Please could some people give me a list of what I need/might ...

[Marsha_374361062]

As I have just posted on the newbies area we pick up our new caravan next week. As far as I have seen so far it has nothing with it apart from a car battery, so I know I will need a gas bottle, but what else will I need please?

Thank you for any help

(Yes we are complete novices)

 

[KentMike]

Wow - that's quite a question....

Alcohol - in your favorite form is a good start

But one of the best things i ever did when i was starting out was to get the caravan handbook - invaluable guide.. and join the caravan club (the caravan and camping club is good as well) and make my first trip to my local club site - nice and helpful people there..

The books available from halfords btw

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_216026_langId_-1_categoryId_31436

 

[KentMike]

Okay here goes...

Insurance.

Security (especially if you insure - check what you need) - but at least a hitchlock - and maybe a wheelclamp.

Toiliet chemicals.

Ramps for leveling

Chocks for wheels.

Waste water holder

Water Holder

(Aqua roll and Wastemaster are - expensive but makes life easier) (- other similar products like Wastehog are worth looking at)

Electric cable for hookup.

Probably melamine plates (Wilkinsons are cheap for them).

Cheap cutlery..

All the normal stuff for cooking (Pots and pans etc)

TV if you want one (The LCD/DVD ones are good - argos are cheap).

Aerial if your van doesn't have one.

Maybe a awning - maybe not - many have them many don't.

I'm sure this list will be added to..

Oh and WELCOME to the greatest holiday available.

 

[Marsha_374361062]

Thanks, that sounds like a good idea. I think my partner gets a discount off the haynes manuals with his card so will definately have a look for that one.

 

[Marsha_374361062]

Ah you put the bigger reply in later, thank you, oh what a list **shakes empty purse** looks like my partner needs to do some over time.

I think we have an aerial.

I need an awning for the woofing family members. Just been having a look at those confusing things, I now know what a porch awning is I've been wondering that for a few days.

Someone said I would need a water pump? Will have to look into that. I just don't want to walk into a caravan shop and be a salesmans dream, being sold what I don't need etc.

 

[DanPaula]

Water pump will probably be with the van. Is it a fairly new one? From a dealer?

 

[Marsha_374361062]

2005 manufactured, 2006 spec Swift Charisma.....It's from a dealer as such (they sell motorhomes, this was a part ex which they usually send to van dealers) but sold as seen to get it the price we have, so we might have to go hunting to see what is there when we pick it up. I'll be honest it's a good

 

[Damian]

Sorry to put some doubt in the air, but WHY? is it

 

[SirRogerFFS]

I think the most important thing missed out here in the list is the KETTLE.Damion could it be if the dealer is not offering any freeebies hes knocked the price down

Our first van came with hook up cable ,wheel clamp battery hitch lock and steps.

Surely most dealers have the stuff to send fisrt time buyers off on a good start.

Stewart

 

[Marsha_374361062]

A very fair comment. I did wonder about that myself initially. They wanted much more than I was willing to pay, with that they would include 6 months warranty which to be honest from what we'd found out up to this point, wasn't really worth it (we won't be using it for 3 months). The body of the van has a 6 year warranty. Sold as seen he basically said 'We'll service it, but if you are willing to take it as it is without warranty extra, including what it has with no extras, you can have it at that price' They send them to dealers on a Friday and that was what they were offered by the dealer (it said that on a piece of paper on the salesmans desk, I like being able to read upside down). In all honesty if anything bad did happen, that's why I took finance out for part of it, makes the finance company jointly liable if anything bad did happen.

Oh kettle, I have a spare after I changed the colours in the kitchen, will drag that out.

Been looking at water carriers for the last hour, on towsure.co.uk they do seem a reasonably priced website for some things (only compared to Ebay prices so far)

I need to add a generator to the ever expanding list as the sites where some of the events my partner attends don't have mains power.

 

[Marsha_374361062]

A very fair comment. I did wonder about that myself initially. They wanted much more than I was willing to pay, with that they would include 6 months warranty which to be honest from what we'd found out up to this point, wasn't really worth it (we won't be using it for 3 months). The body of the van has a 6 year warranty. Sold as seen he basically said 'We'll service it, but if you are willing to take it as it is without warranty extra, including what it has with no extras, you can have it at that price' They send them to dealers on a Friday and that was what they were offered by the dealer (it said that on a piece of paper on the salesmans desk, I like being able to read upside down). In all honesty if anything bad did happen, that's why I took finance out for part of it, makes the finance company jointly liable if anything bad did happen.

Oh kettle, I have a spare after I changed the colours in the kitchen, will drag that out.

Been looking at water carriers for the last hour, on towsure.co.uk they do seem a reasonably priced website for some things (only compared to Ebay prices so far)

I need to add a generator to the ever expanding list as the sites where some of the events my partner attends don't have mains power.

Sorry can't edit message, did mean 2 months. I've now got a storage place for

 

[lucky13_374352098]

Hi Marsha

one piece of equipment we find indispensable is a polarity checking meter to check if the electric current you have plugged into on the site is ok, we always check this before we use any electric appliances, although we really only need to do this whilst abroad its a habit we have fallen into,sorry if this sounds not very technical maybe some-one else can explain in more detail, I only know it is important and it works. By the way we find different plugs in our caravan have different readings

Good luck.

PS Don't forget your toilet bag with all bathroom needs should you be using site bathrooms.

 

[Mike_5100596]

Marsha,

Just one item I picked up on in your comments was the storage price of

 

[Marsha_374361062]

Sorry that should have said

 

[Legsmaniac_374344731]

"By the way we find different plugs in our caravan have different readings"

Yaser, do you mean that different mains sockets read differently when tested with a polarity tester? Doesn't this mean that some of them have been wired incorrectly?

 

[LadyMo]

Marsha,

You might find the following web site useful:-

www.oakwood-village.com

The 2nd column has a bit titled "Don't forget anything"

I know kettles have been discussed but make sure it is a low voltage kettle......not a house kettle.Failing that get one that you can boil on the hob.Don't want you blowing the electrics on site as soon as you set up!!!!

I found invariably that we always forgot something so now I work down a check list so that nothing major is left out.

Maureen

 

[Marsha_374361062]

So does everything have to be low voltage? My sons were planning on taking their nintendo DS things and I was thinking a normal TV would be ok to use, maybe not.

 

[Mike_5100596]

Marsha,

Being honest we have an ordinary domestic kettle, and take a "normal" TV. We have had the TV on, a laptop on and brewed up all at the same time and have never tripped the electrics. Most sites have enough amps for normal use - but be aware if you go abroad as the sites there tend to be a lot lower.

Regards

Mike

 

[SillyBilly]

Marsha,

You might find the following web site useful:-

www.oakwood-village.com

The 2nd column has a bit titled "Don't forget anything"

I know kettles have been discussed but make sure it is a low voltage kettle......not a house kettle.Failing that get one that you can boil on the hob.Don't want you blowing the electrics on site as soon as you set up!!!!

I found invariably that we always forgot something so now I work down a check list so that nothing major is left out.

Maureen

Hi

I think Maureen meant a low-wattage kettle - something like 700Watts

 

[Marsha_374361062]

Thanks for all the help so far. Got the Haynes book today. Lists getting longer and longer but sure we'll get there eventually.

 

[mauron]

Hi Marsha,

Just a point about the warranty, most caravan warranties are NOT transferable and only apply to the first owner.

(i.e. If the owner sells the van a month after purchase the manufacturers warranty is then void!)

It happened to me :-(

However welcome to a new and very enjoyable hobby.

Good luck,

Ron.

 

[Marsha_374361062]

Ron thank you for your reply, I did have a look on the Swift website before we agreed to the purchase which stated

Q. Is the warranty transferable, to new owners?

A. The warranty can be transferred to new owners, in 2 ways. You can either contact the Swift Group, quoting the serial number of the caravan. Alternatively, your Swift Group Dealer can update the files, via the online aftersales system. In order for the warranty to be transferred, the terms and conditions must be adhered to, particularly the annual servicing.

So looks like that will be ok. I'm unfortunately quite experienced in having to complain about cars and other things following bad experiences by myself and my family hence I went for the finance option and would have regardless of how much in cash we had.

Been looking into insurance, being our first year it looks like it will be quite high regardless. I am opting for a slightly higher excess and very tempted to go for the new for old cover which has been offered. Had a bit of a headache because the storage site is also a farm even though the lock up is completely seperate to where the livestock is kept so some insurers have refused to cover it.

 

[swpostie]

Hi Marsha,

We started caravanning earlier this year and were initially overwhelmed by the amount of gear we needed.

However, there are things you MUST have, and things it's NICE to have. From memory, and in no particular order, the following are the MUST haves:

Battery (which you have)

Gas bottle (propane for year-round use or butane for summer only use - 2 gas bottles would be better so you have a spare)

Regulator and spanner for gas bottle

Levelling ramp and chock

Spirit level (so you know when the 'van's level)

Electric hook-up lead (25m)

Toilet chemicals (pink for the flush, blue for the cassette)

Aqua Roll (or equivalent)

Wastemaster (or equivalent)

Wood (for levelling)

Corner steady winder (if you don't have one)

Submersible water pump (if you don't have one)

Insurance (if your 'van's in storage you'll probably require this - check the small print of any policies)

Wheel clamp and hitch lock (your insurance company will probably require these)

A noseweight gauge is usefull but can be improvised with bathroom scales and a broom handle

Towing mirrors

And that, I think, is all you'll really need to buy before you go! Anything else, like melamine plates etc, you can get over time. Just take everything else (cooking stuff, bedding etc) from home at first - you can buy specific stuff for the 'van as time goes on.

Incidentally the best place we found for kitting out with the essentials was the following website:

http://www.thecaravanshop.co.uk/
They are very helpful (refunding the purchase price AND POSTAGE of a wheel clamp I ordered in the wrong size) and were by far the cheapest source I found for caravan equipment.

Have a great time!

 

[Marsha_374361062]

Thanks Rupert. Great list - I'm going to have to look in that book and see what on earth a corner steady winder might be because I've never heard of one. This book recommended by Kent Mike is coming in very handy as a glossary when weird and wonderful named things are mentioned! Spirit level definately not on my list so far.

We have a propane bottle we use at home for a gas fire. I'll look into if this can be used as a spare.

 

[DanPaula]

We store our van in a barn on a farm and our insurer had no quibbles with this. Had to have the usual insurance approved wheelclamp and hitchlock but the premium is only