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Hi and welcome, My best bit of advice is...NEVER EVER take much money or your plastic card into a caravan accessory shop until after the first year of caravaning or you'll see so much that you 'think' would be useful or so many 'just in case' items you'll spend more than the vans worth.

BUT you'll enjoy it and will soon find yourself getting a headache using the search facility and deciding where to go....Sooooo many places...Soooo little time.

NAME and shame the company that gave you the bad advise.

NAME and recommend the company that gave you the good advise.

Welcome to the site and enjoy your touring.

I'm glad I didn't get straight to a caravan dealer and ask "the experts".

I started the post on here about towing with a smaller engine/car as I have a 1.6 Astra so I would be interested in your findings on the performance and mpg you get with your van.

hi welcome lots of info here.ie.

	Arrival On Site
	Clever Packing
	Weight Watching!
	Essential Equipment
	Changing a Tyre!

     I would surggest you buy second hand articles as there are lots of baragains out there,The aqua roll type water carriers are very easy to fill and transport your water, Then there is the waste master, it has wheels and can take the strain out of carrying your waste water away,  Then you can pick up a second hand porch awning for around £100, it gives you a little extra space for leaving shoes etc, and gives a little extra privacey when opening the door, I have always been in the caravan club there sites are first class, I think its £35 per year, and finally I have been on this site for several years and find it the best place for any kind of information if you have a prob just ask   

You will be fine. Our dealer took us through everything . Showing us what we needed to do to set up.

Have a look on the CC web site they have fantastic down loads you can print off and follow when you get on site. Step by step guides on towing. setting up Ect they are invaluable

MOST important is to remember. This is for enjoyment. So drive slowly, Set up slowly, Drink fast and have a laugh.

Enjoy !!!

We purchased our first caravan in january this year we did not know what we needed and we had a few problems with the van on our first trial run but this site will answer all your questions and the people on here are great so welcome and enjoy your travels.

Quote: Originally posted by marbeck on 11/6/2008

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Someone has just offered to give us a 13kg butane gas tank.  Is this the right size for a touring caravan and if so, can we exchange it for a propane tank if we want as someone told me that propane won't freeze as fast as the butane, is this correct?

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Are you sure that isn't a propane cylinder (red)?  I don't think there is a 13kg (Calor) butane cylinder (blue) - but there is a 15kg one.  You'll probably find that it will not fit in your gas locker - and even if it does, you'll need to be very careful to strap it down properly - and even more careful to ensure that you don't end up with an excessive noseweight. You also might end up with a bad back humping one in and out of your gas locker - they are pretty heavy.

You can use propane gas at any temperature - but butane doesn't not evaporate properly when the temperatures get down towards freezing.  If you are not going away in the caravan in winter, it will not matter to you - but if you are, then propane is the way to go.  You can use propane all year round if you want to (I do).

Cheers
Andrew

We got our first caravan last year and it was to say the least a steep learning curve, but it is worth it . This year has been much better. We have not falling out once!!

Hope you have fun!!