Caravan Useage

[Gabsgrandad]

Just been doing a few sums, got van back yesterday from 3rd years service, fortunately no problems.The sums show us we have had 374 nights away in the van in that time and towed it 13,328 miles, all on this island. What we don't keep a record of are site fees and fuel costs involved in that towing., that would be frightening! We do tend to not do as many miles towing these days as we used to do as we stay in one place longer than we used to do when we toured more. Are we average or where are we in useage? Expect the continent users will 'dwarf'' this mileage if not the nights.

 

[Gafferbill]

Peter ........you will easily be in the top 1% of people who use their caravan the most.
Maybe some who spent 4 months overwintering in Spain may top your nights away total but they probably will not match your mileage.
I admire the fact that you are getting your moneys worth from your outfit when so many seem to just sit in storage depreciating in value for most of the time.

 

[Jaydug]

Maybe some who spent 4 months overwintering in Spain may top your nights away total but they probably will not match your mileage.
.

Exactly as Bill forecast! My last three years of travels show 429 nights spent in the van for 8247 towed miles.

 

[emmerson]

Sir Gab, that is a record to be proud of! I don't keep records to that extent, although Herself keeps diaries of all of our trips. The trouble is she is the only one who can read them!
I do remember one year spending 187 nights in the van, and covering over 7,000 miles, but that was the famous year when we took the van to Sweden. A couple of days before we left, Anne said "When we're in Sweden, can we just pop to Vienna as well?" We set a budget of £6,000 for that year, but I don't really know how much we spent.
I suppose we spend an average 80 - 100 nights away, and do around 4,000 miles. I have no idea what the financials are though. That would be too scary!

 

[emmerson]

Sir Gab, that is a record to be proud of! I don't keep records to that extent, although Herself keeps diaries of all of our trips. The trouble is she is the only one who can read them!
I do remember one year spending 187 nights in the van, and covering over 7,000 miles, but that was the famous year when we took the van to Sweden. A couple of days before we left, Anne said "When we're in Sweden, can we just pop to Vienna as well?" We set a budget of £6,000 for that year, but I don't really know how much we spent.
I suppose we spend an average 80 - 100 nights away, and do around 4,000 miles. I have no idea what the financials are though. That would be too scary!
Actually, its not too bad: average the sites at £19,00, and fuel (LPG) at 55p and 3 miles per litre, then an average year would be £2,600, or £50 a week! That, to me ain't bad at all.
How much would a couple of weeks be on the Costa Packet?
Or are my figures flawed?

 

[Jaydug]

,
Actually, its not too bad: average the sites at £19,00, and fuel (LPG) at 55p and 3 miles per litre, then an average year would be £2,600, or £50 a week! That, to me ain't bad at all.
?

Four months in Spain cost me £2180. That includes return ferry fare to Bilbao, site fees and electric, fuel for 1500 miles of towing and four months of travel insurance. Or less than £18 per day

 

[Mel]

Us non retired folk were finding that the van spent far too long on the drive, and even a "weekend" away actually added up to only 38 hours in the van (8 pm arrive on site on Friday, decamp 10 am on Sunday). If we managed 20 nights a year we were doing well.
Hence we put it on a seasonal pitch. This cost us £1800 last year. Could drive there in my Fiesta that does 40 odd mpg. Journey time 2 hours. Spent aound 40-45 nights there, plus daughter used it for a weekend.
Anyone doing the math will work out that means an expensive pitch per night ( £45 :S ) but to us it was worth every penny. Still cheaper than a fortnight on a package holiday. The alternative was a years worth of depreciation in a newish van with next to no use.

Horses for courses.
Mel

 

[Dustydog]

Pete
You have the record :cheer:
Do you ever see your own bed
Only managed 92 nights last 12 months.
Partly due to home commitments and grand kids.
Wyoming now 8 years old so we have had our monies worth out it.
Come on PCv how about a set of Milencos for Pete's marathon record :cheer:

 

[Gagakev]

Pete
You have the record :cheer:
Do you ever see your own bed
Only managed 92 nights last 12 months.
Partly due to home commitments and grand kids.
Wyoming now 8 years old so we have had our monies worth out it.
Come on PCv how about a set of Milencos for Pete's marathon record :cheer:

All the milenco's Pete wins are then sold on Flea Bay :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[Gagakev]

This is the working class average getaways.....Sir Gabs love's winding us up :evil:

Nights Total Average

2012 26 £2,814.00 £108.00
2013 31 £4,111.50 £132.00
2014 29 £2,907.00 £100.24
2015 25 £2,941 £117.64
2016 38 £3,411 £89.70
The above includes every thing caravan related from pitch fees, gas to Woosie pot fluids, also include all day to day spends, fuel on average covering 2200 miles per year, all day to day living including and even the pints supped in the pubs, in fact anything we buy when we are away. oh and last year included £1,200.00 for seasonal which we didnt return to after pulling off in August.
Oh and 31 planned this year.
Happy vanning folks, however many nights you do. B)

 

[Gabsgrandad]

Looks like you spend most of your time counting the pennies. Ps those mirrors - no sooner sold them then had to buy some 'newens' - having deposited one along a narrow lane in Wales!

 

[Gagakev]

Looks like you spend most of your time counting the pennies. Ps those mirrors - no sooner sold them then had to buy some 'newens' - having deposited one along a narrow lane in Wales!

Got to count the pennies to make sure we can do 124 nights per year on my re-retirement in 12 years time

 

[Keefanmaxx]

Can't really comment on this one! Mrs Keith and I have started keeping a log this year that includes all costs for the time away such as site fees, fuel, food etc. We sat wondering what it costs as an average and curiosity got the better of us!
We should do around 35 nights all being well which is good for us but way off some!! :cheer:

 

[Hutch]

We got out last year for maybe less than 80 nights then due to constant Medical and familly holidays, have not gotten out since last November,, anoying as e love all year round Touring. Which others should do. . So next week off and away. This year maybe only a month in France due to the Euro. , but have great French mates there so, Maybe.

 

[Hutch]

Waĺingford is lòking good, as DD says , its not reqlly a Woosiefeste, anyone is welcome, lovley site, and all are welcome.

 

[PHOENIXFLIER]

As total sprogs, we rationalized the expense of our caravan (£8800), against the holidays we have had in the past. It sounds good going to Mexico for example. But at 5k all up for ten days all inc. unless you are 100% happy with the package its a LOT of money. Luckily, we have traveled a lot, but some of the places have been a rip-of to say the least. But once you are there..........hard luck!. The way we see it, is that like all new ventures there is an initial outlay (tow bar / insurance / CC / etc. etc), but once you have got the caravan and the gear parked in your front garden, its game on!. There is a plethora of places / adventures to be had, if we do not like the site, unplug everything and push off. We are still working full time, so we are playing the long game here, but plan to get out as much as conceivably possible. Caravans are an expensive luxury, but in the long term I think it will be worth every penny!.

 

[emmerson]

Can't fault your logic, Phoenix!
I often wonder why people spend many thousands of pounds on a caravan to use it only for a couple of weeks a year!
Even when we both worked, the van was out for at least a few days every month, and now we've retired we wear the tyres out!

 

[Gabsgrandad]

Do you know Emmerson I've never worn a caravan tyre out. Replaced a few over the years for punctures (shredded a few!), don't tend to keep van long enough for age replacement (did once have a van for 11 years!). Tyres hardly ever show much wear, in fact it is hard to spot any wear on them.

 

[emmerson]

I've replaced them thrice on our current Royale Gabs, but I have had it for 18 years! The present pair have been on for two seasons, but the ones before that we actually wore out the tread, down to two millimetres. By then they were seven years old, so out they went.
Incidentally, I have never bought "premium" tyres for anything, always used budget tyres, just whatever the local shop has in stock at the time.

 

[saint-spoon]

Due to having school aged kids and having to turn too to earn the bread we can never match that tally. But 14 nights away so far this year, all short haul weekends away, I can't see us letting up as the summer season comes even though it will start to get more expensive.
Probably around 550 miles covered so not thinking that my tyres are anywhere near worn out LOL

 

[Gabsgrandad]

Ah! - Kids, - been there done that, and that 'other' nasty four letter word - "work"! - So please keep going and paying your NI and taxes, so us geriatrics can keep going to the 'post office' and keep the money circulating, we only do it of course to keep sites in business would hate to see 'em going bust, that's how charitable we are!

 

[emmerson]

Its not the time out that counts saint spoon, its what you put into it.
Better ten nights of fun for all than a hundred miserable ones.

 

[Keefanmaxx]

Like Phoenix, we brought our 'van on the basis that it couldn't sit on the drive for most of the year due to cost. We get away on average every 5 weeks for a long weekend based on my working rota. Mrs Keith likes this arrangement as she feels like she gets lots of holiday rather that a 2 weeker in the middle of the year.
Until I retire, we'll get as many nights per year in so until then, I'll keep paying NI so you olduns can keep sites going!