I love camping .A week in a tent is long enough for me these days.
When we were up the Lakes recently we noticed most people our age group plus had caravans or camper vans.We already have a lovely static but still like the idea of getting around a bit.
My OH can not drive so I am a bit daunted by the thought of towing.Is it difficult?Never done it before.
Any advice on what to look for when buying something.Can afford about two and a half grand so will not be anything too posh.We do not know much about this kind of thing and our two sons are very busy working so they have not got much time to come tyre kicking with us.
I have seen a few campers on ebay in our price range.They all say they are great.But are they??
I have a Honda CRV so should be alright to tow something.
Throughly recommend folding campers Conways good and Pennine. Can gt good deals end of season on secondhand ones
hello,
i`m 41 and love towing my caravan its about 27` long so quite a big one. i also can set it all up and put up our awning all on my own so i can go away with my son and often my hubby will follow us later on. caravans are alot cheaper to buy than a camper van and you will get more for your money. you also have the beauty that when you are set up you still have your car free to go out and about. you won't have to pack every thing away to pop out to the nearest pub or cafe and of course no one can nick your pitch. but either way both are a great way to enjoy travelling and i would reconmend it to anyone.
We got folder versus caravan as lighter to tow BUT foling down cover is a pain if wet as have to put up to dry....only drawback apart from the physicality of putting it up.
So consider if you have room to put up folder at home if you need to dry it :)
I would go for a camper and drive away awning that way all your stuff can go in the awning and you can use the camper to drive around so no packing up each time - towing can be a real pain.
Lushy x
we've had both a trailer tent and a folding caravan, I must admit I preferred the caravan, same size as a trailer but proper beds. solid sides and loads of storage room, we also had an awning ;D
We have a 20ft motor home and tow a 20 ft covered trailer with a little MG inside. Why? We like the motorhome but have not always found parking all that easy for the motorhome or readily available when on tour. Plus we know that motorhomes are thought to contain all sorts of goodies so are a bit vulnerable when in a car park and left for any length of time. OH won't tow on a dolly so we bought a shuttle trailer. I myself do not tow so can't give any advice on a personal basis but if you are a confident person then you should not have too much of a problem. OH says use your mirrors and give yourself plenty of time to slow down. You are not as light as you are when in the tow vehicle alone. Hope you find something that suits your family and do enjoy it. Only started camping about 7 years ago and wish had done so sooner. Fav place is Scotland but I am sure you will find plenty of lovely places to visit.
We have been caravanning for twelve years started with a trailer tent, if you don't mind the towing and the setting up of a caravan then you will get more for your £2500, can't really see much in the CamperVan range for £2500 even the original VW Transporter Campers bring good money, :)
We're thinking about one of these (http://www.littleguy.co.uk/).
(http://www.littleguy.co.uk/images/turtle_270.jpg)
campervans - i had one once... not sure I would again unless I wished to travel a lot...
advantages -
easy to keep packed up and go away at weekends at short notice.
useful as a 2nd vehicle if you need two vehicles occasionally, but 2 cars would be a waste.
easy to make snacks/drinks when out and about
they are fun!
easier to drive to remote sites especially in hilly/narrow road areas with a small camper van than a caravan
touring with a camper from site to site is obviously easier than a caravan which has to be towed everywhere
disadvantages -
height barriers, even in some rural places (to keep out travellers) can be a PAIN...
everytime you go off, you need to pack everything up to be "travel safe" - even if this is just to go for an evening meal/drink. then when you return you have to get very level if using a gas fridge... else it cokes up...
everytime you leave the site, you are prone to losing your space... even with a bin and a number plate sign, we once had someone camp in our space, their comment - oh we thought the bin was for campers, we didn't know what the number plate sign/ropers were for...
day touring around small lanes can be a pain with a motorcaravan, as it is always with you like a snails home...
depends what your holidays are like...
if you are always touring around from site to site, a camper is more advantageous
if you mainly drive to a site, stay there for 1-2 weeks, then I believe a caravan/folding camper is better
touring europe with a camper is far easier than in the UK... less height barriers, easier wild camping, etc
hope this helps
mat
p.s. 2500 will not get you much of a camper van, unless its very old... in which case you'd need to be able to maitain it yourself, or be prepared for a lot of garage costs... camper vans keep their value...
Quote from: Unwashed on July 17, 2009, 11:53:39
We're thinking about one of these (http://www.littleguy.co.uk/).
(http://www.littleguy.co.uk/images/turtle_270.jpg)
bugger !! now we've got to save for one of those !! (the OH wants one now she's seen it!!)
The interior of the turtle 1200 is a bit less appealing although it still got 8 out of 10 stars in a review from which.
http://www.teardroptrailers.co.uk/pdf/Which_Caravan_07.pdf
Ok if it stays dry. Wouldn't have minded spendin a wet day or two in one o them when I were younger ::)
I'd recommend this website for vehicle advice http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/
He will answer individual queries too.
Be careful with Ebay, unless you know someone who can check the vehicle over carefully. A workmate with a 5K budget was looking at camper vans and had them checked by AA. Several were totally dodgy, illegal cut'n'shut jobs, and the others had major problems that would have cost a fortune to fix. She ended up paying more to go via a dealer.
Thankyou for sharing your knowledge.Food for thought. :)
My OH is VW camper mad. What a pain in the bum she was (VW T2), no head height, cooking on your knees, squashed into a tiny beds..bought one, tried it, hated it but made some money on it.
Bought an old caravan, towed it on my Polo - loved it. It was cheap but I had a kitchen, beds for all and we would leave it behind to go and explore. Sold it as we were renovating and not using it.
My OH is now talking about another caravan, I know I will be helping him to choose this one.
A huge new camper would be great but caravans for me anytime.
If you leave the site for the day in your motorhome... sometimes other tents or caravans are in your spot when you return because they think it is empty. Caravan is the way ahead. We love ours, 6 berth, 23ft and very lightweight. Kids love going away in it. Once set up we still have the car to visit places. Parking spaces for motorhomes will be more restricted and do not forget many carparks now have height barriers.
£2500 will get you a good caravan for your money. You will get a much older motorhome, probably by 10 years. Then there is all the mechanical problems, MOT, servicing etc. Much more expensive. If you have never towed you can do a 2 day course on how to tow, manoeuvre, reverse, hitch and unhitch a caravan. Go for the caravan, Go for the caravan, Go for the caravan, Go for the caravan.
Normally what Campervan folk do when they leave their pitch for the day is to leave a couple of chairs on the pitch to make it obvious that the site is taken but then again taking someones pitch would only happen on a Caravan club site when you have to go and find your own pitch on arrival at site, :)
What a good idea.I am sure if I am shown properly I would be ok.Plus not buy something too big.
Mr Smith we are members of the camping and caravan club.We only just joined.When we arrived we were welcomed to the site(keswick)and the guy had a bike and he showed us three different pitches.We just followed him on his bike and chose one.We had a good welcome which was nice after a long journey. :)
Betula,
The C&CC normally escort you down to your pitch, CC you normally check in and they will tell to go and find a pitch and report back to reception with the pitch number some of the CC sites are a little to blue rinse brigade for me the Keswick is an excellent site and what better place would you want to be in than the Lake District, :)
Quote from: lushy86 on July 17, 2009, 10:37:01
I would go for a camper and drive away awning that way all your stuff can go in the awning and you can use the camper to drive around so no packing up each time - towing can be a real pain.
Lushy x
Agreed. (http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c301/eggster71/23092007077.jpg)
;D