Ever since  I was small I have had a 'thing' for camper vans. The idea of just jumping in and going out on the open road appeals, although I am sure the reality is a little bit different !
Hubby is several years off retirement yet but I want to start planning and deciding what we would like. I have looked at the floor plans of camper vans and caravans, and to get the space, fixed bed and larger bathroom I like, I think it might have to be a caravan. I am more of a glamper than a camper !
So I have written a few pluses and minuses and I would like to see what those of you in the know think, to see if I am right or wrong.

I would be able to park a camper van on our drive but not a caravan, so storage costs would be a consideration.
A camper van would need yearly tax, insurance and MOT, whereas a caravan would just need insurance ?
Caravans are a lot cheaper than camper vans.
Petrol consumption in a camper van would be more than towing a caravan ?

Anyone have experience of both ? TIA

You can park your caravan on site then use the car to get around... if you want to do that with a campervan you have to pack it all up every time !!

Driving a camper van is going to be easier than towing a caravan, but when you're there and want to go look at the sites everything has to be secured as if your going miles.

I personally wouldn't want that hassle if I just wanted to pop to the supermarket for something I'd forgotten or go out for an evening meal at the last minute.....

I like that my dogs are still secured in their travelling crate in the boot while towing too.

I think you have more room in a caravan too if you choose the correct layout - your not losing room to the driving area.

Something to bear in mind when buying a caravan - your tow car has to be a towing match so unless you already have or will have a larger type car it may mean a new one.

My caravan is now stored on site - £500 for the whole year....

I think fuel consumption is quite similar, towing increases your fuel consumption considerably. In fact having done the trip to Germany twice for dog shows, once towing a smallish 2 berth caravan with my 1.6l petrol car and once in a large 6 berth diesel motorhome (quite new) I was surprised that the motorhome was more economical than my car and caravan!

I sold my caravan after a friend had a puncture in hers which led to an awful accident. I've done a lot of research and came to the conclusion that a motorhome is a lot safer on the roads. Of course any tyre can have a puncture/blow out and risks can be minimised with run flat tyres, slime/tyre sealant but it is much easier to control such an event in a vehicle than towing a caravan.

Also easier to reverse a motorhome than a caravan ;-)

> Also easier to reverse a motorhome than a caravan ;-)

Friends were thinking of buying a campervan - they currently have a trailer tent. They thought that they would hire one to try it out. Unfortunately the small size that they wanted wasn't available so had to have a bigger one. It was a bit of a disaster. They managed to hit something when reversing (at the campsite) and found that it was just too big to take to the pub in the evening - small country roads and parking when they got there. When they came here they had quite a job getting it in and out of our drive on a narrow country road. I think it just depends where you want to spend your time and how big a campervan you want :) :) The best are those with a Smartcar hitched on the back ......... :) :)

Long answer coming up!:-)
We've done both, graduating from a tent, then a caravan and now a motorhome. We are currently on our second motorhome. TBH I think a motorhome is really a lifestyle choice. The outlay for one can be high, the front bit requires servicing and MOT, the back bit needs an annual habitation check to make sure the gas and electrics are working properly and safe and there is no damp coming in anywhere.
We currently have a small motorhome having downsized. Big motorhomes are hard going on the average British roads and parking can be a nightmare as most council run CP's have height barriers. However by downsizing we have also compromised more. We don't have a fixed bed, I regard the fixed bed area as a waste of space as it can't be used for anything else. We have a van that has side seating benches long enough that they can be used as single beds as it's takes two minutes to set up for the night. Think carefully about storage as it's amazing how much clutter you end up taking with you and as mentioned above, it needs to be packed securely away before travelling. Check out motorhome forums such as motorhomefacts as they have lists of things needed in your van, also a good forum for advice generally.
We sometimes tow our small car behind our motorhome which means not having to worry about packing up the van before going out every time. It's a nice combination to have as we can choose whether to go out in the car or in the motorhome.
My advice is to think very carefully about whether a MH or a caravan is more suitable. If you prefer driving to an area and staying there for a week or two, then a caravan is better, or if you like constantly moving on, then a motorhome will probably be more suitable.
Go to the caravan and camping show at the NEC and look at both MH's and caravans and see what you like, not only for you to choose which will be better for you, but all the different designs of living accommodation. When you narrow your choice down to a few types of MH, check out the second hand market as it's rare that someone will stick with the first motorhome they buy and you will find plenty for sale without many miles on the clock. We bought our second van at a year old with less then 2000 miles on the engine.

Choice of base vehicle can be important.

My dad is retired motor mechanic.

He loved the Fiat Ducato based MH, but the engine layout was tight to work on, though very good.

he now has a Mercedes Sprinter van based one, and can work on it more easily himself.

Both diesels of course.

he bought both his in Germany where prices were better, but they are Left hand Drive of course.  He doesn't mind this, and drives hi on the continent as much as here.

Unfortunately as he is over 70 and the weight class means he has to pay to get an age/medical weight upgrade on his driving licence.

We had a caravan but found it hard work if we wanted extra space for long term stays. The awning took forever to set up although brill when needing dog space. We slept in the van and the dogs slept in their crates in the awning. Saves the caravan from getting too smelly as well. Long wet fur is not the best smell. Fixed beds take up a large amount of van space but I think worth it if you like a double bed. We had to put all the cushions together to make our double bed and put them all back again the next morning as it was the dinning area of the van. Pain in the neck to be honest and got too much with advancing years. We always fancied a motor home but could not afford one so settled for a static caravan, but miss the travelling around. It seems you can't have it all.

I'm wondering if the age of the caravan is coming to an end....? 

From January 2013, anyone passing their driving test now has to take a separate Car & Trailer test if they want to tow a large trailer OR a caravan. I passed my test last year (about 30 years later than I should have done!) and the idea of having to do another test (plus of course, lessons beforehand) just to own a caravan is seriously off-putting and not just because of the cost.

I can imagine that young people passing their tests nowadays are not going to be attracted to that, either. Plus you also need to have a car powerful enough to tow one.

It's certainly got me looking at motorhomes instead.

I asked my youngest (who is VERY bored with the school holidays) what she would like to do yesterday, and she said that she wanted to look at caravans and camper vans so who am I to argue !
So we looked at both and hubby prefers the camper van. I showed him how much more space we would get with a caravan but he couldn't be swayed.
I found one with a fixed bed but the lounge area wasn't good and neither was the bathroom. The one I felt most comfortable in was a 2 berth U shaped lounge at the back with a bigger bathroom. It would also give us a bigger bed area. I even caught hubby looking at them on-line last night.
So the plan at the moment is to get one for a few years and do all the places in the UK and Northern France (battle fields) that we want to do, then sell it as it is a big financial commitment.
We will have to wait and see what actually happens but it is nice to have a dream and it gives hubby something to look forward to at retirement as he loves his job and I think it is going to hit him hard.
We will definitely go to the show at the NEC so thanks for that, and thanks for all of your replies.

Our first van had a rear U shaped lounge and it was brilliant for sprawlability (as we say). Worth a look at. Called an Autocruise Stardream. Look at the pre '96 vans, they were made by the Autocruise company before Swift bought them out. The proper Autocruise ones are better made. The toilet compartment is roomy with a separate shower part to it which is great for storage when not in use. We have a tendency to use the campsites showers as you are burning their gas/electrics rather then your own.
Good luck with your search.