Motorhome Lifespan: How Long Do Motorhomes Last?

Elsewhere on this blog we’ve talked about how holidaying in a motorhome is one of life’s greatest pleasures, and how owning your own motorhome increases that pleasure because it means you can have the vehicle set up just how you like.

A motorhome is, of course, quite an expensive purchase to make – whether it’s in mint condition having just rolled off the production line or is a well-cared-for pre-owned model. Second-hand motorhomes can provide as much pleasure as brand new but whichever way you decide to go, spending a serious amount of your hard-earned cash should also involve careful thought about exactly how much ‘bang for your buck’ you’re going to get from the vehicle. How many holidays are you likely to take in it? Are there modifications you will need to make to its current fixtures and fittings? Will my investment depreciate to a level that is unacceptable?

Also, amongst the questions you really need to ask is: How long do motorhomes last? What should be considered a decent motorhome life span?

We will cut straight through and answer straight away. From new a motorhome will last, on average, for around 20 years or approximately 200,000 miles, whichever is reached first. That’s not absolutely definite, and in reality, longevity will vary slightly from vehicle to vehicle. Some will last for 10 – 15 years and some may last as long as 30. But as a general guide the 20 / 200,000 mark is accurate. This should help you ‘work things out,’ particularly if you are looking at investing in used motorhomes and asking yourself ‘What is the life expectancy of a motorhome?’

The estimated life span is, though, dependent on several factors. You should always be mindful of things you can do to improve your motorhome’s chances of reaching a grand old age.

What maintenance do you need to extend the life of your motorhome?

You should always maintain the vehicle as best you can, whether it’s on the road or in storage. Regular servicing, including yearly MOTs when your motorhome passes a certain age and habitation checks (appliances etc) are essential and should always be carried out by experts. Spinney offers all of these services and it’s important to point out that servicing your vehicle at a franchised dealership offers reassurance that your warranty will be preserved if your vehicle is new. If you buy a used motorhome, servicing at an official franchise offers the additional benefit of speed. We source directly from the manufacturer and stock all of the parts for our main brands: Auto-Sleepers, Auto-Trail, Bailey, Elddis, Rapido, Roller Team and Swift.

There are however various other things that you can undertake yourself that will maintain the performance of your vehicle. We’ll move onto other areas of upkeep shortly, but here are the important mechanical and technical things which need to be scheduled into your upkeep:

• Fluid replacement
• Engine cleaning
• Fuel injections
• Tyre air pressure checks
• Tyre replacement when necessary
• Realignment
• Brake pad checks and changes

Like all vehicles, a motorhome is susceptible to wear and tear the more miles it travels. As a general guide, other than engine services etc, these are two important things worth thinking about:

• Oil changes (every 5,000 miles or so)
• Tyre rotation (every 5,000 miles or so)

Other areas of upkeep

A motorhome is your home whenever you are travelling around in it. So, like all homes, you want to take pride in it – and this means there are important regular tasks to undertake. General cleaning of the interiors is always a good start. A full clean when you’ve finished using the motorhome and are putting it off the road for a given period is a good idea, as is cleaning before you load up and get back out on the road.

Making sure fixtures, fittings and appliances are in good order is also essential for the longevity of your motorhome. You can spot small problems before they escalate, and rectify them before they become too costly to fix:

• Make sure slide-out apparatus (awnings etc) are lubricated (e.g., WD40).
• Apply UV protectant spray on slide-outs’ rubber seals.
• Apply UV protectant on window and door seals.
• Keep a roof patch kit on board in case of small leaks.
• Electricals: Use a surge guard between rig and power outtake.
• Generator: Service according to manufacturer instructions.
• Lighting: Check all light fittings work, change out bulbs when necessary.
• Check the smooth functioning of appliances (fridge, cooker etc).
• Use toilet chemicals regularly to break down any residual toilet paper and waste.
• Empty the black tank when it’s at least 3/4 full.
• Use damp absorber to counteract moisture in the air.

Washing and cleaning

Washing, cleaning and repairing the interior and exterior of your motorhome are important, and this deserves a checklist of its own:

• Always wipe down and dry off the shower after use.
• Clean the bathroom thoroughly after each trip.
• Immediately repair small cracks or leaks.
• Wash the exterior thoroughly after a trip.
• Wax/ polish your motorhome to protect the exterior finish.
• Keep the windscreen clean (replace if chipped or cracked).

What about when I’m not using my motorhome?

It’s important that you recognise that the life of your motorhome can be as influenced by how it is maintained during storage periods as it is by any on the road care. If you’re storing the vehicle for several months, you should do all of the following, which will help extend its life. In fact, you should consider all of these things for when the vehicle is off the road for more than a few days at a time. The more attention you lavish on the vehicle, the longer its life will be:

• Clean interiors and exteriors as thoroughly as possible.
• Locate any small holes and broken seals, and fix.
• Drain all tanks (to prevent burst pipes or months of cracks leaking).
• Add anti-freeze to all tanks, lines and drains.
• Disconnect the battery (store it somewhere warmer than where the vehicle is).
• Put an air freshener in the living quarters.
• Use a damp absorber to mitigate the moisture in stale air.
• Cover the vehicle (if stored outside) to protect against the elements.

Motorhome Depreciation Rate

When you’re making a big investment in a motorhome, what you’re actually investing in is your own quality of life. You are buying, in essence, the opportunity to be more free. To have the option to just ‘pack up the van’ and take off for beauty spots, either here in the UK or abroad. But if you know you are likely to sell the vehicle on after a couple of years, or even five to ten years, the motorhome depreciation rate may be of concern to you.

Once you’ve bought a motorhome it will depreciate in value – there’s no getting round it. However, you can do plenty to slow this down or, at least, keep your motorhome in a really saleable condition. Here’s a handy simple guide to the average depreciation of motorhomes. You should be able to work out the remaining value in yours from this.

Class A

• 3 – 4 years: 43%
• 5 – 9 years: 66%
• 10+ years: 75%

Class B

• 3 – 4 years: 33%
• 5 – 9 years: 49%
• 10+ years: 62%

Class C

• 3 – 5 years: 26%
• 5 – 9 years: 75%
• 10+ years: 88%

Ultimately, 20 years is a great life span for the cost

Like everything you spend your money on, taking ownership is not the end of the transaction. You need to put some seriously regular love and attention into a motorhome to ensure it has a long life with you – and that means taking steps, small and not so small, to maintain it. All of the ones we’ve listed above are very important, however troublesome or insignificant they may seem.

It was Paul McCartney who, in The Beatles song The End, sang “In the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make.” As you cruise up some beautiful country road in your motorhome listening to your favourite music, his words are actually worth thinking about as the simplest recipe for prolonging the life of your motorhome. The more effort you put into keeping it ship-shape and ticking over, the more you will get out of it. In the end, it really is that simple.