Motorhomes are a bigger commitment than campervans — bigger to park, bigger to insure, bigger to repair when something goes wrong. The upside is the comfort, and a properly looked-after motorhome can give you twenty years of holidays. Here's how to make sure you're buying one of the good ones.
Coachbuilt, A-class or overcab — what fits your life?
Coachbuilts (the most common) sit on a Fiat Ducato, Peugeot Boxer, Ford Transit or Mercedes Sprinter cab with a separate habitation body bonded on top. A-class motorhomes have a fully integrated body — more luxurious, more expensive, and trickier to insure. Overcab ("luton") models have the over-cab bed and tend to be older. For most first-time UK buyers, a 4–6 berth coachbuilt on a Fiat Ducato is the sweet spot.
Damp is the killer
On any motorhome over five years old, the single most important check is damp ingress around windows, roof seals, the rear panel join and the over-cab bed (if fitted). Reputable dealers print a damp meter report; private sellers rarely do. Anything reading above 20% in multiple spots means delamination of the GRP body panels is likely, and repairs run into thousands.
The base vehicle deserves equal attention
Don't get so distracted by the kitchen that you forget you're buying a 3.5-tonne van. Check brakes — motorhomes eat discs because of the weight. Check tyres for the date code (rubber over six years old is suspect even with tread). Check the cambelt history. A Fiat Ducato 2.3L cambelt at the wrong interval is a known catastrophic failure point.
Payload — the number that catches everyone out
Look at the V5C MAM (Maximum Authorised Mass) versus the kerb weight. The difference is your payload — and after you've added water, gas, bedding, food, bikes, awning and passengers, many older motorhomes have almost no legal margin left. Aim for at least 400kg payload free for a 4-berth, 500kg+ for a 6-berth.
Habitation systems checklist
Fridge running on gas, mains and 12V. Boiler firing. Heating distributing to all vents. Pump priming cleanly. Toilet flushing and cassette draining properly. Skylight blinds and flyscreens working. Every internal light. The control panel showing accurate battery state. If any of those don't work, expect a habitation engineer's call-out before you can use the van properly.
Common questions
Is it cheaper to buy a motorhome or a campervan? Like-for-like age and mileage, campervans are usually a bit cheaper to buy and significantly cheaper to insure, fuel and park. Motorhomes win on living space and standing headroom.
Do I need a special licence? A standard UK Category B licence covers vehicles up to 3,500kg. Many larger motorhomes sit just under that limit; anything over needs a C1 entitlement (issued automatically before 1997, otherwise a separate test).
How long do motorhomes last? The base vehicle will usually outlast the habitation body. A well-maintained Ducato-based coachbuilt can give 20+ years of service if damp is kept on top of and seals are renewed every 4–5 years.