Member Since: 29 Jan 2012
Location: Staffordshire
Posts: 506
Total caravan novice. What do I need to know?
Loving the idea of finishing work on Friday and coming home on Sunday!
It'll be a tourer. Either 4 or 6 berth.
Are there any basics I could do with knowing?
Any hints/tips/opinions are more than welcome.
8)
12th Mar 2013 12:53 pm
maplecottage
Member Since: 01 Feb 2011
Location: Norfolk
Posts: 3171
Join a 'centre' (Caravan Club) or a 'district association' (Camping and Caravanning club) and enjoy sharing your weekends with other like minded individuals
Enrol on one of the Caravan Club's towing courses. They hold them all over the country so there's sure to be one near you.
They'll teach you everything you'll need to know regarding loading your van, hitching it up, towing, reversing etc, etc. Well worth doing IMHO Now an ex-D3 owner after 7 happy years. Miss the car but not the big bills
12th Mar 2013 1:43 pm
tomthumb
Member Since: 04 Dec 2012
Location: W.Mids
Posts: 199
+1 for joining a club, experience is a wonderfull thing, & many members on a camp site to advise / help / or recomend, plus cheap deals pay for membership,but first if you need a caravan, any signs of damp are a real problem, worse than any problem faced buy owning a d3, many van makes & models to look at, no 1 is way better than any other, some top of the range vans have a big draw on electric, (under floor heating) so a site with low amp supply or no elec at all means not an enjoyable break, caravan dealers are happy to advise & plenty to look at, new or 2nd hand, a spot big enough to keep it when not in use & a decent tow car ? Well atleast that 1 is all ready sorted...then its down to personal preferance...RRSport MY12hse but don't hold that against lill o me
Hybrid TV, cubby Fridge, Surround Camera's, Sun Roof.
Disco 3 MY05hse Sadly gone
All alone in my own little world,
But everybody knows me there, so I'm ok.
12th Mar 2013 1:58 pm
Andy Foster
Member Since: 27 Dec 2009
Location: Liverpool
Posts: 6551
I've booked onto a towing course in Manchester. Cost is £105 runs all day and you use your own car towing one of there vans. It's in July and yes they are nationwide. We are just back from our maiden voyage and have already booked our next 3 trips
Andy
12th Mar 2013 1:59 pm
simon645
Member Since: 22 Feb 2012
Location: cumbria
Posts: 141
Good for you, have been towing caravan for last 30 years with/without kids. great
12th Mar 2013 2:38 pm
dadof7kids
Member Since: 23 Aug 2011
Location: sunny Doncaster
Posts: 1303
Book your site's early in the year as good ones get all booked up at bank holl'sjava Black D3 gone : (
Club Lux : ) GONE : (
What you really need to do: Sticker on the dashboard with text : Towing caravan !! Discovery 3 HSE
12th Mar 2013 3:23 pm
Land Rover Paul
Member Since: 02 Jul 2012
Location: St Neots
Posts: 135
martinV wrote:
What you really need to do: Sticker on the dashboard with text : Towing caravan !!
I know what you mean we have a twin axle Buccaneer Schooner and you really do need to look in the mirror to make sure its still there.
12th Mar 2013 4:37 pm
Russell
Member Since: 23 Aug 2007
Location: Kent
Posts: 10564
As others have said look at caravan courses to start with. However think about what you want. There is no point in spending a lot of money on a caravan to find you do not like it. Either buy a cheap one and run it for a season to see how you get on or rent oe for a short break.
Next if you buy one then make sure you use it all year round, in my view there is no point in having an expensive caravan on the drive and it not being used.
Have you the place to store it when not in use if not there may well be added costs there for storage.
Look at what kit you need and try to get that thrown in the purchase of the caravan. Join either the caravan club or camping and caravan club, that way you can go to good sites where a lot of like mind people go and most will be willing to help you especially on the first couple of trips.
Most of all enjoy it.MY17 D5 1st Edition Namib Orange
MY15 D4 HSE Kaikoura Stone
MY12 D4 HSE Nara Bronze Sold and gone
MY11 D4 HSE Stornaway Grey Sold and gone
D3 S spec Silver Sold and gone
Tow bar, full length roof bars, side steps, tow bar storage unit, surround camers.
D4 camera club
There is no point in spending a lot of money on a caravan to find you do not like it. Either buy a cheap one and run it for a season to see how you get on or rent oe for a short break.
.
Really good advice !! We also bought a cheap caravan an ran it for 3 seasons. We now discovered what we really want and we bought a new(used) caravan according to our build up wishes.
Just enjoy it and do not look what others have , It is what YOU want and not what others think.Discovery 3 HSE
12th Mar 2013 4:47 pm
wvlenthe
Member Since: 07 Jan 2009
Location: Arnhem
Posts: 1967
Learn how to maneuver it with the car.
I look with weary eyes at the people who park their car in the middle of the field and use the mover on the 'van to get it in place. Put the car in low range for maneuvering, so you have time to see how the 'van reacts to your steering.
Oh and don't be afraid to ask for help. I came to my very first camping site with an incomplete tent for the caravan, as it turned out later. But before that I went to a neighbor and asked for help as I had never set it up before. He asked about five others so we stood around it with some eight guys concluding that the gear was incomplete. Caravaners are helpful people!
Regards,
WiljoD3 V8 HSE Auto in Zermatt silver - driveway version gone but not forgotten, only the living room cupboard version remains
12th Mar 2013 9:06 pm
TOMDOB
Member Since: 09 Dec 2010
Location: Midlands
Posts: 91
We bought cheapy a couple of years ago to see if we liked it. Just sold it & looking for a better one. Buy practical caravan magazine, there's usually helpful tips in there, also check out the different layouts. As mentioned before, check for damp!! Oh, and inform your insurance company your pulling a tin tent. Have a look on caravan finder.
I have a 27ft twin and towed with a x-trail and then a fl2, I now have a real car and the disco is fantastic for towing. Biggest advice I can give, is practise and never flap...
13th Mar 2013 12:49 am
Madrunner
Member Since: 23 Oct 2011
Location: Dorset
Posts: 391
Get yourself on the CaravanTalk forum - there are more guides and advice than you can shake a stick at.
You can ask questions specific to your set up and everyone will chip in with knowledge and guidance.
Welcome to the tintent club !
Best thing we ever bought - until we bought the motorhome lol2013 Evoque
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