Costs of outfits today
Comments
-
Current caravan was bought new 15 years ago. No real plans to change it as yet. Tow cars have always been pre omened.
0 -
Wow.
We bought new not quite 3 years ago.
I've been wondering about how long people keep theirs. Our plan is 10 years for this one buy another new one, 10 years again that then takes me to 70 years of age. After that it depends on what new " Usable" technology has been introduced. Could well buy nearly new, no set in stone plans as such.
Caravans dont seem to change much, unlike cars. Coachman advertised Dovetail joints as an incentive to purchase. No me neither.
0 -
we buy new caravan and buy ex demo car we brought a ex demo caravan once but was nothing but trouble
0 -
For what it's worth we tend to buy pre-loved cars around 3 year old...and half price or less of new. Our caravan was 18 mths old when we bought it last year and was like new, hopefully it was sold on for reasons other than many faults
Back to one of my original points being that it would be nice if the club magazine featured the odd article on pre-loved tow cars or more reasonable priced new tow cars sometimes. Same with motorhomes, the odd good value secondhand article might just be of interest to some.
To answer a few comments made on this thread, long live the PCP plans with cars, it provides us with a great supply of pre-loved, low mileage, generally well looked after cars at a fraction of the cost of new!
0 -
I have much sympathy with Wellys and Mac. Weve always bought new caravans as I am also a bit funny about sleeping in a 'used' bed. This is also one of the main reasons I much prefer staying in a caravan to staying in a hotel - I reckon I've probably watched Ramsey's Hotel Hell too many times!!
I'm much less fussy about cars. I'll buy a second hand car and basically run it into the ground. When I get rid of a car it usually ends up down the scrap yard!
David
1 -
We tend to buy new and keep the caravan for at least 5 years. In comparison to the car the depreciation on the caravan was very low, about 6,000 pounds.
Never though about the bed bit, but I do think I would buy a new mattress for a second hand caravan if it had a fixed bed.
0 -
I wonder if our caravanning costs us more than enjoying say cruising for as many trips as frequently and for as long as we have spent camping?
Somehow I feel we are, as they say "quids in" or for the same funds the breaks would have to be a lot less frequent throughout our 41 years doing so. No regrets in our choice.
0 -
I agree, it has been many years since we bought 2nd hand vans, the last 3 caravans and our latest MH were all new. When we did have to buy 2nd hand we were often put off many if not most of the available caravans because of dubious DIY "improvements", or really old fashioned decor, and some vans just always seemed to smell of stale cigarettes or sometimes dogs....no thanks..
0 -
The caravan was a choice because Michelle has allergies.
Asthma and skin reactions brought on by unknown and known every day items.
Last straw came when we stayed in a swanky hotel, the pillows on the bed had feathers in, for Michelle that's a definite no.
So I asked for them to be changed, it took 5 hours, I think they bought some.
Hello caravan, never looked back.
Sat here , well spread out along the front seats, bird song, fresh air, woodland just there, totally relaxed.
Health benefits off the scale!
0 -
I often wonder about overall costs there's obviously a difference at various stages of life depending on wages and pensions and local living costs. We didn't do caravanning when younger, we bought a van when we retired, it was something different to try. The first van we bought was secondhand as we didn't want to waste money if we didn't like it. There are various ways of looking at costs.
At present there is a range of van prices, I haven't checked what the lowest price new van costs, do the lower priced new ones have a good coverage by the club, I hope so. I agree the present month's adverts for a new van and tow car are like glossy motoring magazines promoting the typical consumer unobtainable for most and maybe a bit of van envy for some. (The advertisers dream but not the end users.)
0 -
On costs with insurance, servicing and storage I find the caravan costs about £1,000 before it moves. On top of that on the basis of the last one £1,250 for depreciation and fuel costs when towing are about a third higher than solo. Cheap it is not, but it is what we want and can afford, so for the time being the caravan is what we will use.
1 -
I store at home WW and reckon that (excluding trips out and food) but allowing for increased touring costs of fuel our site nights cost us £50 a night.
In the caravan we occasionally have lunch out. more often a scone and a cuppa much as we would staying in a hotel. Breakfast in the caravan is likely to be a bowl of cereal or some toast. I cook/prepare any required evening meal as at home.
In a hotel we have breakfast to buy and evening meal.
0 -
Going of what i see on site it is my opinion that a large number of new expensive motorhomes and caravans may have been purchased using cash lump sums from the tax free amount you can take from a qualifying pension , this way there is no monthly credit payments to make especially when the owners appear to be retirement age by this I mean in there 70s and after working all their life who can blame them. There are plenty of ads for lower priced caravans and motorhomes to give every camper a choice.
1 -
In conversations with others over the time we have been here it seems that the majority of motor caravans are owened by the silver generation (us)and are either , they think their towing days are over so have spent more of the kids inheritance, have done an equity release,or the "younger"have used some of their pension pots,but very few expect to tour as is expected but as here to go to sites with access to the area without needing to move ,the number of motor caravans on here today must be 70% of those on site ,which seems to be in keeping with comments, as it has been vary rare that any move once pitched up
0 -
£2,000 per year depreciation (and inflation on purchase prices) + £540 Service and Insurance divided by 120 nights = £21
Add (say) £25 a night for site fees = £46. I was adding on £2 a night for add petrol and rounding to £50 David. We pay on average less than £25 for site fees David but I could not be bothered being more accurate.
0 -
Whilst Motorhomes might not move, the occupants do either by bike, on foot or local transport. It's surprising the number of caravaners who plonk down in front of the van and don't appear to go anywhere.
1 -
This time of year it is rare that any one is sitting out of any LAs,and on this type of site where most users of LVs use other means of transport as it savea parking charges ,its just that compared to a m/c, ,c/vans always have a support go most places vehicle next door
0 -
If we are talking about annual cost's, I've never really looked, caravan lodgings is a part of our life and the money is spent to carry on.
£200 service
£250 ish Insurance
£1870 seasonal pitch
Last year off the top of my head 5 weeks holidays. 1 for a fortnight.
£180
£240
£325
£280
Chuck in depreciation, no idea, 2016 Pastiche 575 bought new.
The odd bit of kit, the sum is us.
It costs what it costs, money at the moment isn't much of a problem.
1 -
Another not insignificant cost is the ownership, depreciation and all that comes with having a suitable tow car, if that is different to what you would otherwise run.
The perceived jack in van prices at present might lie with the amount of kit in them that's imported?
1 -
I believe it called having a relaxing holiday they way they want to? Unless you mean they are forced to do that?
But I have to say that if what you is true then you must be doing the same to verify they do not go off site at some point?
1 -
I don't want this thread to become a competition of 'how much you've spent' but just a general feel - do you think the magazine is a little out of touch and should maybe have a feature on good, preloved affordable tow cars and Motorhomes for the masses??
And Caravans! It is a good 10 years nearly since I read a Caravan Club magazine and so I don't really know how in touch they are. However if they are not doing articles on second hand outfits then they are out of touch I reckon.
I started camping and caravaning age 28 with a wife and 8 year old daughter. I bought an old trailer tent towed with a 7 or 8 year old Vauxhall Viva estate. Aged 29 I bought a 7 year old 5 berth Eccles Topaz and a 4 year old Vauxhall Cavalier.We were by then a family of four. My wife was not working as she was bringing up our youngest she had not worked since I was 23 and, as our mortgage was based on our joint income, I did various foreigners. We would get around 45 to 50 nights in the caravan. I kept that caravan for 11 years and did my own servicing and one damp repair. The car we changed after two years as I had the chance to but F-I-Law's car 3 years old at trade in price and used that as our tow car for 11 years before giving it to my eldest daughter. I was looking to buy a car of my F-in-Law then but he gave the car to my wife and we bought a 7 year old 4 berth to tide us over until the youngest no longer wanted to tag along. Sadly we only had a season in it but that included 10 days in spring, 7 weeks in Summer and 9 days in the Algarve. Daughter, me and later me and my now partner used it until I was 50 (about 10 years).
Aged 53 my partner moved in with me and shortly afterwards we bought a New caravan and a New car. Never had new before. The caravan was an ex demo 4 berth Charisma at around £14k and the car an X-Trail at £19,000.
The X-Trail is coming up for 14 years old. We kept the Charisma for 7 years followed by a Lunar Clubman ES for 6 years and a new Clubman ES now a year old and no change out of £24k.
The equivelant to our £14k caravan now would be more like £20k and the £19k X-Trail probably £34K I suspect.
0 -
As caravan owners, you could include us in that statement.
Problem being, since arriving here at Sandringham Monday, we have clocked up around 22 miles of coastal walking.
Today however we think we may stay on site, the wind has arrived so plonking ourselves in the awning or sat in the caravan is a real prospect.
On our seasonal site there are people who do just this most weekends, it's what they enjoy.
As for the magazine, not received one yet, had a dabble with both CAMC apps, no joy trying to find the publication, but the price of Caravans on dealer forecourts, (we thought about changing layout so have looked), for the brands has increased some what greater than inflation should dictate, perhaps the increase in demand has fuelled this? But on the flip side the "Dealer Specials" seem to be exceptional value for money.
Cars, there seems to be plenty of price choice within, I drive a run of the mill brand, fairly close to the top of its range, it fits my many needs, towing a caravan was last on the list. Again, I think demand has fuelled the increase in price, clever finance has been a driver in my opinion. Years of Austerity Britain, but everywhere I look, new cars!
In today's CAD world, is there such a thing as a bad car/caravan?
Cars no longer rust as they did, exhausts dont require replacing, technology fitted on even basic cars was an option not that many years ago.
Looking around here at Sandringham site, there are outfits and motor homes all in different price brackets, all living the same compromised lifestyle.
So perhaps the magazine, if they dont already, could bestow/investigate the virtues of spending less and receiving more!
0
