UK campsite fees are a big problem, they have increased beyond inflation and where electric is now charged separately the base price has not reduced. I have just spent 3 months in France and used Camper Car Park sites for £12-£14 per night including electric, okay no facilities, but you have them all on board, so use them and save money! The industry is killing itself.
I think it’s a much more complicated issue than simply campsites are to blame but it is becoming harder to have a low cost escape and use campsites. I agree. There are a number of factors affecting pitch fees. Coming soon on a future episode we hope
There is a reason in France in that there are so many free sites that campers will not pay high fees to use a camp site even though they get no facilities on the free sites
We joined ACSI and stayed on French camp sites for around €17 to €20 including pools etc excellent value for out of season (but still in my season) camp sites.
Agree... pandemic pushed up the tariffs as caravanning was made so popular. Charging for extras are hidden extras on top of base price. Paying £50 + pn in high season when you pull along your own accommodation is damn cheek.
We have indefinitely put off buying our first motorhome now. This is down to a huge increase in crazy prices, seemingly poorer build quality and corner-cutting from all the major brands. Not to mention the endless stories of poor after-market customer service from dealers and major van makers. Factor in the increasing costs of campsites, and looming permit requirements to travel in places like Scotland due to over tourism and you have the makings of a disaster for secondhand van prices.
Oh no please don’t be put off! It’s not all doom and gloom I promise you! We are in a slight downward trend that’s all and it could mean a great deal for you. It’s such an amazing pastime that opens up huge opportunities for great experiences and memories. Despite the challenges we love using our motorhome and we relish the next trip away. Stick with your dream!
Totally agree, we’re keeping the money invested and just choosing nice spa hotels to stay in near lovely walking areas - less work alltogether and more money in the bank it’s a no brainer 🤷♀️
@@SpellboundMiniatures funnily enough we had a similar conversation. We were worried about a sudden hit in depreciation. Especially as some vans are now crazy money at a time of decreasing demand.
@@MotorhomeMatt I appreciate your reply, Matt. It’s quite worrying. We wanted the freedom a van brings. As I have recently been medically retired early from my job. We often struggle with what to do at weekends. So a van is a great choice. It feels like bad timing on our part. We appreciate the honesty of the video.
The service industry in the country is a disgrace...!! and that is without the shocking attitudes of new motorhome main dealers!! Another fantastic Vlog 👏 👌 👍
Thank you very much for commenting. Our attitude to customer service is indeed poor in this country. It seems to have worsened over recent years but I think consumers in all markets might have to take some responsibility for that. Our buying habits are terrible. I won’t get started on this here in the comments!
We have had 6 motorhomes/campervans over the last 20 years, all older vans except 1. In 2018 we bought a brand new Autosleeper Kingham on a Peugeot XLWB van. We loved the look of it, but we hated the unreliability and poor attention to detail. After 3 years we sold it and bought an 18 year old Hymer on a Fiat chassis. Build quality is far superior to the Autosleeper, the trusty 2.8 Fiat/Iveco engine has no useless unreliable tech, adBlue, etc etc. We are very happy with our older more reliable moho. With reference to campsites, it used to be an affordable family weekend/holiday option, in some rare cases it still is, however, the greed shown by some campsite owners including the 2 main clubs is nothing short of robbery. We now avoid campsites like the plague.
Glad you’ve found a motorhome you love! I agree sometimes tech in the name of progress is useless! Don’t get me started on AdBlue and EGR valves! Then there’s the DPF and diesel injectors…! All have cost our business thousands. I love driving my 1934 Austin 7. Simple motoring form a genre gone by. Great fun until I need to stop in a hurry, carry 4 people and hope to hit 30mph or need to start it in the rain 🤣🤣🤣 But it’s ULEZ compliant and this I love! Thanks for watching and commenting
we have a 24 year old sprinter motorhome its got power steering and electric windows and thats its modern features, it will go to places a 70 grand motorhome would fall apart at, we have no fear of seeking adventure in the remotest parts of our beautifull country campsites are for those that fear adventure
Waste of time motorhomng in the UK. Extortionate campsite fees are utterly ridiculous. We go to France, Spain and Portugal for a fraction of the cost. Made must more welcome. Countless free Aires and much more affordable campsite fees. So sad the UK has been wrecked, all too often by pure greed.
It’s a valid comment thank you. However due to work and family commitments we spend most of our time on short UK trips and it’s far from a waste of time. But I see your point! We have so much to learn in the uk and so much to gain from engaging with the motorhome lifestyle and offering a solution to those who love the pastime. Enjoy your trips wherever they take you!
Had a Frontier Delaware until early this year we decided to put up for sale and took out of storage so potential buyers could inspect on our drive. Woke up one morning to find it gone. We still had all the keys for the alarm, ignition and steering lock. Police said it was seen on motorway at around 3 am. Not heard or seen sight of it since then. That was the end of our 10 years with caravans and motorhome. Amazing that since then all I hear and read are concerns and issues with the industry. Looks like we had the best of the good times. Good luck all.
I’m so sorry to hear this and trust the insurers resolved it for you? The same great times and memories are had but today it’s easy to rant, moan and groan via a keyboard. Social media is not always full of positive news stories in fact they rarely get shared compared to the negative ones. Human nature I suspect. Thanks for commenting and perhaps we can tempt you back to this wonderful pastime?
Some pretty lame excuses being made for dealer profiteering in recent years, in turn artificially inflating the second hand market all based on greed. The only people to feel sorry for are those cust who bought in to the market at its peak who will lose a small fortune
The wife and I have loved motorhoming for years. I owned a cochbuilt back in the 90s when prices were still reasonable but in more recent years we started to aspire to buy ourselves a nice used van. We hired for a few years but had to stop when the weekly rental prices ballooned from around £700 to well over £1000 in the space of a couple of years. We also saw nice used vans of the age and style we were interested in jump in price from around £28-30k up to around £36k. Needless to say we've been treading water for a long time now, holding off from both hiring or buying until things 'readjust' themselves. On top of all that, pitch fees have been spiraling relentlessly upwards (I'm looking at you, CAMC sites!). We're really hoping the situation gets better soon, maybe 2025 will be the year we finally take the plunge.
I am sorry to say that hire prices are unlikely to drop back to £700 per week in anytime other than winter. Insurance, parts, staff costs all drive this increase. Used values may come down a little but not by the 20% you have seen increase by. Life is short and so precious. Go for it and seize the opportunity. There are so many memories to be made and smiles to be had. It’s a wonderful pastime that will afford you some amazing adventures. Don’t delay! If you want to do it, go for it if you can. We are all only here for a season. Thanks for your kind words and commenting
The caravan issue is partially caused by campsite costs - £45 per night is becoming ridiculous. Whereas with a motorhome you can do a trip and dilute some of the campsite costs with Britstop, Park4Nite type stays. Often some of these other parkup options aren’t available to those with a caravan. The freedom the motorhome is giving those owners and the overnight costs is what I think is part of this. Whilst electric costs are part of the campsite cost issue, I think this is only part of the issue. Where there are options to go without electric, they only drop the price by £5, so the electric costs are part arguments aren’t borne out by their own price lists.
Thanks for commenting. I agree campsite fees are often high but do you really think a few pounds per night is to blame for a market change in the context of a £70000 vehicle? I’ll be discussing this with the clubs hopefully soon.
@@MotorhomeMatt Thank you for responding. I think there are multiple issues, of which campsite fees (especially the two main clubs) are one of them. When the main clubs can’t fill the sites in season at the current pricing then they have to know they have got it wrong. But as caravanners migrate to motor homes, they get the extra flexibility, coupled with the “younger” generation not wanting to tow. We do a lot of mountain biking, and we use the “Stay the night” facility at Forestry Scotland sites, these types of places aren’t available to carvanners. If we had a caravan then we would have to be at an expensive site, then drive to the mountain bike centres on the car, which would be a challenge as where do I put the bike rack when I tow? That’s just our example. But if I am paying £45 per night, then I am getting close to the price of renting a cottage. Whilst some campsites are getting better at accommodating those who don’t need electric, mostly C&CC only give that option to grass pitches, and I believe CAMC don’t offer that facility at all. When a member of these clubs, there is no longer the feeling that you are getting value or being appreciated as a member. I imagine the membership numbers would be interesting to report on.
@@MotorhomeMatt just to add, the campsite costs between Europe and the UK are stark. We find that for half the cost of a CAMC site in the UK we can find a site with a pool inclusive of electricity and a serviced pitch. Also the European sites tend to be more welcoming, they will permit an early arrival if the pitch is available. It feels like the two main clubs have got it all wrong. I suspect that out of season site fees are now £20 per night more expensive than pre pandemic.
You have to consider the weather in your thought process. Here in the uk we get a limited amount of time in the sun. Quite different in Europe. And the last 2 years have been some of the wettest on record!
We bought our 1st secondhand motorhome in Nov 23 spending my life savings. Elddis Encore 2020 plate. We traded in a15 year old caravan, no issues, no water ingress well built. Our Motorhome since Nov is on its 3rd water ingress warranty job, microwave not working, grill not working, some lights not working, trim around the sink peeling away. It's basically made from balsa wood on a production line that quantity is more important than quality. Manufacturers should stop ripping off their customers, conning them with sales pitch " We offer a 10 year water ingress warranty", when in reality they never have to repair a 10 year motorhome because the 10 years warranty only applies to the 1st owner!, and that's a another subject for another episode for you. People finances are tight so you need to be confident that your investment is 100% safe, but it isn't with current build quality. I wish I had kept my 15year old caravan.
Many issues here! And I'm so sorry this has been your experience. As van chassis have evolved they have become heavier with more safety features and more kit meaning to keep under 3500kg and a price point the Motorhome on the back has to be lighter and cheaper. Net result… all the issues you're experiencing, particularly the case from some manufacturers. Its not an excuse but a fact. Sadly quality does seem to have gone downhill in some cases. Being in the business gives me an advantage as we see the issues often before the vehicles are even sold new. Plus I know what to look for in terms of build quality. As a consumer you can only rely on your gut instinct and research. But the internet does provide great resources and reviews. Build quality is a massive topic and frustrates me. Great build quality costs a lot more money. But you can experience it at a show. I always advise spend time in everything. Ignore the screen price. What is it that makes something worth 4x something else? Open and close doors, cupboards, feel the quality of something you may never buy and then compare. Look underneath. Look in the garage. Lay on a bed. You get the idea. Warranty reduction on sale, particularly water ingress has been true for some time and now commonplace since manufacturers were competitively forced to offer 10 years. Brands like Adria led the field in offering such a long warranty. Again, this is about research and understanding what you are buying. I'm hoping that this podcast starts to clarify a few things for more people as we unpack the realities, truths and pleasure (most of the time) of motorhome ownership. I trust you can still enjoy the Motorhome
The caravan and motorhome club have been so greedy there booking are way down one way to get people back is to lower the price maximum should be 25 pound a night I can see them going bust because they have been too greedy
That’s true and it’s a real boom and I’m not surprised! It’s a huge topic. It also creates lots of points for discussion. If we explored this further which angle would interest you? The bit that bothers me most is safety.
Hi Matt Autograph 81-6 On the way home from picking it up from the dealer after waiting over a year for it All the drawers under the sink fell out 1door fell off You would not believe the phots of it I took !! Rear lounge seat slat lift up fell apart The boxing all came apart !! All the mastic on the roof joints was appalling (i have now redone a lot of it) Plus a good few more To be honest i would love to meet the guy who cleared our moho as finished and sent it out I would sack him on the spot if he worked for me !! The one good thing is that my dealer ( reading caravans and MH) have been very very good in dealing with the issues Cant speak more highly of them Regards Bill
Thanks for your comment Bill and I’m sorry to hear you had such a bad time. It’s shocking to hear tales like this. It’s not unique to motorhomes of course. I do wonder how these things are allowed to teach a consumer tho. They should go through several stages of inspection at manufacture stage and then at dealer stage. Hope you get it all sorted and can enjoy the motorhome
Thank you for saying that. It’s a big story at the moment and there’s loads of rhetoric on RUclips - Some mis-guided and naive. It’s a challenging time for sure. But we need to be honest and factual. Glad you appreciated the episode. Thank you
Whilst in Cornwall last month I saw a motorhome with a ridged frame on castor wheels with a motorcycle on it! It had lights on it but no overrun brakes! All the weight of the thing was on the castor wheels. With a pivot ( up and down) where it connected to the motorhome. I think from memory that they had suspension to allow for uneven undulations.
Yes it’s an interesting device known as an Easy Lifter. Watch one go backwards and watch the bike tip and bang as the castors spin! An ingenious idea to save weight but can make a motorhome much longer behind the rear axle. Cornering is fun!
Very interesting discussion,I ordered a new campervan in March from a company up norf, it's a family business ,I elected for a Peugeot chassis as it was 10k cheaper than a Fiat, when checking on the build, in June,I was offered the Fiat chassis for just 2k more ,as there apparently was a surplus of Fiats, so a no brainer ,collecting it shortly
I’m in just this predicament we went to the NEC last year. We fell in love with an Elddis Crusader Borealia caravan. Got into a conversation with a guy from Glossop caravans who told us “don’t worry you can choose from a list of approved dealers for any services etc. What he failed to say was that every single one of them would turn you away saying “we have too many customers & are not taking any more on” So I now have a caravan I can’t get fixed repaired or serviced & I live in Somerset! This really needs addressing by the manufacturers if they can’t deal with an elddis customer needing a service they should not be allowed to sell elddis vans. I would have bought from highbridge or Northam farm etc etc had their sales men or women on the day have had any interest in dealing with us because they simply didn’t.
Grrrrr this annoys me so much. Sorry it’s your reality. Your local dealer had no interest in dealing with you? Why? Could they offer the same deal as Glossop? Did you ask them?
@@martinchurch2863 I feel your pain. We got a new HYMER motorhome last year from a main dealer (no name to save their blushes!). It had maybe 8 minor faults on delivery, here we are 14 months on and there are 3 faults still remaining, and two additional faults caused by careless technicians fixing the other faults through negligence! The dealer wanted £650 a year for a damp check/service and hab service. Only to find out that only the damp check is required for the warranty and the cost of the damp check is nearly half if you do it in Europe. So four visits later we still haven’t got it sorted and we are just going to fix it ourselves, and do the damp check whilst on a European trip. I will no longer spend £50 in fuel simply to have old faults replaced by new ones. And they have a rule which insists the motorhome is left empty each time, so I can’t even do the visit whilst passing. When speaking to other owners, it seems these are common faults with this dealerships after service. And other people have had similar experience elsewhere. Big question is why the service in Europe seems to be so much better and cheaper? At lease with a European made motorhome.
I work for Highvridge and we only got moved to being elddis dealers from Compass for 2024, we don't send many caravan sales.chaps to the shows due to needing to staff base as well so elddis wasn't manned , doesn't stop anyone calling up if they'd rather buy local tho
There is a lot of confusion on posts here between campsites for motorhomes in the UK versus Europe. The discussion is like light and dark. For MH’s with on board facilities, Europe is completely covered for Aires, Stellplatz et al for only £10’or £15 (some are free) for overnight stopovers with facilities for water electric and waste removal. In the UK we don’t have the similar facilities and many of the two main clubs are charging large fees and not the same type of overnight stopover service for MHs. Many of these sites are £30 plus a night. The sites are away from the villages and towns people want to visit. In Europe they welcome MH’s into their villages and towns and give parking and facilities to use so their visits can spend money in the towns for restaurants and shops etc. The Europeans understand the connection. Our UK councils generally do not understand that relationship hence the lack of facilities combined with locations and welcoming tourism for MH’s. I can’t see these problems resolving to many UK towns and regions with such Nimby selfish views from local residents. It is exactly the opposite views visiting in France Spain or Germany when I travel. Costs for accomodation and facilities with MH’s is a fraction of the UK AND it is far easier to visit in Europe towns and villages than the UK.
Thanks for commenting. The two destinations do seem worlds apart in terms of ease of use don’t they?! We have invited our local councillor to join us for a future episode to discuss this from a councils perspective. We await confirmation but hope to welcome him soon onto the podcast. Appreciate you sharing your thoughts thanks
@@MotorhomeMatt Thanks Matt. Yes UK and particularly France Spain and Germany their local regions or authorities are exactly the opposite with their attitude to MHs. Any discussion is good to improve the UK situation so well done for acting. Many councils particularly English counties and it’s worse to the south because of space yet many DO have the space but low barriers stop MHs and/or sell their land to NCP or similar. Meanwhile, MH’s try and use spaces along the coastal roads and local residents complain views of MHs from their windows and IMO wrongly blame MHs for littering. (litter will come with any tourism) Many MHs generally recognise litter issues and try and help and also they have self sufficient facilities and councillors miss that point. With councillors it’s a massive change of culture with how MH use their vehicles and also generally are good income for local businesses from MHs if allowed to get near them! Best wishes. 👍🏼
Thank you This is why we’ve invited our local councillor onto the podcast to try and understand their perspective and share our view too. Education, passion and vision can change anything. I hope to share mine with our councillor. If we all did this we could affect massive change.
Thanks for another informative video. Keep them coming please. We’ve really struggled finding autogas. . I was wondering if it was worth The caravan and motorhome/camping clubs having a facility to fill up on their sites. 🤔
A great idea but the issue is cost. It’s an expensive investment and a slow return. I suspect a formula that doesn’t stack at the moment Thanks for commenting
Charging per person is my main gripe. I am renting a pitch, the costs of extra people is only use of the shower and toilet, maybe an extra £3 for a shower and a visit to the toilet, not £10 to £15!
@@MotorhomeMattAs a solo traveller, I get annoyed when sites have a basic price per unit with 2 people. I feel like I'm subsidising all the couples out there when life is already much more expensive for a single person. I say, bring on the charges per person! 😂
These videos are cropping up all the time about the crisis in motorcycle sales, car sales, motorhome sales - you name it. The truth is that we have had a personal financial degradation in the UK since the crash of 07/08 with disposable income taking a continuous hit year on year. Now with Reeves budget - yet another blow. Everything which is not essential now has to be considered as to its cost and desirability. Extravagant or frivolous purchases can be made no longer.. What is going to happen to all these industries when EV's are forced upon us and fuel is impossible to buy due to availability or cost - that could happen in the next five years. What will you old diesel motorhome be worth then?
Extravagant, frivolous? A motorhome could be considered one of these but for many it’s a dream and a route to freedom, memories and happy holidays. Thanks for commenting. Keep smiling and enjoy the journey
The self build market must be having a major impact on new and used sales. I notice more and more each time im out. The thing about self build that concerns me is safety and insurance. I would assume, maybe wrongly, that most are insured as commercial vehicle's rather than camper vans.
Safety is my concern too as it is from those passionate and expert in this field. It’s a boom market for sure but I’ve seen some absolutely naive and frankly dangerous conversions! Sadly many of the owners are oblivious. The university of RUclips can be a dangerous training ground!
A very balanced and informative presentation, with valid reasons for the situation. The salary point particularly, this has show itself in the housing market for several years now, yes the issues of Covid, Ukraine, Israel etc, and without getting political, Government is to blame on all the unrest, they get paid a very high salary plus expenses and no accountability when they waste public money and don’t look to the long term, I used to be a fireman 30 years ago and my wife worked in NHS when you see the waste in practice, you realise that governments fail to look long term and rather look to con the electorate. all this has got out of control, the systems are broken and far right is growing, people look for change and we get fascicle and worrying events like the latest Presidential election. The world isn’t going to end tomorrow and Governments need to be run more like companies, with a balance and accountability for disgusting behaviors and practices, to many free loaders, House of Lords and putting undeserving people into lifetime wages for sweet FA. you buy a Motorhome and it takes as long in some cases ie looking for a home, yet the legal aspect of purchase for homes, is the same crap as it was 50 years ago, no real restructuring. it’s a mess!
Thank you for your encouragement on the episode. We are indeed in a mess but at least we have a motorhome to escape it in! Stay safe and well and thanks for watching
Very interesting again. Buying locality doesn't always work out .I have a now 2 year old Chausson from new which has failed its water ingress hab check for the second time, but not many dealers have the ability to carryout this type of warranty work. So I'm having to do around trip of about 260 miles to drop it off and then again when I return when it's done. It's costing me a fortune in travelling plus my tme. Nothing I can do but never expected this with a new van
That’s really frustrating for you! And this is the kind of issue that drives me nuts. The fact that new product ‘fails’ so commonly and that after sales in our industry is so biased against the consumer. Arghhhh.
Where you buy your motorhome from is dependent on factors such as the specific motor home you want and whether or not you have a local supplier and also whether your local dealer is any good or not. Our motorhome is a Chausson, conceived in France and birthed in Somerset, and we live in Suffolk. Not ideal but the dealer has a good enough reputation in sales, and perhaps more importantly, in after sales.
If you are happy with your dealer and location to you then win win for both parties. Love your romantic view of conceived and birthed! Have to tell you your Chausson was probably the love child of a Turkish Ford and a French habitation area though! Delivered in France and put up for sale in Somerset and adopted in Suffolk. Hope you have it a name and are loving it?! 🏆 thanks for watching and commenting
Great podcast. It’s really impressive that you respond to everyone’s comments positively, respectfully and appropriately balanced. I learnt so much about the industry which l didn’t know.
That’s very kind of you to acknowledge this. Life is short, precious and to be enjoyed. I would much rather sow a few positive thoughts and comments than the alternative! Enjoy the journey as my mum said to me! Thanks again and thank you for watching!
I have a self build campervan because of two reasons. Firstly is cost over manufactured motorhome. Secondly is build quality. Manufacturers vans look bling but are flimsey, lack quality invisible services ie off grid electrical and battery capacity, poor quality electrical systems, recharging capacity, water tank capacity ect. In a nutshell they are built to go from hookup to hookup, very little wildcamping capacity. I have noticed that campsite prices are boardering on ridiculous for what many of them offer. Often facilities though clean, can be dated and basic. A recent visit to Whitby highlighted a campsite that cost more than many B&B double ensuite rooms and more expensive than a local decent double ensuite hotel room. I get campsite overheads are rising but they are in danger of putting themselves out of business. Strange how they can get it right in Europe, but we struggle here. perhaps because the UK follows USA style hyper corporate capitalism.
Thanks for commenting. You make some interesting and valid comments! I wonder if campsite costs here are perceived to be greater than Europe due to council costs etc?
We changed from caravan to motorhome. If you pay such a high price for a poor quality new caravan PLUS a tow car you may as well. My last caravan was a massive disappointment. Brand new, its build quality was nowhere near the quality of my 2011 caravan by the same manufacturer.
@MotorhomeMatt the quality of finish was poor, mismatched woodgrain, scuff marks and dents on brand new cupboards and appliances, light weight flimsy doors, loose hinges, screws missing, stick on screw hole covers, foam seating that sags straight away, wiring that drops down inside cupboards, speakers that have wires loose, A frame not finished off properly, shower tray not sealed properly, sealant on exterior sloppy and not neat... roof blinds stiff broken or faulty... call me picky but a brand new flag ship model caravan at nearly £30 grand should be a joy to have and use.
Just be glad you had a period of good quality, here across the pond its bad too. Eversince the begimming of the pandemic & on, the level of shoddy, dodgy appliances etc as sky rocketed. Seeing year old lg rigs built with weak, frames where the axles connect , bent or snapped.
Hi Both great topic we are on our second Motorhome our first took 12 months to arrive only to have lots of problems that took 12 months to sort as you stated fell out of love with it The dealer the largest in the UK was a nearly 4 hour round trip and had to wait weeks to book it in and the French manufacture took up to 4 months to agree warranty repairs .I told the dealer if I had spent our hard earned savings on a £80k I would expect the problems to sorted out immediately . Sold it after 10 months lost around £10k got a British Auto Trail from a dealer 30 mins away much better aftercare from both dealer and manufacturer. You live and learn Keep up all the great work it’s very much appreciated
Thank you for your kind words of encouragement. I’d say if you had spent £20k any issue should be seen to be dealt with immediately! The aftercare system for many customers is woeful. Not always and not everywhere. But I’m glad you are now having a better experience. Enjoy every trip and plan as many as you can!
How you can justify the 70-80k price for a camper van is beyond me. Especially when you look at the build quality. I’m looking at a new camper van, but the standard of the furniture and fittings is shocking for 75k.
If you look at an inflation trend the current price point is a linear line of growth. It is inline with inflation. It doesn’t need justifying the issue is our household incomes have not increased at the same rate. In fact our costs have increased. But the issue of quality remains. As does that of expectation. Do we want too much from our purchase? We see more features and bells than 10 years ago but at a cost. Thanks for commenting and watching.
@@s111nps i agree…. If you allocate costs, maybe, 2k for heating, 2k for insulation, 2k for crappy furniture, 1k for kitchen and 1k for bathroom…. It surely is no more than 10-20k for the materials and labour needed. 35k for a ducato base vehicle… then add in margin for maker and dealer, its very clear that retail selling prices are over inflated imo.
I thought ... ( in the old days ) ... that a caravan and motorhome was a cheaper way to have a holiday ... not any more ... I find it cheaper it do B&B or fly abroad ...
It’s a valid observation. We manage to have really low cost fabulous trips away in our motorhome tho. I guess if you are starting out it’s a big investment. I guess it’s a bit like a skiing holiday? Blumin expensive to get all the gear at the start but a brilliant trip! I must say that a B&B holiday tho lovely is nothing like some of the trips we’ve had in the ‘van’. We love doing both. Mind you, we are doing a week in Cornwall this month with the kids. I’ve never spent so much on a uk self catering holiday! Just hope it’s sunny!
Thanks for commenting. That’s the rrp now on many conversions. Look at the cost of a new MAN chassis with auto gearbox, 4x4 drive etc… £70k pre conversion. End product £130k. Simple
@@MotorhomeMatt if i can buy a panel van for circa 40k please explain where 50k of conversion comes in…. These main dealers / brands are just getting greedy imo
@@MotorhomeMattyes and that’s my point, many of the main brand panel van conversions out there such as Rapido and Laika etc are circa 90k at the moment, built in a fiat Ducato panel van that costs 40k before any bulk purchase discounts.
Why not build your own and see what it costs…? Don’t forget marketing, shows, insurances, staff costs, logistics, after sales support, legalities and more…
It's a bit of a catch 22 you say the consumers bit is" go out and buy a caravan or buy a motorhome, " it's all well and good if it's a new unit but if you're spending a substantial amount on a used vehicle and the retailer goes to the wall, if I've been sold a lemon or something needing a big fix, it's now becoming more of a risk on losing out a large amount of money.
That’s surely true of any significant purchase. I stand by my advice. But as a consumer do your research and buyer beware. If we only worried about what might be we would never benefit from what we can experience from owning a motorhome or caravan. Hopefully this podcast can help you navigate the challenges and pitfalls and can help you make a great decision. Thanks for commenting
I hear what you're saying and still will make a purchase (probably new). However, my point is based around the volatility of the motorhome/caravan market, which is not comparable to a lot of different markets. I will keep following your podcast. Thanks.
This market is indeed quite unique! Huge sums of money changing hands yet still very much a cottage industry. As a result it can survive and manoeuvre an economic pressure very well. It is a passion driven, bucket list industry that is aspirational for its consumers and many of its industry leaders, me included. Stick with this bump in the road and stay focussed on your goal.
Campsites are becoming dearer than Hotels or renting a static. As for electric they should meter it on all sites. Most of the time when it's metered it's cheaper than the daily charge for EHU would be.
Hi guys, thanks for all the info you give us. We live in Spain and are just embarking on the motorhome life, so need as much help as we can get. Can you let me know when the next such exhibition is happening in the UK, so perhaps we can travel up and see what's what? Thanks again.
The show at the NEC is in October. Mhmp.info/necshow saves you on your ticket price. This is a show of brand new vehicles. It runs again at a smaller size in Feb. There are also the remaining outdoor shows (3) as I type this from Warners. Mhmp.info/warners Great for accessories and used choice too. Hope to see you at one of them! Thanks for watching, commenting and your kind words of support. It’s really appreciated
The vehicle market has noticed a reduction in quality of fitting by manufactures like VW. The electric race has impacted their margins and profits. Then manufacturers are increasing costs of conversions whilst the quality has visible gone down from previous models. Then when you buy under warranties repairs take forever due to parts not being stocked and dealers not wanting to take on the work because manufacturers are not willing to pay them for the hours of work quoted. 🤯
I’d say all valid but sad observations. But as consumers I think we are part of the problem, driving more features, lower prices for them, lighter vehicles and cheaper product. Our expectations are high which is fair enough but our tolerance levels are low. Sometimes I believe that the market creates these issues itself. But things are changing with more and more independent quality product being made and offered and people willing to pay for it and wait for it.
The electricity prices excuse for campsites doesn't wash. Pitch users use very little electricity and other self catering accommodation is now much better value. I'm sick of being ripped off on average, overcrowded sites.
I’m not sure I agree. A 2kw heater uses a lot of electricity. Most consumers have no idea how much electric they are using. However, I agree that the offering from many campsites needs innovating to attract people to stay
@@travellingtom6091people using aircon 24/7 on a caravan in the Uk when its not even very warm, ‘ive got it so i’ll use it’ attitude and folk running heaters in an outside awning… thats why the prices are where they are.
I must admit I was approached regarding buying a new caravan and I’m in the position to buy one but I’ve had so much hassle with my present caravan I don’t want the hassle again to much grief.
Thanks for commenting. That’s a real shame that you feel this way isn’t it. I’ve had several people say their confidence to buy another new caravan has been shaken by their experience. So disappointing. Thanks for sharing
Another brilliant podcast! We made the potential mistake of buying a campervan from a dealer a significant distance away (Hull), we live in Cardiff. It wasn’t based on cost but on delivery time - we were convinced at the Oct 2022 NEC show that they could unequivocally deliver by March 2023 - we got it in April 2024. So far no issues but if we do have any it’s a long trip to Hull. Think we were a bit naive 🤔
Many fall into this trap. The dealer may have been told this or may have fed you a line. I can’t comment either way but at least you now have your van!! Enjoy it Thanks for commenting
The prices in the UK for the Motorhomes to park up on campsites is shocking compared to campsites in France and Spain, plus they have better facilities abroad and more importantly the weather is much better. Motorhome caravan club, are the biggest rip off, they have nothing apart from shower blocks on their sites, apart from one or two sites in the south of England. I know some people like the peace and quiet but I like a clubhouse and a cafe/shop etc especially when most of these sites are in the middle of nowhere. Next year we will be hitting Europe as it's more bang for your buck.
I have watched quite a few caravan and motor home videos, and they all give their reasons for the decline in sales and things, but they always seem to avoid the one thing that I think will have a big impact on caravaning and motor homing and that is the electric revolution in that it will be harder to camp in the future with towing caravans requiring towing vehicles to reduce their mileage per charge and adding weight to their all up weight and maybe different licences to tow them and the added weight to motorhomes meaning a lorry driving licence to drive them, whilst this may be sometime away aren't these problems keeping some people away from even becoming new campers, especially with the cost of charging being more expensive than at home, and requiring more time to get to your destination not to even think about the number of people waiting at a charging point in the peak season, not all charging points are easily accessible to camper combinations.
We covered this quite a bit last year. I agree. I think as an industry like many, we have our head in the sand. There are so many uncertainties and that is terrible for business. It’s a huge topic that has limited interest at the moment! Check out our content with our good friend Paul Kirby, the Electric Van Man. He’s worth a follow!
Hi Matt. If you are heading to Shepton Mallet for the Motorhome show this week (as stated in the podcast) won’t you be arriving a month early? It starts on 6th September.
I was referring to the conversation we were having. It’s a monthly feature and this week we are discussing Shepton! Hope that makes sense. Are you going? Hope to see you there
The industry needs to sort itself out. Warranties and service repair timelines are a joke. I know it is throughout the supply chain but the customer is ditched as soon as they buy in many cases. This is not good enough considering the prices being paid.
I agree. The issue is a manufacturing mentality versus consumer focus. The manufacturer that changes this apparent approach has a massive opportunity. Maybe more of the manufacturers will hear this message from me and start to affect change. I’m honoured that a few have contacted me with supportive comments and are making moves.
As always an intelligent, informative and informed Vlog, incredibly professionally delivered. Fascinating to have your insight Matt. I’ve recently been toying with changing van (well specced Matrix, Supreme 21) and have been disappointed by some very low offers on PX - it does seem that the asking prices are still high but dealers only seem to cite the prevailing market conditions to downgrade trade in price - there needs to be commensurate movement on both to tempt me to change - some dealers seem to want cake & eat it both ends!
Thank you for your kind words! Gratefully received. As the market tries to correct itself this is inevitable. Stock currently for sale may have been paid for at a higher price but the next chapter of stock (your part ex) will have a lessor appetite for such a high price. This market slow down will take some time. If it didn’t and all the existing stock was reduced in price all the margins would disappear. A fire sale if you like! And that is not good business of course. We do offer a very successful brokerage programme where we commit with you to a fixed return price and advertise at a higher price. We are well known for selling Adria motorhomes and we have owned a Matrix Supreme ourselves. Do let me know if you’d like to discuss. Thanks again
@@MotorhomeMatt Matt, Thank you so much for taking the time to give a fulsome response. I do of course fully appreciate that dealers need to make a margin & the issues you discussed in the Vlog make it tough at the moment- I guess the trick is ensuring the customer gets a sense of reasonableness (and realism - we all want best price for us!). I will think about your brokerage which sounds interesting- I’m guessing the coach built sector may be the toughest presently as the Twin type van is a great option for newcomers to the market and those, like me, considering (tentatively) downsizing & therefore a wider market? Once again, thanks for your Vlog, it really is quality, your blend of deep industry knowledge, sharp analysis and good humour make it my go to - Keith too of course! P
Very kind thank you. Factory built van conversions are holding up well. My experience is the market is still buoyant and demand is strong but we are all taking longer to take the plunge. Your Matrix is a quality niche Coachbuilt which priced well will sell. It’s a niche market as it’s a larger vehicle, probably over 3500kg (would need to be to have a good payload) and in a price bracket where there is lots of choice. But as they say in the trade, it only takes one! Let me know if you’d like to discuss
@@MotorhomeMatt A thought for one of your Podcasts: Why you moved from Coachbuilt van to a PCV & Pros/Cons? I think it may be of interest to quite a few viewers.
This is a lovely idea! But suggests I’m anti Coachbuilt? I’m not. But thank you for the suggestion. Im giving it some thought… could be a good topic. Many fear this apparent downgrade. Would you agree? We love our Twin! Perhaps I can share the differences between ownership of an A Class versus a PVC? Would this be of interest? I take such experience for granted! But I can see the value in the insight. Hmmm
Campsite costs of £75 to £100/night... Hotels are cheaper. A convertible car is cheaper than a Range Rover + a caravan.... Drive the convertible and stay in a hotel.
@@MotorhomeMatt Actually we own, a convertible car, a motorhome and motorcycles. So we are fortunate enough to enjoy all three types. But in truth, the motorhome doesn't use camp sites. Thanks to their prices.
You’re flexing now. And I love it! We too holiday on 4 wheels with no roof, 4 wheels with toilet and 2 wheels! Best trip this year has been Outer Hebrides in the ‘van’. Best trip in z4 was Ghent Best trip on GTR1400 was south wales
As a Commercial vehicle operator for decades and used to buying products that I can get half a million miles out of there is no way i would pay the present asking prices for some Stellantis rubbish with a bed and a sink stuck on the back of it.
Its not surprising sales of RV's in general has slowed over the past 18 months due to the massive increase in interest rates due to inflation. As it is for houses and for cars the actual price of the asset is not the important part, its the cost of financing it for the consumer, especially for younger customers. In the RV sector the fact there are relatively few finance companies offering PCP deals, especially in caravans, means there is very little innovation and price competition. How often do you see Bailey or Swift dealer offer 0% interest rate offer as an incentive to buy? I also wonder about the commission rates the dealers receive on finance, as this, unlike for mortgages, appears to be hidden. There are other factors at work for sure, but the cost of campsites isn't really one of them. The fact is if you can afford a £70,000 motorhome you can afford £50.00 a night on a campsite and if you can't, then why buy the motorhome in the first place. The fact is owning a caravan or motorhome is not a cheap alternative for a holiday and hasn't been for quite awhile as manufacturers moved upmarket. When my family was young my wife and I would not have dreamed of buying a caravan, but the additional comforts and size the newer caravans and motorhomes offer makes them a genuine alternative to the many crappy hotels and Air BnB's we have stayed in over the last 20 years. In other words its a lifestyle choice not one of cost.
I saw Dormobile at the New Forest & Hampshire Show last week, end of July. They had a nice campervan on the stand, but with a refillable tank. I asked about the local recharge places, and they could not mention one. It looks like most Dormobile vans are refillable gas systems. One can not miss the dealership in the New Forest, as they are on a main road from the M27 to Lyndhurst road, and being stuck in traffic to get to Lyndhurst. They even do Dormobile Land Rover campervan conversions, what I have seen. Love the RUclips channel and been subscribed for quite a while now, thanks.
We drove past the dealership enroute to the New Forest Show. Sadly I didn’t have time to stop. So I wonder where they fill the tanks to test them? Do they have a facility onsite?
@@MotorhomeMatt I did ask the stand sales, and the rep did not know where the local gas refill was, so it appears that the van supplier can supply one, but no way or means to know where a local refill is. I have had a look around locally, and it looks, nothing within a 15 to 20 mile radius of Lyndhurst.
Only if driving in certain countries when snow tyres maybe mandatory on certain roads. The biggest current issue is winter driving in parts of France. Other than that UK legal tyres are legal across Europe.
Late comment. I have 3 motorbikes. None of them give off any smell of petrol..... Done it for years now, never an issue. Maybe if you have a knackered old vintage one! Surely they have to be fully air-tight under the strict Construction & Use Laws.....🤔
You’re right! I had a vintage monkey bike and a triumph! I also have a very sensitive nose. Even a spare wheel and tyre create a strong rubber smell for me.
Exactly, but it is a double edged sword. A year model will cause depreciation the following year, but at least you would know when the caravan was released.
merci pour votre analyse du marché anglais , en Allemagne aussi il y a des défaillances de concessionnaires, il semble que 80% des clients perdent leur acompte !!! En France , je n'ai pas eu écho de cela, mais j'imagine que les lignes de crédit ne suffiront pas. Pour ce qui est des campings, en France, il y des campings très onéreux (piscine, spa, show...) et de plus en plus des aires de services parfois gratuites, ou gérées par des sociétés comme AIRE SERVICES ou CAMPING CAR PARK
Merci for your comment! And for watching. The issues are real access Europe! I love the Aires network in France. I wish we had more of this type of park up in the UK.
It certainly is but with so many motorhomes at 3500kg I don’t think it’s the ‘issue’. This may be changed in our lifetime… stay tuned for next weeks episode!
The cost of campsites is frustrating, we bought a new motorhome in April and upgraded the battery and added lots of solar so don’t require EHU unfortunately most sites only provide pitches for 8m Motorhome’s that are EHU so we pay for something we don’t need, more pay as you go electric needed. On the subject of build quality our Swift was delivered brand new without a single issue so can’t complain and only praise U.K. manufacturing and the dealership
I was ready to buy our 1st motorhome, started researching 2 berth vans over a year ago and have watched prices fall & vans stick. I don't think reality has hit the sellers quite yet, l'll sit it out till at least spring. As an aside, l sold my motorbike last week, researched the market (in which they were hardly moving), what l sold it for was a lot less than l thought it was worth but buyers have a more realistic opinion of that worth in tough, and getting tougher, times. It's gone and l have £.
Yes I agree. I often speak to private sellers who seem to have forgotten what depreciation is and how it works!! And guess what, months later they still haven’t sold! Depreciation is back and so it should be. We won’t see a crash but this correction is needed. This might inspire another episode on the depreciation curve. It’s been 4 years since we saw one really and a lot has happened in that time!
@@MotorhomeMatt l agree, l'm not expecting a crash but a realistic correction. My m/bike was the newest, lowest mileage, 1 owner, l made it the cheapest & it sold. I can use that cash as leverage for a motorhome purchase instead of looking at the thing!
Greed will always catch up with any business, the prices for VW 'camper' vans are especially a complete rip off. Buy a van and kit it out yourself, it's not difficult to do.
I don’t think that’s a fair comment to make in isolation. Yes there has been some greed but that has been coupled with a roller coaster of other emotions over the last 4 years. In fact 7 years to include the risk of tariffs post Brexit. This is a much bigger picture right now. And I disagree that kitting out a van yourself is easy… not for everyone. I think the VW market is swamped and many non branded street corner conversions are over priced. Thanks for commenting
Unfortunately there are various British models of Motorhomes that are simply poorly built, and one or two makes that dealers just won't accept as trade in's anymore, then you see a glut of these advertised on Autotrader and Marketplace. I was talking to the senior salesman at a Devon dealer and he was brutally honest that so many customers are looking to move over to top marque makes (Continental) leaving surplus stock of many used British vans.
An interesting comment. This is a hugely contentious statement made with a broad brush…! But I can totally hear what you’re saying. The issue here is about quality… as soon as a manufacture can be depended upon for good value, great build, minimal issues, great after sales & part supplies and service they will clean up. I was recently at Bailey and it would seem they are on track to do this with some of their new product. Perhaps one to watch?
Great Podcast, on very topical subjects and good subjective discussions. This market correction has some way to play-out and will most likely roll-over into 2025 & even 2026. The realities of supply and demand.
Thanks for your contribution and kind words. I’m hoping we see this cycle turn a corner before 2026! If interest rates come down perhaps it will have a positive effect on the climate. But then we face many challenges as an industry. The ZEV mandate feels like it’s being totally ignored by manufacturers at the moment. An interesting time to be alive!
I would like to see some real quality and useful upgrades available like factory integrated awning canopy, self levelling, high efficiency DC alternator charging for high capacity lithium batteries, solar (not as important if you get the high capacity DC charging right) with induction for cooking and a microwave. Remove completely the traditional electric oven and hot plate which are useless when not plugged in. The reason I am not upgrading from my Malibu Van is because there is nothing out there that ticks my wish list I have mentioned. I have the money to upgrade but there's nothing worth spending it on or attracts me. I would buy the ALORA if I had the options above from manufacture and like I say I don't mind paying extra for them. Call the model described above the go anywhere adventurer and charge 12K more it will sell. These upgrades I am willing to spend money on because I want a motorhome that is more off grid compatible. Baileys ALORA is just fantastic as a design but lacking quality upgrade options like mentioned above that would make it the market leader. I am bought into Carthago at the moment and love the quality and reliability that brings, however the ALORA really caught my eye with its design and diesel heating and island bed layout.
You are proof that folk will spend more on the right design and product. However, this would be a brave move for any manufacturer given the current climate. Many of the suggestions you make are personal to you. And available as an aftermarket adaption. And would be cheaper as an aftermarket adaption. Take a towbar for example. A commonplace accessory. But often so much more expensive to have a factory fitted one rather than a towbar specialist fit it. Thanks for your contribution. Really appreciate it
Has anyone mentioned the cost of living crises, people selling because they can't afford to run them, fuel, insurance, campsites all up, stock from 23/24 not selling, wake up.
I’m usually last to bed and first to wake up in our house! These are all valid reasons for some but for many that pursue this pastime these costs are of little impact. Thanks for commenting and watching
I Went to NEC show and made a dozen enquiries to buy a new MH. All the dealers were full of bull still trying to get list price still talking falsehoods about a continued lack of supply etc etc I was clear I wouldn’t buy without a good discount……all but one never got back in touch so I have little sympathy for dealers now. Also, having recently gone through the process buying a new MH I experienced a lot of arrogance from dealers I believe because they’ve had it so good for so long…….markets will naturally retract and the fittest best dealers will survive which is good for consumers. The one dealer that got back in touch sold me a new Coachman 565 and it’s a brilliant MH, so glad I didn’t buy another burstner or Hymer they’ve hardly innovated improved in 10 years where as the Coachman being enter level are game changer vehicles in every regards and cheaper than inferior equivalent
This is the kind of comments we all need, what to buy, pitfalls etc, so thanks Marc. Also, had a look at that 565 on autotrader and it is a stunning looking vehicle, beautifully finished inside! Its sitting at £114k though!
@@riboid you’re welcome……compared to the market that’s a lot of MH for 114k, pound for pound you can’t get better. I’ve had burstners, hymers and swift MHs. I used to think they were good until we got the Coachman which is so much better…..help that the layout suits us but you should go in one, good luck with it 😀👍
Im sorry to see you feel this way. The saying goes the happiest day in any boat owner’s life is the day they buy and the day they sell…! It’s not been my experience with motorhomes or RV’s. I’ve had some amazing times and made lifelong memories. I guess you’ve had a different experience? Thanks for commenting
I was of course only quoting a joke! I’d love to do a narrowboat holiday as never experienced it. We often talk about doing one. I think I’d prefer to do a loop route rather than see everything again for a second time on the way back!
Good morning Matt Thanks for the reply I see you as the go to guy on u tube , you seem to be invited to do talks and bits at the shows so im thinking you must be able to give feed back or “know the guy to go to “ Trust is a big thing so do they want to listen it seems not So when a complaint is made where dose it go in these companies ? Why do people not get fired for poor workmanship ? Why do they not address the issue, where has the pride in British built gone!! Oh well back to fixing things I suppose But I would love to meet the guy who owns Bailey for a chat 👍
You know what, I bet if you emailed Bailey the brothers Simon and Nick that own it would sit down with you. Such lovely reasonable gentlemen. They are an impressive company with incredible values and attitude to their staff. But I agree, their product has let them down in the past. I would say they are endeavouring to address this going forward. Thank you for your kind words. I really appreciate it! I am speaking at most of the motorhome shows this year including being confirmed for an expert advice panel at the October show this year every day at 11.45am. Maybe see you at one of the shows?
New motorhomes are just too expensive and ridiculously complicated, they have priced themselves out of the market. My homebuild does everything and cost £6k 9 years ago, who has £60k-100k+ to spend on leisure?
Thousands of people it would seem as sales continue to happen. Will be interesting to see what the annual sales figures are for new once published for this last 12 months. I bet it’s around 10,000.
No it went back to Germany three time as he bought it direct from them so 4 months ago he px it in up north somewhere and bought a cheaper Concorde think of the poor people that buy it probably there dream van and it leaks obviously it will get sorted
We love a mix of both. Our van affords us loads of trips that would be impractical by any other means. It offers us freedom of movement, the ability to explore and stay in places that would otherwise be inaccessible. But we love staying in qwerky houses and places via accommodation sites too. We never feel ‘stuck’ in our van. Thanks for commenting!
Ok matt lets put it to the test How do I contact them please ? If they are willing to sit down with me would you like to attend ? I have no agenda I have been camping for over 50 years tent, trailor tent, caravan, static van , then went round again and have ended up in a motorhome !! What I dont know about the camping , sites etc is not worth knowing Regards Bill
Just give their mainline a call I suggest. Or you could arrange to sit with them over a coffee at the NEC show perhaps? Either way it’s worth asking for an audience with them for 15 minutes.
@MotorhomeMatt On our 5th motorhome all from dealers, with the exception of Choose leisure- all appalling.. The last one Pullingers in Essex nearly lost a 6 figure sale over a broken promise of £125 Would be interested to know how many MHs you have actually purchased from dealers
Hi matt So called this morning First mistake dont phone on a monday Any how on 5 th attempt got through to be told there is no line to simon howard and I have to e mail them ?!!so about to 🤨
Give them a chance! Simon spoke to me at an event on Saturday. He will need to get to work, brief the team and make sure they are aware. I’d try again in a few days
You have to be able to afford a car to tow the caravan, with EV’s this will get worse… It’s all too expensive, then you have to store and maintain it. Just get a B&B or holiday cottage when you want one. Young people have even less money so caravanning is dying out…
These are of course very different holidays and not really possible to compare. The EV debate is irrelevant. You will still be able to buy a petrol or diesel car in our lifetimes. Where you can go with it will be the issue!
@@MotorhomeMatt That's short term thinking, surely you want an industry with a longer than 10 year future? Caravaning is a hang over from the 1960's so people could holiday affordably prior to the advent of Air B&B, Premier inns etc. Young peoples habits and expectations have changed, it's no longer seen as manly to tow caravans etc amongst the masses. Young working class people cannot the cars and vans, let alone a house and somewhere to park them. Sadly, the world changes, society changes and this is an industry in decline as I see it. I hope I'm wrong but...
Change isn’t sad. We should embrace it. Everything has a lifespan. We love our motorhome and will enjoy it for as long as we can. Caravanning has a long future yet. It will change for sure but I think we will always want to engage with nature
@@MotorhomeMatt You can’t kick the EV issue down the road forever, it will come to bite you soon. Glamping is a thing that never existed in the heydays of caravanning, so people can easily afford the back to nature experience without owning the hardware… I may be wrong, but I see caravanning in managed decline and motor homes for those with deep pockets. Just my view.
Ha ha that’s true! Never really understood why a dog carries a charge on a campsite. In a motorhome for hire I get it. Cleaning etc and we offer throws for seats. Thanks for watching
Totally agree. Any way they can squeeze more money out of you they'll find a way. I've heard that now camp sites are charging people if they want their awning out... Which doesn't even go over the pitch you've paid for. It's crazy.
So the winners , as always are the finance companies. That is obviously the best place in the market chain. They get paid, whatever and probably have no insurance costs for the stock on someone's forecourt. I have tried to buy a motorhome for the first time in June, via a private sale. It had everything I wanted on it. It didnt go through in the end because the owner was difficult and after agreeing a price , said he could sell for more so withdrew the MH, then offered it again and to me 5 days later. I was tempted, but frightened off the sale. ( Other things with it as well too long to explain) So I decided not to go ahead. I have wanted a MH for 3 years, but now Im glad I haven't bought for all the reasons in this video. The Government and councils are also deliberately making private car travel/MH/ Van conversion so difficult and expensive as part of WEF 2030 agenda that it becomes a trial rather than a joy. I still think about one and would love to travel Uk and Europe in one but not sure I should put all my money into a purchase now. And yes cash is king, keep using it otherwise it will all go digital.
Just go for it. Our time on this earth is short and not a given! Live for today and persue your dreams. Surely the memories, experiences and travels a motorhome can give you are greater than any other issue? If you have a vision for it you should go for it. You deserve to! I’m sure many would agree and encourage you to step out and do it! 🏆👍🏻
I spoke with Simon Howard today -he is the Sales Director at Bailey. He is happy to sit with you at the NEC show for 15 mins chat.if you call Bailey reception and say I said to arrange it with Simon. He is expecting to hear from you for an appointment 👌
There isn't a Cost of Living Crisis "as we call it".... There is a crisis. Salaries haven't moved in years. Personally, I last saw a pay increase of £1/hr in 2016..... Work is even patchy. So the economy is in the toilet. In 2016 the family could afford to save £1,000 per month.... In 2024 the family outgoings has increased £1,200/mth.... So savings are shit out of luck!
Buy an empty van...3 yrs old....convert it / get it converted ( basic conversion) Hey presto....let the greedy market keep their rip off motorhome/camper vans 👎👎👎👎👎👎
If that works for you go for it. With around 12000 brand new motorhomes being registered every year you may need to work a little harder to convince a market! Thanks for commenting and enjoy your van!
UK campsite fees are a big problem, they have increased beyond inflation and where electric is now charged separately the base price has not reduced. I have just spent 3 months in France and used Camper Car Park sites for £12-£14 per night including electric, okay no facilities, but you have them all on board, so use them and save money! The industry is killing itself.
I think it’s a much more complicated issue than simply campsites are to blame but it is becoming harder to have a low cost escape and use campsites. I agree. There are a number of factors affecting pitch fees. Coming soon on a future episode we hope
There is a reason in France in that there are so many free sites that campers will not pay high fees to use a camp site even though they get no facilities on the free sites
We joined ACSI and stayed on French camp sites for around €17 to €20 including pools etc excellent value for out of season (but still in my season) camp sites.
Agree... pandemic pushed up the tariffs as caravanning was made so popular. Charging for extras are hidden extras on top of base price. Paying £50 + pn in high season when you pull along your own accommodation is damn cheek.
We have indefinitely put off buying our first motorhome now. This is down to a huge increase in crazy prices, seemingly poorer build quality and corner-cutting from all the major brands. Not to mention the endless stories of poor after-market customer service from dealers and major van makers. Factor in the increasing costs of campsites, and looming permit requirements to travel in places like Scotland due to over tourism and you have the makings of a disaster for secondhand van prices.
Oh no please don’t be put off! It’s not all doom and gloom I promise you! We are in a slight downward trend that’s all and it could mean a great deal for you. It’s such an amazing pastime that opens up huge opportunities for great experiences and memories. Despite the challenges we love using our motorhome and we relish the next trip away. Stick with your dream!
Totally agree, we’re keeping the money invested and just choosing nice spa hotels to stay in near lovely walking areas - less work alltogether and more money in the bank it’s a no brainer 🤷♀️
@@SpellboundMiniatures funnily enough we had a similar conversation. We were worried about a sudden hit in depreciation. Especially as some vans are now crazy money at a time of decreasing demand.
@@MotorhomeMatt I appreciate your reply, Matt. It’s quite worrying. We wanted the freedom a van brings. As I have recently been medically retired early from my job. We often struggle with what to do at weekends. So a van is a great choice. It feels like bad timing on our part. We appreciate the honesty of the video.
@@SpellboundMiniaturesPathetic. Totally different holiday, Motorhomes are a way of life
The service industry in the country is a disgrace...!! and that is without the shocking attitudes of new motorhome main dealers!! Another fantastic Vlog 👏 👌 👍
Thank you very much for commenting. Our attitude to customer service is indeed poor in this country. It seems to have worsened over recent years but I think consumers in all markets might have to take some responsibility for that. Our buying habits are terrible. I won’t get started on this here in the comments!
100%
We have had 6 motorhomes/campervans over the last 20 years, all older vans except 1. In 2018 we bought a brand new Autosleeper Kingham on a Peugeot XLWB van. We loved the look of it, but we hated the unreliability and poor attention to detail. After 3 years we sold it and bought an 18 year old Hymer on a Fiat chassis. Build quality is far superior to the Autosleeper, the trusty 2.8 Fiat/Iveco engine has no useless unreliable tech, adBlue, etc etc. We are very happy with our older more reliable moho. With reference to campsites, it used to be an affordable family weekend/holiday option, in some rare cases it still is, however, the greed shown by some campsite owners including the 2 main clubs is nothing short of robbery. We now avoid campsites like the plague.
Glad you’ve found a motorhome you love! I agree sometimes tech in the name of progress is useless! Don’t get me started on AdBlue and EGR valves! Then there’s the DPF and diesel injectors…! All have cost our business thousands. I love driving my 1934 Austin 7. Simple motoring form a genre gone by. Great fun until I need to stop in a hurry, carry 4 people and hope to hit 30mph or need to start it in the rain 🤣🤣🤣
But it’s ULEZ compliant and this I love! Thanks for watching and commenting
we have a 24 year old sprinter motorhome its got power steering and electric windows and thats its modern features, it will go to places a 70 grand motorhome would fall apart at, we have no fear of seeking adventure in the remotest parts of our beautifull country campsites are for those that fear adventure
Waste of time motorhomng in the UK. Extortionate campsite fees are utterly ridiculous. We go to France, Spain and Portugal for a fraction of the cost. Made must more welcome. Countless free Aires and much more affordable campsite fees. So sad the UK has been wrecked, all too often by pure greed.
It’s a valid comment thank you. However due to work and family commitments we spend most of our time on short UK trips and it’s far from a waste of time. But I see your point! We have so much to learn in the uk and so much to gain from engaging with the motorhome lifestyle and offering a solution to those who love the pastime. Enjoy your trips wherever they take you!
Beauty is from within and you have it in spades I hope you both can enjoy your winter holidays and look forward to watching them ❤
What a lovely comment thank you! We intend to keep content coming every week into next year but a slower pace as we go into winter is very welcome!
Had a Frontier Delaware until early this year we decided to put up for sale and took out of storage so potential buyers could inspect on our drive. Woke up one morning to find it gone. We still had all the keys for the alarm, ignition and steering lock. Police said it was seen on motorway at around 3 am. Not heard or seen sight of it since then. That was the end of our 10 years with caravans and motorhome. Amazing that since then all I hear and read are concerns and issues with the industry. Looks like we had the best of the good times. Good luck all.
I’m so sorry to hear this and trust the insurers resolved it for you?
The same great times and memories are had but today it’s easy to rant, moan and groan via a keyboard. Social media is not always full of positive news stories in fact they rarely get shared compared to the negative ones. Human nature I suspect. Thanks for commenting and perhaps we can tempt you back to this wonderful pastime?
Some pretty lame excuses being made for dealer profiteering in recent years, in turn artificially inflating the second hand market all based on greed. The only people to feel sorry for are those cust who bought in to the market at its peak who will lose a small fortune
Thanks for your comments based on greed or market demands? Or maybe a bit of both.
The wife and I have loved motorhoming for years. I owned a cochbuilt back in the 90s when prices were still reasonable but in more recent years we started to aspire to buy ourselves a nice used van. We hired for a few years but had to stop when the weekly rental prices ballooned from around £700 to well over £1000 in the space of a couple of years. We also saw nice used vans of the age and style we were interested in jump in price from around £28-30k up to around £36k. Needless to say we've been treading water for a long time now, holding off from both hiring or buying until things 'readjust' themselves. On top of all that, pitch fees have been spiraling relentlessly upwards (I'm looking at you, CAMC sites!). We're really hoping the situation gets better soon, maybe 2025 will be the year we finally take the plunge.
I am sorry to say that hire prices are unlikely to drop back to £700 per week in anytime other than winter. Insurance, parts, staff costs all drive this increase. Used values may come down a little but not by the 20% you have seen increase by. Life is short and so precious. Go for it and seize the opportunity. There are so many memories to be made and smiles to be had. It’s a wonderful pastime that will afford you some amazing adventures. Don’t delay! If you want to do it, go for it if you can. We are all only here for a season. Thanks for your kind words and commenting
The caravan issue is partially caused by campsite costs - £45 per night is becoming ridiculous. Whereas with a motorhome you can do a trip and dilute some of the campsite costs with Britstop, Park4Nite type stays.
Often some of these other parkup options aren’t available to those with a caravan. The freedom the motorhome is giving those owners and the overnight costs is what I think is part of this.
Whilst electric costs are part of the campsite cost issue, I think this is only part of the issue. Where there are options to go without electric, they only drop the price by £5, so the electric costs are part arguments aren’t borne out by their own price lists.
Thanks for commenting. I agree campsite fees are often high but do you really think a few pounds per night is to blame for a market change in the context of a £70000 vehicle? I’ll be discussing this with the clubs hopefully soon.
@@MotorhomeMatt Thank you for responding. I think there are multiple issues, of which campsite fees (especially the two main clubs) are one of them. When the main clubs can’t fill the sites in season at the current pricing then they have to know they have got it wrong. But as caravanners migrate to motor homes, they get the extra flexibility, coupled with the “younger” generation not wanting to tow.
We do a lot of mountain biking, and we use the “Stay the night” facility at Forestry Scotland sites, these types of places aren’t available to carvanners. If we had a caravan then we would have to be at an expensive site, then drive to the mountain bike centres on the car, which would be a challenge as where do I put the bike rack when I tow?
That’s just our example. But if I am paying £45 per night, then I am getting close to the price of renting a cottage.
Whilst some campsites are getting better at accommodating those who don’t need electric, mostly C&CC only give that option to grass pitches, and I believe CAMC don’t offer that facility at all. When a member of these clubs, there is no longer the feeling that you are getting value or being appreciated as a member. I imagine the membership numbers would be interesting to report on.
@@MotorhomeMatt just to add, the campsite costs between Europe and the UK are stark. We find that for half the cost of a CAMC site in the UK we can find a site with a pool inclusive of electricity and a serviced pitch.
Also the European sites tend to be more welcoming, they will permit an early arrival if the pitch is available.
It feels like the two main clubs have got it all wrong. I suspect that out of season site fees are now £20 per night more expensive than pre pandemic.
Not just that. A lot of campsites don’t allow 1 night stays. They have a minimum of 2 or 3 night only
You have to consider the weather in your thought process. Here in the uk we get a limited amount of time in the sun. Quite different in Europe. And the last 2 years have been some of the wettest on record!
We bought our 1st secondhand motorhome in Nov 23 spending my life savings. Elddis Encore 2020 plate. We traded in a15 year old caravan, no issues, no water ingress well built. Our Motorhome since Nov is on its 3rd water ingress warranty job, microwave not working, grill not working, some lights not working, trim around the sink peeling away. It's basically made from balsa wood on a production line that quantity is more important than quality. Manufacturers should stop ripping off their customers, conning them with sales pitch " We offer a 10 year water ingress warranty", when in reality they never have to repair a 10 year motorhome because the 10 years warranty only applies to the 1st owner!, and that's a another subject for another episode for you. People finances are tight so you need to be confident that your investment is 100% safe, but it isn't with current build quality. I wish I had kept my 15year old caravan.
Many issues here! And I'm so sorry this has been your experience. As van chassis have evolved they have become heavier with more safety features and more kit meaning to keep under 3500kg and a price point the Motorhome on the back has to be lighter and cheaper. Net result… all the issues you're experiencing, particularly the case from some manufacturers. Its not an excuse but a fact. Sadly quality does seem to have gone downhill in some cases. Being in the business gives me an advantage as we see the issues often before the vehicles are even sold new. Plus I know what to look for in terms of build quality. As a consumer you can only rely on your gut instinct and research. But the internet does provide great resources and reviews. Build quality is a massive topic and frustrates me. Great build quality costs a lot more money. But you can experience it at a show. I always advise spend time in everything. Ignore the screen price. What is it that makes something worth 4x something else? Open and close doors, cupboards, feel the quality of something you may never buy and then compare. Look underneath. Look in the garage. Lay on a bed. You get the idea.
Warranty reduction on sale, particularly water ingress has been true for some time and now commonplace since manufacturers were competitively forced to offer 10 years. Brands like Adria led the field in offering such a long warranty. Again, this is about research and understanding what you are buying. I'm hoping that this podcast starts to clarify a few things for more people as we unpack the realities, truths and pleasure (most of the time) of motorhome ownership.
I trust you can still enjoy the Motorhome
The caravan and motorhome club have been so greedy there booking are way down one way to get people back is to lower the price maximum should be 25 pound a night I can see them going bust because they have been too greedy
I’m hoping to discuss this topic with the club later this season
Elddis and the water ingress saga...Very very common on the new vans. They will never make it over 10 years
I bought a VW Camper King conversion in Jan’17 and it has been brilliant. Their prices have gone up a lot since though!
Thanks for commenting and glad you are enjoying your VW! VW converted van prices have certainly increased since 2017 as has their popularity
What you haven't mentioned is self build campervans, a lot of people are building their own campervans
That’s true and it’s a real boom and I’m not surprised! It’s a huge topic. It also creates lots of points for discussion. If we explored this further which angle would interest you? The bit that bothers me most is safety.
Hi Matt
Autograph 81-6
On the way home from picking it up from the dealer after waiting over a year for it
All the drawers under the sink fell out 1door fell off
You would not believe the phots of it I took !!
Rear lounge seat slat lift up fell apart
The boxing all came apart !! All the mastic on the roof joints was appalling (i have now redone a lot of it)
Plus a good few more
To be honest i would love to meet the guy who cleared our moho as finished and sent it out
I would sack him on the spot if he worked for me !!
The one good thing is that my dealer ( reading caravans and MH) have been very very good in dealing with the issues
Cant speak more highly of them
Regards Bill
Thanks for your comment Bill and I’m sorry to hear you had such a bad time. It’s shocking to hear tales like this. It’s not unique to motorhomes of course. I do wonder how these things are allowed to teach a consumer tho. They should go through several stages of inspection at manufacture stage and then at dealer stage. Hope you get it all sorted and can enjoy the motorhome
Excellent. Very open and good analysis of the current situation.
Thank you for saying that. It’s a big story at the moment and there’s loads of rhetoric on RUclips - Some mis-guided and naive. It’s a challenging time for sure. But we need to be honest and factual. Glad you appreciated the episode. Thank you
Whilst in Cornwall last month I saw a motorhome with a ridged frame on castor wheels with a motorcycle on it! It had lights on it but no overrun brakes! All the weight of the thing was on the castor wheels. With a pivot ( up and down) where it connected to the motorhome. I think from memory that they had suspension to allow for uneven undulations.
Called an Easy Lifter. Little extra payload on rear axle and will stay in line with vehicle when reversing as not articulated on a tow ball.
Yes it’s an interesting device known as an Easy Lifter. Watch one go backwards and watch the bike tip and bang as the castors spin! An ingenious idea to save weight but can make a motorhome much longer behind the rear axle. Cornering is fun!
Very interesting discussion,I ordered a new campervan in March from a company up norf, it's a family business ,I elected for a Peugeot chassis as it was 10k cheaper than a Fiat, when checking on the build, in June,I was offered the Fiat chassis for just 2k more ,as there apparently was a surplus of Fiats, so a no brainer ,collecting it shortly
Hope you get it soon! Thanks for watching and commenting
@@colinnewmarch1106 its virtually the same van, fiat, Citroën and Peugeot… all the same i believe
I’m in just this predicament we went to the NEC last year. We fell in love with an Elddis Crusader Borealia caravan. Got into a conversation with a guy from Glossop caravans who told us “don’t worry you can choose from a list of approved dealers for any services etc.
What he failed to say was that every single one of them would turn you away saying “we have too many customers & are not taking any more on”
So I now have a caravan I can’t get fixed repaired or serviced & I live in Somerset! This really needs addressing by the manufacturers if they can’t deal with an elddis customer needing a service they should not be allowed to sell elddis vans. I would have bought from highbridge or Northam farm etc etc had their sales men or women on the day have had any interest in dealing with us because they simply didn’t.
Grrrrr this annoys me so much. Sorry it’s your reality. Your local dealer had no interest in dealing with you? Why? Could they offer the same deal as Glossop? Did you ask them?
@@martinchurch2863 I feel your pain. We got a new HYMER motorhome last year from a main dealer (no name to save their blushes!). It had maybe 8 minor faults on delivery, here we are 14 months on and there are 3 faults still remaining, and two additional faults caused by careless technicians fixing the other faults through negligence! The dealer wanted £650 a year for a damp check/service and hab service. Only to find out that only the damp check is required for the warranty and the cost of the damp check is nearly half if you do it in Europe. So four visits later we still haven’t got it sorted and we are just going to fix it ourselves, and do the damp check whilst on a European trip. I will no longer spend £50 in fuel simply to have old faults replaced by new ones. And they have a rule which insists the motorhome is left empty each time, so I can’t even do the visit whilst passing.
When speaking to other owners, it seems these are common faults with this dealerships after service. And other people have had similar experience elsewhere.
Big question is why the service in Europe seems to be so much better and cheaper? At lease with a European made motorhome.
@@MotorhomeMatt my local dealers were nowhere to be seen on the elddis main stand.
Unfortunately it's over saturated
I work for Highvridge and we only got moved to being elddis dealers from Compass for 2024, we don't send many caravan sales.chaps to the shows due to needing to staff base as well so elddis wasn't manned , doesn't stop anyone calling up if they'd rather buy local tho
There is a lot of confusion on posts here between campsites for motorhomes in the UK versus Europe.
The discussion is like light and dark. For MH’s with on board facilities, Europe is completely covered for Aires, Stellplatz et al for only £10’or £15 (some are free) for overnight stopovers with facilities for water electric and waste removal. In the UK we don’t have the similar facilities and many of the two main clubs are charging large fees and not the same type of overnight stopover service for MHs. Many of these sites are £30 plus a night. The sites are away from the villages and towns people want to visit. In Europe they welcome MH’s into their villages and towns and give parking and facilities to use so their visits can spend money in the towns for restaurants and shops etc. The Europeans understand the connection. Our UK councils generally do not understand that relationship hence the lack of facilities combined with locations and welcoming tourism for MH’s.
I can’t see these problems resolving to
many UK towns and regions with such Nimby selfish views from local residents. It is exactly the opposite views visiting in France Spain or Germany when I travel. Costs for accomodation and facilities with MH’s is a fraction of the UK AND it is far easier to visit in Europe towns and villages than the UK.
Thanks for commenting. The two destinations do seem worlds apart in terms of ease of use don’t they?! We have invited our local councillor to join us for a future episode to discuss this from a councils perspective. We await confirmation but hope to welcome him soon onto the podcast. Appreciate you sharing your thoughts thanks
@@MotorhomeMatt Thanks Matt. Yes UK and particularly France Spain and Germany their local regions or authorities are exactly the opposite with their attitude to MHs.
Any discussion is good to improve the UK situation so well done for acting. Many councils particularly English counties and it’s worse to the south because of space yet many DO have the space but low barriers stop MHs and/or sell their land to NCP or similar. Meanwhile, MH’s try and use spaces along the coastal roads and local residents complain views of MHs from their windows and IMO wrongly blame MHs for littering. (litter will come with any tourism) Many MHs generally recognise litter issues and try and help and also they have self sufficient facilities and councillors miss that point. With councillors it’s a massive change of culture with how MH use their vehicles and also generally are good income for local businesses from MHs if allowed to get near them! Best wishes. 👍🏼
Thank you
This is why we’ve invited our local councillor onto the podcast to try and understand their perspective and share our view too. Education, passion and vision can change anything. I hope to share mine with our councillor. If we all did this we could affect massive change.
Good show thanks, I believe caravans should be date stamped as much more perishable than a modern car.
Good point but it does have a huge impact on the model
Thanks for another informative video. Keep them coming please. We’ve really struggled finding autogas. . I was wondering if it was worth The caravan and motorhome/camping clubs having a facility to fill up on their sites. 🤔
A great idea but the issue is cost. It’s an expensive investment and a slow return. I suspect a formula that doesn’t stack at the moment
Thanks for commenting
Charging per person is my main gripe. I am renting a pitch, the costs of extra people is only use of the shower and toilet, maybe an extra £3 for a shower and a visit to the toilet, not £10 to £15!
A charge per person has been quite common for some time. It seems the model of ‘you bring this you pay’ more is now standard!
@@MotorhomeMattAs a solo traveller, I get annoyed when sites have a basic price per unit with 2 people. I feel like I'm subsidising all the couples out there when life is already much more expensive for a single person. I say, bring on the charges per person! 😂
These videos are cropping up all the time about the crisis in motorcycle sales, car sales, motorhome sales - you name it.
The truth is that we have had a personal financial degradation in the UK since the crash of 07/08 with disposable income taking a continuous hit year on year. Now with Reeves budget - yet another blow.
Everything which is not essential now has to be considered as to its cost and desirability. Extravagant or frivolous purchases can be made no longer..
What is going to happen to all these industries when EV's are forced upon us and fuel is impossible to buy due to availability or cost - that could happen in the next five years. What will you old diesel motorhome be worth then?
Extravagant, frivolous? A motorhome could be considered one of these but for many it’s a dream and a route to freedom, memories and happy holidays.
Thanks for commenting. Keep smiling and enjoy the journey
The self build market must be having a major impact on new and used sales. I notice more and more each time im out. The thing about self build that concerns me is safety and insurance. I would assume, maybe wrongly, that most are insured as commercial vehicle's rather than camper vans.
Safety is my concern too as it is from those passionate and expert in this field. It’s a boom market for sure but I’ve seen some absolutely naive and frankly dangerous conversions! Sadly many of the owners are oblivious. The university of RUclips can be a dangerous training ground!
A very balanced and informative presentation, with valid reasons for the situation. The salary point particularly, this has show itself in the housing market for several years now, yes the issues of Covid, Ukraine, Israel etc, and without getting political, Government is to blame on all the unrest, they get paid a very high salary plus expenses and no accountability when they waste public money and don’t look to the long term, I used to be a fireman 30 years ago and my wife worked in NHS when you see the waste in practice, you realise that governments fail to look long term and rather look to con the electorate. all this has got out of control, the systems are broken and far right is growing, people look for change and we get fascicle and worrying events like the latest Presidential election. The world isn’t going to end tomorrow and Governments need to be run more like companies, with a balance and accountability for disgusting behaviors and practices, to many free loaders, House of Lords and putting undeserving people into lifetime wages for sweet FA. you buy a Motorhome and it takes as long in some cases ie looking for a home, yet the legal aspect of purchase for homes, is the same crap as it was 50 years ago, no real restructuring. it’s a mess!
Thank you for your encouragement on the episode. We are indeed in a mess but at least we have a motorhome to escape it in! Stay safe and well and thanks for watching
Very interesting again. Buying locality doesn't always work out .I have a now 2 year old Chausson from new which has failed its water ingress hab check for the second time, but not many dealers have the ability to carryout this type of warranty work. So I'm having to do around trip of about 260 miles to drop it off and then again when I return when it's done. It's costing me a fortune in travelling plus my tme. Nothing I can do but never expected this with a new van
That’s really frustrating for you! And this is the kind of issue that drives me nuts. The fact that new product ‘fails’ so commonly and that after sales in our industry is so biased against the consumer. Arghhhh.
Where you buy your motorhome from is dependent on factors such as the specific motor home you want and whether or not you have a local supplier and also whether your local dealer is any good or not. Our motorhome is a Chausson, conceived in France and birthed in Somerset, and we live in Suffolk. Not ideal but the dealer has a good enough reputation in sales, and perhaps more importantly, in after sales.
If you are happy with your dealer and location to you then win win for both parties. Love your romantic view of conceived and birthed! Have to tell you your Chausson was probably the love child of a Turkish Ford and a French habitation area though! Delivered in France and put up for sale in Somerset and adopted in Suffolk. Hope you have it a name and are loving it?! 🏆 thanks for watching and commenting
Great podcast. It’s really impressive that you respond to everyone’s comments positively, respectfully and appropriately balanced. I learnt so much about the industry which l didn’t know.
That’s very kind of you to acknowledge this. Life is short, precious and to be enjoyed. I would much rather sow a few positive thoughts and comments than the alternative! Enjoy the journey as my mum said to me! Thanks again and thank you for watching!
I have a self build campervan because of two reasons. Firstly is cost over manufactured motorhome. Secondly is build quality. Manufacturers vans look bling but are flimsey, lack quality invisible services ie off grid electrical and battery capacity, poor quality electrical systems, recharging capacity, water tank capacity ect. In a nutshell they are built to go from hookup to hookup, very little wildcamping capacity. I have noticed that campsite prices are boardering on ridiculous for what many of them offer. Often facilities though clean, can be dated and basic. A recent visit to Whitby highlighted a campsite that cost more than many B&B double ensuite rooms and more expensive than a local decent double ensuite hotel room. I get campsite overheads are rising but they are in danger of putting themselves out of business. Strange how they can get it right in Europe, but we struggle here. perhaps because the UK follows USA style hyper corporate capitalism.
Thanks for commenting. You make some interesting and valid comments! I wonder if campsite costs here are perceived to be greater than Europe due to council costs etc?
We changed from caravan to motorhome. If you pay such a high price for a poor quality new caravan PLUS a tow car you may as well. My last caravan was a massive disappointment. Brand new, its build quality was nowhere near the quality of my 2011 caravan by the same manufacturer.
So do you think quality has dropped over the last 15 years? If so why is that?
Thanks for commenting
@MotorhomeMatt the quality of finish was poor, mismatched woodgrain, scuff marks and dents on brand new cupboards and appliances, light weight flimsy doors, loose hinges, screws missing, stick on screw hole covers, foam seating that sags straight away, wiring that drops down inside cupboards, speakers that have wires loose, A frame not finished off properly, shower tray not sealed properly, sealant on exterior sloppy and not neat... roof blinds stiff broken or faulty... call me picky but a brand new flag ship model caravan at nearly £30 grand should be a joy to have and use.
Really good vlog guys, you covered some important and interesting topics.
Thank you very much.
Just be glad you had a period of good quality, here across the pond its bad too. Eversince the begimming of the pandemic & on, the level of shoddy, dodgy appliances etc as sky rocketed. Seeing year old lg rigs built with weak, frames where the axles connect , bent or snapped.
Wow that’s shocking! Where in the USA are you? Your market is way advanced compared to ours!
I've been watching some of the Grand Design Lippert frame fails on RUclips. It's unbelievable!
Hi Both great topic we are on our second Motorhome our first took 12 months to arrive only to have lots of problems that took 12 months to sort as you stated fell out of love with it The dealer the largest in the UK was a nearly 4 hour round trip and had to wait weeks to book it in and the French manufacture took up to 4 months to agree warranty repairs .I told the dealer if I had spent our hard earned savings on a £80k I would expect the problems to sorted out immediately .
Sold it after 10 months lost around £10k got a British Auto Trail from a dealer 30 mins away much better aftercare from both dealer and manufacturer.
You live and learn
Keep up all the great work it’s very much appreciated
Thank you for your kind words of encouragement. I’d say if you had spent £20k any issue should be seen to be dealt with immediately! The aftercare system for many customers is woeful. Not always and not everywhere. But I’m glad you are now having a better experience. Enjoy every trip and plan as many as you can!
Can you tell us who the French manufacturer is and then we can all avoid it. Thank you.
@@riboid Rapido
How you can justify the 70-80k price for a camper van is beyond me. Especially when you look at the build quality. I’m looking at a new camper van, but the standard of the furniture and fittings is shocking for 75k.
If you look at an inflation trend the current price point is a linear line of growth. It is inline with inflation. It doesn’t need justifying the issue is our household incomes have not increased at the same rate. In fact our costs have increased. But the issue of quality remains. As does that of expectation. Do we want too much from our purchase? We see more features and bells than 10 years ago but at a cost. Thanks for commenting and watching.
@@s111nps i agree…. If you allocate costs, maybe, 2k for heating, 2k for insulation, 2k for crappy furniture, 1k for kitchen and 1k for bathroom…. It surely is no more than 10-20k for the materials and labour needed. 35k for a ducato base vehicle… then add in margin for maker and dealer, its very clear that retail selling prices are over inflated imo.
I thought ... ( in the old days ) ... that a caravan and motorhome was a cheaper way to have a holiday ... not any more ... I find it cheaper it do B&B or fly abroad ...
It’s a valid observation. We manage to have really low cost fabulous trips away in our motorhome tho. I guess if you are starting out it’s a big investment. I guess it’s a bit like a skiing holiday? Blumin expensive to get all the gear at the start but a brilliant trip! I must say that a B&B holiday tho lovely is nothing like some of the trips we’ve had in the ‘van’.
We love doing both.
Mind you, we are doing a week in Cornwall this month with the kids. I’ve never spent so much on a uk self catering holiday! Just hope it’s sunny!
How can they ask 90k for a van conversion, the main brands are kidding themselves.
Thanks for commenting. That’s the rrp now on many conversions. Look at the cost of a new MAN chassis with auto gearbox, 4x4 drive etc… £70k pre conversion. End product £130k. Simple
@@MotorhomeMatt if i can buy a panel van for circa 40k please explain where 50k of conversion comes in…. These main dealers / brands are just getting greedy imo
In that scenario the end product would probably be £65k.
@@MotorhomeMattyes and that’s my point, many of the main brand panel van conversions out there such as Rapido and Laika etc are circa 90k at the moment, built in a fiat Ducato panel van that costs 40k before any bulk purchase discounts.
Why not build your own and see what it costs…? Don’t forget marketing, shows, insurances, staff costs, logistics, after sales support, legalities and more…
It's a bit of a catch 22 you say the consumers bit is" go out and buy a caravan or buy a motorhome, " it's all well and good if it's a new unit but if you're spending a substantial amount on a used vehicle and the retailer goes to the wall, if I've been sold a lemon or something needing a big fix, it's now becoming more of a risk on losing out a large amount of money.
That’s surely true of any significant purchase. I stand by my advice. But as a consumer do your research and buyer beware. If we only worried about what might be we would never benefit from what we can experience from owning a motorhome or caravan. Hopefully this podcast can help you navigate the challenges and pitfalls and can help you make a great decision. Thanks for commenting
I hear what you're saying and still will make a purchase (probably new). However, my point is based around the volatility of the motorhome/caravan market, which is not comparable to a lot of different markets. I will keep following your podcast. Thanks.
This market is indeed quite unique! Huge sums of money changing hands yet still very much a cottage industry. As a result it can survive and manoeuvre an economic pressure very well. It is a passion driven, bucket list industry that is aspirational for its consumers and many of its industry leaders, me included. Stick with this bump in the road and stay focussed on your goal.
Thanks for the market update very interesting.
You are very welcome. Thanks for posting
Campsites are becoming dearer than Hotels or renting a static. As for electric they should meter it on all sites. Most of the time when it's metered it's cheaper than the daily charge for EHU would be.
Blimey?! What sort of hotel are you staying in?? 🤣🤣
Hi guys, thanks for all the info you give us. We live in Spain and are just embarking on the motorhome life, so need as much help as we can get. Can you let me know when the next such exhibition is happening in the UK, so perhaps we can travel up and see what's what? Thanks again.
The show at the NEC is in October. Mhmp.info/necshow saves you on your ticket price.
This is a show of brand new vehicles. It runs again at a smaller size in Feb.
There are also the remaining outdoor shows (3) as I type this from Warners. Mhmp.info/warners
Great for accessories and used choice too.
Hope to see you at one of them!
Thanks for watching, commenting and your kind words of support. It’s really appreciated
Build quality of our Bailey motorhome was appalling I’m slowly putting it right !!
I’m sorry to hear that. Which model was it and what issues did you have?
The vehicle market has noticed a reduction in quality of fitting by manufactures like VW. The electric race has impacted their margins and profits. Then manufacturers are increasing costs of conversions whilst the quality has visible gone down from previous models. Then when you buy under warranties repairs take forever due to parts not being stocked and dealers not wanting to take on the work because manufacturers are not willing to pay them for the hours of work quoted. 🤯
I’d say all valid but sad observations. But as consumers I think we are part of the problem, driving more features, lower prices for them, lighter vehicles and cheaper product. Our expectations are high which is fair enough but our tolerance levels are low. Sometimes I believe that the market creates these issues itself. But things are changing with more and more independent quality product being made and offered and people willing to pay for it and wait for it.
The electricity prices excuse for campsites doesn't wash. Pitch users use very little electricity and other self catering accommodation is now much better value. I'm sick of being ripped off on average, overcrowded sites.
I’m not sure I agree. A 2kw heater uses a lot of electricity. Most consumers have no idea how much electric they are using. However, I agree that the offering from many campsites needs innovating to attract people to stay
@@travellingtom6091people using aircon 24/7 on a caravan in the Uk when its not even very warm, ‘ive got it so i’ll use it’ attitude and folk running heaters in an outside awning… thats why the prices are where they are.
I must admit I was approached regarding buying a new caravan and I’m in the position to buy one but I’ve had so much hassle with my present caravan I don’t want the hassle again to much grief.
Thanks for commenting. That’s a real shame that you feel this way isn’t it. I’ve had several people say their confidence to buy another new caravan has been shaken by their experience. So disappointing. Thanks for sharing
Another brilliant podcast! We made the potential mistake of buying a campervan from a dealer a significant distance away (Hull), we live in Cardiff. It wasn’t based on cost but on delivery time - we were convinced at the Oct 2022 NEC show that they could unequivocally deliver by March 2023 - we got it in April 2024. So far no issues but if we do have any it’s a long trip to Hull. Think we were a bit naive 🤔
Many fall into this trap. The dealer may have been told this or may have fed you a line. I can’t comment either way but at least you now have your van!! Enjoy it
Thanks for commenting
The prices in the UK for the Motorhomes to park up on campsites is shocking compared to campsites in France and Spain, plus they have better facilities abroad and more importantly the weather is much better. Motorhome caravan club, are the biggest rip off, they have nothing apart from shower blocks on their sites, apart from one or two sites in the south of England. I know some people like the peace and quiet but I like a clubhouse and a cafe/shop etc especially when most of these sites are in the middle of nowhere. Next year we will be hitting Europe as it's more bang for your buck.
Yes sad but true! Have a great trip and take us with you! Thanks for commenting
I have watched quite a few caravan and motor home videos, and they all give their reasons for the decline in sales and things, but they always seem to avoid the one thing that I think will have a big impact on caravaning and motor homing and that is the electric revolution in that it will be harder to camp in the future with towing caravans requiring towing vehicles to reduce their mileage per charge and adding weight to their all up weight and maybe different licences to tow them and the added weight to motorhomes meaning a lorry driving licence to drive them, whilst this may be sometime away aren't these problems keeping some people away from even becoming new campers, especially with the cost of charging being more expensive than at home, and requiring more time to get to your destination not to even think about the number of people waiting at a charging point in the peak season, not all charging points are easily accessible to camper combinations.
We covered this quite a bit last year. I agree. I think as an industry like many, we have our head in the sand. There are so many uncertainties and that is terrible for business. It’s a huge topic that has limited interest at the moment! Check out our content with our good friend Paul Kirby, the Electric Van Man. He’s worth a follow!
Hi Matt. If you are heading to Shepton Mallet for the Motorhome show this week (as stated in the podcast) won’t you be arriving a month early? It starts on 6th September.
I was referring to the conversation we were having. It’s a monthly feature and this week we are discussing Shepton! Hope that makes sense. Are you going? Hope to see you there
The industry needs to sort itself out. Warranties and service repair timelines are a joke. I know it is throughout the supply chain but the customer is ditched as soon as they buy in many cases. This is not good enough considering the prices being paid.
I agree. The issue is a manufacturing mentality versus consumer focus. The manufacturer that changes this apparent approach has a massive opportunity. Maybe more of the manufacturers will hear this message from me and start to affect change. I’m honoured that a few have contacted me with supportive comments and are making moves.
As always an intelligent, informative and informed Vlog, incredibly professionally delivered. Fascinating to have your insight Matt. I’ve recently been toying with changing van (well specced Matrix, Supreme 21) and have been disappointed by some very low offers on PX - it does seem that the asking prices are still high but dealers only seem to cite the prevailing market conditions to downgrade trade in price - there needs to be commensurate movement on both to tempt me to change - some dealers seem to want cake & eat it both ends!
Thank you for your kind words! Gratefully received. As the market tries to correct itself this is inevitable. Stock currently for sale may have been paid for at a higher price but the next chapter of stock (your part ex) will have a lessor appetite for such a high price. This market slow down will take some time. If it didn’t and all the existing stock was reduced in price all the margins would disappear. A fire sale if you like! And that is not good business of course. We do offer a very successful brokerage programme where we commit with you to a fixed return price and advertise at a higher price. We are well known for selling Adria motorhomes and we have owned a Matrix Supreme ourselves. Do let me know if you’d like to discuss. Thanks again
@@MotorhomeMatt Matt, Thank you so much for taking the time to give a fulsome response. I do of course fully appreciate that dealers need to make a margin & the issues you discussed in the Vlog make it tough at the moment- I guess the trick is ensuring the customer gets a sense of reasonableness (and realism - we all want best price for us!). I will think about your brokerage which sounds interesting- I’m guessing the coach built sector may be the toughest presently as the Twin type van is a great option for newcomers to the market and those, like me, considering (tentatively) downsizing & therefore a wider market? Once again, thanks for your Vlog, it really is quality, your blend of deep industry knowledge, sharp analysis and good humour make it my go to - Keith too of course! P
Very kind thank you. Factory built van conversions are holding up well. My experience is the market is still buoyant and demand is strong but we are all taking longer to take the plunge. Your Matrix is a quality niche Coachbuilt which priced well will sell. It’s a niche market as it’s a larger vehicle, probably over 3500kg (would need to be to have a good payload) and in a price bracket where there is lots of choice. But as they say in the trade, it only takes one! Let me know if you’d like to discuss
@@MotorhomeMatt A thought for one of your Podcasts: Why you moved from Coachbuilt van to a PCV & Pros/Cons? I think it may be of interest to quite a few viewers.
This is a lovely idea! But suggests I’m anti Coachbuilt? I’m not. But thank you for the suggestion. Im giving it some thought… could be a good topic. Many fear this apparent downgrade. Would you agree? We love our Twin! Perhaps I can share the differences between ownership of an A Class versus a PVC? Would this be of interest? I take such experience for granted! But I can see the value in the insight. Hmmm
I run a dealership and we have just had our busies month on record and are up on last year so its not all doom and gloom at all
That’s fantastic to hear! What’s the name of the dealership so I can give your business a mention and celebrate this?
Campsite costs of £75 to £100/night... Hotels are cheaper. A convertible car is cheaper than a Range Rover + a caravan.... Drive the convertible and stay in a hotel.
A great idea, but this thought is comparing apples with pears! So many variables in this comparison. Personally I love to do both types of holiday
@@MotorhomeMatt Actually we own, a convertible car, a motorhome and motorcycles. So we are fortunate enough to enjoy all three types. But in truth, the motorhome doesn't use camp sites. Thanks to their prices.
You’re flexing now. And I love it! We too holiday on 4 wheels with no roof, 4 wheels with toilet and 2 wheels! Best trip this year has been Outer Hebrides in the ‘van’.
Best trip in z4 was Ghent
Best trip on GTR1400 was south wales
As a Commercial vehicle operator for decades and used to buying products that I can get half a million miles out of there is no way i would pay the present asking prices for some Stellantis rubbish with a bed and a sink stuck on the back of it.
Fair enough tho you forgot the toilet, the heating, the water system, the beds, the control systems, the blah blah blah 🤣🤣🤣. Thanks for commenting
Its not surprising sales of RV's in general has slowed over the past 18 months due to the massive increase in interest rates due to inflation. As it is for houses and for cars the actual price of the asset is not the important part, its the cost of financing it for the consumer, especially for younger customers. In the RV sector the fact there are relatively few finance companies offering PCP deals, especially in caravans, means there is very little innovation and price competition. How often do you see Bailey or Swift dealer offer 0% interest rate offer as an incentive to buy? I also wonder about the commission rates the dealers receive on finance, as this, unlike for mortgages, appears to be hidden. There are other factors at work for sure, but the cost of campsites isn't really one of them. The fact is if you can afford a £70,000 motorhome you can afford £50.00 a night on a campsite and if you can't, then why buy the motorhome in the first place. The fact is owning a caravan or motorhome is not a cheap alternative for a holiday and hasn't been for quite awhile as manufacturers moved upmarket. When my family was young my wife and I would not have dreamed of buying a caravan, but the additional comforts and size the newer caravans and motorhomes offer makes them a genuine alternative to the many crappy hotels and Air BnB's we have stayed in over the last 20 years. In other words its a lifestyle choice not one of cost.
Great comments thank you.
I saw Dormobile at the New Forest & Hampshire Show last week, end of July. They had a nice campervan on the stand, but with a refillable tank. I asked about the local recharge places, and they could not mention one. It looks like most Dormobile vans are refillable gas systems. One can not miss the dealership in the New Forest, as they are on a main road from the M27 to Lyndhurst road, and being stuck in traffic to get to Lyndhurst. They even do Dormobile Land Rover campervan conversions, what I have seen. Love the RUclips channel and been subscribed for quite a while now, thanks.
We drove past the dealership enroute to the New Forest Show. Sadly I didn’t have time to stop.
So I wonder where they fill the tanks to test them? Do they have a facility onsite?
@@MotorhomeMatt I did ask the stand sales, and the rep did not know where the local gas refill was, so it appears that the van supplier can supply one, but no way or means to know where a local refill is. I have had a look around locally, and it looks, nothing within a 15 to 20 mile radius of Lyndhurst.
I use the app mylpg.eu and if I zoom in on Lymington you are right. Nothing for 20km! The closest seemingly to be something called Vectawarm.
Great advice folks as usual. On the tyres question, do you need different tyres for driving in Europe? thanks
Only if driving in certain countries when snow tyres maybe mandatory on certain roads.
The biggest current issue is winter driving in parts of France.
Other than that UK legal tyres are legal across Europe.
Thank you! Winter tyres are required in Europe… in winter! Loads of info online including our own Europe episodes.
Late comment.
I have 3 motorbikes.
None of them give off any smell of petrol.....
Done it for years now, never an issue.
Maybe if you have a knackered old vintage one!
Surely they have to be fully air-tight under the strict Construction & Use Laws.....🤔
You’re right! I had a vintage monkey bike and a triumph! I also have a very sensitive nose. Even a spare wheel and tyre create a strong rubber smell for me.
Clearly "Year Model" is totally ridiculous. Pushing each year on year like this is clearly a way to make them devalue more.
Exactly, but it is a double edged sword. A year model will cause depreciation the following year, but at least you would know when the caravan was released.
merci pour votre analyse du marché anglais , en Allemagne aussi il y a des défaillances de concessionnaires, il semble que 80% des clients perdent leur acompte !!! En France , je n'ai pas eu écho de cela, mais j'imagine que les lignes de crédit ne suffiront pas. Pour ce qui est des campings, en France, il y des campings très onéreux (piscine, spa, show...) et de plus en plus des aires de services parfois gratuites, ou gérées par des sociétés comme AIRE SERVICES ou CAMPING CAR PARK
Merci for your comment! And for watching. The issues are real access Europe! I love the Aires network in France. I wish we had more of this type of park up in the UK.
I assume the C1 license debacle for the UK could also be a factor for younger drivers
It certainly is but with so many motorhomes at 3500kg I don’t think it’s the ‘issue’. This may be changed in our lifetime… stay tuned for next weeks episode!
The cost of campsites is frustrating, we bought a new motorhome in April and upgraded the battery and added lots of solar so don’t require EHU unfortunately most sites only provide pitches for 8m Motorhome’s that are EHU so we pay for something we don’t need, more pay as you go electric needed. On the subject of build quality our Swift was delivered brand new without a single issue so can’t complain and only praise U.K. manufacturing and the dealership
This is wonderful to hear! Thank you. Interesting that you crave more pitches with PAYG elec! Thanks for watching and commenting
I was ready to buy our 1st motorhome, started researching 2 berth vans over a year ago and have watched prices fall & vans stick. I don't think reality has hit the sellers quite yet, l'll sit it out till at least spring.
As an aside, l sold my motorbike last week, researched the market (in which they were hardly moving), what l sold it for was a lot less than l thought it was worth but buyers have a more realistic opinion of that worth in tough, and getting tougher, times. It's gone and l have £.
Yes I agree. I often speak to private sellers who seem to have forgotten what depreciation is and how it works!! And guess what, months later they still haven’t sold! Depreciation is back and so it should be. We won’t see a crash but this correction is needed. This might inspire another episode on the depreciation curve. It’s been 4 years since we saw one really and a lot has happened in that time!
@@MotorhomeMatt l agree, l'm not expecting a crash but a realistic correction. My m/bike was the newest, lowest mileage, 1 owner, l made it the cheapest & it sold. I can use that cash as leverage for a motorhome purchase instead of looking at the thing!
Excellent edition including the comments.
Thank you! Good of you to comment and I appreciate your encouragement
Great advice again 👍
Thank you appreciated
Greed will always catch up with any business, the prices for VW 'camper' vans are especially a complete rip off. Buy a van and kit it out yourself, it's not difficult to do.
I don’t think that’s a fair comment to make in isolation. Yes there has been some greed but that has been coupled with a roller coaster of other emotions over the last 4 years. In fact 7 years to include the risk of tariffs post Brexit. This is a much bigger picture right now. And I disagree that kitting out a van yourself is easy… not for everyone. I think the VW market is swamped and many non branded street corner conversions are over priced. Thanks for commenting
For you, Mark, but I know people who cant even turn a screwdriver, so it ain't that easy.
@@riboid Yes, true, I know people who don't even know which end of a screwdriver to hold.
I might need an anorak, but I found that interesting. Thanks!
Ha ha thank you! You can borrow mine!
Unfortunately there are various British models of Motorhomes that are simply poorly built, and one or two makes that dealers just won't accept as trade in's anymore, then you see a glut of these advertised on Autotrader and Marketplace. I was talking to the senior salesman at a Devon dealer and he was brutally honest that so many customers are looking to move over to top marque makes (Continental) leaving surplus stock of many used British vans.
An interesting comment. This is a hugely contentious statement made with a broad brush…! But I can totally hear what you’re saying. The issue here is about quality… as soon as a manufacture can be depended upon for good value, great build, minimal issues, great after sales & part supplies and service they will clean up. I was recently at Bailey and it would seem they are on track to do this with some of their new product. Perhaps one to watch?
Great Podcast, on very topical subjects and good subjective discussions. This market correction has some way to play-out and will most likely roll-over into 2025 & even 2026. The realities of supply and demand.
Thanks for your contribution and kind words. I’m hoping we see this cycle turn a corner before 2026! If interest rates come down perhaps it will have a positive effect on the climate. But then we face many challenges as an industry. The ZEV mandate feels like it’s being totally ignored by manufacturers at the moment. An interesting time to be alive!
Fantastic vlog
That’s very kind thank you for watching
So interesting enjoyed that
Thank you! Appreciate you saying so
Priceless info about the tyres thank you
You’re welcome. We never tyre of talking about it 🤣🏆
Enjoyed that, many thanks.
Glad you enjoyed it and thank you for commenting.
Nice one matt
I will do monday morning
Hope you will sit in
Thank you
No need for me to sit in but thank you
So the only one who really suffers is the buyer, no change there then...
We are the ones that end up paying. Same across all markets I guess!
I would like to see some real quality and useful upgrades available like factory integrated awning canopy, self levelling, high efficiency DC alternator charging for high capacity lithium batteries, solar (not as important if you get the high capacity DC charging right) with induction for cooking and a microwave. Remove completely the traditional electric oven and hot plate which are useless when not plugged in.
The reason I am not upgrading from my Malibu Van is because there is nothing out there that ticks my wish list I have mentioned. I have the money to upgrade but there's nothing worth spending it on or attracts me. I would buy the ALORA if I had the options above from manufacture and like I say I don't mind paying extra for them. Call the model described above the go anywhere adventurer and charge 12K more it will sell.
These upgrades I am willing to spend money on because I want a motorhome that is more off grid compatible. Baileys ALORA is just fantastic as a design but lacking quality upgrade options like mentioned above that would make it the market leader. I am bought into Carthago at the moment and love the quality and reliability that brings, however the ALORA really caught my eye with its design and diesel heating and island bed layout.
You are proof that folk will spend more on the right design and product. However, this would be a brave move for any manufacturer given the current climate. Many of the suggestions you make are personal to you. And available as an aftermarket adaption. And would be cheaper as an aftermarket adaption. Take a towbar for example. A commonplace accessory. But often so much more expensive to have a factory fitted one rather than a towbar specialist fit it. Thanks for your contribution. Really appreciate it
Has anyone mentioned the cost of living crises, people selling because they can't afford to run them, fuel, insurance, campsites all up, stock from 23/24 not selling, wake up.
I’m usually last to bed and first to wake up in our house! These are all valid reasons for some but for many that pursue this pastime these costs are of little impact.
Thanks for commenting and watching
No way are dealers only making 15% margin, thats a joke…more like 25% plus extras
On new this is a fairly typical margin. In used it may be greater
I Went to NEC show and made a dozen enquiries to buy a new MH. All the dealers were full of bull still trying to get list price still talking falsehoods about a continued lack of supply etc etc I was clear I wouldn’t buy without a good discount……all but one never got back in touch so I have little sympathy for dealers now. Also, having recently gone through the process buying a new MH I experienced a lot of arrogance from dealers I believe because they’ve had it so good for so long…….markets will naturally retract and the fittest best dealers will survive which is good for consumers. The one dealer that got back in touch sold me a new Coachman 565 and it’s a brilliant MH, so glad I didn’t buy another burstner or Hymer they’ve hardly innovated improved in 10 years where as the Coachman being enter level are game changer vehicles in every regards and cheaper than inferior equivalent
I love the company behind Coachman. KABE innovate well. Astounding product. Great choice! Thanks for watching and commenting
This is the kind of comments we all need, what to buy, pitfalls etc, so thanks Marc. Also, had a look at that 565 on autotrader and it is a stunning looking vehicle, beautifully finished inside! Its sitting at £114k though!
@@riboid you’re welcome……compared to the market that’s a lot of MH for 114k, pound for pound you can’t get better. I’ve had burstners, hymers and swift MHs. I used to think they were good until we got the Coachman which is so much better…..help that the layout suits us but you should go in one, good luck with it 😀👍
Main themes seem to be site fees, and poor (aka disgraceful) build quality. ARE YOU READING THIS MANUFACTURERS!!!!
Is your view that these 2 factors are causing dealership cashflow issues? Can you explain?
buying a boat, rv, and a time sharing resort is the biggest mistake in your life.
Im sorry to see you feel this way. The saying goes the happiest day in any boat owner’s life is the day they buy and the day they sell…! It’s not been my experience with motorhomes or RV’s. I’ve had some amazing times and made lifelong memories. I guess you’ve had a different experience? Thanks for commenting
@@MotorhomeMattnot our experience, love our narrowboat
I was of course only quoting a joke! I’d love to do a narrowboat holiday as never experienced it. We often talk about doing one. I think I’d prefer to do a loop route rather than see everything again for a second time on the way back!
A very interesting You tube thank you
Thank you for your comment.
Yes... It's true "we did as a trade.... Maximize the opportunity" 😂😂😂 Polite for dealers ripped people off.
I think that’s an extreme view, but certainly true in some cases. Also a symptom of supply and demand in a free market.
Good morning Matt
Thanks for the reply
I see you as the go to guy on u tube , you seem to be invited to do talks and bits at the shows so im thinking you must be able to give feed back or “know the guy to go to “ Trust is a big thing so do they want to listen it seems not
So when a complaint is made where dose it go in these companies ? Why do people not get fired for poor workmanship ?
Why do they not address the issue, where has the pride in British built gone!!
Oh well back to fixing things I suppose
But I would love to meet the guy who owns Bailey for a chat 👍
You know what, I bet if you emailed Bailey the brothers Simon and Nick that own it would sit down with you. Such lovely reasonable gentlemen. They are an impressive company with incredible values and attitude to their staff. But I agree, their product has let them down in the past. I would say they are endeavouring to address this going forward. Thank you for your kind words. I really appreciate it! I am speaking at most of the motorhome shows this year including being confirmed for an expert advice panel at the October show this year every day at 11.45am. Maybe see you at one of the shows?
I'd never stay on a uk campsite, I just drive to France or Germany.
Sounds great! So much easier on the continent isn’t it?! What needs to happen here in Blighty to effect change?
New motorhomes are just too expensive and ridiculously complicated, they have priced themselves out of the market. My homebuild does everything and cost £6k 9 years ago, who has £60k-100k+ to spend on leisure?
Thousands of people it would seem as sales continue to happen. Will be interesting to see what the annual sales figures are for new once published for this last 12 months. I bet it’s around 10,000.
@@MotorhomeMatt But not as many as expected.
That may be true, but nonetheless in answer to your original question the answer is thousands.
@@MotorhomeMatt What question, I didn't ask a question?
Your original post rightly so asked how many people have the money available to buy a new motorHome
Broadlane Leisure, could have gone under by their 2 Directors taking £1M between them as a dividend ....Did they know ??????????
Were £2m in dividends paid out?
No it went back to Germany three time as he bought it direct from them so 4 months ago he px it in up north somewhere and bought a cheaper Concorde think of the poor people that buy it probably there dream van and it leaks obviously it will get sorted
I would hope the dealer would spot the leak or was told about it?
Airbnb is the way to go. nice farm houses, town houses and apartments on the beach all over the world. Why be stuck in a van?
We love a mix of both. Our van affords us loads of trips that would be impractical by any other means. It offers us freedom of movement, the ability to explore and stay in places that would otherwise be inaccessible. But we love staying in qwerky houses and places via accommodation sites too. We never feel ‘stuck’ in our van. Thanks for commenting!
Ok matt lets put it to the test
How do I contact them please ?
If they are willing to sit down with me would you like to attend ?
I have no agenda I have been camping for over 50 years tent, trailor tent, caravan, static van , then went round again and have ended up in a motorhome !!
What I dont know about the camping , sites etc is not worth knowing
Regards Bill
Just give their mainline a call I suggest. Or you could arrange to sit with them over a coffee at the NEC show perhaps? Either way it’s worth asking for an audience with them for 15 minutes.
Motorhome Dealers are in a different class. literally - take your money and run
That’s right. All dealers are evil. No exceptions 🤣🤣🤣
I guess you’ve had a personal bad experience?
@MotorhomeMatt On our 5th motorhome all from dealers, with the exception of Choose leisure- all appalling.. The last one Pullingers in Essex nearly lost a 6 figure sale over a broken promise of £125
Would be interested to know how many MHs you have actually purchased from dealers
Probably 12 of my 22
Hi matt
So called this morning
First mistake dont phone on a monday
Any how on 5 th attempt got through to be told there is no line to simon howard and I have to e mail them ?!!so about to 🤨
Give them a chance! Simon spoke to me at an event on Saturday. He will need to get to work, brief the team and make sure they are aware. I’d try again in a few days
You have to be able to afford a car to tow the caravan, with EV’s this will get worse… It’s all too expensive, then you have to store and maintain it. Just get a B&B or holiday cottage when you want one. Young people have even less money so caravanning is dying out…
These are of course very different holidays and not really possible to compare. The EV debate is irrelevant. You will still be able to buy a petrol or diesel car in our lifetimes. Where you can go with it will be the issue!
@@MotorhomeMatt That's short term thinking, surely you want an industry with a longer than 10 year future?
Caravaning is a hang over from the 1960's so people could holiday affordably prior to the advent of Air B&B, Premier inns etc. Young peoples habits and expectations have changed, it's no longer seen as manly to tow caravans etc amongst the masses. Young working class people cannot the cars and vans, let alone a house and somewhere to park them. Sadly, the world changes, society changes and this is an industry in decline as I see it. I hope I'm wrong but...
Change isn’t sad. We should embrace it. Everything has a lifespan. We love our motorhome and will enjoy it for as long as we can. Caravanning has a long future yet. It will change for sure but I think we will always want to engage with nature
@@MotorhomeMatt You can’t kick the EV issue down the road forever, it will come to bite you soon. Glamping is a thing that never existed in the heydays of caravanning, so people can easily afford the back to nature experience without owning the hardware… I may be wrong, but I see caravanning in managed decline and motor homes for those with deep pockets. Just my view.
Charging for an awning is bad enough but why per night for dogs? He doesn't use showers etc. 😂
Ha ha that’s true! Never really understood why a dog carries a charge on a campsite. In a motorhome for hire I get it. Cleaning etc and we offer throws for seats. Thanks for watching
Totally agree. Any way they can squeeze more money out of you they'll find a way. I've heard that now camp sites are charging people if they want their awning out... Which doesn't even go over the pitch you've paid for. It's crazy.
So the winners , as always are the finance companies. That is obviously the best place in the market chain. They get paid, whatever and probably have no insurance costs for the stock on someone's forecourt. I have tried to buy a motorhome for the first time in June, via a private sale. It had everything I wanted on it. It didnt go through in the end because the owner was difficult and after agreeing a price , said he could sell for more so withdrew the MH, then offered it again and to me 5 days later. I was tempted, but frightened off the sale. ( Other things with it as well too long to explain) So I decided not to go ahead. I have wanted a MH for 3 years, but now Im glad I haven't bought for all the reasons in this video. The Government and councils are also deliberately making private car travel/MH/ Van conversion so difficult and expensive as part of WEF 2030 agenda that it becomes a trial rather than a joy. I still think about one and would love to travel Uk and Europe in one but not sure I should put all my money into a purchase now. And yes cash is king, keep using it otherwise it will all go digital.
Just go for it. Our time on this earth is short and not a given! Live for today and persue your dreams. Surely the memories, experiences and travels a motorhome can give you are greater than any other issue? If you have a vision for it you should go for it. You deserve to! I’m sure many would agree and encourage you to step out and do it! 🏆👍🏻
@@MotorhomeMattI totally agree, I just bought my lwb campervan a few weeks ago and the joy it has already brought me and my dog is priceless!
We get charged for our little dog on many camping sites normally 5 pounds a night of what
Yes we’ve had the same. Our Border Terrorist Reg doesn’t use the showers or toilets and tends not to need help at reception…
Always been a rip of price for motor homes.
What makes you say that?
Totally agree .
Ok I will ask
Regards Bill
Keep me posted!
I spoke with Simon Howard today -he is the Sales Director at Bailey. He is happy to sit with you at the NEC show for 15 mins chat.if you call Bailey reception and say I said to arrange it with Simon. He is expecting to hear from you for an appointment 👌
There isn't a Cost of Living Crisis "as we call it".... There is a crisis. Salaries haven't moved in years. Personally, I last saw a pay increase of £1/hr in 2016..... Work is even patchy. So the economy is in the toilet. In 2016 the family could afford to save £1,000 per month.... In 2024 the family outgoings has increased £1,200/mth.... So savings are shit out of luck!
Yup… too much month at the end of the money!
Buy an empty van...3 yrs old....convert it / get it converted ( basic conversion)
Hey presto....let the greedy market keep their rip off motorhome/camper vans 👎👎👎👎👎👎
If that works for you go for it. With around 12000 brand new motorhomes being registered every year you may need to work a little harder to convince a market! Thanks for commenting and enjoy your van!
@@MotorhomeMatt
Maximise the opportunity 😳😳😳😳😳😳😳
Brexit.....Pandemic....Ukraine......they always have an excuse.👎👎
Some big reasons right there for many small businesses struggling right now
@@MotorhomeMatt
“Maximise the opportunity “👎👎👎👎👎