Campervan Vs. Motorhome: Which One Will Work Better for You?

Investing in a leisure vehicle is a big decision. Both motorhomes and campervans are expensive, and will constantly need maintenance money as well. Besides, if this is your first time buying such a vehicle, making the right choice becomes harder.

Well, don’t worry. In this article, we have discussed everything that you must know about both vehicles. Keep reading to understand which one will prove to be a better choice as per your requirements.

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Difference between a Campervan and Motorhome

If we think about it, both campervans and motorhomes fulfill the same purpose. They provide you with the facility of a home wherever you chose to park. There is a place to eat, sleep and stay.

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Nevertheless, there are some striking differences between the two, they are:

1.     What are Campervans?

Campervans are expected to be smaller with fewer home comforts. They are usually built within a van and are a result of either a conversion or factory-built by a van manufacturer. Smaller campervans, termed micro-campers, are even made using a car or a small van. This can ideally accommodate 2 people, will require less fuel, and will have no inbuilt facility of a toilet or shower. In simple words, campervans are not suitable for longer touring holidays.

2.     What are Motorhomes?

Motorhomes are wider and longer in size. They provide almost every comfort of a home and even have built-in toilet and shower areas. It can conveniently accommodate 2 to 6 people and will have enough storage facilities for everyone on board.

They are designed keeping in mind the requirements of longer road trips. However, since they are big, they are less flexible when it comes to parking spaces.

3.     Road handling

Since both these vehicles are heavier than normal cars, it affects their road handling, accelerating, steering, and braking. Motorhomes are bigger than campervans and thus are difficult to handle in traffic.

However, they can be handled easily on open highways. On the contrary, a campervan is easy to handle in built-up areas, just like a large SUV car. This makes it more usable as a daily-drive vehicle.

Power steering is a must in both vehicles and completely changes how one can handle them on the road. Without power steering, both these vehicles might seem like a truck or commercial vehicles.

4.     Driving license

A standard UK license will allow you to drive a vehicle that weighs under 3500 kg in MAM. Most campervans and motorhomes will fall under this category. This means, no need to acquire a special license. However, if you have included some additional features in your vehicle, and that have made it heavier, you might need a C1 license.

Then again, if you acquired your driving license before 1997, the C1 license is already included.  Nevertheless, if you cleared your driving test after 1997, you will have to take practical and theory classes and pass the test again to acquire a C1 driving license.

5.     Running, Service, and Repair costs

The maintenance cost of a Campervan, as well as a Motorhome, will be more than any regular car. After all, these vehicles are providing the facilities of a home.

However, if we compare the two, campervans are easier to service and repair costs are lesser compared to that of a motorhome.  Also, since motorhomes are heavier, they are known to consume more fuel than campervans.

Now, when you have all the basic facts concerning campervans and motorhomes with you, making an informed decision will be easier.

One last tip is to always take multiple test drives of both vehicles. This will give you a better idea about what suits you best.