Complete Novices pick up caravan tomorrow!

Hi, You will need a good set of towing mirrors, noseweight gauge, see if you can get a starter pack off your dealer i.e. gas cylinder, water and waste containers. Then you will need a good torque wrench, pots, pans things to eat and drink with not forgetting the cork screw. Then just get out and enjoy.

Hello and welcome to CT and to our great hobby.

You'll find lots of good advice on this site but the search facility is appalling 😉. 

My first question to you is have you towed before?

General suggestion is to try out your unit as soon as you can, for warranty purposes if you have one. Age doesn't matter new vans have lots of extras which some of us reckon are unnecessary 😉.  Pick a site close to home, you can nip back for anything vital you've forgotten. DON'T go mad buying too much before you try out. Have a pen and paper and note things you'd like or are necessities. Weight is an issue 😉.

Ask any questions we were all beginners once!

Enjoy your new hobby. 

Are you buying from a dealer or private if a dealer get them to check age of tyres and put new ones on if private or ask when last replaced

As you have probably seen there is advice on the drop down menus at the top & also lots available from knowledgeable members who post on here if you can specify what you want to know about.   As has already been said don’t be afraid to ask for a starter pack if buying from a dealer – it’s a common practice to get somethings ‘thrown in’ &  ask for things to be explained.  Good luck at handover. 

If  you  have  a  portable  tape  recorder  or  cassette  player  don't  be  afraid  to  use  it  when  the  "Hand Over"  is  taking  place  !!  There  will  be  several  things  new  to  you  and  easily  forgotten  to  make  your  first  outing  hard  work  !!

After  all  the  info  comes  your  way  remember  to  always  carry  your  sense  of  humour  --  dammit,  caravanning  is  FUN  !!

Thanks for all the advice.  We had a bit of a disaster with the caravan we had agreed to buy and the sale fell through, however, we are now proud owners of an Abbey GTS Vogue 2 berth, which is from a private buyer.  It is Cris registered, no damp after extensive checks with a damp meter and comes with every conceivable extra you could think of. Will be towing it with a ford ranger pick up and hubby has experience of towing although never with a caravan. 

Sorry to hear about your disaster but glad you were able to get an alternative caravan. Make sure that your car insurance company know that you are towing (they usually need to know that you have fitted a towbar, there should be no increase in premium); after that, the best advice I can give is go for a weekend to a local site and use everything including putting up the awning.  This will not only prove that all works but also allow you to get help from fellow caravanners who will be only too pleased to assist if necessary.  Follow the advice on noseweight and tow at nearly the maimum you can (either vehicle limit or hitch limit whichever is the lower - this will probably be 100kgs or less).  As you have 'every conceivable extra'  be careful not to overload the caravan.  The plate will give you the allowance and with the extras and personal items this may well be reached, so do check. 

Welcome to our hobby, don't be afraid to ask any questions and have many wondrful holidays.

"As you have 'every conceivable extra' be careful not to overload the caravan. The plate will give you the allowance and with the extras and personal items this may well be reached, so do check."

wont the plate just give you the maximum weight ie the MTPLM? it wont give a payload or 'allowance', which could be estimated if the unladen weight of the van is known as is the weight of each 'conceivable extra' and of every item being carried in the van.

....so, the only way to check properly, is to weigh the caravan loaded as you intend to travel....be prepared to have to 'rearrange' some of your 'stuff'.... 

while not quite the same thing, our previous Carthago was fitted with over 300kg of 'comceivable extras'.....

I have an Abbey GTS 215 and it has done me proud so I think you have done well.  Mine came withe extras too.  I hope you have a great time with it.  

First remember post importantly there is only ever one silly or stupid question and that is the one you did not ask.

Almost all of us have made silly mistakes (a few of us will admit to it) the pages here are full of helpful people and if you find yourself puzzled on site about something ask for help there are very few of us that won’t help out a rooky (or and experienced) van or motor home user

Take your time refuse to get stressed when you find you forgot something (you will and then you will forget it again) plan your route slow down and make the journey part of you weekend away so no rush, relax and enjoy the experience that so many of us enjoy and cant imagine ever giving up