How to Choose The Right Motorhome

There comes a point after you’ve passed your driving test, when it becomes second nature to get behind the wheel. It’s difficult to pinpoint or explain properly, but even though you are legally entitled to drive a car, things don’t ‘click into place’ until a little while later. It could be a few days or a few weeks – but there is definitely a point at which, if you sat back and thought about it, you’d realise you’re confident and know exactly what you’re doing. A lot of this is down to being au fait with all aspects of driving – not just the actual action of doing it – and it is the same with driving campervans or motorhomes…

From the practical angle, driving a motorhome is a case of getting used to the vehicle – how it handles from the driver’s perspective, and how it manoeuvres around various scenarios (the open road, urban environments), parking, climbing hills, etc. But how about from other angles? Whether you’re driving an A-class motorhome or a coachbuilt motorhome, what are the things you need to know and do in advance and once you’re out on the road?

First of all, and certainly one of the key aspects of driving a motorhome from a legal perspective, is to make sure you are correctly licensed. You can drive a vehicle below 3,500kg on a standard UK category B driving licence, but any motorhome (or other vehicle) above that weight is considered a different class, and you are legally obliged to achieve new licensing.

The C1 licence is only eligible for drivers over 18, who already have a valid full cat. B driving licence and those applying for a C1 also need to be medically fit as judged by a doctor. Getting your C1 requires you to pass theory and practical tests (as well as the medical). Your C1 entitlement lasts for 5 years if you are under 44 years of age, one year if you are over 44, and for over 70s it is different again. Drivers who got a driving licence before 1st January 1997 were granted the C1 category automatically – but this is removed when they reach 70 years old. Supplying the DVLA with a D4 assessment form (medical) will renew the C1 for three years (as long as health, fitness and eyesight are up to spec).

The type of motorhome you buy will affect your licensing conditions (as described above), so it’s worth explaining the difference between the two types. Coachbuilt motorhomes are smaller, having used a pre-existing cab and chassis and built up the motorhome living ‘box’ onto that. A-class motorhomes are built from the chassis upwards with the whole vehicle built as a single unit on the chassis. A-class are larger and therefore more spacious – so heavier, requiring you to achieve a C1 licence.

The way you live is also an important factor in choosing the right motorhome for your needs. It’s worth projecting just how much time you will actually spend using the motorhome into your calculations to see if, in essence, it is ‘worth it’ to make a larger investment. If you are a couple and want to whizz away for a weekend here and there or take a couple of weeks off in the summer and go exploring, then it’s probable that you won’t need a huge A-class motorhome. You could live very comfortably in a smaller model, as it will still be kitted out with everything you need – social space, sleeping ‘quarters’, washroom and kitchen area.

If, however, you are a family with a couple of kids, then any break or longer holiday is certainly going to need more functioning space. This is where an A-class will come into its own for you, providing a healthily liveable environment with fixtures, fittings and features designed to maximise the convenience and comfort of longer periods away.

Many motorhomes also provide an exterior garage at the rear of the vehicle (on some models this is also accessible from the inside). This features can be the crucial difference between your “yes” or “no” regarding a choice of motorhome, as they offer great storage for any outdoor gear you might be taking along on an ‘adventure’ style trip – such as bikes, for instance. The garage space is also useful for stowing away all of your suitcases and other baggage – in fact, any items you don’t want ‘littering up’ the interior of the motorhome and making life difficult while you are out and about.

When you’re looking at buying a new motorhome (or one that is new to you) it’s always worth considering costs – and not just the cost of the vehicle itself. A larger motorhome will pull more fuel as it is heavier, so that will have an impact on how much you regularly pay out at the service stations along your route during a trip. There are steps you can take to minimise your ‘on the road spend’, too – things like making sure you have LED lighting, being frugal with the heating system (perhaps using extra blankets at night), coming up with a meal plan in advance of a trip and only taking the food you need… All of the things you might do at home to save the pennies and look after the pounds.

There are always more things to think about, when you make any expensive or significant purchase, than just handing over your hard-earned cash and driving away from the forecourt. You should look seriously into the things we have mentioned in this edition of our blog, as thinking about them will help you make an informed choice and get just the right motorhome for you, rather than ending up with something that is unsuitable or unwieldy.