# Caravans



## Elliot_243 (Jan 15, 2014)

Just wondering how many of you have a caravan, just brought a new bailey and got me thinking when I moved my "travel box" of watches into the new van.

Here's the one I just part ex'd



Can't believe I haven't taken any pics of the new one but oh well!


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## Faze (Mar 1, 2013)

It's something we've always thought about, but never got round to it, mainly because I don't drive and the wife would poop herself towing it.

Camper van would fit us better.


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## tixntox (Jul 17, 2009)

We get inundated with caravans down here in sunny (not today!) Norfolk. It fills you with dread when you take a turn on one of the local narrow roads, to find one hurtling towards you at breakneck speed.  We also see lots on the A47 and A17 with blown tyres at this time of year. The lucky ones have to get a new tyre. The unlucky ones have to get new caravans! :yes: They tend to leave them in the driveway over the winter and just set off for the coast or countryside without getting down and dirty and checking their rubber. I've seen the remnants of caravans spread over several hundred yards. Check those tyres folks for cracks and "blebs" (tyre fitter talk for tread separation I believe). :sweatdrop:

My "vanning" days are over now but have done many thousands of miles both at home and in Europe, including trips to Italy and Spain via Switzerland - brilliant in the days when roads were quieter! :thumbup:

Mike


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## Littlelegs (Dec 4, 2011)

We currently have a vw t4 pop top camper, professionally converted from a minibus base vehicle. It's for me, missus, 3yr old and 2 German shepherds. It's great but I have to say we are considering a caravan.

Mainly because in the camper it can take the lil man some time to settle on a night as he's in the same area as us. I'm thinking if we got a caravan we'd go for the type with an end dinette/bedroom that could be closed off, so he can have his own space and it'd give a little more room for the dogs. Also having to shuffle things around every morning and put the roof down, bed up etc before we go anywhere can be a little awkward in the camper especially if the weather is poor.

The problem is we love the camper and it's great for days out and we always manage on our main holidays with the drive away awning, so neither of us really want to get rid and get a caravan and tow car. This is the sensible option as it gives more cash to spend. The lil man loves the camper too and due to its compact size it's my daily driver and base for trail runs/mountain biking.

The option we're considering is using some savings and spending up to Â£5000 on a caravan to tow with the camper. Having looked around there's a wide variety of quality available and some proper dross. Damp even seems to be a problem in vans a few years old which is putting me off greatly. A friend used to have caravans when their kids were young but only bought used once and got rid as soon as they could as it was such a dog, warped walls, damp all over and it was only 4yrs old. They went to motorhomes and say they'd never go back.

I don't want to spend up to 5k on a van that turns out to be damp or worse. Any advice on what to look out for or steer clear of from those of you more experienced would be appreciated.

Cheers

Jamie


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## Elliot_243 (Jan 15, 2014)

Littlelegs said:


> We currently have a vw t4 pop top camper, professionally converted from a minibus base vehicle. It's for me, missus, 3yr old and 2 German shepherds. It's great but I have to say we are considering a caravan.
> 
> Mainly because in the camper it can take the lil man some time to settle on a night as he's in the same area as us. I'm thinking if we got a caravan we'd go for the type with an end dinette/bedroom that could be closed off, so he can have his own space and it'd give a little more room for the dogs. Also having to shuffle things around every morning and put the roof down, bed up etc before we go anywhere can be a little awkward in the camper especially if the weather is poor.
> 
> ...


The best advice is to buy a damp meter, and check everywhere and anywhere! Anything other than damp is cheapish to fix, read as much as you can about what to look for and just keep looking and don't get disheartened you will find one! The one I just sold took me 6 months to find!


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## jaslfc5 (Jan 2, 2007)

My parents have just bought a hobby stig ,they don't tow it it stays on the site in Pembroke they live there from Mar ch until Nov they have a nice life and the van ain't bad.

http://caravans.autotrader.co.uk/used-caravans/hobby/650-premium/2013-hobby-650-premium-island-bed-4-berth-heath-road-cfpa-8aa423a34622df6701462deab2017fd6/makemodel/make/hobby

I'd love to get a vw camper but every time I build up a war chest it gets used on something else but one day ,until then I have an out well Montana tent that does a job.


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## scottswatches (Sep 22, 2009)

When you account for the cost of the caravan, annual depreciation, getting a town at fitted to a car bought especially for the caravan and the extra fuel it costs to tow the wretched things it is cheaper to book a holiday in a hotel with things like a pool, restaurant and plumbing.

I hired a static caravan in France last year for a week and it cost Â£50, and I didn't delay any other road users. As Mike says do get the van checked out before hitting the road - most lawnmowers get serviced more regularly than caravans

Rant over! But when I do run the country caravans will be banned, along with revolving doors, chewing gum, any opposition to my reforms etc etc


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## Raptor (May 1, 2010)

scottswatches said:


> When you account for the cost of the caravan, annual depreciation, getting a town at fitted to a car bought especially for the caravan and the extra fuel it costs to tow the wretched things it is cheaper to book a holiday in a hotel with things like a pool, restaurant and plumbing.
> 
> I hired a static caravan in France last year for a week and it cost Â£50, and I didn't delay any other road users. As Mike says do get the van checked out before hitting the road - most lawnmowers get serviced more regularly than caravans
> 
> Rant over! But when I do run the country caravans will be banned, along with revolving doors, chewing gum, any opposition to my reforms etc etc


Lol, best answer yet.

On a side note, I would love a teardrop trailer, they are cool as f***. We currently camp

in a Vango Icarus 500 and its great, loads of room and dry as a bone even when it

chucks it down(which is regular here in N.I.).


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## Littlelegs (Dec 4, 2011)

Having camped for years in various tents, the best we had was a vango Diablo 600. Massive and held up to any weather and is still going strong.

However, since we got the 1st camper, a vw t25, and then onto the t4,I don't think I'd ever go back to a tent. The camper is comfier to sleep in, has heating and power and is drier. No damp sleeping bags on a morning, and you can camp all year without getting hyperthermia ...)

I understand Scott's comments, but in order to take our dogs with us we have to generally have our own accommodation. As I won't be looking at anywhere near new models, depreciation should've done its worst. The camper has a tow bar already so that's not a problem.

My problem is I can see the practicalities re space but I just don't like them and the more I look the more stories I read about damp problems, expensive repairs etc etc and the prices they're asking for what is a glorified trailer can be eye watering.. Mind you prices for campers aren't much better.

Best keep looking...)


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## Event horizon (Mar 17, 2014)

Just built this little daihatsu into a 2 berth camper, i acquired an interior and painted into a vw rip off. The badges and colour scheme are meant to be a bit of fun. Heres what it looked like.

















Into this

















It manages to squeeze in a large double bed, stove, sink solar panels etc but is way too small for the missus and three small dogs. A larger one is in the pipeline.


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## Raptor (May 1, 2010)

Event horizon said:


> Just built this little daihatsu into a 2 berth camper, i acquired an interior and painted into a vw rip off. The badges and colour scheme are meant to be a bit of fun. Heres what it looked like.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


That looks very good. Have you seen the Subaru Sambar, very similar

look and often done as a VW clone.


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## BondandBigM (Apr 4, 2007)

This is a proper caravan










:lol: :lol:

I bought my truck from a guy who used it to tow a forty footer pretty much the same as the one above. I'll bet he was popular on the roads.

:grin:


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## mach 0.0013137 (Jan 10, 2005)

BondandBigM said:


> I'll bet he was popular on the roads.
> 
> :grin:


Don`t get me started, fecking things clogging up the roads, TG knows how to deal with them.






:yahoo:

I should add that my tongue is slightly in my cheek here


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