Motorhome Depreciation & Resale: What Actually Holds Value?

Quick answer: do motorhomes hold their value?

Some motorhomes retain a high proportion of their original asking-price level, but there is no reliable single depreciation percentage that applies across brands, layouts and specifications. In RoamWorthy's 2 September 2026 snapshot, the median asking price of 38 used 2023 motorhomes was £65,495, compared with £78,285 for 295 new 2026 motorhomes.

Why model mix matters so much

Looking at make-level examples shows why blanket depreciation claims are dangerous. In the same snapshot, Auto-Trail had three 2023 used examples at a £56,995 median versus 52 new 2026 examples at £76,247. Benimar had four 2023 used examples at £60,995 versus 16 new 2026 examples at £77,090. Bailey had three 2023 used examples at £60,995 versus 13 new 2026 examples at £78,999.

Elddis demonstrates the opposite risk: its 14 used 2023 examples had a £66,495 median, while 32 new 2026 examples had a £65,995 median. That does not mean Elddis motorhomes appreciated. It means the specific stock mix in those two cohorts is not like-for-like enough to infer depreciation from the headline medians.

What usually protects resale value

1. A model with continuing buyer demand

Demand matters because a wider buyer pool can make a vehicle easier to compare and sell. RoamWorthy's separate Motorhome Demand Index measures first-party buyer attention, but it should be used as a supporting signal rather than a resale guarantee.

2. Condition and documented history

A clean habitation and mechanical history gives a buyer more confidence than a vague claim that a brand “holds value”. Damp, unresolved damage, missing paperwork and poor maintenance can overwhelm any theoretical brand advantage.

3. A layout that still fits current buyer needs

Layout affects the size of the potential buyer pool. Current RoamWorthy canonical-layout data shows deep stock in French-bed, rear-island-bed and rear-lounge motorhomes, which makes those categories easy to compare. That does not prove they depreciate less, but it does show they remain widely represented in current dealer inventory.

4. Weight, payload and usable specification

Buyers increasingly compare the actual usable vehicle rather than the brochure headline. Payload, licence requirements, storage, travel seats and bed arrangement can all affect how many people will consider a specific motorhome.

What hurts resale value

• Unresolved damp or water ingress: buyers may discount heavily when condition is uncertain.
• Incomplete history: missing service and habitation records reduce confidence.
• Non-reversible modifications: unusual changes can narrow the buyer pool.
• Poorly matched specification: a premium feature list does not compensate for the wrong layout or insufficient payload.
• Overpricing: an asking price far above comparable current stock can leave a vehicle sitting unsold even if the underlying model is desirable.

How to estimate resale strength without inventing a percentage

1. Find current examples of the same model, age and broad specification.
2. Compare asking prices across several dealers rather than one advert.
3. Check current stock depth: one scarce vehicle is not enough to establish a market.
4. Look at buyer-attention signals where available.
5. Adjust for condition, mileage, service history, extras and dealer warranty rather than relying on brand averages.

RoamWorthy's Motorhome Market Index is useful for the broad price environment, while model pages and live listings give the narrower comparison that matters for an individual vehicle.

Can we rank brands by depreciation yet?

Not responsibly from current asking-price inventory alone. A robust depreciation ranking needs repeated like-for-like observations, enough examples at each age, and ideally realised sale values. RoamWorthy now captures daily canonical-model stock snapshots, so the evidence base will improve over time. Until then, we prefer to publish asking-price comparisons with the limitations visible rather than present a false “best residual value” league table.

Methodology

The snapshot includes published, available, priced, analytics-eligible motorhome listings that are not already flagged with suspicious pricing. The 2023 cohort is used stock; the 2026 comparison cohort is stock explicitly marked new. Medians reduce the effect of outliers, but the comparison remains cross-sectional and is not a matched-model depreciation study.

Bottom line: treat “holds value” as a vehicle-specific outcome influenced by demand, condition, documentation, layout and price discipline—not as a fixed brand promise.