Message Forums

We're trying to work out the true standing cost of having a caravan on the drive. I reckon depreciation of £800 a year on what was a new single axle van at £13,000 new would be about right, a mate of mine has a twin axle costing a lot more, reckons I'm wrong and it should be about £1,000 a year. When everything is added in including having to keep and run a capable towar, insurance, servicing, a set of tyres in the life of the van etc it's no longer the cheap holiday it used to be. I'd be interested to hear what others believe the true annual standing cost to be.

BB

Quote: Originally posted by IainM on 08/6/2013

---

Without appearing to be rude I don't care how much it costs ... I love it!

I don't want any 'van ... I want a nice shiney new one and a nice shiney car to go with it. Our choice and obviously sacrifices are made elsewhere to make it possible.

We do get over 70 nights use out of our van every year so any expense is easy to justify TO US. Others will have different priorities/ideas.

I agree as long as its what you want there is no need to justify the cost to anyone but yourself a very good friend of mine gives everything the "edge of the grave test " he asks himself 3 questions
Is it something I really want or want to do
Can I afford it
When I'm at the edge of my grave will I wish I had bought / done it
If the answer is yes to all three then he goes ahead

---

It's not cheap to keep a touring van if you count maintenance, storage, insurance, servicing etc. etc. (and the endless trips to the camping shop to buy the latest gizmo).   If I spend £2,000 a year on it (and probably do) taking into account site fees, additional fuel when towing, storage, service, insurance, repairs etc. then I feel it is money well spent.  For that I am having at least 3 holidays a year and additional long weekends in accommodation I can rely on in places I want to stay.

When you total up the cost of a package holiday for 4 of us (both our kids are now in their teens) it would come to at least £2,500 so spending £2,000 a year for something that's available for us to all use 52 weeks a year is good value in my book. 

As a bonus, I can plan trips with overnight stays on longer journeys, making for a more relaxing experience, we can meet up with friends who are also caravanners, move on from a pitch we're not happy with - essentially it gives you the freedom to choose and I can tow behind me my own little home from home that contains everything we need - that to me is priceless.