caravans

[trem1]

Well if things go according to plan i'm gonna be looking to buy a caravan in the next few weeks
whats your advice on what to look for, where to look for it things like that

[HimBigChief]

Oh god, another rolling road block!

Just make sure you don't go on holiday anywhere around Kielder way if you can. We get enough of them up here anyway!

Sorry I don't know anything about caravans, other than that Top Gear episode they did...

[trem1]

Oh god, another rolling road block!

Just make sure you don't go on holiday anywhere around Kielder way if you can. We get enough of them up here anyway!

Sorry I don't know anything about caravans, other than that Top Gear episode they did...

yea i seen that top gear it was sooooooooo funny

anyway i cant see me holding many people up cos i spend all week thrashing my van round the north-east roads and with 136bhp on tap i'm more likely to be overtaking than being overtaken

[neildavies]

Sorry, can't ofer any advice other than some quiet support in that my long term plan is to sometime get a tourer. We'll get back into camping first when the baby's a little bigger (next year), then I may well take into account the kerb weight of my next car for whatever it may have to pull.

[DaiRees]

Had many a happy caravan holiday as a kid. Both my parents were teachers so the last day of term for the summer hols we'd go for a month, usually to Cornwall. Then throughout the year we'd have a couple of other holidays and a load of weekends away.

The wife won't even consider one now, hell she won't even stay in static van "chalets" at holiday parks, all stems from a truely horrible static van holiday when she was a kid! I have to say when I see caravans at the head of a traffic jam I'm kinda glad she won't have one, but there's still plenty of nostalgia there too.

[jasper5]

I've had a few caravans, the last one was sold in 2000, that was a Coachman 4 berth.I sold it with all the equipment, including two awnings.

Autotrader is very good for caravans, we have been looking to get another one ourselves soon.

Your best bet is to buy private if you haven't got all the gear, most people sell the whole kit, unless they are hidden dealers or trying to get a better price than the part ex they have been offered.

Try to get one that is that is CRIS registered, it will have a log book like a car, with a number on the windows and chassis and can have the history checked by HPI and the like.

Buy a cheap damp meter and check it out all over, especially under the seats and round the door frames.

Look under the floor for any signs of the plywood coming apart (de-laminating) a very expensive fault to repair.

Finally, there have been a lot of caravans with flood damage from last years floods on sale, be careful.

[swiss]

This pretty much sums up my feelings. The only thing worse than a caravan is a yacht :p

[Doggy]

I've got 136 bhp too, but definetly won't be towing a caravan.
(It's bad enough that I might be accused of 'Going equipped' to tow one)

[mjb]

whats your advice on what to look for

[Welly]

I've often wondered if it would be better renting a motorhome sometimes but I suppose if you can get regular use out of the caravan then it would pay off, just seems a lot of dollar to begin with.

[Doggy]

In a rare moment of madness, I pondered the same question & came to the conclusion caravan is better. You can park the caravan somewhere & still collect essentials, (beer), in the car. With the motorhome, once you've got everything spead out nice & comfy it's not so easy nipping to the supermarket.
...Unless you can run to the Winnebago c/w trailer & Smart car setup I passed at the weekend

[Welly]

An ex-neighbour of mine had a rather swish motorhome and used to pull his Focus behind it with a "follow me" tow bar (no driver )

I hadn't thought of that though dog, I don't think anyone would thank you for nipping down Tesco's whilst trying to eat their dinner, gravy, etc...

[DaiRees]

Loads of people on the 4X4 forums use those "A-Frame" tow bars to pull their offroader toys around between sites Welly, an argument brakes out about their legality almost weekly

[swiss]

Definitely in the same category as people who like yachts. Completely alien to me.

People who like planes, I can understand. Horses... not my cup of tea but I could see why you might like them. But these things?