New to Touring - advice on what to buy

Hi Mollie, we started out with a 2008 Abbey GTS 215, which we towed with a Mondeo at the time.  We changed to a Mk1 Kuga AWD and it was great towing that caravan.  We subsequently traded in our Abbey for 2015 Swift Challenger SE.  Same layout as the Abbey, but slightly shorter and lighter, but with the Alde heating, solar panel and extractor in the kitchen already fitted.  Both of these are 2 berth caravans with the end washroom you want.  We tend to use the sofas as two single beds, leaving a mattress cover and fitted sheet on in the day time, covered with a throw.  It makes for a quick and easy transition to beds at night.  The only thing I would say is that the offside sofa on the Challenger is shorter than the nearside one so, if the occupant is too tall, you might have a problem.  I’m 5’6” and can sleep on it OK, but my feet do touch the unit at the bottom if I slide down too much, and I always have the worktop extension up to keep it out of the way of my feet.  Last year we upgraded our car to a 2014 Kuga Titanium X, and it also tows well, being only about 82% of the car’s kerb weight (according to the Club matching service).

Not sure what the kerb weight of your Kuga is and that is essential before you look at a caravan. It is suggested that caravans for beginners to towing should be no more than 85% of the kerb weight of the driver plus 75 kg for the driver if that is not in the published figure.

You can check this on the clubs matching service if you go into Advice and Training at the top.

The advice is not a legal requirement but it is sensible although with a 4x4 90% should be no problem provided you are also within the towing limit. I have not checked the weight details for your car but I think you will be safe with the Unicorn but do check first.

Essentially two berths come in two basic layouts, the end kitchen and end toilet. Which you take is a matter of personal preference, but the end kitchen tends to suit those wanting a shorter caravan, and the end bathroom will normally give you a larger bathroom which is better for space as you are likely to change in there.

The Unicorn is a nice caravan and provided you find a well looked after model should not be a problem. When buying a used caravan though always make sure a damp check has been done on it as this is the main potential problem with any make.

All makers have a similar model in their range with subtle differences but once you have settled on that layout the real point is finding the interior that suits you best that the car can tow.

You will probably need a licence to tow over 3,500 kg so check this out. If you passed your test before 1997 you should have one with C+E allowance. If you passed later you will need to take an additional test to get that. I think you will be over that figure but you will need to check if you do not have C+E which might mean a lighter caravan would be preferable.

The limit is the Gross laden weight allowed for the vehicle plus the MTPLM for the caravan. The clubs matching service will have the figures for the combination and will advise on suitability.

Hope this helps. 

Some Bailey’s came with quite a high nose weight so check that it is okay for your car. Nose weight is the force down on the tow ball.  Buy from a dealer who sells new caravans so you should be assured quality. There is one dealer in the Midlands who gives a generous warranty on used vans, worth considering.

Early Unicorns were prone to damp (our 2011/12 Valencia was a disaster) so make sure you get a thorough inspection and check whether any remaining damp warranty is transferable. It used to be 10 years but was reduced for later models. If you read this forum, just about every make of caravan has had some problem or another so it is most important that you buy from a local dealer that you can trust.

That apart, just look around and find something you like and a layout that suits. Personally, I think the Saville is fine (if it’s not damp!).