We have a folding camper and as much as we adore it we are finding it harder each year to accommodate our growing children. So with 'some' reluctance we are looking at caravans.
We are restricted by size as our car will only tow up to 1300kg and has a max 50kg noseweight.
We'd really like the door to be on the left by the lounge area as one of the things we like about the FC is how open it feels. And we're looking for 2 dining areas though happy for one of them to be converted to bunks at night rather than needing fixed ones. As such, we love the layout of the Sprite Muskeeter TD but I think the beds are too small for our 15 & 12 year olds.
The Adria Altea 542 DK looks good too but it seems different according to year and I'm struggling to find something in our budget which is a paltry £5k.
We're not in a hurry though and can wait until later in the year and hopefully snap up a bargain. Can anyone suggest anything else to look at and keep an eye out for please?
Or even point me in the direction of a website that shows the older models and layouts according to year.
We have a 2001 Elddis 5 berth where we can use the front seats as singles and the end diner converts to a small double and a long but narrow bunk. Our 15 year old stopped using the bunk when she was 12 and now has the double permanently made up. Our friends have 3 teenagers who prefer to camp outside in tents now that they are older.
Have you considered bedroom annexes on the awning of your camper? That way they can each have their own space.
Three caravans that meet your criteria of price, layout and weight: Avondale Dart, Bailey Ranger 500/5, Elddis Xplore 490/5 (or 495). None of these has the door at the front like the Musketeer, but the rear beds are more suitable for teenagers and each has a separate rear dinette.
However, I would agree with Grampian's warning. I tow an Xplore 495 which is extremely stable at 70-75kg noseweight, but it would require some backloading to achieve 50kg, which would probably affect stability.
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Topic: Caravan for older children?
