Hiring or Buying a Motorhome

It's a difficult question and one that gets asked a lot: Should I hire or buy a motorhome? 

Both are fantastic options for those who are keen to travel around Scotland or any other country that takes their fancy. However, both come with their benefits and drawbacks. 

Buying a motorhome is more of a commitment and requires a significant investment, something you don't need to worry about hiring a motorhome. On the other hand, buying a motorhome offers a permanent home on wheels, giving you the option of a motorhome holiday whenever you feel the need to escape. 

In this article, Struans Leisure has broken down the advantages and disadvantages of buying and hiring a motorhome in the hope of helping our readers reach a decision on this tricky question.
 

Why hire a motorhome? 

Hiring a motorhome gives you the opportunity to travel around the beautiful country of Scotland or the rest of the UK in complete freedom without the long-term commitment and cost of buying. 

There's no need to stress or worry about the long-term performance of your motorhome model, as all hired motorhomes come in great condition (or at least they are when hired from Struans Leisure). 

You can also free yourself from on-going financial obligations, such as road tax, insurance, petrol and the general upkeep involved in running a motorhome. 

If you choose to hire a motorhome from Struans, you'll start your motorhome adventure in the convenient location of Perth. 

From Perth, motorhome hire customers can choose a driving route that suits their tastes and preferences. Drive up the East coast of the county taking in the stunning seaside views and quaint fishing villages before reaching the Scottish Highlands. From here, you can embark on the famous North Coast 500, one of the most popular motorhome routes throughout the UK.  

Alternatively, from Perth you can head inland towards the West coast of Scotland, stopping by famous cities such as Stirling, Edinburgh or Glasgow along the way.  

The West Coast of Scotland offers motorhome drivers a chance to experience some of the incredible Scottish islands whilst on their motorhome holiday. The Isle of Skye in particular is a location that should not be missed!  

Motorhome hire in Scotland is a wonderful experience that allows you to fully embrace nature. Choose to travel over a short weekend break or for longer one or two-week holidays, without the stress of worrying about the long-term health and condition of your motorhome vehicle. 

If you are eager to explore Scotland, we promise you that there is no better way to do so than in a motorhome or campervan hire from Struans.  
 

What are the benefits of hiring a motorhome? 

The main benefits of hiring a motorhome (as opposed to buying) are: 

• A guarantee that the motorhome you hire will be in great working condition 

• No long-term upkeep or costs needed 

• Cheaper than buying a motorhome outright 

• If any problems or mechanical issues happen with your motorhome hire, you won't be the one responsible for fixing them 

• Gives you an opportunity to experience motorhome life without the commitment of buying 

• Provides a fun and exciting short-term getaway to recharge your batteries 

• The perfect way to see more of Scotland 

• Easier to afford a more luxurious motorhome due to the short-term nature of the hire 

Struans Leisure has a wide range of motorhomes for hire in Scotland. 

Whether you're after a two-berth campervan for you and your partner or are in need of a 6-berth pet-friendly motorhome for all the family, we have the perfect motorhome for you. 
 

What are the drawbacks of hiring a motorhome? 

As amazing as hiring a motorhome is, there are also some drawbacks that are important to mention. 

The main drawbacks of hiring a motorhome instead of buying are: 

• More preparation and planning is needed for a motorhome hire trip 

• Less flexible in terms of where you can travel to and how long you can spend in each place as you will be restricted by your hire period.

• Much like in rented accommodation, you can't make changes or tweaks to suit your personal style when living in a motorhome hire. 

• If you rent a motorhome regularly, you could end up spending more over a period of time compared to the one-time purchase of buying a motorhome. 

• You may be limited by a minimum period you can hire thr motorhome for (such as week). You can’t just go away for 1 or 2 nights. 

• If you fall in love with motorhome life, you'll still have to give your motohome hire back at the end of your rental period. 

If you are still unsure on whether hiring or buying a motorhome is for you, you can read more about hiring a motorhome or campervan in Scotland via our blog post. 
 

Why buy a motorhome? 
 

Whilst buying a motorhome is a significant investment, it opens up a whole world of adventure and exploration. 

With a motorhome, you have the freedom to travel around the country with the security and safety that you'll always have a bed to sleep in, a toilet and shower to use, and a comfortable place to relax after a long drive. 

Exciting solo or family adventures can be arranged at a moments notice and as long as you keep your motorhome in good condition, you'll be able to up sticks and live remotely for days, weeks or even months on end! 

However, owning a motorhome can be a lot of work and it's important that you are committed to motorhome life before you take the rather expensive leap of buying your own motorhome. 

We've broken down the advantages and disadvantages of buying a motorhome below to help our readers decide between hiring or buying a motorhome. 

What are the advantages of buying a motorhome? 

We only recommend buying a motorhome if you have had a taster of motorhome life in the past. Living in a motorhome, even for short trips, is not for everyone, so it's important to be sure that motorhome life is definitely for you before you buy. 

If you are an experienced motorhome renter, then you might be considering buying a motorhome to give yourself permanent access to motorhome adventures. 

We think this is a great idea! 

The main advantages of buying a motorhome are:  

• Freedom of travelling wherever you please, whenever you please  

• There’s no need to rush when travelling in a motorhome that you own 

• No limitations or time restraints to your holidays: You are in complete control! 

• Your next holiday is just a drive away 

• Kit out the motorhome in a way that suits your needs and preferences 

• Discover more places, both close to home and further afield, even abroad 

• Having a motorhome is a great way to connect with all the family: switch off from the digital world and engage with nature whilst you travel the country in your very own motorhome 

A motorhome that you own is more than just a vehicle, it's a home on wheels. Motorhomes and campervans offer a sense of freedom that cannot be measured in monetary value. 

Best of all, buying a motorhome doesn't have to break the bank. Struans offers a range of used motorhomes for sale to make your motorhome purchase more affordable. 

We also have helpful finance options that allow you to spread the cost of your motorhome purchase. 
 

What are the disadvantages of buying a motorhome? 

Whilst there are many advantages to buying a motorhome, they can also be an expensive investment, costly to run and hard work to keep in good working condition.  

Many choose to hire a motorhome due to the long-term commitment and on-going costs that come with buying and running a motorhome. 

Some disadvantages of buying a motorhome are: 

• The value of your motorhome is likely to depreciate over time 

• The cost of buying a new motorhome is a significant undertaking 

• Owning a motorhome comes with the responsibility of upkeep, mechanical fixes, MOTs and insurance payments 

• The fuel costs of running a motorhome can be expensive 

• You'll need the time and availability to use your motorhome regularly in order to get the most out of your motorhome purchase 

If you are unsure about purchasing a motorhome, we recommend hiring one instead to get a feel for motorhome life. We only advise our clients to buy a motorhome if they are absolutely certain that it is the right decision for them and their lifestyle. 

If you are interested in finding out more about motorhome life, check out our ultimate guide to buying a motorhome for further detailed information on the pros and cons of buying a motorhome. 

You can also get in touch with the motrohome team at Struans for further information, motorhome-related questions, or motorhome hire quieres.