BE A FRUGAL 'VAN OWNER!

Even in these cash-strapped times, there are still ways to save money on your motorhoming. Peter Rosenthal shares his top tips

- Peter Rosenthal

Despite the current troubling backdrop of rising energy bills and a cost of living crisis, it is still possible to make savings when you are running a motorhome.

And if you haven’t yet bought one, it’s also still possible to bag a bargain. You just need to be a savvy shopper.

Here are our favourite tips for getting the best value out of your touring life.

BAG A BARGAIN ’VAN

With continuing supply chain issues thanks to wars, pandemics, Brexit, energy costs, the weakness of the pound and silicon chip shortages (take your pick), the new vehicle market has never been more erratic.

The knock-on effect is that prices on the used motorhome market are still going up and are likely to stay that way for some time to come.

Although it’s safest to buy from a dealer, some are still short of stock and struggling to keep up with demand. So prices are high and on the used market, models are in short supply.

Vehicles that stick on the forecourts are often those with quirky floorplans, such as A-classes with the L-shaped desk and single swivel seat lounge, or coachbuilts fitted with bunks, rather than a fixed double bed.

That’s not to say you won’t find a bargain, new or used, at a dealer, but you will need to look a bit harder – for example, we spotted a new Auto-Trail Expedition 67 priced at £50,000 at the recent NEC show.

There are still bargains to be had in private sales – you just need to be far more cautious and ideally, take along a mechanically minded friend when you view. Alternatively, you can pay to have your potential buy independently inspected, which is well worth doing.