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Topic: Newbie wanting to buy touring caravan

harpersj

24/7/2020 at 10:15pm
Location: None Entered
Outfit: None Entered

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Hi, am looking for some expert advice. We have looked at a 2012 Coachman Amara 655/6 as a potential family caravan. Can anyone offer any advice on this caravan? positives or negatives please.
It seems like quite a heavy and long model but we liked the layout. As complete novices we were hoping to hone in on your wealth of experience.
Thank you in advance

marg6

24/7/2020 at 10:54pm
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ok well the caravan has a fully loaded weight of 1900kgs, so you will need something rather hefty on the front of that, such as a 4x4 , i.e discovery etc etc, which will take you well over 3500kgs if you havent passed a towing test if your driving licence was obtained after 1997, that is the simplest way i can put it to a novice

so the questions are,

when did you pass your car test?
have you passed a towing test?
and what car do you intend on using?

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Rob and Tina

via mobile 24/7/2020 at 10:55pm
Location: Royal Forest of Dean
Outfit: Swift Major 4SB

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Hi, the first thing to consider is whether you and your car can tow this caravan.
What do you intend to tow with?
Have you got a B+E licence?

I'm sure someone with experience of this model will come along shortly but in the meantime you need to think of the towing situation before you get too carried away.

Rob

Rob and Tina

25/7/2020 at 10:00am
Location: Royal Forest of Dean
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We've checked the 2012 Coachman brochure and the Amara 655/6 has an MTPLM of 1740kg and MIRO of 1550kg. The Laser has an MTPLM of 1900kg.

You are going to need a heavy, powerful vehicle to tow this safely and legally and you are definitely going to need a B+E licence.

Rob

Colin21

25/7/2020 at 3:44pm
Location: East Herts
Outfit: 1992 Elddis Wisp 450CT + X Trail

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I agree with what others have said. You would need a car weighing well over 2 tonnes and with a 2.5 - 3 litre engine at least. I think that for a novice that would be rather O.T.T. unless they happened to be an HGV or PSV driver, used to driving large heavy vehicles.

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Best Regards,
Colin

Supatramp

via mobile 09/8/2020 at 7:35am
Location: Ayrshire Scotland
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With an MTPLM of 1740kgs, you would be advised to have a towcar with a KW of around 2000kgs, for an inexperienced/new tower.

Something like a Santa Fe or Sorento, or some of the bigger BMWs would do.

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David.

I used to be indecisive, but now I'm not so sure!

SamandRose

11/8/2020 at 1:09pm
Location: Midlands
Outfit: 2019 VW Arteon + 2002 Avondale Dart

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Hi Harpersj

I think you have been very sensible in the way you have approached this and agree with the advice above.

It's worth remembering that however nice they are, some of the larger caravans on the market can be very heavy and need to be towed by substantial vehicles. If that's not an option for you, you could look at buying a smaller caravan and a full-sized awning, which will cost £100s rather than £1000s and which would roughly double your accommodation space. Some even have add-on annexes which are designed to be used for sleeping, like in a tent.

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"Don't wait for the perfect moment. Take the moment and make it perfect."

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