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Original poster

Caravans? Dare I ask on here?

22 replies

Millimat · 07/02/2009 22:38

As a tenter am looking to now take the plunge and get a caravan, but know very little about them.
Have 2 young children so think the 5 berth is ideal as they have their own sleeping places and want to close over their end of the van when they are asleep.
Our car (CRV) wil tow pratically anything so weight not really an issue.
Apart from that know very little about caravans. Advice please?!!!

OP posts:
Heated · 07/02/2009 22:46

Just do a check re your car's kerb weight and towing weights, as an HRV is good, but there are some caravans that only a Rangerover/similar or a truck will pull once you add the actual laden weight.

Both Caravan Club and the Caravan and Camping Club produce guides and run practical courses for hooking up/towing/reversing with caravan etc.

pinksancerre · 07/02/2009 22:50

I don't have a caravan (still a tenter!) but have looked into it. I really like the Bailey model. Also have previously been advised by friends who have 2 children that a back bathroom is better for space. (they had a middle bathroom) Agree with previous posters, get some magazines and look at reviews. HTH

Heated · 07/02/2009 22:54

We rashly bought our first caravan a couple of years ago since it was the nearest dh could get me to camping and we have had some fabulous holidays.

Factor in the cost of storage, insurance, water and waste containers, possibly a caravan mover, security for the caravan (hitch lock/wheel lock/some even have a tracker device), awning, long enough hookup leads (often hookup points are some distance), wheel ramps and blocks if on anything but a level surface.

The two clubs I mentioned are well worth joining for their advice (about £33 a yr I think), can book pitches through them, get guides, receive monthly magazine etc.

Heated · 07/02/2009 23:15

I slightly disagree with pinksancerre (sorry!) in one respect re caravan layout.

At the moment we have a fixed double bed, tonnes of storage and tiny toilet/shower at the rear and the dcs sleep on the converted double seating area at the front, in their own sleeping bags, separated by a long caravan cushion. This suits us really well while the dcs are small, as we can lie in bed and watch tv once they are asleep.

But we are looking to change in the next few years to end bunkbeds when the dcs are bigger so they have their own space and we won't get so disturbed if they go to the loo in the night. I know others who get round this but having an inner tent in their awning for the dcs to sleep in but we don't always put an awning up.

At the minute I like the design of rear bunkbeds, middle table and converted front double. Although the space in an end bathroom is lovely, I don't want the dcs sleeping alongside us and for our longer holidays we use sites with showers/toilets so it doesn't get too much use so it's a bit wasted space.

pinksancerre · 08/02/2009 00:03

no worries You have waaayy more experience than me!!

Original poster
Millimat · 08/02/2009 21:10

Some good points thanks. Have been looking today. Definitely like the end beds with bunk over best as my 2 DC are children of routine and are always in bed by 7.30pm and that way we don't have to worry about not moving around too much after that. Already am getting ideas about the different makes and ranges and some ruled out. Overall it seems that its just a case of seeing when one seems to fit the bill.
Planning on buying from a dealers this time to ensure we don't make sily mistakes and at the mo they seem to be quite keen to 'throw in' a starter kit and awning for the price if you don't need to part ex. Or to put it another way, they will knock money off the advertised price!!!

OP posts:
Tobermory · 14/02/2009 20:18

Oooh can i join your caravan thread please!

DH and i have spent much of the last week swotting up on caravans and trying to figure out what we like.
Millimat - have you found anything yet?

brightwell · 14/02/2009 22:07

Friends of mine bought an old swift 4 berth a couple of years ago,cheaply, to see if they like caravanning. It's got a "bathroom"...porta potti & a shower that they've not used,a fridge, a cooker with an oven, huge awning. They're smitten with it and are hoping to upgrade next year. They want a 5 berth with beds at the back that can be made up & left as a double & a bunk and have the front as a living area.

serin · 15/02/2009 18:40

We have an Ace Jubilee Viceroy (how do they think these names up?).

Have double beds at the front and back that convert to seating through the day, and the back one has a bunk over. The back 'bedroom' also has a folding door, so once the kids are in bed we do have some privacy.

Does it matter how big the bathroom is? We never use ours much as tend to use the site facilities.

PlumBumMum · 15/02/2009 18:44

Put my name on the list for advice we've been talking about it since before xmas

I have 3dc 8,5,2 but thought a 4 berth would do to start with, am I just kidding myself?

Tobermory · 15/02/2009 19:47

Well we did it, today we bought a caravan!

The set up sounds much like yours serin, but with an L shaped front lounge rather than face to face seating
like this but cheaper!!

Now just need to figure out where to go first!

PlumBumMum · 15/02/2009 19:52

Wow tobermory

We're thinking of going much cheaper than that, and maybe having to recover seats etc

Tobermory · 15/02/2009 20:00

Ours was quite a bit cheaper (but not as cheap DH would have really liked!) but is still very lovely!

PlumBumMum · 15/02/2009 20:04

Yeap we started off saying somewhere btn 5 and 1000, then I've been looking at 1500, now all of a sudden they are 1995, I better stop we might not like them, but judging by everyone on here they love them

Although we're still at the just looking on computer stage, haven't went to see rl

waiting untildcs are back to school, can't wait

Heated · 15/02/2009 20:19

I found ours on preloved and took my expert caravanning FIL who conducted damp testing, appliance testing - probably saved us 3-4k and had everything thrown in that we could need for going caravanning. You could ask an independent caravan servicer to do it for you.

readysalted · 16/02/2009 19:14

we have just got a Bailey Ranger it came home this morning and is proudly sat in the drive tis fab ime like a giddy kipper dd age 5 is beyond herself with joy the caravan is immaculate later this week we are going on our first adventure

serin · 17/02/2009 20:38

Millimat....Come back and tell us how you are getting on.

Tobermory, if you join the caravan club (£35) you get magazines with loads of info and they have club sites which are like regular sites but really well managed and certificated locations which are often on farms. The CL's cost only around £10 per night even in the summer hols, we stayed 2 weeks last summer at Trelew farm near Lands End for £140 and 2 weeks at Doghouse farm in Dorset for the same. It soon offsets the cost of the caravan and at least you know the accomm' is clean.

Oh, and you even get a car sticker so that you can annoy non caravanners even when not towing.

HappyHome · 22/02/2009 21:46

Hi all,
We bought our first caravan five years ago and haven't looked back since. We bought a fairly cheap one to start with as we wern't sure how we would take to it. From the first holiday we were hooked we are now on our third van and found that for us an end bathroom works well - it really is a matter of opinion though, what works for some may not work for others.

Original poster
Millimat · 24/02/2009 21:19

Glad to see the thread is still going!
Just come back from a fab holiday in Lanzarote - obviously not camping . Children loved the freedom of running around the beach etc and although we couldn't go that far with a caravan there are lots of beaches to visit!!!
DH is picking up a new car on Sunday so then we can go and look knowing that we can buy if we see one. We have def decided that we want an end bedroom for DC that can be closed off and like many of you, are not planning on using the bathroom much except for emergencies, such as when DS eventually decides to be potty trained !!!
The Discover shops have a huge range of 5 berth vans and although they are pricier than private sales, they do include a 2 year warranty and are desperate to sell so deals can be done. When we looked 3 weeks ago they already 'threw in' and awning and whole starter kit!
Still not sure of the price bracket we are looking at. My problem is that I like the modern look and they come at a price!
For theose of you on here that have bought this year, do you mind saying how much you paid for your vans?

OP posts:
HappyHome · 25/02/2009 10:22

Hi Millimat, you lucky thing, your holiday in Lanzarote sounds fab!
We bought our first van 5 years ago and paid £1800 - it was basic but had loo/shower/oven and had been well looked after - we loved it!
We traded it in a couple of years later for a bigger one which we bought off a friend for £1200 - a bargin, but he just wanted rid of it! In September last year we took the plunge and bought a nearly new Abbey Vogue for £8000.
Although I love the new caravan, we enjoyed the holidays in our old one just as much. Hope you find something thats right for you soon because if your hols are anything like ours have been you'll have a great time!!!

Original poster
Millimat · 08/03/2009 21:14

We got one!! Just bought a fab caravan - or so it seems
It's a Biley Pageant series 6 Provence (5 berth) and is a 2007 model so still very new.
Very chuffed and very excited !!!!!
Where should we go for caravan insurance?

OP posts:
HappyHome · 08/03/2009 21:36

Congratulations and welcome to caravanning!!!
You could try the caravan club for a quote if your planning to join them - they are usually quite competitive. Have you any trips planned yet?

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