use sites but many just park up wherever, including in our school car park where I have arrived to find people cooking breakfast over a portable barbecue. There are currently no parking restrictions in the village and no police / traffic wardens so they block pavements and park across entrances. The monument nearby has a church which puts up signs asking them not to use the church car park on weekends (weddings and Sunday mass) but they push the cones out of the way.

They do buy shopping but few do much more than that. We only have one paying attraction for miles so they park across entrances to the beach, block passing places and litter.

The village has raised 150k to put in toilets / emptying place which will be built for next year but many burns are full of poo and blue water.

Bring a car and stay in a B&B.

Also, we have beautiful nature here and lovely views blocked by giant white vans.

I would charge £1000 road tax and only let them travel at night.

Tents! Buy a tent. Much better for the environment and the roads.

You have a council problem not a campervan problem.

We used to have a LWB Transit but now have a home converted LWB VW Crafter. We have insulated It and are away whenever we get the chance. In fact we are eloping this week and getting married in the Highlands. It's going to be a challenge getting into a wedding dress in it!
We use sites and local facilities so put a lot of money into the local economy. It's far cheaper than a week in a hotel and we can take the dogs with us.
I live on the West Coast of Scotland so its great for weekends away.

I think it's a nice idea but they are so expensive. For what you'd spend on a van you could have thousands of nights in very nice hotels!

Although I disagree with the comments about the economy.

I always go self catering (either camping or an Air bnb) and never eat out or go to pubs because I can't afford it. So I just use the local Tescos and eat bread basically so I can afford the trip!

We’ve been searching for the right campervan for two years. We haven’t seen ‘the one’ yet.

One thing I wonder about motor homes is why they are so bloody ugly. So white and unlovely, like massive appliances all in a row. They are an eyesore, detracting from the scenery they have come to see.
I love the whole notion of being flexible and mobile but does it really have to look like that?

We’re in for a van rather than a moho. I hope we can find one that doesn’t look like a massive training shoe or fridge. Why are they all made in white?

We have tented for many many years. We've had caravans too which were fantastic (really miss not having one actually). Most recently we've tented again (because having the teenaged children meant the caravan felt a bit cramped) but driven a VW Caravelle. This gives you the outdoorsiness (that should be a word!) that you get with tenting but also you have somewhere warm and dry should you need it. However, last year, whilst holidaying in France/Belgium, our camper was fully loaded with all our belongings (tent, sleeping gear, cooking gear, clothes, everything! Including passports, handbag, purse, phone etc) and we stopped off at a museum for 40 minutes.... We came out to find everything gone leaving us stranded in Dunkirk with three kids, no passports, and just the clothes we had on! My point is, campervan, motorhomes etc are sought after by the not so nice people in our world... However, they are really good (we were just unlucky!) And it hasn't put me off.... We've replaced our van (this one turns the back seats into a double bed) and camping gear and we just pack a lot lighter! 😊

for those that go off on a whim.do you know where your going.do you always go far?how do you know where you can stop off

We don't use campsites, but it's very easy to find them, thanks to the internet. We use the Britstops book and a Wild Camping phone app to find places we can stop for free.

We've also stopped for a break at pubs, and just asked if they'd mind us stopping overnight. I think they've been ok with it around 80% of the time, especially if they know you'll be buying dinner and a few beers.

On holiday in the Netherlands at the moment and there are some lovely vans. You need a bicycle ( loads of pedelecs here), park up your van and then use the bike to get where you need to.

Agree that you need to keep them ready to go and head out at weekends if you want to make the most of them.

You have a council problem not a campervan problem.

Should she LTB, MsChookandtheelvesofFahFah?

I’ve spent about £10K restoring my VW campervan. It took all of my inheritance from my grandparents, who wanted us to spend the money on something we loved. I could sell the van for more than that but won’t, because it’s part of the family and I adore it.

It’s the only vehicle I own. I live in London, so don’t need a day-to-day car.