HI there, We have decided to take the plunge and buy a 5 berth caravan after having our Elddis XL Shamal 4 berth for 18 months and getting the bug ! lol - daughter is 11 and the size of an adult etc.
We have just changed our car to a 2010 Kia Sedona 2.2 CRDI and are very happy with it. The next question is what to get ?
I want to buy a 5 berth with the end bedroom so kids can go to bed etc..
Seen a lovely 2005 Bailey Pageant Provence at local dealers reduced to 7995. However the only thing concerning me is that the van is 23ft 10 (overall)and as we are new to towing, do you think that this will be too big for us? Has anyone any experience towing this model and what did they think? Storage not an issue as we use a storage site anyway....
Also like the look of the Elddis Odyssey 505....
Any helpful pointers etc would be very much appreciated..
the bailey 500/5 would be ok,we have one.it has the end bedroom you can shut off with a folding door. about same length but all 5 berth could be this long.MTPLM 1272 KGS.
Ranger 500/5
Post last edited on 19/09/2010 23:00:48
Post last edited on 19/09/2010 23:01:57
------------- the only silly question is the one you do not ask.
We have a 2001 Coachman Amara, same layout as the Bailey 500/5 above. It's 6.78m long (22ft 3") and MPTLM is 1400kg. We use the rear double and the front seats are long enough for the lads to use as singles. If you go over 7m you need to check car insurance & whether breakdown policies will still recover the van, also, ferries will cost more and some sites in Europe have restrictions on unit length in the summer.
We have a five berth Abbey Cabaret - not seen many about but then Bertha is a 1999 model! Shipping length is 21 foot. Rear bedroom shuts off with a curtain. We love Bertha and are planning on keeping her for a few years yet. Why not hang on to what you have, if it's doing what you want it to?
Hi. Our 04' Swift Challenger 490SEL has the "double dinette" layout your reffering to. Becoming rarer to find now as caravan makers assume we all want fixed beds. Ours is pretty heavy at 1500kg, but your Sedona would handle all but the biggest vans on the market. With regards to practicality you simply cannot beat having what is effectively a seperate bedroom for the children.
I actually think ours is easier to reverse than our older one that was a lot smaller.
The TD is ideal for the kids and parents as the folding door (in the nicest way) shuts them off when they're in bed. We leave the rear beds made up all of the time as it makes the kids bedtimes a little easier.
The selling point for us over other TD models we saw at the time was the extra few feet in length allows for a separate shower cubical rather than the single 'wet room'.
The Provence is the first caravan we owned and found towing to be fine with a good tow car and a sensible driving approach.
After a year we did get a mover fitted as some of the sites we visit have narrow access roads and pitches directly opposite.
We have a 1991 Elddis Wisp 450 EB, with end bedrooms, mid bathroom and double dinette layout. Great van, does what we need it to and great value for money. Why waste money on a new van? Buy a good secondhand one and then use the money you save for more trips...
------------- Just remember, if it is older than yours, smaller than yours but next to yours, there is probably no credit owing on it...
I have decided, after being offered very little trade in for our van, and having looked around vans that are only a few years older, albeit slightly larger than ours, that are scuffed and generally in not as nice condition all over. We have decided to stick with our little guy :-) We are going to buy a Kampa Fiesta awning and buy two awning annexes one for kids and the other for the clothes etc :-)
It will save me money, like mike above - I own it outright and wont have to take out a loan :-)
Thanks again for all your help..
PS - does anyone have a Kampa Fiesta 270 awning for sale :-)
colley
I have a sterling europa twin dinette max weight just short of 1500kg and my previous car was the new shape sedona 2.9. It towed absolutely fine and very stable. A colleague has the same caravan but a 2008 model and they are selling privately as buying a static.
Have a look here. Can't do links so you'll have to copy into address bar.
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: 5 berth caravan - advice
