im leaving my much loved fc to a tin top, anything I should be looking for with a caravan as I have 2 youngest.
Thanks all.
Any tips hints caravans etc etc would be much appreciated.
------------- Up there for thinking, down there for dancing. 😎
Quote: Originally posted by MrT007 on 30/8/2015 Moving to the darkside any help?
im leaving my much loved fc to a tin top, anything I should be looking for with a caravan as I have 2 youngest.
Thanks all.
Any tips hints caravans etc etc would be much appreciated.
You've read the forum T, so you know you have look for damp, what is your budget? You must have looked at ebay so you know you can get a 90s caravan cheap enough, usually need a bit of work an then regard as an ongoing project.
Or buy much newer and check out the desperate Bailey owners threads and so on. You know it makes sense.
Happy hunting, with the kids the bunk beds we have are great and the kids love it. Look up the 540-5 pursuit layout it works for us. The only thing is we need to make our bed up but that really is not an issue for us it's a simple 2 min job ( as long as you do it before the Amber bubbles intake :-) !
Our audi tows really well so you sould be fine there as long as you stay with a light to medium weight like we have (1390kg). A slight difference as in I would stick to 60-65 ish in France with van but all seems stable.
I have the Bailey Orion 430-4, It tows really well, a good full size shower, decent fridge, microwave and having a fixed bed its easy to fall into after a few bottles of falling down juice
Ha ha thanks, I'm looking at 2 bunks and a possible adria.
Any good?I know a few with them and seem good.
The idea of falling into a fixed bed hammered sounds good ;)
Around a £10k budget.
------------- Up there for thinking, down there for dancing. 😎
If you have kids, then bunks good so they can go to bed before you. Adria bunks are very generously sized, ours are 2'6" wide and 6 foot long. We are happy with our van - tows well, good construction and good value for money.
We sold our Pathfinder and bought a caravan 6 months ago for similar reasons to yourself. Can't really help with your choice of van as its all down to personal preference and your circumstances. But I can tell you the changes it has brought about for us.
Towing is much the same, just a larger "box", but the loss of rear vision I found was disconcerting (even with extension mirrors). I have fitted a rear vision camera system to the van roof which is on constantly when driving. Sorted
One night stops enroute are now easy which we did last week to/from Cornwall. Setting up is easier as you can have the beds made up whilst travelling.
We travel with 2-3 grandchildren (our van is 6 berth) and comfort breaks in laybys are now possible with van facilities already primed before leaving home.
Fitted a 100W solar panel to the roof so have only used EHU for 2 of our 4 trips so far. Another EHU free trip this week for 4 days.
Awnings etc (Full + porch) are the same - wet packups included. We got our f/c porch awning modded by TVS for van use.
Warmer, quieter and darker than the f/c. Not so worried about weather either.
We keep the van at home, as we did the f/c, so no change. Swapped the mover from the f/c to the van.
I was able to seriously strengthen the van door security so we now feel better about unwanted visitors when unattended.
So far, very positive experience for us.
------------- Phil
Blood, Sweat and Beers.
The more I learn the more I know, the more I know the more I forget, the more I forget the less I know
Booked so far:
June: Charity Farm
July: Gullivers MK
August: Tregurrian, Cornwall
Sept: New Forest
I've just done converted from tent to Adria. The Adria is great, kids love the bunks (we got a 502dk but for 10K you could get newer than that.) I found the whole towing and all the appliances very confusing but as you've had a FC you may be used to that. Fixed bunks seem like such a good idea for kids I'm surprised more vans do not come with them.
I got a 2008 model for £6000. It was from a dealer 200 yds away, and came with an awning and stuff, but I've seen private sales for £5500 and cheaper if older. For 10k you could get a Altea 542dk ( I think that's right) which is an updated model - that was out my price range. It's really light but also big with brilliant bunks for the kids which is what convinced me. My eldest is 11 and didn't like the fold out dinette bunks so I figured if I didn't want her to out grow it too quick I needed fixed bunks. Even the wife will fit in the top bunk I'm too heavy though. Adrias are really well built, the older ones are a bit ikea, which might not suit everyone but we like it. The newer Adrias are more like British spec vans, and have won customer satisfaction surveys for the last 2 years. People on the forums with adrias all seem to love them so I thought it was a bit like apple fan boys! Adria fan boys. But that brand loyalty is hard earnt, so It was a no brainier to get an adria as far as I could see (mind you I know almost nothing about caravans so someone else who knows more might be able to say otherwise)
Quote: Originally posted by andyfisher on 30/8/2015
If you have kids, then bunks good so they can go to bed before you. Adria bunks are very generously sized, ours are 2'6" wide and 6 foot long. We are happy with our van - tows well, good construction and good value for money.
Just factor in headroom if going for same DT model we both have. It does give you a more roomy washroom but kids when getting older won't be able to use beds for anything other than sleeping due to headroom.
It's the only slight negative I can see in this van otherwise great family van
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Topic: Moving to the darkside any help?
