Message Forums

Aye, I know how you feel. I had to retire 15 years early.

Och it was hell!!!!!

Could I persuade the wife to take on another two extra jobs to keep me in the custom I was used to???? Hell it was, but I got there in the end.

The trouble is that now we can afford a bigger car and a newer caravan, but cannot find anything that comes close to the set up we have with the FC.

I don't just mean the layout, but all the advantages like storage, ease of towing, comfortable permanent beds and yet full kitchen and toilet.

Weve even looked at pricey motorhomes but really nothing even comes close.

I guess we are FC Smitten.

Sounds like a disease.

Hi. We used to tow a 1057kg MTPLM van with a 1.6 petrol Toyota Corolla (1300kg).

It was a great match, & it never felt as though we were thrashing the car.

MPG was actually better than our current 1500kg / Galaxy TDi (1800kg) outfit.

If you check on www.towcar.info  you can check out any combination of car and caravan for safe, effortless towing.

We tow a Freedom Microlite LE with a Fiesta 1.6tdci Titanium. The compatible report is excellent ! we are well within all advisory limits.  On the road we can hill start with no dramas and make excellent "progress", we can overtake lorries on gradients quickly and easily on West Country dual carriageways. We repeatedly return 45 mpg , rather like the Nissan Note mentioned above in the thread.Solo the car can get over 70mpg with light foot , driving legally.

The Microlite is 2 berth with comfortable, sizeable bed. easy to convert to night time trim. There are two short "sofas" and dinette table for relaxing, which are comfy to watch TV. The LE has a toilet room . Wardrobe, fridge, 2 hob kitchen and washbasin. Lots of storage space under sofas and space for food, utensils and cook pots/pans. Although we have a super awning, we can honestly get by without it when we are lazy. The pop top roof gives good head room, superb fresh air ventilation and is fine for up to 6 ft ? tall. Fibreglass body means NO DAMP INGRESS, important on an older , cheap, caravan.

Ignore the doomsayers! With care, you can put together a good, lightweight outfit with excellent performance and economy.You should be able to find a Mk 7 Fiesta 1.6tdci for as little as £7k to £7.5k or perhaps an earlier version for much less. Microlites are comparitively rare but if you are quick to respond you could get one for £1,500 upwards. Perhaps less if you are prepared to fit new tyres, curtains and do a few cosmetic jobs. Hope this helps! Go for it with confidence

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201228478580944/sort/default/usedcars/maximum-age/up_to_5_years_old/engine-size-cars/1-7l_to_1-9l/body-type/estate/fuel-type/diesel/model/fabia/make/skoda/onesearchad/used/onesearchad/nearlynew/onesearchad/new/radius/1500/page/3/postcode/td12ly?logcode=p

Both Hatch and estaite have the same max tow of 1200 KG in 1.9 tdi form , so this will give you an idea of how big a van you can tow 

up to 70 MPG  solo, £35 PA, RFL  G4 insurance.

Go for any made after 2006