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

Original poster

Caravans

18 replies

spongebobscardypants · 21/04/2013 09:32

We really want to get one. We initially thought tourer with a fixed bed area, either bunks or a double for our girls 7&3. We would pitch for a whole season and store near our chosen site over winter. After a recent stay in a static we had a change of heart and thought a static would be best. Now I'm not sure, initial cost is putting me off but not DH, what if we want to move sites. Arhhhhhh please help me decide. Why did you choose yours?

OP posts:
MsUumellmahaye · 21/04/2013 12:30

hi, we have a tourer, we went for that rather than static to avoid site fees, we are lucky enough to be able to store it in out drive way. I love it, and love going to lots of different sites.

Quenelle · 22/04/2013 11:21

I have no idea about caravans. I just wanted to post and say how much I love your username, MsUumellmahaye Grin

MsUumellmahaye · 22/04/2013 17:28

why thank you:) from one of my fav films.

millimat · 22/04/2013 18:07

We have a tourer but I think it depends if you will visit many sites. We have not yet visited the same site twice and explore all over the country. However if you're looking at a fixed place then a static has double the space particularly with bedroom and bathroom areas.

looselegs · 23/04/2013 20:21

We've had a tourer for 9 years.
You can tour the whole country-and other countries;we do France-at a very reasonable rate.
We don't have room at home to store ours,but only pay £200 a year storage which is very cheap!
Because pitch prices can be cheap, you can have a 2 week summer hol for a third of the price of a holiday through travel agents-our 2 weeks in France is £500(cheaper than sites we looked at in Cornwall) and we save tesco vouchers to pay for the channel tunnel!..the wine is cheap in france too.....
We have several holidays a year-2 weeks summer,October half term,xmas (love going away just after xmas till the new year),week at Easter and the Bank Hols;for these we only travel about 50 miles away,but it's a break! If we added them all up,they probably total no more than £1000.Not bad!

My ex-SIL (who I'm still friendly with) has a static caravan on a site in the New Forest. They're yearly ground rent is £4000. If they want to move it to another site, it would cost nearly £5000. Because they have to pay towards the ground rent-its owned 3 ways with her sister and brother-they feel that they have to use it and feel guilty if they go elsewhere for a holiday. They've had to start renting it out-which they didn't want to do-to help pay towards the fees. Both my ex-SIL and her sister both want a tourer but feel that they can't get one as they have to use the static 'van.

It all depends on what you want to do with your hols. If you are happy going to the same place all the time,and have disposable income, then a static would do.But I love looking for, and visiting new sites and areas that I probably wouldn't have gone to if we didn't have our tourer!

One more thing-why don't you try a tourer first? They're a hell of a lot easier to sell on than a static if you don't like it!

chipmonkey · 23/04/2013 20:41

SIL and BIL had a static for a few years in a park over here ( Ireland) At first they loved it, it was only 1.5 hours drive away from home and SIL would stay in it for most of the summer with the kids and BIL would drive down at weekends. But after a couple of years the older kids got a bit bored of it so they used it less and less. I honestly think they might have preferred it if they were going to different locations, at least you would have that initial fun of getting to know a place.
I agree with looselegs. A tourer is relatively easy to part with if you decided to change to a static but the other way round isn't so easy. Also, another thing I hadn't realised until SIL told me was that a lot of sites will only allow statics up to a certain age, after that they must be moved on. That, in the end was what made them sell it up, if they stayed on the site they would have had to purchase a new static and they didn't want to make that commitment. With a tourer, you can keep it as long as you want.

Yonihadtoask · 23/04/2013 20:46

We have a tourer. It's kept in storage on a site, and towed to a pitch when we want to visit.

It's quite large, sleeps5. Put the awning up and double the space.

I would be wary of statics , for reasons stated by prev posters.

We still have holidays abroad in houses and hotels, tending to use the 'van for weekends and short trips in the school holidays.

Makingchanges · 23/04/2013 20:50

We had a tourer for years and sited it for the last two years on one pitch. But at the end of the day it was tiny and being in it for any amount of time with a youngster, putting the beds up and down every day etc was a pain.

This year we invested in a static. We have sited it on the same site which has lakes, a woodland, pub, clubhouse, entertainment and a pool. Means we don't have to make the beds etc, have more room, can leave things there more easily and at night, don't have to be as quiet when DD goes to bed. It is a lot more expensive but in the end means we use it a lot more

BastardDog · 23/04/2013 20:51

I think a tourer on a seasonal pitch is the best option.

A tourer for touring is great for adventures, but the preparing to go, pitching up and then packing up to head home can really make a short break not worth the hassle.

A static is great for space and a cheap way to have a second home which you can keep ready and waiting for you to just arrive and put the kettle on / open a bottle and relax. But although a cheap second home, they do seem to be difficult to resell, site fees can be high and many people resort to renting out to cover costs which to me negates the benefits I've mentioned.

But with a tourer on a seasonal pitch I think you've got the best of both worlds. Obviously a tourer is smaller than a static, but you can put up a full size awning and leave it up, which will double your space.

Original poster
spongebobscardypants · 23/04/2013 22:54

Thanks for all your replies. I think we are going with the tourer as its more flexible. If we didn't have the site fees one year we aren't forced to sell. I am so excited, girls would love fixed bunks, fingers crossed for next year!!!!

OP posts:
millimat · 24/04/2013 07:06

Ooh you'll have to let us know what make and model you get. I do love ours. I disagree with a previous post though about setting up and packing away if you do decide to tour in it. We are now very slick and can be on a pitch and set up in less than half and hour at tops. We leave things in the van so if the urge takes us we can just get some clothes, take food out of the cupboardsand off we go! :-D

MsUumellmahaye · 24/04/2013 16:49

same here milli, can bet set up and sitting down for dinner in half an hour now!!! just airing mine today for our first weekend away this year, so excited :)

colleysmill · 24/04/2013 23:52

I don't know an awful lot about caravans but we have friends who used to have a static (although i think it was a private site) and on top of the ground rent they weren't allowed a static van over a certain age so had to upgrade the van after so many years. I have no idea though if this is a common requirement.but might be worth asking before buying.

colleysmill · 24/04/2013 23:54

Oops have seen the thread has moved on. Good luck op!

Original poster
spongebobscardypants · 25/04/2013 03:59

CM any further advice is welcome Smile

OP posts:
Yonihadtoask · 25/04/2013 10:43

Yes, we don't take long to get set up.

Especially if we don't plan to use the loo or the water :) I have no problems using the public loos (much prefer to actually), and can use the publfic washing up areas.

If there are only me and DH for a weekend we often do that - it saves time and effort.

Yes to leaving stuff at the caravan. Toiletries, some canned food even. I have a hairdryer and sandals etc

headlesslambrini · 26/04/2013 18:24

we have a tourer and an awning is a must. It doubles your space. ours is a 5 berth. I really want to upgrade ours now to one with a fixed bed and have my eye on one but I just have to convince DH.

anniepanniepears · 02/05/2013 21:21

have a look at the hobby caravans we had one and loved it when the kids were small.now we have a small 2 berth elddis for me and hubby as the kids are too cool to be seen with mum and dad in a caravan lol

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