Dan Cartwright has over 12 years of experience in the caravan and motorhome industry. He is a judge for a number of prestigious leisure vehicle awards and regularly heads off in his motorhome with his family. Every week, Dan shares his insights with the community. Here’s what he has to say this week.
Having just returned from the Motorhome & Caravan Show, where he judged the Caravan Design Awards 2025, Dan has noticed a startling trend in the leisure vehicle industry. Caravans, which have been a firm favourite with families for decades, are falling out of favour to be replaced in people’s ideas of living the perfect vanlife with motorhomes and campervans.
Here, he speaks exclusively to CaravanTimes about why potential buyers should consider the trusty caravan when deciding on a leisure vehicle to purchase.
The trend towards motorhomes and campervans
When I’m at the show I like to talk to the customers in attendance and I’ve found that quite a lot of people entering the leisure vehicle world are purchasing motorhomes or campervans. These consumers are split into two groups – the younger ones who are purchasing van conversions and campervans; and retirees or older couples who are buying more expensive motorhomes.
Whilst caravans still remain the biggest seller in terms of volume, their popularity is decreasing and this is particularly the case with buyers who are newly entering the market. A lot of the people that I spoke to at the NEC show were first-timers looking to purchase a leisure vehicle or who had just bought one.
Most of these consumers had gone directly into buying an option with its own engine and ability to drive. This is probably the way that the industry is moving, but leisure vehicles to me are like puppies – you may have a favourite, but you like them all! There’s always compromise, but despite their individual quirks, they’re all great.
Don’t overlook caravans completely
My opinion is that a lot of people going into the market might actually find a caravan more appropriate for their needs if they looked into it in more detail. Motorhomes and campervans have become inspirational products, which are tied into the idea of what users want to do with them.
Retirees see themselves touring Europe for months on end and the younger campervanners imagine parking up on a beach in Cornwall and living a typical vanlife of enjoying the great outdoors. I worry that level of inspiration means they haven’t looked at the practicality of a caravan.
The Formula One test
Imagine you’ve been driving for a few hundred miles and you’ve arrived at your campsite in time to watch the Formula One. That’s two to three hours of TV viewing in your leisure vehicle. Most people think that when you pull up in a motorhome, everything is all set up ready to use, but this isn’t the case.
In reality, if your pitch isn’t entirely level, it’s harder to fix this problem in a motorhome than a caravan. Anyone who’s slept in a leisure vehicle at a slight incline or decline that’s barely noticeable during the day will tell you how awful it is during the night. Despite popular belief, pitching a caravan can be quicker than a motorhome in these circumstances.
The amenities are also not ready to use, as things like the water tank should be emptied before you drive. This is partly down to the payload, as a lot of motorhomes will be at capacity with your luggage and camping equipment on board, before you’ve added a full tank of water. This means you’ll have to fill up your caravan or motorhome on site, regardless of the type of leisure vehicle you’ve chosen.
Once inside, the comfort level of a caravan is higher than that of a motorhome. The seating area is nicer and you won’t be sitting watching three hours of motorsport in the exact chair that you were driving in for five hours. In motorhomes, the driver’s and passenger’s seats are simply moved to face in a different direction.
Driving around once you’re pitched up
After the initial set-up, caravans can be left at your campsite pitch while you take the towcar to the local shop or for a day out. Motorhomes, on the other hand, need to be battened down, with all of your possessions secured before you can drive off. Then you’re faced with the challenge of finding somewhere with appropriate motorhome parking.
Weighing up the cost
Campervans start in the high £50,000s when purchased new and motorhomes are between £60,000 and £100,000 at the lower mid-level. That’s a big investment if you’ve never experienced the lifestyle before or understand the compromises involved.
When you then go to sell a motorhome, it looks like the depreciation is low, but they’re difficult to market privately and get what they make on dealer forecourts. Typically, sellers must take a dealer’s margin into consideration, meaning they lose a fair amount of value when offloading motorhomes.
A reasonable caravan of the same spec, on the other hand, can be bought for around £25,000 to £30,000 and represents a much lower level of percentage loss when you come to sell it. Yes, you need a towcar, but there are many capable towcars out there and you probably have one sitting in your driveway.
I’m not saying don’t go and buy a motorhome if that’s your dream. My advice is to think about the practicalities of a motorhome compared to a caravan before you splurge £100,000 on a leisure vehicle. While a caravan is not seen as inspirational, it can offer a lower-risk alternative and a better overall experience.
Photo credit: Unsplash/Trevor McKinnon
