Van shopping

[Magictrousers]

Part one of the plan is now very much in action, we now have an XC90 for towing duties, giving us a lot more flexibility than the previous V70, thanks to its 'weedy' 1.6 Diesel engine and measly 1300 kg towing limit. Great for the camping trailer, but no use for the sort of plastic palace we need with two energetic children to accommodate..... The search for our caravan, is pretty much on.

Part two;

What's the general thought around the October show? No point in me doing anything sooner, unless you can show me something spectacular, as we can't change our summer plans with the tent. Are there proper deals to be had, or is it all a bit hyped?

Why are manufacturers (and magazines) seemingly shoving fixed bed layouts down my throat? Don't get me wrong, I see their place and value, but I don't want one! Cutting to the chase, I want a new Swift Callenger 640 (discontinued) or its Sterling Eccles counterpart (seemingly discontinued) Sprite do the Quattro DD, but my fussy side wants better LED light units on the back. Anyone hearing any whispers about anyone else bringing a double dinette, twin axle layout back?

The only other layout that has any appeal to me is the Elddis Avante 866, the extra few inches width gives me concern, especially on some of the access roads to sites. Also some advice I've had unofficially suggests some sites won't entertain one.

So, that's me, any and all advice gratefully received!

 

[Raywood]

Fixed beds are basically aimed at couples and are the most popular layouts for those of us who generally no longer take children with us which is why you find so many. There are a few double dinette models out there from Adria, Xplore and Swift but and you might find a second hand model you can tow. It will not be a twin axle though. They have gone out of fashion though and I doubt any more will be launched this year and certainly not on a twin axle one. Not sure what engine you have in the new car so have no idea what weight you can tow, but twin axles are generally heavy and may still be too much for your new car.
Generally there will be bargains to be had come the end of September when dealers are wanting to clear stock which might otherwise stay with them over Winter and to make way for new models coming in. The industry has had a very good year though so the numbers and choice might be more limited than usual.
Another point is your licence. If this was obtained from 1997 onwards unless you have passed the additional test for C+E you will be limited to a combination of no more than 3,500 kg. Essentially you take the maximum laden weight of the car and deduct this from 3,500 and that is the maximum caravan weight you can tow assuming the car has a gross train weight of 3,500 or more. If not you are limited to the manufacturers figure. If you need to you can take the additional test to get a higher towing capacity.
You should also be aware that whatever the manufacturers maximum towing limit for safety reasons you should never exceed the kerb weight of the car, and for beginners you should stick well below the kerb weight with 85% being recommended by both clubs and the NCC. The car has to have enough weight to control the caravan, so keeping the weight down below the kerb weight is essential. The towing limit is simply what the car can restart on a 12% hill and in practice measures the strength of the drive train. Remember a caravan with its large flat sides is subject to the wind and the bow waves of passing lorries and vans and this has to be taken into account.
You should also never exceed the manufacturers weight figures as this is illegal.
Hope this helps.

 

[Magictrousers]

Thanks Ray, licence isn't a problem and have spent a long time driving lorries and vans, so not unfamiliar with the dynamics of a larger combination. I have the D5 Awd model, with a manufacturers limit of 2250kg, so the sorts of vans I'm looking at, look to be in the high 70 to low 80's % match, as per the sensible recommendations you have referred to.

My parents have a fixed bed layout, which is a really nice place to be, but I know that there's no way it would suit us!

I'm set on the layout I want and would prefer new, if not a very lightly used one.

 

[WoodlandsCamper]

I have the D5 Awd model, with a manufacturers limit of 2250kg, so the sorts of vans I'm looking at, look to be in the high 70 to low 80's % match, as per the sensible recommendations you have referred to.

What are you matching?
actual tow weight to max tow weight (as you mention manufacturer's limit of 2250 kg)
or
Caravan MTPLM to car's kerb weight (correct method)

 

[Lynnybobs]

Before purchasing our van we had spent much of the summer looking around dealers at the various makes and models and had a good idea of what we wanted in terms of layout. Then we went to the October show to look at the new vans and also equipment as we were total newbies.
Me and the hubby both had a go at the towing experience they run there (hubby has previous experience) which was superb and gave me the confidence to give this caravanning malarkey a go.
Then we saw a van and fell in love with it......
Talked to all the dealers and negotiated hard and got ourselves a great deal - I have not yet seen anywhere else match the price so from my perspective there are deals to be had if you want a new van.
Do your homework on prices so you know whats a deal and whats not and do be prepared to negotiate and not just accept the price that is displayed.
That said it is the best decision we have ever made and I can't wait for our next weekend away !
If nothing ticks all your boxes or takes your fancy it is still a nice day out

 

[Magictrousers]

Kerb weight. It's (without putting it on a weighbridge) 2136 kg.

 

[Martin24]

I would say don't dismiss a family 6 berth with a fixed bed. What age are the children? Our GT65 Turin has fixed bed for us, side dinette (we only use the bottom as a bunk) that can make two bunks behind a curtain ideal for younger ones and a full length lounge. Our girls now go to bed at about the same time as us so this provides them with a single bunk each and works much better than fixed bunks as they get older. The supposed compromise is the small side shower/toilet arrangement with wash basin and vanity unit in the bedroom. We have actually found this better with the five of us as one can be showering/on the toilet while another is doing teeth/hair. Yes you need to dry the shower before accessing the toilet again BUT who wouldn't do that anyway. We are normally on a site without facilities so this shows that it can be done easily with a family and small bathroom despite what the "experts" say.

Bailey do not have this layout in their portfolio at the moment but Swift do, indeed not only this layout but also one where you get an L shape lounge (Swift Conquerer 630) freeing up space for the rear bathroom, which is better if you have younger children that still need a little help and supervision.

I have spent many years saying I would never have a fixed bed as they were imho a waste of space. I wish we'd had this layout years ago. The best bit we've found with this layout has been the huge kitchen, especially with the drop down flap between the kitchen and bedroom. We often cater for 7 with ease, even at dishing up time.

 

[Magictrousers]

The boys are 9 and 5, so at least one goes to bed a lot earlier us, hence the idea of having them at the other end of the van, to be able to settle down.

 

[Raywood]

When we had the girls with us we always had a van with a rear bedroom and centre toilet. The centre toilet lacks the room you can get with a rear one, but for us it was the compromise that worked best.

 

[Icaru5]

We were in a similar position, with 2 kids, aged 12 and 6, and coming from a Pennine Pullman folding camper. We chose a new Swift Siena 6 TD, a dealer special based on the Sprite Major 6 TD. Same layout as a Challenger 590. We too felt that for a fairly young family a fixed double bed was a waste of space. The layout we chose has a separate rear area with fixed rear bunks and a dinette that converts to another pair of bunks, all on a single axle with MTPLM a little over 1500KG.

5 Months on, several UK trips and not long off a 2 week stint near the bay of Biscay, and really happy that we made the right choice.