High cost of caravanning

[Chris_374413356]

Is it me or has the price of our hobby and pastime gone through the roof?

Today I insured my van, had it it serviced at home and renewed my Phantom tracker charge .............. over £500. It hasn't left the drive yet!!!!

 

[Taff]

I started caravanning 3 years ago and purchased a new van last April together with a bigger tow vehicle, hence all the costs come in April:-

 

[starlightdj]

Hi Steve

Hate to break the bad news but the tax on your sedona has gone up from

 

[trucker]

We pay no storage as the caravan is kept down the side of the bungalow, and we have a "nomal" size car which we would have if we didnt caravan, so my outlay before going anywhere is

Insurance

 

[phillip_374558452]

blame the road tax on the labour party

 

[Philspadders]

why ?

 

[ChrisUK]

Avoid CC sites and stick to CLs

 

[Martin24]

The motoring costs blame the labour party! Site costs are down to individual choice, I usually manage to stay under

 

[LMH]

It might sound a bit expensive but what's the alternative? Even a modest b&b will set a couple back

 

[Guest]

It is all releative to your desires and family size. I fully accpet that if you are travelling with a family of 2 teenagers or more, then nothing will be cheap. However as a couple then your living costs are fairly low and you can make a holiday a lot cheaper. It also depends on your style of holiday.If you stay in the Uk and the weather is bad, as is pretty normal, then you can spend a lot of money just finding something to do in the rain. We ae currently down in La Manga just beside Cartagena and a lot of Brits use the site. We are paying with Camping Cheque so pay about _14 per night, others are long stay and pay _10 per night. You can get a 3 Course meal at a local restaurant for between _5 adn _10 and some even throw in the wine. Yes, it cost to gte here but over a long period of time the costs even out, and of course it is hot and sunny.

The basic costs of caravanning are always quite high. Mine amount to

 

[JeffinSpain]

Some of us are doing what we can to help Chris, if you.re prepared to travel.

http://www.ukcampsite.co.uk/sites/details.asp?revid=6344
Regards,

Jeff.

 

[colin-yorkshire1]

hi Chris,

the cost of our hobby is preportional to the way we decide to do it just like any hobby. anyone can go golfing or fishing reletivly cheaply but if you must have the best gear and venues as expensive as you can afford.

it has been said on many occasions on this forum that your outfit is down to personal choice and I would echo that, the total running costs of a new 20ft twin axel and the vehicle to tow it with is going to be more expensive than a lightweight smaller van and family saloon tow car. just the same as if you must have 5star club sites with swimming pools, restaraunts, and service pitches the cost of a holiday will be greater than using a CL at the back of someones bungalow when the only facilities are a cold water tap and elsan point.

Martin 24 wrote ""The motoring costs blame the labour party!""

so which one of them decided to choose his tow car,?? let us know and we will go round and give him a slap??.

on second thought ignore the last comment as some one has been round and gave him a slap allready???

colin

 

[Martin24]

hi Chris,

the cost of our hobby is preportional to the way we decide to do it just like any hobby. anyone can go golfing or fishing reletivly cheaply but if you must have the best gear and venues as expensive as you can afford.

it has been said on many occasions on this forum that your outfit is down to personal choice and I would echo that, the total running costs of a new 20ft twin axel and the vehicle to tow it with is going to be more expensive than a lightweight smaller van and family saloon tow car. just the same as if you must have 5star club sites with swimming pools, restaraunts, and service pitches the cost of a holiday will be greater than using a CL at the back of someones bungalow when the only facilities are a cold water tap and elsan point.

Martin 24 wrote ""The motoring costs blame the labour party!""

so which one of them decided to choose his tow car,?? let us know and we will go round and give him a slap??.

on second thought ignore the last comment as some one has been round and gave him a slap allready???

colin

W'r!

 

[mary_374559004]

Hi

I think it depends how much money you have to start with and why you choose caravaning in the first place. If you can afford a newish van and big newish car then why moan about he general running costs!! I was shunned by a local caravan sales pitch because I diddnt have in exceess of 5K to spend!!! Costs so far for me

 

[DerekBrad]

It isn't compulsory to belong to the CC!I joined when I started caravanning in 1973 but left after a couple of years. I can find my sites and insure my van without the "expertise" of "the Club"

 

[oldagetraveller1]

I started caravanning 3 years ago and purchased a new van last April together with a bigger tow vehicle, hence all the costs come in April:-

 

[sarah647]

I view it much the same as Scotch Lad does, its all relative to your desires and family size.

We own a small, older caravan, and an average sized family hatchback. Its our household car so we have to tax, insure and service it anyway so it costs us no extra because we use it as a tow car. In the first year we managed to buy the caravan & kit and spent a total of two full weeks and a good 15 weekends away for less than what it was costing for just 2 weeks in a self catering property.

It means we can also take the dogs with us and we are not so restricted on places we can stay as a result.

Maybe if we had bought brand new kit then the daily costs would be a lot greater, but what we have meets our needs so there is no point in paying out more.

Sarah

 

[Brummie1]

For this year the cost of caravanning for us is quite high but that is because we have come back to it after a 20+ year gap. But when I discount the price of the caravan and all the bits needed,hitch lock ,wheel clamp, bedding, gas bottles ect,ect, I find that even with the cost of storage and insurance and stopping only at CC sites it is a hell of a lot cheaper than staying B&B and a damn sight more convenient. My wife and I reccon to get a minimum of 2 nights for the price of one B&B, thats allowing for the extra fuel used. Infact it works out cheaper than that as we usualy make our own evening meals as opposed to eating out every night. I haven't had to get a bigger car as I drove a large 4x4 anyway and find the extra mpg when towing about the same as driving around town. Infact it was the fact that I owned the 4x4 made me think of getting a caravan again as with my health flying to the sun for 2 weeks is not reccomended.

Next year after we've got used to caravanning I might concider driving to the sun for a few weeks.

Brummie

 

[Surfer]

Brummie do you tow with a Surf and were you at Moreton in Marsh a few weeks ago?

 

[sconny]

My van gets serviced by a mobile caravan servicer, either at home or in storage

 

[martin_374570819]

Sadly all these price increases are the result of the current popularity of our hobby, on questioning a site price increase recently the land owner stated that caravanners were not poor as you only had to look at the caravans and tow cars we use.

To keep costs down as stated forget the big all singing sites and look at the caravan club rallies and the C&CC meets and temporary holiday sites, great fun and excellant value.

 

[Surfer]

P.S. he is charging

 

[Bigfoot]

I take your point but... 1 week in a static van in August in Cornwall....

 

[DomDom]

Yep, booked for France in August. can't wait. To hell with the cost, it's still way cheaper than a decent package holiday. Plus I can take the dogs and travel at my own pace.

 

[Brummie1]

Brummie do you tow with a Surf and were you at Moreton in Marsh a few weeks ago?

Ian.

Yes I cannot tell a lie it was me. Was it you with the 3rd Gen there?

Brummie