No more tents for us...stepping up to campervan, caravan or motorhome?

[Sunflowermoonbeam]

So my husband and I have camped for years, absolutely loved it and found it easy. Had a few years off after our first and only child and jumped back in this weekend with our 4 year old. To sum it up it was a DISASTER!

Pouring rain putting up the tent, pouring rain putting down the tent, dreadful snorer in next tent kept me awake all night and poorly child who then got stung by wasps! Obvs the last two are unrelated to camping but everything feels harder in a tent, in the rain!

So we've driven home agreeing tents are just not for us anymore and that it is time to step up to some other version of camping but we are not sure what to choose. Has anyone done this and what did you go for?

There are obviously loads of options and we have a medium budget.

A newish VW Campervan feels fun and can be used for day trips plus awe could use it as a main vehicle but again space is limited.

Caravans/motorhomes mean we would have to find storage but the space and ease inside would be a luxury! We rented a motorhome once to go to France and it was incredible.

Anyone made the leap? What did you choose and was it the right decision?

Everyone I know that invested used it a for few years then quietly sold them when kids became teens

That was my parents, although it didn’t last until we were teens.

Anecdotally teens hate them! About 3 lots of couples we know got them had a few years using them but kids hit 13 ish and they just didn’t work anymore.

For those saying 'how often will you use it' don't forget you can rent it out when you're not using it and make an income.

However ours still happily come with us at 21, 18 and 11 so I guess depends on the kids and if they fall in love with the way of life. We've been this weekend in fact, spur of the moment trip to Wales swimming in the sea, barbies on the beach and fishing 🎣

Surely you chuck them out into a pup tent long before that? I don't particularly want to be bunking up with my DCs either once they're teens! or ever if I'm honest...! My 9yo loves having her own space to retreat into as she needs. I can understand them growing out of camping generally, but a lack of personal space shouldn't/needn't be the reason.

Oh yes, all of ours are now in their own pup tents.

It's a natural stage of adolescent development to want space / distance from their parents, and campervan holidays don't really provide much of this; unless you put them in a separate tent and let them bring their friend(s) along.

We bought the campervan after the youngest turned 18, with the intention of using it for parental breaks from the still-not-empty-because-at-least-one-of-them-is-always-here-at-any-given-time nest.

It can work for more than two of us for short periods of time. We went to a festival over the bank holiday weekend. DH and I slept in the van, our eldest (early 20s) and his girlfriend camped in our (small) awning.
4 adults, for 4 days, in a space 2.5m x 5m.
We are all still speaking to each other, and they've said they might want to go again next year.

I vote for small caravan or pod thing that you can pull along. I say this as both a seasoned camper and previous campervan owner.

There is no road tax/ insurance/ MOT (circa £1000 per year for me if mot was £500) with something you tow. You can unhook then drive off for the day leaving your gear how you want it when you return. With a campervan you have to pack everything away and put beds away, lock everything down in cupboards before you can go anywhere - you can even lose your pitch spot when you get back!

It's the lower annual costs and convenience to zoom around in a car that would sway it for me. With less annual costs you could splash out on a nice caravan/pod too!

The sort of camping we do is not camping where we pitch up in one place and stay for a week. We've done a few road trips round Norway and Sweden where we're probably staying a max 2 nights in any one place. I always have serious campervan envy when I'm there, especially when I'm trying to rig up a tarp over a picnic bench and pulling our stove out to make a brew in the rain.

Am I mad to consider spending 4.5k to just hire one for 3 months?

Yes! Unless you are either very very wealthy (still a waste of money, but at least you won't miss it) or your circumstances demand it. How about buying an older one with the 4.5k, then sell it on after the 3 months are up? You may even sell for what you paid if you're lucky.

We have a Mercedes Sprinter campervan with a pop top and love it. DS (7) sleeps upstairs and we sleep downstairs. It's only 6 metres long so can park in most spaces. Go to Europe a lot where there are so many places to stop. We don't need a motor vehicle in our day to day life so that's all we have. Has a shower, toilet, cooking etc and we can be "off grid" for 4-5 days as we have a solar panel.
No more hotels for us :)

How about buying an older one with the 4.5k, then sell it on after the 3 months are up?

If you know where to find a decent road worthy campervan for 4.5k I'm all ears!

Currently mid journey to Scotland in our new motorhome with our 11 week old son. We had been toying with the idea for a few years and I’m so glad we went for it! Makes everything so much easier. We have pulled over and stopped as many times as necessary. Changing and seeing to little one in the clean with space as opposed to a grubby service station toilet.

Electricity, hot water, shower, fridge freezer…..and space for the two dogs!

I love the fact we can just hop in it and go, I tend on keeping it pretty much ready to roll out at any given time!

Here's two found with a very quick search. One well below, one a little over.

Pretty sure those are scam posts on Marketplace. I'm in a few VW groups and members often flag similar posts up as scams. A 2010 camper with pop top and conversion is more likely to be upwards of £10k at the very least.

They are absolutely scams. No way you're getting that van for that money.

Exact same van, same registration, probably advertised by the actual owner here.

Yes, the silver one seems to pop up in multiple adverts all with different locations...

You can get a decent VW T4 for that money. As long as it’s got service history and not too rusty (most have surface rust) then resale a doddle too. Ours is 20 years old and goes like a dream.

Sorry but you really can't. This is the only one on eBay at that sort of money and it's a crap home conversion, no pop top, with 230k miles on the clock.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/256221547758?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=okFyYqTMRSm&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=brgM_-lURuq&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/285477032302?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=QDhc6tX7SYi&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=brgM_-lURuq&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

A decent T4 with a proper conversion and a pop top is going to be £10k+, like this one.

Personally I'd go for the older T25 but fair warning, they eat money.

More fun though.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/145313081921?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=muzaln4mrvk&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=brgM_-lURuq&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

I don't actually want a VW at all and definitely not an old money pit. I have a fairly generous budget if I want to commit, but I want to make sure we really are going to get on with one if i'm going to spend that sort of cash.

When I got a quote for a 10 day holiday rental it wasn't far off 2 grand so having one for 3 months seemed like it might be worth it... we'd have two 10 day trips in that time and some weekends and day trips so feels like we'd get a proper feel for it.

A touring caravan, as long as you have a good tow car, you are better off than a camper van or motor home. Some of the best ones are more like a boutique hotel than a caravan.