Cost of caravanning
Discussion
Sorry maybe I came across in the wrong way. I’m not moaning about the cost at all, I’m simply trying to show newbies how much things might cost. We splashed out on a 6 berth twin axle caravan and haven’t really tried to cut any corners from a financial perspective.
You can’t put a price on being out in the countryside with your family, cooking on the bbq and generally getting away from it all. Lack of mobile phone signal is a bonus. We don’t even have a TV in our caravan; it’s great getting back to nature and spending quality time with the kids rather than being glued to iPhones and TV’s.
You don’t get this from staying in a hotel
You can’t put a price on being out in the countryside with your family, cooking on the bbq and generally getting away from it all. Lack of mobile phone signal is a bonus. We don’t even have a TV in our caravan; it’s great getting back to nature and spending quality time with the kids rather than being glued to iPhones and TV’s.
You don’t get this from staying in a hotel
Edited by JapanRed on Thursday 5th December 00:08
Robertj21a said:
You've just reminded me why I always end up thinking that numerous comfortable breaks away ever year, in a small hotel, can often be more enjoyable than a caravan in a field or forest!
We tend to go abroad into hotels on traditional holidays 2-3 times a year to supplement the caravanning. Nice to do both. Can’t say that caravanning isn’t any less enjoyable than staying in hotels though, even though we did lake Garda, Portugal and Spain last year in addition to the caravan trips. surveyor said:
See plenty of this type of attitude in the FB groups. Must have latest van and gadget. It is one way of doing things, but not the only way...
Our first caravan we had for 4 years. Bought for £6k and sold for £5.5k. At ten years old it still looked good.
DSC_0529 by David Powell, on Flickr
DSC_0547 by David Powell, on Flickr
There is absolutely no need to spend that sort of money - and if you are getting into caravans, then the first one in my opinion needs to be at the lower end of the market, as you will not know what to buy first thing around.
Completely disagree. I’m genuinely surprised at the amount of negativity this thread has shown about how much we have spent. Our first caravan we had for 4 years. Bought for £6k and sold for £5.5k. At ten years old it still looked good.
DSC_0529 by David Powell, on FlickrDSC_0547 by David Powell, on FlickrThere is absolutely no need to spend that sort of money - and if you are getting into caravans, then the first one in my opinion needs to be at the lower end of the market, as you will not know what to buy first thing around.
We are comfortable in what it’s cost us. We haven’t taken any loans out or finance to do it. We certainly haven’t done it to keep up with the Jones’ or anything like that (otherwise I’d probably be towing with a Range Rover).
What’s everyone’s problem?
Brads67 said:
JapanRed said:
Completely disagree. I’m genuinely surprised at the amount of negativity this thread has shown about how much we have spent.
We are comfortable in what it’s cost us. We haven’t taken any loans out or finance to do it. We certainly haven’t done it to keep up with the Jones’ or anything like that (otherwise I’d probably be towing with a Range Rover).
What’s everyone’s problem?
No one is being negative about you, you're being a bit over sensitive about it.We are comfortable in what it’s cost us. We haven’t taken any loans out or finance to do it. We certainly haven’t done it to keep up with the Jones’ or anything like that (otherwise I’d probably be towing with a Range Rover).
What’s everyone’s problem?
Folk merely said it could be done cheaper. No one cares how you payed for yours.
Coin Slot. said:
JapanRed, don't let the trolls and snipers get to you, PH is full of them, the type that are quick enough to post up something negative rather than something helpful.
If you spend £70k on a van you're a mug, if you spend £250 on a tent then you're a peasant.
Buy the caravan you can afford, try and buy wisely so you can move it on without losing a fortune if things don't work out.
Next weekend I'm going over to where mine is stored, I'm gonna fire up the heating, check for any condensation etc, give it a wash outside and then start making plans for this year, first trip will be early April when the kids break up.
Cannot wait for summer!
Thanks coin slot. We too have made lots of plans for the summer, 20 nights in France being the big one for us. It will be our first trip abroad in the caravan and can’t wait. If you spend £70k on a van you're a mug, if you spend £250 on a tent then you're a peasant.
Buy the caravan you can afford, try and buy wisely so you can move it on without losing a fortune if things don't work out.
Next weekend I'm going over to where mine is stored, I'm gonna fire up the heating, check for any condensation etc, give it a wash outside and then start making plans for this year, first trip will be early April when the kids break up.
Cannot wait for summer!
Enjoy your trips
surveyor said:
Coin Slot. said:
Nope still not seeing it, but I am seeing someone being deliberately obtuse.
Really where?From memory the original post was somewhat based around you need to spend a lot of money and have all the kit.
Whereas plenty of us - including you, jumped up and pointed out that you did not need to spend a lot of money, and in someways may be even better not doing, until you have worked out what works for you etc. Basically there is more than one way of doing caravan.
OP then took his post home and sulked. Mainly as we did not all bow down.
You presumably now feel bad for him, in retrospect.
I never said you need to spend loads of money. I posted a list of everything that we’ve bought so that others can get an idea of the costs of things. I did it because when we were considering a caravan I couldn’t find ANY info on what was needed or the potential cost.
I did it to show people what things MIGHT cost. I also stated that it could be done cheaper but we wanted a certain level of luxury and opted to spend a bit more here and there.
Tyre Smoke said:
The problem is, and I see it an awful oot on campsites, is there is a snobbery.
There is nothing wrong with turning up in a brand new Rangey Autobiography and a brand new Swift twin axle as long as you don't act like an absolute tool. Too often these outfits have a 'look at me' outward persona, from reversing badly onto the pitch or all the shiny new stuff that is wheeled out at every opportunity.
Similarly the family that turn up on a twenty year old Pageant being pulled by a wheezy Pajero can be either equally as annoying or just lovely.
It is true, you don't need brand new stuff to enjoy yourselves. My Sterling Eccles is ten years old this year. Still looks brand new (ok, the styling gives it away) but is kept inside, has a satellite dish that winds up on the roof, all the comforts I could want and need from blown air heating, microwave, etc to a fixed bed. Do I want a brand new version of the same van? Nope. I'm happy mine has done the bulk of it's depreciation and I see no point in forking out £15k+ just to have this year's model. Some people think that's acceptable, and that's fine. It's their money.
I’m not sure how anyone who’s caravanning for a holiday can be seen as a snob haha. All my mates call me a gypo for having a caravan. If anything it’s looked down upon as a cheap option. All my mates are on holiday in Vegas, Carribean or Singapore etc and I’m in a caravan in UK. There is nothing wrong with turning up in a brand new Rangey Autobiography and a brand new Swift twin axle as long as you don't act like an absolute tool. Too often these outfits have a 'look at me' outward persona, from reversing badly onto the pitch or all the shiny new stuff that is wheeled out at every opportunity.
Similarly the family that turn up on a twenty year old Pageant being pulled by a wheezy Pajero can be either equally as annoying or just lovely.
It is true, you don't need brand new stuff to enjoy yourselves. My Sterling Eccles is ten years old this year. Still looks brand new (ok, the styling gives it away) but is kept inside, has a satellite dish that winds up on the roof, all the comforts I could want and need from blown air heating, microwave, etc to a fixed bed. Do I want a brand new version of the same van? Nope. I'm happy mine has done the bulk of it's depreciation and I see no point in forking out £15k+ just to have this year's model. Some people think that's acceptable, and that's fine. It's their money.
I genuinely didn’t post the OP trying to brag or anything. It was literally a list of everything we had bought. Was meant to give someone new to caravanning an idea of what things MIGHT cost.
Unfortunately a few nobheads had to ruin it.
Eric Mc said:
Your "advice" was misplaced. What you assumed was that the way you have gone about things is the recommended way (or perhaps even the ONLY way). In reality, of course, like any activity, you can chose to be extravagant or chose to do things on a budget.
What is important to you may not be important to others.
And if you have friends who seem to criticise you for the type of holiday you take, why are they your friends?
1) It wasn’t advice. It was a list of what we purchased. What is important to you may not be important to others.
And if you have friends who seem to criticise you for the type of holiday you take, why are they your friends?
2) It wasn’t the recommended way
3) It wasn’t the only way
4) It is banter between mates, having a laugh. Clearly lost on you.
surveyor said:
I’m really not sure it’s in order to write a dick post. Flounce and delete when called on it, and then return several months later rewriting it’s meaning to something less dickish.
Please don’t call someone a dick online if you wouldn’t say it to their face. If you really have that big an issue with me then PM me and we can discuss it as adults Dave, or just don’t comment on my threads. I’ve not meant to post anything inflammatory and certainly didn’t want to upset any of you. You only live 30 mins from me and chances are you could be on the hookup next to me this summer and think I’m a nice bloke. Certainly no need to get offensive, unless you genuinely would be like that in real life. You’ve basically done on this forum what that man in the Passat did to you the other week.
surveyor said:
JapanRed said:
surveyor said:
I’m really not sure it’s in order to write a dick post. Flounce and delete when called on it, and then return several months later rewriting it’s meaning to something less dickish.
Please don’t call someone a dick online if you wouldn’t say it to their face. If you really have that big an issue with me then PM me and we can discuss it as adults Dave, or just don’t comment on my threads. I’ve not meant to post anything inflammatory and certainly didn’t want to upset any of you. You only live 30 mins from me and chances are you could be on the hookup next to me this summer and think I’m a nice bloke. Certainly no need to get offensive, unless you genuinely would be like that in real life. You’ve basically done on this forum what that man in the Passat did to you the other week.
Cass63 said:
Back on topic, I managed to purchase an older camper van (1995) off of someone who was trading it in for a newer one, I payed him just over what the dealer offered him and he left a few bits a pieces in it, we’ve had it for just under 3 years and used it for Le Mans and countless trips around the uk, we have found the more basic campsites better than the expensive ones as people can be snobby about their caravans/ campers.
It can be done on the cheap and still be great fun.
They are fantastic value. As I said earlier the dealer offered us £1000 less than we paid for ours when we took it for it’s service; you would never get £1000 a year depreciation on a nearly new car!!! It can be done on the cheap and still be great fun.
Just out of interest, what exactly have you found snobby? We’ve not come across any snobbery yet, although we’ve only had it one year so far. Quite the opposite actually, everyone has been super friendly and helpful when we’ve struggled with a few bits as novices.
Eric Mc said:
JapanRed said:
They are fantastic value. As I said earlier the dealer offered us £1000 less than we paid for ours when we took it for it’s service; you would never get £1000 a year depreciation on a nearly new car!!!
Just out of interest, what exactly have you found snobby? We’ve not come across any snobbery yet, although we’ve only had it one year so far. Quite the opposite actually, everyone has been super friendly and helpful when we’ve struggled with a few bits as novices.
To be honest, people who think others have a superiority complex usually do so because they themselves are suffering from an inferiority complex.Just out of interest, what exactly have you found snobby? We’ve not come across any snobbery yet, although we’ve only had it one year so far. Quite the opposite actually, everyone has been super friendly and helpful when we’ve struggled with a few bits as novices.
Coin Slot. said:
I generally find that those with nice vehicles and nice caravans are my preferred choice of neighbours when away.
At Sandy Balls last year it was like the wild west, all the decent people were tucked up in bed trying to sleep while the morons were revving engines and having raves at 3 in the morning.
I occasionally see people cringe and roll eyes when we turn up in my Barry'd up VW van, but we are usually the quietest people on the site, my kids are impeccably behaved, super polite and the fresh air always knocks me out by 9pm so we all go to bed early.
I’d be fuming if there were people revving engines or playing loud music while my kids are trying to sleep. Fortunately not come across any anti-social behaviour yet. We’ve only ever used caravan and motor home club sites though and I would hope the wardens wouldn’t tolerate such behaviour. We try to get a pitch off the main road and out of the way in a corner, which gives the kids a bit of room to play without disturbing others. The picture on page one is the type of hookup I like, away from everyone else. At Sandy Balls last year it was like the wild west, all the decent people were tucked up in bed trying to sleep while the morons were revving engines and having raves at 3 in the morning.
I occasionally see people cringe and roll eyes when we turn up in my Barry'd up VW van, but we are usually the quietest people on the site, my kids are impeccably behaved, super polite and the fresh air always knocks me out by 9pm so we all go to bed early.
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