Hi folks, I haven't been around for a while, and have changed units a few times. I've just downsized from a VW Sharan (too expensive to run!) to the Yaris.
I was thinking of buying a trailer tent but like to go out year-round, and I don't think sleeping under canvas will be very cosy in midwinter? Does anyone do it and manage to stay warm?
Anyway, I was just wondering how many people out there tow a caravan with a small car. Thinking of getting a Gobur Carousel 10/2 Slimline, the lightest of the range. I'm just interested to hear about anyone else pulling a caravan with a small car.
The Yaris is a 2010 1.3 VVT-i TR 5 door petrol, manual 6 speed gearbox.
Thank you to anyone reading, and I look forward to receiving replies.
------------- Life without dogs? I don't think so!
Thanks for your reply fleck2 , I note, though, that both the vehicles you mentioned were diesels so they probably had better torque therefore pulling power.
Not sure if the 630kg was the mass laden weight of the Freedom? Interestingly, when i did a tow matching service on the Camping and Caravanning Club website the Freedom didn't come up in their list of possible options. I am wondering whether that is because the Yaris is so small it can only manage to tow a low-profile unit like a folding caravan.
------------- Life without dogs? I don't think so!
Our first Caravan was a tiny Monza 3.60S, a very basic and lightweight caravan, 11cwt which we towed with a 1.3 Early model Honda Civic Petrol. It was ok on the Flat, but headwinds and Motorway inclines could see us crawling along barely doing 30mph in 3rd gear. We also had to plan our journey carefully, as to avoid any potential steep inclines at Traffic lights and hill starts should they change to Stop.
It wasn’t a very good experience, and we soon decided to trade the Civic in for the 1.6 engined Honda Accord. I recently inherited my late father’s Yaris CDI 1.4, and even at almost 20 years old, it could still show the required power when needed, although l never really towed anything larger than a Trailer laden with my Daughter's Uni Halls stuff with it, and finally sold it to a young mechanic when it failed it’s MOT as his First Car!
The Tiny Freedom caravans maybe worth a look at, with an average weight of 650kg, and a sleek design, aimed at small car capabilities, may offer you an option, or take a look at the Teardrop Camping pod Trailers, for a more all weather option Compared to a tent type of trailer.
------------- Just love to be out amoungst Nature and Wildlife
Celebrating 37 years of Caravanning in 2019, Recently Considered Retiring, but Totally Addicted for Life!
The Freedom caravans may well be worth a look, although I may stick to the idea of a folding caravan because of the low profile - not so much wind resistance!
------------- Life without dogs? I don't think so!
I tow a Trigano Rubis 310 (pop up roof) MTPLM:750kg with a Skoda Fabia Estate. The engine is a 1.2 turbo petrol. Towed with this for the past 4yrs no problems. Automatic DSG gearbox and hil start do help.
Not sure what the towing limits are on the Yaris. I towed a Freedom with a Mini Metro non-turbo diesel which was just 52bhp.
It got along at 60 comfortably solo and around 50 to 55 towing. Thats the speed of the slow lane anyway.
Hill starts were a concern so I avoided them.
Long steep motorway climbs with a 4th lane were 40 mph in 3rd gear.
If you don't want to go too far such as less than 100miles it's OK as you just take your time.
Another option for you to look at is the Riva or Dandy camper. They are very different to trailer tents being a mix of wooden walls and insulated PVC covering. These are warm in winter and very cool in summer and 100% waterproof. A small one would be best such as the Designer model. Have a look at the Riva Leisure web site.
The Designer is 500kg MTPLM and 390kg MIRO. Very importantly, they are all braked which many trailer tents are not. You probably have a higher tow limit for braked trailers and it will feel much more reassuring knowing the trailer is doing some of the braking instead of loading up the brakes on a small car.
Navver That's helpful, thanks. The Dandy has been recommended to be by friends but I'm a bit wary about looking for one as a lady camper told me once her children had grown up and didn't want to go camping with her any more, that she found she couldn't set up the Dandy on her own. So I'm a bit worried about that aspect of the kit. I must admit though, I love the idea of the PVC non-rotting canvas!
The kerbweight of the Yaris is 1050kg and it's got 95 horses under thee bonnet. Similar to the Skoda but bbecause it's a smaller car I am inclined to feeel I need to stick with a low-profile car.
Still thinking of the Raclet Solena - I think the trailer is braked?
keithp I had a similar outfit to yours some years ago, an identical car but pulling a Fleurette Tamaris 2 berth. Quite a stable match and no struggle for the Skoda to tow. After that I tried car camping with a VW Sharan but didn't find that very comfortable so went back to a smaller car, and looking for something I can tow which I can use all year round.
Thanks for your input folks.
------------- Life without dogs? I don't think so!
Sorry I didn't realise you'd be on your own. Although a Dandy would be ideal they are a bit heavy for a lady to put up. I can manage on my own but am a 6'4" bloke. There is a Dandy Dart which is smaller so a bit easier.
I actually bought another Dandy Designer from three shires leisure today and really enjoyed the tow home, it was so easy.
They did have a lot of little caravans and folding campers there. They specialise in them and probably have some you wouldn't have heard of.
We had the Freedom Sunseeker which would be good for you. 750kg MTPLM.
In a small caravan it's best not to have lot of bells and whistles.
Heating, hot water, shower, toilet etc are all very nice but they use up a lot of the available storage space and long term are the items which go wrong. It's better to have separate bits of kit which is easily replaced.
Ours had a sink with cold water, 2 ring plus grille cooker and a small fridge.
The toilet compartment makes them very cramped I think.
Quote: Originally posted by navver on 09/12/2021
Sorry I didn't realise you'd be on your own. Although a Dandy would be ideal they are a bit heavy for a lady to put up. I can manage on my own but am a 6'4" bloke. There is a Dandy Dart which is smaller so a bit easier.
I actually bought another Dandy Designer from three shires leisure today and really enjoyed the tow home, it was so easy.
They did have a lot of little caravans and folding campers there. They specialise in them and probably have some you wouldn't have heard of.
We had the Freedom Sunseeker which would be good for you. 750kg MTPLM.
In a small caravan it's best not to have lot of bells and whistles.
Heating, hot water, shower, toilet etc are all very nice but they use up a lot of the available storage space and long term are the items which go wrong. It's better to have separate bits of kit which is easily replaced.
Ours had a sink with cold water, 2 ring plus grille cooker and a small fridge.
The toilet compartment makes them very cramped I think.
The small Goburs would be a good choice.
Thanks again navver for your input. So, would a solo lady camper, 5'6" tall,in her 70s, be able to set up a Dandy Dart?!
I had a Gobur 10/2 Slimline some years ago, a lovely little caravan which the Skoda I had at the time towed with ease. ! wish I hadn't sold it now, but at the time I was attending a lot of rallies and wanted more space to entertain folk. Back to square one now - wanting to go back to a small, cosy caravan. Although I like the look and the light weight of the Raclet Solena I don't think a trailer tent would be as cosy in midwinter.
I've seen Three Shires Leisure advertising on Ebay, but their units seem to be fairly recent models and thus, beyond my rather meagre budget!
I agree about the bells and whistles: for one thing they push up the price of a unit and as you say, greedy on space, and too many things to go wrong! Basic is best, IMHE.
------------- Life without dogs? I don't think so!
I dont think a trailer tent or folding camper with canvas/acrylic walls would be warm enough in winter. A Dandy or Gobur would be.
With a Dandy you have to lift the beds over with a string attached from the bed to a roof support. This lifts the roof as the bed goes over. Usefully the weight of the bed, having gone past vertical, then helps to pull the roof up.
Then you have to lift the door wall first then the kitchen wall. The door wall stays upright if you open the door. Lifting the walls is easier if you lift the top end first and prop it on say the step. Lifting the wall from flat is harder than lifting it from partially raised.
The beds can be fitted with gas struts which helps and keeping the inside of the roof clean with CIF then a quick polish with Mr Sheen or similar helps it slide much easier. The roof is basically dragged up.
The Dart is narrower than a Designer so the walls are narrower and hence lighter. The beds are the same size and weight but the roof is slightly shorter by a couple of feet.
Your friend may have had one of the 6 berths which are 9 feet wide. Designer 6 feet and Dart 4 feet. So if it was a 6 berth it would be much harder solo.
The older Dandys, pre around 2000, had aluminium beds which were much lighter. Later ones, Dark Blue and white coloured, had steel beds.
Early ones were brown colour for the 80s and light blue and white from around 1987 to 2000 ish. There weren't fixed cut-off dates as each Dandy was built specifically for the buyer and they could choose all sorts of variations.
This video shows a modern Designer being put up and down. The Dart will be the same but doesn't have the table and chairs. It has a narrow bench instead.
This link is the Riva Leisure web site campers for sale page. You can see the different models and the different colours, generally indicating their age range.
I think a small Gobur will be easier on your own BUT... they are expensive compared with Dandys. A Dandy will be easier and lighter to tow.
A Freedom would be a very good bet. They are fibreglass bodies so last well. Main problem is the roof lining can come unstuck and hang down. Can be redone fairly easily. Older ones are fairly cheap. There was a Freedom Microlight which was smaller and I think had a small pop up roof. Same 750kg MTPLM but the unladen weight will be less.
Generally Dandys are very simple for maintenance, and even if looking a bit dirty, the PVC cleans up like new with CIF. A 1980's model will still be capable of giving good service
The one I've just bought is a 2007 Designer with Awning/sun canopy, which has been garage stored all its life and doesn't look as if it's been used at all. Also has an underbed skirt creating very useful outside storage and a roof shelf with lights under. All this for £3995.
So A Dandy good and cheap but possibly a bit much for you solo and almost certainly so in 5 years time.
A Gobur ideal but pricy.
A Freedom a good bet.
I think 3 shires had a couple of Freedoms and also Go Pods which are very expensive.
Wow, another very comprehensive reply, thank you! Thanks also for the links. I didn't even realise Riva had their own website, selling Dandys. I must say setting up the Dandy looks as though it might take quite a while for a solo camper to put up, but perhaps the Dart, being a bit smaller, would be more manageable. I'll keep an eye open on the site for a Dart; I'd like to see one 'in the flesh' and like the idea of the lighter towing weight. I am leaning more and more towards a Gobur though, however, it will take me longer to save enough to buy one. The Freedoms, I grant you, are light, but being higher, still have that bit of wind resistance, which will affect a small car such as the Yaris.
Marg6 at the moment my budget wouldn't stretch to a GoPod! Lovely little caravans though.
I could of course go completely barmy and get a teardrop caravan! I just don't like the idea of having to get out of the unit and go round the back to do anything in the kitchen. Then there's the severely restricted roof space.... To say they're so tiny I see some of them weigh 550kg unladen.
Good job I've still got my frame tent, and will be able to get out agaain once the weather warms up a bit.
------------- Life without dogs? I don't think so!
Quote: Originally posted by philip 22 on 11/12/2021
We towed a Kip Kompakt 2 berth with a Fait Uno 1.1 petrol with no problems
That's reassuring to know Philip 22. That's probably the little Kip with the door at the back? Another possibility. Did the Fiat struggle with the tow on inclines?
------------- Life without dogs? I don't think so!
We went all the way from Lincolnshire to Blackpool if i can remember it went up the hills with no trouble had a lot of looks from people in cars (the door was at the back) it had a nice awning as well .
A day of all things motorhome and campervan. The show is held both in the main indoor arena and across the grounds. Catering, hot drinks and food options are available. Easy access to the site and free parking included. Win one of five pairs of day tickets
Topic: Towing with a Toyota Yaris
via mobile 06/12/2021 at 10:39pm
