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Hello we are new to caravans and are looking at buying a new adria altea 542uk...its alot of money to lay out and I was just wondering what everyone thinks..my OH has never towed before and we are both sure on the caravan layout but abit scared of towing...its alot of money if we hate it...but our youngest son is disabled and had allergies and so we need to know that everything is ok for him...we have spent all the weekend looking at used caravans and drew a blank either they were battered or carpets with burn marks or the bathrooms were well USED!!!..(if you get my drift) so we called at our local dealers and there were the adria caravans and all quite light weight..(we have a nissan x-trail 2.2cdi,2 wheel drive) so towing the weight won't be an issue....just wondered how others got on towing first time around and yeah we know that you get better with more driving,but its scary...

we have always camped in the past and have a brilliant montana 12 tent but we are ready to move on and be able to be away more,british weather is so unpredictable and son being disabled it'll be easier in a caravan.

thanks for reading this and any advice will be appreciated..

thanks again keren...

hello Keren

we have just bought nearly new and worried just the same as you. My OH wanted the van to be top rate to give her the best feel for caravanning and we are glad we went down this route. We considered a new Altea with fixed bunks is that the one you are looking at? you probably looked at Selston caravans as they are near to you but look at http://kingsmillcaravans.co.uk/search.cfm this is where we bought from and picked up a 7 month old van for £3000 less than the new equivalent van, all the extras including a brand new Awning waste carrier and water carrier were thrown in with it. They are very helpful and also stock the new Sprite range which we were impressed with. However if it wasn't for the Avondales good price i sure we would have bought new.

they are next to the ambulance station on Sutton road mansfield near kingsmill hospital.hope you find what you are looking for

Russell

Hi, i only started towing properly with a caravan this year.

last year we had a folding caravan  called a Sterckeman Autopli 330t , which is only 15ft over-all lenghth.

This year we bought an avondale Quantock and there is a difference as it being 20 ft over-all and slightly wider . you could not have found anyone more nervous than me 2 weeks  ago when we picked it up. but as soon as it was hitched on i forgot all about being worried. just remember the extra lenghth and you will do fine . I tow with a 27 year old series 3 landrover and do miss the power steering. 

Relax!!! Towing is not that much different to driving solo.

• turning corners, make sure you go wide in order to keep the caravan on the road and not knocking over the pavement furniture or pedestrians!
• At the minimum double your braking distance, don't brake sharply, slowly apply the brakes and the unit will stop smoothly.
• Allow plenty of time to pull away if you engage the clutch swiftly then most times all that will happen is your drive wheels will spin, when you 'take off' imagine you are on a slippy surface (ice/snow/mud) and drive accordingly.
• Fit towing mirrors on both sides of the car and when on the road check them often, if you can see traffic coming up behind you it is advantageous, especially if its the dreaded driver who likes to tailgate, these are a pain as it can cause pitching of the caravan, as Gram says a stabiliser is a big help, I have used one for the last 8 years and found it made a big difference.
• Once you have picked up the caravan find a quiet car park or if its after 7pm local industrial estates are usually quiet. Practice maneuvering the caravan around corners, and using your mirrors, get used to the feel of the van, it is different!
• Once you feel more confident at going forward around the industrial estate go out onto the main roads again.
• Next time you go out for a practice a car park with plenty of space is ideal for the next steps. Reversing the van!
• Take your time and reverse slowly, get your partner to stand behind the van and let them guide you back, not much fun if you reverse into a wall first time out. When you are reversing remember that you have to steer the opposite way to normal in order to get the van to go in the correct direction.
• Have a look at this post by webby, try to reverse the caravan in the link into its box, should give you an idea of what is involved.
• Above all remember that it is a holiday and fun, take your time and relax, as in all driving a lot of it is common sense.
  Ask at the dealers if they know of any local companies or clubs who have a caravan course, there are a few driving instructors now teaching driving with a trailer due to the changes in driving licences a few years back.
• Make sure that you are legal to tow a trailer/caravan, I am sure Caz or some of the others will be able to quote the new rules better than me!

Try not to get to uptight about it, you will be OK, after the first couple of trips you will wonder what it was that was making you anxious in the first place

Hope you have many happy holidays in your new caravan!!!

Thank you very much for all your replys, you have given us the confidence to go and have another look!!! by ourselves this time,no children trying to sway our minds..am also looking into prices of towbar...our x-trail is on motability and they have agreed to a towbar being fitted so fingers crossed for thursday afternoon when the search will continue..

Thanks again, have also contacted the caravan club about towing courses and put OH name down for one,but its not until july!!!...(hope we get one before then)

kind regards  keren