Motorhome and campervan buyers' guide

Thinking about buying a motorhome or campervan? It's easy to get carried away. And who could blame you… one minute you're browsing a few vans online, and the next you're imagining yourself waking up beside a beach, heading off for a spontaneous weekend away or spending the summer touring Europe. It’s the dream, right?

But before you buy the first one that makes you want to pack your bags, there are a few things worth thinking about. From choosing the right size to checking the weight, testing the beds and making sure it isn't hiding a rather expensive damp problem, here's what to look for when buying a motorhome or campervan.

What are you going to use your motorhome or campervan for?

This sounds obvious, but it's probably the most important question you'll ask. A compact campervan might be perfect if you're planning weekend trips, want something you can use as an everyday vehicle and don't mind making the most of a smaller space. If you're planning longer holidays, travelling with the family or simply want a proper bathroom, separate beds and plenty of storage, you might be happier in a larger coachbuilt motorhome.

Think about where you'll go, how many people will travel with you (travel seats aren’t the same as berths), how much stuff you really need and whether you'll be happy driving something considerably larger than your current car.

And if you're not sure, hire one first. A few nights living in a motorhome will tell you a lot more about what you want than walking around one on a dealer's forecourt.

Don't forget about weight

This is the slightly less exciting bit, but it's really important. A motorhome's maximum authorised mass (MAM) is the maximum weight it is legally allowed to be when fully loaded. That includes the vehicle, passengers and everything you're carrying.

Your driving licence entitlement also matters. In Great Britain, a motorhome with a MAM between 3.5 and 7.5 tonnes requires a category C1 licence, while one over 7.5 tonnes requires category C. If your motorhome is 3.5 tonnes or less, a standard category B car licence can cover it, subject to your individual licence entitlement. The rules can differ in Northern Ireland. So don't fall in love with a giant motorhome and only check your licence afterwards.

It's also worth checking the vehicle’s payload. That huge rear garage might look ideal for bikes, chairs, barbecues and everything else you fancy taking with you, but you can't simply fill it to the ceiling. A motorhome that's overloaded isn't just illegal – it can also affect how safely it drives. This is especially important if you’re new to driving one.

Bigger isn't always better

It's tempting to think that the biggest motorhome you can afford will automatically be the best. It won't necessarily be. A smaller van is easier to drive, park and manoeuvre. It can also be easier to take on ferries and into towns and cities. A larger motorhome gives you more space, but you'll need to think about where you'll store it, how comfortable you are driving it and whether you'll actually use all that extra room.

Don't forget to measure it, either. Length, width and height all matter. There are plenty of car parks where the barrier will happily remind you that your motorhome is taller than your car. This could really scupper your plans if you’re planning a day out somewhere and spend hours driving around trying to park.

And if you're looking at an imported or particularly large motorhome, UK size limits are worth knowing about. GOV.UK says motorhomes cannot be registered in the UK if they're more than 12 metres long or 2.55 metres wide. There is no general height limit, although a motorhome over three metres tall must display its height where the driver can see it.

Think about the layout, not just the number of berths

Two motorhomes can both sleep four people and feel completely different inside.

• Do you want a fixed bed, or are you happy converting the seating area every night?
• Would you rather have twin beds, a large island bed or an overcab double?
• Do you need a proper shower and toilet?
• Is a decent kitchen important, or will you mostly be eating outside?
• And what happens when it rains and everyone is stuck indoors?

These are the questions that matter (especially the one about everyone being stuck indoors together – no one wants a divorce). A layout that looks fantastic in photographs might not work quite so well when four people, four bags and a wet dog are all inside it.

Try sitting around the table. Lie on the beds. Open the cupboards. Stand in the shower. Yes, you may feel slightly ridiculous. Do it anyway.

Don't underestimate storage needs

Motorhomes have a remarkable ability to make you think you need more things. Chairs. Bikes. Outdoor tables. Cooking equipment. Clothes. Food. Shoes. Chargers. Games. Towels. More clothes.

Then there's the water, fuel and everything else that contributes to the overall weight.

Look at the storage carefully and, more importantly, think about how you'll actually use it. A huge garage sounds wonderful until you realise you have to empty half the motorhome to get to the thing you put right at the back.

Damp. Ugh, it’s the worst. Water ingress can cause serious and expensive damage, particularly in coachbuilt motorhomes.

Look carefully around windows, rooflights, roof fittings, corners and other areas where water could potentially get in. Don't just have a quick sniff and decide everything looks fine, either.

If you're buying a used motorhome, an independent damp inspection can be money very well spent. It's much better to discover a problem before you buy it than after you've handed over the money.

Check the tyres

Motorhomes don't always cover huge mileages, which means the tyres can look fine despite being older than you might expect.

• Check their condition, including the sidewalls, and look for cracking or other signs of deterioration. Don't just look at the tread.

If you're unsure about the tyres, get them checked by a professional. And don't forget any spare wheel or other spare tyre the vehicle carries.

Check the paperwork

The paperwork might not be as exciting as the interior, but it's where you can uncover some important clues so take your time to look it over properly.

• Before buying a used vehicle, GOV.UK recommends checking the registration details against DVLA records, looking at the MOT history, checking for safety recalls and seeing the V5C log book.
• Check the VIN on the vehicle against the paperwork, too, and look at the service history. If something doesn't match, ask questions. And if the answers don't make sense, be prepared to walk away.

Give the vehicle a proper inspection

Don't spend all your time admiring the kitchen.

• Open every cupboard
• Test the lights
• Check the heating
• Look at the fridge
• Try the cooker
• Run the taps
• Check the toilet and shower if there is one
• If it has an awning, open it
• If it has a pop-up roof, use it
• If there's a bed that folds down, make sure you can actually operate it

You might feel like you're playing house for half an hour, but that's exactly the point. You're buying a home on wheels. You need to know that everything works.

Take it for a drive

A motorhome can feel very different from a car to drive. Even a relatively compact one can be taller, wider and longer, and you need to feel comfortable with its size. Pay attention to visibility, steering, braking and how it feels at different speeds. Listen for unusual noises and rattles, too.

If you're new to motorhomes, don't be afraid to get some professional tuition. Both the Camping and Caravanning Club and the Caravan and Motorhome Club offer motorhome driving and manoeuvring courses, so you don't have to learn everything by trial and error on your first campsite pitch. The Camping and Caravanning Club currently offers a motorhome course, while the Caravan and Motorhome Club offers dedicated motorhome manoeuvring training.

It can be particularly worthwhile if you're moving from a car to something considerably bigger. And there's another potential benefit to joining one of the clubs. Membership can give you access to insurance and other member services, and some training courses can unlock insurance discounts. For example, the Caravan and Motorhome Club currently offers a 5% insurance discount following completion of its training courses, while the Camping and Caravanning Club offers member access to its Club Care insurance and breakdown products.

So if you're planning to tour regularly, it's worth looking at what membership could offer you before deciding whether it's worthwhile.

What about the MOT, tax and insurance?

As with any vehicle, you'll need to make sure the motorhome is legal to use on the road.

You need appropriate insurance and vehicle tax, and a motorhome generally needs its first MOT by the third anniversary of registration and annually thereafter. There are different rules in Northern Ireland.

GOV.UK also recommends checking the vehicle's MOT history before buying. You'll be able to see previous test results, recorded mileage and when the next MOT is due.

Tax is another cost worth checking before you buy. Motorhome tax is based on the maximum or gross vehicle weight, with different rates applying depending on the vehicle's weight and, for some newer motorhomes, when and how they were registered.

The important thing is not to assume that two apparently similar motorhomes will necessarily have identical running costs. Check before you buy.

Don't forget about habitation

A motorhome is both a vehicle and a little home. That means there's more to maintain than just the engine, brakes and tyres.

Depending on the model, you could have gas appliances, heating, hot water, electrics, a fridge, water systems, a toilet and plenty of other equipment.

A professional habitation service can be a sensible investment, particularly when buying a used motorhome. It isn't the same thing as an MOT, though, so don't assume that an MOT certificate means everything inside the living area has been checked. We’d recommend that habitation checks are only carried out by a member of the Approved Workshop Scheme (AWS) – find your nearest on its website.

Ask the seller what servicing and inspections have been carried out and ask to see the paperwork.

Where will you keep it?

Before you buy, think about where the motorhome will live when you're not travelling.

• Will it fit on your driveway?
• Can you actually get it through the gate?
• And are there any restrictions on parking a large vehicle at your home?

If you don't have suitable space, a dedicated storage site can be a good option and, can be much safer than keeping it at home.

One name worth knowing is CASSOA – the Caravan Storage Site Owners' Association, CASSOA is the UK accreditation scheme for secure caravan, motorhome and campervan storage, and its accredited sites are independently assessed against recognised security standards. Sites are graded according to the security and facilities they provide.

You can search for CASSOA-accredited storage sites around the UK, and it's still worth checking exactly what each site offers, including access arrangements, CCTV, perimeter security and alarms.

Cost is another consideration. Storage fees can vary considerably depending on location and security, so include them in your annual running-cost calculations before you buy.

And wherever you keep your motorhome, don't simply forget about it between holidays. Regular checks can help you spot leaks, storm damage, flat batteries or other problems before they turn into expensive repairs.

New or used?

There's something very appealing about buying a brand-new motorhome.

You get to choose the specification, nobody else's muddy boots have been through the carpets and you get that lovely new-vehicle feeling. But a used motorhome can give you much more for your budget.

The important thing is to buy the condition, history and layout rather than simply the age. A well-maintained older motorhome could be a far better purchase than a newer one that has been neglected.

One final piece of advice

Don't rush it.

Motorhomes are expensive purchases, and it's incredibly easy to get distracted by the one with the biggest television, fanciest kitchen or enormous rear garage.

​Check out our new and used motorhomes on the marketplace​