Comfort and convenience are two of the most desirable luxuries when travelling in a recreational vehicle. Motorhomes usually contain lots of features that will make your travels more luxurious, especially the newer vehicles. This can include awnings, spinning front seats, built in coffee machines etc.
Motorhome owners will know, there are thousands of products that can be purchased or fitted for your vehicle to add comfort or convenience. In this article, we will cover 7 great products that will make travelling that little bit finer.
Levelling Systems
Levelling systems are a very in-demand product currently in the UK Motorhome scene. When arriving at a site, it is a great inconvenience to level your vehicle. It will involve getting under the motorhome, edging onto blocks/ramps and fine adjusting by going in and out looking at a spirit level. This process can take a considerable amount of time and is even more unpleasant after a long journey or in poor weather conditions.
A Levelling System solves these issues completely. Most are controlled by a tidy panel that will be installed into the motorhome, or some even allow levelling from an app on your phone. No more tedious process, just driving up to your space and level at the press of a button. They also give great stability when the jacks are down, negating the rocking effect you may have walking up and down your motorhome on blocks.
If you are worried about space being used in your motorhome, some Levelling Systems even allow the pump to be fitted to the underside of the vehicle. Still giving you maximum storage space.
Price Range: £5000 – £7000
Convenience Rating: 10/10
Comfort Rating: 9/10
Semi-Rear Air Suspension
The reason we have chosen Semi-air suspension in comparison to full Air Ride is simply the cost. Full Air Ride can cost upwards of £10,000, which is a great expense to add on top of the motorhome cost and leaves less budget for other products.
Semi-Air suspension adds onto the existing suspension of the vehicle and mainly affects the driving comfort. Due to the high sides of a motorhome, they are greatly affected by wind and can sway quite drastically when driving. This product will greatly reduce that effect.
Furthermore, some brands allow for adjustment of air levels whilst driving, meaning that you can adapt the suspension for maximum comfort on all types of road surfaces.
Another benefit is the lift if can give to the rear of the vehicle. For lower vehicles grounding can be a big issue on slopes or getting on and off ferries. With Rear Semi-Air suspension, the bags can be inflated to lift the axle approximately 5 inches, which will mean the rear lifts considerably higher. So not only does this upgrade the driving experience but can also prevent damage on your vehicle.
Price Range: £1000-3000
Convenience Rating: 7/10
Comfort Rating: 8/10
Air Conditioning
Lots of people opt out of having air conditioning fitted to their motorhome. Often, this is because they can open doors and windows, or even sit outside when it is too hot.
However, the crisp cool air is a lot more comfortable than gradually cooling off in the hot weather, especially in the UK this summer, making your motorhome comfortable in all climates.
Another reason that air conditioning may not appeal is the fact that is only needed for half a year, but in some cases, this is not true. Some air conditioning units come with a heating function, allowing you to adapt to whatever weather, country or climate you may encounter on your travels.
Price Range: £1500 – £3000
Convenience Rating: 7/10.
Comfort Rating: 9/10
Infotainment System
Standard vehicle infotainment systems vary massively, some can be very easy to navigate, others may not. The sound systems are usually built with a decent standard and the display screens come with a relatively visible size.
However, to truly amplify the ease of use and entertainment system for more enjoyment, it is worth considering upgrading your infotainment system.
Alpine systems, for example, come with some of the highest quality speakers on the market. They give a truly immersing audio experience from just the speakers alone, but with the subwoofer option you will have a complete surround sound system with great depth as if you were in a cinema. Speakers can be installed in the habitation area of your motorhome too, so you can enjoy some music all over your motorhome.
This simply makes longer journeys far more enjoyable.
Another great benefit is the Display screen system. You can choose anywhere between 8-12” touch screen displays, allowing for easy access whilst driving. These can come with apple car play, apps and even built-in navigation. The motorhome built in navigation allows you to put in the dimensions of your vehicle, so it can calculate the best route to the destination suited to your vehicle.
Price Range: £1000-£3000
Convenience Rating: 6/10
Comfort Rating: 9/10
Smart Television
Travelling in a motorhome can be action packed and very busy, but it is nice to sit back and relax whilst on your travels.
A Smart TV really allows you to switch off with ease, with built in Wi-Fi technology giving your access to multiple viewing platforms. This technology can give you access to multiple streaming platforms like Netflix, Youtube, amazon prime etc, helping you find the perfect show to watch. TV’s can also come with sound bars, either built in or as an add on. These are highly encouraged as it creates that cinema-like experience, all accessible whilst on the road travelling!
Price Range: £300-£800
Convenience Rating: 7/10.
Comfort Rating: 8/10
Wi-Fi Systems
Some overnight campsites have poor signal in the UK especially, which is particularly annoying if you need to watch something or work from a laptop etc.
Motorhome Wi-Fi Systems often work by inserting a sim card into the unit. They have a more powerful signal receiver so can get signal in places your phone cannot! They also amplify existing wireless signal, so if you connect to a campsites existing Wi-Fi, you will have a stronger signal that the mobile users. If a sim card with roaming data is purchased, you can even have internet access abroad.
In conclusion, a motorhome Wi-Fi device gives you easy access to streaming sites, news and social platforms whilst travelling, creating a convenient environment when in your leisure vehicle.
Price Range: £400-£700
Convenience Rating: 9/10
Comfort Rating: 7/10
Dual reversing Camera
Lots of Motorhomes have a single reversing camera fitted as standard. These will look down at the rear of the vehicle when in reverse. A dual reversing camera will have this function, but when driving, it will look back at traffic as opposed to the bottom rear of the vehicle. This is so you have full awareness of your surroundings on your travels.
The monitor display for these cameras can either be dashboard mounted, which will consume space on the dash, or alternatively mirror mounted. A smart mirror-sized display screen will be placed where the rear viewing mirror is, which is more useful in coach-built motorhomes as you cannot see out of the rear.
A dual reversing camera reduces the stresses of driving in a larger leisure vehicle and makes travelling that little more comfortable.
Price Range: £500-£1000
Convenience Rating: 9/10
Comfort Rating: 6/10
Final Words
To conclude, whilst it is not necessary for these products to be fitted to your vehicle, it will make your travelling experience far more comfortable and convenient. Allowing you to have luxurious holidays all from a mobile home.
There are products that can improve all aspects of motorhoming, but these should be fitted by an expert in the field.
LNB Towbars are motorhome experts in Bristol, who provide a wide range of accessories. For more information, please head to the website: www.lnbtowbars.co.uk