The option of being able to tour wherever you fancy within reason, with no real agenda or timetable, is certainly very appealing to an increasing number of people. Going on holiday with your motor home could provide you with this opportunity, allowing you to travel in a ‘home’ from ‘home’ environment. All you really need to do is decide where you fancy exploring.

There are many campsites in Europe and the UK, which can accommodate motor homes. It is possible to obtain a listing of these sites from various specialist magazines and enthusiasts club websites. This will enable you to plan your journey and book ahead if you so fancy. Generally, the appeal of going on holiday with your motor home is the ability to travel without an itinerary and off the usual tourist route.

There are thousands of campsites across Europe catering for a variety of tastes and budgets. Plenty of campsites are open all year and can accommodate the longer stay visitor. For example, Spain is a popular winter destination for those motor homers wishing to enjoy the winter sun. It has many sites in the south catering for the long stay winter visitor.

Campsites are not the only option when travelling through Europe as there are over 6000 camper-stops, known in France as ‘aire de service’. These are special places for motor homes and campervans only, permitting them to stop over for a few nights. The sites are sometimes situated in some fabulous locations and have facilities for dumping and replenishing water tanks often free of charge.

Going on holiday with your motor home, especially in Europe, could allow you to experience ‘free camping’ also known as ‘free-park’. This is legal or at least tolerated in most European countries and offers the chance to be truly free to travel and stop as you wish and without paying a campsite fee. However, it could be unwise to head off to Europe without first obtaining accurate information regarding the location of camper-stops and free-camping possibilities and what is tolerated and where. Again, there is specialist literature available and often motor home clubs could assist with this allowing you to make informed decisions regarding locations and fully enjoy your holiday.

Before embarking on a journey in your campervan, a number of checks could be performed to ensure a pleasant outing. Besides doing the usual inspection of tyre pressures, oil level, fuel, water and windscreen washer, there are a number of other essential items for your campervan, whose absence could make your trip problematic and spoil your enjoyment.

Ensure that you have packed all the necessary habitation equipment. For example, it might be difficult to power anything that requires electricity without a leisure battery or the main electric hook-up lead. How could you boil a kettle for tea or cook a meal if you have forgotten the gas tank or allowed it to run empty? If you plan to travel during a national holiday or in an area where the availability of gas supplies could be reduced, then it might be sensible to make sure you have enough gas for the whole trip. This could be especially important if you are travelling in Europe, as each country seems to have its own gas suppliers and bottles making the refilling or exchanging of gas containers impossible.

Forgetting to fill the fresh water container, or worse still, forgetting it completely or any of its components such as the submersible pump and connections, could make any impromptu stop for a drink unfeasible. Even having a wash within the campervan might be difficult without fresh water and may be virtually impossible if the wastewater container and connecting pipe were left behind.

It rather defeats the object of being able to travel freely around if you must stay in campsites that can provide the facilities your oversight has denied you. Especially so if it is the chemical toilet you have forgotten! You could reduce the risk of neglecting to include these essential items for your campervan when preparing for a trip by composing a checklist in advance. In this way even the little essential things like the spare wheel and jack, the tiny portable step, first aid kit, fire extinguisher and the rear registration plate for the bike rack, could be less likely forgotten.

Whether you use your campervan for daytrips or for longer outings, one of the attractions of using it is because it can be your home from home whilst travelling. Therefore, it makes sense to protect your campervan from being stolen by undertaking a few simple steps that can reduce the likelihood of theft.

One of the simplest things you could do is not to make things easy for the criminal. Always lock all the doors and windows when leaving the campervan even if it is just for a very short time. After-all, the thief could be in the driving seat and away in less time than it takes you to walk to the kiosk and pay for the fuel you have just filled up with. The fitting of an immobiliser could add to the difficulty of starting your campervan without the keys… because you always take the keys with you, don’t you?

Although good quality padlocks and heavy-duty chains might be expensive to buy, their presence could make attempting to remove items like gas tanks or bicycles from a bike rack rather challenging and time consuming. Using locking wheel nuts and fitting an alarm from a reputable company, which is activated each time you leave the vehicle, could also act as an effective deterrent. The idea of stealing your campervan and stripping it for parts and accessories might not be so attractive if the actual initial vehicle theft is not going easy.

Whenever you leave your campervan, always take your valuables with you. Never leave them in plain sight, always lock things away. Even items of clothing or trainers can be appealing to a thief who might be tempted to try to break in for a closer look. Whilst inside, takes a good look around and could be happy to remove anything that is not locked away, even the campervan itself. If you leave any of your vehicles registration documents inside, it could make stealing your campervan to sell on, worthwhile.

Having the registration number of your campervan etched onto all its windows and any other part that could be removed and sold on, could help reduce your vehicle’s appeal to a criminal. It might also be prudent to security mark all your valuable possessions within the campervan, perhaps using an ultraviolet pen if etching is not practical. You could also electronically tag your campervan to give added security. All these tips could help you protect your campervan from being stolen.

Deciding to purchase a motor home does not have to be expensive as there are generally a number of perfectly adequate second-hand models available. As with buying any used vehicle, it is probably wise to have some knowledge regarding the subject before starting your search and committing to a sale. Following are some general tips on buying a used motor home, which may prove useful.

Identifying what you wish to use the motor home for will help you select its class, size and model. Also, if you passed your driving test before 1 January 1997, have no medical conditions and are under 70 years old then you are permitted to drive a motor home with a maximum authorised mass (MAM) of 7500kg or 8250kg if there is also a trailer. If you passed after this date then the weight limits are considerably reduced to 3500kg MAM or 4250kg with a trailer. If you are over 70 years of age then the lower limit is applicable regardless when you passed your test.

Make a list of the desirable items you wish the vehicle to include. Although certain items are deemed essential, for example a comfortable bed plus toilet and shower facilities especially if you plan to spend more than a few days living in your motor home. Others items are not so important and it could be helpful if you are not too ridged with your list.

Deciding where to buy is generally a case of either buying privately or going to a dealer. Buying from a private seller is normally cheaper but the vehicle is sold as seen and without any guarantees. However, if the vehicle is relatively new, the manufacturer’s warranty might be transferable to the new owner. Buying from a reputable dealer might be more expensive but they are legally bound to disclose all the details pertaining to the vehicle’s condition and often give a guarantee. This does not apply to a private seller but they are legally bound to answer all the buyers’ questions truthfully. Should you choose to buy privately, you should always view the motor home at the seller’s home address so that you can verify the paperwork and the vehicles details, motoring organisations as the RAC and AA offer online history checks plus other services for the buyer. Regardless of whom you buy your used motor home from, buying locally is generally accepted to be prudent. This not only cuts done on time and distance when looking but also could make any after sale issues easier to resolve.

Most people spend more time in their motor home than in their car, therefore, it might be a wise to take your time when buying. Try everything out and have the seller show you how to operate all the equipment and accessories, ensuring everything are in good working order. Look for scuffs and scratches on the bodywork, wear and tear on its interior. To make this easier, try to always view in good weather conditions and in daylight. Thoroughly check for any signs of damp, it has a distinctive smell but if you are uncertain, a damp meter could prove helpful. Have a test drive of the vehicle, not only down country roads but also around town and try parking it. Finally, haggle. Not just on price but on the inclusion of accessories etc whenever possible to get a better deal. These are just some tips on buying a used motor home that may help you to make a successful purchase.