Pros and cons of motorhome and campervan hire in Scotland

The Pros and Cons Of Whether To Hire Or Buy A Motorhome (Touring In Scotland)

Whether you’re buying or hiring a motorhome in Scotland, there are both advantages and disadvantages to each.  

As interested motorhome travelers, it’s important to weigh up all the options and make an informed decision on whether you want to buy a motorhome or simply hire a motorhome for a short holiday.  

Both are excellent options but of course your budget, financial constraints and lifestyle should all be taken into account. There’s no point buying a motorhome if you know you will never use it. Likewise, if you are eager to rent a motorhome multiple times a year, it may be worth buying a motorhome instead as this will save you money in the long-run.  

In this short article, Scottish Tourer has gone into detail on the pros and cons of hiring and buying a motorhome in Scotland. 

The advantages of buying a motorhome in Scotland 

You may enjoy driving and owning a motorhome because you travel a lot and stay at many different hotels. When you own a motorhome, you have the freedom to put as much mileage on it as you desire without being penalized with extra mileage charges.  

You also have an asset that you can’t obtain when you hire. In good economic times, this asset can stay current with its financial value in terms of appreciation and inflation rates. 

When you decide to buy a motorhome, you can also add whatever types of accessories you want to the motorhome because it’s all yours. Much like owning a house in comparison to renting, you now have the freedom to make tweaks, additions and reconstructions to your motorhome to make it as attractive, livable and tailored to your preferences as possible.  

You can even change its colour by painting it if you wish, which you can’t do with a motorhome for hire. 
 

The cons of buying a motorhome 

So now you’re probably thinking that buying a motorhome sounds like a great idea! But hold up before you rush into any big motorhome purchases, there are still some cons to buying a motorhome that are important to be aware of. 

One big disadvantage of buying a motorhome is that it’s going to cost you much more money upfront to purchase the motorhome than it would to simply hire one.  

You will also probably have continuing monthly payments that you’ll have to make on-time or else the financial institution that gave you the loan can repossess the motorhome, even if you own it. This can put much-added stress and financial pressure on the owner of a motorhome and is definitely a disadvantage.  

Re-paying loans on a motorhome can effectively be like paying an extra mortgage, so it’s essential that you consider your financial situation before buying a motorhome or campervan.

The benefits of hiring a motorhome in Scotland 

When you hire or rent a motorhome, you save much more money than if you owned a motorhome because you’re charged based on both the type of motorhome and the distance traveled.  

By simply shopping around and choosing the best motorhome hire deal available, you could save yourself huge amounts of money.  

People who rent a motorhome are usually only driving to one specific location at a time or are only interested in a short-term trip. Hiring a motorhome in Scotland offers the perfect destination for getting a feel for motorhome life. We always recommend hiring a motorhome at least once before deciding to buy a motorhome or campervan.  

Another advantage of hiring a motorhome is that you’re not financially responsible for the maintenance and repair of the motorhome. This can save you a lot of money if you do a lot of hiring over the course of several years.  

Owners of motorhomes have to pay for all the servicing costs that the mechanic charges in order to keep their motorhome in top running condition, but by hiring a motorhome instead, you can always get a much wider selection of motorhomes to choose from, allowing you to travel at a cost that suits your budget.  

Scottish Tourer have a wide range of motorhomes for hire to suit all types of budget and party sizes. If you are a couple looking to tour Scotland in a motorhome, please check out The Jura, an ideal-sized motorhome for couples.  
 

Cons of renting a motorhome  

On the other hand, when you rent a motorhome, you can’t fix up the motorhome the way you want by adding any new accessories and home comforts. It belongs to the motorhome rental company and therefore you are limited in what you can do to modify your motorhome to your own liking.  

Another disadvantage of motorhome rental is that you’re usually charged at a daily rate instead of a mileage rate, and this can add up to being quite substantial depending on the specific hiring company and type of motorhome you choose.  

Scottish Tourer offers highly-competitive prices on all our motorhome rentals to help customers enjoy the wonders of Scotland on a budget. Our luxury motorhomes come with a wide range of additional extras, so other than food, clothes and drink, there is really not much else you'll have to spend your money on when renting a motorhome or campervan with us.  

Buying a motorhome from Scottish Tourer 

There is no one answer to what is the better option between buying or renting a motorhome in Scotland. In our opinion, both are great options! We would always recommend hiring a motorhome or campervan at least once before you commit to buying, however. 

Buying a motorhome is a significant investment and should always be carefully considered. If you are passionate about travel and eager to live and travel in your motorhome on a regular basis, then buying a motorhome may be the better option for you. 

At the end of each motorhome season, Scottish Tourer sells our motorhomes to interested customers and motorhome enthusiasts.  

If you are interested in purchasing your own motorhome, please have a look at our quality motorhomes for sale in Scotland.