Being pretty new to caravanaing and having just purchased a new to us van - I am quite confused about the caravan covers that are available and the priceing.
Having looked on ebay I have seen that there are plenty available around the £100 mark.
However, looking at the named covers these seem to be almost double the price - which leads me to my questions
Are they all pretty much the same, do I need to buy a named one, and whichj in your opinion is the best to buy.
Some are more breathable than others, have softer linings to limit scratching etc. We have one by specialised covers, google them, might be specialized with a Z not an S come to think of it. Very good, we slap it on every winter and no complaints so far.
The cheaper covers are a universal cover which are made for the size of the caravan & are generally a looser fit. The dearer ones are made for the exact caravan & fit neatly over/around the aerial, skylight etc: & have a door in the same place as the door of your caravan. We got ours from Specialised Accessories & its a perfect fit, well worth paying the difference.
We bought a fitted one from purpleline, cost over £300 for our old Lunar, which we let go whwn we sold it.
We now have a Bailey and we have bought a universal type from Towsure, cost £100. we are well please with it and it does the job as well as the expensive one. Only difference is ther is no door cut out so if you need to get in the caravan in the winter you have to lift it up - slight pain in the butt, but worth a saving of over £200 We think!!
...And just to complicate things - some people don't like them at all "because although they keep rain off, they don't allow air to circulate round the van/cause condensation" etc. - I don't know either way; I'm lucky - I can store mine inside my garage!
Gram
------------- What's the difference between a chicken?
Hi, We have a towsure one which is breathable, it is universal but because it has fitted straps it fits very well. Most dont reach right to the floor so air will circulate underneath and through the floor vents so moisture isn't trapped in, ours also has zips on the nearside corners so you can unzip one side for access into the van. The one thing to remember though is if you have a status aerial with the spike on, unscrew the spike before fitting the cover or it will popke a hole through the cover...Trust me on this one ! ! it definately keeps the dirt and algae off your van and its ready to go without any hardwork next season.
------------- Doing as little as possible for as much as possible...
I am with Gram on this one, is a cover worth the money?, does it solve one problem but cause another?. While a cover does indeed keep the rain off and IF you are unfortunate to suffer a leak then the cover will greatley extend the life of your van.
However, if your van is water tight, then in our current mucked up climate of hot, wet, cold, warm, snowy, freezing, gloriously sunny and warm winters ! ( when i was a kid summer was warm and sunny, winter cold and wet...simple). Sorry i degress...
With the varied weather we suffer the van can easily sweat beneath the cover and cause the very problem you are attempting to avoid. The only sure thing is in the spring you wouldn't need to "de green" the van !.
I think the jury is out, like other certainties in life you pays your money you takes your chance !.
Been using my Towsure cover for 4 years - absolutely no problems + nice shiney caravan everytime I take it off. Just remember the majority of people who have pre concieved ideas about covers have never used them.
Thank you - I have ordered a cover fromTowsure this morning £85 including postage they emailed me this afternoon to say it as already been despatched -good service hey!!
Went and collected ours from Towsure 3 months ago. Good value but they are not a tight fit. We paid £300 for one cover a few years ago and it wasn't a patch on the Towsure one.
My caravan's previous owners used a cover. When the bereaved offspring took it off to sell the van they ripped it to shreds and tore off the high light fittings on the side of the van.
------------- Caz
If you can't see the light at the end of the tunnel, just keep going till you go round the bend.
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Topic: Opinions please - on caravan covers
