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Lots easier to setup a caravan than pitch a tent. Much more comfortable, weatherproof and secure when you’re not there.
Campervans are great until you need to go somewhere other than where you’re camping. Having to pack the whole shebang to go to the supermarket or for a day out would be a pain
Swings and roundabouts innit
But the alternative is to have a caravan Perchy. A caravan!
But the alternative is to have a caravan Perchy. A caravan!
I know! Awesome innit!
wwaswas - that is the main problem we have. 6 man tent is wider than our garden so drying it is a nightmare. Last time it ended up out the front of the house on a grass common area and I had to hang around outside until it was dry! Got some very strange looks from passing traffic too.
I'd love a camper, but 5 berth with 5 belts are incredibly expensive. And as mentioned above the freedom to be able to nip to the shop or out on day trips without playing tetris with all the stuff that 3 youngsters can spread everyhwere within 10 minutes of arriving.
So, a caravan would be ideal. But, on my post-97 driving license there's not many car and caravan combinations that fit within the 3.5t weight limit and can sleep 5 people. So I'd need to do a B+E training and test. Then get a new car because current one isn't heavy/strong enough to pull much.
It very quickly gets very expensive compared to a £400 tent. So, looks like we'll be sticking with that for a while. May need to get a towbar and trailer for all the kit before long though!
@martinhutch - campervan/motorhome residual values are excellent if you don't buy brand new
Classic cognitive dissonance.
Caravans are a better solution than motorhomes in many ways, yet not cool so not aspirational objects in the same way. The opposite in fact, objects of stigma.
That's lovely Lowey. Bike garage at the back under a fixed double?
We used to have a campervan until our daughter cam along and we moved to a folding camper then caravan. We tried to stay as small and agile as possible and we find we can move around just as easily as we did with the campervan. We usually do a highlands tour for a couple of weeks in the summer and move around, singletrack roads are a no problem with a small van and family car. Also campervans are expensive and it was stressful putting an old van through MOT's
I used to be pretty anti caravan but do not miss a campervan at all, we can carry bikes, bodyboards, wetsuits etc. far easier with this outfit than the campervan. We can nip out to the supermarket or explore areas a lot easier.
We got a bargain seven years ago and bought a brand new Adria caravan for £9k, we have since had over 400 nights in it, it stays in the garden and is available as fully en suite guest accomodation. I cannot see us getting rid anytime soon.
Molgrips sums it up pretty well, most of the places we camp you cannot find good hotels etc. if you do they cost a fortune. 400 nights even at £80 is £32k. Hotels are just nowhere near as nice a place to be with the family. Tenting is more fun when the weather is spot on though.
Static here 37 x 12.
Martin, Van residuals are really high, but I've no intention of getting rid. I've always wanted one and I intend to keep this till it falls to bits.
Jules, yeah can get bikes in the garage, but also got a bike rack and awning as part of the deal. Fixed island bed at the rear.
The cost is a lot. I could easily buy a car and caravan for less money, but its the versatility of a Moho that appeals. You cant wild camp in caravan. I can go to Europe and spend months travelling around on Aires, fully self sufficient.
I spent years camping with my daughters. Now they have grown up I wanted something for me.
I was brought up camping in tents and still got a STW issue 5m bell tent. Trying to pitch the bell tent one dark & stormy evening in the lakes a couple of years ago really showed the limitations of the tent though - ended up soaked through and sleeping in the car as tent impossible to get up.
Shortly after this Mrs Scruff & I bought a two seat campervan and it's ace for weekends away. We have used it for probably 20 odd nights away through the winter - wouldn't be doing that in a tent with any degree of comfort.
For main holiday summer / longer stays of any duration it's not the ideal tool for the job though as mentioned above faff of packing & unpacking to nip to shops, Despite having a pair of folding bikes. For trips away in the summer we tend just to use the yacht/floating caravan - far more self contained, better for exploring the Hebrides and far less midges at anchor.
I can see us getting a caravan if we ever have kids though - it'd be far more suitable for a two week camping holiday.
It's all about having the most suitable tool for the sort of break you want.
I know! Awesome innit!
No. Funkmaster sits down and starts singing about tents.
I can’t see how they can get £15k’s worth of van chassis and put £20k’s worth of caravan on the back and make it add up to £60k
My father, sadly no longer with us was well ahead of the curve on this.
His plan was to buy a cheap flat bed truck and bolt an old residential caravan to it. Instant motorhome at minimum cost !!!
Thank heavens it wasn't one of his ideas that came to fruition 😂😂
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Hurray finally managed to post a picture, first time since the forum change 😉
Reference my post above.
You cant wild camp in caravan
Why not?
Fleetwood Heritage 640i fixed island bed jack and jill bathroom full size fridge freezer built in dvd player 2008 but immaculate as b4 we owned it, it was used as a 'rest space' for a guy when gliding....so not even slept in!
I was converted to having a caravan after a few years camping.
Camping you can't dry your gear properly.
Can't cook a full Christmas dinner (which I do every year).
Can't get comfortable when you're ill (I suffered from fatigue syndrome for years, so holidaying in a caravan was like home from home).
Can't relax properly after a full day out in the hills and fells walking or mtbing.
You get a proper good nights sleep in a caravan.
BWD - I saw a Marauder on the motorway at Easter and shouted to nbt. Yay|
If you buy one you can keep it on our drive in our affluent area. Wink.
anagallis_arvensis
Member
You cant wild camp in caravanWhy not?
cause it's caravaning, you can't ever camp in a caravan!
You can wild caravan however! 😆 Although I don't really see the OP getting that much beyond road sides! Basically, road side caravaning isn't wild camping!
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(Still can't fathom images on this site after all this time)
Caravans don't depreciate that much. Ours was £16k new in 2013 and was still £11k when we just bought it at 6 years old.
We had a Sterling Europa before hand which was nice but we wanted a fixed bed. We wanted a a fixed bed, bunks and a lounge area which could be towed by a Mondeo. Also wanted non wood construction so this one ticked the boxes. Very lightweight.
Prefer a caravan over a camper for the fact that you don't have to pack up everytime you forget something From the shop etc
Plus friends and families with campers and tents seem to have a negative view of "old man caravans" but want to use your toilet, microwave, ice cubes, oven etc.
They want to sit in the front of an evening playing Scrabble when it's raining outside, listening to Spotify, getting boozed up instead of being sat under the event shelter with a blanket and mosquitos.
The kids of said parents want to watch your TV in the warm on your sofa instead of on the floor of the tent.
Think people are just in denial. One couple we know calls caravans "misery boxes" but are happy to use it's facilities when the tent gets damp.
Towing wise I find I don't hold up traffic. It's 2019. The roads are so busy that you can't go fast anyway.
I love having a base which we can relax in after a day at the beach or walking etc. We tend to stay on farms and small sites. Our favourite on the Welsh coast is £12 a night with electric and stunning views.
Yes we take a Dyson with us from home. Little hand held thingy. Yes we have two TVs in ours. One in the back bedroom and one in the front. When the kids get up at 0600 it's easy to put Peppa pig on. We have a Dolce gusto machine. Unlimited WiFi mobile internet with fire sticks. So we could stay in a hotel or rent a cottage but it's more personal imo.
We go away for at least 4 nights every month throughout the year.
We only have one toilet in our old house so next week we are living up Oswestry racecourse in the old man caravan looking over the Shropshire plain with a 40 mile view whilst I rip the bathroom to pieces and fit a new one. Ideal.
Try it. Best thing we did in years.
[strong]taxi25[/strong] wrote:
I can’t see how they can get £15k’s worth of van chassis and put £20k’s worth of caravan on the back and make it add up to £60k
My father, sadly no longer with us was well ahead of the curve on this.
His plan was to buy a cheap flat bed truck and bolt an old residential caravan to it. Instant motorhome at minimum cost !!!
Thank heavens it wasn’t one of his ideas that came to fruition 😂😂
A bit like this?
https://daysaway.wixsite.com/website/single-post/2019/04/25/CamperTruck-For-Sale
Humble brag? Amateur.
Wait for the 'show me your second home abroad thread'.
I like caravans having been brought up holidaying in one all the time. We have a sort of campbervan, a California Beach. Mainly as we like to camp a bit and the vans mega useful anyway and it’s my car. We generally only camp for a couple of nights at a time anyway so works OK. Reason we do it and love it is that we have one kid for various reasons and while cottages and hotels are lovely she tends to be on her own. Campsite? Open van door say goodbye as she disappears off and runs wild, it’s good for her. I can totally see the attraction of a nice caravan which means I must be getting old.
For disclosure we do also have a second house abroad !
But, on my post-97 driving license there’s not many car and caravan combinations that fit within the 3.5t weight limit and can sleep 5 people.
Not sure about this. Our car is 1520kg (Passat) and the 5 berth caravan is MTPLM of 1200kg. Newer vans are heavier generally but there are still some lighter ones. But even then, the test isn't that expensive compared to the cost of a motorhome.
Re wild camping - yes, that's a clear benefit of a small motorhome, but then you've got all the other downsides of a small motor home. You can still do it though. Saw some on Mull when we were there. You can get on board water tanks for caravans, the toilets are the same as motorhome ones, and you have batteries too. So the only issue is getting onto the wild pitch which can be done in many places.
If we had enough money we'd own both a small campervan and a caravan. But not a big motorhome.
WONN UUUNERED!
In the end its what ever floats your boat.
Ours was bought when Abigale decided to compete. 3 1/2 years and 33,000 miles later it still was the right thing to do. On average ours is used twice a month on weekends throughout the year and 5 weeks in Europe biking. Most are at races and parked where ever the events are. When she races in Europe we make the stays last longer and have ridden in some amazing places.
Most of our food is precooked and frozen. The freezer can take 12 precooked meals in bags if needed and has a full size fridge so never felt the urge to shop. I would rather be on the trails.
Most of the time we are off grid. Solar, gas and diesel.
Garage will take four 29ers with wheels on and room to spare.
Apart from bikes, tool kit, food and clean underwear the van is always ready to go.
They arnt as expensive to buy as everone makes out. Ours new was cheaper than the basic T5 would have cost.
It won't be sold on as the girls will get to use it if we ever get fed up.
We wanted one in the 80s instead of sleeping on the beach when windsurfing but the time was never right.
Glad Abigale is following the dream. They hired this for the EWS in Tasmania
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Some of the campervans on here are awesome.
The caravans however are not. Horrible things. The appeal of a camper to me is that you can just jump in it and drive somewhere as easily as you can in a car. And parking anywhere you like. You can't do that with that huge monstrosity in the OP.
Also, points off for having a white landrover. Looks like something straight out of towie.
I'm sure when I'm a pensioner the idea of a large caravan will appeal however.
Call those tin tents? THIS is a tin tent:
Bloomin great, but doesn't work anywhere outside the US or Australia
You cant wild camp in caravan
What about loitering with tin tent?
If I had a Land Rover I'd tow somewhere warm and comfy behind it to sit in and wait for the AA 🙂
We used to have a caravan but we swapped to a motorhome last year and love it. With 2 dogs it’s far easier and usually cheaper than cottages, b&b etc...
Small sites are usually pretty cheap and between gas, solar for the batteries and diesel heating we’ve been using it all year.
Our work lives mean it’s far easier for us to take lots of of 2-3 day breaks than long holidays so it works well, just load the bikes on the back, some food and beer inside and head off somewhere where the weather is nice.
They arnt as expensive to buy as everone makes out. Ours new was cheaper than the basic T5 would have cost.
Yes they are. Thirty grand for a tiny thing, sixty for something for four, versus sixteen for a caravan with twice the space.
Of course a little T5 sized thingnhas advantages, but so does a caravan or a tent. But there's no denying that motor homes are expensive. I've got the Caravan and Motorhome club magazine here, in the ten minutes it lasts before being recycled. It's got their motorhome awards in it, there's a category for £100,000 and up. That'd buy three of the most expensive caravans you can get.
That’d buy three of the most expensive caravans you can get.
Airstream Colarado - £91,000
https://www.salopleisure.co.uk/airstream-colorado
Ok, the most expensive main-stream offering.
But in any case the most expensive one in the mag is £150k.
Ours sleeps 5 and at 7.5 m long has loads of room. It was nearer to the £30k new than the £60k. As I said Its whatever floats your boat.
whatever floats your boat.
Don't get them started on the price of boats!
I've had mine 9 years, put 65k miles on it and it would cost me £4k more than I paid to replace it with the same model of van.
Also, points off for having a white landrover. Looks like something straight out of towie
Work on motorways. I'd have had a grey one, but would have had to stick yellow stripes down the side
Yes they are. Thirty grand for a tiny thing, sixty for something for four, versus sixteen for a caravan with twice the space.
Erm... up the road at King of Caravans says a 6seater Camper for £40k new..
I looked at them, they’re pretty neat places to sleep and throw the surf boards in.
Erm… up the road at King of Caravans says a 6seater Camper for £40k new..
£40k? And you're giving this as evidence of how cheap they are?
Ours sleeps 5 and at 7.5 m long has loads of room. It was nearer to the £30k new than the £60k. As I said Its whatever floats your boat.
Must admit I've never seen a 7.5m motorhome for £30k.
Quite happy with my static. Just did a lads 'MTB' weekend with it, and more planned. All piled down after work on a Friday, far too many beers, MTB Sat, more beers and MTB Sunday. Managed to get all 7 of us showered and 'presentable' within an hour to go off for a cracking Thai meal on the Saturday.
Site fees/insurance are like £4k a year though...
Work on motorways. I’d have had a grey one, but would have had to stick yellow stripes down the side
It's a lovely motor tbf..I'm just not sold on the colour.
What I will say is you do appear to get a lot of caravan for your cash as opposed to a camper. So if thats your bag at least they appear good value.
Also kudos to the op .. he's posted his pics, a few folks have slated it (me included) and he's taken it in good spirits without the whole thread descending into a fight. Key thing is he enjoys it..and in fairness it's alot better than the tent I'll be staying in the next time I go camping.
For balance our diddy caravan cost £500
I've just had a browse of those wee things. I like
But I've decided that most are not aimed at me - they're 'proper' caravans, all grown up and beige.
Now this looks perfect. Shame it's £15k(!!!!) new, not the £500 yours was. Someone's done the research though. Bikes inside, canoe on roof, warm, plastic wipe down, bags for stowage, rear door etc.
What about loitering with tin tent?
This deserves a bump
Matt thats a Swift BaseCamp or something? Look great lots of neat features but quite heavy and spendy. My uncle has a Tab 320. Its pretty nice. Only sleeps 2 though.
Kip Shelter is pretty cool too
As it happens Yes, that’s cheap.
£40k? And you’re giving this as evidence of how cheap they are?
And they’re pretty decent too.
Hold their price reasonably well and offer loads of options to come and go as you please.
I like em’, I think they’re cheap for what they are.
YMMV
🤷♂️
Matt thats a Swift BaseCamp or something?
It is.
It's opened my eyes to a warmed, dry tent with a proper bed. Mrs_oab and I had been kicking around a caravan, as camper we just can't afford.
A small, well designed thing we can do weekends away in is ideal. Perfect if we can keep bikes in it.
I'm looking for ideas, but it will be older and cheap.
It seems all caravans suffer from leaks and damp, and supposedly only last a decade or so...hmmm
Our little setup that we've just been to North Berwick in...
https://flic.kr/p/TxmNA9
We had a wee game on the way up, counting caravans & motorhomes/campers. 3 times as many caravans than motorhomes/campers.
How much do folk tend to recoup in sale value when they shift them on a few years later?
My mate bought a brand new MH 2 years ago & he's going off the assumption that if you look after it you'll get pretty close to the original price cos the prices are going up all the time which means 2nd hand prices keep some pace as well.
For what we want a MH is pointless cos A, we couldn't afford a decent one, B, we'd have to use it as a 2nd vehicle, C, We love the west coast of Scotland & like to get 'offroad' (well, as far as an Xtrail will allow anyway), D, I'd hate to have to pack everything away just to go to the shops.
Etc.
Agree with BWD about caravan names. I mean for me, A Buccaneer is one of these:
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or one of these:
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Not some tin tent rotting away in a front garden.
I guess my caravan impressions are tainted from childhood holidays - my grandfather was very keen on the idea of caravanning and he went through a succession of them. He'd buy a small one, decide it was too small so buy a huge one, then have to buy a bigger car to tow it, then decide that it was too big (more too big to store and to tow) so he'd downsize...repeat ad nauseum.
Anyway, as kids, our family holidays would be me, my sister and my Mum and my grandparents. Us in our car and them towing the ridiculous tin tent to some campsite in the Lakes or Scotland. The problem was that while they were very keen on the [b]idea[/b] of caravanning, the practicalites of two elderly and extremely disorganised (and often quite forgetful) people trying to use one on a regular basis was overwhelming for them and they weren't especially wealthy so everything about it was cheap. The van itself, the stuff in it (like sleeping bags, 2 for £10 from Millets style) was always cheap and this being the mid / late 80's meant it was usually shit too.
My Mum would do her best to make it work, cooking up meals for 5 on a 2-ring gas hob in a crowded kitchen but it does require ruthlessly efficient use of space and organisation - two things which my grandparents were utterly incapable of. They once went away and forgot to pack any clothes - a case of each thinking the other had put them in - and they'd often forget to properly tie things down so everything would be strewn across the van by the time they'd driven it anywhere.
They tried their hardest bless them and we did actually have some good holidays but I'll always remember the rain leaking in through knackered old windows and the smell after 5 damp people and one damp dog had tried to dry out in it...
My brother is at a motorhome gathering in Peterborough and is upset. Apparently on the mainland dogs in prams is quite the thing.
This year he says the show is awash with soppy dogs. You can even get dog awnings.
My brother longs for the days when leather cowboy hats and crocs marked you out as a serious motorhomer 
rather than a dog on wheels.
Matt thats a Swift BaseCamp or something?
It is.
It’s opened my eyes to a warmed, dry tent with a proper bed. Mrs_oab and I had been kicking around a caravan, as camper we just can’t afford.
A small, well designed thing we can do weekends away in is ideal. Perfect if we can keep bikes in it.
I’m looking for ideas, but it will be older and cheap.
It seems all caravans suffer from leaks and damp, and supposedly only last a decade or so…hmmm
Thing is that's just a small two berth caravan with a awning specific to that model. Good marketing by swift You can keep bikes in any caravan. Mine fits under my bed with the front wheel off. Plus you won't be able to keep them in the base camp when sleeping in it as they will sit where the bed is.
Baileys from 2010, elddis from 2014 and swift 2014 onwards are all better in terms of damp. Look up bailey alutech, swift smart and elddis solid construction techniques. You could get (for example) a bailey Orion 400/2 with composite body for £7k and an air awning for £500 and be sorted. Plus when the awning wears out it's easily replaced by any brand. Not young and hip inside but nothing a few personal touches can't sort.
Bikes can be chained to the chassis in the awning. Thieves/anyone can open a caravan door in seconds so keeping them inside will make no difference
It seems all caravans suffer from leaks and damp, and supposedly only last a decade or so…hmmm
No, there are tons of 20 year old vans out there. Mine is dry.
Pre about 2009 they were all made with wood but now most are now timber free or at least limited. These should last for ages. Baileys were being sold with a 10 year warranty at one point.
Parents always took us on holiday in either a caravan/tent/trailer tent and we loved it. While I still love camping in a tent, my wife has had enough of the cold and damp so we've recently bought a 2008 Bailey Ranger and compared to our old Fleetwood van, it's a palace. Everything works on it for a start.
Caravans win over tents easily.
That depends doesn't it.
Thieves/anyone can open a caravan door in seconds so keeping them inside will make no difference
It was more for travelling.
A peruse of eBay shows a few small, light vans that would work as well. They are more 'wood, carpet and wine rack' than 'warm, washable, simple'. But functional.
How much of a gamble to buy a sub £1500 van...?
Not young and hip inside
Have a look at Knaus, a lot younger and very Euro looking. Almost looks like Ikea did a caravan.
How much of a gamble to buy a sub £1500 van…?
Quite a bit if you don't know what you're looking for, but I do. I'll write you a long PM with things to look at if you want?
It seems all caravans suffer from leaks and damp, and supposedly only last a decade or so…hmmm
We just bought a cheap one, £200. There was a leak in the roof, but the water just ran out the hole in the bottom. We went all over Scotland in it for about 8 years, loved it, then when it got too rotten we gave it away.
I think theres no risk in buying a caravan for a grand or so, if it doesn't leak now it will soon, but it'll still be perfectly useable for ages.
nbt
Member
WONN UUUNERED!
This deserves more credit! 😆
Not mine, but saw one like this parked up at the Legoland campsite in Gunsburg.
[IMG] 
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About the least 'wild' campsite you can imagine.
Made me smile. A lot.
He (pretty sure it would have been a 'he') bugged out before I had time to take a picture of his beast squeezed up against his Knaus and RollerTeam compadres.
How much of a gamble to buy a sub £1500 van…?
Matt;
Travel with bikes: bike on roof rack or as I do: wrapped in old duvet on the floor. Have had a bad experience where I thought it was safe and propped up and it fell around every where scuffing stuff. Roof rack wins though, I just need to buy one. Newer caravans often have mounts for a rear rack.
Sub 1500 van;
Damp. Buy a £20 damp meter and check the walls everywhere. Google caravan damp check images for an idea where to stick the prongs. <20% moisture should be ok. Under 15 is ideal. You can fix damp. If caught early it's just resealing the awning rail or Windows. If the woods gone then I'd avoid unless you're prepared to fix as I'm not a fan of spores. If the walls are spongy they are gone.
Floor
Look for delamination. Springy floor. Can be fixed with a kit. Good place to knock money off of you don't mind work and want rid of the obligatory orange carpet for vinyl floor.
Electrics. Check the 12v system works. I.e when the hook up isn't plugged in. Should be a leisure battery in place. You do need one even if you never use it. Regulates voltage. 240v may work some lights, charger, fridge etc.
Fridge will be 3 way. Check it works on gas and electric. Easier said than done I suppose when looking.
Heater will be gas/electric. Can see if that works. If it's broken then spares are in abundance. It will be a carver if fairly old or newer, its parent company replacement truma. The truma is awesome. Check the fan works. I knocked £200 off our old van because the heater needed a £10 part.
Check the water heater works. Gas/electric.
Toilet/shower. Manual flush thetford bog will have no issues. Electric flush may be fussy. Look for drippy taps from ice damage. Shower trays are made of cling film and often crack. Can be replaced if you need to or "speedcoated".
sites often have showers anyway and whilst functional, a caravan shower isn't amazing unless you have a direct water feed and a quick water heater.
£1500 will see a floral interior. Check the bed pulls out etc. Everything is made light and out of cheese. Carpet can be cut out and vinyl put down. Newer vans often have removable carpet.
Check the water inlet is not cracked and that they give you a pump! See it run and look for black muck coming out the taps. Will need a good dose of puriclean if so. Check the taps don't leak. Frost damage is often the cause. Puriclean the system anyway.
Exterior: look of damage to the alloy walls/roof. Pin prick holes. Look for delamination. The awning, roof and window rails should be sealed nicely. Sikaflex is king if needed. Check the windows don't have stress cracks. Check the rear and front panels are not cracked. Abs is harder to fix than grp. Check external doors close and are sealed nicely.
Running gear. Look for a stabiliser hitch. 13 pin or 7 pin electric to tow bar can be converted in line so that's not a problem wiring wise.
Tyres should be under 7 years old. Hard to check the brakes unless you tow it. Shouldn't bang when pulling away or starting to reverse. Check the corner steadies are greased well and work. £40-50 each to replace. Check the handbrake engages nicely.
Look for bits; aquaroll, wastemaster, awning, hitch lock etc.
Have fun. I found £2k+ they start to get better. Facebook marketplace is often good for cheap vans. Everyone will say they are damp free. Even if not.
Sold our old van really quick at 16 years old because I spent £170 on a service with damp check so it proved I had nothing to hide and all was sound.
What olly said.
Also, trust your nose. If it smells damp, it probably is.
Look for people who are obviously selling a van they've holidayed in. The ones where they are in a field being 'sold for a friend' are a riskier. We viewed many like that and they were awful, and the previous one was sold like that and it had a terrible leak and the guy had patched it up cosmetically, without fixing the leak. It was obvious with a bit more investigation in the far corners of all the cupboards.
Totally expected the hate, it's a caravan at the end of the day. Most people don't get them until they've tried them.
I had a smaller one 6/7 years ago, albeit that wasn't exactly tiny. We had to make the bed up every night and something is always a compromise, be it the kitchen, bathroom or bedroom in a smaller van. I always vowed Mr next one would be as big as possible. I'd have had a Hobby if the door was on the right side and they didn't attract the attention of our traveling communities.
I did point out earlier that I use it for work, but that may have been missed, as I let everyone froth for a bit first 😂 Basically it's my home for 4 nights a week, but we have/will use it for holidays. I did 2 years working away from home in the last one including a pretty harsh winter. Spending money on hotels is dead money - with this, vi save money and also get something we want out of it. Work aside, holiday wise, you have more freedom than a b&b. I've got a decent inflatable tent that I'll use for festivals (might take the van this year though), booking trips with the lads etc. Mrs STR has arthritis and tenting isn't really an option for her.
Would love a big motor home one day, but the cost is ridiculous and I also need my Land Rover/pick-uo/van/whatever for work.
As for TV's - I've 2 X 24" smart TV's with Freeview, so don't bother with a dish. Can get more than enough channels to watch plus Netflix etc. It's also got a decent Bluetooth stereo system. It's April and still goes dark reasonably early. Plenty of time to 'do stuff' in the day, without feeling the need to sit outside in the cold and dark, just to avoid watching telly.
Driving wise, only maybe slightly hold anyone up on tight lanes, other than that I keep up with the flow of traffic. Down side is the Disco does about 20mpg towing it, but I drive 30k a year for work, a few hundred towing this isn't really going to make that much difference.
A couple pics from last week and some of the van. Haters gonna hate 😘
[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/40736900483_5ef15cb6d0_k.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/40736900483_5ef15cb6d0_k.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/254Mgga ]2019-04-26_10-30-30[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/85252658@N05/ ]davetheblade[/url], on Flickr
[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/33826786328_36591034fe_k.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/33826786328_36591034fe_k.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/Txa84W ]2019-04-26_01-03-24[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/85252658@N05/ ]davetheblade[/url], on Flickr
(Stock photo)
[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/47706398861_0279e39c32.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/47706398861_0279e39c32.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/2fFDLji ]2019-04-26_06-44-01[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/85252658@N05/ ]davetheblade[/url], on Flickr
[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/47653498032_a96b76394a_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/47653498032_a96b76394a_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/2fAYCK3 ]2019-04-26_06-52-49[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/85252658@N05/ ]davetheblade[/url], on Flickr
[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/47706388571_589d43d1dc_k.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/47706388571_589d43d1dc_k.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/2fFDHfT ]2019-04-26_06-42-17[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/85252658@N05/ ]davetheblade[/url], on Flickr
[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/32763167477_3ede7e90bb_k.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/32763167477_3ede7e90bb_k.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/RVaNeT ]2019-04-26_06-41-51[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/85252658@N05/ ]davetheblade[/url], on Flickr
[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/47653398432_0060080b91_k.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/47653398432_0060080b91_k.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/2fAY88N ]2019-04-26_06-40-09[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/85252658@N05/ ]davetheblade[/url], on Flickr
Looks blimmin awesome.
👍
My word, that's rather plush...
Right how do I post an image from Instagram?
Bah
That's lovely.
Regarding buying a van, we bought from an elderly couple with health issues.
The van was grubby (I gave it some serious cleaning when it came home) but everything was in good order.
We took my fil when we bought our first cheap van. He was able to pick out a really decent one from a group of about 5 or 6. So my advice is take along someone that knows their onions.
One thing - we pulled up some of the floor to discover the fridge had been leaking. Had it not been spotted it would lead to issues. The chap we bought it off had the fridge under guarantee (it had just been serviced, so he got it fixed for us).
Nice van OP! You can get some really nice ones for not *a lot* of £'s, friends of ours picked up a lovely 3 yr old Coachman something or another for 13.5K (from a dealer, with a warranty) which was just about unused. The oven grill pan was still in the protective wrapping, didn't look like the loo had even been used nor the shower. Doubt It'll get damp either cos he keeps it in a big shed.
*depends on what you class as 'not a lot'*
Quite plush inside that but it's not for me, I'll stick with the a lodge, hotel or cottage thanks.
Regarding buying a van, we bought from an elderly couple with health issues.
The van was grubby (I gave it some serious cleaning when it came home) but everything was in good order.
From experience, elderly people don't really see that well, often find it difficult in those small, hard-to-reach areas of a cramped caravan and sometimes lack the strength required to do serious deep cleaning. The same started happening to my grandparents caravan - or they'd have forgotten to close a window or dry out the awning properly and from there it was a short road to dealing with lots of mould or mildew or build-up of fat from cooking.
🙁
OP - nice pics, that van of yours does look properly comfortable!
Quite plush inside that but it’s not for me, I’ll stick with the a lodge, hotel or cottage thanks.
I stayed at a hotel for Coed y Brenin once. It was crap. Tried to be a posh country lodge but was just scruffy and naff.
I stayed at a hotel for Coed y Brenin once. It was crap. Tried to be a posh country lodge but was just scruffy and naff.
Unlucky.
We are looking to get a caravan this year - the cost of cottages is getting silly with 4 kids so whilst it will be a bigger initial cost we should save in the long run - and I suspect actually get away a lot more for adventures! Looking very second hand so there has been some great info on this thread!
The original idea was a campervan, but with enough berths and seatbelted seats things were looking expensive! The idea of a caravan seems more versatile since we can leave it onsite and go off for the day.
Also - I am feeling too old for too much camping now, and it does rain a lot in the UK....
https://flic.kr/p/255y9M8
At last our tab320. Great wee caravan. Does absolutely all we need it to. No frills but a great base.
Is the OP Katie Price?
Is the OP Katie Price?
Poor effort, it's not pink ffs
At last our tab320.
Nice. My uncle and aunty have been all over the US in theirs. I really like them.
As a motorcyclist, I love caravans... Mobile chicanes. What's not to like?
Thieves/anyone can open a caravan door in seconds so keeping them inside will make no difference
Just as an side, it seems manufacturers have finally given up on floral interiors. New Swift models have plain fabric.