Quote: Originally posted by Surfer01 on 10/2/2010
Remember that the price of 2.55 metres caravans is going to increase by 17.5% the moment the consultation becomes a regulation or a law.
We would love to own a Hobby 650UFf as it is the ideal layout for us.
Are you talking VAT here - if you are then it will be a reduction of 2.5% as these are German caravan and to buy in Germany you would pay 20% VAT
Just read some of your ideas on consultations re wider (8ft ) vans. There were several quite negative ideas about meeting some of these wider outfits in country lanes, well they are only as wide as a normal HGV, eg the milk tanker, the oil tanker,etc, and we meet a lot of those down country lanes. and actually only 6 tiny inches wider than anyone elses' outfit, so should not really cause too much of a problem.?
Ridiculous!! Has anyone seen some couples towing these twin wheelers?They have never taken a test in their lives and rely solely on a motor mover as they cant reverse! I would personally make a test compulsory-never mind allow them to tow bigger units!
Why woulld anyoe want to buy a foreign made caravan when we still make good ones ourselves?! Have we not learnt anything from the car industry that we used to have?! Many of our well known manufacturers have gone out of business...this is the thin edge of the wedge. A market soon to be flooded with imported caravans. Why am I so passionate about British vans? Im from Hull! Ive seen the lay offs! PLEASE think twice!
The link is a yr old...The UK caravan industry is a success story, they have kept out foreign competition out far better than most other UK manufacturers. If there was a market for 2.5mtre wide caravans they would produce them. Fact is most continental caravanners use 'vans 2.3mtres wide of less as well.
Look at the websites of popular German makes & you will see only a few 2.5mtre 'vans in their brochures, 'vans this wide are not the norm on the continent. If UK buyers liked the style of German vans they would buy them, but they don't so they continue to buy British.
I only wish that i could agree with you! Yes there aare the exception to the rules-e.g.Coachman and Swift but we had so many smaller manufacturers that have gone under. Even some of the others had to put joiners etc onto 3 day week.
At the moment I am on a CL and there are only 5 vans and one of those is a brand new Hymer!! I tour europe a lot and I am extremely disappointed at the number of Brits in foreign caravans-yes extra wide Hymers and Hobbys etc.-they say they need the space?!!!! We live in ours 10 months of the year abroad and can honestly say that for the small amount of extra room would never ever consider buying foreign.whilst we still make good vans. My only plea was to THINK TWICE!!
If we're comparing caravans with HGVs and milk tanker, buses and coaches, we need to bear in mind that the drivers of these have had to prove their competence in a driving test.
It's time for a test, if caravans are going to get bigger.
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Topic: Dft consultation - wide caravans
