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I am a tent camper, but am now considering a caravan....3 dogs now and getting all the kit packed puts me off going away.

Please is there a website or info to help make a choice about what type/plan/etc van to look for.....2nd hand and fairly cheap. What should I consider? What are the advantages of each layout?

Any advice really welcome

Thanks so much 

Can't really help but we are in a similar situation.  We are tenters and getting a dog soon and we are also getting fed up of a packed car and roofbox.  Theres so many caravans to choose from isn't there.  Have you got a local caravan place you can go and have a look round and then you can get an idea of the layout etc.  We want one with fixed bunks for 2 kids and there is a table that end that they can do their homework on.

Hope you manage to find one suitable.

Look here.

Just found this as well

Before looking at layouts, you need to decide what sort of caravanning you will be doing.

- mostly touring UK and/or abroad

-short journeys to favourite campsite

-one two week holiday static each year plus some weekends

-seasonal static

-etc.

Each style of caravanning will influence the layout. For instance if you want to do a lot of touring, not staying anywhere long, a smaller lighter caravan would be better.

If you intend the main use to be a fortnight in the south of France every year, again a smaller caravan for ease of towing, and you do not need acres of seating area as you will likely be eating/sitting outside in the sunshine.

Semi static/static use might use a much larger caravan where towability is less of an issue but internal space and comfort are more important.

Similarly if you intend to use holiday meets where there are few facilities, you will need a good bathroom/shower. Less important if you want to stay on quality commercial sites with good facilities.

<SCRIPT type=text/javascript>_popupControl(); Thanks for all this....lots to research!

It will need to be an older van costing not a lot but have not fixed a budget yet.....we want to see if we take to it before shelling out too much.

Will be for 2 adults and 3 dogs (springer spaniels). I would prefer an easy to tow vehicle as neither os us have towed before. We will have a Nissan X Trail as the tow car.

The features I would want are:

• shower/loo (I suppose thatis standard on most modern vans)
• plenty of sockets
• not too small so probably a four berth not 2
• possible a fixed bed as this seems to me a disadvantage of caravans....having to do all that.

Not sure what other features would be useful yet, but as we are looking at a low budget it is best not to fix my sights too high!

Is there a good place to learn about the layouts? As in why do people choose one over the other....advantages and disadvantages of l shape etc etc?

Thanks

Julie

To assist with layout...?

http://www.caravanfinder.co.uk/

To assist with Price...?

http://www.caravanpriceguide.com/

To assist with... "can my car really pull that...?

http://www.whattowcar.com/index.php

We started with a trailer tent (which I loved) but 3 very young children didn't make the 3 hour pitching time enjoyable so we decided to change to a caravan.  We knew we needed a 4/5 berth but weren't confident on the towing bit so we had a good look around a local caravan dealer (no intention of buying from a dealer as there were far better deals to be had privately).  It gave us a good idea of manufacturers (they all vary in quality), layouts and facilities.  We decided from this that we really needed a 5 berth. 

We were very similar to you in that we wanted to be able to tour all year round in the UK, mostly weekend stays but not discounting some longer spells.  We kept scanning the local pages and eBay and eventually spotted an ABI Monza 450s 5 berth from 1992 quite local to us.  We went to view before we bid (a must for our own peace of mind) and it was a gem.  Needed a bit of basic TLC but a thorough check showed no rot anywhere and it came with a nearly new full size awning. It was incredibly basic but it was within our budget so we were over the moon when we won it.  It had no shower, no cassette toilet (used the Porta Potti from the TT with no problem) and we lovingly referred to it as our box with 5 beds as that was pretty much all it was - small and perfectly formed.  We've really taken to this caravanning lark and so took advantage of the plummeting Avondale prices and traded up (see gallery pic).  I still miss my Monza but the blown air heating has been a godsend and a cassette loo I can fill/empty from a flap outside the van is much easier than carrying the porta-loo around.  Picking a caravan is like picking your first house.   You don't really know what you want until you see it and imagine yourself in there so there's no substitute for having a good nose around the local dealers!  Good luck, can well recommend it despite all of my initial misgivings!  Natalie

OK go to places like campbells, todds and van dealers and make a day of it enjoy the fun of jumping in and out and exploring.

caravan magazines show layouts

i would not get a fixed bed take up valuable doggie space and making the front double takes 1 min.

we just got a 4 berth two front benches and one long one to back left which has a bunk to go above my westies love the top bunk as feel secure looking out!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! the shower is opposite this and the layout feels fab and at 750 kg unladen very light.

£300 not bad was it but mine needs lots tlc, not for newbies.

ebay, preloved vivastreet, loot, caravan magazine for ads.

try and find keen caravanners upgrading not those used as a shed. many love their vans and look after well. Buy a damp meter and check under all benches feel walls under there and all over spongy = no go, sniff test hay smell = no no, feel under all corners and around windows.

have a go at making the bed at the dealers ask them to show you where slats pull out.

an awning will help for getting dogs dried off bowls etc.

Major consideration, which car do you have? You then need to know its weight and what it is capable of towing. There are links on here to do the matching.

You can then look at vans and see if your car can pull them safely!

Despite what an unscrupulous salesmen might make you beleive you cannot tow a 22' twin axle with a Smart car!!!