Losing the towcar...

[LouisePretty]

We have a Swift Charisma 570, 1500kgs and tow with a Landrover Freelander 2. It's on a PCP and we've decided not to re-finance the balloon payment as we have other commitments coming up for the monthly payment (school fee's!)

Anyway, now trying to decided what to do with the van as we will be towcar-less. The options we are considering are:

1. give up caravanning;

2. seasonal pitch;

3. storage on site with tow on/off facility;

4. other ideas welcome.

Our van is currently stored indoors and was brand new 18 months ago. We would take a big loss if we sold it now! Had a look for tow car hire and got a quote of £1000 for a week which seemed extortionate.

Any feedback welcome - and we have to let the school know by Monday if we want the place so have to make decision about van and cars before then!!!

 

[Gagakev]

Louise,

Sorry for being thick but whats a PCP?

On the other hand I can only presume you will need some form of transport, so can't you buy a cheap tow car? It may be older than your used to but at least you could keep the van.

Kev

 

[forestgump]

can you get a old tow car in your budget.

 

[machighlander]

take the kids out of private school.

 

[LouisePretty]

A PCP is a Personal Contract Plan. I have paid half the value of the car off and at the end of the contract you pay the other half in cash, give the car back, re-finance or upgrade to a new model. My PCP is just short of

 

[machighlander]

Advice from people doing any of our options would be more useful than being told how to educate my children

hold the bus here louise,

you did post stating your financial options and askedfor any thoughts.

so, with you stating the school fees were one of the factors, i suggested doing away with them, simple,theres hundreds of thousands of sons and daughters likewise.

think you took this the wrong way, but if you post your circumstances like you did and ask for advice, well hey, thats mine.

 

[emmerson2]

Louise, have a look at my post in "towcars", "sad day". Ian asked about running costs for an elderly Range Rover. It might just give you food for thought, particularly if, like me, the car's age is not important to you.

 

[Lord Braykewynde]

Louise if you have a seasonal pitch it will cost you around

 

[JTQ]

Louise,

Look at what you can afford in the older Korean 4x4s.

They are low cost initially and depreciate heavily % wise, so that reduces the investment you will need to make. But coupled to this they use relatively low technology mechanics etc which bodes well for innate reliability, and modest repair/component replacement cost. Also at this age and value you are moving into the non franchised repair world at 60% of main dealer hourly charges.

It will be dreadfully unrefined relative to your FL2, but that matters little when lugging your van behind. On the school run you will just have to smile nicely and bear it knowing what your paying relative to the other mums and your family is going caravanning.

 

[Parksy]

Hi Louise

Sorry that your don has had such a negative start to his schooling and you know what is best for your son.

Seasonal pitches on good sites can be expensive and now that you have decided on a private education for your son you will obviously stick to it so that leaves selling your caravan or getting a reasonably inexpensive towcar.

Many older 4x4s are not all that expensive to maintain.

Japanese 4x4s such as Shoguns or Pajero's (the grey import version of the Shoggie) are not 'modern' and the driving experience isn't great but they are renowned for their reliability.

They do not rely on computers and are easy to repair on the rare occasion when something breaks.

They cannot compete with German manufactured 4x4s in terms of badge credibility and can be thirsty when used as town runabouts but as towcars go they are hard to beat for those of us on a budget.

Parts are easy to obtain from any motor factors and many very good clean examples are selling for not much money due to fuel costs. The imported versions usually have low mileage and have been well looked after.

If your son has chance to spend time with you in your caravan he will be able to mix and make friends with children who are not bullies which has got to be a plus point for keeping the caravan.

 

[Gagakev]

Thanks for the explaination.

Can you look for a low mileage, fully serviced vehicle, It may take a while but they can be found

I have a 10 year old Shogun Sport with only 58.000 miles on the clock and it is very clean and tidy, look after it and it will look after you.

Also bear in mind a brand new car can break down.

 

[dougie_374468830]

I think a seasonal pitch would be the way to go whilst continuing to put it in storage over winter.You can change your site every year. You may have a friend with a suitable tow car to help you out twice a year. In my business i get a few jobs moving vans on and off pitches and back and forth to storage areas mainly for people like yourself with no tow car nor the inclination to haul a caravan all over the place.

I would certainly put your kids welfare before a caravan though.

 

[machighlander]

sorry this is off topic, but i just have to reply.

On the school run you will just have to smile nicely and bear it knowing what your paying relative to the other mums and your family is going caravanning

that there above is one of the biggest giveaways that the snobbery element is inherent in the caravan fraternity, jesus, absolutely unreal. say no more highlander, it aint worth it.

 

[LouisePretty]

Thanks - will have a look at the towcar section. Maybe I should have posted this there really!

I have had a few quotes for seasonal pitches, ranging from

 

[Parksy]

I can understand your point MacHighlander and why you think that we're a bunch of snobs :0)

The impression that I got from JTQ's comment was that if the child is at a private school there would most likely be mothers in gleaming new Range Rovers or Beemers.

The school mums might be the snobby ones or Louise might feel like a poor relation in a ten year old 4x4.

It's not caravanners who are snobs, a ten year old 4x4 will probably be the next towcar that I buy when my 18 year old Pajero packs up.

 

[Parksy]

Louise whatever you do never buy a static!!!

Guaranteed way to get royally ripped off.

 

[LouisePretty]

Thanks Parksy, you explained that better than I could. I'm not a snob, I don't think caravanners are snobs but there is a perception that private school parents are snobs.

We live in a normal house, big mortgage, both work hard to do the best for our children. I don't want to get in to a debate about the merits of state vs independent education, everybody has to do what is right for their family.

I just want to know if owning a van is feasible without necessarily owning a towcar.

A good idea has already come up that I hadn't thought of - getting somebody to tow for you, thank you to whoever mentioned it, I can't remember your name and now I'm in the reply bit!

Does anybody know the going rate and are there rules about having a tow car on site while you're there in case the van needed moving? It's fitted with a mover so we could pitch it ourselves and we could use the Polo on holiday.

 

[Parksy]

You can see a good example of a ten year old Shogun On Ebay Here

 

[machighlander]

no parksy, i didnt say you were all a bunch of snobs, only certain ones seem to appear every so often to back up my judgement on them and that post said it all.

who cares what car who drives, i dont get it.

badges ?, wow, what a status symbol, proves nothing to me.

i am in the process of changing my car to a more suitable towcar, getting the changeover tomorrow, and guess what ?, oh dear its a korean car with inferior refinements to the main competitors, but want to know something, i will be so proud and happy that i have changed my car for the right reasons, no to please any other floosy on the school run in her 25 grand car.

absolutely unbelievable.

 

[Parksy]

What are you getting Mac?

 

[LouisePretty]

Had a look at the Shogun, that's the right kind of budget so have emailed a link to the OH. It's a long way from my sofa to his, lol!

Thanks for everybody's help, by the way! And does anybody want to buy a Freelander????!!!!!!!!

 

[Rabfaetheblae]

Louise,

personnely if i was you i would sell your new caravan and buy somthing older giving you a bigger budget on your towcar,mk3 tdci mondeo maybe.

you would be surprised how well caravans are holding there price,

Rab

 

[Alan Partridge]

Louise, have you considered say a Mondeo instead of a Focus? It will probably cost no more at the same age, and will have the towing capacity for a 1500kg caravan.

4x4s are popular with caravanners, but by no means essential.

 

[Parksy]

There are loads of those around Louise and even more examples of the 2.8 pre facelift model which are a couple of years older but much less expensive.

Don't be tempted to buy the 2.5 litre version if you decide on a Mitsi. It will do the job but the 2.8 is much better and the 3.2 D-D which is shown is better still.

 

[Entwood]

You don't have to have a 4X4 !! I tow a heavier van than you (1600Kg) without one !!! Vauxhall Omega .... comes in various engine guises, but all weigh in at around 19-2100 Kg and have loads of towing ability.

When new they were well over