Myths or Facts?

[Peter_5129011]

Having just bought our 1st "proper" caravan (one where everything works, the roof doesn't leak etc. etc.).

I was startled by some comments, from the rest of the fmaily who've been caravanning for sometime.

1> If you use the shower in the bathroom, the floor will eventally fall out, so your better off never using it.

2> If you start to tow the van any distance, you'll ruin it as vans aren;t built strongly enough and it will eventally fall apart.

So how true is all this? Should I dare use the shower? Should I try to keep towing miles down to a minimum?

 

[Lutz]

I can't comment on the shower because we don't use it, but we've had our caravan for 16 years and it has seen service from the Arctic Circle to Gibraltar and from the west coast of Ireland to eastern Croatia and it's still going strong (no leaks or anything). I'd estimate that we've towed it over 50000 miles over the years. The only thing that ever fell off was the bathroom door which came off the hinges after a few hundred miles of unsurfaced roads in Iceland.

 

[RogerL]

They're both myths.

The shower's there to be used - if it's the older type with just a tray and curtain, make sure you use the curtain and ensure there's no standing water after use.

Touring caravans are lightweight structures, they won't stand abuse like domestic properties and fittings. Vibration occuring during travel can loosen fittings but easily cured by balancing the roadwheels.

In 25 years caravanning, and much use of internet caravan forums, I've never heard either of those opinions expressed.

 

[rob_jax]

Hi,

About 13 years ago, Terry - one of the members of the UK Eriba Forum took his Eriba on a little trip to Katmandu - and that didn't fall apart...

Just wish it had been me...

Robert

 

[Legsmaniac_374344731]

Hehe. Great pics.

Eribas are built to last though and built WAY better than our tin boxes.

 

[Lutz]

Someone one the site where I store my caravan has got an Eriba with an offroad chassis, raising it a good 6" over the standard ride height. It's got really chunky tyres, too. If I remember to take my camera along with me next time I go, I'll take a picture of it.

 

[davedee]

Hi Peter.

We bought our Coachman last August and have, up to press, dragged it for well over 4.000 miles. It's a straight forward British built van, nothing special, but like all modernish vans it is built to travel - and so is yours!

As for the shower; it's yours.You bought it - use it.

We both use ours every day we're away with the van. That's what it's there for.

Forget the myths and legends,Peter. Hook you pride and joy (your van, that is) up to the back of your motor and enjoy it!

Happy caravanning.

Dave

 

[davedee]

Hi,

About 13 years ago, Terry - one of the members of the UK Eriba Forum took his Eriba on a little trip to Katmandu - and that didn't fall apart...

Just wish it had been me...

Robert

Superb photos Rob.

Dave

 

[gary]

Surely both are facts but depending on your view point?

If you buy a van and tow it nowhere then it's fair to say, it will definatly last longer than if towed somewhere and used regularly.

The difference in life though depends on how well you respect it and how often it's serviced so any problems are picked up early

The showers the same but for the life of me I've never understood the fear attached by some people to this particular 'fact'

 

[davedee]

Strange isn't it Gary. A very good friend of mine, an engineer by trade, swears he'll never use the shower in his Lunar Delta as it will introduce damp into his van.

For the life of me I can't understand the thinking behind this.

Ok, there's a bit of steam. But it's confined to the shower cubicle which is plastic! So is the water.

Still, it wouldn't do if we were all the same, would it.

Dave

 

[davedee]

Just re-read that bit about the steam - sounds as if the water is made out of plastic. This of course is not so............I don't think???

Dave

 

[spj]

I also can not understand the fear of using a caravan shower, damp is water leaked in and soaked into the wooden parts which then rot, it leaks from outside in and soaks areas which can not ventilate and dry out correctly, modern caravans have plastic liners so the wood can not get wet, if it did it would dry out anyway, an older van may have a curtain to stop water running down the walls which if used will be fine, do people who won't use a caravan shower also not cook or boil a kettle in the van, this causes more steam than a shower over time as the kettle in our van boils a lot more times than the shower is used. Under my bath and shower at home I have wooden floorboards and joists, they have been there for over 50 years, now and then they get a little wet but as the area is ventilated they dry out and have no rot.

Towing a caravan is what it is designed for, to leave a tourer in one place seems strange to me as I would rather have the space of a static, tourers are not designed to last forever and one day they will all fall apart, some far sooner than others, towing it around is only doing what it is designed for.

If you bought a car and kept it in a nice dry garage and never drove it then it would last years longer than one used daily, but it would be a complete waste of money.

spj.

 

[nrdonnelly]

Rob_jax

Are those pictures part of set? They are amazing.

If there are any more, I'd love to see the story of his trip in the magazine. Feel free to drop me a line (or get him/her to) at nigel.donnelly@haymarket.com

Regards

Nigel Donnelly

Editor

Practical Caravan

 

[rob_jax]

Hi Nigel,

Terry now lives in Portugal - I'll try to contact him by e-mail this week.

I know of a few extra old photos like this one - entering Pakistan via Iran

Robert

 

[Lutz]

As promised, here's a pic of the Eriba on the same storage site as mine:

 

[Legsmaniac_374344731]

Nice one! I think they're really cool and wouldn't mind owning one. They're not cheap though since they hold their value well. We spent weeks looking at Eribas when we first started looking into getting a caravan but never found the right one for us at the right price. Size was the main importance because we wanted to store it on our drive and Eribas were no problem. Then we found our 2 berth Elddis Wisp and realised that would fit on our drive no problem. After using our caravan, we visited the Eriba stand at the NEC and wondered why we ever looked at Eribas. The insides are SO tiny compared to what we have now. We still love their design and style but don't think we could give up what we have for an Eriba now. I'd love to find one to do up for a hobby and keep as a spare "local getaway van".

 

[Lutz]

As promised, here's a pic of the Eriba on the same storage site as mine:

Note the extensions on the steadies. The axle is mounted on a seperate subframe under the standard chassis.

 

[anotherDavid]

Hi there

Somebody was pulling your leg. My van an Hymer has done 36500 miles in seven years not across deserts and mountains admittedly but motorways and A roads across europe and the parts that are starting to fail are nothing to do with mileage, just age. Cant say too much about the shower as we hardley ever use it except for storage.

Dave

 

[Chrissylizzie]

spj has voiced the exact thoughts that occurred to me. We both shower every day and I have not noticed any detrimental problems yet. Ventilate the washroom at the end of use, and very quickly all seems normal. Kettles and pans of boiling water produce visible steam in the van, but if we cannot use these things, there seems little point in having a caravan. Use and enjoy but with common sense.

 

[gary]

Sorry for the late reply Dave but Lunar Delta you say? and he's worried about the damp from using the shower?

Oh no here I go again? another week before I stop laughing!

 

[rob_jax]

As promised, here's a pic of the Eriba on the same storage site as mine:

Thank you for that - I certainly appreciate it.

Please could I use that image on our Eriba forum?

Robert