caravan advice ?

albalad

we are looking at buying a caravan ...... so i've been told
probably a tourer 4-5 berth, but what should we be looking out for ? what questions should we be asking ? what are the big no-no's in caravaning ? if anyone has any advice or experiences (good or bad)i'd be glad to hear them .
TIA

tomstickland

Unleash the caravan haters!

Seriously though, best of luck, I can see the advantages, but still maintain an anti-caravan outlook.

Symbeaux1

Try not to get one with a 'centre parting' along the roof, they leak more than most, check the sealant all round, get yourself/borrow a damp metre for 'pronging' the walls of the 'van , rely on your nose to tell you if there is damp in there, ask to see the CRIS documents and all servicing receipts...check the tryres in case its been 'stood' for a long time... theres lots of points you need to be sure of... but most of all try to get everybody who would be living in it, in there and be absolutely sure there will be enough room, can the chef get to the cooker/fridge whilst it's occupied, lay out is important... it really is a whole new world for those brave enough to try it!! good luck.... remember though that if you can 'rough it' then you will have cheap breaks but the really organised sites can cost a fortune for the more popular times of the year. Have fun, wish it was me going to chose a new one.

Purdy_1

Do not touch a secondhand caravan with a "spongy" floor.

Ted_Hutchinson

I would suggest you try borrowing a caravan from a friend to see if you really enjoy caravanning.

Getting the weight of the caravan under the maximum weight your car can tow and ensuring the ideal caravan noseweight matches the maximum weight you are supposed to put on your car towbar are complications which mean not every car can tow every caravan. For safeties sake there should be a margin for error. Having too heavy a caravan for the car's pulling power is one thing which will annoy other road users and shorten the life of car engine and transmission as well as affecting the handling in an emergency.

Winter storage can be problem if you haven't the space at home.

In most older touring caravans the seats turn into beds at night, while this sounds simple it does create a bit of a palaver just when you are tired. Some newer caravans have a bedroom but this restricts the amount of space you have during the day.

Awnings are very useful for extra storage, especially if the weather is wet and you need somewhere to dry clothes and keep the wellies. Experienced carravanners enjoy the spectacle of watching newbies fight with the awning so it's worth practicing at home first if you don't want to give others a laugh.

We find the Caravan Club locations the best for cost and peace and quiet. The proper caravan sites where they charge per person and per pitch and for the awning etc can work out quite pricey.

albalad

Thanks for all the replies so far ,

Ted_Hutchinson wrote:

Getting the weight of the caravan under the maximum weight your car can tow and ensuring the ideal caravan noseweight matches the maximum weight you are supposed to put on your car towbar are complications which mean not every car can tow every caravan. For safeties sake there should be a margin for error. Having too heavy a caravan for the car's pulling power is one thing which will annoy other road users and shorten the life of car engine and transmission as well as affecting the handling in an emergency.

this is the one area that is a cause for concern at the moment as one resource is telling me my cars maximum towing weight is 1200 kg while another states 1500kg ......... which rules out one of the caravans i've had my eye on !


@ Symbeaux1 , what are the cris documents you mentioned

thanks again

chrisw

this is the one area that is a cause for concern at the moment as one resource is telling me my cars maximum towing weight is 1200 kg while another states 1500kg ......... which rules out one of the caravans i've had my eye on !

As a general rule, especially as a beginner, the recommendation is that the total laden weight of the caravan (quoted as the MTPLM - Maximum Technically Permissible Laden Mass) should not be more than around 85% of the kerbweight of the car (found in the car handbook).

For more experienced towers, it is possible to go up to, but NEVER exceed 100% of the car's kerbweight.

Some useful sites:-

http://www.ukcampsite.co.uk/chatter/
http://www.caravanclub.co.uk/default.htm
http://www.practicalcaravan.co.uk/newforums/fm_forums.asp