You can access the front locker if you buy the most expensive and best, Specialised Towpro Elite. Oh and the windows.
It’s funny have just driven over 600 miles through France and not one Dutch, German etc van has a a front cover.
------------- XVI yes?
As well is two words!
How does a sage know everything about everything? or does he? or does he just think he does?
Remember, if you buy something you bought it, not brought it.
As a professional driver I am not too keen on them. My complaint is that a lot of them are excellent at camouflaging the front of a caravan from other road users. If they made them in a more visible colour I would probably get one. They are fine on motorways and dual carriageways but not when there is two way traffic. Are they actually legal? I doubt a trailer type approval would be passed with one fitted, just on lights and reflectors alone.
I'll just put my tin hat on!!
Quote: Originally posted by david8858 on 08/7/2019
Even our cheapie one was over 200 quid so I shudder to think how much a Specialised Towpro Elite would cost.
Quote: Originally posted by m1cxf on 08/7/2019
As a professional driver I am not too keen on them. My complaint is that a lot of them are excellent at camouflaging the front of a caravan from other road users. If they made them in a more visible colour I would probably get one. They are fine on motorways and dual carriageways but not when there is two way traffic. Are they actually legal? I doubt a trailer type approval would be passed with one fitted, just on lights and reflectors alone.
I'll just put my tin hat on!!
Trevor
Camouflaging the front of the caravan with what? the road? trees? the sky?
If you find it difficult to see a caravan that has a sheet of grey covering PART of the front of the caravan I would perhaps go to the opticians.
Also its no different to a car being painted battleship grey.
Quote: Originally posted by gray on 08/7/2019
Hi,I'm after advise on whether it's worth having a front towing cover on my caravan and which type and price I should be looking at,thank you all.
Two schools of thought on this one:
1: Those that think they are great because they prevent the front of the van getting covered in tar/dirt and prevent damage to the front window from chip etc.
2: Those that don't because they feel they are expensive, cumbersome to attach to the van and can potentially cause more scratches to the front window.
Personally if your going to get a cover its better to go for the absolute best you can afford. The reason being that someone in my storage site had one of the cheaper ones and it didn't stop getting a chip in his window because the material was quite thin.
Also be careful to make sure the window is spotlessly clean, if there is any dust/grit in the window when the cover is attached it will cause more scratches. And that goes for the cover, don't allow the side that touches the van to touch the ground, any grit that gets picked up with be rubbed onto the van/window during towing and cause scratches.
Quote: Originally posted by shaggy2000 on 08/7/2019
Quote: Originally posted by david8858 on 08/7/2019
Even our cheapie one was over 200 quid so I shudder to think how much a Specialised Towpro Elite would cost.
There must be some rich caravanners about!!
About £100 more
Actually £399 for one.
------------- XVI yes?
As well is two words!
How does a sage know everything about everything? or does he? or does he just think he does?
Remember, if you buy something you bought it, not brought it.
You no longer need to get a Tow Pro Elite to be able to access the front locker and window - the Tow Pro + from Specialised now has this feature. Very easy to fit and addressing the concerns of the poster above is available in a selection of colours and has see-through sections for the lights (they are tailor made to your specific caravan) £299.
After being quoted £400 to replace a stone chipped window I bought a cheap towing cover. It is called Defender and cost £40. Takes 5 mins to put it on and I am happy with the quality. For an overnight stop it is easy to slide it up to access the locker, or down to be able to see out of the front windows.
John
As a professional driver I am not too keen on them. My complaint is that a lot of them are excellent at camouflaging the front of a caravan from other road users. If they made them in a more visible colour I would probably get one. They are fine on motorways and dual carriageways but not when there is two way traffic. Are they actually legal? I doubt a trailer type approval would be passed with one fitted, just on lights and reflectors alone.
I'll just put my tin hat on!!
I do see your point a dark coloured sheet the same colour as the tarmac is as bad as people who don't put lights on in bad weather. I have one though but only put it on if I have washed caravan and it wont rub grit into paintwork. Also I don't use it sometimes because I forget,lol.
We have a front towing cover which is black and if someone cannot see that maybe they should not be on the motorway as plenty of black cars on the roads.
The lights can be seen through the cover however I don't think there is any law that states that a trailer should have lights on the front of it?
On a previous caravan the front was damaged to councils putting stone chippings down.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Defender-Caravan-Universal-Protector-Accessories/dp/B0771........
My cover was £80 a couple of years ago direct from the Specialised web site, it was a cancelled order. Saved my van windows on more than one occasion. This year on an extended tow the amount of unhappy bugs on the cover was unbelievable. As for not seeing a caravan being towed