So...I've been offered a caravan...

My sister and her family have a 2012 Eldis 4 berth, think it's a 304.

After 3 years use they love caravan life so much they've decided to move up the ladder and have offered it to us (2 adults, 6 and 3 year old) for 5k.

Had never considered buying a caravan, but as we live in South Kerry, we have decent caravan parks near enough and it seems like something worth trying out.

Any tips on caravanning for beginners, or good sites or books? Any thoughts on the Eldis 304?

JustAThought

[Deleted User] wrote: »

My sister and her family have a 2012 Eldis 4 berth, think it's a 304.

After 3 years use they love caravan life so much they've decided to move up the ladder and have offered it to us (2 adults, 6 and 3 year old) for 5k.

Had never considered buying a caravan, but as we live in South Kerry, we have decent caravan parks near enough and it seems like something worth trying out.

Any tips on caravanning for beginners, or good sites or books? Any thoughts on the Eldis 304?

oooh - fabllous!! Grab it!!
We grew hp with a caravan ( for holidays we are not itinerants!!) and it was character forming!!!

I’ve been amusing myself watching Keep Your Daydream on youtube - America based but full of nostalgia and triggering many mixed memories! Their mantra is just go for it!
And I think they’re right! If you start looking you will over-analyise and become paralysed. You know the owners - you can ask them texhnical Q’s after you buy if you have issues. Have you ever caravaned before?

Your kids are young enough to enjoy & love it. I’d totally go for it. You can’t beat the experience for building resiliance, spirit of adventure, learning to love (& sometimes hate! ) the outdoors and making new friends as kids & having family adventures. If it dosn’t have an awning try and get one or a small covered marquee for outdoor drying/bikes/coats/buckets etc!

JustAThought

JustAThought wrote: »

Your kids are young enough to enjoy & love it. I’d totally go for it. You can’t beat the experience for building resiliance, spirit of adventure, learning to love (& sometimes hate! ) the outdoors and making new friends as kids & having family adventures. If it dosn’t have an awning try and get one or a small covered marquee for outdoor drying/bikes/coats/buckets etc!

Thanks for all that.

It has an awning.

I like outdoor activity, trail running etc. The other 3 would not be fans but would hope that caravan life might get them into it.

Itineoman

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Thanks for all that.

It has an awning.

I like outdoor activity, trail running etc. The other 3 would not be fans but would hope that caravan life might get them into it.

Just. Do. It.
You’ll never regret it and given the current demand you could flip it overnight if it doesn’t suit you.

JustAThought

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Thanks for all that.

It has an awning.

I like outdoor activity, trail running etc. The other 3 would not be fans but would hope that caravan life might get them into it.

oooo - bit of a roadblock there. I wouldn’t mind the kids saying they’re not into it as they’ll just giddy up depending on the level of cheerleading by parents. But if your SO isn’t into living in a room and with 2 small kids and nowhere to run/hide this could be a bigger issue. Who will be minding the kids when you’re off in the wilderness trailrunning! Maybe you can come to an agreement about division of labour/ always ordering evening meals in/ no laundry en route etc to see if this might calm the sutuation. One room three kids and uncooperative OH could be a bit of a roadblock. Remember - when it rains there is nowhere to hide! As kids we were strictly taught to ‘go outside, it’s only a bit of rain, it’ll soon be over’. We always had wellies and oilskins!! That being said if the weather is good you’ll have no kids from dawn to dusk - they’ll be running wild in the wildfeness themselves getting close to nature and having epic childhood memories and adventures. ALL my good ( and bad!) memories from childhood are from out camping holidays. Small caravan, bunkbeds, one wardrobe, communal toilets! Our mother put her foot down at the start and point blank refused to allow a chemical toilet in the caravan so we had to make the journey night or day to the campsite loos. It taught us a lit about forward planning and holding it in and peeing al fresco !!!!

They say the first trip is the hardest as you do everything wrong on that one & are all in a panic and don’t have your camping/cooking/organising system in place yet!! Have you gone with your b-i-l on a trip or will this be your first try?

elperello

I heard a discussion on some programme during the week and they said that a lot of sites are booked out until September.

Just worth checking out where you intend to go and avoid disappointment.

Good luck with the adventure.

HerrKapitan

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.euronews.com/travel/amp/2021/07/01/campervanners-could-soon-be-criminalised-for-wild-camping-in-the-uk

Something to consider. UK banning wild camping with a campervan. If it gets in UK I'm sure it will be here not to long afterwards.

JustAThought

JustAThought wrote: »

But if your SO isn’t into living in a room and with 2 small kids and nowhere to run/hide this could be a bigger issue. Who will be minding the kids when you’re off in the wilderness trailrunning!

Oh she's all in favour. On holidays I usually get a couple of hours running in before they get out of bed...I'm an early riser. In fact she could possibly be more suited to the idea than me, she could happily spend all day pottering around a campsite, playing board games etc.

elperello wrote: »

I heard a discussion on some programme during the week and they said that a lot of sites are booked out until September.

Thanks, not taking delivery until August/September, so might try and see if any nights come up right at the end of the season when schools reopen and try a trial run. Have a couple of friends who live on the sea here in Kerry who've already said bring it for a weekend to test it out too...

Alkers

HerrKapitan wrote: »

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.euronews.com/travel/amp/2021/07/01/campervanners-could-soon-be-criminalised-for-wild-camping-in-the-uk

Something to consider. UK banning wild camping with a campervan. If it gets in UK I'm sure it will be here not to long afterwards.

You wouldn't really wild camp with a caravan anyway

tnegun

And it would be enforced about as well as the littering/dog fouling laws we already have!!

You can sell that for 5k very quickly. Nothing to lose even if you just use it for a few months and see a bit of the country.

893bet

It would criminalise the Irish traveller community.

<Mod Snip>

elperello

There are already bye-laws in different parts of the country which make it illegal to to camp in certain places.

They are mainly in amenity areas, car parks etc.

Del2005

Itineoman wrote: »

Just. Do. It.
You’ll never regret it and given the current demand you could flip it overnight if it doesn’t suit you.

whatnow! wrote: »

You can sell that for 5k very quickly. Nothing to lose even if you just use it for a few months and see a bit of the country.

I wouldn't be too sure that you'll be able to flip the caravan easy. International travel is opening soon and most places here are booked up, so a caravan/motorhome won't be as convenient if bought now. Then there's loads of people who bought caravans/motorhomes earlier this year and will be looking to get rid of them before the winter comes. I've been keeping an eye on motorhomes and stuff that wouldn't last a day earlier this year isn't moving now and there's a lot of price drops on ads I've saved

Del2005

Del2005 wrote: »

I wouldn't be too sure that you'll be able to flip the caravan easy. International travel is opening soon and most places here are booked up, so a caravan/motorhome won't be as convenient if bought now.

Flipping it would only be a last resort, if the kids like it at all I plan to get years out of it as they are an age where the teenage/"this is boring" years are a good bit away!

Stayed in the caravan for a few days in late August...and LOVED it. So went ahead and bought it, and booked another trip in October.

 

AckwelFoley

If you got that for 5k you should feel guilty for practically stealing it from them.

2012 caravan in good condition is worth double that in this crazy market

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117902564#Comment_117902564

Heard it's gone a little crazy alright.