We buy a motorhome / trailer - part 1

Often, in the articles we publish, we talk about the resale value of specific brands and models. We also analyze the purchase prices and compare them with other models.
Seemingly very similar structures can be divided by the price gap, and often 10-year-old structures reach prices of new ones - similar at first glance.

Today we will deal with the price differences. Why? If you are just entering the world of motorhomes and caravans and planning to buy your first vehicle, it is worth knowing the most important differences as well as facts and myths about the most important "price-generating" factors. This knowledge will also help you understand the market and prepare for the purchase properly.

Wall construction and insulation

A few years ago, the standard concept was the use of aluminum roof and wall sheathing, the load-bearing / structural elements were wood (impregnated, most often coniferous), and the insulator was polystyrene. The base of the floor was usually made of waterproof plywood. Glued joints between elements, sealant, aluminum profiles and gaskets - that's the whole philosophy.

The construction described above, made according to the rules of the art, is not necessarily a bad thing. Hundreds and thousands of motorhomes and caravans over a dozen or even several dozen years old, which are still in use, are confirmation. A prerequisite for this is tightness and regular inspections and maintenance. There are several aspects that buyers need to be aware of:
- Even the smallest leak can gradually lead to dire consequences. Remember that it is "a drop that hollows the rock" - polystyrene and wood in the wall and ceiling sheathing can quickly turn out to be the source of the problem.
- The roof and walls (especially grooved) made of aluminum are very susceptible to deformation and mechanical damage - especially due to hail

- Watch out for leaks at the connection between the walls and the roof - this is where minor leaks occur most often. Due to the use of wood and polystyrene, the phenomenon of rotting will manifest itself with a soft structure and stains - it is absolutely necessary to check all hard-to-reach places (cabinets, storage spaces in the area of joints, etc.)
- Plywood flooring must be regularly inspected and maintained - it can absorb moisture over time - not only from the bottom, but also from the walls. This can cause rot and loss of stiffness.

The technologies used today are based on many improvements: the vast majority of even "budget" vehicles currently produced (both caravans and motorhomes) are equipped with at least a resin laminate roof (often referred to in German as "GFK" in the manufacturers' catalogs). Instead of wood, aluminum (eg Carthago) or plastic profiles (KABE) are increasingly used in the walls. Instead of polystyrene, due to its waterproofing and insulating properties, foam is more and more often used - extruded polystyrene (XPS). Such solutions will translate into durability and high value for years.

A motorhome and a premium caravan

But what characterizes the premium design? If we are looking for the most durable solutions for years, we must necessarily take into account a high purchase price. But what does the "ideal" of buildings look like? At the current level of technology and materials science, top manufacturers avoid as much as possible both thermal bridges, the possibility of moisture penetration of the roof and walls, and the possibility of decay processes.

However, let's not be fooled - not every manufacturer, even in premium models, uses a bodywork that meets these standards, buying, for example, one of the range of German Dethleffs caravans (e.g. Nomad FKR730), we will have to pay extra not only for smooth sheet metal, but also for XPS / polystyrene instead of polystyrene in the walls. And yet we are talking about a model costing about 200,000. zlotys ... It is the same with motorhomes of many manufacturers.

The reason why premium and budget vehicles under different brands are leaving the same factory is the manufacturing technology. Each producer group has its own "economic" brands / models - this is rather a topic for a separate material ... The most striking example are the products of the German brand Carthago, which in its flagships uses an advanced structure without a gram of wood, based on XPS foam and aluminum load-bearing elements (hence the legendary tightness, stiffness and high resale price of even several-year-old copies). Seemingly very similar in terms of systems and equipment, vehicles branded "Malibu" no longer have these legendary elements sewn in (as Carthago calls it itself) "Premium DNA".

The above example, however, concerns aspects that are invisible to the naked eye. By placing two motorhomes from the same "stable" side by side, sometimes even a layman with the naked eye can make a distinction - whoever has seen two Rapido and Itineo motorhomes placed next to each other at a fair will quickly understand what it is (starting from the matte outer layer of gelcoat and ending with the matching of elements).
Conclusion: let's check / make sure in which technology the building was made and confirm its tightness!

Winter motorhome

The factor that distinguishes premium constructions from budget ones is the degree of insulation and adaptation to winter conditions. Anyone who is serious about traveling in winter scenery must be aware of the necessity to adapt the vehicle in terms of design. Motorhomes and trailers may or may not be factory-prepared for such use. As a rule, premium constructions are so well insulated that we can easily cope with almost any conditions.

Motorhomes from this "shelf" are perfectly insulated, most often have a double floor (additional storage, but also an insulator) and efficient heating systems. The list of options may, of course, include alternative glycol heating instead of traditional blowing solutions, additional electric heating of certain areas of the floor or an additional heating heat exchanger integrated with the engine.

There are several elements to determine whether a given caravan or motorhome is prepared for winter:

• efficient heating system,
• elimination of thermal bridges at the interface between walls and floor / roof,
• effective ventilation to remove excess moisture from the inside,
• hermetic, multi-layer windows, and also (or maybe most of all) ...
• well-insulated tanks for clean and gray water.

We delve too deeply into the technicalities here, but unfortunately (or fortunately) they determine the class of the equipment and its price (also the resale value). Of course, with a limited budget to fulfill the dream of a caravan or motorhome and not planning winter trips, we can always focus on "summer" models, and omit the list of options including "winter packages". However, it is important to be aware of these differences.

Windows, doors, fittings and furniture finishing in a caravan or motorhome

The first look can tell us what "league" we are dealing with. In the case of motorhomes and caravans, it is definitely worth paying attention to the doors used - the quality of their workmanship, balance and precision of the slings, and whether they have glazing / windows are the first clue.

Another (in the case of motorhomes) will be frame windows - the so-called Recessed windows (eg Seitz) faced with external walls offer the best possible parameters in terms of thermal transmittance, tightness and acoustics while driving.

Inside, it is worth paying attention to the fit of the furniture and the accuracy of the finish of furniture boards (sharp edges, quality of edge veneers).

The hinges and fittings used in carpentry will also be of fundamental importance for the quality of travel - noise while driving, opening cabinets, doors, falling drawers - all these can be an everyday problem and a nuisance that steals the pleasure of traveling. Interestingly, the most reliable components were used 20-30 years ago, and now there is an anecdote among industry anecdotes that it used to be ... - before, before accountants began to have a decisive word in factories. And there is something to it.

The above are a few very general remarks that constitute an introduction to such a wide issue. However, we must be aware of one more thing - regardless of whether we buy a caravan or a motorhome for 20, 50, 100 thousand, or even 2 million - it will be a product closer to a manufacture than a robotic assembly line for e.g. cars. So much depends on individual quality control procedures.

Now, a consolation sentence - regardless of belonging to a specific "price range", the vast majority of manufacturers use the same components - refrigerators, cookers, fittings or heating systems - here they all use the same suppliers and there is no point in looking for differences justifying the price gaps.