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Quote: Originally posted by Lizzylee on 22/9/2014

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We will be going to the show looking to buy a caravan up to the value of £30.   

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Hi Lizzylee, we were in a similar situation as you back in 2007 - wanting to spend a year touring in Europe, and not knowing anything about caravans!  We bought magazines, joined the Caravan Club, went to the NEC show, as well as The Lawns show in Hull, and also visited several dealers and looked online.  It really pays to do research, as it's a big expense and you want a good, solid, reliable van if you're going to be living and travelling in it for a year.

Our personal choice after all that - and I stress it is personal, and might not suit everyone - was a German van, although we also liked Adria.  It's important to find a layout that suits you, again bearing in mind you'll be spending a lot of time in it - what is fine for a summer holiday in France, and a few weekends in England, might not work so well full-time. We chose fixed twin beds, to avoid having to climb over each other in the middle of the night when visiting the loo!  It needs to be solidly built, and also well-insulated for winter (it can get cold even in Spain.)

Since then we've visited 18 countries (not including the UK) and spent two full years travelling, with other shorter trips in between.  We're still totally happy with our van.  It's just been serviced and there's no sign of damp, the only major problem we've had was a delaminated window.  But it's stood up to a heck of a lot of wear, in all weathers, on some appalling roads, and though it no longer looks pristine (rather like us) we love it.

One further point - the pitches and access roads in some European campsites can be a bit tight for a twin-axle.  Our van is 7.61 metres long, which is roomy enough to be comfortable, but easy enough to manouevre with a mover.

Good luck, and enjoy your travels!