Is a leisure vehicle a good investment?

---

If you’re thinking about purchasing a leisure vehicle, whether it’s a good investment or worth the money may be something that keeps crossing your mind. How good an investment your purchase is will depend on what you buy and of course, how much you plan to use it.

All leisure vehicles are priced differently according to the vehicle type. You can choose from new or pre-owned vehicles, which will affect the price substantially, and from caravans, campervans and motorhomes. Within each vehicle type there is also a wide range of pricing relating to the manufacturer and what spec level you wish to go for - the higher the spec, the more it will cost.

 

You should also consider how much you plan to use the vehicle. If you’ll be using it regularly, and for longer holidays as well as weekends away, you’ll definitely get your money’s worth out of it. You may be planning to utilise your vehicle as your sole holiday home in the future - and why not as it can literally be taken anywhere - close to home, a few hours away, across the borders to Wales, Scotland and Ireland or even over to the continent! Many people choose to take their caravan or motorhome to France, Germany and Spain or maybe even further afield if time is not a barrier.

While it’s true that you’ll have a substantial initial outlay when you purchase a leisure vehicle, if you plan to use it regularly and perhaps in place of holidays abroad, over a number of years, the vehicle will pay for itself in a way as you’ll save vast amounts on accommodation costs (and flights if you’d otherwise be going abroad). Your vehicle is your accommodation, and aside from fuel and small site charges (if applicable) leisure vehicle holidays can be very cost-effective.

What do leisure vehicles cost?

This depends on a number of factors - whether you’re going for a caravan or motorhome, are you looking for new or pre-owned, how many berths do you need, what spec levels are you after, how well has it been looked after, the mileage… the list goes on!

CARAVANS

If buying a new Bailey or Swift caravan:

£22,000 - £27,500 will get you a great entry-level family caravan with all the mod cons.

£27,500 – £35,000 would give you a wider choice of family touring caravans with additional features and higher spec.

£37,000 – £43,500 will buy you a luxury tourer with high levels of equipment and furnishings.

If buying a five-year-old, mid-range, 4-berth caravan from a dealership you should expect to pay between £19,000 and £24,000.

Read our How much do caravans cost? blog for further info.

MOTORHOMES

If buying a new Bailey motorhome:

£69,999 -£74,999 - will get you an entry level motorhome that will accommodate 2-4 people

£73,499 - £76,499 - will get you a mid range motorhome with a choice of layouts for up to 4 people

£79,999 - £88,999 - will get you a luxury motorhome with a choice of layouts and bed configs for 2-6 people

If buying a four-year-old, mid-range, 4-berth motorhome from a dealership you should expect to pay between £40,000 and £60,000.

Check out our How much do motorhomes cost? blog for more information.

Which vehicles  hold their value best?

How well a vehicle holds its value can depend on a variety of things such as the manufacturer, spec level, mileage (on motorhomes), how well it's been looked after and the current demand. For this reason, it’s important to consider what you’re buying if holding its value is a priority for you. Go for a popular make, well-equipped model, with low mileage (if buying a pre-owned motorhome) and look after it! Have it serviced annually, get any repairs and warranty work done as soon as you can and keep it clean both inside and out.

At Winchester Caravans and Motorhomes, we stock new and pre-owned caravans and motorhomes from Bailey and Swift, two of the leading manufacturers in the UK, so if you choose to buy with us, you’ll be in safe hands! We also stock VW campervans from the UK’s top converter, CamperKing. Not only are these conversions sought-after and of the highest quality, but VW campers are renowned for holding their value well and for being in high demand. CamperKing has won Campervan Magazine’s “Campervan converter of the year” award for the past two years, as voted by the public - an impressive achievement! 

Value for money tips

• If your purchase budget is limited, consider buying pre-owned rather than brand new. The sharpest depreciation for all vehicles occurs in the first year, so as a rough guide, a one-year-old leisure vehicle will be 20-30% cheaper than a brand new one. For accurate figures, research the value levels of the particular vehicle you’re interested in and see what it costs to buy new, then the value of a 1 year old model, 2 year old model and so on.

• If you don’t want to hand over a big wedge of cash when you purchase, or you simply don’t have the cash up front, consider finance options to fund your purchase. By paying for it in monthly instalments, you’ll spread the cost over a period of time and it won’t feel like such an outlay. Check out our finance blog to discover the type of finance available as well the interest rates and terms.

• If you’re looking to spend a little less, consider models that are lower spec. All modern leisure vehicles have everything you could possibly need for a comfortable and enjoyable trip, but some have added extras that you could do without to keep the cost down. Things such as number of berths, extra wide models, heating type and gadgets can all affect the purchase price so choose your list of must-haves wisely.

• Size matters! If you’re keen to keep the running costs to a minimum, particularly when it comes to fuel when you’re driving your motorhome or towing your caravan, keep in mind that lighter, more compact models would help with this.

• Remember that a leisure vehicle could help you save money while you’re actually away on holiday too! As it's completely self-contained with a fully equipped kitchen, you can cook all your meals on board if you wish, saving money on dining out, which can be costly. That’s not to say that you won’t want to enjoy the odd takeaway or meal out, but the flexibility is there!
  
  

Wellbeing

Camping holidays are a great opportunity to take some time out, away from the stresses of everyday life and enjoy some time to yourself, and with loved ones. It’s also an ideal opportunity to enjoy more of the great outdoors, or simply do things that you don’t usually have time for.

For this reason, leisure vehicles offer the chance for relaxing breaks away as you can enjoy all that a camping holiday offers, yet with none of the compromises as you’ll have all your creature comforts around you! Spending quality time with family and friends is what it’s all about!

Recent research carried out for the Caravan and Motorhome Club (CAMC) by the Centre for Economics and Business Research (Cebr) uncovered many positive aspects that caravan and motorhome holidays have on people’s life and wellbeing:

• 81% of adults who own a leisure vehicle or are looking to purchase one say they spend more time with their families when on holiday

• 81.2% of motorhome owners and those interested in purchasing one said that being on holiday improves their wellbeing

• Up to 64% of adults who own or wish to buy a leisure vehicle say that their level of exercise increases when on holiday

• 75% of leisure vehicle owners or those looking to purchase one feel less stressed on holiday

• 94% of those surveyed cited seeing new places and having new experiences as the thing they liked most about leisure vehicle holidays, closely followed by spending more time outside (91%)

• Approximately 78% of caravan and motorhome owners say they spend less time on their digital devices when on holiday
  
  

Chat to the experts!

At Winchester Caravan and Motorhomes, we’re the experts when it comes to all things caravan, motorhome and campervan related! Please pop into the showroom for a cuppa and the chance to chat through your options, or give us a call on 01962 714 844. We’re always happy to help!

 

 

 

---

‹ All press releases