Pick up the new van on Monday (Elddis 302) should have been mid november and had planned to go away in it straight from the dealers, but that was before the delay and bad weather. So have decided to take it straight to the storage compound ! .
What do we do while we wait for the maiden voyage so to speak. I guess there's not a lot we really can do apart from give it a once over, thinking about taking it for a tug some were and practise reversing. Roll on spring !
Main thing is, make sure ALL the water has been drained out of it (assuming your dealer has already tested the system), including the toilet fill and base tanks, and leave all the taps in an Open position. Best to place all the cushions in the vertical position too.
Its a good idea to familiarise yourself with how everything works before your maiden voyage. When you collect your van, the dealer will give you a run down but I guarantee by the time you get home you will have forgotten 90% of what he tells you. The best bet is a "dry run" when you set everything up (water, frdige etc.) so when you do go away for the first time you know how to do it all. Its also a good time to decide what goes in which cupboard - again, very time saving on the first outing
------------- hawk
"Laugh and the world laughs with you, snore and you sleep alone"
I have the body of a greek god - its in my freezer
Check torque of the wheel nuts and tyre pressures before your first journey. Handbooks don't always tell you what the tyre pressure should be so ask your dealer before you leave. Maybe jack the van up and just turn the wheels a bit, say, once a month, whilst the van is in storage so that one side of the tyre is not taking all the weight for too long.
Phil
------------- 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
I bet you are itching to get away, I see you are from cleveland which is where the really bad weather is, all I can say is it is niot as bad in other parts of the country.
we are in southport at the moment and had a balmy 8 degrees yesterday, sunbathing weather lol.
There are a lot of people out here caravanning, we are out all the time but dont move around as much in the winte.
We we in skegness last winter and they had abad weather around xmas time and even here this winter the weather althougfh cold the snow is non existant, a few icy roads about though.
What I say is dont stray too far fromk home on the maiden voyage so if the heater and other things pack in at least you can go home.
Thanks for the reply's and info.. all taken onboard, but why the cushions in the vertical position !! and yes trishandtez first decent couple of days weather forecast and we'll be away.
congratulations on your new van.stacking the cushions like that allows air to circulate round then to prevent damp. do not rely on your dealer having drained down fully check it yourself.i have seen caravans pouring water out straight from a service.leave taps open in the centre position.
------------- the only silly question is the one you do not ask.
Well we got it today with no drama's, dealers compound still had about 2 inch of ice in places and same at the storage compound... both a little interesting at times especially with a front wheel drive campervan as a tug. Must say though when I was on the road I had to keep checking the mirrors to make sure it was still there, with the tug having the aerodynamics of a building brick anyway and nigh on as wide as the caravan, towing it was a pure breeze.
Stopped of at an empty car park and had a reversing session, kinda twitchy to say the least... must be with it been short I guess.
Just about dark when we got the steadies down so will be back in a day or two to go over it.
Hope you have a wonderful time in your new van when you take it out for the first time. We have an Elddis and find it excellent had it 4 years now and it is 5 years old. Is it your first van?.
------------- Kia Sorento XS towing Elddis Crusader Storm.
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Topic: NEW VAN
