Caravan covers

[lorraine_374241347]

In May 2003 the magazine did an artical about caravan covers. We are interested in purchasing one for our Fleetwood Colchester. The product you were very impressed with was by Specialised Accessories, we have seen samples of this product and also a couple of caravans where we store our van have this make. What we would like to know is are they very easy to fit onto the van, we have also seen a design that supplies two poles to take it over the van. We would be interested in comments from your readers

 

[nick_374224697]

Lorraine, I have no actual experience of covers but have done a lot of research over the last year or so because I have been thinking long and hard about getting one.

Certainly the Specialised Accessories ones are the best out there but also they are the most expensive.What worried me about them was the sheer number of them that are for sale every month in the classified section of PC.My conclusion is that most people buy them and find them such a problem to put on that they don't bother with them.Also there is the problem of storage, where do you put them whilst you're holidaying as they are quite heavy and bulky? and also possibly wet too.

There is another cheaper make out at the moment which are called either pro tec or purpleline (all I know is they come in a purple and grey box); but the same problems apply as with the other one Storage space and weight.

I store my van at a depot between Dundee and Perth and there is not a single one there with a cover out of almost 100 caravans - that made me stop and think. Also recently in one of the caravan magazines there was a piece of advice stating that caravans are built to withstand the elements and as long as they are washed and polished regularly there should be no need for a cover.I'm not sure myself but have decided not to get a cover for now and see how it goes.

Basically it's down to personal choice, do think long and hard about the practicalities and cost and bear in mind also that it will probably need two people to pit one on and take it off again.

I hope I've not been too negative...good luck.

 

[CarolineSimon]

Hi Lorraine,

We have a Caravan cover, i'm not sure what make it is but we have found it very useful.

It is breathable and we only use it during the winter whilst the van is in storage.

It is a bit tricky to put on & off, it takes two of you and a set of steps & a broom usually but joking aside it keeps the van much cleaner & prevent bird poo etc getting stuck on it and once removed the van only needs a light wash, it also saves having to keep your blinds pulled down to save sun damage & nosy people looking it.

Each to their own of course & you will find plenty of for's and against to using covers, if you aren't sure try buying a second hand one and see how you go.

 

[vernon]

I think the number of second hand ones for sale is due to people changing their caravans to a later model, and the manufacturer has made it longer/wider. A 2007 Dart is longer than 2006, so if I changed caravans (for the same model) I would have to change my cover, worth bearing in mind if you change regularly.(I don't - I'm on my fourth caravan in 36 years!)

I have used a breathable cover (Protec) on my last two caravans with no problems whatsoever for the past three years, and wouldn't be without one.

An interesting poll would be

Does your caravan have damp? if so. Do you use a breathable cover in winter?

To fit one I don't use the poles to put it on. I roll the cover into a "sausage" with the inside out, pull it up over the centre of the caravan, (using steps), and unroll the cover down each side.

 

[Val & Frank]

I store my van at a depot between Dundee and Perth and there is not a single one there with a cover out of almost 100 caravans - that made me stop and think

Snap we store our caravan in Aberdeen and the storage has 100+ vans and not one with a cover ????

Val & Frank

 

[trucker]

We bought one for our last new caravan. it was a Specialised Accessories cover, used it for 1 winter and it grased the windows where it moved around in the wind. It was suposed to be made to measure, peraps the straps wernt tight enough.

all I know is that I will never use one again,

If anybody wants one to fit the same size caravan as an abbey aventura 319 let me know itl be going cheap.

Kevin H

 

[john_5040775]

Hi Lorraine,

We have used a Specialised Accessories cover on our Ranger 460 for several years. I can put it on myself but it is easier with two people, we use a couple of broom handles and I would not call it a difficult job. One person can take it off. SA covers come with some felt material that you cut to the size of the windows and this stops any scratches on the plastic. On our storage site there are caravans with various covers but I would stick to either SA or Protec, they look equally good. Problems arise when the covers are not protected from sharp edges, again SA covers are supplied with polystyrene pieces to put on the end of the awning rails etc. I recently saw one of the caravans with the aerial spike sticking through a brand new cover when common sense says remove it first. I shall need a new cover soon as I am about to change the caravan and one last aside when the salesman came to value our van and check it for damp he made the comment that it would be most unusual to find damp in a caravan where a cover was used and fortunately he did'nt.

Hope this helps.

 

[DeliDave]

we had one for our first van and it worked fie but when we sold it the salesman never looked at van just gave us a price we were happy with.They are a pain to store and rarely fit new van,selling them is difficult cos postage would be expensive All in all we havent bothered for this van.