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Subject Topic: Mini Caravans Post Reply Post New Topic
01/6/2023 at 1:33am
 Location: Berkshire
 Outfit: Pioneer Pizarro MotorHome
View JoeH's Profile View Profile   Reply to JoeH Reply   Quote JoeH Quote  
Joined: 22/8/2003

Standard Member
Standard Member

Forum Posts:   43

Site Reviews Total: 1
Site Reviews 2024: 0  
Site Reviews 2023: 0  
Site Reviews 2022: 0  
Site Reviews 2021: 0  
Site Reviews 2020: 1  
Site Reviews 2019: 0  
Site Reviews 2018: 0  
Site Nights 2024: 0
Site Nights 2023: 0
Site Nights 2022: 0
Site Nights 2021: 0
Site Nights 2020: 4
Site Nights 2019: 0
Site Nights 2018: 0

Has anyone had experience of using a Mini Caravan ?


via mobile 01/6/2023 at 9:28am
 Location: North Essex
 Outfit: Caravelair Alba 400
View billy's Profile View Profile   Reply to billy Reply   Quote billy Quote  
Joined: 19/4/2002

Diamond Member
Diamond Member

Forum Posts:   4364

Site Reviews Total: 39
Site Reviews 2024: 9  
Site Reviews 2023: 6  
Site Reviews 2022: 7  
Site Reviews 2021: 10 
Site Reviews 2020: 7  
Site Reviews 2019: 0  
Site Reviews 2018: 0  
Site Nights 2024: 121
Site Nights 2023: 45
Site Nights 2022: 91
Site Nights 2021: 112
Site Nights 2020: 84
Site Nights 2019: 0
Site Nights 2018: 0

I had an Eriba Pan for a few years. Fairly mini. Caravans this size or smaller are imo mostly suitable for summer use particularly in southern Europe where you are sitting outside most of the time so just somewhere to sleep & cook.

They are good for long distance towing as well with better fuel consumption from low height & also most with pop top roof down are under 2mtre height so go on French toll roads at cheaper Classe 1 rate.

I got fed up with small size in the end & got a bigger caravan.

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Every day should be a holiday!


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via mobile 01/6/2023 at 10:30am
 Location: Ayrshire
 Outfit: Auto-Sleeper MHs
View Fiona W's Profile View Profile   Reply to Fiona W Reply   Quote Fiona W Quote  
Joined: 10/4/2007

Diamond Member
Diamond Member

Forum Posts:   5144
Tent Reviews:   1

Site Reviews Total: 234
Site Reviews 2024: 18 
Site Reviews 2023: 8  
Site Reviews 2022: 12 
Site Reviews 2021: 10 
Site Reviews 2020: 4  
Site Reviews 2019: 9  
Site Reviews 2018: 18 
Site Nights 2024: 37
Site Nights 2023: 25
Site Nights 2022: 32
Site Nights 2021: 25
Site Nights 2020: 20
Site Nights 2019: 28
Site Nights 2018: 30

No experience, but I saw 2 people with a tear-drop caravan on a site & it was like a metal tent, including cooking outside at a rear kitchen. Other mini caravans will have a different layout though, might be at a caravan show.

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2024 = 20 sites / 41 nights. 2023 = 9/23. 2022 = 13/35. 2021 = 11/29. 2020 = 4/20. 2019 = 13/35. 2018 = 20/33. 2017 = 10/22. 2016 = 19/33. 2015 = 15 sites / 27 nights. Didn't count 1976 to 2014.


01/6/2023 at 10:35am
 Location: 
 Outfit: 
View Mick S.'s Profile View Profile   Reply to Mick S. Reply   Quote Mick S. Quote  
Joined: 18/8/2004

Diamond Member
Diamond Member

Forum Posts:   3499

Site Reviews Total: 37
Site Reviews 2024: 0  
Site Reviews 2023: 1  
Site Reviews 2022: 1  
Site Reviews 2021: 4  
Site Reviews 2020: 4  
Site Reviews 2019: 0  
Site Reviews 2018: 0  
Site Nights 2024: 0
Site Nights 2023: 3
Site Nights 2022: 6
Site Nights 2021: 16
Site Nights 2020: 17
Site Nights 2019: 0
Site Nights 2018: 0

Was looking around one at the weekend. Surprised to find it had loo/shower in there. Not for us, but certainly one up from a tent. If a travelling bed/loo/shower is all you need. And/or your car isnt huge.


01/6/2023 at 10:39am
 Location: Suffolk
 Outfit: Romahome Hylo
View starcraft's Profile View Profile   Reply to starcraft Reply   Quote starcraft Quote  
Joined: 31/7/2019

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Standard Member

Forum Posts:   89
Tent Reviews:   2

Site Reviews Total: 4
Site Reviews 2024: 0  
Site Reviews 2023: 2  
Site Reviews 2022: 2  
Site Reviews 2021: 0  
Site Reviews 2020: 0  
Site Reviews 2019: 0  
Site Reviews 2018: 0  
Site Nights 2024: 0
Site Nights 2023: 6
Site Nights 2022: 6
Site Nights 2021: 0
Site Nights 2020: 0
Site Nights 2019: 0
Site Nights 2018: 0

I've had two Freedom microlites, 2 and 4 berth and loved them both. Wished I'd kept them instead of moving to full size with all the damp problems the micros don't suffer with. Trouble is they have become very expensive now in comparison to when I bought mine.

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Knowledge is recognising that a tomato is a fruit: experience is not putting it in a fruit salad.


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01/6/2023 at 12:13pm
 Location: London
 Outfit: Lunar Cosmos 524
View Monty15's Profile View Profile   Reply to Monty15 Reply   Quote Monty15 Quote  
Joined: 17/9/2015

Diamond Member
Diamond Member

Forum Posts:   2328

Site Reviews Total: 1
Site Reviews 2024: 0  
Site Reviews 2023: 0  
Site Reviews 2022: 0  
Site Reviews 2021: 0  
Site Reviews 2020: 0  
Site Reviews 2019: 1  
Site Reviews 2018: 0  
Site Nights 2024: 0
Site Nights 2023: 0
Site Nights 2022: 0
Site Nights 2021: 0
Site Nights 2020: 0
Site Nights 2019: 6
Site Nights 2018: 0

Friends have a fairly vintage (circa 80's?) Romini style micro van, and have owned for years, they're both pretty big people and have a couple of Border Collie dogs, they seem to get along with it OK. I've never been away with them, so can't say how they cope with the lack of space/facilities though. It has all the appearances of being literally a 'tin tent', well GRP tent, or as close as it's possible to be.

When looking for caravans a few years back when deciding to upgrade from tents, I looked at everything from folding campers upwards, visited shows and dealers forecourts to get hands on experience. Folding campers seemed like too much effort, my experience of pop-tops like the Eriba was that it was claustrophobic when standing with your head in pop-top and looked like using the kitchen was awkward! Folding caravans like Gobur are VERY expensive for the minimalist fittings, like only 2 burner cooker without oven, tiniest of loos (but option so only on some), no shower etc. Decided anything with a compact bathroom - shower over loo (shower curtains and wet loo floors etc.!) folding basins etc., were really not for me, I'm a big bloke, I don't want to be banging my elbows on everything around me and wrapped like a mummy in a wet shower curtain!

After much consideration figured that if going to suffer the disadvantages of towing anything, restricted speeds, difficulty parking, maintenance and upkeep, storage etc., them might as well go the whole hog and get a 'proper' fully fitted caravan with all the conveniences of home, that's what I did and have not regretted that decision once.

Some advantages to mini vans at least in theory, easier to tow, but then I've had no problems with my large 4 berth van, generally lighter so may suit a smaller tow car, but then my full sized 4 berth van is only 1310Kg MTPLM, lower profile may give better fuel economy, but I've got a tall MPV that does a good job of breaking the air in front of van and returns very good economy, easier to store, but then I pay for a storage pitch regardless of what I put on it. IMHO think many of the so called advantages are theoretical or marginal, and possible offset by the compromises they bring.

A mini van probably requires more thought than a full sized one, you are going to be sacrificing a few things, and possibly more cramped, can you enjoy that lifestyle? - It wasn't for me, but others may be happy with it.


01/6/2023 at 1:30pm
 Location: Warwickshire
 Outfit: Gobur Clubman
View kpnuts81's Profile View Profile   Reply to kpnuts81 Reply   Quote kpnuts81 Quote  
Joined: 18/7/2009

Platinum Member
Platinum Member

Forum Posts:   816

Site Reviews Total: 7
Site Reviews 2024: 0  
Site Reviews 2023: 1  
Site Reviews 2022: 0  
Site Reviews 2021: 1  
Site Reviews 2020: 0  
Site Reviews 2019: 1  
Site Reviews 2018: 1  
Site Nights 2024: 0
Site Nights 2023: 7
Site Nights 2022: 0
Site Nights 2021: 14
Site Nights 2020: 0
Site Nights 2019: 14
Site Nights 2018: 1

Happy with our gobur, easy to store and tow, we had folding campers previously which we loved but were harder to keep warm in the cooler times, there disadvantages to all size vans so it is what suits the individuals, like others we started in tents and have progressed to a bit more comfort, we have a 3 burner hob and a grill but we carry a mini oven with us so no disadvantage there, we don’t have a shower but then quite a lot of caravanners don’t use their own facilities so no difference there, horses for courses comes to mind.


01/6/2023 at 7:23pm
 Location: Essex
 Outfit: None Entered
View skipp66's Profile View Profile   Reply to skipp66 Reply   Quote skipp66 Quote  
Joined: 08/6/2008

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Forum Posts:   211
Tent Reviews:   3

Site Reviews Total: 2
Site Reviews 2024: 0  
Site Reviews 2023: 0  
Site Reviews 2022: 0  
Site Reviews 2021: 0  
Site Reviews 2020: 0  
Site Reviews 2019: 0  
Site Reviews 2018: 0  
Site Nights 2024: 0
Site Nights 2023: 0
Site Nights 2022: 0
Site Nights 2021: 0
Site Nights 2020: 0
Site Nights 2019: 0
Site Nights 2018: 0

Quote: Originally posted by starcraft on 01/6/2023
I've had two Freedom microlites, 2 and 4 berth and loved them both. Wished I'd kept them instead of moving to full size with all the damp problems the micros don't suffer with. Trouble is they have become very expensive now in comparison to when I bought mine.



I must admit i look at the Freedom range on a regular basis, think they look great.
May be tempted for a new one once i can justify the expence when i retire.



via mobile 10/6/2023 at 6:59pm
 Location: None Entered
 Outfit: None Entered
View bobbowling's Profile View Profile   Reply to bobbowling Reply   Quote bobbowling Quote  
Joined: 10/4/2010

Standard Member
Standard Member

Forum Posts:   1

Site Reviews Total: 5
Site Reviews 2024: 0  
Site Reviews 2023: 3  
Site Reviews 2022: 0  
Site Reviews 2021: 0  
Site Reviews 2020: 1  
Site Reviews 2019: 0  
Site Reviews 2018: 0  
Site Nights 2024: 0
Site Nights 2023: 8
Site Nights 2022: 0
Site Nights 2021: 0
Site Nights 2020: 1
Site Nights 2019: 0
Site Nights 2018: 0

Recently bought an Eriba Puck. It's small, no denying that but the bed is a good size and very comfortable. Has cooker, fridge space for a porta potti and is a dream to tow even with a small car.
Depends what you want, but for two of us and the dog it's fine.


16/6/2023 at 10:11pm
 Location: None Entered
 Outfit: Trigano 340 Air 4
View gari's Profile View Profile   Reply to gari Reply   Quote gari Quote  
Joined: 08/5/2013

Gold Member
Gold Member

Forum Posts:   259

Site Reviews Total: 12
Site Reviews 2024: 1  
Site Reviews 2023: 5  
Site Reviews 2022: 0  
Site Reviews 2021: 1  
Site Reviews 2020: 1  
Site Reviews 2019: 1  
Site Reviews 2018: 0  
Site Nights 2024: 4
Site Nights 2023: 19
Site Nights 2022: 0
Site Nights 2021: 2
Site Nights 2020: 5
Site Nights 2019: 7
Site Nights 2018: 0

Depends how "mini" you mean - some of the Trigano poptops eg Silver 270 are small and light. I have a slightly larger 340. As with most things in life - smaller means compromising on certain things eg no shower (or very small shower) or toilet may be tiny (try sitting on one and see if there is room to pull up your trousers. less storage space and less carrying capacity.

The plus side - easier to tow, you don't need a big towing vehicle for the odd occasions when you need it and its less intrusive if you are storing on your drive. Also as electric vehicles increase, there may be a bigger demand for smaller caravans to eek out their range.



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