another newbie needing guidance

[zubo]

Hi all

I have been debating buying a campervan for a long time and just need some pointers.

I am 70 pretty much retired from IT… next month my wife retires…
I don’t have much money … maybe I could raise 25k from an inheritance I will be due in 5 years time…

We have a lovely daft dog – a Dalmatian…
I had considered buying a motorhome but my wife thinks I wont be able to drive it… my eyesight isn’t that good and my wife has a phobia about driving on motorways…. having said that I leased for five years a Toyota Rav and loved it… she thinks I would have difficulties driving around some of our narrow roads … eg Cornwall

we are both a little overweight and my wife has difficulty with pain in her back or legs
so first question is, should we even consider holidaying in a campervan
next is camper van or motorhome?
are sites dog friendly?
any suggestions of good camper vans or motor homes
I love my internet connectivity… how do you guys manage it and what are costs

I think we would like to go off around UK for a month at a time then return home… and looking forward to explore…

at some point I would like to go and explore Europe… hopefully brexit hasn’t screwed this up has it??

hoping you guys can help… my wife is fed up with me banging on about it so I need to put the business case together and show her how we are going to start on our new adventure and importantly how we will manage financially supported only by our state pensions… life looks exciting .. ps don’t suggest using equity release plans to get money out of our house… I don’t fancy selling 70% of my asset and get 20% cash in return….

please help if you can

thanks

george

[Darren]

Hi George
Hi George

Hopefully we can answer some of your questions.

To know whether you are OK to drive a motorhome you will have to try it.
The easiest and quickest way is to go to a motorhome dealer, and suggest you are interested in buying one, and test driving it.
If this isn’t enough time for you to make a decision, then perhaps rent one for a day or weekend, and then you’ll have a better idea of how it drives for you.

Motorhomes are wider than campervans, and so require more care in tight lanes. However, the extra space of a motorhome is worth it.

There is no reason not to holiday is a campervan if you your wife has leg pains. It’s a great way of getting around at your own pace and convenience.

Many campsites are dog friendly, so just choose the ones that are.

There are loads of great motorhomes and campervans. I would recommend renting one, finding out what works best for you, and then finding one that suites you. Don’t worry about the brand or chassis.

In the UK you can easily use a 3G dongle, which allows laptops to connect to the internet. Three are probably the best.
Some campsites have WiFi, but it’s often only at the reception, and can be patchy.

I think post Brexit we will be able to travel in all European countries just like we do now.

Try a motorhome. The dealers do finance plans, so hopefully that will work for you.

Regards

Darren

[Darren]

Hi George
Hi George

Hopefully we can answer some of your questions.

To know whether you are OK to drive a motorhome you will have to try it.
The easiest and quickest way is to go to a motorhome dealer, and suggest you are interested in buying one, and test driving it.
If this isn’t enough time for you to make a decision, then perhaps rent one for a day or weekend, and then you’ll have a better idea of how it drives for you.

Motorhomes are wider than campervans, and so require more care in tight lanes. However, the extra space of a motorhome is worth it.

There is no reason not to holiday is a campervan if you your wife has leg pains. It’s a great way of getting around at your own pace and convenience.

Many campsites are dog friendly, so just choose the ones that are.

There are loads of great motorhomes and campervans. I would recommend renting one, finding out what works best for you, and then finding one that suites you. Don’t worry about the brand or chassis.

In the UK you can easily use a 3G dongle, which allows laptops to connect to the internet. Three are probably the best.
Some campsites have WiFi, but it’s often only at the reception, and can be patchy.

I think post Brexit we will be able to travel in all European countries just like we do now.

Try a motorhome. The dealers do finance plans, so hopefully that will work for you.

Regards

Darren

[Vanholio]

Seconding Darren
I second what Darren said about trying out different vehicles. That’s the only way you’ll know. Also, here in the USA, I’ve seen RV owners with portable steps to help them get in and out. A lot of older folks with limited movement retire into RVs and vans of various sizes, so I’m sure there are ways to make them adaptable.

As for your eyesight, you might not need to move that often anyway, depending on whether you want to travel constantly or only move every few months. Perhaps you could even hire someone willing to drive you to the next spot, if your eyesight gets too bad over time. I don’t think the choice is total self-reliance or nothing. Lots of wiggle room.

[Vanholio]

Seconding Darren
I second what Darren said about trying out different vehicles. That’s the only way you’ll know. Also, here in the USA, I’ve seen RV owners with portable steps to help them get in and out. A lot of older folks with limited movement retire into RVs and vans of various sizes, so I’m sure there are ways to make them adaptable.

As for your eyesight, you might not need to move that often anyway, depending on whether you want to travel constantly or only move every few months. Perhaps you could even hire someone willing to drive you to the next spot, if your eyesight gets too bad over time. I don’t think the choice is total self-reliance or nothing. Lots of wiggle room.

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