After nearly 40 years of camping I have decided that that trailer tent is just too much effort. The drying out is simply too much work.
Im moving to a caravan, I want a three to four berth van with a good sized bed as I'm over 6 feet tall.
I've been to see a few and the coachman seem very well made and I also like the Bailey Unicorn but I've heard terrible things about roof straps and damp. Swift are a contender as well although the layout options can be confusing.
I can only tow 1620kg and my budget is around 18,000.....what are peoples opinions of a good place to start.
As well is two words!
How does a sage know everything about everything? or does he? or does he just think he does?
Remember, if you buy something you bought it, not brought it.
I'm not sure as there is such a thing. Peoples' opinions vary so much and so do their needs. A layout that one person may see as ideal would be someone else's unworkable nightmare. There are "rogue" caravans and great ones in all makes and models. Our caravan is now 33 years old but others may be falling to bits by the time they get to 10.
There are a few basic rules -
Whatever you are trying to buy is the best on the market
Whatever you are trying to sell has a reputation for leaking like a sieve
Whenever you ask someone about their caravan theirs will be the best available.
Sadly there are no publications that do proper research and reporting on caravans which give a prospective buyer a fair and independent judgement on what is being produced.
Honestly wouldn't take too much notice of others opinions, the best caravan is the one that suits you best.
Take plenty of time looking around dealers, don't let them pressure you into something you don't want (in all honesty, I haven't had a bad experience with dealers and they generally leave you alone to look around).
Make and model aren't as important as layout, all caravan makes have issues in one way or another, you either get a good caravan or a bad one, we had loads of ingress issues with Bailey and now have a Swift, plenty of people have had problems with Swifts.
Layout is important as you can't change it!!
I would only buy from a dealer and make sure they have a good warranty
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Topic: Best First Caravan
via mobile 03/9/2025 at 6:48pm
