Motorhome tips beginners: complete ownership guide

If you arm yourself with a range of motorhome tips for beginners, getting behind the wheel for the first time is easy.

In this article, we provide a range of practical motorhome tips for beginners. Our advice has been categorised to help beginners gain confidence in all areas of owning/hiring a motorhome, including:

• Tips for Preparing and Packing a Motorhome

• Tips for Driving a Motorhome

• Tips for Camping in a Motorhome

• Tips for Buying a Motorhome

If you follow the simple and straightforward tips in this article, your first road trip as a “motorhome beginner” will be a breeze!

Beginners Tips for Preparing and Packing a Motorhome

Stay somewhere easy on the first night

When sleeping in a motorhome for the first time, consider doing so somewhere convenient and close to assistance if needed. This gives you the opportunity to learn about your motorhome and how it works. It also allows you to resolve any potential problems that might arise before you go too far into the wilderness.

Check your motorhome’s heating system

You don’t want to be left out in the cold. Make sure that you know how to operate your motorhome’s heating system and that it is functioning properly before you leave. Also, check that the gas tank is full.

Pack your motorhome light and empty the water tank

Pack only what is necessary. This will help you to save space in your motorhome. It also makes it easier to drive and maneuver the vehicle safely.

Extra tip: One easy way to shed weight is to empty your motorhome’s water tank before taking off. You will not need the water while driving anyway.

Take energy-saving appliances

Most home appliances are inefficient when it comes to power usage (e.g. kettles, hairdryers, microwaves, etc). Not only will these appliances quickly drain the motorhome battery, but they may trip the surge protector at powered campsites. Consider more energy-efficient alternatives (e.g. a gas stove kettle).

Turn on your motorhome’s fridge before leaving

Connect your motorhome to mains power and let your refrigerator run for a day before you leave. This way, it will not have to draw upon battery power whilst cooling.

Secure motorhome doors and awnings

Ensure that all the doors and awnings, both outside and inside your motorhome, are shut and secured. This will prevent damage. Don’t forget to also raise the footstep as well.

Take a spare gas bottle

If your motorhome’s main gas bottle ever runs out, you’ll always have a backup.

Plan your road trip before you leave

The last thing you want to be thinking about when driving your motorhome for the first time is “where am I going?”. Plan your road trip ahead of time and put all of your stops into a GPS or navigation app.

Extra tip: If you want to quickly and easily plan a truly unforgettable experience, you have to check out our guide to the Ultimate NZ Road Trip.

Beginners Tips for Driving a Motorhome

Ensure that the motorhome gas tank is turned off

Leaving your gas tank on whilst driving could lead to leakages and creates the potential for an explosion. Always turn your gas tank off before driving anywhere.

Pack paper towels between plates

This will help to prevent the annoying rattle of plates as you drive your motorhome.

Place plugs in all drains to prevent smells from rising

As you drive around, wastewater in the grey water tank sloshes around and may cause foul smells to rise. To prevent this, plug all the showers and sinks in your motorhome before taking off each day.

Pour detergent down your wastewater drains

This will further prevent nasty smells from rising out of your wastewater tank and into the motorhome.

Fuel up your motorhome in major cities and towns

Diesel and petrol tend to be cheapest in the major cities and towns. Filling up your motorhome in these areas may save you a lot of money over the course of your road trip.

Empty the motorhome water tank before driving

Emptying your water tank before driving can make it easier and safer to drive your motorhome. Before emptying the tank, use as much water as possible so that it doesn’t go to waste.

Have documentation on hand

When you take a road trip in your motorhome, there may be times when you are asked for your documentation. Keep your driver’s license, registration and insurance somewhere that is easily accessible.

Be aware of your motorhome’s size and weight

It is important to note the dimensions and weight of your motorhome, as these factors may prevent you from accessing certain car parks or taking certain roads.

Use a GPS or Navigation App

Your road trip will be much more easy and enjoyable if you use GPS or navigation apps like Waze or maps.me. These apps will give you spoken directions and provide live traffic updates to find the best route for your motorhome road trip.

Beginners Tips for Camping in a Motorhome

Conserve your motorhome’s battery

Using appliances in your motorhome whilst not connected to a mains power source will quickly drain your battery. Turn off any electrical appliances or functions that you are not using to save battery power (e.g. turn off the motorhome water pump at night).

Extra tip: When your motorhome is connected to a mains power source, minimise your energy usage overnight and allow the battery to recharge.

Minimise usage of the toilet in your motorhome

It is preferable to use campsite toilets when they are available. This will minimise the amount of time you have to spend dealing with sewage. If you do use your motorhome toilet, try to keep it to liquid waste and empty the sewage tank regularly (every 2-3 days at most).

Take short showers

Motorhomes typically only carry enough water to provide you with a short shower (i.e. a few minutes at most).

Extra tip: When showering, turn the water off whilst you soap yourself up.

Regularly empty your motorhome’s waste tanks

Just like it is a good idea to regularly empty your motorhome’s water tank, it is also wise to empty the wastewater and sewage tanks as often as possible. This reduces the weight of the motorhome and also helps to prevent foul smells on board.

Have sanitiser on hand

Keep a bottle of sanitiser or wipes in your glove box. These are particularly handy after finishing up at the waste disposal.

Camp your motorhome on the outskirts of town

Streets and roads tend to be wider and less crowded on the outskirts of towns and cities. By sticking to these roads, it will be easier to maneuver your motorhome. Most road trippers tend to do this anyway, as the majority of campsites are located well outside of the town centre. From your campsite, you can utilise public transport or walk into town. This also saves you from having to park your motorhome every time you want to eat out or go sightseeing.

Don't rush

Relax, travel slowly and make the most of your time on the road. Eventually, you will get more used to the daily routine of packing down, driving and setting up your motorhome. Not only is this the safest way to travel, but it’s also the most enjoyable.

Beginners Tips for Buying a Motorhome

Want to invest in your first motorhome? Make sure to follow our useful tips below.

Do your research

Before buying a motorhome, think about which features you need/want and how large your budget is. If you want to be sure that you are making the right choice, check out our catch-all guide to purchasing a motorhome.

Try before you buy your motorhome

If you are considering buying a particular model of motorhome for the first time, it is always recommended that you hire the motorhome before committing to the purchase. That way, you can make sure that the vehicle meets all your needs and expectations.

Camplify has dozens of different motorhomes for hire in New Zealand, including:

• Jong’s Cosy Mercedes Sprinter (Perfect for couples)

• Dan’s Brand New Fiat Carado (A great size for most families)

• Jill’s Luxurious Volkswagen Crafter (Comfortably sleeps up to 6 people)

Extra tip: If you are still unsure which motorhome is right for you, you can draw further inspiration from this article about the best motorhomes to hire in New Zealand.

Plan Your First Motorhome Adventure With Camplify

Equipped with all of our handy advice above, you’re set to enjoy your first motorhome experience with Camplify!

We are proud to be New Zealand’s fastest-growing private caravan, campervan and motorhome sharing community. When you hire a van through our platform, it comes with lots of advantages:

• Comprehensive hire insurance

• 24/7 RAC nationwide breakdown cover

• Dedicated customer support

• All members are verified

By hiring with Camplify, you are also helping local families who share their van on our platform and supporting many local companies across New Zealand in addition to ours. So we are very grateful to you.

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