Lifestyle
Things to consider, when buying your first caravan.
Love at first sight.
Caravanning is cool again! There’s been a resurgence of interest in caravan ownership, since the pandemic, as people seek new holiday solutions. Many newcomers, especially families with younger children, are owning a caravan for the first time.
After a lifetime of caravanning, independent caravan journalist Andrew Ditton shares his knowledge about buying your first caravan.
Andrew Ditton is a widely respected British caravanning journalist. At the age of 14 he inherited a caravan and has been touring ever since, from a small tent in Canada to a large motorhome in New Zealand, he travels in search of unique camping experiences.
Find him at www.andrewditton.com
WHAT…? Before you even look at a caravan, gather the family together and agree on a common goal. Would you prefer hitting the road on voyages of discovery, or visit a semi-permanent bolt hole for weekends and holidays? If wanting to tour, check first with your local Adria dealer about the towing laws in your country. WHEN…? Summer only, or all year round? The more comfortable your caravan, the more you will use it. Maximising your use of the caravan returns better value for money, even if not the cheapest model to buy. WHERE…? A caravan is not just for holidays. If you can park it at home, you’ll also have a guest bedroom, a kid’s den, and a calming place to work undisturbed. If you cannot keep your caravan at home, you will need somewhere to store it. WHO…? You don’t always need to match the number of berths to the number of users. Many couples prefer four berth caravans, sleeping in the fixed bed and leaving the convertible seating as a lounge. Teenagers might prefer to sleep outside in a tent or in an awning. HOW…? Think about how you’ll tow your caravan. There’s plenty of help available on these topics, from expert websites or talk to your Adria dealer. You can get professional training in many places too. And when not using it where will it live, on your drive, at a storage facility. Practical, real life considerations. HOW MUCH..? And, of course what’s your budget for buying and running your caravan. This will sway your model choice and whether to buy new or nearly-new. New brings benefits with warranty and being yours only, but there’s some good nearly-new models too to check out. ABOVE ALL… Your new caravan has to put a smile on your face…
