Hello and any advice?
Hi all.
Just joined CC today and am brand new to the world of caravaning, so don't bite!
I have spent the past couple of weeks convincing myself of one caravan, then seeing a better design and convincing myself that is the one. Any advice gratefully received.
As far as budget goes, £5k is my max at the moment which I appreciate is not much, but it is all I can manage. So, I am obviously looking at caravans around 2003 to 2007 (there is always hope).
Now here is the dilemma I am sure has been asked a thousand times. Fixed bed or end bathroom? If I am honest I want both. I have mobility issues, so do not want to be making a bed up every night if I can have an alternative. So, set my heart on a Bailey Senator Oklahoma or similar. I would ideally like the fixed be on the OSR of the van like the Oklahoma, but not essential.
The Oklahoma has a small toilet/shower combined which one dealer pointed out that the toilet will get soaked. Good point I hadn't considered.
Then I saw a Bailey Senator Wyoming and fell in love with the design.
£5k is not going to buy a Wyoming, so any pointers as to other makes/models I should look at?
The large size of a van does not worry me as far as towing it is concerned. I have towed aircraft in the past, so this will not be an issue in case anyone is wondering. I am also an ex driving instructor, so driving rules and thoughts are already covered but any tips always welcome of course.
Thanks in advance. I am very much a giver rather than a taker, so I look forward to helping anyone at anytime and hope to meet many of you in our future caravaning ventures.
Jimmy.
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Your first thought should concern the ability/weight of your car for towing a largish caravan, of the type that you have in mind. I can't offer any advice re fixed bed caravan types as we have only ever had ones where we make the bed up every night, sorry.
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Oh, I should have said. Our car ( A substantial 4x4 ) is more than capable of towing anything really. Maximum 2.5 tonnes, so pretty much opens the book. Thanks for your thoughts though.
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The caravan trades should be preparing for the 2018 season now with NEW vans from most if not all manufacturers, so visit as many dealers as you can { in the flesh or on line } to see whats out there. But please DON'T buy the very first that tugs your heart strings, well not till you have had a good look. And don't forget a proper "Damp Check" is vital on anything used no matter how old or young !!
Good Hunting & Good C'vanning.
Brian A B M
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Hi to you all..you have had some good advice about going to a dealer...if you don't have knowledge about caravans or know someone who does..it can be tricky buying private...biggest problem is damp you have a recourse going to a dealer if you get problems...do you have a friend who can advise and go with you. How many berths and don't forget if you go big u will need a motor mover if u have mobility problems...there is no rush unless u are going to use it in winter so take your time looking for the right one for you...Don't forget to haggle if not for cash for equipment with the dealer..choosing a caravan is a personal choice so just go and look at as many dealers you can......good luck and let us know how you get on....David
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Oh by the way don't go out buying loads of equipment..get the basics there is a lot of used items out there to save you money.....we have all done it and ended up with lots of spare gear to get rid of....any problems just ask...a question is only silly if you don't ask..David
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Thank you all very much. Some wise words in there. Oh yes, I am ready for the damp hunting. There is no chance of anyone selling me a damp caravan. I know every trick that people get up to to hide it. And will no doubt annoy any seller with just how much I will check and where.
Good advice about the new season. I won't be buying anything unless it is CRiS clear.
We are not in a hurry although keen is the word, but calm and calculating too. I will strike immediately if I find the right caravan, but equally am happy to wait months too if needed.
Anyone else got thoughts on the fixed bed or not fixed bed? Just how comfortable are seat cushions turned upside down compared to a memory foam mattress? I am mindful that the conversion from seats to bed is part of the whole caravaning fun in many ways.
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I have a fixed bed model and for me much easier than making a bed up every night and then taking down every morning. on the odd occasion when we have had family staying with us I have slept in the made up bed and found it very comfortable. also with a fixed bed model there is less room inside than a non fixed bed but with any caravan there is always a compromise you have to make.
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Going for a fixed bed certainly dispenses with the chore of making a bed each night and they are generally more comfortable. Regarding other aspects of layout you need to bear in mind the constraints of your limited budget and what is available on the S/H market. You will doubtless have to compromise somewhere. Getting absolutely everything you want is available only to those with very deep pockets.
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We don't have a fixed bed as we like full length front seats and a separate dining area which also provides additional space for food prep. We use the two front benches of our Lunar Clubman ES as singles. We are not tall and the front seats make comfortable singles 6'4" long by 2'5" wide. For me I don't do more han remove the two end cushions and loose scatter cushions. For OH I remove back cushions as well. We prefer the living space to a fixed bed as it takes about 3 mins for me to make the beds but as we now use sleeping bags less than 2 mins
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The current trend in larger and longer caravans lends it'self to fixed beds. Which, if you are aged and infirm is a boon. If you are younger and reasonably healthy the twin singles of the lounge seats make superb beds. ( only take a matter of a couple of minutes twice in the day to make them up and then stow the bedding again.)
So you don't need to buy a huge van unless you need fixed beds.
A good layout to consider is an end toilet and shower room which includes the area to be used as a dressing room. ( no need to close the lounge curtains except when in bed ).
Hope this helps
K
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I have a Senator Wyoming which was chosen as having the layout I wanted. It has been a great caravan all round. Not bought new as I wanted a very specific layout which was only made during the Series 5 era.
Never made a bed out of the front L-shape lounge, but have used the fixed bed many times for a quick daytime nap - or a lazy lounge watching the TV. When the saleswoman was explaining something in the washroom she couldn't answer a question and called in her boss. It dawned on me that we then had four people standing in the washroom, so it is far from cramped!
Only thing missing is an electric plate in the hob - but Mr Lidl suppled a double one and we always use that when electricity is included. The MTLP can be upgraded to 1800kg which is probably needed with a motor mover, but all that consists of is a new sticker and some more air in the tyres.
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If you plan to use your own facilities a lot, you should go for the decent shower room first, fixed bed second.
Our previous van was one with long front seats, side dinette and rear shower room, the seats made a very spacious double and it was also comfortable. Our present van has what you are looking for, large shower room, fixed bed, good kitchen, but shorter front seats. We like it very much.
It is a Swift made twin axle van from 2008, a Sterling Eccles Elite Searcher, from that year Swift increased the width of some of its range which made a fixed bed easier to fit in and the whole layout more spacious.
There were earlier models with a slightly different layout which might fit your requirements so take a look at earlier Searcher models, or the Swift branded equivalent.....could be a Conqueror 630?
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What a lovely bunch you all are! Thank you so much for making feel part of the club already and for the great input and thoughts. Very much appreciated.
I have decided fixed bed is first priority with full size bathroom a close second. That does limit things a fair amount, but the aforementioned Bailey Oklahoma (or similar) has a nice fixed bed and a combined toilet/shower that I see many later models and makes also have but later models with a shower screen to divide off the toilet, possibly due to feedback of a wet loo I would imagine.
Yes, I appreciate it is always going to be a certain trade off with space . The Wyoming is VERY appealing and my car can tow it easily, but that moves us onto storage. At 26ft long it would take up my entire driveway. I had planned to keep it off site at a storage place that does just caravan storage, but was very shocked to read that most thefts are from such places! Any thoughts in that area?
I also had decided I would get tracker fitted but many thanks to other posters in other threads that made me realize that if my caravan was stolen by some lowlife, I would probably rather not have it back as such. So, a good working alarm, VERY good house CCTV and obviously good insurance will probably be the order of the day - unless you know otherwise?
Again, thanks to everyone so far. Great community spirit you all have.
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Jimmy fair enough if you have definitely decided on a fixed bed as a priority but the Senator Vermont has an excellent end bathroom / dressing room, a very comfortable made-up large double bed and is easier for storage. Worth a look maybe even if you dismiss it.
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Are more caravans stolen from storage as it is easier to do, or because they are newer? Your budget puts you out of the big money resale value category.
Having your caravan on the drive does mean you can tinker with it all the time though! Or use it as a guest suite.
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Yes indeed, this was one of the shortlisted ones already. I do like the bathroom on these. Same on the Wyoming but obviously a lot shorter caravan as a result.
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As others have said people will be ordering new c’vans at the NEC in October [often p’xing] so more 2nd hand c’vans will come onto dealer’s forecourts early’ish/Spring next year. If you can decide on 2/3 models, you could then perhaps talk to or email local dealers asking them to be on the lookout for those whilst also searching yourself. As you say you have mobility issues bear in mind ensuring you have enough water to shower/wash up/make tea etc can take time & effort unless you choose a full facility pitch or use site facilities. Good Luck.
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Hi...Jimmy....I'm back again....if you decide to keep it at home and have a motor mover put it on the drive nose first...if someone wants it its harder to hitch up...if you go down the storage route there are storages affiliated to c.a.s.o.a.........bronze.silver and gold sites......gold being the most secure..tv fencing electronic gates etc and persons living on site...if you decide this route they are worth checking out.....by the way I'm not a salesman for them......good luck in your quest
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We go for a fixed bed these days. Not only does the fixed bed offer a good sized storage are underneath, and, of course does away with having to make up beds each evening, but also enables one person to go to bed while the other stays up for a while longer to finish off the bottle of wine......
David
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Can't speak on fixed beds either, but we were starting our hunt last Autumn, and going to the NEC show was superbly helpful and money well spent. We didn't buy a thing there other than a cup of tea or two, no matter how much any of the stuff on show appealed, but getting in and out of lots of vans and seeing what layouts we liked, and more often what we didn't, and envisaging spending time in them at the sort of places we want to visit, really helped us when later using this information to buy a £4K caravan made in 2000. Good luck!
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Again, thanks for the responses.
Covering just a few points, yes the caravan will be parked nose in.
As for mobility issues, I have back problems. Won't stop me wheeling a barrel of water, I am working on a small adaptation that will help me with that job.
I will not be using site showers. So, decent shower on board is a must. I am aware that you will only get a few minutes, so am already on top of the wet - lather - wet and rinse process.
I am settled on the fixed bed mainly for not wanting to do anything that aggravates my back. making up a bed from scratch is not heavy work I know, but it is the bending that could be a problem and if I can avoid that, it makes sense.
What surprises me a little is the constant referral to dealers. Whilst i was happy to wander around a couple to get some ideas, I am not planning on buying from one at all. Many private sellers out there. And before anyone says so, I am very aware of the rogue dealers pretending to be private. I will just say that can spot a trader a mile away.
I am not afraid to bide my time, nor to walk away from any purchase unless I am 100% happy.
Narrowing it down to a few models I do agree, but just when I think I have done that, another pops up that fits the bill - a Swift the other day, a Coachman yesterday.
It is like car hunting, but more fun - or is it?. Problem is I know a lot about cars and very little about caravans. I do want a motor mover but am more than capable of adding one on later if needed.
One thing I will ask and I am sure it has been covered somewhere if anyone can point me to a thread. Cassette toilets. I know, but if you don't ask..... I get the emptying/cleaning part. Can anyone tell me about the two colour solutions, how they are used?
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're the cassette toilet
Generally the pink goes in the flush tank & the blue goes into the holding tank to break down anything you might put in there. Most, but not all caravans have a flush tank.
Cue those now that say they get black bits in the flush due to using pink & others that use bio tabs in the holding tank ....
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JimmyS, there's been near endless discussions on the fluids to use. Here's a link to the latest, and a quick view through it should answer your query, or confuse you even more!!
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A lot of the ref's to Dealers is purely to see whats out there, how well its worn after 'x' years & the variations on a particular model over time. It's easier than visiting 50 or 60 private sellers to get infomation. After you've seen the state of the goods & how well/badly they have worn, well then you know what to look for when visiting 'privateers'.
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Jimmy, welcome to a lovely hobby and lifestyle! Don't worry too much about a secondhand caravan, they have their big pluses. Main one is you can do all sorts of modifications to suit exactly what you want and need, some large, some small. The help you have had on this thread is a reflection of what it is like on both Club Sites and certificated locations, or CLs as they are known. Lots of folks to help, very friendly.
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eBay is a useful place to look to check out the various layouts. It will also give you an idea of what is available in your budget range. Happy hunting, hope you find your ideal van soon.
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