Hi - we have always been tenters but in the last few years since having kids have been using Haven holidays etc Now we are thinking of going back to camping as we ust can't afford Havens in the school holidays.....I am wondering if it might be feasable for us to gt a caravan and set it up somewhere like Woolacombe (2 hours away) for the year (nowhere to store it at home). If we borrowed £5000 could we get a decent 4 berth caravan? We have 2 hcilden age 2 and 5...I would like a van with a full size awning...where do we start? We know NOTHING abaout caravans.....are there different type of loo, heating, showers, etc etc that we should know about? Should we go to a dealer or private? All advice gratefully received thanks :-)
------------- Oh I do like to be beside the sea-side! Oh I do like to beside the seeeeeea!!....
Hi Twinkly. I think you should be able to get a reasonable, but older, caravan with the sort of budget you're thinking of. But I would start from the other end. I'm sure there will be someone along soon with thoughts on your car and its suitability for towing. But, if you do want a permanent pitch, is that a major problem. You could always hire a big car or even a van with a towbar for the weekend to haul it to the site.
Personally, in your situation, I would start off by looking for sites using the search facility above. You'll probably need to look at their website to see if the do all-year or seasonal pitches (Many sites can only accept caravans for a limited length of time according to their licence. Some will store them for you over winter, others will expect you to move them.) Then there is the problem of vacancies. We considered a seasonal pitch on our favourite site and were told there was a waiting list of 12 people before us. So, unless you drop lucky, finding a seasonal site may be tricky. What you really need to know is the cost, which I have seen as high as £1,000 a season on popular sites. So that makes quite a dent in your budget before you even start. Then if you do want to tow it with your car, you will need a towbar fitting. Usually not hard to do yourself if you are handy at that sort of thing. Have a scan on the Towequipe website and you will get an idea of the cost. You should also be able to have a look at the fitting instructions which should help you decide if DIY is practical. See HERE I don't know if this is your vehicle, so please check. The bar appears to cost in the region of £120 to 130.
Once you've done your sums, then have a think about your van. There are plenty around and you should be able to find a good 'un
Hi Twinkly, First thing you should do, is go look at as many vans as you can, 4 or 5 berth, See the layouts that would best suit you needs,make a list of the vans that do, (make/model/year) size of beds for children (they grow fast) here is a van i looked at 4 , 5berth ABI Marauder1984 £1950, 7th pic down under window is a bunk bed, mabe this type of van would suit you, that was from small dealer. hope this helps you in your search.
------------- If everything runs smoothly then I must have done something wrong
If in Doubt Check it Out.
Hi again. John, I thought my post was getting a bit long. War and Peace tomorrow?
Twinkly, I've just been out studying the stars (and having a ciggie at the same time) and was thinking about your post. Can I ask why you are thinking about a permanent pitch? Please feel free not to say if you'd rather not or if there are personal reasons. However, it struck me that you will be spending a lot of money just to keep going to one place. If you don't go along the permanent pitch route, you can decide to holiday where you want (Even on Haven sites!!!!!), or perhaps try the delights of North Staffordshire (there must be one somewhere) or how about Wales, The Lakes, North Yorkshire or even Scotland (If you are really desperate). This is where Pete ducks to avoid the haggis loaded with brick ends coming over the Border!!
Then there's France, or Ireland.
If you don't have storage at home for a caravan, there are storage sites where they can be kept for a fraction of the cost of a permanent pitch on a camp site.
Just because we have no storage at home and want to be able to just throw some clothes in a bag and go on a Friday for the weekend without packing up and towing a caravan.....our life is too hectic already so just want quick getaways. I know there are lots of beautiful places and we have been to lots but we are happy to go back to the same place for a few years where we know the area and where the good beaches/pubs/softplay-for-when-it-rains/Tescos are already.
I know what you are saying and we will do more exploring as they get older...just want to make things easy at the moment :-)
------------- Oh I do like to be beside the sea-side! Oh I do like to beside the seeeeeea!!....
Have been having a look about online......some have single axles some have double....I take it this is just due to weight/length of van......and some say cassette toilet as a feature, what other types are there??
------------- Oh I do like to be beside the sea-side! Oh I do like to beside the seeeeeea!!....
Hi Twinkly, First,your car, 1,You will need to look the hand book and find its kerbside weight,and the max weight it can tow,EG: 1400kg, 2,Now the van you get for your weight of car should only weigh 85% of the weight of car, 3, Your car should have auidable relay fitted(when you indicate it will sound, legal requirment),If only one socket on car you need a 12S ffitted to charge van battery and run fridge while towing. 4, IF the van has got AL-CO tow hitch fitted, then you need an AL-CO tow ball fitted to car,( has longer neck to allow hitch to turn unabstructed), 5,Cassette toiled featured( look at the pics i posted 2nd row down L/hand pic, some vans only have a toilet area,with no toilet (you would need a porta loo if you required a toilet), 6,Yes Double/single axle, weight and length,
The Max weight of caravan can be found on a plate next to the van door, At the top of this site there is a feature and tips button,that will give you all kinds of information, from buying a used van to your final checks before towing, and all the legal stuff as well. I hope this has helped.
------------- If everything runs smoothly then I must have done something wrong
If in Doubt Check it Out.
jhsw and everyone else - thank you for all the advice :-) Any more also appreciated. Will now digest all this and try to figure out how to persuade husband that borrowing the funds for a caravan would be a good idea :-). May take the kids to look at a few today just to see styles and try not to buy one heh heh! Would a 5 year old be ok on one of those upper bunk beds? Will have a look to see....Thansk again :-)
------------- Oh I do like to be beside the sea-side! Oh I do like to beside the seeeeeea!!....
There is so much to learn - have ust read the thread about noseweights, something I had never heard of....I can just see the arguments with hubby now as he will say "it doesn't really matter"....
------------- Oh I do like to be beside the sea-side! Oh I do like to beside the seeeeeea!!....
Sounds like your starting point is to convince your OH. Best to take him round quite a few showrooms, with the kids, and before long he will feel obliged by both you and the kids to take the lead. Let him......
Xsara Picasso 2.0diesel SX Hdi has a kerb weight of 1375Kg (according to one site I have looked at on the net) so that a good match would be a van with an MTPLM of 1168Kg. With two kids I would think that you may struggle to find the right kind of van at that weight. So, you may have to look for a more suitable tow car as well.
Buying a caravan is about compromise. They are small, not as robustly built as houses, have many differing designs etc. When you look around you will soon realise that there are some things about vans you don't like, but are happy to live with, and other things you just can't live with. Decide on the kind of layout that would suit you and your family best and, as someone has already mentioned, remember that kids grow.
Are you happy to use site facilities e.g showers, or would you prefer to use your own. If the latter you probably need an end washroom with separate shower and sink.
Do you want to make all the beds up on a night and need to tidy them away before breakfast? If not then maybe a fixed bed for the grown ups and separate bunks or benches for the kids.
Would a dinette style van suit for meal times? Dinettes often convert to bunks
Do you and hubby want a separate room? If so, then a van with a divider between front and back
Will the kids want to take bikes on holiday? If so then maybe a van with a huge payload (i.e the gear you put in it when travelling) That's definately a bigger car.
They all have cassette toilets...someone will have to empty that every day...maybe twice or more often a day!!! My wife says thats a mans job.
Anyway, once you have decided on the layout that would suit your family, then you need to look around at the different manufacturers to see who has the lightest MTPLM, for your car. That is on plate near the door.
It's at that stage that you may then realise that you need a bigger car. Then you need to consider the cost.
Then you will also need a whole raft of gear and just as an indicator of that potential cost here is a list of probable must haves.
Caravan Storage
£300.00
Caravan Insurance
£463.00
Full Awning (new)
£579.00
Battery Charger (Halfords)
£37.99
Fire Blanket
£22.99
Fire Extinguisher
£14.15
Torque Wrench (Halfords)
£49.99
Extension Bar for torque wrench
£8.29
Socket for Torque wrench
£16.39
Chocks
£2.59
Kettle
£11.95
Toilet chemicals
£14.99
Y Tube for waste water outlet
£3.56
Whale Watermaster pump
£45.95
Bathroom Cleaner
£5.89
Big Foot steadies
£9.99
Driving Mirrors(Milenco)
£43.51
Levellers
£19.65
Tyre Inflator(Michelin)
£44.99
Noseweight guage (Milenco)
£34.80
Rock Pegs
£23.00
Corner steady support blocks
£11.98
Aquaroll
£40.00
Waste Hog
£40.00
25m Extension cable (hook up)
£25.00
Calor gas x 2
£96.00
Wheel lock
£79.99
Hitch lock
£79.99
110amp battery
£73.00
Motor Mover
£1,050
Caravan Club
£37.00
Bucket
£2.00
Watering Can
£3.98
Table and two chairs
£120.89
Green Flag
£62.00
Annual caravan service
£186.52
TOTAL
£3,661.02
Buy second hand and you can drop lucky and find someone who is selling up and most of the above could be included in the price.
Don't go into this determined to have a van at all costs. Keep your eyes and mind wide open. Its just an exercise to see if its feasible and keep the thought that it may not be. Enjoy the investigating experience.
Phil
Post last edited on 20/04/2011 09:19:16
------------- If you're not on a fell your wasting your feet and for 2014 it's.......Feb Castleton Mar North Yors Moors; Apr Sutton on Sea; May Thirsk; Jun Clapham/Riverside (Lakes); July Wharfedale; August Crakehall; Sept Knaresborough; Oct Wirral Park/Clitheroe
We have a Picasso 2ltr Diesel HDi & have just bought a 2002 Elddis Magnum 505 (similar to Avante but not as tall & slightly lighter)Its a 5 berth with twin dinette, maximum weight 1250kgs. minimum 970kgs. The end can be closed off with a wooden folding door so that our daughter can go to bed while we watch a film. We don't carry much in it, just bedding,pots & pans,and the gas bottles & spare wheel in the front. We've had two trips in it so far and the car has towed well. My husband is a good steady driver - he says he can feel the weight.
We went to a dealer who was able to tell us its full service history & it came with motor mover,porch awning,2 x gas bottles & brand new spare wheel & full srvice & damp report. All for under £5000. We had to change the towball which they did when we picked the caravan up. As we don't know anything about caravans we felt that going to a dealer was our best bet.
One point seldom mentioned. Older vans are cheaper and lighter.
We couldn't tow a new van the size of ours with the car we have. We also like the slightly retro feel and as she has all the kit we need, we will probably stick with her for a fair while.
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: Complete newbie - advice please!
, as in pjh10 post, good luck.
