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Quote: Originally posted by fourtones on 23/9/2009

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I'm new to all this but why knock an A frame anyway?

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• You're not permitted to wild camp with a trailer caravan, but you can with a motorhome. So a motorhome and toad gives you more options than a car and caravan.
• Parking a large outfit can be an issue. However, with a toad you can park the motorhome in an out-of-town lay-by and use the toad to go into town for shopping, sight-seeing, etc.
• As others have pointed out, using a motorhome and toad is often more economical

I still can't understand these folk that say all that packing and unpacking with a MH..........we can be away in minutes, love our MH best thing we have ever bought the freedom is amazing. I speak from both sides of the fence as we had 3 caravans before the MH. I don't knock anyone that has a caravan in fact my Son has just bought one and we have had a brilliant week away together.

Mmm simple answer to all the above is folk who tow a car behind their motorhome do so because they want to! People who choose to buy a motorhome, a tent or a caravan do so because it is their preference or because it is what they can afford and there's no more to it than that!  It always baffles me as to why people question other peoples choices so much? Who flipping cares? Surely, these people can appreciate that mature adults make their own choices in life and if something doesn't suit them they will find out soon enough that it just isn't for them and obviously, that is when they will then probably decide to look for a different set up!

Just enjoy your choices and don't bother puzzling over why someone else does things differently to you, cos like I say, why should you care as long as you are satisfied with what you as an individual does and has?

Sooh

    Well put Sooh, you have hit every point that matters.Everybody has their own way of thinking what is best for them,everyone's predicament changes through life if they are happy with what they have, great,

Quote: Originally posted by gail1955 on 26/9/2009

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Hi we have a caravan but just come back from a site in blackpool and parked next to us was a lovely 09 reg motorhome.Nothing wrong with that only it was there as a seasonal from march of this year till october.Cant see the point in that myself but each to their own.

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Maybe whoever owns it is working in Blackpool for the summer season and then heading off to sunnier climes in the winter months........just a thought, seems these days that lots of folk are giving  up the bricks and mortar.

We met a couple in Portugal last year that did a similiar thing, and by working hard all season could be away in Portugal for most of the winter.

Quote: Originally posted by gnight jim bob on 21/9/2009

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just a thought but most people buy a caravan and then tow it to a site pitch it and then off they go in the car, simples. so why do some people buy a motorhome and then tow a car so that they can pitch it and then go off in the car.  just a thought

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Maybe because they simply just want to enjoy and have the best of both worlds!

Having a motorhome and towing a car behind means you have a choice and let's be honest we all love having choices don't we? I know that's why we choose to tow a lovely little Smart car sometimes! Not everyvtime admittedly, as having a car to hand is not always necessary for us - but when we do feel it would be of benefit to us then we take it along with us. Hubby actually finds it a dream to tow and says he does not even know its there! He has to keep checking our rear view camera monitor to see it is still attached!  To be honest I would guess it is equally, if not simpler, to tow a little car behind a motorhome, than it is for someone who opts to tow a caravan!!!

The difference between a car towing a caravan and a motorhome towing a car is that with a caravan you HAVE no option and you HAVE to use a car whereas with a motorhome you CHOOSE to! So basically to answer your question Jim Bob - it's purely all down to people preferences and many are more than happy with their choice to to tow a car behind their motorhome! attaching a car to the motorhome and then towing it behind is not a difficult or complicated exercise and it's as simple and as easy as that really!

Basically, when you opt to tow a car behind your motorhome you can then make the choice to either take the car along with you or leave it behind at home and whatever takes your fancy is possible then. In our case when we know we are going to stay put in one spot for a few days and not move very far, we then tow the Smart along and if we fancy a quick drive out somewhere we just tootle off in the car. However, when we just wish to enjoy the freedom of touring around all over in our motorhome and enjoying the absolute freedom of wild camping in spectacular spots and just doing our own thing, we then prefer to leave the car behind at home and prefer to use the motorhome as our only means of transport. However, for those that dont like to wildcamp in their motorhome, they can still tour around all over whilst staying at different campsites and stopping off enroute to visit interesting places.

What I love about owning a motorhome is having all our home comforts and facilities on board with us wherever we go and there is nothing nicer than to pull up in some idyllic and scenic location and be able to make a cup of tea, have an ice cold soft drink out the fridge, cook lunch or make a sandwich etc. If the weather suddenly changes, you have a wardrobe full of clothes right there with you ready to change into if needs be. If you have dogs, they can be safely left in the vehicle whilst you visit the local shops or sights and if you have children or grandchildren aboard then a day out becomes a total joy! Stroppy and bored teenagers can be happily left in the motorhome playing on their Nintendo's or texting their pals etc and family days out can be turned from nightmare trips away to happy and joyous ocassions that suit and accomodate everyone's needs and moods! Taking the kids to the beach for the day for example can be such fun and of course you have a warm and cosy changing room to hand for changing in and out of wet swimsuits etc. Not forgetting the bonus of bathroom facilites for washing and drying sandy little toes and feet, and of course toilet facilities for when you are all caught short and you just need to go in a hurry!!!  If tired little ones or shattered grown ups need a quick nap then of course there is sleeping accomodation all ready at the drop of a hat and If the weather turns nasty you can retreat to the warmth and comfort of your mobile home on wheels put the tv on, make a hot drink, read a book, play a game and sit and relax until the rain clouds clear!!! Ooh ..... sheer bliss!

I hope this helps to enlighten you Jim Bob as to why some people buy a motorhome and then choose to tow a car as well!

Sooh

This is my prefference to tow behind our van.

 John.

Very nice!  I love it!

Sooh

I changed back to a motorhome because I got fed up with hitching and unhitching things - if the day comes when I need to tow a car, I'll go back to a caravan instead. Rather tow something I can see in the mirrors.

But love the trike, John - I quite fancy the idea of a motorhome with a garage at the back that I could put a motorbike in ................................

If you or anyone else who owns a MH ever feels the need to tow a car behind their motorhome, then I promise you Caz, that towing a small car on an A Frame is nothing at all like hitching and unhitching a caravan! It is a 2 minute job and once unhitched, the A Frame folds up neatly and can be stored away conveniently in the boot of the car.

As for wanting to be able to see the car in your mirrors Caz, then this is something that can easily be rectified by fitting special mirrors but we find that using our rear reversing camera is an even better option. Apart from being a marvellous reversing aid, the rear view reversing camera monitor also enables us to view whats going on behind us whilst we are on the move. We simply flip down the rear camera monitor that is installed in the cab area and hey ho we can instantly see if all's well with the car when we have it on tow!  To be honest towing a car on an A Frame is an absolute doddle and unless we check the monitor regularly throughout our journey, we truthfully wouldn't know the car was there!  We have been towing now for approx 5 years and (fingers crossed) we have never encountered any hiccups during this time - so far from towing being a restriction, it has simply enhanced the experience and pleasure of motorhoming even more for us and I cannot reccomend it highly enough!

However, If towing a car behind your motorhome is not for you Caz, then I don't suppose you are that interested in reading how anyone can overcome the obstacles that you mention in your previous post. However, there may be others on the forum who are seriously considering towing a car behind their motorhome and perhaps after reading about my own positive experiences of towing, may welcome the information with open arms and the information gleened may be a great help to them when trying to make a decision? I hope so cos that's why forums like this are so useful to we camperholics!!!!

Sooh

Quote: Originally posted by mickythemechy on 20/9/2009Hi all I was tooling about last night on this website and looked at the motorhome forum,there are some fabulous motors to be enjoyed also at the other end of the forum people are desperate to keep rusty old Ford Transits from the 70,s on the road.I rented a nearly new Fiat based Carioca (I think it was called) 2 years ago,We did a good few miles around Scotland,Fort William,Oban,Skye etc.My personal view is they are very small inside because a lot of the room is taken up by the drivers cab they  cost a lot  to buy and run.I am glad we rented first its tents  for us 4ever .Mick.

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Quote: Originally posted by mickythemechy on 20/9/2009

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Hi all I was tooling about last night on this website and looked at the motorhome forum,there are some fabulous motors to be enjoyed also at the other end of the forum people are desperate to keep rusty old Ford Transits from the 70,s on the road.I rented a nearly new Fiat based Carioca (I think it was called) 2 years ago,We did a good few miles around Scotland,Fort William,Oban,Skye etc.My personal view is they are very small inside because a lot of the room is taken up by the drivers cab they  cost a lot  to buy and run.I am glad we rented first its tents  for us 4ever .Mick.

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Our motorhome being 28.5 foot in length has a lovely living area, very roomy and both the drivers and passengers cab seats can be swivelled round so that they too can be incorportated into the lounge/dining area. We enjoy the benefit of a fixed bedroom, a seperate kitchen area and a full width rear bathroom with seperate shower so as you can appreciate our MH is far from being cramped.

Not ALL motorhomes are cramped and of course the running costs are something only the buyer can justify!  So, really at the end of the day it really does depend on what you want and what you can afford! Obviously the smaller the vehicle the less floor space there will be but I suppose it's the same with a tent. A small compact tent will obviously not have the space and seperate sleeping/living/kitchen areas that a large top of the range tent will have and so basically, the sky knows no limit if you are happy to spend the money on the kind of outfit that you personally will feel comfortable in!

Tents are NOT my thing  - but I would never knock or ridicule other people's choices ever!  During our travels I have seen some absolutely fabulous set ups that have been very impressive, so even though camping under canvas is not my preference, I can still understand and appreciate why so many people love the lifestyle.

Sooh