Cheap road tax, low depreciation and all the comforts of home . . . no
wonder more of us are taking to the road at home and abroad in camper vans. Áine Flynn talks to the converted.
Destination unknown - the one-stop, multi-purpose camper van has now become the holiday mobile of choice for thousands of adventure-thirsty Irish. The headaches of booking in advance all but eliminated, a wandering wagon can offer both flexibility and stability, and a true home away from home.
It's estimated by the Motorcaravan Club of Ireland that over 6,000 Irish-registered camper vans were in use in 2002, with numbers rising steadily year on year. Club president Bill Lupton says there is a good attitude to motor homes in Ireland: "Unlike caravans, people don't assume that you will be staying long if you park in a camper."
Sean Ascough, managing director of Car-a-van in Co Wicklow, which specialises in selling new motor homes, estimates that about 100 new campers were imported in 2002 compared with only six in 1996. The most popular new model, he says, is a right-hand drive, complete with a Mercedes engine and full insulation, which will set you back ?65,000.
Although Ascough admits that this is a hefty sum, he says that low maintenance and running costs - up to 30 miles per gallon of diesel - and a slow depreciation make it a worthwhile long-term investment.
"If you look after them properly, they could last up to 30 years," he says. "The motor home is a natural progression from the caravan and will be used more. Often you'll find that caravans are too much hassle to drag along for a night or two, but it's so easy to jump into the van and head off anywhere."
While a significant number of motor homes are sourced in Britain, most are imported from Germany and are left-hand drives. According to Bill Lupton, most people look to the second-hand market when buying a camper. He explains that a second-hand "coach-built" vehicle in good condition will cost between ?15,000 and ?20,000.
"It's not a cheap pursuit to get into, but it is cheap to follow," he continues. "The newer models are like hotels on wheels, but you could get a much older model for as little as ?2,000."
Brian O'Neill bought a nine-year-old five-berth van for ?22,000 last March. He offers good advice to determine which type of van to go for: "You should decide if you're going to use it as a second vehicle or if it will just be used for breaks away," he says.
"The 18- to 20-foot van is easier to drive, can cover more ground and is more user-friendly - but then the six-berth, 26-foot van has the advantage of more space. You have to weigh up your options."
In less than a year, O'Neill has seen all kinds of weather in the camper. "The van I have is designed to holiday in up to 10° Celsius below zero," he says. At the other end of the scale, he has holidayed in the van with his wife and three small children in the 44° of Spanish heat. "They are incredibly versatile," he adds.
O'Neill and family have also spent time travelling Ireland with two dogs in tow. "We've found a way to bring the dogs on holiday as well," he says. "And it's such a great way of life for everyone."
Camper vans have the benefit of a low insurance and tax outlay. Among other organisations, including AXA brokers and Dolmen Insurance Brokers, the Motorcaravan Club in conjunction with Allianz Ireland offers fully comprehensive insurance. This can be secured for ?360 a year if you're between 25 and 80 years, hold a clean driving licence and can provide adequate proof of driving experience.
Annual road tax is at a reduced rate of ?73 for any suitably built or converted motor home, which has the statutory requirement of 1.8 metres of standing height in the cabin area - the area behind the driver.
The vehicle must also have a cooking appliance with no fewer than two burners, and a fixed bed and sink unit. There are also requirements that the vehicle be constructed or converted with adequate ventilation. In addition, specific measures need to be taken regarding the installation of gas cylinders and all electrical work carried out by qualified electricians.
SINCE the advent of this low-tax regime, however, Lupton has seen a staggering rise in the number of people doing quick "botch job" on vans to avail of cheap rates. These "scam vans" which have the basic mandatory requirements - sink, cooker and bed - are simply converted to exploit the system, he claims.
Sean Ascough of Car-a-van is mindful of conversion jobs that don't always live up to expectations. He describes them as "very, very mixed and poor . . . inevitably there'll be a long snag list. There's no standard model. You can't look at a catalogue and say 'I'll have that model there please'. It's a mismatch of different things."
Having undertaken home conversions himself, he says they take a considerable amount of time and money to complete and will invariably fall short of the mark.
According to Bill Lupton, a seasoned camper who has travelled the length and breath of Ireland, the only negative aspect attached to these wagons are the Irish by-roads, which he aptly describes as "prayer roads . . . you pray to God that there's no-one else on them but yourself. But then I've found very scenic places because I've taken these routes, so they are worth travelling."
Although certainly not a cheap investment, a camper van can ensure that you reap the benefits of cheap holidays in destinations - near or far - and a change of scenery at the turn of a key.