I hope that this is the right area to post my question, I say that because all the posts seem to be more about the towing vehicle, and not the merits of the caravan per se ! but if I am in the wrong area I am sure the moderators will move my post !
My question is simple what is an ideal caravan for a first timer ? I have camped and trailer tented both here and on the continent for many a year but now I am just turned 60 I think it is time to go holidaying in a bit more comfort and style and at a less frenetic pace.
I have looked at Tab 320's, Eriba Pucks, and the Dethleffs Campy style of small caravan, but would like to ask members what their thoughts are about which way to go for a beginner. These small vans do not generally have bathrooms it would seem (althought the Dethleff does!).
How essential is a mover perhaps not so with these lightweigh units but maybe a consideration as we get older. We are both quite fit, I am 60 and my wife 50 and we have the ideal towing vehicle in a Volvo 2.4d XC60 with self levelling suspension. I can go to about £10k but would obviously prefer to pay less, and would be thinking at the outset in terms of a pre-owned van.
Following on from that is it better to buy privately, or from a dealer ?
And as a final question being retired running costs are very important, with diesel now £1.43 per litre locally, so what is the likely mpg I will get towing a smallish van with the Volvo at a steady 50-60 mph on French auto routes ?
I look forward to hearing some good advice
Blair
ps. I used to have a Danish Combi Camp trailer tent and could not reverse it for toffee which caused me severe embarrassment on more than one occasion !
If I were you and especially if you have not had a caravan before, I would go for the cheapest one you can find which is suitable for your needs and in good condition without the dreaded damp.
Caravanning isn't for everyone. I spent a long time once searching for my ideal cheap little caravan and was chuffed to bits when I found it. Unfortunately there were many problems and worries I hadn't anticipated...the cost of storage and maintenance for starters. Difficulties cleaning it if you don't have room and an outside hose. Towing was always a worry. If your car breaks down on a busy road it may not be too difficult to get to one side and be safe but when your car or the caravan breaks down on a busy road you have problems. Lots and lots of other little problems which added together made caravanning too expensive and stressful. So I went back to a tent.
If you buy a cheapo to begin with you can always flog it on and go back to a tent or trailer without too much, if any, loss of money. If you buy a nice expensive caravan straight away then find you don't like it you may well lose money.
Personally, if I had 10 grand I would go for a motorhome
Eribas are best for fuel consumption due to egg shape. When I had one my fuel consumption dropped from 48mpg solo to 38mpg towing so not too bad. If you have a lightweight caravan under about 800kg you should be able to move it by hand without paying out for a mover. Generally fellow campers will give you a hand to push it even if you speak different languages.
I don't think 'beginners' need a different caravan from anybody else. It depends what you want. If you want something small & basic just to sleep in down in southern Europe then Eribas do the job & due to their quality construction could be the only caravan you will ever need to buy. Plenty of 80s Eribas still about in perfect condition but they do tend to hold their prices tho.
You might find the Puck a bit small so look at the larger models, Triton etc. Having said all that we are ok nowadays with a UK built 80s lightweight Monza, £400 off ebay for our summer trips to France & Spain.
If you want to do a fair bit of caravanning in dodgy UK weather tho, you will really need something bigger that you can sit inside & watch the telly in the cold evenings & for £10k you would be better off getting a much larger caravan.
As Bob mentioned, 10 grand is not necessary on a first van. You stand to lose more if you determine that its not for you and decided to sell. I agree about the motorhome bit to a certain extent, but unless its to be your only 'car', its another lot of tax, fuel, MOT, insurance, servicing and tyres etc to add to your annual motoring expenses.
There are many nice vans about for half that money. As for trade verssus private, you have more come-back obviously buying trade but much like buying a car from trade, you pay a premium price for the privilege of the warranty etc.
Personaly speaking, i would now buy private as ive had some experiance in some of the pitfalls from buying privately (i learnt the hard way with my first van and learnt alot from it!)
Your idea of the ideal caravan may change after spending a week in it.
At 1st out ideal caravan was a double bed at each end, But now we have one with a larger rear bathroom and a side diner.
Suited us so well we have had it for 10 years now.
A caravan mover was essential for us, Best thing we ever bought. Since the caravan.
No danger of burning a clutch out trying to position it or spinning wheels on a muddy pitch.
One one site it sank in the mud upto the sidewall of the tyres over the week, Mover had no problems pulling it out.
Its important to know the limits of the towcar before choosing a caravan, So often people buy a caravan and then ask is my car OK to tow it. The caravan dealer will tell you its legal but not is it safe.
Although some will sell you anything, Legal or not.
MPG varies, Big powerful cars may not lose much when towing, Less powerful cars maybe working a lot harder than normal and consumption maybe a LOT worse.
2..What do i need a caravan to do in the line of comfort, how many does it sleep,what mod cons does it have,what do i not really need.If i sit somewhere does the other person have room ? What happens to the space if i put up a table etc.
3..Reviews on it if poss,good points,bad points.
4..Is the dealer a good one,heard anything bad about him,
5..Take someone that knows about caravans to check the floor for delamination and other faults etc.
6..Dont take anybody at their word,its your money.
As said above, buy a cheap one first even if it's only £1000 you will learn a lot from towing and setting it up and finaly living in it for a few breaks and you will soon have a short list of requirements that your more expensive caravan needs to give you years of happy holidays and you wont lose that much money when it comes to sell it or trade it in. Everyones needs are different so in my opinion there isn't any one caravan thats best to buy for your first its all down to personal prefference.
Good luck and keep us informed as to what you buy.
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Topic: What is the ideal first caravan ?
