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Topic: New to caravan

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ES122

21/8/2017 at 1:32pm
Location: Middlesex
Outfit: Caravan

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Me and my partner are looking to get a caravan and we don't really kno where to start! We don't really know what things we are going to need as we would like to live in the caravan just really stuck on where we actually start. Anyone that could help would be great just to give us a idea???

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Elle

Opensauce

21/8/2017 at 1:57pm
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To start somewhere tell us the make model yr & engine size to car you have to establish what you can tow. What year did you pass your driving test?

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ES122

21/8/2017 at 2:06pm
Location: Middlesex
Outfit: Caravan

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It will be my partners car which is a Mercedes 2litre he pasted 7 years ago

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Elle

Rob and Tina

21/8/2017 at 2:44pm
Location: Royal Forest of Dean
Outfit: Swift Major 4SB

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We need to know the model and year of the car to find out the towing weights, also need to know if it's petrol or diesel, manual or auto. Unless your partner has a B+E licence you will be restricted to what you may tow.

Rob

twincle

21/8/2017 at 2:50pm
Location: Byfleet Surrey
Outfit: Elddis Liberte 21 6

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Pop along to a caravan dealers, take no money and no I.D., wouldnt want to make an accidental purchase on a whim.
It really is personal choice after that. End bathroom and fixie up beds or fixed bed? 2, 4 or 6 berth? Layout is important for you as you are going to live there so looking at differant styles will help. Budget? Can get something to live in on a tight budget or really splash out on all bells and whistles.
At the dealers, they could tell you if your car is suitable to pull a style of van you like and like us, could spend quite a few hours looking :) Dont forget to check your license ......

ES122

21/8/2017 at 3:28pm
Location: Middlesex
Outfit: Caravan

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Yeah we have been looking at all different ones I know the layout we would like just got to find one within a budget, we are looking for a decent but cheap for our first caravan to see if we are actually going to lie it then get a lovely one. Do you know any caravan dealers around the Surrey area that I can go in and talk to?

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Elle

Rob and Tina

21/8/2017 at 3:33pm
Location: Royal Forest of Dean
Outfit: Swift Major 4SB

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You need to know how heavy a caravan you can tow before you get carried away and buy something that you can't tow. How big is your budget?

Rob

ES122

21/8/2017 at 3:41pm
Location: Middlesex
Outfit: Caravan

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£4000, im picky we would like one with a fixed bed, end wash room separate shower.

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Elle

Rob and Tina

21/8/2017 at 3:50pm
Location: Royal Forest of Dean
Outfit: Swift Major 4SB

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I wouldn't trust a dealer to give me the correct information about a safe caravan/car combination, they just want to sell you a caravan. It is your responsibility to make sure that the caravan is a safe match to the car and that your licence allows you to tow it.

A £4000 budget from a dealer would not give you a lot of choice as they deal mostly in newer, more expensive units. The only dealer I know of in Surrey is Michael Jordan Caravans in Gomshall, have a look at the website to get an idea of prices.

We still need to know the car details to work out what you can tow so we can give you some meaningful advice.

Rob

ES122

21/8/2017 at 3:55pm
Location: Middlesex
Outfit: Caravan

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I was thinking the same about a dealer! I'm going to have a look on that website and see what's on there. I've also been looking eBay but I'm not sure what's good and what's not which is no help! My partner is looking in to what he can and can't tow and so on.

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Elle

Colin21

21/8/2017 at 4:12pm
Location: East Herts
Outfit: 1992 Elddis Wisp 450CT + X Trail

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The nearest caravan dealer to me never has anything on his forecourt at less than about £7,000, and that seems typical of this area. BUT! Ask about trade-sales. We got a very nice 1994 Elddis Wisp on a trade sale from our local dealer for much less than your budget, and certainly much less than any on their forecourt.

One thing concerns me though is that you say you intend to live in it. The first thing is where? Do you have some land somewhere you intend to put it on? The next thing is that touring caravans are not designed to be lived in all year round. There is not much insulation in them, and keeping them warm when there is ice on the ground will cost a fortune!

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Best Regards,
Colin

ES122

21/8/2017 at 4:15pm
Location: Middlesex
Outfit: Caravan

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That's another thing! We are looking in to some sites around my area but we are wanting to buy a small plot of land so we have our own space! We both really do like the idea but the pair of us both liking it is another thing! But we are going to give it a try once we find the right caravan for us and see how it goes. Just hard to get all the informtation we need

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Elle

Opensauce

21/8/2017 at 4:51pm
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You can't just buy a plot of land & site a caravan on it. The council will soon have you off. You are not allowed to put a caravan on agricultural land unless you are working that land as a full time job. You will only get temporary permission for a caravan on building land if you are building a house.

The easiest way to live in a caravan is to move campsites every 28 days. You will need a permanent address of friend or relative to do your banking & insurance from but that's still a bit Micky mouse.

Only alternative for a permanent site is by stealth, Ie nobody knows you are there or in garden of friend or relative provided caravan is only a bedroom & you are supposed to be using house facilities.

ES122

21/8/2017 at 5:00pm
Location: Middlesex
Outfit: Caravan

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That was another thing I was thinking of putting in family members garden is there anything I would need to do for that? As in would could the neighbors say anything about that?

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Elle

Opensauce

21/8/2017 at 5:57pm
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How it works with living in a caravan in anybodies garden is that the caravan must be just a bedroom & your address is the house. That's what you tell people but of course in practise you can live in the caravan provided nobody objects to caravan & the council does not investigate. As pointed out its about stealth & what you can get away with.

Usually there is no law against parking a caravan on your property but some neighbour's might get annoyed. Nothing they can do about a parked caravan but if they think it's being lived in then they could report that to the council. So it would be good if your caravan could be parked well back not overlooking neighbour's property & so on.

misterg

21/8/2017 at 6:30pm
Location: East Midlands
Outfit: Coachman VIP 575.Santa Fe

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Some properties carry some sort of restriction to prevent caravans being parked there even if not in use. It may be in covenants .

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Mister G

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