Caravans

lancsdave · 18-04-2007, 11:39

Does anyone on here do caravanning ?

Toying with the idea but need some advice about stuff I should look at;

ie

Is there a weight ratio you should stick to depending on car size ?

What sort of hidden costs are there ?

Local storage sites, location and cost ?

WillowTheWhisp · 18-04-2007, 12:35

We've got a tourer. All I know is you can't pull a big heavy van with a teeny weeny car.

Hidden costs? Maintainence, insurance that kind of thing.

We store ours where Busman works so that doesn't cost us anything.

I recommend you get an awning. It gives you twice as much room (or more) and somewhere to hang wet coats etc. Wet clothing inside caravans is not good. We have breakfast in the awning and also an extension with an inner tent. Some sites charge more for awnings and some don't permit them so you need to check up on that first. We use decent (long heavy duty) tent pegs to anchor it down and one of those over the top things too because we go to some flippin windy places!

lancsdave · 18-04-2007, 12:45

How often do you use it Willow ? Do you consider them value for money ? I realise that depends on what you pay for them but a generalisation will do

yerself · 18-04-2007, 12:58

If you were meant to carry your house on your back you would have been born a tortoise.

Kitkat · 18-04-2007, 15:08

When my family were small we had a tourer, used it for 20 years nearly every weekend, you don't have too go far, its fantastic, if you go to small sites its only a few pounds per night. We had great holidays and the kids love it. Just be careful as you say you need the correct car to tow it.

addy82 · 18-04-2007, 15:49

My parents have a tourer which they have sited at Three Rivers in West Bradford, its fantasic just having the choice to go away at the weekend, although it isnt far away it feels like it! They have it in storage from October to march, they looked around first until they found a reasonbly priced place to store it, and some places were after charging a fortune, not sure of the place or the price, but when i find out ill post it on here.

accymel · 18-04-2007, 15:51

Blimey housing situ sorted then dave ??

Be more handier if u had a drive to put it on then would cost nowt

Less · 18-04-2007, 16:02

Whatever is the point of spending a fortune on something that when you're not using it you have to find somewhere to store it, when you are using it you have to pay to put it on a site, also you are a potential danger or 'traffic calming measure' to other vehicles on the road, and you always have to be 'self catering', which means you don't have any real time off?

You are using a computer, search the net for trips away that only involve taking the car, (cheaper running costs), and if you book into a hotel no cooking and cleaning.

Of all the vehicles that should be banned caravans will always be my first choice.

accymel · 18-04-2007, 16:06

Top gear were trashing caravans last night & Clarkson put them in room 101 LOL

Mind u be ok if hotels were cheap on full board - certainly not in this country

WillowTheWhisp · 18-04-2007, 17:17

For years the kids and I spent Easter half terms and the six weeks summer holiday in the caravan. Mostly in the same location near Carnforth, cheap and cheerful. When they were younger a field, a farm, a marsh, some mud, a beach and walking were all the entertainment they wanted. Now they want swimming pools, club houses, 'turns' etc etc.

We have also been as far afield as Torquay and Blue Dolphin near Filey.

Certainly been value for money for us. We'd have never have had as many holidays otherwise.

lancsdave · 18-04-2007, 19:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by Less

Whatever is the point of spending a fortune on something that when you're not using it you have to find somewhere to store it, when you are using it you have to pay to put it on a site, also you are a potential danger or 'traffic calming measure' to other vehicles on the road, and you always have to be 'self catering', which means you don't have any real time off?

You are using a computer, search the net for trips away that only involve taking the car, (cheaper running costs), and if you book into a hotel no cooking and cleaning.

Of all the vehicles that should be banned caravans will always be my first choice.

Hotels are expensive if there is any deviation from 2 adults sharing a room. I hate holidaying in rip off Britain at the best of times so I thought having my own place might make me feel better about it

Less · 18-04-2007, 19:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by lancsdave

Hotels are expensive if there is any deviation from 2 adults sharing a room. I hate holidaying in rip off Britain at the best of times so I thought having my own place might make me feel better about it

If that is what you believe, then pay a ridiculous amount for a room that you will have to tow and feel uncomfortable in, pay extra for transport costs, pay for winter storage, pay for hire of a site to put it on when you finally arrive, but please, please, pay extra road tax, don't ruin the roads for the rest of us unless you are prepared to pay.

lancsdave · 18-04-2007, 19:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by Less

If that is what you believe, then pay a ridiculous amount for a room that you will have to tow and feel uncomfortable in, pay extra for transport costs, pay for winter storage, pay for hire of a site to put it on when you finally arrive, but please, please, pay extra road tax, don't ruin the roads for the rest of us unless you are prepared to pay.

If I decide to do it I will give your thoughts some consideration Victor

Less · 18-04-2007, 20:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by lancsdave

If I decide to do it I will give your thoughts some consideration Victor

Feel free to buy a caravan if that is in your heart to do, I have seen many happy moments in them that would not have occurred if they did not exist!

It would actually be a loss to life if caravaner's did not exist we would have to take the urine out of Reliant Robin owners instead!

West Ender · 18-04-2007, 20:06

We had a 14' tourer for nearly 20 years. We used it regularly from Spring to Autumn, away most weekends, and at home it sat on the drive hooked up to the house electrics and made a very handy "flatlet" for up to 5 guests (complete with loo, cooker, gas fire, electric kettle and telly and a little hoover - took a lot of work off me when unexpected relatives turned up).

My husband was very particular about loading and stability, having seen so many wobbly caravans (and a few disasters) on the roads. His pride wouldn't let him be classed as just another "bl**dy caravanner" by other road users - let's face it, we all see the ones who hold everyone up and tow like prats. You need to get the loading right and invest in a stabliliser bar.

For the last 5 years we used to put it on a site next to the beach at Ainsdale for the whole of August and go along for weekends/weeks or let other family members use it. The site had electric hook-up and a toilet/shower block but, sadly, that site has now gone. We were also members of the Caravan Club and able to use their small sites - usually up to 5 caravans with sanitation facilties.

It was great fun, while it lasted, and a comfortable way to see the British Isles. Go for it - you can always sell it if you don't like it.