Congratulation Ian, the best fun on six wheels you can have. My first journey back about eight years ago wasn't actually that bad. Take it steady, take the corners, manouvers and roundabouts wide, pre plan your route to stay away from busy narrow roads if you can first time around, and above all enjoy it, you won't forget it.
Have you worked out if your car can pull your van ok?
http://www.whattowcar.com/
Check out this site for a better explanation.
I remember asking about towing on this forum even before I passed my test. A few months later, still with a "P" plate on the car, I bought an Abi Marauder and drove it from Preston to the Crystal Place CC site, then on to the New Forest. You'll be fine if your van is a good match to the car and you keep it under 55mph.
Quote: Originally posted by ian220476 on 13/2/2011
You know the story - pop out on a sunday morning for a pint of milk, newspaper maybe a quick bike ride. Come home later having just bought your first ever caravan.
Nope, don't know that one - I'm just the opposite - I spent 3 months on this (and other forums), then bought a tent first for a year (to see if I could save the cash of buying a van - nope, wife too cold in tent) and then finally bought the van, 18 months after I first thought about it.
However, I wasn't as thorough as you when checking the van itself - came from a dealer but I hardly checked a thing. I had planned a whole list of things to check but I was so confused and overwhelmed by the amount of stuff the dealer was telling me, I forgot to look at anything! I'm amazed I made it home in one piece...
------------- 'In later life, you will be more disappointed with the things you didn't do than with the things you did.' - Mark Twain
Hi Belfast77 - yes did all the checks and it came out fine. We have a Discovery 3 which seems to let you pull most things so hoping teh weight of the beast will tame the errant caravan coming behind it!
Nelmo - I hear your story!! My wife exactly the same in the tent. We loved it but she feels the cold quite a lot so she did say that if we had a van then it would extend the season more for her (and she'd let us visit more places I can get out on my mountain bike!), hence went looking. Kind of knew we were going to get one this year, but the manner and the speeed it has happened is scary!! I took my notebook with me and questions written in it, so when I stopped and cayght breath I made sure I asked them. Picking it up on saturday.....
Quote: Originally posted by micky666 on 14/2/2011
You must inform car insurance that you have fitted a Tow bar, its classed as a modification
I tried & failed to inform mine, they wern't interested 'cos it ain't classed a a mod. All car insurance covers towing for third party risks so it follows that towbar fitting ain't a mod.
If you EVER find yourself in need to make a claim you will probably find that the fact that you did not inform them of a modification(tow bar fitted)they will use that as an out for not paying up. Any thing that is not standard on a car when new is classed as a mod.been ther done it got the t shirt ect ect mine failed to pay for a coach line & an airspoiler
I did inform them(Saga)they stated they did not need informing, a towbar was not a modification. I suppose you could equally say that roofbars & bike racks are a modification..
Insurance companies are mainly interested in modifications that indicate you might want to drive fast, ie performance chips or even(as you say)coach line & a spoiler.
You make a good point that if you do want to inform your ins. co of what you might consider a modification there is little point in phoning a call centre. You need at least to email them & print off the confirmation that they have recieved your specific notification.
A Tow bar is, legally, a modification. Anything added to the car since leaving the factory is a modification. Problem is that insurance policies tend to state, fairly baldly, "inform of modifications". What they should say is "inform of modifications other than....and then provide a list.
When they say they are not bothered.....well have an accident and they may be..depends o nthe company. So its best to advise in writing and keep a copy.
Where money is concerned leave nothing to chance!
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
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: Pint of Milk
Nope, don't know that one - I'm just the opposite - I spent 3 months on this (and other forums), then bought a tent first for a year (to see if I could save the cash of buying a van - nope, wife too cold in tent) and then finally bought the van, 18 months after I first thought about it. 
