Hi. Have to move on from camping and decided caravan best option. But don't know where to start. Will need to get another car as have citoen c1 at present . Need to be low budget. Need 2 berth van as just me and dogs. What sort of car should I be looking for? I know my first van will have to be at least 15 years old. Any help and advice appreciated.
Looking to start. Need advice
- Thread starter tarkababe
- Start date
tarkababe said:
Hello tarkababe,
Welcome to the forum, and I hope we can give you some tips to get you going.
Others may have a different way of looking at your challenge. But you should start with understanding what your driving licence allows you to drive. The relevant entitlement is Cat B.
If you only have Cat B (Not BE or B+e) then your are limited to a outfit where the combined MAM's (Maximum Authorised Masses) of the car added to the the Caravan does not exceed 3500kg If you only have Cat B and you want to upgrade you must apply and pass the E extension test.
To drive a bigger combination you must have BE or B+e which effectively covers all practical domestic combinations.
Having told us that you intend to change your car, I suggest it makes sense to choose your caravan first, then when you know what you need to tow, then to find a suitable tow car.
The UK caravan industry offers some guidance. They suggest the caravan should not weigh more than 85% of the kerbweight of the tow vehicle. Or to put in a more practical from for your buying needs, the unladen weight of the car should be at least 20% more than the caravan maximum weight. None of this guarantees a good tow but it certainly points in the right direction.
Don't rush into buying a second hand caravan. Sadly too many of them do have damp issues, so I suggest if you have a caravanning friend, perhaps they could go with you when looking at caravans, they may spot issues that you might miss. Once you have found what seems to be your most likely caravan, before agreeing to purchase it, arrange to have it professionally inspected by an independent caravan engineer. There are mobile engineers that will do this for you. A few pounds now could save much more later on.
If you are new to towing, then there are some very good courses offered by the Caravan Clubs.
So I hope that helps.
Parksy
Moderator
Hi Tarkababe, welcome to the forum.
A good starting point would be to find out what you can legally tow according to your driving licence entitlements.
Click Here for more information.
When you know what you are allowed to tow the next thing would be to look for a suitable tourer within your budget.
If you want to avoid the more common pitfalls it's best to carry out some research so that when you look over your prospective purchase you'll know exactly what to look out for and avoid costly mistakes.
A good browse through the Caravan Buyers Guide will point you in the right direction, Click Here
When you've decided what sort of caravan would generally suit your requirements check back with helpful forum members who may come up with some useful ideas, tips and suggestions and good tow car advice.
Good luck and if there's anything you're unsure about just ask
A good starting point would be to find out what you can legally tow according to your driving licence entitlements.
Click Here for more information.
When you know what you are allowed to tow the next thing would be to look for a suitable tourer within your budget.
If you want to avoid the more common pitfalls it's best to carry out some research so that when you look over your prospective purchase you'll know exactly what to look out for and avoid costly mistakes.
A good browse through the Caravan Buyers Guide will point you in the right direction, Click Here
When you've decided what sort of caravan would generally suit your requirements check back with helpful forum members who may come up with some useful ideas, tips and suggestions and good tow car advice.
Good luck and if there's anything you're unsure about just ask
........food for thought? :huh:
Ford Mondeo 2L TDci around £2000........loads of choice out there.
Buy one without a towbar fitted as will have been subject to less wear.....get one fitted after purchase!
Buy 2 berth caravan privately from older person who is selling an obviously cherished possession due to giving up the pastime.
They will also be selling all the extras you will need.
Walk away from anything that shows the slightest signs of internal damp.
Such a seller should be able to produce a CRIS document and a sales invoice issued when they bought the caravan.
........if you dislike Mondeos substitute diesel car of choice with engine size of 1600-2000cc.
Ford Mondeo 2L TDci around £2000........loads of choice out there.
Buy one without a towbar fitted as will have been subject to less wear.....get one fitted after purchase!
Buy 2 berth caravan privately from older person who is selling an obviously cherished possession due to giving up the pastime.
They will also be selling all the extras you will need.
Walk away from anything that shows the slightest signs of internal damp.
Such a seller should be able to produce a CRIS document and a sales invoice issued when they bought the caravan.
........if you dislike Mondeos substitute diesel car of choice with engine size of 1600-2000cc.
I would echo what the Professor has to say. There is a lot of free advice on the Caravan Club website at the bottom of the Home page. Visit http://www.caravanclub.co.uk/
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