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dubbs
Member Since: 18 Apr 2012
Location: Gloucestershire
Posts: 3626
  
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Has anyone looked in to the TCO of caravan versus renting a property for holidays? Does it work out much cheaper?
I'm looking at it from a 4 weeks worth of holidays plus the odd weekend perspective:
2 x weeks in Cornwall for holidays = £1700 hire of a cottage
1-2 weeks at Easter = £1000 hire of a cottage
any other trips tend to be around the £3-400 a weekend
Aside from the site fees which appear to be cheap (worst I've seen seem to be around £20 a night) what other financial aspects am I missing from owning a tin tent?
We enjoy camping, reckon the tin tent is a good compromise of comfort versus camping fun with the obvious added weather protection - thing is it needs to pay for itself too.
Thoughts? Interested in both sides of the story, not just those who are 100% positive about it  MY15 DIY Black Pack (Better than factory and half the price!)
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 23rd Feb 2014 6:04 pm |
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stew 46
Member Since: 01 Dec 2011
Location: cornwall
Posts: 10148
  
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Tin tent is far cheaper , and it's already in Cornwall    -------------------------------------------------
if you cant hold on dont let go , it ill come in handy for something even if you never use it.
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| 23rd Feb 2014 6:09 pm |
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Sibbo
Member Since: 01 Feb 2014
Location: West Yorkshire
Posts: 13
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Hi I have done caravan holidays for around 20years up and down this country and around Europe mainly France ,Italy and Germany.i think it's down to personal preference really the cost of owning a tin tent as u put it is really getting it to your destination and back (once you've bought it and most of the crap that goes with it) that is
Our 2 week holiday in the alps is around the 20odd euro a night fees but getting it there is a bit of a pull yer pants down that said sitting outside sippin wine eatin cheese all with a smug sense of I got us here is rewarding enough for me plus I can take my toy box with me as well
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| 23rd Feb 2014 6:16 pm |
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Cellerdweller
Member Since: 05 Oct 2012
Location: Macclesfield
Posts: 1315
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We have 4 kids 2 dogs and it's costing us £570 for 2 weeks at two different sites in July/August . There would be fuel and spends on top of that . Tintent every time for us You're not afraid of the dark are you ?
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| 23rd Feb 2014 6:16 pm |
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waterbuoy
Member Since: 26 Oct 2013
Location: Argyll
Posts: 2929
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Assuming you are talking about a towable caravan rather than static, then you need to allow for insurance, maintenance (they do need to be serviced!)and, depending on circumstances, storage.
We are often asked the same question but from a different perspective - ie with regard to owning a yacht. In that case the 'break even' is about 6 weeks of use - anything less than that and they are better off to rent/charter, any more then ownership makes sense. This does not take account the 'benefit/return' of owning your own asset (or arguably 'liability/cost/loss of credibility' with a tin tent depending on your friends  ).
The other factor which we emphasise is flexibility. Owning a caravan/boat is great in theory, provided you can be sure you will always want to spend X weeks per year in it. However, the time will come (perhaps as kids grow up/leave home/produce grand children) when you require flexibility or a change. For example, the recent winter would drive many abroad for an easter holiday simply to get some sun! Currently 2009 Disco 3 SE, 2013 MY D4 HSE and 2016 D4 SE
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| 23rd Feb 2014 6:18 pm |
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Crost
Member Since: 29 Jan 2013
Location: Croston, Lancashire
Posts: 997
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The key is flexibility, hundreds of sites in the UK from £7 per night you can decide and go where you want. And if your not happy you can always move
Reckon on insurance around £400 and £30 a month storage, and do store nothing says you're away like a missing caravan.
Servicing for a twin axel is £250 a year.
I use ours as a hotel as when I'm working away I'd rather be in a bed I know than a strange hotel. Mark
Remember its only an obsession....
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| 23rd Feb 2014 7:36 pm |
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Ian McL
Member Since: 18 Sep 2013
Location: Wirral
Posts: 136
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We love Cornwall and go to the Lizard most years. Over the years we have camped, stayed in cottages and towed a caravan.
We prefer the quiet 5 van sites which are pretty cheap
Our theory is that the van costs about the same to own over a year as the cost of a cottage for two weeks, and we have the van for weekends as a bonus.
Can't wait to try towing behind the Disco, last car was a Gaylander which was not the best up long hills
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| 23rd Feb 2014 7:43 pm |
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R500sac
Member Since: 14 May 2011
Location: Monmouth, South Wales
Posts: 141
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£125 a year insurance
£150 a year servicing
£300 a year storage (but gold storage reduces the cost of insurance quite a lot)
So around £600 a year. Assuming that your Discovery currently averages 28mpg, it'll do about 24mpg with a caravan. Add on a few more bits and pieces and it'll come to about £800 a year. So just add site fees and a bit of depreciation.
We probably used ours 8 times last year. 4 of these were when i went away to work, and the family came along too! the advantage of this was the company paying for fuel and the site fees....
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| 24th Feb 2014 7:32 am |
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D4mation
Member Since: 29 Jul 2011
Location: Ruralshire
Posts: 593
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TCO on a caravan is a bit like TCO on a Disco. It will cost more than normal holidays but you have much more freedom.
If you have a dog (or two), then a caravan is ideal for holidays. MY12 D4 HSE Ipanema Sand
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| 25th Feb 2014 7:04 pm |
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Brian_DL13
Member Since: 25 Aug 2013
Location: Teesdale
Posts: 1418
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It depends 
We have a 'van that we bought new for £16k, 2 years ago. Every year, it depreciates between £500 and £1000. Then you have the insurance (£250pa) extra mpg when towing, annual service £200 and so on. So, for us, financially it's not the best option, even though we use it for around 6 weeks a year.
We use it because a) we prefer the lifestyle b) much better if you have a dog
OTOH, our friend up the road bought theirs several years old for £900 (actually in pretty good nick for the age), so almost zero depreciation, just have 3rd party insurance and do most of the servicing themselves. Last year (first year they'd had it) coincided with some pretty good weather and they were away in it for 2 months - using the sites' toilet and showers. Win!
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| 25th Feb 2014 8:58 pm |
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Brian_DL13
Member Since: 25 Aug 2013
Location: Teesdale
Posts: 1418
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Ian McL wrote:last car was a Gaylander which was not the best up long hills
Surprised by that.
I currently have an FL2 Sd4 (the disco is on order and it's more than powerful enough. Only reason we're getting rid is it's too small for 2 grandchildren and 3 dogs
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| 25th Feb 2014 9:02 pm |
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Ian McL
Member Since: 18 Sep 2013
Location: Wirral
Posts: 136
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Ours was a FL1 TD4 - only two dogs, but one is a Newfoundland and the other a Munsterlander.... and I got overtaken by a Mondeo towing a Caravan, so the Gaylander had to go
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| 25th Feb 2014 9:34 pm |
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Crost
Member Since: 29 Jan 2013
Location: Croston, Lancashire
Posts: 997
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Fl2 never let me down in Cornwall, Derbyshire or the lakes... It's not the Disco but it worked fine Mark
Remember its only an obsession....
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| 25th Feb 2014 10:57 pm |
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Russell
Member Since: 23 Aug 2007
Location: Kent
Posts: 10564
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A caravan work out good value if you use it regularly. We average between 6/8 weeks away a year normally and if you shop around can get very good prices for a pitch so works out as a cheap flexible holiday. Other benefit is that if weather is poor you can move area or go home and not lose any money as most if not all sites wil refund you for noghts that you do not stay there. MY17 D5 1st Edition Namib Orange
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| 25th Feb 2014 11:35 pm |
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Rpp999
Member Since: 31 Aug 2013
Location: Bexleyheath
Posts: 64
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Hi, as you can see from the responses it all comes down to personal circumstances. Never done camping and caravaning in my life, bought a used 5 berth with every conceivable extra and accessory for £4250..
Had a great holiday in Western France last year and will be doing the same this year. I am competent enough to give a caravan an annual once over, it's kept at my property in France so I only have insurance cover to pay. I reckon on 3 to 4 holidays and I have got my initial outlay covered.
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| 26th Feb 2014 5:50 am |
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