Ok, I admit it's a strange title but as a complete novice, is there a year or years of build that a caravan was made that makes a difference in terms of features.
I know that towing electrics changed about 2008 but adapters can be bought, likewise stabilisers have changed over the years (but I assume they are upgradable).
Is there anything I need to know such as heating, toilets, lights, water, etc when buying a certain year or newer makes a noticeable difference?
I know the old adage is you get what you pay for but I want to know what my realistic oldest age to get a van should be.
By 1996 vans had gas & electric water heating, gas and electric blown air heating, fridge, hob, oven, cassette toilet and shower, with a 12v system for lighting including a charging for when you are on EHU. Usual fitment was blinds with flyscreens with curtains for the windows. This gives you a basic set of facilities that work well together. Things like movers, microwaves, and stabilising hitches, ATC, and other refinements came later.
------------- Bill
For a licence dated 1997 or later you must add together the plated max weight of the caravan and trailer, if the total is 3500 or less you can tow it. You may even tow a caravan with a MAM greater than the cars unladen mass the restriction was removed in 2013
Each manufacturer has 3 or 4 ranges of vans from budget to luxury. The more you paid the more kit you got. Each range had a range of sizes, layouts number of berths etc. The higher up the range the heavier they were.
Most of the kit is made by the same few companies who sell it to lots of caravan manufacturers. They bring out new kit every so often which generally goes into the top of the range vans first before filtering it's way down until the next leap forward. Pretty much like happens with cars.
So generally the higher the range the older you can go and the more budget the range the newer you need to go to get the same kit.
Quote: Originally posted by A900ss on 03/7/2015
I was hoping for answers in the 21st century.
Not much that really makes a difference to a caravan has been added in the 21st century. What they have added are generally the luxuries. The only real improvement that I can see is the addition to ATC which is a safety improvement that is not yet standard across the range.
------------- Bill
For a licence dated 1997 or later you must add together the plated max weight of the caravan and trailer, if the total is 3500 or less you can tow it. You may even tow a caravan with a MAM greater than the cars unladen mass the restriction was removed in 2013
Quote: Originally posted by Boston600 on 03/7/2015
I have a 1999 ABI Sprinter, it only has hot water, no blown air etc, it helps keep the weight down though.
But it does have a gas/electric hot water heater and a gas/electric heater. You surprise me when you say it does not have the blown air fan attached to the fire.
------------- Bill
For a licence dated 1997 or later you must add together the plated max weight of the caravan and trailer, if the total is 3500 or less you can tow it. You may even tow a caravan with a MAM greater than the cars unladen mass the restriction was removed in 2013
Removable carpets where added around 2004 with laminate underneath, before this they where mostly fixed carpets.
LED lighting was added to all vans but don't know what year as we didn't look at any vans that new.you can retro fit older vans with LED lighting and you can also remove the carpet out of older vans.
You really need to go to a few dealers and look in as many vans as possible to get a feeling of what you like, most layouts havnt changed but the decor has over the years older vans used to be big flowery patterns around the 90s then stripes in the naughtiest and now more plain patterns are around.
Personally for value for money I think vans around 2002-2006 are good value and don't look to dated.
On the outside of older vans the front lights moved from the lower corners to the centre around 2006
when i bought mine i had a hell of a job changing the lighting from candles to gas ,these days its getting harder to find the gas mantles though ,we also had water till i tripped over and put a hole in the bucket
Quote: Originally posted by the black fox on 04/7/2015
when i bought mine i had a hell of a job changing the lighting from candles to gas ,these days its getting harder to find the gas mantles though ,we also had water till i tripped over and put a hole in the bucket
Gas mantles, for some reason they worried me and i blocked them off. Moonlight is much safer.
Quote: Originally posted by pencamper on 04/7/2015
Removable carpets where added around 2004 with laminate underneath, before this they where mostly fixed carpets.
LED lighting was added to all vans but don't know what year as we didn't look at any vans that new.you can retro fit older vans with LED lighting and you can also remove the carpet out of older vans.
You really need to go to a few dealers and look in as many vans as possible to get a feeling of what you like, most layouts havnt changed but the decor has over the years older vans used to be big flowery patterns around the 90s then stripes in the naughtiest and now more plain patterns are around.
Personally for value for money I think vans around 2002-2006 are good value and don't look to dated.
On the outside of older vans the front lights moved from the lower corners to the centre around 2006
Hope this helps a little
Pen camper
On a point of interest my 1994 Sprite Eoropa was supplied new with removable carpets and laminate underneath, as was my 2003 Hymer Nova..
------------- Bill
For a licence dated 1997 or later you must add together the plated max weight of the caravan and trailer, if the total is 3500 or less you can tow it. You may even tow a caravan with a MAM greater than the cars unladen mass the restriction was removed in 2013
Quote: Originally posted by Boston600 on 03/7/2015
I have a 1999 ABI Sprinter, it only has hot water, no blown air etc, it helps keep the weight down though.
we had a abi brightstar from 1993,it had hot water and blow air heating but it was like cullender.Most of these like ours leak where the roof meets the plastic back pannel.Very nice vans but from what ive heard quite poorly made.Some not even having been sealed well from new.Shame really as we loved ours and it was very cosy
------------- i dont sell cheap tat.I sell tat cheap
It did mot leak, it like many of the vans from then or even today had a water feature.
------------- Bill
For a licence dated 1997 or later you must add together the plated max weight of the caravan and trailer, if the total is 3500 or less you can tow it. You may even tow a caravan with a MAM greater than the cars unladen mass the restriction was removed in 2013
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Topic: What year did vans get xxxx features?
