THE ULTIMATE TOURING GUIDE

John Sootheran has some brilliantly handy hints for all caravanners – both new and experienced

COMING TO CARAVANNING as a newbie involves a pretty steep learning curve.

On each trip, you’ll almost certainly learn something new: things that should help to make your touring lifestyle that bit easier and more enjoyable.

But even experienced caravanners can benefit from useful hints and tips; so here are ours, covering everything from buying a caravan, to towing and setting up on site, and safe storage. And looking ahead to better times, we’ve included touring abroad!

BUYING A CARAVAN

■ At certain times of the year, there are some great deals on caravans, because many dealerships (A) will be aiming to sell off their remaining stock, ahead of the next season’s new arrivals on the forecourts.

If you are prepared to buy a 2020-model caravan in 2021, you could save huge sums, possibly up to £4000 or more. However, having said that, do bear in mind that the pandemic’s dramatic effect on caravan production, and increased sales, means this might not be the case for now.

‘Dealer special caravans are new models with specifications created by the dealership, exclusively for them to sell. Often, they come with a host of extras’

■ Dealer special caravans are new models with specifications created by a dealership, exclusively for them to sell. Often, they come with a host of extras, to a value far in excess of the higher price you’ll pay. Choose your model carefully and you can grab a bargain. Just make sure those extras do add to the caravan’s value.

■ Dual-fuel hobs (which usually provide three gas burners and an electric hotplate) are a great option, because they offer you the ability to carry on cooking if you run out of gas or trip the electric hook-up.

■ As with all financial transactions, if a deal looks too good to be true, it almost certainly is. There are dozens of scam ads online, where a caravan with a value of, say, £20,000+ is available for £6000.

The ‘vendor’ often weaves a convoluted but plausible tale about the caravan being abroad, and you can generally only contact them via email. Avoid!

■ If you are buying privately, ideally you should buy from the seller’s home. Carry out a CRiS check (the national register for UK-manufactured tourers, which can be found at cris.co.uk) to vet the caravan’s background, and get an approved technician to give it a once-over (especially if you are spending a significant sum).

■ Negotiate hard (B) when buying your caravan. You might be able to reduce the price of your purchase, get more money for your trade-in, or even bag a few useful caravanning freebies.

■ Buying at one of the NEC caravan shows (C) can often achieve the best deal, with valuable items such as motor movers being offered as show-time sweeteners.

■ When buying a new caravan, consider spending the first night at a site close to the dealership, while you check that everything works as it should. This way, any minor glitches that crop up can be easily rectified.