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Hi

This is my first post, so please be gentle...lol!

We are thinking of purchasing a caravan (used) in the next 6-12 months, but before we do, we would like to get as much information as possible, as we want to make sure that this would suit our lifestyle.

We are a family of 3 (OH, myself and daughter whom is 12) and we have had many great holidays in static caravans since I can remember, just booking through Haven etc.  Have never owned our own before, so know nothing about caravaning.

What kind of caravan do you think we should be looking for?  I am disabled and use a wheelchair most of the time, so the caravan would need to be roomy-would this be a problem?  On good days, I can support myself with walking aids, but my husband is my FT carer, so he can always give me a piggy back if needed...LOL. 

So my main questions are:

(1)Would I need an adapted caravan, or could I get a spacious one and just take my wheelchair when needed outside?

(2)What kind of toilet would we need? Because of disabilities, this would need to be a good one! 

(3)Where is the best place to look for secondhand caravans?

(4)Is an Awning essential?

(5)How easy are caravans to tow?

(6)We dont have alot of money as our income has dropped by half as I am unable to work.  Would we be able to get a half decent caravan for under 2k?  What about caravan insurance?

Sorry for all the questions.

Mads13

xx

Hi and welcome.  Well, I doubt you would get a wheelchair inside a normal caravan because they don't tend to be too roomy!  There is a new caravan available designed for a disabled person but it is £19,000.  So if you can use your sticks you'd be ok but otherwise I would think it would be nigh on impossible but no doubt somebody on here has more experience of that than me.  Insurance is typically £150 - £200 and you would need security devices such as wheel clamp or hitch lock.  Storage is another issue and can range from £200 to £400 a year if you can't store it at home.  Budget a further £200 a year for maintenance and servicing.

Most caravans nowadays have a built in cassette toilet that you empty from a door on the outside.  They are pretty robust but not sure you could put rails on the walls to support your weight as they are not overly strong.

For cheap vans you are best off buying private but would need a damp meter and I would suggest a friend with some knowledge because in that price range they are likely to be suffering from damp or a delaminated floor.

Awnings are great, we have a porch awning and it goes up and down in no time and gives us extra space so I would say yes to that one!

As for towing, depends on the vehicle you have and your attitude to driving.  With the right attitude, a desire to get there in one piece rather than as quick as possible then it is perfectly ok but again read threads on here and get a feel for the issues that can arise and how to prevent them.

I would say you need to go to a dealers to have a look at a variety of vans and see how you can move around them.  Once you have the layout that you like then look around privately for a good deal.  Don't forget there is a for sale section on this forum just click the icon on the top of the page.  You also need to match the weight of the van to the weight of your car, recommendation is no more than 85% of the car's kerbweight.

Happy hunting.  Sorry to be brief but gotta dash as we are away this weekend.

Ali

Hi and welcome to the site, I don't wish to in anyway to dampen your enthusiasm for this venture but having certain disabilities myself I think you have to really look at all the practicalities first before commiting yourself. The budget you have will place constraits on what you are looking to do. I feel that as you have mentioned you have had some great times in static caravans and think maybe you should stay with this? As you will not find the sort of room in a touring caravan that a static has nor the toilet space.

However I wish you all the very best for what you are thinking about, have a very good look around the caravan sales and see what you can find and don't be afraid to ask questions anywhere.

Micky

From a disabled user point of view (I have a condition which can differ each day) and as someone who often has no choice but to use a wheelchair  I will say the following.

I havent found I can use my crutches in the van but I can use the worktops to manovoure around.  If its one of my wheelchair episodes I keep my crutches outside the door and my chair in the awning (but lock it in the car at night)

The toilet - well at home I have a toilet surround but I manage without it in the van - sometimes a bit difficult but I do manage.  I also use the shower in the van as its easier for me that the site showers usually but thats just preference.

We do go away and dont always put our awning up but it is exceptionally handy - if the weather is bad outside it gives me a dry area to get shoes and stuff on without my helper getting soaking wet (we dont allow shoes in our van and I need help with shoes etc)  Plus we have five kids so it becomes a play area to :)

Buffy