10 ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS

… not for you to ask at a show, but to ask yourself before your visit - that way, you can determine exactly which motorhome you need, and shop even more savvily at the event itself

1 Who is travelling?

The days when passengers in the rear could swan about doing whatever they liked came to an end way back in 1991, when wearing seatbelts in the back seats (if they were fitted) became compulsory in the UK.

If there are going to be more than two of you travelling, ensure that you have enough belted forward-facing travel seats in the rear.

This means that you’ll likely need to look at motorhomes with a rear dinette or full rear lounge (although some have fold-away belted seats).

In addition, don’t assume that just because a motorhome is, for example, a four-berth, it will necessarily have four travel seats. Some manufacturers offer models that have more than two berths, but only have the two cab seats for travelling in. The assumption is that the extra passengers will be making the journey in a separate vehicle.

2 Will you be using your ’van for anything else?

If you want to use your motorhome occasionally as a means of transporting heavy items, you are going to want a model with large, contained storage areas. With a low-profile or A-class, this could mean a sizeable garage.

If you plan to use your vehicle every day, then you should opt for something a great deal smaller. Tracking down a parking place for a 7m-plus vehicle can be tricky; having to do it every day soon becomes extremely tiring.

3 Where will you be travelling?

If you think you will be doing most of your touring on the Continent and you live close to a Channel port, it might make sense to opt for a left-hand-drive model. There are dealers in the Home Counties who specialise in these.

4 When will you be touring?

If you plan to use your motorhome all year round, you should check the level of insulation it will offer.

Most new motorhomes now come fitted with Grade 3 insulation, which is designed to show they are suitable for this purpose.

The best insulation comes from your motorhome having a double floor. This necessarily means that it will be more expensive, but the double floor often also provides useful storage areas.

5 How do you like to sleep?

These days, more and more people are opting to have at least one fixed bed in their motorhome. This is great, but it’s important to ensure that in making space for such a bed, the designer has not left you and your family too little room for anything else.

Generally, a transverse bed takes up the least length, followed by a French (corner) bed, although you only really avoid the problems of having to climb over your partner to get out of bed with either fixed singles or an island bed.

Fixed single, island and transverse beds can often be in a higher position to make more room for a garage below – in particular so that it can be high enough to take a conventional bicycle.