What Size Motorhome Do I Need?

For anyone considering buying a motorhome, there are a number of key questions to consider.

You have to weigh up whether to go for a new motorhome or one that has had previous, careful owners.

How much are you willing to spend? Which makes have you ruled in and out? What type of holidays are you planning – what might be a great motorhome when used only for warm summer holidays might be less suitable as accommodation on a ski trip.

Another question that you must answer at an early stage is to what size of motorhome you require ?

As one of the UK’s leading motorhome dealers, we cannot answer that question for you, but we can help with a few key considerations to help you come to your own conclusion.

Motorhome size – factors to consider

How many people will be going on holiday?

Clearly, this is an obvious one to start with.

If there are four in your family, it might seem obvious to go with a four-berth, if nothing else it rules out any two-berth motorhomes.

However, while the number of berths is a key consideration, it does not necessarily automatically mean that any family of four should get a four berth motorhome, or any couple a two-berth.

Will you ever want extra passengers? Is it likely that you’ll want to lend the motorhome to relatives who might have a larger family?

Will the children actually use it, if your children are in their teens and you’re just about to buy a motorhome, could you end up buying a four-berth, that then only gets used by the whole family once or twice?

In most cases, the motorhome will be used in a fairly set pattern – holidays for the same number of occupants, maybe extra trips such as city breaks just as a couple.

However, if you foresee usage and group size fluctuating it is worth considering whether this alters the number of berths you require.

The cost factor

How much more extra does it cost to get a larger motorhome?

In terms of number of berths, there can be little difference.

At the time of writing, our cheapest new motorhomes for 2, 4 and 6 berths are all within £1,500 of each other. Looking at used motorhomes, the cheapest we have is a two-berth, then a six-berth, then a four berth, then another six berth, then a couple of two berths.

Size is not just the number of berths, but there is a similar pattern, or lack of pattern, with motorhome length and weight. Some high-end two berth motorhomes will have a level of finish and quality of equipment that makes them more expensive than a much larger six-berth motorhome.

Whatever size motorhome you require, you will not find yourself precluded on price – you can find a quality, large, six-berth motorhome at the same price as far smaller vehicles.

What might be noticeable is that within a certain make, going up in size comes at a cost. If, for example, you want the luxury of a new Burstner motorhome, the largest vehicle will cost more than the smallest one, especially within a certain model. There is more space to fill with quality fittings, there is room for a bigger kitchen, more equipment and more luxury.

Do you travel light?

What type of holidaymakers are you?

Do you like to pack as much as you can, or are you happy to take the bare minimum?

Do you have sporting or specialist equipment, if you’re going on cycling or ski holidays does that mean you need a motorhome with that bit of extra capacity for getting all the gear in?

If you are planning family holidays, do you need entertainment – books, Lego, games – things to keep the kids entertained.

Some people are happy with the smallest possible motorhome, it has the essentials, they can eat and sleep there and they don’t need extra space in order to feel relaxed.

Others need that bit more room to spread and that bit more storage space so that every eventuality is catered for.

Have a think to mid motorhome holiday – how do you picture using there motorhome? How much extra space will you require?

The driving

Those new to motorhomes can have a tendency to equate larger motorhomes with more difficult driving. They shouldn’t.

Most motorhome driving occurs on main roads and motorways, in these settings the size of motorhome makes little discernible difference to the driving.

On smaller roads, you still have that superb, elevated driving position coupled with responsive engines and pinpoint steering. Yes, meeting another vehicle coming the other way on a narrow country road might cause a momentary panic, but that can be true in a car too. As you’re the larger vehicle, you will find that cars make way for you, they pull into the verge to let you pass!

Manoeuvring is made simple by parking cameras and sensors.

A test drive can also put any mind at rest, as with most things the concern about what it might be like vanishes once you’ve actually taken a larger motorhome for a spin.

What you do have to consider with motorhome size is the cost of driving. A heavier vehicle will use more fuel, if you have extra space you don’t need you will play for it at the pumps.

What to choose?

The great news is that no size of motorhome is out of reach. If you have a family of five and were worried you’d have to squeeze into a four-berth, let us put your mind at rest. Motorhomes of all sizes are available to all budgets.

The choice therefore comes down to lifestyle decisions and how you will use the motorhome. If you can picture a summer holiday, what would the inside of your motorhome look like? How many people are in it? Can you imagine breakfast, evening meals and getting back from a day’s activity?

While you can get a bit of a sense by looking online, seeing different motorhome sizes in square metres doesn’t really give you a picture of what they are like inside.

Instead, visit a local motorhome dealer and set foot in a range of makes and models.

About Emm-Bee Motorhomes

Emm-Bee is a leading UK family-run motorhome dealership based in Bury, Greater Manchester.

As well as stocking the latest models from leading makes such as Burstner, Chausson, Bailey, Hymer and Laika, we also have an unrivalled stock of used motorhomes for sale.

We pride ourselves on customer satisfaction and offering unmatched levels of service – we have been in business for 25 years and have flourished on word-of-mouth recommendations.

Please have a look round the site to check our range of used motorhomes and do get in touch with any queries, or just to pick our brains.