First caravan advice please
Discussion
Hi, have been "flirting" with the idea of a Caravan for the family for a while now & just need to get on with it I guess!
However, there are more brands/layouts/features than I can shake the proverbial stick at!
The criteria:
Me, Mrs & 2 kids aged 8 & 6.
No fixed bed
End bedroom or bunks area that can be shut off in the evening when the kids go to sleep
Not too fussed about a big bathroom since we'll never poo in it or shower for that matter as we'll always go to proper sites with loos etc.
Not bothered about weight or length as I have a Defender 110 to tow with. Ideally not some massive twin axle behemoth mind!
My brother-in-law has a 2007 Bailey Ranger 550/5 single axle number and that would suit us perfectly but clearly the Mrs doesn't want to copy her sister
Budget is up to £6k & ideally less but that would have to include things like awning, water roll & a motor mover.
What Brands/Models should I look for?
However, there are more brands/layouts/features than I can shake the proverbial stick at!
The criteria:
Me, Mrs & 2 kids aged 8 & 6.
No fixed bed
End bedroom or bunks area that can be shut off in the evening when the kids go to sleep
Not too fussed about a big bathroom since we'll never poo in it or shower for that matter as we'll always go to proper sites with loos etc.
Not bothered about weight or length as I have a Defender 110 to tow with. Ideally not some massive twin axle behemoth mind!
My brother-in-law has a 2007 Bailey Ranger 550/5 single axle number and that would suit us perfectly but clearly the Mrs doesn't want to copy her sister
Budget is up to £6k & ideally less but that would have to include things like awning, water roll & a motor mover.
What Brands/Models should I look for?
Go to caravan finder. It has all the layouts you can pick from then links to specific vans which have that layout.
Think about exactly what layout you want. Go to some dealers or a show and get a feel for what works and what doesn't.
Rule #1. Damp. Get a damp meter to check all over if you are buying second hand. Rule #2. Never ignore Rule #1.
We bought a Burstner for that budget 4 years ago as I was wary of the build quality of English vans, seems to be hit and miss. Adria is also a good make to check out.
Nice to be a bit different than the sea of Bailey Pageants
Think about exactly what layout you want. Go to some dealers or a show and get a feel for what works and what doesn't.
Rule #1. Damp. Get a damp meter to check all over if you are buying second hand. Rule #2. Never ignore Rule #1.
We bought a Burstner for that budget 4 years ago as I was wary of the build quality of English vans, seems to be hit and miss. Adria is also a good make to check out.
Nice to be a bit different than the sea of Bailey Pageants
We bought our first caravan last year, when the kids were 6 and 8. Our 'van is a 2006 Swift Challenger 530 and it seems good - to be honest it is difficult to tell as it is the only one we have experience of. I would imagine it would cost around the £6k figure to buy one now.
We went for a caravan with with an end bathroom (at my wifes request), it has a side table which converts into bunks for the kids and the front seats convert into a double bed for us.
This means you cannot shut a door to the area the kids are sleeping in but there is a curtain which goes around them. I believe that you can rig up a curtain across to divide the area using a telescopic shower rail and curtain (something I've seen mentioned on the internet).
Since we bought it I have looked at other caravan layouts. In hindsight I would have gone for one with a fixed bed with end bathroom and the kids on two beds at the front. The dining area bunks are quite snug so best for younger kids. We didn't know what we really wanted other than my wifes preference for an end bathroom when we were looking.
We will have paid a few hundred pounds more than if we had bought privately as it came from a dealer, but it came with a 12 month 3rd party warranty, a fresh service, a pair of new tyres and everything needed to get us going - a brand new awning, a gas bottle, a step, a fresh water carrier, a waste water carrier, a power lead and a pair of towing mirrors. The only thing it doesn't have is a motor mover which would have been nice.
Basically all we had to do was get a tow bar on the car and we were set to go away. As a novice to caravaning it was worth buying from a dealer for peace of mind and the help and instruction they gave us on how stuff worked.
The Swift seems like a good van, it tows easily and has quite a modern light wood and cream / beige interior so doesn't feel old inside. Some of the older vans we looked at from 2004/05 had darker wood trim and red, blue or green seat fabrics which I thought made the interiors feel smaller.
It was serviced last month and there were no issues identified or damp found. When or if we upgrade I would look at the Swift range again as it seems like a decent 'van.
We went for a caravan with with an end bathroom (at my wifes request), it has a side table which converts into bunks for the kids and the front seats convert into a double bed for us.
This means you cannot shut a door to the area the kids are sleeping in but there is a curtain which goes around them. I believe that you can rig up a curtain across to divide the area using a telescopic shower rail and curtain (something I've seen mentioned on the internet).
Since we bought it I have looked at other caravan layouts. In hindsight I would have gone for one with a fixed bed with end bathroom and the kids on two beds at the front. The dining area bunks are quite snug so best for younger kids. We didn't know what we really wanted other than my wifes preference for an end bathroom when we were looking.
We will have paid a few hundred pounds more than if we had bought privately as it came from a dealer, but it came with a 12 month 3rd party warranty, a fresh service, a pair of new tyres and everything needed to get us going - a brand new awning, a gas bottle, a step, a fresh water carrier, a waste water carrier, a power lead and a pair of towing mirrors. The only thing it doesn't have is a motor mover which would have been nice.
Basically all we had to do was get a tow bar on the car and we were set to go away. As a novice to caravaning it was worth buying from a dealer for peace of mind and the help and instruction they gave us on how stuff worked.
The Swift seems like a good van, it tows easily and has quite a modern light wood and cream / beige interior so doesn't feel old inside. Some of the older vans we looked at from 2004/05 had darker wood trim and red, blue or green seat fabrics which I thought made the interiors feel smaller.
It was serviced last month and there were no issues identified or damp found. When or if we upgrade I would look at the Swift range again as it seems like a decent 'van.
Edited by PH5121 on Thursday 4th May 16:01
As others have said you need to be sure that the layout works for you.
We bought our first van in 2015 and it`s been great but the layout, although it appeared ideal at the time of purchase is now starting to annoy us. We're going to look for one with fixed bunks for the kids, faffing around setting up their beds is a pain, although setting up the main one for us is more tolerable.
There is a lot of tat out there for sale! A few of the vans we looked at (and we viewed a lot!) just gave the impression that they'd been unloved, even a few that were at credible dealers were awful.
We eventually settled on a 5 berth Coachman because it felt right and was solid. Apart from a broken bathroom door catch the only thing we've had to replace were the tyres that were starting to perish. We've just had it serviced and it's still dry, not bad for a van approaching 8 years old.
I was a caravan sceptic but the fact is it's great, about 2 hours after finishing work last Friday we were set up overlooking the sea with the kids enjoying fresh air away from the TV and internet. I wouldn't get too hung up on just using dedicated sites, some of our best trips have been off-grid weekends in the new forest.
We bought our first van in 2015 and it`s been great but the layout, although it appeared ideal at the time of purchase is now starting to annoy us. We're going to look for one with fixed bunks for the kids, faffing around setting up their beds is a pain, although setting up the main one for us is more tolerable.
There is a lot of tat out there for sale! A few of the vans we looked at (and we viewed a lot!) just gave the impression that they'd been unloved, even a few that were at credible dealers were awful.
We eventually settled on a 5 berth Coachman because it felt right and was solid. Apart from a broken bathroom door catch the only thing we've had to replace were the tyres that were starting to perish. We've just had it serviced and it's still dry, not bad for a van approaching 8 years old.
I was a caravan sceptic but the fact is it's great, about 2 hours after finishing work last Friday we were set up overlooking the sea with the kids enjoying fresh air away from the TV and internet. I wouldn't get too hung up on just using dedicated sites, some of our best trips have been off-grid weekends in the new forest.
Which defender is yours = https://www.anchorvans.co.uk/specifications/landro...
Need to know the GVW of the one you have IF you do not have B+E
Need to know the GVW of the one you have IF you do not have B+E
Not sure where in Kent you are but there are generally very few dealers in Kent and there are significant savings to be made by going to the north west to buy one from a dealer.
The area around Manchester, Chorley etc is chockablock with dealers. We went up there last year and within a couple of hours had been too 6 dealers. Gives you a much better range to look at etc.
Might even be worth buying a very cheap one for your first one, almost as a throw away one, so you can see what you like about the layout, what you dont etc.
The area around Manchester, Chorley etc is chockablock with dealers. We went up there last year and within a couple of hours had been too 6 dealers. Gives you a much better range to look at etc.
Might even be worth buying a very cheap one for your first one, almost as a throw away one, so you can see what you like about the layout, what you dont etc.
If you are near Maidstone , look in at Songhurst Caravans in Leybourne , dont need to buy on there , but they leave all the caravans open so you can have a good look around to get an idea of layouts to consider , this should help you to make your final choice .
We went in there a few years ago to get some loo chemical , and walked out with a caravan , so be careful
We went in there a few years ago to get some loo chemical , and walked out with a caravan , so be careful
So many layouts....
For what it's worth... We have a twin axle Spite that we bought 4 years ago for around your budget. Oddly it does not really seem to have depreciated. I went twin as we had the car to tow it, extra space is never a bad thing - and the twins at the time were better value than the single axles. Does not really cost anything extra to own the bigger van.
Ours is a 6 berth - although very rarely have we used more than 4. We have permanent bunks which suits our 11 year old daughter and whichever friend she brings along. Still only a curtain closing off. An awning can be useful...
When looking we found lots of 'chintz' which put us off. When we saw ours the interior looked fresher, and it was an easy choice to make...
Caravan dealers are a bit like car traders in the 70's. Expect to be in a waiting list for a pdi. Expect to wait a while (sometimes a long while) for manufacturer parts. Some will not do warranty work (even on new vans) for customers who have bought elsewhere. A reliable mobile man is your friend.
I personally am a fan of buying privately. You get a sense of the owner, the background, etc. Buy a damp meter and check for high moisture content especially around windows and top seals. Ideally if you can find someone coming out of caravaning you can end up with all of the extra's. We ended up with the awnings, and even down to plates and cutlery.
Some pictures of ours + others on this thread.
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=14...
For what it's worth... We have a twin axle Spite that we bought 4 years ago for around your budget. Oddly it does not really seem to have depreciated. I went twin as we had the car to tow it, extra space is never a bad thing - and the twins at the time were better value than the single axles. Does not really cost anything extra to own the bigger van.
Ours is a 6 berth - although very rarely have we used more than 4. We have permanent bunks which suits our 11 year old daughter and whichever friend she brings along. Still only a curtain closing off. An awning can be useful...
When looking we found lots of 'chintz' which put us off. When we saw ours the interior looked fresher, and it was an easy choice to make...
Caravan dealers are a bit like car traders in the 70's. Expect to be in a waiting list for a pdi. Expect to wait a while (sometimes a long while) for manufacturer parts. Some will not do warranty work (even on new vans) for customers who have bought elsewhere. A reliable mobile man is your friend.
I personally am a fan of buying privately. You get a sense of the owner, the background, etc. Buy a damp meter and check for high moisture content especially around windows and top seals. Ideally if you can find someone coming out of caravaning you can end up with all of the extra's. We ended up with the awnings, and even down to plates and cutlery.
Some pictures of ours + others on this thread.
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=14...
We ended up with a lovely twin axle Sprite Quattro - loads of space inside - but I think I'd pick something smaller and single axle if I started again, as it's hard work to manhandle and I'm too tight to fork out for a mover; also at 8 metres long there's quite a lot of it to move.
When choosing layouts you need to be realistic about where all the piles of stuff will go while everyone's asleep - is there enough locker space in the right places, and also be realistic about whether everyone tends to wake up at once or do you need somewhere to sit with a morning coffee while the other half takes most of the day to come round. We've got a side dinette which stays as a table (under a mountain of junk) so staggered breakfast whilst others are still in bed works well, and the layout of the kitchen and toilet fits well with this.
We bought our 'van 3 years ago when our youngest were 5 & 7, and the fixed bunks were great at the time but the lack of headroom is becoming unpopular already and I can't see both bunks being viable for more than a couple more years. This means I'll lose my early breakfast space (side dinette) to the older child, but I suppose it will string out ownership by a few more years.
I've now found local covered storage for a very sensible price so I can see us running the caravan 'til it falls apart, but I don't know if I'd replace it; we don't seem to have a lifestyle where we're constantly going away over weekends and half terms, so we'd be as well of spending the storage/maintenance/insurance on cottages, bed and breakfasts etc. However that would lose one major benefit we've found with caravanning (and camping in general) - that of an instant supply of friends for the children.
When choosing layouts you need to be realistic about where all the piles of stuff will go while everyone's asleep - is there enough locker space in the right places, and also be realistic about whether everyone tends to wake up at once or do you need somewhere to sit with a morning coffee while the other half takes most of the day to come round. We've got a side dinette which stays as a table (under a mountain of junk) so staggered breakfast whilst others are still in bed works well, and the layout of the kitchen and toilet fits well with this.
We bought our 'van 3 years ago when our youngest were 5 & 7, and the fixed bunks were great at the time but the lack of headroom is becoming unpopular already and I can't see both bunks being viable for more than a couple more years. This means I'll lose my early breakfast space (side dinette) to the older child, but I suppose it will string out ownership by a few more years.
I've now found local covered storage for a very sensible price so I can see us running the caravan 'til it falls apart, but I don't know if I'd replace it; we don't seem to have a lifestyle where we're constantly going away over weekends and half terms, so we'd be as well of spending the storage/maintenance/insurance on cottages, bed and breakfasts etc. However that would lose one major benefit we've found with caravanning (and camping in general) - that of an instant supply of friends for the children.
We bought a Sterling 540 2 years ago 2007 model cost us £7,000 just found a couple online for more than £8,000. It's in theory 6 berth although one of those is a fold out bunk bed but we mainly only use 3 berths
You will need to check weight limits on any bunk beds as your children will be reaching the weight limits on some of them in a couple of years. Also need to check how easy bunks are to get in and out, the children will grow a lot in the next few years!
You'll notice that its like tents you buy a caravan with more berths than you'll need! As kids get older an option can be too put bedrooms on the awning.
You will need to check weight limits on any bunk beds as your children will be reaching the weight limits on some of them in a couple of years. Also need to check how easy bunks are to get in and out, the children will grow a lot in the next few years!
You'll notice that its like tents you buy a caravan with more berths than you'll need! As kids get older an option can be too put bedrooms on the awning.
I towed and used my mother's 26ft twin axle Coachman for a while. I'd *always* go for a twin - they are more stable at speed and you have the redundancy in case of a blowout.
Whilst this one did have a mover, I didn't use it. I had one practice, reversing it up the road where she lives, then I was comfortable positioning the van onsite with the car. If that technique was good enough for my late father, etc...
It had fixed bunks for the kids and a large end bathroom. Like you, we tended to use the onsite facilities but it was useful for occasions.
For longer use, the awning was a godsend. It more than doubled the space available and we almost exclusively ate out there.
Whilst this one did have a mover, I didn't use it. I had one practice, reversing it up the road where she lives, then I was comfortable positioning the van onsite with the car. If that technique was good enough for my late father, etc...
It had fixed bunks for the kids and a large end bathroom. Like you, we tended to use the onsite facilities but it was useful for occasions.
For longer use, the awning was a godsend. It more than doubled the space available and we almost exclusively ate out there.
Thanks for all the very useful feedback guys - it appears most of us are in or have been in the same boat recently
Sorry for the delay in my replying, was away with the sister in law & they may be getting rid of their Bailey so our dilemma may be resolved which would be a nice touch given that I won't have to lift a finger and the van is good & well maintained.
I live 2 minutes from Songhurst caravans in W Malling and so far have avoided going there as they're not cheap and I prefer to look and do a real deal with an owner - old fashioned me!
Regarding licence issues - I wish! I am 43 and have my C+E so either way, no worries about post-1997 weight limits
Thanks again, hopefully the in-laws will come good on selling me their van and we can enjoy the summertime!
Sorry for the delay in my replying, was away with the sister in law & they may be getting rid of their Bailey so our dilemma may be resolved which would be a nice touch given that I won't have to lift a finger and the van is good & well maintained.
I live 2 minutes from Songhurst caravans in W Malling and so far have avoided going there as they're not cheap and I prefer to look and do a real deal with an owner - old fashioned me!
Regarding licence issues - I wish! I am 43 and have my C+E so either way, no worries about post-1997 weight limits
Thanks again, hopefully the in-laws will come good on selling me their van and we can enjoy the summertime!
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