From Tent To Camper

A motorhome or campervan promises the good bits of camping with the grumpy bits taken out: no pitching in the rain, no sleeping on a sagging airbed, and a kettle that is already on board. New ones cost a fortune, so plenty of families look at second-hand. That can be a clever move or an expensive lesson, and the difference usually comes down to what you check before the money changes hands.

Why Go Motorised?

A galley, a dinette and a dry floor: everything a tent can only dream about.

Swap a tent for a motorhome or campervan and the first thing you notice is how fast a trip begins. You park, pull the handbrake and you are home. There is no tent to peg out, no groundsheet to dry and no airbed to pump up before anyone can sit down.

The kitchen is the next big win. A hob, a sink and a fridge a step from the bed mean a hot breakfast whatever the sky is doing, and a brew within minutes of a long drive. Most vans also carry a toilet, or at least somewhere private to change, which counts for a great deal with children after dark.

Because you drive rather than tow, there is no hitching up, no towbar worries and no reversing a trailer into a tight pitch. And with a roof, a heater and proper beds, your camping year stretches into spring, autumn and the odd winter weekend.

There is a catch. A motorhome is a vehicle and a home in one, so you pay to look after both. The family car that nipped to the shops is now a house you have to tidy away before you can go anywhere, which is why many families either keep a small second car or choose a campervan compact enough for everyday use.

Pick Your Shape

Motorhomes come in two broad families. A coachbuilt has a living cabin built on the back of a van chassis. A conversion starts as a panel van and is fitted out inside as a camper. Each suits a different kind of family.