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Camping

Our UK Camping forum has all the information you need on finding the right equipment for your tent or caravan.

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Original poster

best car for family camping

60 replies

oranges123 · 16/05/2011 14:51

For some years, we have just about managed to get our camping stuff in our Fiesta with a roof box and the back seats folded down. Now we have DD though, either the car goes or she stays at home. After much thought we have decided to ditch the car.

Could all you family camping experts (particularly the less minimalist amongst you) recommend the roomiest most camping-friendly cars you have had? We thought about a van but this is probably going to be our only vehicle so I would prefer a car ideally, possibly an estate or MPV-type.

Thanks in advance for any thoughts.

OP posts:

SpringyMcSpringyPants · 17/05/2011 06:57

We have a Saab 95 and pull a trailer tent. It has bags of room in the boot for all our stuff without having to put things in the footwells.

Our car before that was a Volvo V70 (01 plate) which just was not big enough. Filled to the gunnels and in all the footwells.

When we had a tent we had a Renault Grand Scenic, which was cavernous.

Before we had the 3 kids we had an old. boxy Volvo estate and that was fantastic as well. Huge boot room.

voodoomunkee · 17/05/2011 07:18

We have a volvo but it is not an estate and I wish it was! We have a massive tent, me , oh and 2 dc's with a 3rd on the way and we struggle to fit everything in for a weekend camping trip. Hoping in the near future that we may eventually get another (more economical) car so read this with interest! OH refuses point blank to get a mpv, so an estate may be the way forward.

Original poster

oranges123 · 17/05/2011 10:50

Thank you all so much for your replies. This is all really helpful. I have looked into the Volvo V70 a bit now and it is definitely a contender but may be a bit pricey for us so the Skoda Octavia Estate is now also on the list as is the Mondeo Estate. I am a slightly crap parker even in a Fiesta so will have to test drive a couple of the estates and see if they feel like trying to park a bus or if I can manage ok. Otherwise an MPV like the Grand Scenic or a C-max/S-max/Galaxy might be a good option as they are presumably higher and shorter. This weekend is going to be a whirlwind of test drives I think - DH will think he is in heaven!

For those who suggested a campervan, I have a confession to make. We do currently own an old VW bay campervan which is probably why we ended up buying so much camping stuff. (I didn't mention it in the OP as I was trying to avoid a long boring eulogy which is what it would have ended up). For a few years DH and I would amble off on long slowwww holidays with loads of crap and happily sit on the side of the road for a couple of hours while the van was fixed (often by DH) or was hooked up to be towed home. On the occasions we actually wanted to get somewhere fast we would take the Fiesta and marginally less crap - hence the roofbox.

Now we have DD, the breakdowns are not funny any more and, sadly, we have decided the van needs a new, loving and more patient home to go to but the Fiesta and roofbox cannot take the strain. So, both vehicles are going and being replaced by one reasonably massive workhorse. We thought about another, more modern van, say a Bongo, but we mostly sleep in tents these days so it seemed pointless.

So thanks again for all your advice and I will report back on what we get in the end voodoomunkee in case it helps you decide.

OP posts:

lucykate · 17/05/2011 10:59

land rover discovery? a diesel one, costs a lot to fill up but you'll get a lot of miles out of one tank, plus the boot space is huge.

or a range rover. we have one, and yes i know they have a reputation of being huge gas guzzling 4x4's, but ours runs on lpg. makes the tax cheaper and lpg is half the price of unleaded.

jamaisjedors · 17/05/2011 14:22

We have a Peugeot Partner (teepee) which looks a bit like the Kangoos but it's much more comfortable inside and loads of space (flat boot for sliding stuff out and the seats can be taken out or folded flat.)

BikeRunSki · 17/05/2011 17:05

I am a terrible parker, but our Octavia has parking sensors and it is dead easy to park it. I think they have come as standard for several years now. Our last one (we're on our second) was an 03 reg I think, and had them.

BikeRunSki · 17/05/2011 17:06

We are only on our second Octavia because it is DH's company car. FIL has a W reg one still going strong with 150K miles on it!

pinkhebe · 17/05/2011 17:11

my friend's have a vw caravanette - they camp loads and it apparently has loads of room.

We camp infrequently and have a seat alhambra. which is also fine.

BelovedCunt · 17/05/2011 19:38

i LOVE the word caravanette. i always say it in a pseudo posh scottish accent for some reason

notwavingjustironing · 18/05/2011 11:01

I love the fact that I hadn't set foot under canvas for ahem 30 odd years, yet started again last year and am seriously considering changing the car so that we can camp with more stuff freedom

Blu · 18/05/2011 11:15

To my mind there would be something quite barmy in the economics of buying a Range Rover with it's sky high capital costs, tax, insurance and running costs, in order to go camping two or three times a year!

Original poster

oranges123 · 18/05/2011 11:17

NWJI It is funny how the stuff you really really need just grows and grows over the years. A little part of me would love to go away with everything I need in a backpack, and that little part succumbs over and again to space saving gadgets - pop up washing up bowls, sporks, little triangular thingies for holding tiny amounts of salt and pepper and one other essential herb or spice of your choice.... And even with those dutifully packed, I still require enough additional crap essentials to fill the car and roofbox until the windows explode.

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Original poster

oranges123 · 18/05/2011 11:21

And thanks BikeRunSki for the heads up on the Octavia - parking sensors would definitely help me (as would even the tiniest amount of spatial awareness)

OP posts:

scampadoodle · 18/05/2011 11:32

Lovecat: there is no such thing as 'extraneous bedding' when it comes to camping...

lucykate · 18/05/2011 11:51

blu - the insurance for the range rover is less than our old car, it's cheaper on tax because it runs on greener fuel (gas/lpg) and lpg is half the price of unleaded. not quite as barmy a decision as you'd think!

notwavingjustironing · 18/05/2011 11:58

I'm getting unreasonably excited about the thought of buying a roofbox!

I used to have a wild, exciting life, now I get excited about finding a half price fleece in Primark which I just have to buy (despite the other ten that are already with the camping stuff, just in case .......

I remember reading a thread last year where an MNer had got so enthusiastic about packing everything but the kitchen sink, and a friend's child had something requiring Sudacreme, and she had a minature pot in her kit, and was so proud.

I found myself nodding along, thinking, "yep, that's me, that is...."

BikeRunSki · 18/05/2011 18:05

I don't work for Skoda or anything, but the Octavia is very fuel efficient too. We had Focus on hire when Octavia was in for crash repair and were at how much fuel it got through.

(I really don't work for Skoda, but I have a Fabia too...)

CaurnieBred · 19/05/2011 15:29

My friends chipped in and bought me a roofbox for my birthday as DH refused to get one and they knew that I really wanted one!

We have a C-Max which we could fit everything into but we would be straining inside the car. With the roofbox it means we can sit in comfort without worrying about being squished if we need to brake sharply!

BelovedCunt · 19/05/2011 15:32

skodas are great but plasticy inside - if you care about that sort of thing.

Guildenstern · 19/05/2011 15:41

I have my eye on a Vauxhall Zafira as I figure this will double for transporting my kids and their friends once we get to that stage. It looks roomy - any comments?

Ineedalife · 19/05/2011 18:09

I have a zafira diesel it is excellent for carrying camping gear and bikes. We have a towbar mounted bike rack and a roof box for longer stays.

It is fab for transporting the kids and friends too. I really can't say enough about this car, we have had it for a year and it does exactly what we wanted it for.

I upgraded from an escort estate because we had outgrown it and worn the poor thing out!!

Good luck with your car shopping..

Piffpaffpoff · 19/05/2011 18:21

We have a cmax and a passat estate and have found they take about the same amount of kit. Before the passat, we had an octavia estate and I reckon it had about the same boot space as the passat but there was noticeably less room in the 'cabin'.

We've just invested in a headrest mounted dog guard, not because we have a dog, but to enable us to pile the stuff higher in the boot without worrying that it will land on the DCs heads if I brake too sharply!

Original poster

oranges123 · 22/05/2011 22:07

Just thought I would check back in. We ended up test driving a Zafira automatic and have fallen for it. Not too expensive, plenty of room for camping stuff with the middle row of seats forward as far as possible (still an option with DD only having short legs at the moment) and two folding seats in the back which will be handy for transporting her friends in years to come and extended family for the time being. Also it didn't feel too enormous which was impotant for me as I have never driven anything bigger than a Fiesta before. Also a couple of friends have them and highly recommended them.

The only downer is there seems to be only one cup holder in the front even in the top of the range version. (Two in the middle row and two more in the very back). This is a big issue for me but I don't think we can base our car choice entirely on cup holder provision so I am just going to have to deal with it.

Guildenstern, when we actually buy ours, I will report back with our review.

Thanks again to everyone for advice.

OP posts:

Guildenstern · 23/05/2011 15:57

Thanks oranges - am watching this thread. I also have only driven a Fiesta (unless you count the Mondeo I wrote off whilst trying to park) so am concerned about how on earth I will maneouvre anything bigger.

On the plus side, I don't use cupholders.

Doyouthinktheysaurus · 23/05/2011 16:19

After a fiesta, a zafira will feel huge!

I am not one for cupholders either but I do like a good cubby hole and our galaxy has loads of them

We went from a vectra to a galaxy and the increased size has taken a bit of getting used to. It's the width rather that I struggle with, I tend to park right at the back of car parks these days!

Worth it for the space for our camping gear though, much less arguing!

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