Fixed Bed Caravan Show!

[CaravanCook]

I think the NEC show should be re-named. If the industry is trying to encourage families to take up caravaning, why do we have so many fixed bed vans at the show? It dosent matter what the sales people say, they are just vans for 2 people, unless you want to go to bed at the same time as your children.

Anyone feel the same?

 

[Dustydog]

Hi Caravan Cook

For years we hated making up the beds but accepted it as part of the fun. Kids grow up and off they go. Then we discover the Elldis 505 twin dinette. Magic. We used to leave the rear bed permanently made up and then the front as the lounge.

Time for change in 2004 along comes the Bailey Pageant Vendee transverse fixed bed at the rear. Brilliant for us. Finally for us our ultimate prize a Wyoming with Fixed bed.

Are we lazy? Of course we are.

All our last three caravans were really only for two people to live in super comfort. Nothing wrong with that?

I didn't go to the NEC but from what I see at our local dealers Swift, Bailey Lunar and Elldis all offer a wide choice of layouts.

Maybe the NEC show was targetting a specific clientele?? Mmm naughty.

Cheers

Dustydog

 

[Gumbo]

Anyone feel the same?

No I want an 8m van for just the two of us, and occasional put me up for the grandaughter. Now if you want a 10m van for a family fine by me.

 

[markw]

I agree, I went to the show and about 90% of the vans on show seemed to be fixed bed which as you say are useless unless you want to go to bed at the same time as children, my boy is 4 and I dont.

Personally I think there is a big gap in the market for vans suitable for the smaller family, such as the 3 of us.

We liked a couple of the vans with twin bunks at the rear, but both were 6 berth with a convertable side dinnette, why could they not do an option of having a non convertable side dinnette, exactly the same but just loose the swing up bunk.

Regards

Mark

 

[Jonathan_5071894]

Hi Caravan Cook and Mark

Agree with what you say, and although our two boys have now flown the nest, when they were with us we preferred the front twin settee with rear bunks layout! This allowed them to have their own space, and could be closed off at night. We travelled widely with our 1995 Swift Rapide, and now have a Lunar Zenith Four 05 model, and really have not seen anything we like better. The current Zenith Four has gone to a fixed bed model - and we'd agree that there just no longer seems to be the type of van for the smaller family. Latterly out two lads chose to use a pup tent on main holidays, but even then, the end bunks were useful on overnight stops, or those nights off season when it was a bit on the cold side!!

 

[Zafiral]

Caravan Cook

I agree that there is a gap in the market, but I am not sure of the best way manufacturers can better current 6 birth models. We used to have a Ranger 470/4 side dinette model and we found that the problem was that a thin curtain is not really a divider so we still had to be fairly quiet.

There are only the three of us, but we really like the new triple bunk rear lounge layout (Ranger 540/6, Pageant S7 Bretagne or Lunar Quasar 546). Having the rear dinette as a playroom is great idea. The bottom bunks tip up in all three to make a useful storage area.

We are now the proud owners of a Pageant Bretagne and if you have a towcar that is up to it (MPTLM 1480kg) then it is a really good layout. Also if we are feeling lazy, the front settees are long enough to use as singles so no beds to make up at all.

 

[CaravanCook]

Thanks for the responses, at least I know I'm not alone!!! We currently have a Swift Challenger 490, this is a 5 bed with an L shaped rear bed (the other 3)and a solid sliding door. My daughter is now eight, and when she was younger having this sperate room was great, (have I just shot myself in the foot re fixed beds?). When my daughter no longer wants to tour with us, I'll by a huge twin axel fixed bed two birth!!!