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Subject Topic: Thinking of buying a caravan advice pleas
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PersonKevpenny
01/5/2014 at 11:32am
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Hello

We are very tentatively looking to buy a carvan, we started off looking at tents but don't think that for us.

It's for myself, husband, 17 month old and 2 dogs !!

We have a BMW 318D automatic we would want to tow with it says that has a 1700kg braked towing weight. Is this enough ?

We would want a 4berth+ caravan. Bathroom with a proper shower, not one over a toilet is a must. Don't mind having to make up the bed from seats for myself and husband but would want a 'permanent single bed' for our son. We would also want an awning for the dogs and just for the extra space.

Finally my husband is not keen on the idea of towing each time we go away so we would be looking to put on a seasonal pitch.

Any tips, comments would be very welcome :)

Thank you


PersonGrampian91
01/5/2014 at 12:30pm
 Location: Midlands
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What is your cars unladen kerbweight? Im guessing that it will be way less than 1700kg.

You should be looking at vans that are 85% of the cars unladen kerbweight.

Seasonal pitches can be quite pricey so shop around and work out if your going to get good value.

I could go on a world cruise for what my mate pays for his.


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PersonKevpenny
01/5/2014 at 12:33pm
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I have seen so,e nice seasonal pitches from £1100-£1600 per season which is just a weeks holiday abroad or at somewhere like butlins.

To sure what it's unladen kerb weight is will have to look.


PersonKevpenny
01/5/2014 at 12:35pm
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Just found it the unladen kerb weight is 1410kg


Personissym
01/5/2014 at 12:43pm
 Location: Cambridgeshire
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If you go to whattowcar.com you can find out your safe towing limit. I think it says you can safely pull 1300kg, giving 86%, although I thought it was supposed to be no more than 85%
You can also outfit match, so you put in your car make and model and the make and model of the caravan you fancy and it tells you how well it works together...or not.
Go to caravanfinder.co.uk and choose which berth you want then it will give you variations on layouts. Choose the layout and it will tell you which caravans match.
Have you considered a static caravan?

-------------
Started with a motorbike and tent.......my gallery, my life.


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PersonKevpenny
01/5/2014 at 1:08pm
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Issy we have had a static caravan, but it's a lot to spend to be I. The same place year in and year out. We were paying site fees of just short of £5000 and van cost £30,000 which is a lot to pay out to always be in the same place. With a csravan we can tow if we get bored, don't like the neighbours ! We can easily move on :)


PersonKevpenny
01/5/2014 at 1:41pm
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Have just had a lovely chat with a man from technical in the caravan club and he said we could safely look for a caravan 1300_1400 mtplm

So that helps me in looking now...


Personsunshinetours
01/5/2014 at 2:01pm
 Location: sunny south east!
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I would stick with closer to 1300kg with a 318D Auto.

The 85% is not a rule but merely a guide for novice towers.
A well loaded van with proper pumped tyres and correct noseweight is far more important IMO than any arbitary percentage not recognised anywhere but here in UK!.

If you have no intention of towing then I would look at vans bigger than otherwise as you won't need to tow it. You can never have too much space with kids and I would guess dogs as well

Ours is a 6 berth and fine for the 4 of us


Personissym
01/5/2014 at 2:01pm
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There is always that!
When we started out we had a normal size car so we made do with what we could tow. We had a 12 foot four berth!!! It had a small dining area at the front that made into double, wardrobe and long seat with bunk down off side and small bathroom and kitchen on near side. As the children grew we bought bedroom annex for the awning, and we kept that till they stopped coming with us. Apart from a shower it had everything we need.
Now we are just two adults we tow a 21 foot caravan, but that was how big we had to go to get what we need!!!!!(want )
Have fun looking, it's ALMOST as good as having a van!!

-------------
Started with a motorbike and tent.......my gallery, my life.


Personjohn#mel#3kids!
01/5/2014 at 4:40pm
 Location: west yorks
 Outfit:  Vango inspire 600xl 5m bell tent View john#mel#3kids!'s Profile View Profile   Reply to john#mel#3kids! Reply   Quote john#mel#3kids! Quote  
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If you want to put on a seasonal pitch, why not get someone, friend, towing firm, or the dealer you buy from to tow it to your seasonal pitch( like I did) then get a nice twin axle with more room to move around in?


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PersonKevo66
01/5/2014 at 4:43pm
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Our seasonal pitch costs £921 including electric and Winter storage. Small shop and laundry on site. At Devils Bridge, Ceredigion, near Aberystwyth. Lovely people. It's called Erwbarfe farm. Stunning scenery all around. Beautiful!
Depends where you want to go really.


Personjohn#mel#3kids!
01/5/2014 at 4:46pm
 Location: west yorks
 Outfit:  Vango inspire 600xl 5m bell tent View john#mel#3kids!'s Profile View Profile   Reply to john#mel#3kids! Reply   Quote john#mel#3kids! Quote  
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If you have kids it's amazing how your van turns into another house!
You will need as much room as possible, our coachman has a separate shower and a large bathroom, but the shower has a wardrobe in it!


PersonKevpenny
01/5/2014 at 5:48pm
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Devils bridge is a lovely area just a bit far from us.

Bigger van and someone take it there for us is an option :)


Personjohn#mel#3kids!
01/5/2014 at 5:50pm
 Location: west yorks
 Outfit:  Vango inspire 600xl 5m bell tent View john#mel#3kids!'s Profile View Profile   Reply to john#mel#3kids! Reply   Quote john#mel#3kids! Quote  
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Where are you situated,


PersonKevpenny
01/5/2014 at 5:56pm
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We are in Cheshire so thinking North Wales / Anglesey areas.


Personjohn#mel#3kids!
01/5/2014 at 6:08pm
 Location: west yorks
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Supposed to be a nice place just off the motorway in Llanddulas? Think I spelt that right, fully serviced pitches, but might be closer to 2 grand a year including inside winter storage. Chap I work with has his van there, we are in West Yorkshire, our seasonal pitch is just outside howarth.



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