Just thought I should say Hi as its the first time I have looked at the caravan section of the forum.We(wife-Hazell,2 sons-Sean aged 6,Callum aged 3 and a mad Golden Retriever Goldie aged 1) are from Oxford.We have not got anything yet but I am after a 4 Berth Caravan so we can go out for weekends,holidays etc.It will have to be a 80s to early 90s van as we have not got a great amount of money to spare.I was looking into buying a motor caravan but they are priced way above what we can afford.Since being made redundant we have swoped roles ie the wife works (as a bus driver) and I look after the kids etc.Callum our youngest suffers from severe Eczema so takes a bit of looking after,creams etc.So thats all about us.If any one wants to get in touch with us(we dont bite after feeding time) and offer some advice about which are the best ones to look for or not please feel free
We paid the grand sum of £100 for our first caravan (a mid-eighties lunar with an awning!) which got us completely hooked on caravanning, we upgraded from a tent, which has to be said has not come out of it's bag since, nor according to the mrs will it ever again!
If you look around you can pick up an older 4 berth starter 'van for a couple of hundred pound which will allow you all to decide if caravanning suits you. (as it does'nt suit everyone) - eBay is a good place to start looking for your 'van, and you might be able to pick up a real bargain!
The best tip i can offer is to always view and thoroughly inspect potential 'vans before parting with any cash...check all the corners and walls for damp (a simple damp meter from B&Q will knock you back a fiver or so, but could save you buying a soggy old knacker)...also check all the appliances are working (don't take the sellers word for it!) and set up the beds and see if they are ok....our second caravan was a 4 berth that turned out to have 2 very small double beds which were far too small for us and very uncomfortable, but as we never set up the beds before we bought the caravan we never knew...our own fault!!! hence very soon after bought another 4 berth with bigger beds!
Hope you manage to find a cheap 'van that suits you and your family!
Hi Bob and welcome to the caravan section. It sounds as tho you need a van with living accomadation at both ends, this way you will be able to screen the boys off when they are in bed. We had an ABI Highway with this combination, also the boys will have somewhere to do their colouring etc. without being in the way.
Hi Badger-Bob ..... welcome to Ukcampsite - you'll find all you need to know on here about camping and most other things lol ......... sit back and enjoy
Hi Badger Bob and welcome to the caravan section we bought our little 4 berth 1986 Sprite Alpine for £675 on ebay, the seller was very good and encouraged us to go all over it with a damp meter so we knew we were buying a little bargain, its a sweet little van and easy to tow, we got one of those lightweight porch awnings they sell on here for £149 and it really does double the useable space of the van, whatever you buy you will have great fun in your caravan, once the bug bites it never goes away
Many Thanks for your replies.Thats what I am looking for A layout with double beds at both ends as I dont realy trust the bunks they have in caravans.At the moment I have not got a car big enough to tow a van yet so I am looking for a van close by and maybe get it delivered so I can clean it up etc before I save up for the car.Hopefully a Volvo 940 or 740 as we have the dog and I have had Volvos before and I love them.The trouble is I am scared of bying a bad caravan as I will only have one chance at this.I will probably end up sleeping with the kids in the van in the garden if they had there way.Bob
Its not the looking for the caravan thats the hard part its saving the money bit thats hard.First the wifes car insurance was due,then the telly licence,Then the fridge freezer went pop and now the b****y televisions is on the blink.
Quote: Originally posted by Badger-Bob on 23/6/2006
Its not the looking for the caravan thats the hard part its saving the money bit thats hard.First the wifes car insurance was due,then the telly licence,Then the fridge freezer went pop and now the b****y televisions is on the blink.
Oh dear oh dear! I heard about things coming in 3's before, but not 4's!
But don't worry about the TV, you're not missing much - there's only been that football cup of the world thingy on lately...
What part of the country are you in? Do they have the Loot near you? I have recently bought my first van - an older type but I paid a couple of hundred quid extra (for peace of mind really) and have bought from a dealer - as they are doing safety checks on all the equipment within the van, and promise to show me how to operate it all safely. So I have paid for peace of mind, really as I know nothing about caravans. If it was a used car, I would know enough to know when to walk away, but a caravan is a different thing altogether. The Loot was a really good starting point, though, as was auto trader. I found cheap vans in both.
I pick it up on wednesday, so lets just hope i'm doing the right thing! Good luck with your search, though!
Bob if you think that a caravanette is too expensive just wait until after the world cup as people have been buying them by the hundreds to go over to Germany and when they come back I think you will find a lot of them on the market and you might even be able to pick up a bargin!Anyone agree?
Rob
I was thinking about a caravanette but apart from the price I could not see a layout I liked.Pluss the issue about rear seatbelts.I would feel much better that the kids were straped in at the back.With the car I would use it for school runs etc.So a car and caravan combo would be best for us.The car I am after is a Volvo 940 or 740 estate so I can get the dog in the back safely and I have had 2 volvos in the past.I think they are a great car.I am just wondering what size of caravan I could use with a volvo? as I have read somewhere that the older caravans are heavier than the new ones.I may be wrong on this.
Hi all its The Badger again.I thought I will keep you posted on my search for a caravan.Well I have finaly got the car I wanted.A 1986 Volvo 740 GLT Estate with 1 years MOT for the pricely sum of £250.I have allways liked the 740s as I think they are a great car.I am also now a member of the Volvo Owners Club.So there are a lot more of nutters like me about.Now all I have to do is save up again for our caravan.When that will be I dont know.Callum our youngest is suffering badly with his eczema at the moment with this heat and he has had a realy bad flare up.But with the creams etc I will get him back to normal.Anyway Take Care Everyone and I hope you all have a great summer.Bob
A day of all things motorhome and campervan. The show is held both in the main indoor arena and across the grounds. Catering, hot drinks and food options are available. Easy access to the site and free parking included. Win one of five pairs of day tickets
Topic: Hi All
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