Was out for the first time this season a couple of weeks ago and was amazed by the amount of brand new vans out and about. At the park I was pitched at there were about 20 vans, of which I'm sure 17 were brand new. Made me feel very inadequate with my 1991 Swift Challenger. Is it just me, or does anyone else out there own a van with a bit more life experience? Has caravanning become a class system?
New vans everywhere
- Thread starter karenmshorter
- Start date
Emmy you can have the same enjoyment and fun no matter what age the caravan. I will be honest we have a new van which was bought from my redundancy lump sum and hopefully it will last us for a good number of years (looking for minimum of 15 years use) - don't intend buying another one as by then we will be over the top regarding caravanning.
Hi Emmy, We own a Lunar Clubman 1992, so no not all own brand new vans, actually our van has a well designed interior, not that I would so no to a brand new van, as long as you are happy with your van, as we are, never feel inadequate, be proud, your a caravanner now enjoy. Liz
Mel
Moderator
I don't think any of us need to explain, justify or worry about the age of our van so long as its affordable, towable and safe. We are happy with our new van, prior to that we had a very second hand and ageing motorhome, we have also done tents and a trailer tent. Sometimes new sometimes not. Class is in "one's" mind, not the van.
We were very reluctant last year to part with our 1984 Swift Cottingham 550/5 the biggest and best Swift at the time and nearing classic status but the falling Sycamore tree had other ideas, although we managed to patch it up, the graceful old lady was now a bit of a tramp and one by one the systems were failing.
I agree that there seem to be plenty of new vans around - but disagree that this should in any way make you feel inadequate. If you feel comfortable with your van, then stick with it and be proud of it! In my experience, new is not always better, and I will only think about changing when my existing six year old van gets beyond reasonable repair.
i know how emmy feels our 87 compass sticks out a mile on most sites being the oldest and unfortunately we have heard people comment on urghh what an old van and at the time i was quite upset and pretended i didnt hear but i think now weve had her 2years if anyone dared to say anything id fight back ,weve even had people speak to my dad in the loos and not realise we were together and comment on them being next to an old shed but if it fell apart or was nicked ive had my moneys worth out of it
but can i also say id love a newer van and im alway eyeing up others vans wishing but we dont have the money so thats that
i consider myself lucky that i have a caravan and get away every bank hol and easter and 2 weeks in summer even if it is in my old van
can i also say our van is in tip top condition shes well cared for and an excellent starter van the only way is up thats how i see it
but can i also say id love a newer van and im alway eyeing up others vans wishing but we dont have the money so thats that
i consider myself lucky that i have a caravan and get away every bank hol and easter and 2 weeks in summer even if it is in my old van
can i also say our van is in tip top condition shes well cared for and an excellent starter van the only way is up thats how i see it
I'm in the fortunate position of having been able to buy a new van for the start of last summer but still remember with great fondness my very first van. It was on old Sprite Alpine and was at least 8 to 10 years old when I got it but it was still our pride and joy and gave us great pleasure. It doesn't matter how old your van is as long as you are happy with it. We often stop and look at older vans on sites but it is not to condemn or deride them but to admire and remember good times enjoyed in the past.
Robert
Robert
Dazicki if as you say your van is in tip top condition why change it. As I said previously the only reason we have a new van is because we had the redundancy money and having taken early retirement this van will now hopefully last us untill we are too old to carry on caravanning. We had an ABI Globetrotter (1989 model) for many years, cold water only but we had a wc installed. The van was warm, dry, light and offered everything we wanted in a van. We have, even though there is a new van on the drive, on many occassions regretted selling the old ABI. She is still going strong with our original Harrison awning. If others pass comment on your old van think of it as being all yours and not on a bank loan or HP. It is great to buy new but paying for it is a different kettle of fish. By the sounds of it you are approx the same age as my children and I know for a fact they would not be able to afford new. So keep smiling and enjoy your pride and joy.
Thanks everyone for your comments on this topic. I will no longer feel ashamed of my wee home from home. I can proudly say she is all bought and paid for, she's warm, bone dry and my two-year old son loves her! Emmy x
i just had to replie to this, yes i think that there are caravan snobbs out there. we run a 1990 fleetwood colchester towed with an old L reg renault safrane they do all that we want them to do.
what really cracks us up is the caravan snobbs that look down there noses at the outfit. I can be totally set up awning and all well within the hour, while they are messing around with satalite dishes , gazeboes, wind breaks and the like.
i do not feel ashamed of my outfit and i would like to thank those who buy new vans because i will be buying there vans in a few years time once they have suffered the vast deprecation on there new vans.
what really cracks us up is the caravan snobbs that look down there noses at the outfit. I can be totally set up awning and all well within the hour, while they are messing around with satalite dishes , gazeboes, wind breaks and the like.
i do not feel ashamed of my outfit and i would like to thank those who buy new vans because i will be buying there vans in a few years time once they have suffered the vast deprecation on there new vans.
Tony, I take a satellite dish away with me but I don't class myself as a snob.
If I want to watch a wider range of TV whilst I am away and get my monies worth from Sky, then so be it.
If I want to watch a wider range of TV whilst I am away and get my monies worth from Sky, then so be it.
hi emmy, also from the same side of the pond. we have a 94 swift and i have cleaned and polished her and she lookes as good as new one. as long as you are happy with your wee van i wouldnt worry.Just enjoy because if you dont like the view you can always change it.Happy caravaning
Emmy,
I don't think caravanning has become a class system, its just that more people are accessing the activity than ever before regardless of what background they are from.
I have never done caravanning before last year and have only recently got involved. Even though I have a relatively new van (1 year old) make no mistake, the main reasons we bought a caravan is to enable us to relax more at weekends, spend more time outdoors with our 3 daughters and to have cheaper breaks away.
One thing I have noticed is that on the sites we visited last year, everyone we spoke to was extremely friendly and very easy to get on with irrespective of whether they were in a new van or one from the 1970's, and nothing gave us the impression that anyone was looked upon differently just because of the van they pitched up with.
Enjoy your caravan whatever the age, the new season and the decent weather we seem to be having at the moment, and should any of us be pitched on the same site remember to say hello.
I don't think caravanning has become a class system, its just that more people are accessing the activity than ever before regardless of what background they are from.
I have never done caravanning before last year and have only recently got involved. Even though I have a relatively new van (1 year old) make no mistake, the main reasons we bought a caravan is to enable us to relax more at weekends, spend more time outdoors with our 3 daughters and to have cheaper breaks away.
One thing I have noticed is that on the sites we visited last year, everyone we spoke to was extremely friendly and very easy to get on with irrespective of whether they were in a new van or one from the 1970's, and nothing gave us the impression that anyone was looked upon differently just because of the van they pitched up with.
Enjoy your caravan whatever the age, the new season and the decent weather we seem to be having at the moment, and should any of us be pitched on the same site remember to say hello.
Interesting reading as we have just got our new to us but 15 year old van...
My decision was based on several things, being new to this way of life I chose to get an older van for several reasons.
a)It is all paid for.
b)We are not sure if it will be for us, so if I decide to sell the van I wont be taking a huge loss.
c)I won't be so concerned about my 3 little ones scratching the van.
It is odd, because a friend of mine who has also just decided to take up caravaning, has just lumbered himself with
My decision was based on several things, being new to this way of life I chose to get an older van for several reasons.
a)It is all paid for.
b)We are not sure if it will be for us, so if I decide to sell the van I wont be taking a huge loss.
c)I won't be so concerned about my 3 little ones scratching the van.
It is odd, because a friend of mine who has also just decided to take up caravaning, has just lumbered himself with
hi can i just say snob is not a word i would use its a bit harsh but can you all remember (parents especially) kids in a playground the ones who had nike trainers and the ones who had nicks off the market its the same you try and defend your nicks they are a sturdy pair but you secretly wish you had the nikes
it happens all the time cars,houses,jobs,even children,
im only young and one day when im in a better position and the kids are older i will be up there too
it happens all the time cars,houses,jobs,even children,
im only young and one day when im in a better position and the kids are older i will be up there too
oh forgot to say sky dish or big wopping ariel would be good though can never get reception on our telly
I believe that some of you owners of older caravans must have a complex and see snobs hiding behind every bush!
We all started somewhere and my start was with an old 1978 Piper with an equally old NR awning, and the outfit provided super holidays.
As we've aged, we have graduated to newer caravans and yes we now have an Isabella awning, large satellite dish, solar panel, large 4x4 etc.
We will socialise with anyone on site no matter what their caravan or tow vehicle.
As these folk age they will probably also move up with their choices and I hope they manage it, should they want to before I did at 69 years of age!
We all started somewhere and my start was with an old 1978 Piper with an equally old NR awning, and the outfit provided super holidays.
As we've aged, we have graduated to newer caravans and yes we now have an Isabella awning, large satellite dish, solar panel, large 4x4 etc.
We will socialise with anyone on site no matter what their caravan or tow vehicle.
As these folk age they will probably also move up with their choices and I hope they manage it, should they want to before I did at 69 years of age!
are issabella awnings snobby??
cool ive got one
again i dont think snob or snobby is the right word i think maybe some people forget the exact point youve made we all start somewhere and all move up when the situation suits
i dont consider myself as having a complex and i dont think having a dish or issabella awning a posh thing im just saying people have commented as passing my van and mentioned to my dad that the vans a shed
this arguement could carry on forever couldnt it
cool ive got one
again i dont think snob or snobby is the right word i think maybe some people forget the exact point youve made we all start somewhere and all move up when the situation suits
i dont consider myself as having a complex and i dont think having a dish or issabella awning a posh thing im just saying people have commented as passing my van and mentioned to my dad that the vans a shed
this arguement could carry on forever couldnt it
I bought my first brand new van in February. Couldn't bear the thought of sitting on a bog seat that had been used by someone I don't know.
When we ordered from the dealer in October, the dealer told us the caravan industry was surprised and had under estimated the amount business it was going to generate from Octobers NEC caravan show.
What you are seeing now, is the result of that.
When we ordered from the dealer in October, the dealer told us the caravan industry was surprised and had under estimated the amount business it was going to generate from Octobers NEC caravan show.
What you are seeing now, is the result of that.
One more thing.
Because I was buying brand new, without trade in, I got a fantastic deal.
The usual starter pack stuff: aqua roll, wastemaster, battery, gas bottle, spare wheel (coachman don't supply as standard)and a whopping big Bradcot awning - all for the standard price of a new van.
Because I was buying brand new, without trade in, I got a fantastic deal.
The usual starter pack stuff: aqua roll, wastemaster, battery, gas bottle, spare wheel (coachman don't supply as standard)and a whopping big Bradcot awning - all for the standard price of a new van.
hello all, we certainly arent snobs, or look down our noses at the older caravans on site, as quite often you can remenise, as we probably owned one of them. we do however have a 2007 caravan and a new 4x4, and are not in debt (paid cash) just to show off, we saved our cash over the years by buying older vans.oh and working very hard. currently in our early 40s, and wouldnt change or missed out on any of our older vans. the first one being a rambler, and i still say ahhh, when i see one. we had 10 caravans and only this one brand new, enjoy your van it will give you your memories whatever age it is.
Hi all,
I do believe some people look down on others, but this can work both ways, we have a 2007 22k twin axle van, a 2004 Merc 4x4 to tow it with, an Isabella awning and a satellite dish, we are 28 and 35 years old and some people look down thier noses at us because we are a lot younger than them and have a newer or more expensive unit, two and a half years ago we had a 1986 Elddis Golden Crown 154 with a 1988 Isabella awning, we towed it with a 1998 Subaru Impreza Turbo and had some excellent holidays away in it, I still see a Golden Crown parked on my way to work and look on it fondly.
When damp set in and it came to changing we bought a 2004 Avondale Argente 550-4 new in September 2004 and saved
I do believe some people look down on others, but this can work both ways, we have a 2007 22k twin axle van, a 2004 Merc 4x4 to tow it with, an Isabella awning and a satellite dish, we are 28 and 35 years old and some people look down thier noses at us because we are a lot younger than them and have a newer or more expensive unit, two and a half years ago we had a 1986 Elddis Golden Crown 154 with a 1988 Isabella awning, we towed it with a 1998 Subaru Impreza Turbo and had some excellent holidays away in it, I still see a Golden Crown parked on my way to work and look on it fondly.
When damp set in and it came to changing we bought a 2004 Avondale Argente 550-4 new in September 2004 and saved
good to see there are some do bother it appears that maybe there are only a few who are that dreaded word snobs, shame the igranant sods are always on site with us
welldone to spj all that and no debt is good and to all you others whove done it.
one day who knows
welldone to spj all that and no debt is good and to all you others whove done it.
one day who knows
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