Suitable layout, anybody aware of a make that would suit?

[jwa]

Hi, we have been caravanning for six months now in a 2003 Bailey Ranger 510/4 and we love it. The bunk beds suit the kids fine, but having been bitten by the caravanning bug we want to upgrade to a more suitable and newer van. I was interested in a Bailey Ranger 460/4 which has a fixed bed as this would suit us better. However, the two single sofas at the front have to be made into a double, not used as two singles as they are only 4 foot 4 ins long. This is a shame as this type of layout with my wife and I on the double and our two boys at the front using a sofa each would be excellent. The lightness of the van also appeals as it means my wife can tow from her car.
Does anybody know of any make of caravan that has the layout I want, ie: a fixed bed and two singles? It can't be longer than 22 feet and must be reasonably light, our present van has a MTPL 1259kgs and we tow off my Jag, but would like to tow offf my wifes Grand Scenic 1.5 diesel.

 

[Mel]

Not sure I can help with a specific make. My feeling is your weight restriction may make it tricky. However if you go on caravan finder website (sorry, too stupid to post a link-use google), you can search by layout. This may help. Also Lunar, eldiss and adria do a single axle layout with a fixed bed, a front lounge, and a side dinette that converts into two bunks. This may suit your children if they are young, but I don't know about the weight.
mel

 

[forestgump]

check on the adria range they have good beds .

 

[earlyriser]

the link mel wanted to post is www.caravanfinder.co.uk
hope this helps
happy searching.

 

[ValA.]

Sprite also do a range with a fixed bed, side bunks, and double at the front - and I think it's the lowest weight of any of the manufacturers, but still much heftier than you're looking at.
We have a similar layout to the Bailey - fixed bed at the rear, two short 'sofas' at the front - and we've haven't really found anything with the same layout but longer sofas. My sister and her family use the van sometimes, and the children are growing up now. They are too tall to use the sofas as singles, and too old to want to share a bed. The newer models with a fixed bed seem to have concentrated on adding extra space to the bathroom across the rear. I think basically that layout is aimed at couples who use it more as a two berth, hence the concentration on bigger bathrooms, rather than adding the extra weight and length making the sofas longer.
We liked the Adria 612DT - which has the same layout as the Sprite, on a single axle rather than a twin, but is even heavier - however, if we won the lottery and could afford to buy a larger tow car then this is the one we'd go for. It has a great kitchen, too!

 

[jwa]

Hi, thanks for the replies, I think you hit the nail on the head Val, my kids are too tall to use the single sofas and too old to share them as a double. The single axle layout with a fixed bed, a front lounge, and a side dinette that converts into two bunks sounds like a good layout, I may investigate, but then maybe a bigger towcar!! However we like the idea of a fixed bed as we both suffer from bad backs (being tall) and are not that comfortable on the single sofa beds and dislike making up the double. If we use the double my wife hates climbing over me to get to the loo!! The boys however are very happy in the side bunk beds.
The search continues, but thanks for the ideas.