thinking about taking the plunge!

[ahowell9000]

Hello all, i have a bit of spare cash and am thinking about getting a caravan, mainly so we can pop away for the weekend from time to time and also for a planned trip to france later in the year. It will be me the other half my son and our dog. In fact i would say its because of the dog i thought about getting a caravan in the first place as its not easy to find b&b's that accept them. Anyway I am rambling sorry!
I am really after some general advice, what you need to look for when buying a caravan, any recommendations on websites with places to stay, i know i have to get a caravan and a tow bar but are there other things i need to consider like insurance, security, equipment to carry for emergencies? As you can tell i really am a beginner so any general advice would be really welcome.
Thanks in advance...

 

[Beehpee]

Hi, it sounds like you really are starting from the beginning so a good place to start will be to set yourself a budget for your total outlay, then decide whether your current car is going to be your towcar because if it’s not then your total outlay is going to have to cover cost of caravan and replacement car, all the extras you need to equip the caravan obviously have a cost as well but the biggest outlays will be caravan and car, when you know what your going to have to spend then you can get advice from the many knowledgeable people on here as to what you could be looking for, it’s a good time to start looking at your options now because there’s likely to be a glut of used vans at dealers but don’t buy anything without getting advice before purchasing, read as many posts on here as you can and you’ll see some of the pitfalls you need to watch for, the research will pay dividends, and you hopefully will love it when your eventually set to go.

BP

 

[Craigyoung]

Ahowell9ooo ,
Hello and welcome to the forum and well done for thinking on about taking the plunge and starting caravanning once you get one and get sorted and started doing it it's a great hobby to get away every other weekend or so, and travelling abroad if you want to .
What kind of tow car have you got ? That will determine what you may be able to pull caravan wise and weight wise , when did you pass your test ? if it was before 97 you'll be ok pulling anything if after 97 you are governed to 35oo kg in total? Have you any caravans in mind yet or still just browsing? There is a list of things that you will need and that go with caravanning but others will soon come on and give you more tips & advice etc etc. Buying our caravan was the best thing we ever did with having the kids for getting away now.
Happy searching .

Craig .

 

[Parksy]

Hello and welcome to the forum.
The first step is to find out what you can tow with your current driving licence, Click Here for more information.
What vehicle will you be towing with and how heavy is it?
You need to find the vehicle towing limit and look at touring caravans that the vehicle is capable of towing safely subject to licence restrictions if applicable.
There's a mine of information for potential buyers Here so do some research on what to look for as a buyer, and armed with prior knowledge you will avoid the more common pitfalls.
Good luck in your quest, there are multitudes of friendly helpful caravan owners on this website and forum, so don't hesitate to ask if there's something you want to know.

 

[LizziePope]

Hi there ahowell9000! Welcome to the Practical Caravan forum and thank you for posting.

There are plenty of knowledgeable people on this forum so ask away – no question is too simple.

You might find this recent article handy. And there are lots of other articles on the advice pages of this site.

 

[LizziePope]

Hello and welcome to the forum.
The first step is to find out what you can tow with your current driving licence, Click Here for more information.

Or here...

 

[Tukums]

Just a couple of tips.
The most important thing is to make sure you get a caravan with the right size seats for the dog.

When you go to Europe, just make sure the dog gets plenty of shade when it gets hot.

 

[Anseo]

Welcome ahowell9000

 

[Hutch]

Welcome 9000, a couple of words of warning, " Don't do it, Caravanning gets addictive".
For sites, one of my favourite one is UK campsites, http://www.ukcampsite.co.uk/sites/index.asp
Depending on if you can store your caravan at home or not will mean you will need to find a storage place. , insurance, Either Caravan and Motor home club or C and C. Lots of others as well. Buy the Practical caravan magazine, lots of adverts for tow bars insurance etc. Touring in France is easy,
And don't worry about the weather.

 

[ahowell9000]

thank you for all your warm welcomes! what a great forum.
i particually like the picture of the dog chilling with a beer next to him
we are going to be changing cars soon so we will do that first, is it best to get the garage to fit the tow bar? Its an expensive option on a new car...
The new car is going to be an SUV so it should be ok for towing i think.
One caravan did peak my interest, its this one: https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201802264096211?sort=price-asc&postcode=en107jt&advertising-location=at_caravans&radius=20&page=1
if anyone has any experience or thoughts on this type of caravan that would be great?
thanks again for all your help so far...
Andrew

 

[Raywood]

Welcome to the forum. SUVs do normally make excellent tow cars but do look at the kerb weight as this will normally limit what you can tow. If it is not included in the figure you can add 75 kg for the driver.
You then have to decide between petrol and diesel. For towing diesels are generally better due to the power being produced at lower revs, petrol engines will do the job but will often need lower gears on hills and more revs to set off but do manage. At the end of the day though you do normally drive far more without the caravan than with it so a car that suits your everyday driving is essential.
Tell your insurer you have fitted a towbar, this should not increase the premium but it is a modification. I would fit a towbar from a reputable manufacturer e.g Witter, Westfalia, Brink or Bosal for example. You can get competitive quotes on the internet easily. If you fit the manufacturers own brand from the vehicle supplier you will get the benefit of the guarantee on this but all good fitters are insured anyway. Whoever fits it re that you get an ALKO compatible tow ball (this is slightly longer than some) and that the electrics are wired up for a caravan as this needs two more than a commercial trailer.
Not sure if you are looking at a new or second hand caravan. All caravans are now fitted with a 13 pin electric plug but those over four years old will probably have twin plugs so if you are looking at anything older than three years it might be worth waiting until you have decided on what to buy before fitting the towbar.
As for what you buy this is a very personal thing. Once you know the weight you can tow then it is a question of looking round and seeing what suits you. Personally I would buy from a dealer and get the benefit of their guarantee and they should give you a deal on a starter kit or a discount or even include one on the things you need. This can be quite a list so make sure you allow for this. If you know anyone with a caravan I would get them to help and remember to barter at the dealers.
Good luck.

 

[Hutch]

All caravans are now fitted with a 13 pin electric plug but those over four years old will probably have twin plugs so if you are looking at anything older than three years it might be worth waiting until you have decided on what to buy before fitting the towbar.

I would tend to go for a 13 pin socket on the car, as you can get adaptors to go from the two plugs to one, then if you upgrade to a caravan with a 13 pin plug then you don't have to modify the car.

 

[otherclive]

Make sure the towbar electrics are Car specific not just generic. A good towbar NTTA approved technician will ask you which option you would like.

 

[Beehpee]

Buying from a dealer will, as someone has said probably give you some type of warranty as to the condition but will often come with strings attached such as servicing, if you read some of the horror stories on here dealers do not seem to be the most helpful when you go back for problems to be sorted, buying privately and having a prospective purchase thoroughly checked over by a mobile caravan technician before buying often means you get a better price and according to what I’ve read on here won’t cost too much for the mobile guy to give your possible purchase a look over, even buying from a dealer if your not savvy on what to look out for it can save a lot of heartache and wasted money by getting a mobile mechanic to look over it, there are loads of vans for sale so have fun looking.

BP