Expert advice on buying and running an older motorhome
Martin Watts...
THIS MONTH Martin Watts is on the hunt for a new, more modern classic
Motorhomes come in all shapes and sizes, from the micro car-based campervans through to huge RVs. Plus, we have a good selection of base vehicles to choose from.
This was not always the case and things were certainly different in the formative years of motorhomes during the 1950s, when the Bedford Dormobile and VW splitscreen were popular options. Thankfully, as our favourite hobby has evolved, so have our options when it comes to purchasing, be that new models or searching the used classified adverts.
Those who have been using motorhomes and campervans for several years will no doubt have faced that dilemma of which model to purchase at certain stages of our lives. A motorhome that suited a growing family, might well prove too big once the kids no longer want to camp with parents.
Then a smaller model is preferred but, once you add a large dog to the equation, that ’van becomes too small, so you trade up once again, and then grandchildren arrive!
If this sounds familiar, then fear not. It is something that we have experienced over the years as our requirements altered.
Our personal preference has always been for the smaller campervans, as they double-up easily as everyday transport, but with the addition of an awning, giving ample space for extended holidays.
Now we again find ourselves requiring a little more comfort, and a motorhome that the grandchildren can also enjoy. So, our beloved VW Westfalia Joker has now been sold, and we begin the familiar job of finding a nice used classic example to fulfil our requirements, perhaps a ‘modern’ classic this time.
My thoughts are turning to the glass-fibre monocoque motorhomes produced by Auto-Sleepers in the 1990s. Maybe the
Classic corner
Just after we came out of the Covid lockdowns, the price of motorhomes was spiralling upwards and there was a big problem with availability. I did mention at the time that many first-time buyers were ‘personalising’ their new motorhomes to the point where their resale value could be diminished. And so it came to be!
Now overpersonalised ’vans are realising a fraction of the price paid for them a few years ago. Interiors that have been chopped about, cupboards
