Personally motorhomes are my favourite way to travel around Australia and see this great country of ours. We have hired a number of motorhomes over the years, and have thoroughly enjoyed each one. Why you ask, well for many reasons. And again this is where we are all different and it all comes down to how you as a family travel.
Two-story Motorhome, Port Campbell, Victoria.
I like motorhomes because of the ease of set up from one campsite to the next, and that we like to move frequently. Now this is not for everyone, but this is how we like to travel. If you are travelling for a couple of weeks or more, and stopping for a night or two at the most you can’t look past a motorhome.
We also like to walk to get supplies, site see, etc, and generally stay close to the action, again all things that benefit being in a motorhome. We site see on the way, get to camp, set up, may be go for a walk, swim, cook dinner and turn in for the night.
If you’re the type of family that likes to set up at one spot and drive around, returning to base camp each day, then a motorhome would not be ideal, and a tent or caravan would be more suited.
But for those of you that are still interested in the motorhome idea, here are a few tips we have picked up along the way.
I have often heard that they (motorhomes) are expensive, yes they are to buy, but to hire, they are quite reasonable, especially when you consider that its probably worth the best part of $150000, I can tell you I wouldn’t want to go renting it for even twice the price.
We have hired 4 berth to 6 berth motorhomes, all of our trips recently in a 6 berth. We have tried to hire smaller ones but when we came to pick it up was “upgraded.”
Now, here is my strong tip for your next hire. Beware of the “upgrade.” It has happened to us twice now, and at the time you think, ‘oh fantastic we got upgraded,’ like being upgraded to first class on a plane, but no its not. If you are upgraded on a plane or hotel room, essentially it doesn’t cost you anymore and you still end up going to the same place, or staying in the same place. An upgrade on a motorhome is different, for a number of reasons, and it’s for these reasons that I would refuse an upgrade in the future. The upgrade is always to another motorhome of a larger size, with the larger size comes access problems for where you may have planned to go, and with a bigger bus comes a bigger motor, greater windage etc, the list goes on. Last year we hired one for 4 days. Our plan was a quick getaway down the Great Ocean Road checking into some surf spots along the way. The motorhome I hired or should I say, wanted too on this occasion, was more of a campervan than a motorhome. But yet again we were ‘upgraded’ to a 6 berth motorhome instead, fully equipped with shower, toilet, TV, DVD, air cond., motorised awning, the works. At the time I picked it up I thought great. My plan was to head home, load up and head off. It was when I got near home that I realised this wasn’t so good after all. I had my foot flat to the floor to get up the hill near home, the fuel gauge had already started to fall, and I realised that there was no way I was going to be able to get down the driveway because of the overhanging trees. I them thought, what about some of the places we intended to drop in to on the way, we may be restricted there too. The upgrade ended up costing up about $300 extra in fuel for the trip, and this was for just 4 days.
Having said all that, when we have intended to hire a 6 berth with all the bells and whistles it was great, because that is what we were expecting, we planned not to go into the heart of Melbourne shopping with it, we budgeted for the extra fuel, and the extra space was fantastic.
It is great to pull up at a point of interest and within seconds you can be in the back putting the kettle on, or taking a toilet break, great for the little ones. The kids love going away in the motorhomes, and are often asking about the next trip.
As for purchasing one, that for us is some time off, but certainly on the radar. I would find it very hard to justify the money at the moment, but once we are retired and can be using it all the time it will be much easier to justify. Can’t wait…