MAINTENANCE AND SAFETY

Owning a Camper

“Over the past eight years, sales of new campervans have rocketed, with some estimates suggesting as many as one-in-three new motorised leisure vehicles now being sold are campervans,” according to a news story from Out and about Live. They estimate that this is between 4,000 and 6,500 new campervans a year. “Major survey reveals why campervans are so popular in the UK” proclaims the headline. The survey, carried out by the Caravan and Motorhome Club, with Out and About Live’s Campervan magazine, had 1,900 respondents, and provides a valuable snapshot into people’s top reasons for enjoying campervan life. The overwhelming reasons people gave were “the passion to escape the everyday drudgery of life and the desire to have the freedom to go where you want, when you want.” Almost half of the people surveyed said they do little planning before jumping in their campervan and heading off, preferring instead to “see where the mood takes me”. “Thousands of people have literally turned their dream into a reality with a campervan, said Daniel Attwood, Managing Editor of Campervan magazine. When asked what one piece of advice they would offer to someone thinking of buying a campervan, the most common answer was, “Just do it”! The Caravan Club changed its name to The Caravan and Motorhome Club a couple of years ago, to reflect the changing membership. Club Marketing Director Harvey Alexander said that the survey results helped them to offer campervan owners “exactly the type of sites and facilities they are looking for.” The article estimates that there are more than 225,000 campervans and motorhomes on Britain’s roads.

MAINTENANCE AND SAFETY

As with a car, campervans need regular maintenance including MOT’s, habitation checks and servicing. You’ll also want to make sure that the features installed in your van are safe and legal.