Camper van or caravan?

[FleetwoodRaincoat]

Never, ever thought I'd contemplate buying a caravan, but DH and I are looking forward to next year when DS will go off to uni, and thought we'd take the opportunity to travel around the country (both freelance so time off not an issue).

I can see pros and cons for both, but still can't decide.

Can anyone offer any words if wisdom please?

Budget up to about 12 ish K

Caravan. We had a camper van for years. Whenever camping, if you want to leave the site, even if it’s just to do a supermarket shop, you have to pack up absolutely everything!

Campervan. With bikes to leave the site to give you flexibility. Much easier to travel into towns or rural locations with narrow roads

Caravan. Your own toilet. Sofas. Toilet. Awning for wet stuff. Toilet. Double bed. Toilet. Not packing up to go to the pub. Toilet.

We’ve got a shit caravan and it’s pragmatically much the more sensible option.
I’d still get a camper van if I could afford it and put a moped rack on the back for whizzing about locally.

Caravan 100%. Camper vans are just not practical in my experience. We tend to stay on rural sites but like to do lots of day trips, and the camper van is a pain in the arse to drive around tiny country lanes and to find parking spaces. Although I guess it depends how big your camper is to be fair. It also means that any time you want to leave the site (except for walking), you have to pack up every single thing. With a caravan, you get everything out when you arrive and then you've got a home base for the duration of your trip. You can easily nip around in the car and leave your "home" as it is.

Also, you'll get a much nicer caravan for £12k than you will a camper van.

Your budget dictates caravan rather than camper. Have you got a car that can tow?

How long you you envisage staying at each site? If you’re staying in each place for a while I’d opt for a caravan, then you can use your car to visit places. Campervans are better suited to moving around to a different site every day or two.

Would the camper van replace your current car? Can you afford an additional vehicle in terms of running costs?

What sort of site do you like? Campervans are allowed on many more back to basics style sites than caravans.

How do you feel about towing? Is your car ok for towing?

Thanks for all your replies. We're really campers but getting on a bit so looking for more comfort. I'm a bit concerned about the types of site/pitches you may have to use with a caravan as opposed to a tent or camper.

We had a Ford Freeda for a while (an extra to our car) but didn't use it enough as we had a young DS at the time who didn't like it much! Now he's older we'll be leaving him at home so only have ourselves to think about. Love the idea of a toilet and shower though. If tiff have a caravan do yiu use the shower much? Some I've seen only have a toilet and sink and I think this would probably do?

Have you considered renting either or both for a weekend? There are pros and cons to both.

In my head I think a caravan makes a lot of sense but I love parking up at a site in our motor home in the rain and being able to make a cup of tea and relax until it clears up and then just nip out to plug in the electric.

I’d love a little camper but I’m grateful every time the dc use the loo at night that I don’t have to grab a torch and go look g for the toilet block.

Sometimes living through the experience makes the decisions a lot more straight forward.

We have smallest campervan and electric bikes for getting around. Works perfectly.

Camper with a driveaway awning to leave your stuff in when you go out for the day.
Caravans are a PITA to store unless you have a very big driveway, and you're limited to the sort of sites you can access. A camper is more practical and you can access similar sites to the ones you've probably enjoyed in a tent.
Don't be swayed by the pretty old VW classic campers as they're slow and notorious for overheating. A more modern VW T5 would be better but do some research to find an interior you like as they vary a lot.

We've had both and caravan is far easier unless you're planning on a lot of touring holidays. Caravan - just set up, leave everything and head on out for the day, no packing up electric hookups, stowing everything away etc.

Our caravan is ancient, only cost £1800 but it's sound and completely damp free which is the important thing to look for if you're buying second hand. We have a tiny bathroom - basin, loo and shower, but don't use it, preferring sites with toilet and shower facilities.

All the caravan people I know who have a shower in the van say they don't use it because of the steam / condensation, and because it is so tiny, and they use the showers on the site.

We have just upgraded from tent (having camped for nearly 30 years with dh) to a caravan. Like you, dc have gone to uni or will be going in next 2 years, and our plan was for more weekends away as a couple. I was very keen on the idea of a campervan, but budget didn't stretch that far, so have gone for a 2-berth caravan.

I have to say it has surpassed all my expectations: there's still enough outdoor living (we have just come back today from a 4 day trip, so fab weather!) to make it feel like camping, but with the additional comfort of a bed, shower/toilet and plenty of storage. Our shower room is big enough to get dressed in (it has 2 wardrobes!!) and we have just camped on a certificated site (max 5 vans, very rural, with no shower block) so used the shower daily. Worked brilliantly, I'm beginning to wonder why we didn't get a caravan sooner. With a budget of £12k, you'd have plenty of choice.

We rented first to see which we preferred. It depends on your lifestyle. Do you like cycling like us in which case campervan is great or driving in which case you might want a caravan.

The one we rented was far too big to drive around. Renting stopped us making an expensive mistake.

A couple of years ago you'd have got a nice (old, but well-built from a quality maker) motorhome for that price. We were in the same position when we bought ours, deciding between a caravan and a motorhome. With a resurgence in popularity for caravans, campervan and motorhomes the prices have been rising steadily, even for older examples. Your budget suggests caravan, but if you have to factor in extra costs to change car to be able to tow it then it's not so clear.

How do you want to travel?

If you plan on setting up base on a campsite for 3+ nights and exploring out from that spot, then a caravan makes sense.

If you plan on moving on frequently and don't want to be limited to campsites (particularly on mainland Europe) then a motorhome or campervan is the one to choose.

For two people wanting to tour and maybe do a bit of work from a laptop whilst on the road, then I'd look for a small motorhome with kitchen, shower, and loo on-board. You're self-contained and can work from anywhere you're allowed to park, and stay anywhere you're allowed to camp overnight. Some of our best stops have been basic car parks with no or few facilities but fantastic views or right on the beach - sadly most of these have not been in the UK as the UK has a very poor attitude to motorhomes and campervans. Caravans generally can't take advantage of these informal stopovers.

There's a 1992 Hymer B544 been listed yesterday on The HymerMarket (FB) within your budget. That's a very good make, well built, an ideal model/layout for a couple, and the age is not an issue for these vans. It is an ex-Cat C though, with invoices for the work done.

I agree with Doginatent
Having had Caravans and three different Camper vans and one Motor home.
They are either too small or too big, on trips out they can be difficult to park.
So Personally I would hire a Motor home or Camper for a couple of weekends and see how you are going to use them, as mentioned we have done several nights at the side of the road for free in a motor home.
Its difficult to find Caravans at the moment but personally i would look for a cheap £2000 one and give it a go then decide.
As already mentioned for £12000 you wont get much in the way of a camper, most 12k motor homes will be starting to get damp and may be well worn.
You also need to consider storage locally its between £250 and £600 per year

Our first Caravan was £100 20 years ago, we tarted it up and stopped it leaking, went away with friends and one commented about our kids having just as much fun in a £100 caravan as others did in a £10000 one. Its about being comfortable but also having a good time, you dont have to go far usually you will have nice places on your door step

Have a small camper. It’s cheap to insure and run as a second car. Flappy roof for bedroom. We kept the seats downstairs so it converts to sleep four but I’ve seen some lovely bottom conversions to bigger kitchens etc. Had it two years, was a Japanese import cost 8k originally. Really easy to drive. We often put up a tent alongside that gives more space and can be driven away from. Might not need it if there’s only 2 of you.

Depends how you plan on using it.

We have owned a motor home, sold it at 18mths old, we had it from brand new.

The disadvantages were its size, remembering to set the sat nav for its size when transferring from our car! If we forgot this we had some interesting 58 point turns!

Booking sites so far in advance took the spontaneous weekend away out of the question.

Once you got to site, you felt stuck if you didn’t have transport, there is a reason you see so many motor homes towing a small car.

Caravans not owned one personally, parents did, I can remember the putting up the awning drama and levelling the caravan, but again something you get used to. At least you have your car to explore the area.

With your budget, you will buy a better caravan than a motor home. Prices are high for both at the moment due to the rise in staycations etc.

I hope whatever you chose you have some wonderful holidays OP.

We had this debate last year and ended up going for a caravan.

Packing up a campervan every time you want to leave a site was the main reason

We have a little 3 berth, 1962 vintage caravan, plenty of room for DH and I and we take a tent if either of the kids decide they want to come. It’s small enough to get through tiny lanes and can campsite hop with it easily.

I’d love to self convert a camper one day though

Why do you have to pack up camper van every time you leave the site? Why not get a stand alone awning? Really easy fix.

A more modern VW T5 would be better but do some research to find an interior you like as they vary a lot.

With a budget of £12k, a nice modern T5 isn't going to happen.

OP - have you checked what your budget will actually buy for both a caravan and campervan?

I’ve tried both and there are pros and cons for each. A caravan will give you more living space and as PP have said you set it up and then have your car to go out and about, but the actual “travelling” part is a much bigger faff and then the storage issue is also a PITA as you might end up having to store it half an hour or more from your house.

A campervan is so much more flexible - you can stop and brew up anywhere you like, and no worries about reversing! - but you have to be quite disciplined with stuff - when I tent camped I used the car as extra storage but when you’re in a campervan there isn’t anywhere else to put things unless you have an awning.

I’ve got a camper at the moment and wouldn’t go back to a caravan unless it was an Eriba Puck, just because I love that style and it would be worth the hassle.

We had caravan and it was a bloody nightmare-
We had it in storage and was such a faff getting it out of a tightly packed storage spot.
Lost one added wing mirror and wheel spat on various occasions whilst driving.
Needing to stop at services was difficult unless it was a large Moto style services, as not enough room.
However once set up it was brilliant- but I just couldn’t cope with the stress of travelling in it.
We
Now have a VW camper that is easy to drive, we have a drive away awning which we just chuck everything in when we need to leave site.

We have holidays abroad in it and it’s fine, only down side is no toilet but we use campsites so not too much of an issue.