Buying a new motorhome

By Malcolm Street

Getting into the motorhome lifestyle might appear to the uninitiated to be something of a daunting procedure. However, with a few carefully planned steps, it won’t be long before you too are enjoying life on the road.

This is good news for prospective campervan and motorhome owners, but it may make it a little mind bending at purchase time. For campervan and motorhome newcomers, it’s worth giving some careful thought to exactly what you want out of your new investment.

Make your wish list

For first timers, buying a campervan or motorhome is quite different to buying a car or 4WD, and six months is an average time to look around. Most dealers know this and will expect you to visit their dealership several times before making a purchase.

Any dealer that wants you to sign on the dotted line the first time you visit their premises should be treated accordingly! It’s not an unreasonable request to spend the afternoon just sitting in the prospective campervan or motorhome of your choice, and any sensible dealer will be happy to let you.

You have to be prepared to travel interstate to find the perfect campervan or motorhome. Larger manufacturers will have dealers around the country, but for most of the smaller campervan and motorhome companies, you will be dealing directly with the builder, which could be anywhere around the country.

For the most part, unless you happen to buy a unit off the lot, there will be a build time of anything up to six months. We know of at least one manufacturer with filled order books until May 2006, so if you are thinking about your retirement travels in a couple of years, perhaps start doing some initial thinking and planning – now.

A quick look at the campervan and motorhome world reveals a huge variety of everything from small pop-top campervans to 40ft converted coaches. Prices vary enormously too – the starting price for a pre-loved campervan is about $15,000 and the finishing price for a top line luxury motorhome is, well I’ve heard the magic million mentioned once or twice. So the question is, which one is right for you?

Research and plan

For any prospective buyer of a campervan or motorhome there is plenty of choice, both in terms of budget and layout design. For beginners, that can be confusing and if you are considering a purchase it’s worth devising some sort of purchasing plan.

Preliminary research is quite easily done by going no further than the local newsagent and sitting at your computer.

At the newsagent, magazines like Caravan World (which does feature campervans and motorhomes) and Campervan and Motorhome Trader give a very good idea of what is available. Quite a few manufacturers have good websites with pictures and layout designs.

Budget

For most, the first thing to decide on is a budget. It will often determine your choice of vehicle but even so, there are variables.

For instance a new pop-top campervan can cost around $60,000 but there are some light truck based motorhomes or pre-loved larger motorhomes for not much more which have a considerably larger living area.

Look not only at the purchase price but also associated running costs. Petrol or diesel are the most obvious and expensive item, but there are others like toilet chemicals, repairs and storage costs.

Try before you buy

If you have never motorhomed before and are considering investing, an excellent way to find out if you really like the lifestyle is to hire before you buy – the hire cost will be a very small percentage of the final purchase price. Indeed, some dealers with rental motorhomes will refund the hire fee if you buy from them later.

There are plenty of rental campervan and motorhome companies around. While none may have exactly what you are intending to buy, it’s not a bad idea to get a feel for the motorhome lifestyle and decide on your likes and dislikes.

Join the club

Another way to be informed about your prospective campervan or motorhome purchase is to join a club like the Campervan and Motorhome Club of Australia (CMCA). To be a full member of the CMCA does require owning a campervan or motorhome but it’s also possible to be an associate member, so you can meet club members and have access to cheaper insurance for your future purchase!

Driver's licences

While all campervans and many motorhomes can be driven on a normal C class licence – which has nothing to do with a C class motorhome – anything with a Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM) of more than 4.5 tonnes requires a Light Rigid (LR) truck licence and anything with a GVM of more than 8 tonnes requires a Medium Rigid (MR) licence. The latter covers everything except some coach conversions which have a third axle.

Some people get a bit scared off by this and restrict their motorhome size as a result. However, the reality is that getting a LR/MR licence is not that difficult, especially if the Heavy Vehicle Competency Based Assessment (HVCBA) is undertaken.

It sounds a mouthful but HVCBA is a log book system where an RTA-accredited driving instructor (in NSW) can assess your driving ability as you learn; and there is no stressful test at the end of it.

There may be some value in undertaking some driver training and getting your LR licence at the same time if you have only ever driven a sedan car for most of your working life.

Looking around

After deciding on a budget, it’s off to see the real thing. If buying new, then visit the dealers or manufacturers (be prepared to travel) or if secondhand, then it’s either the dealers or looking through Campervan and Motorhome Trader.

All campervans and motorhomes will come with a stove, fridge, sink, water tank and a bed, either collapsible or fixed.

Moving up from the basic models, you will notice add-ons: full ovens, microwave ovens, three-way or compressor fridges, showers and toilets, air-conditioning, entertainment systems, solar panels, generators, washing machines – it’s an almost endless list, depending on your priorities and budget.

When looking through campervans and motorhomes, spend some time in each of your prospective purchases. Have a think about how you are going to live in it on your travels. Go through all the motions of living – cooking, eating, making up the bed and keeping clean (if there is an onboard shower).

Does the kitchen have all you need for your culinary style? Is there enough bench space and is everything more or less where you want it? That little campervan might look great to drive but is the small internal space going to drive you and your partner nuts?

It’s often items like the main bed which settle the decision on design. In most campervans, the bed has to be made up every night. In C class motorhomes the only double bed is often over the driver’s cab – out of the way but a clamber up every night and in some designs there is not much headroom.

Small vehicles based on a Toyota Hilux often have a good roof height above the bed, which is often easy to climb into. If the double bed is in the main part of the motorhome, it is much easier to get into but does take up more space.

Are there enough lights for evening activities and where will the laptop computer be plugged in? Is that funny-shaped cupboard going to annoy you? Where will all your precious belongings be stored – are there enough storage compartments and will everything you use regularly be easy enough to get at?

Most campervans are unlikely to have a shower or toilet cubicle on board, unless they are one of the Sprinter/Fiat Ducato sized units and they are likely to be quite compact. However, that will not be a problem if you mostly use the amenities blocks in caravan parks and just want to use the onboard facilities occasionally.

A feature that has become much more common with the advent of Euro trucks, given their ‘flat floor’ design, is the walk through from driver’s cab to the rear of the motorhome. It’s a very convenient feature to have and many people like the security aspect of it. Some designs will have the driver and passenger seats swivel around, so that they double as lounge chairs and that is a very effective use of space.

Slideouts, often only 300mm wide, make a big difference to the internal space of a motorhome but have generally only been available on some larger A class units. In recent times, though, a couple of manufacturers have installed slideouts in C and B class units.

Test drive

With any campervan or motorhome purchase, even a new motorhome, a test drive is important, especially if you have never driven one before. Quite a few buyers spend ages on the motorhome layout but forget to sit in the driver and passenger seats, where some considerable time will be spent.

Campervans and motorhomes, mostly van and truck based, drive differently to normal sedan cars and even new ones will have a few squeaks and rattles that can be disconcerting if you are not used to it.

Spend a bit of time in the driver and passenger seats making sure there are enough storage pockets for maps, mobile phones and all the little things you like to have with you when travelling.

Finally

Having done all of the above, all you have to do is make up your mind about which campervan/motorhome suits you best, sign on the dotted line and enjoy the lifestyle!