The campervan vs motorhome question has shifted in 2026. The answer isn’t simple. Our data shows that a third of what we’ve bought this year so far is a converted van. We buy across the whole market. When that number moves, it means something.
You might be looking to sell a campervan. Or you might be choosing between the two and want to know which holds its value better. Either way, I’ll give you the real picture. But first — the basics.
What’s the difference between a campervan and a motorhome?
A motorhome is built out from a chassis. The walls, roof, and rear are all purpose-built around the living space.
A panel van uses a base vehicle — a Ducato, Sprinter, or Berlingo — with everything fitted inside. The outer shell stays as the manufacturer made it. The Adria Twin and Swift Select are good examples.
A campervan is typically smaller. Think VW Transporter, converted internally, often with a pop-top roof. Easy to park. Usable as a daily vehicle.
Worth knowing: all of the above are registered as a motor caravan on the V5C. There’s no legal difference between them at DVLA level.
Why the converted van market is growing
Each year we visit Europe’s biggest motorhome shows. We talk to manufacturers, dealers and customers. At last year’s Caravan Salon in Düsseldorf, the direction was obvious. Brands like Bürstner have cut their ranges. They’ve dropped A-class models and are focusing on vehicles under 7.5m. Panel van conversions are a growing part of that.
Overnight parking for large vehicles is getting harder across the UK. Lincoln Council banned overnight sleeping in council car parks from November 2024. North Yorkshire made its coastal overnight ban permanent after a successful trial.
Earlier this year, Eryri National Park Authority restricted overnight parking at 11 Snowdonia car parks. The ban was suspended weeks later. Why? It pushed visitors straight onto residential streets in nearby villages. There’s no easy fix — just more pressure on where large vehicles can stop.
A seven-and-a-half metre coach-built stands out wherever it parks. A panel van doesn’t. That’s becoming more relevant by the year.
Brexit is still adding cost and admin. The 90-day rule limits UK passport holders to 90 days in the Schengen area per 180-day period. The EU’s entry/exit system (EES) is now live at Dover and the Eurotunnel, replacing passport stamps with biometric checks. Three months touring Spain or Portugal is no longer simple. A smaller, flexible vehicle makes more sense for a lot of owners.
Campervan vs motorhome UK: what’s actually worth more?
High-top campervans and panel vans are the strongest part of the market right now. If you have one, that’s good news — provided it’s a professional conversion from a known brand.
Our team gets up to 100 campervan valuation requests per day. There’s almost always a converter in that list we’ve never heard of. If yours is an unknown conversion, selling is harder. You’re up against hundreds of similar vans with nothing to set yours apart. Known brands hold value. Unknown ones don’t.
Visuals matter more than people think. Alloys, body kits, colour — all affect what buyers will pay. An unusual colour can cost you at resale.
The pop-top market is busy. High volume cuts both ways. Standing out means strong condition and a name people know.
Motorhomes are not in trouble. Layout and price are what matters. Under 7.5 metres, island beds or twin beds above the garage, priced under £60,000 — those move well. Bigger vehicles with less popular layouts take longer. Price them accordingly. There’s still unsold 2023, 2024, and 2025 stock in the market, and it’s pressing down on that segment.
What we look for when we buy
We don’t buy vehicles older than around 25 years. The market is too limited. Owners tend to get a better price through other routes.
It needs to be a full, professional conversion from a known brand. Not a rock-and-roll bed in a Transporter. No DIY builds. Gas, electrics, and habitation systems need to be verifiable — and on a DIY van, they usually aren’t.
The base vehicle matters. VW Transporters, Ford Transit Customs, and Mercedes tend to outsell Citroen Dispatches or Vauxhall Vivaros. We also get cautious above 150,000 miles. At that point, maintenance risk starts to outweigh the value.
Damp is the biggest risk factor on any vehicle — coach-built or converted. A floor repair alone can take 70 to 90 hours of workshop time. It hits value hard. We check for it on everything.
So which is worth more?
It comes down to what’s in demand — and that’s increasingly the converted van. But demand isn’t the only question.
Where are you going? How many people? How much space do you actually need? How often do you use it? The right vehicle is the one that fits your life. There’s no point in buying something that doesn’t
