Try Before You Buy in Yorkshire

Buying a motorhome is a significant investment. Even a well-maintained secondhand vehicle can cost tens of thousands of pounds, and a new motorhome from a main dealer will run well into six figures for the larger models. Before committing that kind of money, it makes sense to find out whether motorhome travel genuinely suits you - and the best way to do that is to hire one first. At Heath's Motorhome Hire in Pontefract, we actively encourage anyone thinking about buying a motorhome to spend some time in one of ours before making a decision.

Hiring before buying lets you answer the questions that brochures and dealer showrooms cannot. What does it actually feel like to drive a motorhome on real roads, in real traffic, in the rain? How do you cope with reversing into a campsite pitch? Is the kitchen practical enough to cook proper meals, or is it a novelty that wears off after the first attempt at making pasta? Does the bed give you a good night's sleep, or do you wake up stiff and uncomfortable? These are the things you only discover through experience, and a hire lets you get that experience without a five-figure commitment.

Layout is one of the most important decisions when buying a motorhome, and it is also one of the hardest to judge from a showroom visit. A fixed rear bed sounds ideal in theory, but do you actually use the living space enough to justify losing the flexibility of a convertible layout? An overcab bed looks spacious in the daylight, but is the climb up comfortable when you are tired at the end of a long day? A large garage area under a rear bed is useful for bikes and outdoor equipment, but does it come at the expense of living space? Hiring different layouts on successive trips gives you direct comparison experience that is worth far more than any amount of online research.

Vehicle size is another factor that is difficult to assess until you have actually driven and lived in a motorhome. A 2 berth van conversion is nimble and easy to park, but does it feel too cramped after a week? A 6 berth coachbuilt offers generous space, but is it too large for the kind of roads and campsites you want to visit? A 4 berth might be the perfect compromise, but you will only know by trying it. Our fleet includes a range of sizes and layouts, so you can experiment before you commit.

The running costs of motorhome ownership are another area where hiring provides valuable insight. During your hire, pay attention to fuel consumption on different types of road. Note how much gas you use for heating and cooking. Consider the campsite fees you are paying and how often you would realistically use a motorhome if you owned one. These real-world numbers help you build an honest picture of what ownership would cost, including the insurance, road tax, servicing, and storage that you will need to budget for.

Many of our customers who are considering purchase hire from us two or three times over the course of a year, deliberately choosing different seasons and different types of trip. A summer week on the coast, an autumn weekend in the Dales, and a winter break in the countryside will give you a comprehensive picture of what year-round motorhome life involves. If you still love it after a February trip in the rain, you know that ownership is right for you.

Some of our customers discover through hiring that they prefer to keep hiring rather than buy. There is a strong case for it: no depreciation, no maintenance worries, no storage costs, no MOT concerns, and a different vehicle every trip if you want one. Others hire once or twice and immediately start shopping for their own motorhome, confident in what they want. Either outcome is perfectly valid, and we are happy to have helped you make an informed decision.

If you are thinking about buying a motorhome, we strongly recommend hiring one first. It is the most cost-effective research you can do, and it turns what could be an expensive mistake into an enjoyable holiday. Whatever you decide, you will have had a great time finding out.