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What is your towing car?

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patj View Drop Down
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    Posted: 08 Oct 14 at 8:41pm
We have replaced my old T4 camper after 10 years of use with a high top long wheelbase Transit we're converting ourselves, which has more space for a fixed bed (from Ikea) and a toilet room.
In recent years we've had non-sailing holidays driving it around France, Germany and right up to Sweden, as well as many sailing weekends as far apart as Scotland, Cornwall, Wales and Essex, little of which we could have done without the van.
For one day local events we use my Passat estate but recently OH got his own car ready, pulled out the boat trailer up to the car and then realised he didn't have a tow bar!
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chris_wht View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Quote chris_wht Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08 Oct 14 at 6:26pm
Originally posted by stewart smith

Buy a banger and spend you money on a good boat. More fun!


whilst roof- topping my moth home i came to the realisation that the boat was worth 11 times what the car beneath was worth....

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Null View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Quote Null Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08 Oct 14 at 10:03am
Whilst i agree with the comment about the voyager and old Galaxy is not a bad car.   Fairly well respected in the motortrade.  Toyota Previa would be a good shout as would something like the old Citroen synnergy or Peugeot 806 diesel.  None glamerous, all will be pretty tired by now but cheap and you would pretty much guarantee your money back on ebay.  Make sure you have European roadside assistance though Tick!
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NeilP View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Quote NeilP Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08 Oct 14 at 9:35am
Don't touch an old, cheap Voyager or Galaxy with someone else's bargepole!! Nothing but trouble. The Toyota is by far the best bet. They even drive quite nicely.
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kneewrecker View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Quote kneewrecker Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08 Oct 14 at 9:29am
The last time I hired a car for cross border travel I ended up thinking I was being very stupid- the obvious answer was to buy a banger in one country and abandon it in the next.....
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Rupert View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Quote Rupert Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08 Oct 14 at 8:34am
By the time the people carrier is that old, it won't matter what the make is - it will be partly luck and partly skill in buying the one that won't break down somewhere in the middle of Europe.
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Post Options Post Options   Quote iiitick Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08 Oct 14 at 12:17am
While on the subject of transport. For the last couple of years five sixths of my family have holidayed in Tuscany. Car to airport, plane, hire car, villa. On both years we have been ripped off by car hire companies with spurious charges. I have been plotting a plan 'B'. Buy an old people carrier and drive the whole thing. It would have to be old and cheap. Choices are, Toyota Previa, Ford Galaxy or Chrysler Voyager. Any of you chaps got any experience of any of these?
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Post Options Post Options   Quote Bootscooter Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 07 Oct 14 at 10:31pm
Well in the last 14 months we've camped in excess of 40 nights in the T5, so that's about £300 a night on the purchase price. We plan to have this van for another 9 years at least, so it'll be pennies by the time we're done, but this doesn't account for the average £80-90 a night for hardened accommodation and food that we would have paid, or that we'd have an alternative car instead, that would have costs attached.
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ellistine View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Quote ellistine Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 07 Oct 14 at 10:21pm
Originally posted by Contender443

So here is a question for all you camper van owners. Are you really saving more money on accommodation (if that is your reason for awnership) compared to the extra MPG cost? This is especially true if you use your T5 as your day to day vehicle. 
Haven't broken below the £1000 per night yet!
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Post Options Post Options   Quote Roger Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 Oct 14 at 8:40pm
Originally posted by Rupert

Tell you what, though, it means you can stagger out of a sailing club bar and straight to bed. Priceless...


Plus One for that....

T4 has been a revelation, masses of room for kit etc, as you say park up 10 yards from clubhouse, usually for free, have a brew when you want and the footprint of my short wheel base T4 is the same as an Audi A4 Avant (give or take the odd mm) so it's very practical for day to day motoring too.

I get around 40mpg which isn't special by modern diesel standards but isn't as bad as many vehicles.

Accommodation cost for nationals nil, several weekends at Weymouth and other venues nil, even the odd night at WPNSA  I seem to remember was about £15.

I was more interested in the convenience than the exact costs when I bought mine, but I would say I've probably saved quite a bit, and depreciation is low on campers of all types, certainly much less than the average car.


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