Looking forwards, I'd like to think that within the next 5 years, I could be a proud Campervan or Caravan owner. But given that they are so expensive (especially for a singleton like me), I'm interested to hear what your first was. What are good makes/models to get into for a first time buyer? Any particular stories to purchasing your first? I love the more modern VW vans and the RomaHome's look quite handy as well (don't like Citroen generally).
I've thought about hiring a van to see how i get on, but was kind of put off the fact that I could jet off somewhere exotic for less overall at some of the companies i was looking at. But then i guess this is a different sort of holiday.
------------- Don't follow where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.
Cheapest way is with old small caravan towed by the car you already have if it's Ford Focus size or bigger. Check ebay, plenty of 1990s 2berth caravans, weight under a tonne for under £1000. Yes you have to be careful what you buy but a caravan this price can be ready to use & can be considered an ongoing project to be improved by anybody with diy skills.
This is by far the cheapest way of doing it. Any campervan is going to be expensive in comparison. VWs even more so because of their desirability. Your remark about Citroen is odd though because the key to campervanning on a limited budget is in fact a Romahome or similar, Citroen Berlingo based with the old technology 1.9 diesel which while slow by today's standards is cheap to maintain/repair & good for mileages in excess of 200k.
Our first caravan was a Lunar Meteorite bought off Ebay for £1400. We loved it and with an awning it gave us extra space. We towed it with a Vauxhall Meriva. We part exchanged it twelve months later and were given £2000 for it. Ten years on after having a motorhome for four years we now have an all singing, dancing new caravan but I still loved that little Lunar Meteorite.Never knew if it had damp or not, never checked it.
That's really inspiring -- we are looking for our first cheap van. We only want to spend around 1k. Have loved our tent and still do but with a van we are less at the mercy of the weather and can get up and go (well that's the idea!). Any tips on what to look for most welcome !
We are just entering the third year with our 1988 Elddis bought off ebay for £500. Its not that big, but far bigger than any campervan, and has mains and 12 volt lighting, a fridge, hot water, and plenty of room with the bed left made up. (There's only two of us).
It depends whether you want to stay on one site for a week or more, or just a night here and there. If you are staying on a site for more than an overnight stop, a caravan would probably suit you better, as you then have the car to travel around. Also, campervans tend to use more fuel than a car if they have to double as every-day transport.
If you are more interested in short stays, a campervan can be great. I would recommend looking at a Mazda Bongo. They usually go for around half the price of a VW, but in my opinion they are every bit as good, if not better.
Wow thanks for your input guys. Some info there that i hadn't thought of.
Have looked into some of the makes/models mentioned. Some I recognise others i don't. but has certainly given me more ideas. (oh dear, that's dangerous ;-) )
What about mileage and age of the camper van / caravans... same principle as cars when it comes to reliability etc or do they generally last longer because they're built for travelling more? (told you I'm a newbie to all this :p)
I would be looking at 1 or 2 night stops and onto the next destination type of trips so i'm thinking camper van. Definitely a diesel too.
Not considered a trailer tent, no. Any you recommend billyboggins?
Thanks again everyone!
------------- Don't follow where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.
A campervan, is little different mechanically to car of same age with same engine. Repair bills are likely to be similar or more expensive. A camper that has been converted from new might have done quite a low mileage but these will have a price premium.
A 'proper' conversion like Autosleepers will have been built & fitted out properly but ebay is awash with VW T5 campers for cheaper prices that have had a first life & considerable mileage as a commercial van then converted to a camper by small converter. The ebay photos might look good but the conversion may be poor & the van in a poor mechanical state.
Firstly you need to decide if you are looking for a caravan (i.e. a van fitted with living space towed by a car), a Panel Van Conversion (a standard panel van that is fitted out as a camper inside the original body of the van) or a motorhome (a van cab and chassis with caravan like body attached to the chassis). They all have their pros and cons, fans and critics and only you can decide which is best for you.
We decided against a caravan as we were not keen on towing so looked into campervans and motorhomes.
Off we set and our first purchase was a home converted Renault campervan that we bought from a well known auction site for very little money. Sadly that was in effect a complete write off and we really learnt from that experience. Unless you know about mechanics, plumbing, gas and electrics get someone who does know to look over them before even thinking about buying and always insist on a long test drive.
After that awful experience we set about doing our homework. We read up about different sorts of options and thought about what we would be comfortable with, how we would use it, things we really wanted/needed (such as number of seats/beds, onboard water, electric, hob only or hob, and oven or microwave, heating, hot water, shower, loo etc etc). Writing these down will help to narrow down your choice. We found that the Motorcaravan Manual book by John Wickersham helpful in deciding our priorities and giving us an idea of what to look for. Also be aware of the weight of vehicle you are allowed to drive on your licence.
If you decide on a campervan or motorhome the type of base vehicle for a campervan/motorhome is probably less important than any of the above unless you have a particular reason for choosing one over the other. We have had 2 VWs and a Fiat. VWs are, in our opinion, better built than the others but you pay a big premium for them. The most popular vehicles for conversion or used as a motorhome base are Fiats/Peugeots and you will get the biggest choice of conversions on these.
Once you think you know what you want go and look at as many caravans, camper vans and/or motor homes as you can by visiting dealers and shows and asking to see inside them at campsites etc (we often are asked about our current van and are only too happy to show people around and answer any questions).
Set a budget so you can see what you can get for whatever money you decide to spend. Beware of things that seem too good to be true. They are usually a con. Older VWs pre T4s are now cult vehicles demand a much higher price than you would expect. Don't dismiss an older vehicle. Some have seen very little use and may have very low mileages for their age.
We set out with a very small budget but soon realised that we would not get anything decent so worked out that if we got a van of the right size we could do without a car which increased our budget considerably.
Campervans/motorhomes hold their price much better than cars of the same age so we have gradually worked up to a much better van without losing too much money along the way.
If you are really looking for a campervan/motorhome rather than a caravan, as your first post suggests, you might be better asking your question in the Motorhome and Campervan section of this site as some people only look at the sections that interest them and may not see it in the caravan section.
I have been prompted to you by other forum members because I bought a Fisher Holivan and would like to know how you fixed it? Is there a manual somewhere of are there any spare parts? Who can I best turn to if I want to restore my little van and leave as much as possible like it was. I don't want to pimp it but restore it in its original state. If you know what I mean (I'm from Holland..:-))
Thanks in advance for your answer and kind regards,
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Topic: First Campervan / Caravan
