Collected our first caravan

Well we survived! The biggest surprise was the amount of buffeting that we felt due to wind. I kept our speed to 55-60 mph on the motorway, which is 25 mph less than my normal speed. The experience was a bit like when you have a go on computer car racing game for the first time, and everybody is passing you! Even Caravans. Looking forward to going to The Firs in Derbyshire in a couple of weeks time.

Write your comments here...High UK Cheshire , I'm from Cheshire too . The buffetting from big vans passing you , I think I dont move the wheel at all ,just let car tyres take the flex and then the van has to follow . Be careful quoting any speeds on this forum , the forum police chastise you . I too have been told off for that . If I pass lorries I usual speed up by about 5mph ,not saying the speed , it keeps the van uneffected . Went over the M62 with about 50 mph crosswinds and slowed to about 40mph as did everybody else last winter . I prefer to keep in front of lorries so the veiw is not restricted.  I cruise at their speed approx 60 mph indicated,  56mph  true speed ,so you are not alone . One thing load the hitch up to maximum permissable ,mines 100kg . van tows far better .    Good luck with van . Martin

 

..You will find that 99.9% of caravan hitch are 100kg max

...Not talking about caravan , Its the car's maximum tow ball weight allowed ,  hence hitch weight on the caravan which certainly has to vary . Hope that clears that one up . Regards Martin

 I prefer to keep in front of lorries so the veiw is not restricted.  I cruise at their speed approx 60 mph indicated,  56mph  true speed ,so you are not alone . One thing load the hitch up to maximum permissable ,mines 100kg . van tows far better .    Good luck with van . Martin

 

I am just in Wales on the Cheshire Border. The HGVs must be slowe round your way! I tow generally at an indicated 68mph - Actual according to satnav 61mph

 I prefer to keep in front of lorries so the veiw is not restricted.  I cruise at their speed approx 60 mph indicated,  56mph  true speed ,so you are not alone . One thing load the hitch up to maximum permissable ,mines 100kg . van tows far better .    Good luck with van . Martin

 

I am just in Wales on the Cheshire Border. The HGVs must be slowe round your way! I tow generally at an indicated 68mph - Actual according to satnav 61mph

Write your comments here...I've kept well away from saying anything about speed ,but totaly agree .Ive checked all our cars against GPS ,nearly every speedo is as you say 10% fast ,apart from my Fiat . thats quite close . Interestingly I've had a descussion with my wife about the A55 (dual carrigeway non motorway ) She said she was told 50mph by a caravan course instructor , I said 60mph . Checked on the government website .... upto 3.05 tons 60mph, over and its 50 mph . Oh! thats unladen weight

I am within a couple of miles of A55. 60 except, for me, going down Rhuallt Hill

http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/a55-re-opens-rhuallt-hill-11193668

Although, unusually, this one was going uphill!

My first trip out in the caravan was ok, only travelled a few miles to a local campsite but had a problem with the gas, couldn't get the hob to light so I very sweetly asked the very nice man in the caravan n ext to me if he would help! Apparently no gas was getting through. Went to the dealers where I purchased the van ( leaving the van on site) and was told "you might need a new regulator" . So the rest of the week I had to live off microwave meals. 

Hi All meant to post this sooner. We did collect our caravan in late August and have had trips away. Everything has gone well and we love it!

We started 2 years ago and have had so much fun!  We keep a little journal of each of our trips away - 53 so far!  It's nice to go back and read. Happy vanning:)

I have been reading all posts on here and one post has suggested that if you take a wrong turn just unhitch and turn the van around. That helps because I tow on my own and am a bit nervous about going to far. Is it best to use a good map and directions from CC rather than satnav

I have been reading all posts on here and one post has suggested that if you take a wrong turn just unhitch and turn the van around. That helps because I tow on my own and am a bit nervous about going to far. Is it best to use a good map and directions from CC rather than satnav

Yes. Satnavs can lead you down some very narrow roads as they take you by the shortest or quickest route for a car, and do not consider that you have a caravan behind. Best to plot your route out beforehand, possibly using Google Earth, and write a crib sheet to which you can refer when at the wheel.

I have been reading all posts on here and one post has suggested that if you take a wrong turn just unhitch and turn the van around. That helps because I tow on my own and am a bit nervous about going to far. Is it best to use a good map and directions from CC rather than satnav

Best not to get yourself in that situation in the first place. Use your sat-nav with a large helping of common sense .... 

Though I have done exactly the above in France when sat-nav was trying to direct me to the camp site via someone's back garden