Well we have now collected our first van (2007 Bailey Ranger 470/4) and it is sat on the drive waiting for our first hoilday tomorrow when we head off to Poole for 6 nights! Interesting experience reversing for the first time, think a bit more practice will be required Well it gave the neighbours a laugh anyway!
I can't believe the weight of the full awning! We collected a new Suncamp daytona with the van and I could hardly lift the box! We have put it on the floor above the axle as understand this is the best place for it? We have put our kitchen bits in (mostly plastics with 3 pans) and our bedding. Other than this we have the 2 water containers (auqaroll and wastemaster) 2 fold up chairs and a small LCD TV plus the normal bits like EHU, gas bottle, etc. I have checked the noise weight and its spot on 75kg which I believe is exactly the correct weight for our vectra. We will then put all the food, cloths, wheel locks, etc in the car so hopefully this will mean we are well within our weight limits!.
Can't say we are looking forward to putting up the awning for the first time ...hopefully it won't be as complicated as we fear
The one thing we have already been impressed with is the TV we got from Argos. It was only £89 and includes a built in DVD. Pluged it in tonight using the standard caravan flying saucer aeriel and it picked up all the digital and non digitial TV and radio channels. The picture is also really good so so far this has proved a top buy! The mother in law has also brought us two duvalays from Raskelf as a present for the van so will be interesting to see how these perform tomorrow night!!
I am sure we will forget something tomorrow when we set up as although the dealer gave us a very detailed "live" handover I just know we won't remember everything!
Will report back upon our return! Hopefully with no horror stories
well done on picking up the van Darren. I remember how excited we were when we collected ours back in July. We're just back from France and OH certainly gained in confidence with all aspects of caravanning even the dreaded reversing.
Thanks! France is on our wishlist for next year once we have gained a bit of experience! We have booked 2 further holidays this year and will be off to the Norfolk Broads at the end of this month (family up there) and then North Devon in early October. After this I think we will sadly have to put it away till the spring as I can't see us using it in the winter with a 9 month old! If it was just us we would use it all year round but the little one needs somewhere to crawl around and an awning in the depths of winter may be a tad on the cool side! Hopefully as he gets a bit bigger this won't be such an issue!
The other thing we have done is take out the fold up bunk bed. We don't need it at the moment with only one baby and thought it would also save us some weight!
That's great, dazzer252. Hope you enjoy your first trip. Poole is good - and parking at Sandbanks should be a bit easier when the schools are back. Have you chosen your site yet?
Yay enjoy yourself you will love it, don't worry if you make mistakes you will look back and laugh.
Have a smashing time x
------------- "I'm a fool for my dogs"
Adopt a rescue, rescue dogs make great pets, don't support puppy farms.
The road can be tough and rough,but what you put in you get back 10 x more.
There is a little reversing game on this site HERE which is a cracking way to pass time.
Obviously it's not the same as doing it for real but the steering principles are the same.
It really helped me program my brain for reversing and after 4 trips in the last 3 months I feel confident of putting the caravan anywhere.
Quote: Originally posted by dazzer252 on 03/9/2011
Hi Dave, Yes we are going to stay at South Lytchett manor. A friend stayed there last month in his motorhome and recommend it to us
Never stayed at South Lytchett but it looks good. We've stayed at Wareham Forest when we've been that way. I like Poole but also like Portland (believe it or not) so we stay in between. Enjoy - it will be great.
Just make sure your veccy can tow it I dont know how heavy Bailey's are, as I thought my veccy could pull up to 1500kgs, how wrong I was even vauxhall stated 1500kgs when it is infact 1350kgs
We have the 1.9CDTI which using the caravan club matching service came out as a 82% ratio with the ranger. We went for the ranger due to its light weight as were also nearly caught out by how light the Vectra is! I think the 2006 1.9CDTI(150bhp) is a bit heavier than some of the smaller petrol engines and with the 150bhp engine seems to pull it along fine. As we didn't want to change car it did limit our choice of vans but we are happy with the 470/4 ranger and it should do us fine for the two of us and our 9 month old! I certainly won't get another vauxhall if we keep caravaning as they are just to light! Fords seem a lot heavier and the same year Mondeo would have given us a greater range of vans!
Enjoy your first holiday and just treat it as a learning curve. We ALL make daft mistakes and forget stuff (even now!) but especially when we start vanning, trick is not to stress and just laugh about it. You'll soon get the hang of it, and if you're stumped, just ask another vanner or the wardens. People will be happy to help if you're stuck, we've all been there!
I think we have same layout as you and also took the top bunk out as we knew it wasnt going to get used (kept all the bits for when we change van). I got some pieces of foam off the local market and covered them in a 'sympathetic, fabric to fill the gap left at the side of the seat cushions. This stopped them sliding about and also makes the bed base the full width when required. With a scatter cushion on the seat during the day, the different material is hardly noticeable.
Have a fantastic trip and let us know how you get on.
Incidentally, our neighbours have just been away with their two children - an eighteen month old and a three week old (I think she's superwoman!) They say there's nothing like starting them young!
Quote: Originally posted by dazzer252 on 04/9/2011
Hi Dave / Maria,
We have the 1.9CDTI which using the caravan club matching service came out as a 82% ratio with the ranger. We went for the ranger due to its light weight as were also nearly caught out by how light the Vectra is! I think the 2006 1.9CDTI(150bhp) is a bit heavier than some of the smaller petrol engines and with the 150bhp engine seems to pull it along fine. As we didn't want to change car it did limit our choice of vans but we are happy with the 470/4 ranger and it should do us fine for the two of us and our 9 month old! I certainly won't get another vauxhall if we keep caravaning as they are just to light! Fords seem a lot heavier and the same year Mondeo would have given us a greater range of vans!
We had the same problem when we upgraded out van, the dealer/towsafe was adamant our car could pull 1500kgs, so I decided to show him the gross train weight values on the data plate on the drivers door pillar, and he soon apologised.. lol
But it does make me wonder how many over caravanner's who use Vectra C's, might take the Towsafe matching as gospel and not check the data plate.
We have just had our first trip away we set van up stood looking at it proudly that's when i realised i hadn't put the wheel lock on so all the legs had to come up and lock put on also when i got there i got a serviced pitch which is good just a shame i had no long waste pipe.
Andy
Amazing family weekend with old steam engines, classic car displays, market stalls, and full catering and bar. And camping on site - Save £25 by booking in advance.
Topic: First caravan collected and off we go!!
Well it gave the neighbours a laugh anyway!
