Discussion
Having recently returned from our 3 week jaunt in France in our VW T5, I am coming to the conclusion that it's getting ever more tighter on space as my little girl grows up. There's only the 3 if us and she sleeps across the front of the van but it's a bit of a ballache having to setup the van every day for sleeping and then dismantling it every day for moving about. It involves taking windowscreens down, taking the hammock down, removing the pop cot which sits upon the hammock and then sorting the front bench seat and replacing her car seat. Probably takes about 10 to 15 minutes but if we are moving about daily that's half an hour a day for as many days as we are staying. Most of it is then shoved in the small pop up awning we have. It offsets the versatility of having a camper.
Add to that the option of having more space I'm looking at the caravan option. We probably use our van about 6 weeks in total a year, so 40 something days is the average.
I'm looking at all options really, going back to a tent, trailer tents (which look like the worst of all scenarios), caravans or just paying for little wooden huts which most sites seem to have.
Interested to hear the opinions or caravanners or those who have had a similar dilemma.
Add to that the option of having more space I'm looking at the caravan option. We probably use our van about 6 weeks in total a year, so 40 something days is the average.
I'm looking at all options really, going back to a tent, trailer tents (which look like the worst of all scenarios), caravans or just paying for little wooden huts which most sites seem to have.
Interested to hear the opinions or caravanners or those who have had a similar dilemma.
Ok we have just done this in the last couple of weeks.
Slightly different from you guys in that we are in our 50s and were starting to find our camper (a Toyota ) just too cramped and uncomfortable.
We have bought a small 2 berth Eriba which has a small bathroom.
We did look at small motor-homes/bigger campers but found that our budget just wouldn't stretch to anything that wasn't worn or tatty or just overpriced. The prospect of an older motor-home on a 1990s fiat/Peugeot chassis didn't exactly fill me confidence.
There has also been talk of an LEZ being introduced in Bristol so an old diesel van could prove to be a liability in the not to far future.
So that left us with the caravan idea.
We choose the Eriba as i didn't want anything too big to tow,didn't want to have a large tow car for everyday use. The Eriba also ticks the depreciation box,which on a caravan can be pretty eye watering. They are quite cool too!
So costs
Minus Tax and mot servicing and insurance (about 700 pa)
Plus insurance and storage(about 550 pa)
So not much different (although a camper van is going to hit you with a bill sometime)
Pros
Camper van-easy to take off on a weekend,caravan requires more planning.
Caravan,somewhere to sit/sleep in some comfort,better cooking and hygiene facilities,Take the car for the day out less hassle parking etc.
Cons
Caravan is an expedition,its harder to stop on route to sight see take a break etc,caravans rely on lots of electric stuff these days hook up is more desirable. Some sites are tents and campers only and no caravans.
Camper,pack it up when you need to go out,confined living space.
Are we happy with our choices? well I think so. A good comfortable nights sleep has eased our prejudice against caravans.
I think you may find a tent a step down,good for space but you are going back to camping there is no hiding from the weather in a tent!
Slightly different from you guys in that we are in our 50s and were starting to find our camper (a Toyota ) just too cramped and uncomfortable.
We have bought a small 2 berth Eriba which has a small bathroom.
We did look at small motor-homes/bigger campers but found that our budget just wouldn't stretch to anything that wasn't worn or tatty or just overpriced. The prospect of an older motor-home on a 1990s fiat/Peugeot chassis didn't exactly fill me confidence.
There has also been talk of an LEZ being introduced in Bristol so an old diesel van could prove to be a liability in the not to far future.
So that left us with the caravan idea.
We choose the Eriba as i didn't want anything too big to tow,didn't want to have a large tow car for everyday use. The Eriba also ticks the depreciation box,which on a caravan can be pretty eye watering. They are quite cool too!
So costs
Minus Tax and mot servicing and insurance (about 700 pa)
Plus insurance and storage(about 550 pa)
So not much different (although a camper van is going to hit you with a bill sometime)
Pros
Camper van-easy to take off on a weekend,caravan requires more planning.
Caravan,somewhere to sit/sleep in some comfort,better cooking and hygiene facilities,Take the car for the day out less hassle parking etc.
Cons
Caravan is an expedition,its harder to stop on route to sight see take a break etc,caravans rely on lots of electric stuff these days hook up is more desirable. Some sites are tents and campers only and no caravans.
Camper,pack it up when you need to go out,confined living space.
Are we happy with our choices? well I think so. A good comfortable nights sleep has eased our prejudice against caravans.
I think you may find a tent a step down,good for space but you are going back to camping there is no hiding from the weather in a tent!
I think that camping/caravanning is one of those things where there isn't an option which ticks every box, all options have negatives it's just that I need to decide which one affects me most.
At present I've got space on the drive for a van but its far from ideal so storage is likely required. Like you say, it's great to have some luxury in the van, home from home with all your facilities there. Ability to use it all year round too.
If I go back to a tent then it'll be for a polycotton air tent which is probably as good as it gets for large tents. Its a fraction of the cost of a van but not the creature comforts of a van and yes you're still susceptible to the weather!
At present I've got space on the drive for a van but its far from ideal so storage is likely required. Like you say, it's great to have some luxury in the van, home from home with all your facilities there. Ability to use it all year round too.
If I go back to a tent then it'll be for a polycotton air tent which is probably as good as it gets for large tents. Its a fraction of the cost of a van but not the creature comforts of a van and yes you're still susceptible to the weather!
I'm not convinced about eye watering depreciation. Buy at the right price, it's not really a large issue. We seem to have suffered little in any case.
We've had odd costs - new taps here and there, but nothing mechanical.
I don't really know about stopping on-route - we've always managed it - but most times we are just getting to the destination.
I like a mattress and don't like tents!
We've had odd costs - new taps here and there, but nothing mechanical.
I don't really know about stopping on-route - we've always managed it - but most times we are just getting to the destination.
I like a mattress and don't like tents!
Yeah, I agree with the above.
Unless you buy a new caravan, then depreciation on second hand 'vans isn't really that bad at all.
We paid £7250 for our 6 berth twin axle, complete with everything needed (all tanks, levelling chocks, awnings, etc). We've had it for 3 years, and looking at Caravan Trader, eBay etc. it looks like I could get my money back or even make money if I sell at the right time of year.
Sure, you're not going to be able to stop anywhere you like to go site seeing on the way to a campsite, but you won't have trouble just stopping for lunch or a wee stop!
Costs have been minimal for us - I pay a mobile caravan engineer around £220 to come to our house and service it once a year, and I pay around £10 a month to insure it.
If anything goes wrong, most things are DIY fixes. Parts are pretty cheap as well.
Whatever you do, I think it's worth paying a mobile caravan engineer to give it a pre-purchase inspection with damp check. Normally costs around £100. If they find anything that you've missed, then you can either haggle or walk away. Find nothing, and you have peace of mind.
You may even be in a financial position where you can tow with your T5, then you have the best of both worlds? Tow your 'van to France and then there's nothing stopping you going on a 2 or 3 day tour whilst you're there! Perfect.
Unless you buy a new caravan, then depreciation on second hand 'vans isn't really that bad at all.
We paid £7250 for our 6 berth twin axle, complete with everything needed (all tanks, levelling chocks, awnings, etc). We've had it for 3 years, and looking at Caravan Trader, eBay etc. it looks like I could get my money back or even make money if I sell at the right time of year.
Sure, you're not going to be able to stop anywhere you like to go site seeing on the way to a campsite, but you won't have trouble just stopping for lunch or a wee stop!
Costs have been minimal for us - I pay a mobile caravan engineer around £220 to come to our house and service it once a year, and I pay around £10 a month to insure it.
If anything goes wrong, most things are DIY fixes. Parts are pretty cheap as well.
Whatever you do, I think it's worth paying a mobile caravan engineer to give it a pre-purchase inspection with damp check. Normally costs around £100. If they find anything that you've missed, then you can either haggle or walk away. Find nothing, and you have peace of mind.
You may even be in a financial position where you can tow with your T5, then you have the best of both worlds? Tow your 'van to France and then there's nothing stopping you going on a 2 or 3 day tour whilst you're there! Perfect.
Thanks for the replies on this. Still undecided on what to do and should have perhaps worded the thread differently as I'm looking at every option in replacing the camper. If I do decide to change then the T5 will definitely be sold, it is completely geared up for camping so it would be daft to tow a caravan with it. It would also be the finances from the van used to purchase a van or whatever I get.
Storage on my doorstep is £320 a year and added insurance would be £500 before it's moved. I'd probably do a service myself to keep costs down.
I've had a look at a few caravans but i tend to find myself looking around the £ 6-7k figure as at that stage it tends to include modern fabrics making the caravan somewhere nice to be in. Also the use of extra sky lights create an airy feel.
On the flip side of that I've also been looking at 6 man polycotton air tents nearer £2k.
The 3rd option is to buy a new bigger standalone awning which will give us the space we need but it still doesn't solve the problem of having to dismantle some of the camp each day when we use the van.
Storage on my doorstep is £320 a year and added insurance would be £500 before it's moved. I'd probably do a service myself to keep costs down.
I've had a look at a few caravans but i tend to find myself looking around the £ 6-7k figure as at that stage it tends to include modern fabrics making the caravan somewhere nice to be in. Also the use of extra sky lights create an airy feel.
On the flip side of that I've also been looking at 6 man polycotton air tents nearer £2k.
The 3rd option is to buy a new bigger standalone awning which will give us the space we need but it still doesn't solve the problem of having to dismantle some of the camp each day when we use the van.
MoelyCrio said:
£500 insurance seems a lot? Mine was £150 ish.
Agree that 6-7k is a sweet spot with vans. Go below 5 and they really do feel dated.
I agree 100% with this, my insurance is a similar amount, and we went to look at caravans with a budget of around £5000 but came away with one that cost closer to £7000 as at that price point the caravans felt much more modern with light and airy fabrics.Agree that 6-7k is a sweet spot with vans. Go below 5 and they really do feel dated.
We have owned campers, RV's,been tenting etc over the yrs and 3 yrs ago decided to tour the EU for 5 months. The caravan was the only real choice.
For 4 grand we bought a bailey Bordeaux with a fixed rear bed. My B-In-L also bought a similar caravan the yr b4, with no fixed bed. So IF they wish to sit inside on sh*tty days, they have to make the bed up! DOH.
The van cam with a complete full awning, a smaller porch awning and a sunshade one which is always on. All pots n pans, crockery/cutlery/kettle/toaster, everything. Water butt, (never used) waste water, (never used). Combi tv. We bought a satellite dish and receiver. It also has a motor mover which is sooooooooooooooooo good.
We don't insure it....why?
We don't pay for someone to service it....why?
Its stored in a barn.
Joined ACSI, its great.
Lock up and leave at a caravan site. Never had any probs at all. Buy a decent tow car, diesel.
For 4 grand we bought a bailey Bordeaux with a fixed rear bed. My B-In-L also bought a similar caravan the yr b4, with no fixed bed. So IF they wish to sit inside on sh*tty days, they have to make the bed up! DOH.
The van cam with a complete full awning, a smaller porch awning and a sunshade one which is always on. All pots n pans, crockery/cutlery/kettle/toaster, everything. Water butt, (never used) waste water, (never used). Combi tv. We bought a satellite dish and receiver. It also has a motor mover which is sooooooooooooooooo good.
We don't insure it....why?
We don't pay for someone to service it....why?
Its stored in a barn.
Joined ACSI, its great.
Lock up and leave at a caravan site. Never had any probs at all. Buy a decent tow car, diesel.
Well caravan ownership is postponed for at least another year! Decided to splash the cash on a Khyam quick erect sleeper awning/tent and at 5x4m, I've got no excuses on space! Still got the warmth and security of the camper but should be able to stow a lot of stuff away without it being in the way. After watching videos on how quick these things go up I decided it was worth a shot. If/when we end up with another child then maybe then we need to review the situation! Thanks to those who replied, I'll bear it in mind for the future.
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