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Topic: Just picked up our first caravan

Graeme_Cooke

19/10/2013 at 9:34pm
Location: County Durham
Outfit: Elddis Encore 254

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After years of looking at other peoples caravans we have finally got one. We picked up our first van today and now can't wait to use.

Having transferred all our stuff from our folding camper we are ready to go. We are planning to visit somewhere in North Yorkshire next weekend.

clever

19/10/2013 at 9:41pm
Location: Derbyshire
Outfit: Adria Altea 542DT

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Excellent news - hope you have a great time.

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Graeme_Cooke

19/10/2013 at 9:44pm
Location: County Durham
Outfit: Elddis Encore 254

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Thanks Clever.

greenhill

19/10/2013 at 9:47pm
Location: Norfolk
Outfit: None Entered

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Congratulations Graeme. (I think it was you that was at LPP at the same time as us but I didn't ask you about your fc.) We bought a caravan last month and are off for our second trip at half-term. Glad we went on a local tester first as it turned out the elec water heater element had gone so we dropped it off at the dealers on the way home. Prob buying a sorento next week to pull the caravan...

You may already know all of this but incase you didn't, make sure you have a smaller water container to fill up the loo (we only had the aqua roll so had to borrow), you'll need a spanner to get a v tight connection on the gas and either Clean/sterilise the water system or take a smaller water container / 2l bottles to drink from, our water tasted horrible from the kitchen tap.

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From tents to trailer tents to a tin tent to an air tent to trailer tent and back to tin tent!

redheads

19/10/2013 at 9:53pm
Location: kent
Outfit: 2004 Abbey freestyle discovery 2 td5

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well done I hope you enjoy it we to got our first caravan back in feb after having a pennine pathfinder I got fed up packing away when we left sites in the morning with damp canvas only to put it all up again when home to dry out.
Not now nice and dry your clothes are not damp your not cold and damp like home from home happy days we have been away 4 times this year should have done it years ago good luck.

Graeme_Cooke

19/10/2013 at 9:57pm
Location: County Durham
Outfit: Elddis Encore 254

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HI Greenhill, I think it was. We were down by the play area on the end of the row. Fortunately we have everything we need. The FC had all the features of a small caravan so we are used to cassette toilet, Aqua Rolls etc. Good advice though. Filling the flush tank from an Aqua Roll is a bit tricky!

I like the look of the Sorento. We are certainly thinking of the Sorento or Santa Fe next time around.

greenhill

19/10/2013 at 9:57pm
Location: Norfolk
Outfit: None Entered

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Redheads, it was the re pitching and short season which made us change. We had to open up our trigano after every single trip and it became rather tedious.

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From tents to trailer tents to a tin tent to an air tent to trailer tent and back to tin tent!

Graeme_Cooke

19/10/2013 at 9:59pm
Location: County Durham
Outfit: Elddis Encore 254

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Hi Redheads, you've just covered the main reasons we have moved on to a tin top. Just putting all our pots and pans in made us want to go away. We can't wait.

clbewi

19/10/2013 at 10:46pm
Location: Essex
Outfit: Lunar Delta TS 2017

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We are taking our Crusader to it's new owner in the morning. will be sorry to see it go, but looking forward to having a van again so we can pack it up before we go. Looking forward to getting the fridge cold the day before etc.
stopping off at the caravan dealers on the way back. OH has already had a recky, down to 3 now I think.

Sterling Ruby 2010

swift challenger 2009

swift conqueror 2007

any views gratefully received.

Graeme enjoy your van.

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Claire and Colin

Aceselect

20/10/2013 at 6:04pm
Location: Nottinghamshire
Outfit: Sprite Alpine 2 Caravan

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Im sure you will never look back, enjoy your new purchase and have fun next weekend.

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David
Chillax, you're caravaning

robin54

20/10/2013 at 6:37pm
Location: sunderland
Outfit: terrano compass omega 505

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Good luck to you all, much easier in a caravan especially if it rains when you are ready to go home. ENJOY.

LobeyDosser

20/10/2013 at 6:58pm
Location: Argyll Scotland
Outfit: 1997 Bailey Ranger 470 4

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We too have made the change from FC to Caravan this year, but it will be next season before I have it ready to use.

We got little use from the FC in 2012 because of the weather and we found the weather too hot when we were away in it in 2013, so, time for a change and a rethink on our priorities.

We tour for a month at a time and nice though the FC was for layout, it simply was not comfortable or versatile enough for the way we wanted to use it.

Now looking forward to an earlier and later camping season.

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Lobey.

Boston600

20/10/2013 at 8:04pm
Location: None Entered
Outfit: None Entered

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We moved up from a tent to a van and although we had a few little problems with the van, we are really happy with our purchase. It is so much easier.

We changed from a huge tent to a small 4 berth van so it is a little confined but I don't miss all the putting up and taking down at the end of the holiday.

Hope you enjoy yours as much as we do.

assured

20/10/2013 at 11:28pm
Location: Kent
Outfit: Vw touareg 2004 abbey acclaim sl

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We also changed from a f/c to a caravan this year, not had a chance to try caravan yet but looking forward to it .

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