What type of caravan do we need?

[Newcastlegirl]

Hello!

DH and I are considering buying a caravan. We think we would prefer to buy a used one to start with to make sure it’s right for us. Main things to think about:

• DH is 6ft4 and I am 5ft9.
• we are sturdy / I am overweight (not massive but certainly not petite.
• 2 x DC age 12 and 8
• Would prefer not to have bunk beds.
• we do not want to replace our car so single axle / lighter weight is necessary.
• Would like it to be as big as possible for a single axle (I think?)

I’ve been looking at Elddis - would be keen to hear and reviews.

I am drooling over massive Hobby vans but they are a) too expensive and b) too big and heavy!

We are new to caravanning so any advice welcome!!

If you don't want to change your car, you will be restricted by the car's maximum towing weight. It's recommended that the loaded weight of the caravan is no more than 85% of the towing car's weight, so you need to research carefully. Would recommend a towing course as well so you also understand the weight ratios and how to safely load a van.

Do you and dh want to sleep on a fixed bed - in which case search for fixed bed or island bed layouts (island bed may be better if your dh is tall). Your dc could then sleep on the single beds in the front dinette so you wouldn't need to convert it to a bed each night - or could sleep in the awning or separate pup tent when a bit older. You also don't say what your budget is: someone described it to me as Coachman/Adria = Mercedes, Swift = BMW and Bailey = Mondeo, and you pay accordingly. Fwiw, we have a 2 berth Bailey and it's fab. Do check out any second hand vans for damp - we bought 2nd hand via a dealer but don't think we'd have been happy to buy one privately, as we didn't know enough about them and what things to check for.

This is a useful website for researching layouts.

https://www.caravanfinder.co.uk/caravan_layouts.html

You will need to know the towing limit for your car too.

DH is 6'3 - we find a lot of the fixed beds (especially the ones with a corner cut off) too small: they are normal double width and you might find them a bit squashed.
It can be a faff making up the bed from the sofas- especially if they have lots of small cushions to fit together. A mattress topper is very useful!

As our dc got older they preferred to sleep in their own pup tents.

Don't be drawn in by the beautiful huge bathrooms- with a family and a smaller car/van combo you need more actual living space. Also the showers: in real life they rarely get much use except as extra storage!

The best thing is to visit a load of showrooms and actually sit in the vans, also a caravan show (be strong and ignore the high pressure sales)

Take a good look at the kitchen area: is there actually enough space to dish up onto 4 plates? Where will you put the tv and kettle? Do you all fit on the sofas?

Some places let you hire before you buy- Glossop Caravans used to do this, don't know if they still do.

Finally: check carefully for damp- it's a real van killer. Check the tyres, they shouldn't be more than 5 years old- even if they look perfect they can fail with no warning bitter experience it's not fun!

The fixed bed or island bed combo means that you have less room for sitting in - if you're going to spend your evening watching tv - you could be cramped and uncomfortable. It also restricts dining area space. If you're planning to only use your van in the summer this won't matter as you'll spend more time sitting and eating outside or in the awning.
Lots of people buy caravans and realise that the layout or caravaning isn't for them so trade them in - so look out for almost new vans. Spend time going round dealerships as well as talking to caravanners

Yes, we saw a lot of 1 and 2 year old vans for the same reason as the poster above mentions - out of budget sadly - so you do need a good idea of what you want and how it will fit with a growing family. Our dc are older - ds hasn't come with us for a few years now and dd sleeps in a tent, so we only needed a small 2 berth as it's likely to just be me and dh. Effectively, we upgraded from a tent to the most basic level of caravan, but the fact that it has a proper bed, loo, shower (we do use this, especially if staying on a CL with no facilities), oven and a load of storage space elevates it to luxury as far as we're concerned

Thank you for all of this info - I should have said we are actually about the buy a new car but don’t want to have to spend huge amounts just to tow - we are looking at an Audi A4 estate at the moment. Our current family car is old now so we were looking to replace it anyway.

I like the idea of a fixed bed - but one of the ones at the side would not work for us. DH is too tall. It would need to be island bed - I think that’s what they are called?

@stringbean thats helpful comparing it to cars! Wondering where Elddis would fit in?!

Preference would be to buy from a reputable / recommended dealership than private just so we know it’s been checked for damp etc.

@aprofoundhistoricaloddity great advice thank you! We will visit showrooms for new and used vans and sit in them to find out what we think would work for us.

Budget wise - flexible. Think DH would prefer to buy an old van to make sure that caravanning is for us, with potential to sell it on and buy new / nearly new later on.

He would be happy with an old banger so long as it is dry!

We could afford new if we used finance but we don’t want to rush in to this in case we hate it. Although I don’t think we will, I guess you never know!

The caravan shows at the NEC and similar are great places to see what's available and whether you like them. All models and brand are together so lots opportunity to explore.

This might give you some ideas: www.campingandcaravanningclub.co.uk/advice/equipment/caravan-owner-satisfaction-awards/

The caravan show is at the NEC in October - I think they televised it last year. As others have said, go and look at any dealers, to try and get an idea of what you want. We had actually fixed on a specific van, but after looking around, ended up buying something different.

Just wondered @aprofoundhistoricaloddity re: pip tents, did the sites charge a lot extra (I.e a whole other pitch fee) or did they allow a pup tent for free?

Also. What sort of tent did you buy?

I would like to buy a smaller caravan and outsource the kids to pup tents - it is a genius idea!

Can I just say that we have been camping for 10 years and I have only now realised that pup tents are for kids not dogs

Some U.K. sites do make a charge for a pup tent- but not normally for a whole pitch.
In Europe you get charged per pitch with an amount for extra people. Last time we were in Brittany we had caravan, awning and a small camper van on one pitch. We were charged for the pitch, 4 adults and 2 children.

As for the tent something like this:

It’s the first time I have even heard of them!

We are in Scotland so can’t go to the NEC but will look and see if similar in Scotland! Would love to go and see the different vans. But will start with dealerships just now and see what we think will work best for us.

it’s quite exciting

You will also need to check your driving licence to see if there are any restrictions on what you are allowed to tow.

Definitely rent one for a weekend first. If you've never been caravanning you'd be mad to buy one before trying it including towing.

There's a camping & caravan show on at the SEC in Glasgow but not till February. You'll often get better bargains/more choice if you wait to buy at the end of the season or start of next years season as people are more likely to be changing their vans then. We've had a whole variety over the years, changing as the DC grew.
I'd spend the next few months having a good look round & researching the layout that will work for you so that you're ready to 'pounce' when it becomes available as some layouts are more popular than others.
We've got a transverse island bed (fixed bed across the van & pulls out to full length) which we really wanted at the time & lots of people are looking for but next time we're going for an end island bed with mid washroom as we feel it'll work better for us.

Newcastlegirl not sure what the towing capacity of an Audi A4 is but are you fixed on a caravan? There are also folding campers available which are basically caravan bases with a canvas roof and are lighter to tow than a caravan -the new models have heating and bathrooms and all sorts! The beds are fixed but my 6ft 6 son could lie straight in my camper - his feet were pushing at the canvas on the edge a little but he would have happily slept there!

OP: I don’t think it is on your shopping list (yet) but just be aware that some sites do not allow Hobby vans.

It is their way of getting round the law that prevents them excluding a particular community, in which Hobby vans are very popular.

@SausageAndCash i didn’t know that!!

can you explain more? (Am I bring naive?!)

@blobby10 we have friends with a trailer tent and it looks fab! I would totally consider one - DH is less convinced. I think more so because they are pricey - but they seem to hold their value well too.

Ah @SausageAndCash I have found the reason why - no need to elaborate, what a shame though.

Newcastlegirl a folding camper is more like a caravan than a trailer tent - they both fold up the same but the FC has the kitchen area (and bathroom if its a posh one!) in the trailer whereas a TT has a detachable kitchen area which has to be put up in the awning. This makes a FC more versatile for short stays if you can't be bothered to put up an awning - a FC also requires less pegging out if you just use the trailer bit. I'm saving up for a more modern 4 berth that can take an air awning I can erect on my own and go away for a week/10 days