Whichever way you go there'll be compromise.
I'm intending to use the smallest MH to suit my needs because being an ex mechanic I can't face the maintenance on the extra set of wheels, hitching and unhitching etc. I once had an old 16 ft Viscount van, never leaked, easy to tow [ behind a Hilux with a 253 v8 everything's easy to tow ] cost me $1,000 to buy used it for 3 years and sold it for $1,100.
I was 20 years younger then and towing things seemed easy. I don't feel that I have the confidence anymore to tow a van so MH is the next best option.

shekon wrote:

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I thought I had it all sorted, what my nomadic lifestyle would consist of, and now it is all up in the air again. I have started to reconsider the MH idea and looking at car and caravan set up. Now of course I would have to do a lot of practical studying as I have never towed before, but considering practicalities of not having a vehicle to get around with ease if I went the MH route, I figure at some point I am going to have to tow something.

I have started to research again, looking at caravans etc. Within that research I have read quite a bit from people who have gone back to the MH because of the maintenance on caravans. So after all that waffling my question is what kind of maintenance is required and how often, and how expensive.

Looking forward to hearing from those much  more experienced than I.

 

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Easiest way to look at it is simply............What difference!! 

Start from the front of each vehicle and work back looking at all of the components, so for instance,

Engine - Caravan doesn't have one, so IF we have to get a service done (which you will on a motorhome) you can relax in the caravan.
Brakes - Caravan has brakes but, if they go wrong you can pull up, un-hitch and go and get spares............... In a motorhome you pull up and call for a recovery truck!!
Water systems - Both have water systems

Get the idea??

I am currently working on the spanners in Broome, ALREADY we are seeing folk coming into town to have their car serviced, so they get a cab back to the caravan, have a cup of tea and read/watch TV etc, and then they pick their car up.  Conversley we have folk with motorhomes that are then stuck with nowehere to go for the day AND, face huge problems IF we need to keep the vehicle overnight for more work as they cannot stay in it in the workshop whilst it is being repaired.

Prior to buying our caravan, we toyed with all the various options, a caravan gives you the most flexibility and It will take forever to convince me otherwise!!  Sorry Motorhome owners, that's my opinion.

Mark

Mark wrote:

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Engine - Caravan doesn't have one, so IF we have to get a service done (which you will on a motorhome) you can relax in the caravan
Brakes - Caravan has brakes but, if they go wrong you can pull up, un-hitch and go and get spares............... In a motorhome you pull up and call for a recovery truck!!
Water systems - Both have water systems

Get the idea??

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 Isn't it nice to be able to do our own thing ..

Love my MH ..

about the service .. all mine have been done on the day .. easy to fill in time by other distractions .. simple matter of a little planning ..

then there's the brakes .. the trailer that carries my bike and extras has electric brakes fitted .. recovery truck ? .. what for ? .. the Honda 4 gets me around just fine ..

Yes .. water is a top consideration .. usually have around 150 litres available ..

I got the idea .. Yes .. it suits me .. we are all different ..

Jon

Motor home - I think for a woman - if there is any trouble when parked up (hoons etc-especially if in free camp) - you just walk to the front and drive away, no getting out of van, re-hitching etc. Have towed a caravan,and now in motorhome - much prefer the motorhome! Amember on here, Jano - has a really nice slide on sort - very roomy inside, easy to drive, she is on the West coast at the moment.

Took me a while to figure out what snappy handbags were hehe. I thought long and hard about caravans, camper trailers, camper vans and slide-ons, and eventually decided on the slide-on. I'm one of those people who has a notepad in the kitchen and every time I think of something I need, I write it down. I NEVER run out of things and need to nick up the road for something I forgot. So I hope that stands me in good stead when I'm camping.

As to servicing the car, I can either remove the slide-on beforehand or just wander around town for the day. No big deal. But apart from anything else, I don't like the idea of towing something.

Sheba wrote:

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Don't forget Mark, that you're quite a bit younger than a lot of people who are either on the road, or want to go.   Therefore, age, and the physical aspects must be a priority.  You have to take into account what you'll be capable of doing 5 or 10 years down the track.

I recently met another Nomad solo lady, who tows a Caravan.  She's about 12 years younger than me, and still capable of hitching and un-hitching on her own.   There is no way I could do that at my age, and physical condition, so I'm happy with my Hi-ace.

What you can manage in a few years time, is important.

Cheers,

Sheba.

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Yes Indeed

Point taken Sheba, I actually didn't give any thought to the comparison from an age point of view.  I agree, it is something to consider and yes I am not at the age yet where it is an issue.  Thanks for making that point. 

Mark