Hi All

[Cento16v]

Hi Guys

Just bought my first caravan, I've been caravanning since I was 4 with my parents, they had a Cavalier for their 1st caravan then a Abbey Suffolk and then A Brand New Bailey Pageant.

Now at the ripe old age of 27, me and the wife thought we'd have a go ourselves.

Well I did anyway and she loves it

I have only started cheap, no fancy stuff here, I bought a 90's Compass Omega 360/2 from a local dealer, no damp in any of the walls, pretty basic, only cold running water, a gas fire and no cassette toilet but simple isn't always worse.

It came with a full Isabella awning with fibre poles, a water pump and a step
I bought a galore 6.5 kg bottle, a leisure battery, some throws and cushions to make it more our own, a decent LED light weight TVs and my dad gave us a fan heater which is very good.

I'm quite prepared to upgrade in time should we get use out of it but I really like how homely it is, new carpets and bathroom floor fitted this last week and we took it for its first big tour out to Brandesburton near Beverly last weekend.

New tow car and caravan performed faultlessly, I bought a 2003 406 V6 saloon as a towcar, which doesn't struggle as you can imagine!
I had wanted to use my New Mini Cooper S as its only a light weight van but it would mean getting a new exhaust at its a center exit!

Hope to be around for many years to come, love caravanning

Cheers

Liam

 

[brian_c]

Welcome to the Forum Liam.
You have certainly started in a good way with the caravanning.
You will be able to enjoy the hobby and really decide what level of expenditure you need in the way of upgrades in the future.
The danger is going into the dealers for a simple thing like exchanging a gas bottle but thinking that you will just have a look round the caravans whilst you are there.
I hope you enjoy all your future outings with your Omega.
Keep posting, also I'm sure you will find loads of advice and friendly comments on the Forum.
Best regards Brian

 

[crazyguider]

Welcome! So glad you decided to carry on caravanning, and persuade the missus! I did the same to my hubby and kids, and now theres no turning back. Enjoy our hobby, come to Stowford Nd say Hi

 

[emmerson]

Good on yer, Liam! There's nowt wrong with an old van, and not only as a starter.
My van is 36 years old, I've had it 16 years, and I have no plans to change it.
Like the others, I applaud the way you have started cheap. Just imagine the financial loss if you'd bought new and didn't like it hmy:
Welcome, to you and yours, to what I hope is going to be a very happy future.

 

[Dustydog]

Welcome Liam.

Excellent pics. Caravaning adds an extra dimension to life. Just think about all the weekends away.

 

[LizziePope]

Hi Liam and welcome to the Practical Caravan forum. Thanks for the post and those great photos – long may your love affair with caravanning continue!

 

[Parksy]

Hi Lian, welcome to the forum
Your Omega looks nice, clean and tidy and I hope that you'll have many happy times away now that you've rediscovered the joys of touring from when you were young.

 

[Cento16v]

Thanks for the warm welcome all.

Just on with buying some new model stickers for the rear roof as i peeled the old faded ones off the rear and the faded green off of the front to make it look like new.

Has anyone had success at painting the badges as they are all black on mine as the paint has faded off the big Compass and Omega plastic badges.

 

[WoodlandsCamper]

Has anyone had success at painting the badges as they are all black on mine as the paint has faded off the big Compass and Omega plastic badges.

Instead of trying to repaint badges you could try here to see if they have any reasonable second hand ones.

 

[Mel]

Welcome to the forum. Good to have new members especially those of a different age demographic than most of us. Keep posting. PCv might like a letter from you, on being a caravanner under 30. They might even give you some mirrors for it.
Mel

 

[ProfJohnL]

Hello Liam, and welcome to the forum.

The pictures you posted look as though the caravan is a very clean and tidy example which provided the dreaded damp hasn't got to it could last for many years to come.

You don't mention whether you purchased privately or from a dealer. The reason I mention this is because I note you have a Carver SB1800 gas heater, which is a very efficient device, but it has one recurring problem that should be checked annually. The burner feed pipe between the gas valve and the burner bar has to be made from steel to comply with EU construction regulations. Even though they were made from coated steel pipe, where the pipe bends it is prone to corroding under the caravan floor. When corrosion is apparent it should be changed as a precaution.

If you got it from a dealer, they should have checked for this, but if it was a private purchase its less likely it will have been spotted and changed.

I suggest you make it a point about checking it just to be on the safe side.

Apart from that I hope your caravanning experiences are all good fun.

 

[Cento16v]

I bought the Caravan from a dealer who did a safety check on it before I bought it so it should all be ok hopefully!
I have used the gas heater and it works brilliantly but I doubt if I will use it much as my Dad bought me a very goog fan heater which gets the whole van upto temperature and keeps it there very efficiently.

I have had the van checked for damp and all the walls are clear, it appears the floor is a bit soft in some high traffic areas but I will be hopefully taking it to have the resin treatment done, it's not bad but it won't fix itself so I may as well get it sorted.

I've enquires about some new badges from the breakers as suggested, I'll be painting the handbrake and jockey wheel weather permitting this weekend, getting some wheel trims and polishing the residue off from the vinyl I removed.

Then i need to try my awning as it says on the bag it is missing bracket fixings, and has no suckers or 2nd head but I have no idea what that means other than the sucker part, it's a Isabella statesman 750.

 

[mealsonwheels]

Welcome to the forum, where you will find all the help and answers for any queries or problems that crop up.

Many years of Happy and safe caravanning to you both

 

[Beachball]

This is a belated welcome to the forum Liam they are a great bunch on here any questions you will get a answer .