Are you looking to explore the great Australian outdoors in a caravan or motorhome? Wondering which option will serve you best? Traversing and camping in Australia’s top destinations can be quite exhilarating. However, before you start enjoying everything that this great country has to offer, you will need to have a suitable means of travel.
To help you decide between choosing a motorhome or caravan, continue reading below for a breakdown of the pros and cons of each option. Keep reading to learn more!
What Is A Caravan?
A caravan can be defined as a living space designed to be moved from one place to another by being towed behind another vehicle. It does not have an engine of its own and can include microcampers, demountables and fifth wheelers.
What Is A Motorhome?
On the other hand, a motorhome is more like a caravan and car combined into one unit. Thanks to this design, you don’t have to exit the vehicle to get from the driver’s cabin to the sleeping/living area. RVs, campervans, lorries and van conversions can all be included in this category.
Cost
Generally, caravans are cheaper than motorhomes. This is mainly due to the fact that they do not come with an engine. Additionally, caravans also tend to be cheaper to run and maintain thanks to their lower insurance, fuel and registration costs.
However, it is worth noting that a caravan is only cheaper than a motorhome when you already have a suitable towing vehicle. The cost will end up skyrocketing if you need to buy a towing vehicle as well.
Ease Of Driving
It is normally more challenging to drive a caravan hitched to a tow vehicle than it is to drive a motorhome. The main reason is that the caravan and tow vehicle combination is normally longer than a motorhome. To make things more challenging, a caravan-tow vehicle set-up has a pivot point, at the tow hitch, which makes maneuvering into tight spots even more challenging.
On the other hand, driving a modern motorhome is more or less like driving a car. Today’s motorhomes come with a variety of driver assistance features like reversing cameras which make it easier for drivers to pull over just about anywhere and stop or reverse.
Space
It is important to note that a seven-meter caravan offers more living space than a seven-meter motorhome. This is because all of the living space in a caravan can be integrated into the living area as there is no engine or driver’s cabin.
Additionally, it’s also easier for you to attach a fixed awning on a caravan once it’s parked to increase the space available for you and your travel companions. Roll-out awnings designed for motorhomes tend to be smaller than fixed awnings.
Convenience
A motorhome is more convenient than a caravan in a number of ways. For starters, you can just hop in and drive off, or park and go to bed immediately after reaching your destination. You can also pull over just about anywhere and enjoy a refreshing drink before continuing your trip. Parking and setting up a caravan after reaching your campsite can take some time.
On the other hand, with a caravan, you can enjoy the convenience of unhooking your tow vehicle and using it to explore your new surroundings. This means that after setting up your caravan, you can conveniently take your car for day trips or quick grocery store runs.
Final Thoughts
From the above, you can see that both caravans and motorhomes have their own unique pros and cons. Your final choice may be based on your exact needs and personal preferences. For more information about caravans and motorhomes contact us at Great Southern RV. We are a family-owned and operated business that has been serving this industry for over two and a half decades.
For the best caravans for sale in Adelaide, please give us a call today at 08 7282 0990 or leave an enquiry.
