Crisis WHAT Crisis????

[thursdays child]

HIYA ALL!!

As some may be aware we have recently changed our van for a newer model.It is a 2003 model cos we are retired and on a limited budget.

The thing that surprises me is how much money some folks can pay for caravans and tow cars.We constantly read and see instances of outfits costing mega bucks.I do not have a problem with people spending their money as they like of course as we have always done.What puzzles me is how frequently caravans are exchanged as I look upon them as a long term investment.Am I missing something or is it just a case of doing it because you can or is it good sense to buy the new version every year or so.

I thought it would be easy to find the van we wanted but no!The dealers were selling them before they came in.This looks like good news for the industry but what will happen if all these new

owners decide after a few trips that it really is not for them.Will the market collapse due to nearly new vans flooding the sales areas at knock down prices. I do hope the young families who fell in love with £15000 vans at shows did not take out big loans for them like with the housing situation.We have met several families out for the first time with a brand new outfit.I thought most folk started off on the cheap and built up if they liked it.Dont get me wrong if we could have afforded a brand new van if would have been great and I am not TOO envious!!

Well thats what I have been pondering on cos its a few months till April and France.

Thursdays Child (a bit bored)

 

[Dustydog]

. I do hope the young families who fell in love with

 

[colin(bridgend)]

I made similar comments to this regarding a road test in a past copy of the PC magazine where the total cost of the car abd caravan on test equated to approximately

 

[Mikey1]

I have been caravaning for 20 years and its been a case of upgrading as we go, a bit like your house really.

Its taken a while from my first van an Adria Optima and my Citroen Xantia company car.

It hasnt been all in one big pay out,its funny though im looking in the next changes to downsize both van and car as its only 2 of us now.

 

[colin(bridgend)]

Mikey - we thought along those lines but decided not to for two reasons. Sooner or later the grandchildren would want to come with us so we needed the extra beds and secondly when looking at two berths vans we were informed that it is harder to sell on a two berth and that their prices dropped quicker than comparative four berths as there is a limited market for two compared to four berths.

 

[Mikey1]

Colin i understand what you are saying,but i was more thinking to go back to a single axle(fixed bed) and getting rid of the 4x4.

Its the running cost of a 4x4

 

[Dustydog]

But Mikey, the thrill I get when I tow 1700kgs across a muddy field, ooooh lovely.

Most of our mileage is now done with the 4x4 so I wont change.

Also to make a real finacial saving I have to weigh up the cost of changing car , towbars, etc. I honestly don't believe in the long run it will change very much .

Cheers

Dustydog

 

[DavidKlyne]

Each to his own on how they spend their hard earned! In the summer we took deliver of our 4th new van in a 20 year period so hardly purchased on a whim! Some people buy retirement homes or statics or expensive motorhomes. We have spent 119 nights in our van this year and towed in excess of 5000 miles so we clearly get a good return on our investment. On the point about there being a possible glut of secondhand vans on the market the opposite seems to be true with a shortage of good vans on the forecourts. At the end of the day people must cut their cloth according to their means.

David

 

[Mikey1]

Yes Dustydog i would miss that too,my 4x4 is not my main car,its purely a run around for my wife when my car is not available and towing the van.

I can have a company car or i can take the money,i have to do a round trip of 146 miles to my office 3-4 times a week so taking the money would cost me a fortune in maintenance and fuel so i take the company car.We are not allowed 4x4's but allowed people carriers(selected manufacturers) hence my thoughts of towing with my company car and getting a small run around.

 

[thursdays child]

David, I fully endorse your remarks and you clearly are a dedicated

tourer.We too spend a large part of the year in our caravan.So many caravans that belong to people who still have to work seem to stay parked up for most of the year.The trouble with becoming mature is that we also become cautious.Lots more thought goes into our plans.However I think we were born at the best time and retirement will not be so good for a lot of the young folk.Except of course the ones who will reap the benefit of our cautious planning in inheritances!!!Where did you go on your travels?Yes I am nosey as well as a bit bored!!!!

Thursdays Child

 

[Surfer]

We started with a cheapy caravan to see if we would like and then upgraded to a new caravan with fixed bed. As we had so many problems with that caravan we traded it in on our present caravan and that was in January 2005. No intention of selling it as it is a better spec than newer caravans and big bonus is that it does not have a microwave fitted at above head level.

 

[Charlie4]

It's funny how people pidgeon hole people. We bought our first van last september after spending 2 years thinking about it and saving. We had both spent a lot of our youth with parents in vans so knew what to expect. We bought a brand new swift fixed bed because we coulod (cash). I changed The Audi A6 estate i had as it did not feel right towing. (Nose and weights, tyre pressures all spot on....Pedantic about things like that. And changed for a sorento (cash). As we like alot of CS sites and van all year.

It has amazed me the number of people who have commented that we must be up to our eyes in debt. No sorry we are just careful. Both teachers and all we owe is our Mortgage. But how can you your only in your late 20's (other half) I look a bit older.

Save money, be careful,and it can be done. we have spent 114 nights away since Jan 1st so that works out at a van cost of

 

[MichaelE]

Charlie you do make it sound very easy,from you reply i guess you both work and dont have children? Im not having a go just some find it easier to save than than others.

 

[emmerson2]

As I've said before on this forum, I've never had a new car or van, and never felt the need. Nor have I everfelt that I'm missing something. My present outfit is a 1994 Range Rover, bought for

 

[emmerson2]

It's funny how people pidgeon hole people. We bought our first van last september after spending 2 years thinking about it and saving. We had both spent a lot of our youth with parents in vans so knew what to expect. We bought a brand new swift fixed bed because we coulod (cash). I changed The Audi A6 estate i had as it did not feel right towing. (Nose and weights, tyre pressures all spot on....Pedantic about things like that. And changed for a sorento (cash). As we like alot of CS sites and van all year.

It has amazed me the number of people who have commented that we must be up to our eyes in debt. No sorry we are just careful. Both teachers and all we owe is our Mortgage. But how can you your only in your late 20's (other half) I look a bit older.

Save money, be careful,and it can be done. we have spent 114 nights away since Jan 1st so that works out at a van cost of

 

[sandt_374242043]

Hi

When I took my van for service at my local dealers one of the staff said they have had a big increase in people trying to reject their vans,even for the most trivial reason. The dealer put it down to people rushing in to buy brand new expensive vans and finding they were unable to afford the payments.

Sandy

 

[trucker]

Emmerson, if your happy with your outfit, and im happy with my new van and second hand car we've both got it right. If your happy and have a good time using your van thats the way to go. Mine is my pride and joy, didnt need a new van but wanted one, both work and no kids at home now so no credit for either car or van.

Kevin

 

[colin(bridgend)]

We did buy a new van in 2006 simply because I had a lump sum from redundancy followed by another lump sum from my teacher's pension. We bought the van to hopefully last us until we give up caravanning. I tow with a 1998 Daihatsu Fourtrack. I will be honest I have on many times considered changing it but then thought WHY? There is nothing wrong with it (touch wood) and it suits my wife and I. Only downside is the two doors - one of us has to get out to allow the rear seat occupants in or out. Apart from that I would only be spending money for the sake of it - and yes I have often been called a tight Welsh git but, who knows, it is nice to have a couple of pounds in reserve just in case of emergencies.

 

[machighlander]

Interetesting thread, i don't think it matters what people do with their money whether its saved or on credit, the fact they are buying into something that will give countless days pleasure is surely the point, not what age of manufacture it is. I am also a keen biker and have the latest top flight 1000cc sportsbike, i traded my last bike in for this after having it only 18 months. Why ?, because i could and i wanted to, and no doubt i will do the same in the next wee while. As for my newly bought caravan (2002 abbey aventura), no way will this be traded in during the next few years, this will suffice for us for many a year. I don't see the point of questioning why or how others can afford some leisure luxuries, maybes yer a wee bit of a nosey parker.

 

[Guest]

I fully agree with not changing things just because the neighbours do, or something like that. I also would not change my car every 3 years as some do. However, I also accept that after so many years the tendency for things to go wrong will increase and sometimes the cost to keep them right outweigh the value of the vehicle. Easy things such as brakes and mechanical parts are fine, but if the computer system fails, or the catalytic converter goes then the repair costs start to really mount. You also start paying extra for oveseas insurance, and although again it is not the end of everything, you start adding it all up and maybe it is easier for peace of mind to just trade up to a newer model. For example my own car is now 7 years old but has only done 60k miles, so is fine. However, I did think the radiator hoses are maybe needing changing after this length of time, but found out that the top hose is

 

[Lord Braykewynde]

We bought a new van in 2004 and and although it wasn't 5 years old it was shaking to bits. I'd already replaced all the locker door handles because they were crap. Every trip out we would find screws and then the hunt was on to find where they came from. We also had a leak coming from the rear panel roof but thankfully, the way we pitched on our drive, Aframe down on a slope the water had been running straight off the roof so there was no damp in it. Our caravan mechanic said it could have been like that a couple of years or more. Her Ladyship also hated the L-shaped layout after her choosing it.

Needless to say we decided to get rid of it before things got any worse and we bought a Bailey and the layout suits us better. So far so good and hopefully this is the last new caravan we will buy (famous last words). I also look at it that we are keeping someone in employment in this country.

Fortunately we were in the position of paying cash which means less for the kids. They will have the house when we're gone and neither of us intend to be the richest in the churchyard. Spend it while we're able to enjoy it is our motto.

 

[Auvergne]

Well, its very much horses for courses Thursdays Child. We chose to have a new van over a new kitchen, and I don't regret the choice. There are of course lots of dynamics that come into our decision. The kitchen can wait, my partner is 12 years older than me and time waits for no man. I may be widowed early and can have a kitchen then! I don't gamble, smoke, have my nails done, or buy loads of clothes so just because I have a new van doesn't mean I've bought it on tick or I'm any better off than you or anyone else on the field. Its just prioritising what I feel is important for me at this time in my life i.e. spending time with the man who was many years coming into my life, spending a bit of money on me after 10 years as a single mum bringing up my children and living whilst I have the health and the opportunity to do it.

 

[Charlie4]

It's funny how people pidgeon hole people. We bought our first van last september after spending 2 years thinking about it and saving. We had both spent a lot of our youth with parents in vans so knew what to expect. We bought a brand new swift fixed bed because we coulod (cash). I changed The Audi A6 estate i had as it did not feel right towing. (Nose and weights, tyre pressures all spot on....Pedantic about things like that. And changed for a sorento (cash). As we like alot of CS sites and van all year.

It has amazed me the number of people who have commented that we must be up to our eyes in debt. No sorry we are just careful. Both teachers and all we owe is our Mortgage. But how can you your only in your late 20's (other half) I look a bit older.

Save money, be careful,and it can be done. we have spent 114 nights away since Jan 1st so that works out at a van cost of

 

[James3]

Well, its very much horses for courses Thursdays Child. We chose to have a new van over a new kitchen, and I don't regret the choice. There are of course lots of dynamics that come into our decision. The kitchen can wait, my partner is 12 years older than me and time waits for no man. I may be widowed early and can have a kitchen then! I don't gamble, smoke, have my nails done, or buy loads of clothes so just because I have a new van doesn't mean I've bought it on tick or I'm any better off than you or anyone else on the field. Its just prioritising what I feel is important for me at this time in my life i.e. spending time with the man who was many years coming into my life, spending a bit of money on me after 10 years as a single mum bringing up my children and living whilst I have the health and the opportunity to do it.

Spot on

 

[aimee_374529234]

I have to agree with your comment about the younger people taking out credit to buy new vans and shiny new towcars but please don't tar us all with the same brush.

My husband and myself thought long and hard before buying a caravan we looked at our finances and bought a brand new caravan as we had enough money saved and because we can only go in winter.Most of the second hand caravans that were on offer were only three season vans and the few that were suitable were almost as much as a new one.

We use the van and towcar(which is also the farm runabout!) almost every weekend from oct-march then unlike everyone else its then put away for the summer.

Aimee