Quote: Originally posted by Dave11 on 26/4/2013
Hi all , thanks for all the replies.
Yes we do tend to use the car when on site for days out, this should be a major consideration I suppose, unless we buy a small car to tow behind the Motorhome on trips away longer than a weekend. Are there many motor homes other than tag axles that are competent enough to pull a small car?
What sort of engine size should be minimum to consider to tow a small car and like the caravan car combinations, are there other weight ratio issues to consider if towing a car with the Motorhome ?
Thanks
I've read that in some European countries it is not legal to tow a car with a campervan unless fully on a trailer. However no one has heard of anyone being charged with an offence. I'm sure there will be more about that on the motor home forum.
Hi Oxter, yes I have heard that too. I was on the understanding that you can use an A frame setup to tow a small car here in the UK, but on the continent you have to use a car trailer.
If I go down this route I would need to check the exact law to make sure this is correct, perhaps some other motorhomer on here knows for certain?
If this was the case, I would have to hire a small car trailer for our continental two weeks in the summer and use an A frame in the UK, this could at least be stored under the Motorhome.
I don't think anyone bothers. If its a law that's not enforced, it's a lot of expense just to be sure you are legal. You really should have a search on the motor home forum or maybe a google?
Edit.
Try here
http://www.ukcampsite.co.uk/articles/view.asp?id=18
Or here
http://www.ukcampsite.co.uk/chatter/display_topic_threads.asp?ForumID=12&TopicID=254337&PagePosition=1&ThreadPage=1&ReturnPage=Search&search=Towing&searchIn=Topic
But read elsewhere too. There are literally loads of motor homes in UK and abroad towing on an A frame. I have asked some and they shrug and say everybody does it with impunity.
I am certainly no expert so you should do your own research first.
On the motorhome forums you will find many 'threads' on towing on an A frame. Yes, people have been fined in Spain for doing so - the law there is simply that it is illegal to tow any car with any vehicle on Spanish roads. If you breakdown the car has to be recovered onto a lorry - it cannot be towed. Put your little car on a trailer and tow behind the motorhome and you are then legal.
I towed a caravan for 22 years and when it 'died' we decided to look at a motorhome to get away from the chore of towing and as there are now just the 2 of us. We hired an Adria Twin for a couple of weeks and went to France with it. From this we knew we were happy with the concept and it gave us an insight into the layout which would suit us. We spent the next year going to the shows and dealers and generally pondering! We then bought a brand new Renault Master panel van and converted it ourselves to a high spec - total cost £30k. We have now been away on the Continent for summer holidays for 3 years and love it. I would certainly recommend that you research the size and layout which would suit you and then hire one for a couple of weeks holiday to make sure you like the size and layout of the van and the overall concept. You see loads of 1 or 2 year old vans for sale - I suspect many of these are what you would call 'an expensive mistake'!
Quote: Originally posted by acdcnchc on 26/4/2013
Why tow a car with a motorhome why not just stick to towing a caravan with a car? at least its only one lot of vehicle excise duty
That's been my philosophy as well. Whether you tent, trailer tent, folding camper, caravan, motor home etc - there are swings and roundabouts for all of them. I have tried camper vans and motor home in USA,NZ, and Oz. we enjoyed them very much and were ideal for touring needs. We will stick to the caravan meantime but should never say "never"
To each their own. You don't hear of camper vans leaking like caravans! Don't know about motor homes though?
Quote: Originally posted by acdcnchc on 26/4/2013
Why tow a car with a motorhome why not just stick to towing a caravan with a car? at least its only one lot of vehicle excise duty
I have to say that when I was a caravanner I thought very much the same, however as a new motorhomer I can see the possibilities. Although we have no plans to tow a car I would not rule it out completely. One advantage of a motorhome over a caravan is that depending on type of trip you have the flexibility of either taking a car of not depending on where you are staying and for how long and how close you are to the nearest town. Being able to tow a car on some trips is not as daft as it may seem! This is our first year with a motorhome and we are planning to stay near to towns and villages or at least near public transport and perhaps use our bikes more. But as we get older the latter might not always be an option.
Hmmmm... A lot of good thoughts and feedback. Thanks all, I will start doing some serious research and will start short listing vans and layouts before the show in October. May decide to stay with a caravan for the time being?
Dave - why are you so set on buying a new van at the NEC in October? It isn't necessarily the best and most cost effective thing to do!
You really do need to decide WHY you are considering changing from your caravan/car to a motorhome, if you intend to stay on sites most of the time for a week or more on each, then IMV a caravan would make most sense. However, if you would prefer to do more tootling around, and not stopping for long periods of time but instead seeing things as you travel then a motorhome may be what you need.
The best thing to do would be to write down what you like about your caravanning holidays (not the caravan itself) and what you expect your motorhoming holidays would give you instead. Lots of people seem to fall in love with the 'dream' of owning a motorhome but it is USING it as one, rather than a psuedo-caravan, that is what it's all about. Think carefully before doing anything and once you've made your mind up which is really what you want, then, and only then, look for a new one.
we used to have a caravan, but have been motorhoming for over 15yrs,i much prefer the motorhome but it all depends on how you do your camping, do like being based on one site all the holiday or like me do you get fed up and want to move after a few days, we have been down the road with carrying mountain bikes, then a scooter on a rack we now have a smart car on a A-frame. which is the best method so far. we only take it if we are away for two nights or more. but this year we are touring cornwall and have based on a caravan club site for a week and have hired a small car while there.