Hello everyone. My husband and I, still in Melbourne, are planning to buy a motorhome early next year, around the 24 to 26 ft length. (Still trying to work out the combinations on the grandkids' money boxes!) I have read plenty of views discussing the pros and cons on caravan versus motorhome. As we do not intend to tow a second vehicle we realize that there will be some places inaccessible to us on our trips. I was wondering if others having done the round Aussie trip without another vehicle have found it a MAJOR drawback, as in thinking that you missed out on seeing too much? Of course I will make sure to buy that carton of milk BEFORE we set up camp! Any thoughts greatly appreciated.
Dougwe said
07:19 PM Aug 15, 2016
Welcome to the gang Justonehalf, enjoy here and out in the playground.
I tow a CV so don't have the problem you ask about but know a few people that started out with just the motorhome but soon ended up towing a small car of some sort to make life easier.
Keep Safe on the roads.
Tony Bev said
08:26 PM Aug 15, 2016
Hello Justonehalf
As Dougwe has already said, welcome to the forum As you have already read plenty of views, then you already know that there are some friendly and helpful people on this site, who are willing to answer any questions, and generally pass on their expertise
Although you are thinking of a motorhome, I will throw this in as a comparison. I have done the lap with a car and caravan, and I sometimes left my caravan in free camps, when I wanted to go somewhere without towing the caravan behind me. This was just for convenience I just asked other travellers who were staying in the camp for that day to keep their eyes out. In Western Australia we call it Neighbourhood Watch.
I have also done the lap in my present seven meter (21 foot) motorhome. Slightly shorter than what you are thinking of buying
I had bicycles on the back, which I no longer carry, as I never used them. I do not have a towbar, and do not intend to fit one, as I consider my 2.8 litre engine too small a horsepower for towing
I have no problems parking it anywhere. I found that most small towns have plenty of parking.
I am not interested in four wheel drive bush travelling, at this time of my life, as there are plenty of bitumen roads, I have not yet travelled. My vehicle is a 2006 Fiat Ducato with a Jayco Conquest body. I am led to believe that this vehicle is not suitable for gravel road travelling. I have no major problems going to where I plan to go.
If you have any doubt about the motorhome you are planning to purchase, it may pay to hire that particular model for a week.
I recently met a future traveller couple, who had set their heart on a Mercedes motorhome. They hired it for one week, (must have been in Perth, as that is where they live), on the provisions that if they purchased it, the hire fee, would come off the purchase price. The Lady liked it, but the Gent found that the shower was too small, and he was continually banging his arms against the walls. They asked to look at my shower, and my wife gave a conducted tour. They said that my shower was larger than the one in a new Mercedes motorhome
I hope this helps you out, and regardless what vehicle you end up with, I hope that you have a great many happy laps.
Hello everyone. My husband and I, still in Melbourne, are planning to buy a motorhome early next year, around the 24 to 26 ft length. (Still trying to work out the combinations on the grandkids' money boxes!) I have read plenty of views discussing the pros and cons on caravan versus motorhome. As we do not intend to tow a second vehicle we realize that there will be some places inaccessible to us on our trips. I was wondering if others having done the round Aussie trip without another vehicle have found it a MAJOR drawback, as in thinking that you missed out on seeing too much? Of course I will make sure to buy that carton of milk BEFORE we set up camp! Any thoughts greatly appreciated.
I tow a CV so don't have the problem you ask about but know a few people that started out with just the motorhome but soon ended up towing a small car of some sort to make life easier.
Keep Safe on the roads.
Hello Justonehalf
As Dougwe has already said, welcome to the forum
As you have already read plenty of views, then you already know that there are some friendly and helpful people on this site, who are willing to answer any questions, and generally pass on their expertise
Although you are thinking of a motorhome, I will throw this in as a comparison.
I have done the lap with a car and caravan, and I sometimes left my caravan in free camps, when I wanted to go somewhere without towing the caravan behind me.
This was just for convenience
I just asked other travellers who were staying in the camp for that day to keep their eyes out.
In Western Australia we call it Neighbourhood Watch.
I have also done the lap in my present seven meter (21 foot) motorhome.
Slightly shorter than what you are thinking of buying
I had bicycles on the back, which I no longer carry, as I never used them.
I do not have a towbar, and do not intend to fit one, as I consider my 2.8 litre engine too small a horsepower for towing
I have no problems parking it anywhere.
I found that most small towns have plenty of parking.
I am not interested in four wheel drive bush travelling, at this time of my life, as there are plenty of bitumen roads, I have not yet travelled.
My vehicle is a 2006 Fiat Ducato with a Jayco Conquest body.
I am led to believe that this vehicle is not suitable for gravel road travelling.
I have no major problems going to where I plan to go.
If you have any doubt about the motorhome you are planning to purchase, it may pay to hire that particular model for a week.
I recently met a future traveller couple, who had set their heart on a Mercedes motorhome.
They hired it for one week, (must have been in Perth, as that is where they live), on the provisions that if they purchased it, the hire fee, would come off the purchase price.
The Lady liked it, but the Gent found that the shower was too small, and he was continually banging his arms against the walls.
They asked to look at my shower, and my wife gave a conducted tour.
They said that my shower was larger than the one in a new Mercedes motorhome
I hope this helps you out, and regardless what vehicle you end up with, I hope that you have a great many happy laps.