Hello Everybody

[Eddie 27]

Hello forum members.
My name is Eddie and I live in the Derby area.
I am thinking about getting in to this caravan thing so after looking around the Web decided to sign up here as you all seem to be a good bunch and sound like you know what you are on about 😁
As a complete beginner I understand that the popular advice is not to spend too much on your first caravan just in case that we decide it is not for us (the wife and me) and our 3 dogs. We may also occasionally take some of the grand kids away with us.
The layout which appeals most to us is the 4 berth with twin single beds arrangement.
We both own cars equipped to tow, Claire has a Skoda Yeti 2.0tdi 4x4 while I have a Kodiaq 2.0 tsi 4x4. Hope both cars will be up to the job🤔
Both of us could best be described as being somewhat broad in the beam so would like a van with decent width singles.
I have a local site offering seasonal pitches by a river which is quite well served for the essentials. Loads of good pubs nearby 😁
It makes sense to me to keep my van on this site rather than pay for storage. Higher annual costs of course but the site fees are very reasonable.
I shall make a post in the most suitable section of the forum asking for advice on which vans would most suit our needs, and which vans I should avoid.
Thanks in advance for your help.
Eddie.

 

[otherclive]

Hello forum members.
My name is Eddie and I live in the Derby area.
I am thinking about getting in to this caravan thing so after looking around the Web decided to sign up here as you all seem to be a good bunch and sound like you know what you are on about 😁
As a complete beginner I understand that the popular advice is not to spend too much on your first caravan just in case that we decide it is not for us (the wife and me) and our 3 dogs. We may also occasionally take some of the grand kids away with us.
The layout which appeals most to us is the 4 berth with twin single beds arrangement.
We both own cars equipped to tow, Claire has a Skoda Yeti 2.0tdi 4x4 while I have a Kodiaq 2.0 tsi 4x4. Hope both cars will be up to the job🤔
Both of us could best be described as being somewhat broad in the beam so would like a van with decent width singles.
I have a local site offering seasonal pitches by a river which is quite well served for the essentials. Loads of good pubs nearby 😁
It makes sense to me to keep my van on this site rather than pay for storage. Higher annual costs of course but the site fees are very reasonable.
I shall make a post in the most suitable section of the forum asking for advice on which vans would most suit our needs, and which vans I should avoid.
Thanks in advance for your help.
Eddie.

Hi welcome to the Forum. Look forward to seeing your questions on caravan types. A good starting point is to find out the kerbweight or Mass in Service of your cars and maximum towing capacity. That will aid caravan selection.

 

[Dustydog]

Welcome to the Forum Eddie.

Seasonal pitches work for some of us on here , whilst others are dyed in the wool tourers.
Your choice but I am pretty sure when you analyse the actual numbers you may take another view😉

 

[Eddie 27]

Here are the figures from the plate on the bottom of the nearside B pillar.

Kodiaq,
2484
4484
1170
1400

Yeti

2155
4255
1140
1060

Both cars have automatic DSG type transmissions.
The Kodiaq came with factory tow bar preparation and as it is a 19MY the weight stamped on the hitch is 100kg
I don't know if the Yeti has factory preparation.

 

[RogerL]

From those figures, the Kodiaq has a towing limit of 2000kg while the Yeti has a towing limit of 2100kg - but many suggest that beginners restrict their caravan to 85% of the car's kerbweight - but unlike the figures you posted, the 85% isn't a legal requirement.

 

[Eddie 27]

Welcome to the Forum Eddie.

Seasonal pitches work for some of us on here , whilst others are dyed in the wool tourers.
Your choice but I am pretty sure when you analyse the actual numbers you may take another view😉

I do plan on using the van for touring, extended weekends mostly with the odd week away. Seasonal pitch price is a shade under £2000 pa. The site is quite close to the M1 so very handy for getting away. I must admit I have not got a price for storage from anywhere local but I was estimating the cost to be at least £600 pa.
We go to the pubs and take the dogs on walks around the place almost every weekend as it is. River and canal side walks mean no hills which we both appreciate 😂
With that in mind the numbers on a seasonal pitch at a site we both really like seem quite reasonable.

 

[otherclive]

I do plan on using the van for touring, extended weekends mostly with the odd week away. Seasonal pitch price is a shade under £2000 pa. The site is quite close to the M1 so very handy for getting away. I must admit I have not got a price for storage from anywhere local but I was estimating the cost to be at least £600 pa.
We go to the pubs and take the dogs on walks around the place almost every weekend as it is. River and canal side walks mean no hills which we both appreciate 😂
With that in mind the numbers on a seasonal pitch at a site we both really like seem quite reasonable.

The seasonal price sounds okay. I was going to pay around £1300 for a six months seasonal at Camping in the Forest Bracelands site for 2020 inc EHU. But Covid put a stop to that and the site stopped seasonals. Does yours include EHU too?

 

[Eddie 27]

The seasonal price sounds okay. I was going to pay around £1300 for a six months seasonal at Camping in the Forest Bracelands site for 2020 inc EHU. But Covid put a stop to that and the site stopped seasonals. Does yours include EHU too?

I have a mate who has a van on the site, he uses it pretty much as I intend to. Apparently the EHU is billed quarterly. I suppose there is some kind of standing charge with usage on top of that.

 

[Mel]

Welcome to the forum. Lots of good advice on here. As a guide to storage costs, we are currently paying £46 a month for a site with high security, 30 minutes from Derby.
However you decide to use a Caravan, enjoy.
Mel

 

[Beachball]

Hi Eddie Welcome to the forum any questions you will get a answer they are a great bunch on here, at present we are on a seasonal site with storage included

 

[Hutch]

Welcome to the mad house, you have two good tow cars so will have a wide choice of different vans, take your time , if you haven't alr done so and look at plenty of different ones, and of course make sure there is no damp. Also tyre age max of 7 year old , a good haggling point with dealers.

 

[Eddie 27]

Thanks for all the great responses you lovely people.
Time to draft another post.