Hiya all,
just you to let you know we've upgraded to a caravan after a few years with our tent.(OH's choice not mine & i'm holding onto tent - just in case.
Anyway wondering if theres only us whos off to a bad start? We set off to filey - 10mins into journey & noticed the beeping had stopped on towing indicators. After inspecting OH noticed the cable running under caravan to tow bar was completely shredded. Then remembered we stored it at my mums (to save money- ha) & then it clicked - her bloody bulldog puppy had chewed through it, her teeth marks are all along it! So after a few choice words, an hour under caravan & plenty of lecci tape ..we were off.
Once on site we inspected the damage & noticed she done more, just where it enters caravan for hook up. (even less pleased at this point). Off to the local DIY shop for more tape.
Anyway a lovely week was to be had (only had to buy a new mixer tap as other busted & soaked us through, then 15month slipped up step & bust his lip.).But other than that - lovely time.
We got home & parked caravan up & got a phone call last night to say someone had let the dog out by accident & now shes chewed the flipping plug that connects to tow bar completely off.
Shes well & truly in the dog house now. My Mums even phoned an auto electrician to come & price up to replace all wires & she'll pay. (bless her she gutted)
I'm sure we'll laugh about it soon.LOL - like now when we think of time we flooded a campsite with our tent pegs!!. LOL. So just wondered is it just us that has all the luck or is someone else just as lucky.
Genrally speaking if you get a secondhand caravan the first couple of runs are about finding & correcting faults & genrally finding your way around it--
I am sorry this thread made me laugh, We have a dog going through chewing at the moment I think I will keep him well away from our Electrics after reading this! He also likes to pull so definatly keeping him locked up!
Yes we found the same with our last van first few trips quite a lot of minor things had to be fixed but then all was fine although watch that dog!! lol
------------- Come on if we leave now we can make it before it's dark. How many times have we heard that?
As eveyone has said it can only get better,and I think most of us have had a not to good experience some time or another.Hope the little ones lip is better
Before Vulpecula (my OH) puts his four pennies worth in I can say you are not alone. Our introduction to caravanning has been extremely costly. I could say its a case of learning by experience but maybe the more sensible ones on here would challenge that. Up to now we have frazzled the brakes on the van (over run cable got hooked up but out Hulux surf didn't notice - neither did driver!! or passenger), managed to strip the abrasive element off the mover rollers (a long story in itself all to do with rotten mussels and the fridge not working) had springs go (several time) on the drop down grill - something to do with the way I opened it!!!! the panels fall out of the cupboard doors - again only whenI am opening them, etc, etc Mind you we have a real good laugh about it all and it makes good telling over a glass or severalof wine. Whoever says caravanning is not fun must be lying!!!
Hiya Guys, thanks for replies. About the wire being plugged in - that was my dads idea for next time - "plug the thing into conservatory, it'll not do it again"!!! -he was only joking... i hope???? (LOL)
penine plodder you sound like our caravan friends (ohh sorry, can't come we have t work next weekend)... but you never know , your not that far away from us so we might catch up.
Celia poppy - aint it funny that stuff only happens when we do it - no body else ("well that never does that when i do it").lol
Anyway thanks again, & its not put us off we're off to Hope in 2weeks. Ooooh better get off to off licence for that 3 bottles of wine for a tenner. LOL
know where you're coming from!! We too traded a tent (TT atually) for caravan - and had 'fun' 1st trip.
Despite suprisingly easy 1st tow to wales we were soon at the local caravan/camping suplies shop to purchase new door lock as ours had siezed.
Once this was fitted we thought we'd have a go with the awning, but once i'd been biffed on the head by an awning pole I threw the towel in and had a good hour at feeling sorry for myself.Next morning the battery failed - next stop - caravan/camping supplies shop! Fitted this and though we'd have an other go at the awning.....only to find that one of the tightening screws had lost it's threat. Guess where we went next?
Hubby then found another fault, with the charger - apparantly needed new crocodile clips, or something.
The owner of the camping.caravanning shop had a bumper weekend though!!
Jusat got back from our 2nd weekend away - we loved it!! How good is it not to care if it rains? So far - so good.Bought a cheapie van from e bay and feel we've had our moneys worth already!