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Topic: Newbie saying hi :-)

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arcticfox

11/8/2013 at 11:08pm
Location: Rochdale
Outfit: 1995 Spirit Musketee

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Well we're do I start. Thought I'd do a hello thread to say hi and to learn a little more from more experienced caravanners.

Not got a van yet but prob will do September time one summer is out of the way. The reason were getting a van is the sheer cost of a basic holidays nowadays "wife's a teacher and can only go away in bank holiday so always have to pay a premium " and the fact that its like £1000 a time just to get to somewhere crap like Spain I'd rather get a van for weekends away and the likes.

Anyway I'm woffling lol. My current car is a 2006 vauxhall zafira 1.8 "140" so stuck at 1200kg towing weight which is a bummer but only getting a basic van anyways nothing special. "Recommendation aroun £1000-1500 welcome".

Any advice or tips welcome :-) and hello from the Roberts family.

Babyfish

11/8/2013 at 11:15pm
Location: Northants
Outfit: Berghaus Nightfall4

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Hello!
We are new to caravanning too, just upgraded from our tent last month. Only spent £1800 and got a great van (getting full service in a couple of weeks so may not be as great as I think!) and been away the last four weekends and loving it! Hope you manage to find a great van.

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White Rose

12/8/2013 at 12:10am
Location: West Yorkshire
Outfit: Sterling Eccles Sport & S-Max

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Hello :-)
Best advice is read all you can (there's some great free info on here, on the Caravan Club website, and on the Camping and Caravan Club website), ask lots of questions (even, or perhaps especially, when you think they're daft or obvious) and buy (and use!) a damp meter. Of all the people who viewed our van, nobody, not even the people who are picking it up tomorrow, has damp tested it - absolutely crazy, whether the van is practically new or 15 years old like ours.
Oh, and make doubly and triply sure you have your car kerbweight right before you buy your van - use your handbook, not date on a website which may be incorrect for your specific car.

arcticfox

12/8/2013 at 1:23am
Location: Rochdale
Outfit: 1995 Spirit Musketee

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Thanks for the replys, Yeah my limit is 1200KG on my car "I CHECKED HEHE"

Not totally new to caravanning just new to owning/towing one as we had one as i grew up so did the wife but im licensed to drive any vehicle bar PCV on the road so towing should hopefully be a breeze "Was a driver for the British Army"

Never actually heard of a damp meter but know what to look for again due to family owning vans.

Glad u enjoying the vanning Babyfish ;)

Al+Mel

12/8/2013 at 7:30am
Location: Hants
Outfit: Fleetwood Heritage 640 EB & ML270

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Quote: Never actually heard of a damp meter but know what to look for again due to family owning vans.
Glad u enjoying the vanning Babyfish ;)

Problem is that there is often nothing to see, no smell or anything. Just soaking wet between two waterproof membranes and rotting away quietly. If you take a damp meter when you view 'vans (you can hire them from tool hire shops) and use it - even if everything looks excellent, you won't get a nasty shock later. Ours has saved us thousands!

Protimeter

Best money saving tool a caravanner can have.

arcticfox

18/8/2013 at 6:03am
Location: Rochdale
Outfit: 1995 Spirit Musketee

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Well looks like we have a van now. After all the driving around one came up like 3 miles away from we're I live :-). Went and viewed yesterday and one of the best I have seen so far. Gonna pay deposit tonight heheeheje exciting stuff

Aceselect

18/8/2013 at 8:29am
Location: Nottinghamshire
Outfit: Sprite Alpine 2 Caravan

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Same happened to us, looked for ages, drove miles and then one came up about 5 miles away from us which we loved and still have 3 years later. Goget your deposit paid and enjoy your new van, as you say its great for holidays but also great for quivk weekend getaways, we find that if we do weekends we dont then miss the holidays abroadas we feel like we are always on holiday. Best tip, first night away, go somewhere close to home, and or a caravan accessory shop ust in case you need anything, you will firget things and probably have a few niggles to sort out with your van. Thing is to treat your van also as your hobby, you will love it.

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David
Chillax, you're caravaning

arcticfox

18/8/2013 at 9:02am
Location: Rochdale
Outfit: 1995 Spirit Musketee

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Yah getting deposit paided tonight ;)

Were actually looking close within 50 miles as it will be our 1st trip out and want to check and test everything. Will prob pick up thursday ;)

plasticnut

18/8/2013 at 9:11am
Location: St Helens Merseyside
Outfit: Freedom Microlite Sport

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I hope you post a picture of the van in your profile and we can have an oggle at it. Still plenty weekends left for you to enjoy your van.

arcticfox

18/8/2013 at 9:22am
Location: Rochdale
Outfit: 1995 Spirit Musketee

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Will do mate, This is the one i bought but payed a few hundred less ;)

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/261266757203?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649#ht_740wt_1170

shelleybobs

18/8/2013 at 9:36am
Location: South Yorkshire
Outfit: Elddis Avante 586 2017

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Welcome to the forum! Hope you have lots of wonderful holidays :0)

arcticfox

18/8/2013 at 9:42am
Location: Rochdale
Outfit: 1995 Spirit Musketee

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thank mate ;)

saz121299

18/8/2013 at 11:18am
Location: Sherston Wilts
Outfit: Lunar Clubman 460-4 1988

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Welcome! we are newby's too.. just returned from our first week away in our caravan which we swapped for out Trigano trailer tent in July, it was so easy to get set up when we arrived on site, much more comfy than any of our tents/TT's have been....so glad we now own a caravan, its 19 years old but its great and suits us at the moment, happy caravanning arcticfox :-)

-------------
Enjoyed tenting,
Enjoyed trailer-tenting,
Now loving caravanning 😊😊

arcticfox

18/8/2013 at 12:53pm
Location: Rochdale
Outfit: 1995 Spirit Musketee

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Yay there load of newbies on here ;) Glad you had a good time saz

vangal

18/8/2013 at 6:49pm
Location: None Entered
Outfit: sterling europa 650

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I'm a newbie too..... Just bought a sterling europa 650. absolutely love it and can't wait to pick it up. already booked for a weekend away in September. spent a fortune this week on kitting it out. hitchlocks, batteries etc. will need to be patient and get an awning next year! !

saz121299

18/8/2013 at 8:38pm
Location: Sherston Wilts
Outfit: Lunar Clubman 460-4 1988

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Yay vangal, you can update your profile now with your new outfit

-------------
Enjoyed tenting,
Enjoyed trailer-tenting,
Now loving caravanning 😊😊

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