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The 8 Best Motorhome Upgrades Under £1,000 to Consider

Motorhome Matt

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Looking to upgrade your motorhome or campervan without blowing the budget? In this episode of the Motorhome Matt Podcast, Matt and Keith reveal 8 of the best motorhome upgrades for under £1,000, covering everything from lithium leisure batteries and solar panels to air ride suspension, mobile internet, and more. Whether you’re chasing better off-grid performance, a smoother ride, or just a comfier night’s sleep, these cost-effective improvements could seriously level up your van life.

Matt also dives into the pros and cons of trackers vs alarms, why camper-specific tyres are worth it, and how a solid motorhome warranty could save you a small fortune.

Plus, there's a sneak peek at the Manchester Caravan, Motorhome & Holiday Show 2026, where Matt’s taking the stage with expert talks on European travel and spring prep. And yes, discounted and giveaway tickets are still up for grabs.

In the Q&A, Matt answers your questions on CRiS registration, VIN Chip tracking, why insurance quotes for Ford-based motorhomes are getting trickier, and whether a solar panel can keep your motorhome battery topped up during a UK winter (spoiler: it’s not that simple). Real questions from real listeners, with answers you can actually use.

If you own a motorhome, campervan or caravan, or you're thinking about buying one, this is the down-to-earth, expert advice you need before your next upgrade. Subscribe now on your favourite podcast app and never miss an episode.

CHAPTERS:
00:00 – Intro: Welcome to the Motorhome Matt Podcast
01:09 – Win Tickets to the Manchester Caravan & Motorhome Show 2026
02:39 – Spend & Save Sale at That Leisure Shop
03:44 – Upgrade 1: Lithium Leisure Battery vs Portable Power Pack
06:02 – Upgrade 2: Air Ride Suspension – Smoother Ride & Stability
07:22 – Upgrade 3: Solar Panels – Are They Worth It in the UK?
10:36 – Upgrade 4: Mobile Internet – Belmont Pathway 4G
13:20 – Upgrade 5: Upgraded Mattress or Topper – Comfort Upgrade
15:45 – Upgrade 6: Insurance-Approved Tracker or Alarm
19:46 – Upgrade 7: Camper-Spec Tyres – All-Terrain and All-Season
22:18 – Upgrade 8: Extended Motorhome Warranty
25:05 – Q&A
34:45 – Ask Matt Your Question

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20 Comments

@neilfordham5790 4 weeks ago

Thank you Smashy and Nicie great fun and very informative.

@kghwanadoo 8 months ago (edited)

Eco flow, life saver! Air suspension game changer. Tracker for peace of mind.

@granddad7639 8 months ago

Another great episode ❤
I sleep like a log but my wife doesn't so a mattress change sounds like a great upgrade.

@davechesterton6649 5 months ago

Hi Matt and the team when are you going to do "how to use your power pack safely" ?

@2-4-6wheels 4 months ago

I've a 100w solar panel on my moho which has kept my starter battery and leisure battery bank topped up through many winters no problem. Always starts up on the first turn of the key.

@karlospappy8908 8 months ago

When our CV40 was new in 2023, I added a matched 95a battery, converted the rear seating to a fixed bed and fitted a Vesgantti pocket spring 10.5 inch deep mattress which is so comfortable, also have an Ecoflow Delta 3 plus and a 200w and 100w Renogy folding panels which keeps us going when off grid either here or in Europe. I refuse to pay UK inflated camp site prices, we use CCC DA meets which are often on a field owned by a camp site but at a fraction of the cost to stay. Cheeers K.

@aimeewilde1564 8 months ago

Best thing I bought was a 2400W power bank! We can use a hairdryer offgrid 😂

@popuptoaster 8 months ago

There is an advantage to solar that you didn't mention, if you set the system up right it will maintain both the house and the starter battery while the van isn't being used and allow such things as an alarm to be used without draining the battery.

@FredFox-m9v 8 months ago (edited)

My campervan is stored on my drive and the solar panel keeps the dual liesure batteries topped up throughout winter, apart from when they are covered with snow, in that case because it is on the drive, it is easy to go out with a brush and clear it off. We also have a caravan but keep it in storage. The solar panel isn't as high output as the campervan because it never goes off grid, obviously. In winter it doesn't get enough power to keep the liesure battery topped up, and especially if it snows, because it is 5 miles away, it doesn't get cleared of snow. Last year the battery was dead in the spring, costing around £100 to replace. Now I am always going to remove the battery and bring it home from the end of October to the end of February, when the sun gets it's power back, as i have done this year and keep it topped up and charged regularly at home.
I would advise everybody to do the same to be sure, as long as the caravan is on a security approved site, without the insurance company demanding the alarm is on 24/7 year round. In that case you would have to go weekly, to charge it from a portable power station, which would be an absolute bind, although i do check the caravan fortnightly for water ingress.
A starlink mini is available for £159 for the equipment and £50 per month for 50 gb now and you can get internet absolutely anywhere in the UK, with a free view of the sky.

@tradecarsdirectltd2344 8 months ago

Matt be careful running a euro 6 engine on idle to charge battery's as over 5 mins can over time damage your dpf/cats etc. If you start smelling exhaust fumes give it a good rev up to clear gases and then turn it off !
It's also not recommended to pre- warm an engine prior to a journey.
Sam in Cannock . . .

@FrankKinlan888 8 months ago

Bit of a a joke show TBH but I will be there.

@2-4-6wheels 4 months ago

To be fair to Ripe they are very competitive which they're able to do by cherry picking and only taking on low risk. Furthermore, their parameters are set by their underwriters. I tried them but was declined because my remap increased the bhp by more than 10%. It's a 4.5 ton moho so clearly not for traffic light burn-outs and I don't possess a hoody or wear my cap back-to-front 😂

@Scuba72Chris 8 months ago (edited)

Pretty sure the rabbit ears on the Pathway 4g are just for wifi connectivity. The 4g antenna is internal.

@GailSmith-i6t 2 months ago

Hi Matt enjoying and appreciating your very informative podcasts as always . We are just about to invest possibly in a continental coachbuilt motorhome which is a very young one we have had z previous uk manufactured one before I was just wondering if Insurance companies tend yo charge more for continental vans insurance more than the UK brands or is that not something that would make a difference to overall insurance costs ? Thankyou

@CoLyn3810 8 months ago (edited)

Reference Keith's solar panel comment, "16 panels and 4K maximum allowed by law"? This needs clarifying by Keith as an inverter of 3.68kW and 4kWp uses the G98 and no DNO approval is required but above these ratings then a G99 DNO approval is required before work can begin. Some installers push the G98 route so they can start work quickly but not to the owners benefit until they find out later on?
I have 16x 455w panels and a 6.6kW Inverter with 13kWh batteries on a G99 certificate.

@London2Turin 8 months ago

Great episode guys. As a full-timer I would have to say spending money on the solar and batteries is probably the best starting point. With 'enough' of both, you have the base to do whatever you need to live comfortably. I mean, I could probably live without my welder, ice cube maker and fractal wood burning kit, but what would be the point?? 🙂

@tradecarsdirectltd2344 8 months ago

Matt can you please confirm the allowances or limitations on the 12 month EE 120gb data only sim you use in Europe???
Is it 50gb a month or unlimited useage???
Regards Sam Cannock

@terencebelton344 8 months ago

At what rate does the Alternator charge the car battery? At what rate does the alternator charge the motorhome battery. Is the charge from the alternator split the charging rate or is it increased to offer same charging rate to both. What is the charging rate from a standard independent charger to a battery?