It can be stressful when you’re buying your first motorhome. It’s such a lot of money and chances are, you don’t have much experience with motorhomes so you’re going to second-guess every decision you make.

It may help to know, that almost no one purchases the ‘right’ motorhome the first time! (Is that helpful to know, or does it just fill you with more dread?) Motorhomes are one of those purchases that you don’t really know if it’s the right one, until you’ve lived and travelled in it for at least a couple of weeks.

But here are five of our top questions that will help you to narrow down the right motorhome for you.

How often will you use your motorhome?

Having an idea of how often you intend to use your motorhome will help you to figure out your needs.

Someone who is planning to use their motorhome once a year to go and visit family in another state will have very different needs to someone who plans to travel for months at a time. If it’s just short trips that you’ll be doing, you may decide to forgo some of the comforts of home in order to be small and nimble. Whereas a person who is living in their motorhome full-time may crave more space, both to relax and for storage.

How often will you move location?

Consider whether the type of travelling you would like to do will have you moving every night, or staying at least a couple of nights in each location.

If you’re staying for a little while, you’ll want to think about your transport while you’re settled. Would you want to take your motorhome out sightseeing or to the shops, or would it be practical? If not, you’ll need to consider whether you’ll tow a small vehicle behind your motorhome, or carry a scooter or e-bikes!

Will you be travelling off the black top?

To be honest, there aren’t many motorhomes that offer 4WD capabilities. But it’s such an important question. If you plan on doing any offroad driving, heck even if you’re planning off-the-black-top driving, you’ll want to seriously consider a 4WD motorhome.

This is where Explorer Motorhomes really stand out in their field. All three models in their range are high-clearance 4WD vehicles and they are perfect for any type of adventures on (or off) any Australian road.

Do you plan to do any free camping

Do you like to stay in caravan parks with all the conveniences of power, water, internet, shops and friendly neighbours?

Or do you prefer to find a deserted spot, far from anyone else where nature and wildlife are your closest neighbours?

If you like to get away from it all, you’ll need to consider whether your motorhome is suitable for off grid camping. Do you have gas to power your cooker, batteries and solar power to keep your fridge going (and your phone!) and water tanks large enough to keep you all hydrated and (semi) clean?

What’s your budget?

For most of us, budget is the first question you need to ask… not the last. But it’s by asking the questions above that you can start to determine what your needs are for a home on wheels.

With a little experience, I think you’ll quickly learn that your budget is never enough and that it will always increase!

Even though you might be feeling stressed about buying your first motorhome, my hope is that by asking yourself these questions, you’ll have a better idea about what type of vehicle will suit you and your travelling companions the best.