Airstream style vans
Discussion
Hey guys
So, never owned a caravan before, I've always liked the idea of touring about with my own toilet in tow, but, being in my early 20s, have been somewhat turned off by the 'image' ascociated, namely, old timers doddling about the countries beautiful driving roads at 35, wobbly white box in tow, causing a general nuisance.
However with that being said, I am currently on holiday in the southern US and have been seeing these slick brushed aluminium vans about everywhere, airstreams. I absolutely love them. Took a peak online to see their prices sitting about 10 times what my budget would be (they are £80k new here for crying out loud).
Wondering if you lot know of any alternatives with a similar style, but at a considerably lower price point, being my first van I'd be looking to spend a max of £5k on an old example, I am a technician by trade so fully intend to buy something 'rough' and personalise it.
Am I just dreaming, would I be limited to a dreary white box at £5k? I will admit I really haven't done a lot of research
So, never owned a caravan before, I've always liked the idea of touring about with my own toilet in tow, but, being in my early 20s, have been somewhat turned off by the 'image' ascociated, namely, old timers doddling about the countries beautiful driving roads at 35, wobbly white box in tow, causing a general nuisance.
However with that being said, I am currently on holiday in the southern US and have been seeing these slick brushed aluminium vans about everywhere, airstreams. I absolutely love them. Took a peak online to see their prices sitting about 10 times what my budget would be (they are £80k new here for crying out loud).
Wondering if you lot know of any alternatives with a similar style, but at a considerably lower price point, being my first van I'd be looking to spend a max of £5k on an old example, I am a technician by trade so fully intend to buy something 'rough' and personalise it.
Am I just dreaming, would I be limited to a dreary white box at £5k? I will admit I really haven't done a lot of research
Dreamy I would say, the air streams here are made by Swift Caravans and start at £90k!!!!
Second hand originals will probably go for more in some cases, cheap ones tend to be the older ones with very little equipment inside.
If you are in your early 20’s you will probably need a B+E License which allows you to tow a heavier car and caravan compination. You are very limited if you don’t. Expect around £600-£1000 for the lessons and test.
If I were you I would save a bit more as £8 buys a lot more then £5k.
Finally don’t care what other people think about you. Enjoy what you want. I pull over when I can and leave a decent gap when stuck behind lorry’s so cars can overtake in stages. It’s a lot fun using it and gets us closer to the events we visit.
Second hand originals will probably go for more in some cases, cheap ones tend to be the older ones with very little equipment inside.
If you are in your early 20’s you will probably need a B+E License which allows you to tow a heavier car and caravan compination. You are very limited if you don’t. Expect around £600-£1000 for the lessons and test.
If I were you I would save a bit more as £8 buys a lot more then £5k.
Finally don’t care what other people think about you. Enjoy what you want. I pull over when I can and leave a decent gap when stuck behind lorry’s so cars can overtake in stages. It’s a lot fun using it and gets us closer to the events we visit.
Edited by chasingracecars on Saturday 14th October 07:46
Thanks chase, actually found a similar van that are built in the UK, rocket caravans, they mostly seem to sell food wagons and whatnot of a similar 'classic' style but I wouldn't be shy to strip and convert one, they are a much more reasonable 20-30k new. But I can't seem to find any used.
There are a ton where I am on holiday at the moment (Texas) of 50s-70s vintage with stripped interiors for 4-6k USD, beginning to ponder what the import costs may be. Really can't up my budget, in fact £5k really is the upper end of what I am able to spend.
Already got my b+e,and my c actually, with c+e probably next year, so that's no problem, do about 30k a year tugging 3ton Ifor tri axles about. Don't have my own tow car yet but can borrow a work pickup, planning on picking up a Defender when a nice enough one catches my eye.
Those wee Eriba tourings look pretty good too actually, wee bit on the small side but a lot of cheaper examples seem to be about. Thanks for the suggestion. I could probably drag that behind my current motor actually (suzuki jimny).
And yeah, as a general rule of thumb I don't care what others think about me, I just (no offence to owners on here) don't like the look of 'normal' UK caravans. Honestly I'm still at the somewhat impulse purchase stage, was originally going for a small liveaboard boat but a van seems like less of a potential money pit.
Or... I could spend my money on a deposit for a flat... But that would be boring
There are a ton where I am on holiday at the moment (Texas) of 50s-70s vintage with stripped interiors for 4-6k USD, beginning to ponder what the import costs may be. Really can't up my budget, in fact £5k really is the upper end of what I am able to spend.
Already got my b+e,and my c actually, with c+e probably next year, so that's no problem, do about 30k a year tugging 3ton Ifor tri axles about. Don't have my own tow car yet but can borrow a work pickup, planning on picking up a Defender when a nice enough one catches my eye.
Those wee Eriba tourings look pretty good too actually, wee bit on the small side but a lot of cheaper examples seem to be about. Thanks for the suggestion. I could probably drag that behind my current motor actually (suzuki jimny).
And yeah, as a general rule of thumb I don't care what others think about me, I just (no offence to owners on here) don't like the look of 'normal' UK caravans. Honestly I'm still at the somewhat impulse purchase stage, was originally going for a small liveaboard boat but a van seems like less of a potential money pit.
Or... I could spend my money on a deposit for a flat... But that would be boring
Edited by caelite on Saturday 14th October 08:13
chasingracecars said:
Dreamy I would say, the air streams here are made by Swift Caravans and start at £90k!!!!
Second hand originals will probably go for more in some cases, cheap ones tend to be the older ones with very little equipment inside.
If you are in your early 20’s you will probably need a B+E License which allows you to tow a heavier car and caravan compination. You are very limited if you don’t. Expect around £600-£1000 for the lessons and test.
If I were you I would save a bit more as £8 buys a lot more then £5k.
Finally don’t care what other people think about you. Enjoy what you want. I pull over when I can and leave a decent gap when stuck behind lorry’s so cars can overtake in stages. It’s a lot fun using it and gets us closer to the events we visit.
I think they are made in the u.s and exported, swift just do the uk bit.Second hand originals will probably go for more in some cases, cheap ones tend to be the older ones with very little equipment inside.
If you are in your early 20’s you will probably need a B+E License which allows you to tow a heavier car and caravan compination. You are very limited if you don’t. Expect around £600-£1000 for the lessons and test.
If I were you I would save a bit more as £8 buys a lot more then £5k.
Finally don’t care what other people think about you. Enjoy what you want. I pull over when I can and leave a decent gap when stuck behind lorry’s so cars can overtake in stages. It’s a lot fun using it and gets us closer to the events we visit.
Edited by chasingracecars on Saturday 14th October 07:46
My dad had the same great idea when we were kids. We'd done loads of tent camping and so he bought the caravan (second hand to be fair) and off we went with some friends.
We never went again though and the caravan got parked in the back garden to go mouldy until mum forced him to scrap it a couple of years later
I do love an Airstream though and you've got me thinking. We were planning to go down to Devon this week until the wet weather hit, but perhaps I'll book this little fella for some time in the new year!
We never went again though and the caravan got parked in the back garden to go mouldy until mum forced him to scrap it a couple of years later
I do love an Airstream though and you've got me thinking. We were planning to go down to Devon this week until the wet weather hit, but perhaps I'll book this little fella for some time in the new year!
If I had a motorhome it would have to be one of these. I think they're just incredible. Bit on the big side for the UK but there are smaller ones. 
Not convinced about this interior mind..
http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C827740
Not convinced about this interior mind..
http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C827740
DKL said:
If I had a motorhome it would have to be one of these. I think they're just incredible. Bit on the big side for the UK but there are smaller ones.
Not convinced about this interior mind..
http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C827740
My, the upholstery in that is a bit...sudden.Not convinced about this interior mind..
http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C827740
If I ever win the lottery, I would be tempted to get a Blastolene Decoliner as a motorhome.
Europa1 said:
My, the upholstery in that is a bit...sudden.
If I ever win the lottery, I would be tempted to get a Blastolene Decoliner as a motorhome.
No you will want one of these....If I ever win the lottery, I would be tempted to get a Blastolene Decoliner as a motorhome.
http://www.countryliving.com/life/travel/news/a441...
You would probably be limited to a dreary white box at £5k but you can get silver ones too for a bit more. Poss not quite so dreary:
We bought a very cheap wobbly white box about 18 months ago, unsure how much use we'd get out of it, or if we'd even use it at all. 100 nights in it later we have just upgraded to a white version of the one above. I'd like to think we aren't the stereotypical caravan owners dawdling about everywhere at 35mph as well! Go for it. Who cares what anyone else thinks if you're enjoying it.
We bought a very cheap wobbly white box about 18 months ago, unsure how much use we'd get out of it, or if we'd even use it at all. 100 nights in it later we have just upgraded to a white version of the one above. I'd like to think we aren't the stereotypical caravan owners dawdling about everywhere at 35mph as well! Go for it. Who cares what anyone else thinks if you're enjoying it.
I'm 36 now but I've pondered caravan ownership for the last 10 years but ruled it out for being too young, then bought a VW T5, converted it and then used that as a holiday vehicle here and on the continent for the last years. Sadly that has now gone to make way for a new baby and we didn't have enough room. Ive bought a suitable towcar now but I'm yet to get a towbar or caravan. Not far away now though..
Me and the Mrs would like a T5 or T6 conversion, but haven't got the money to do what we want, or the space to keep it.
We've seen the Swift Basecamp which might be a good alternative, but (as above) we're both in our mid-30's and can't quite reconcile with the idea of a caravan... yet
We've seen the Swift Basecamp which might be a good alternative, but (as above) we're both in our mid-30's and can't quite reconcile with the idea of a caravan... yet
Chicken Chaser said:
I'm 36 now but I've pondered caravan ownership for the last 10 years but ruled it out for being too young, then bought a VW T5, converted it and then used that as a holiday vehicle here and on the continent for the last years. Sadly that has now gone to make way for a new baby and we didn't have enough room. Ive bought a suitable towcar now but I'm yet to get a towbar or caravan. Not far away now though..
Bought our caravan when I was 32, brilliant for the kids and we all we love it! Have had fantastic holidays, mainly in France, ever since.Rosscow said:
Chicken Chaser said:
I'm 36 now but I've pondered caravan ownership for the last 10 years but ruled it out for being too young, then bought a VW T5, converted it and then used that as a holiday vehicle here and on the continent for the last years. Sadly that has now gone to make way for a new baby and we didn't have enough room. Ive bought a suitable towcar now but I'm yet to get a towbar or caravan. Not far away now though..
Bought our caravan when I was 32, brilliant for the kids and we all we love it! Have had fantastic holidays, mainly in France, ever since.Gassing Station | Tents, Caravans & Motorhomes | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff