Interest in motorhomes has been on the rise, and borrowing one from friends or family is a great way to give the experience a try. Motorhomes can be the perfect holiday accommodation for family adventures, providing freedom to explore while travelling with your favourite household appliances and equipment.
Motorhomes have especially become more popular following the COVID-19 pandemic, when people turned to caravanning when overseas tourism was no longer an option.
Pros of borrowing a motorhome
If you’ve been exploring the idea of borrowing a motorhome from a friend of a relative, knowing the benefits can help you make an informed decision and give you the push you need.
Try before you buy
The average price of a used motorhome is about £26,000, while a new one would cost around £70,000. As exciting as the idea of having a second, mobile home seems, owning one is expensive and a big commitment.
If you’re parting with thousands of pounds, then testing the waters beforehand would be a great idea. You can do so by going on a short holiday to Cornwall, for example, and see what a road trip to this diverse terrain would be like. After briefly living the experience, you and your family might arrive at the conclusion that a motorhome is a must-have or probably not your cup of tea.
It’s a home away from home
Imagine if you could look out the window and have a different view every day without leaving your home. Travel with your own kitchen, bedroom and bathroom – no need to pack! And you can cook your favourite food on the road, have all the books you want with you, your sheets, towels, toiletries, utensils, and wardrobe.
If you can do your job remotely, you can work on the road. This means a different office view every morning with no commute. With many people wanting to continue working from home after the pandemic, a motorhome can be a fun, refreshing, and healthy way to do so.
Cheaper than paid accommodation and flights
Having a home on wheels means saving on hotels, eating out, snacks, train and flight tickets, entertainment expenses, and baggage costs, all of which come with taxes and service charges. You can continue to stick to your budget plan when it comes to grocery shopping, for instance.
On top of that, you can benefit from mates’ rates, which allow you to get a discounted price. Friends and family, if not using their motorhome fulltime, would be happy to have it used by someone they know. It’s also more convenient for you to borrow from friends and family instead of hiring on a commercial basis.
Ideal for children
Motorhomes provide the flexibility to stop off if you need to give the driver or the kids a break. In addition, it’s a lot more tolerable for the little ones to travel in a mobile home than it is to be restrained in car seats. And, of course, there is a clean bathroom on board, which can be accessed at any time.
Borrowing a motorhome will allow you to take the family on an exciting holiday during the summer break, allowing you to picnic in different spots, take a break in camping grounds, and do loads of outdoor and water activities.
Freedom on the open road
This could be the perfect vehicle for spontaneous travellers or last-minute holiday plans. If you decide to go on a tour across Europe, especially during high season, you don’t have to worry about not finding flight bookings or reasonable accommodation. A motorhome is also an ideal option if you want to see where the wheels take you within the UK. Explore the most pleasant roads with breath-taking views from a mobile home.
October would be a great time to see the enchanting colours of autumn. Drive to Edinburgh, Derry or Pluckley and take plenty of colourful photos. This Halloween season, Derry (Londonderry) is hosting Europe’s biggest Halloween festival, so why not take the family on a little spooky adventure?
Privacy
Sometimes there is nothing better than staying in your own self-contained bubble. Whether you worry about a family member contracting disease or simply need to get away from people for a short while, a motorhome can take you on an exciting trip without having to interact with any strangers – or anyone at all if you fancy it.
Things to keep in mind when borrowing a motorhome
While borrowing a motorhome from friends or family is a great way to try it before you make an investment, it comes with great responsibility and there are several considerations to bear in mind.
Responsibility to the owner
Even if you’ve paid your friends or family for borrowing their motorhome, you sure don’t want to damage their prised investment. You would want to return it in the state you borrowed it, but sometimes things that are out of our control happen, so make sure you’re ready for emergencies. In the case of accidental damage, it’s ideal that you cover maintenance expenses.
Driving
Operating a motorhome is nothing like driving a car. There’s a lot to consider before embarking on your mobile home journey. These vehicles are huge, so they can’t perform three-point turns or squeeze into narrow parking spaces. The speed limits are also different for those weighing over 3.05 tonnes. It’s therefore important to familiarise yourself with driving and manoeuvring a motorhome beforehand.
Understanding how it works
No one knows how to operate a motorhome better than its owner. Make sure you ask them for a demo of appliances and features, in addition to how to use any camera systems and satnavs. Decide on your route some time ahead to avoid any narrow roads.
Insurance
Your standard car insurance won’t cover you when you borrow a friend’s motorhome, nor will the owner’s motorhome insurance. You’ll need multiple policies for multiple drivers, too. The best solution is to opt for a comprehensive temporary motorhome insurance. This will give you peace of mind while you enjoy your adventure.
If you’re planning to tour Europe, you can get temporary insurance to cover you while driving in EU and EEA countries.
