Viewing 32 posts - 41 through 72 (of 72 total)
  • Equipment heavy campers/large tents – vehicles/moving your kit
  • 5lab
    Full Member

    Its longer, available with and without the extra seats

    Tracey
    Full Member

    Grand Tourneo Connect is longer. When we looked at one you couldn’t remove all the rear seats so we opted for the normal one which you could.
    Gets our daughter out and about when she can’t convince us to take the camper.

    Tourneo LWB Custom is massive inside. We can fit 4 29ers with wheels on and four people and still have room for kit and the dog

    bob_summers
    Full Member

    Another caravelle here. Didn’t want a camper, but for the odd night it’s good enough with the seats flat and thermorests. Cooking stuff lives in the van permanently.
    Longer trips, we’ve got a 45kg canvas tent which takes up the entire boot of a car. Plus bikes, boxes of food… Both being teachers we’re sometimes away all summer. Anything smaller would be a squeeze.

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    DT78
    Free Member

    We have a khyam 8 too, used once so far, great bit of kit. We fitted everything for a family of 4 in a Kia Sportage, I used our Thule tow bar bike rack with a cheap amazon cargo bag to carry all the light random tat we need (cooking gear, duvet, pillows, scooters, kids toys). It was a squeeze, probably get a trailer at some point as there was no space for bikes

    tomparkin
    Full Member

    Replying mostly to bookmark for future reference.

    We’ve just got a Big Tent for family camping this year. It’s a six berth canvas thing which basically takes up the whole boot of the car.

    With a bit of ingenuity we get the family of five, the tent, off-the-floor campbeds for all, many blankets, and the usual clothing, food, cooking gear, etc, into a Honda FR-V with a roof box. It is a tight squeeze though, and involves bags under the kid’s feet, and stuff belted into the middle seat in the front. It also takes bloody ages to pack!

    I think the logical next step is probably a trailer.

    5lab
    Full Member

    Trouble with a trailer is you might as well have a caravan

    garage-dweller
    Full Member

    Thanks folks.


    @tracey
    Mrs G-d has seen the Transit Custom (which I am really really liking) and has mutinied! The salesman tried to help.

    I’ve just been and sized up a Grand Tourneo Connect. It’s really nice so having a test drive next week. Then it’s that or one of the trailers someone recommended.

    The balance is between buying a trailer outright and trying to figure out the storage problem for 5-6 months a year VS. buying a more lifestyle/function over form vehicle that will more easily eat bikes and kit than my Passat.

    With the car now 7 years old and not having been super reliable a switch of daily driver wouldn’t be unwelcome but with a trailer we could do that and have more options for what to replace it with when the time comes.

    wzzzz
    Free Member

    Consider a hyundai i800 over a caravelle.

    Same size but far cheaper to buy and some say more reliable…

    5lab
    Full Member

    if you’re considering the grand tourneo connect, you should also look at the citroen berlingo/peugeot rifter/vauxhall combo – they’re all the same car, all released in the last year, and all have an ‘xl’ (lwb) option that should be broadly comparible.

    pdw
    Free Member

    Trouble with a trailer is you might as well have a caravan

    Not really. Even the largest camping trailers are a lot smaller and easier to tow than a caravan, and a lot less of an investment. Plus, it’s not a caravan.

    oldtennisshoes
    Full Member

    Hire a trailer?

    garage-dweller
    Full Member

    Hiring (van or trailer) not an option I’m prepared to deal with. Trying to get to pick up and drop off at most places opening hours, different kit each time, someone else’s stock/maintenance and not having the right accessories just makes it a bind. Renting something specific for a one off job is one thing but not regularly.

    garage-dweller
    Full Member

    Waiting on a trailer quote as well now.

    With a bit of internet beavering I’ve managed to find a trailer that I think can be got down under the magic 800mm height to be turned on its side and moved through our side gate.

    Just waiting for our local stockist to confirm that the lid and side extensions we would want can be removed.

    If we go that way we will hopefully be trying the whole setup out in early October and will post some pics for anyone who else who’s currently looking into.

    I did test pack the car today and worked out that we could almost manage to squash all the tent and cooking gear into the boot if packing to the roof but no space for clothes, sports gear, bedding. That lot might just all go in a roof box but that would knacker taking kayaks on holiday so that’s not happening!

    Really grateful to everyone who offered words and pics. 😁

    nedrapier
    Full Member

    A timely thread! cheers g-d! Looking at Combi vans at the moment. We’ve always got everything in the car before, but another 3-4kgs of human arriving early next year is going to cut down the load somewhat.

    Last time we bought a car, we didn’t have any preconceived ideas about what we were going to get; we went to Car Giant and sat and poked around in pretty much all the big estates on the market. Ended up with a(nother) Mondeo Estate.

    Is there such a thing as Van Giant?

    garage-dweller
    Full Member

    Quick update for anyone who’s interested:

    TRAILERS

    Checked out the trailers. Not managed to find the recommended Brenderup 1205S in the metal but looked at the similarly sized Ansemms 750KG hard top model (without side extensions), which was a really well built piece of kit. My goodness it’s big though – I could pack nothing in the car and I’d wager I’d get everything into the trailer (although at single height the tent would need refolding).

    Good bits were that it has a hard top with rails so you could load it and then put 3-4 bike carriers on top (using conventional car roof rack clamped to those rails) and with its width I think it would be pretty stable while half tucking the bikes in behind the car.

    The 500KG version is probably a more ‘normal’ size but has the disadvantage of being narrower and therefore possibly not as stable with a bunch of bikes up top and would require dense/close packing of the bikes on a roof rack.

    VAN BASED CAR

    The Grand Tourneo Connect test drive didn’t happen (mix up and illness at the garage). Having talked about the seat delete option it seems that the rear two unbolt fairly easily to create a massive boot or they can be deleted in production but then you lose the ability to ever fit them (as they remove the rails and rear seat belts – but you don’t get any extra other stuff like a load cover).
    Possible others:
    Caddy Maxi Life
    Berlingo XL

    If anyone’s got any views of regular daily/long motorway use of these happy to hear them.

    rickmeister
    Full Member

    Caddy Maxi life owner here. Daily driver.. I would think it’s close to the footprint of a Passat sized estate. 5 seat version. Rear seats fold forward or can be removed easily.

    Have the 6 speed version with tailgate. The newer ones are very car like inside and lost the van style cheaper plastics and very large wing mirrors. Very happy with ours.

    scotroutes
    Full Member

    I’ve driven the Grand Tourneo Connect for work – as a cyclists taxi service. The rear seats are very flexible to use. We’d regularly fit or remove the 3rd row as required. A bit heavy to move the pair, but the single is easily manhandled. They can be flipped up to create space. You can even flip up the 2nd row, move it forward, then fit the 3rd row into the space of the 2nd row. I’ve had tandems and passengers in it at the same time. The boss is just selling one at the moment, with around 175,000 miles on the clock. That should give an idea of longevity.

    Personally, I find the suspension a bit soft and wallowy, particularly when empty or lightly loaded but that’s likely because they’ve tried to keep it comfy for passengers. My own Trafic is, by comparison, much firmer and rolls less. Other than that, its a very pleasant place to sit and drive.

    pdw
    Free Member

    I’ve got the Anssems GT750-251, which is the biggest unbraked trailer they do, and it’s great. Like you I was a bit nervous about going for such a large one, but I think it was the right choice. Larger trailers are actually easier to tow and reverse because you can see them, and once you’ve bitten the bullet of towing, you may as well tow a bigger one.

    Took it down to the Alps this summer with six bikes on top and it was rock solid.

    Residuals on them seem insanely good too. Price for new was only a bit more than what people were asking 2nd hand.

    I could pack nothing in the car and I’d wager I’d get everything into the trailer

    Nah, your camping kit will expand to use all available space 🙂

    DT78
    Free Member

    Sorry for the numpty question? How do you know if your car can tow these big trailers safely?

    We have a pretty weedy sportage 1.6 petrol with a tow bar, fitted for the bike rack, would it be okay with a trailer and camping gear – its mostly bulky rather than heavy

    tthew
    Full Member

    Max unbaked and braked weights are quoted in your car handbook.

    I’ve got the van version of the Connect. It drives great, like any modern car. The sat upright driving position is really comfortable, I drove from Cheshire to mid Belgium earlier this year with no bother.

    wzzzz
    Free Member

    Check the gvw of the car, the plated weight of your trailer and see if its below the train weight of the car. The car weights will be on a data plate on the car usually inside a door.

    If your license is post 97 the max total train weight you are allowed is 3500. But I think you can tow a 750kg trailer whatever the vehicle. Have a Google.

    I would suggest you get the biggest trailer your local tip allows… I think most are 2m max… Extends the usefulness of the trailer.

    el_boufador
    Full Member

    We were in a similar position to op. Ended up with a small daxara 127 trailer for following reasons:
    – lots cheaper than van. Second hand trailer, towbar and some accessories (locks, load bars etc) came in under £650
    – don’t have to pull it around everywhere. Opens up choice of next car/van
    – don’t lose much value. Only sunk cost is towbar fitting (£250)
    – whilst away you can use it to dump stuff in. A bit like a towable shed 🙂
    – works with a number of vehicles eg. can use with my mum’s camper van

    We have a similar space/ gate based conundrum, which is why we ended up with a smaller model. Still big enough though, especially with the lid and Load bars. With 2 teens / 2 adults, We’ve been able to take all the bikes , paddle boards etc away where we wouldn’t have been able to do previously.

    Only downside really is storage when not in use, and slight worry about theft whist away. Sorted that with locks. Don’t notice any difference on journey time or fuel.

    DT78
    Free Member

    There is nothing in the handbook, there are some towing websites which state 750 / 1200kg. That should be more than enough…

    CountZero
    Full Member

    The bagged tent (without carpet and other ancillaries) takes up about 2/3 of the boot of my Passat estate and it has its own gravitational field.

    It’s probably got its own postcode and shows on Google Earth! 😉

    garage-dweller
    Full Member

    @DT78 there aren’t many cars that size that won’t pull 500-750kg trailers.

    If you know what you’re looking for the trailer weights may be on a plate in the boot or door areas.

    For example our 1.0 Focus will pull 750kg (I wouldn’t want to do it regularly as I reckon that car has a delicate/small clutch).


    @pdw
    I totally agree size is everything with trailers! I used to tow 5m long dinghies regularly while still in my teens. Small (short) trailers are, however, bloody awful. I am a bit rusty on the reversing but when I borrowed a trailer recently I found it came back fairly quickly. Although an hour or two of concentrated practice probably wouldn’t go amiss and a lesson or two for Mrs G-d who has never towed anything.

    I’ve got a possible custom combined dinghy and camping trailer design washing round in my head. Could use to tow our dinghy and then take that off and put kayaks where the boat would go (bottom layer) for holidays and a top layer with roof box(es). The advantage of which is the boat would live on it over the winter at home solving my storage problem.

    Still a toss up with the van options though! I like the load it and go functionality.

    Thanks for the feedback @scotroutes and @rickmeister hopefully driving both caddy life and Tourneo Connect this week if I can get demos sorted.

    wzzzz
    Free Member

    There is nothing in the handbook, there are some towing websites which state 750 / 1200kg. That should be more than enough…

    No it’s not usually in the handbook as every engine / trim variation will be different.

    There will be a VIN data plate stuck to the car somewhere, usually inside the drivers door.

    This is the one for a Ford:

    null

    First weight is Gross vehicle weight. (max fully laden vehicle weight)
    Second is the max train weight. (above plus max trailer weight)
    (check handbook for this interpretation).

    Subtract the first from the second 4200-2505 = 1695kg is the max plated trailer this car can tow. Note it goes of the plated weight (max) of the trailer, even if its empty you can’t tow a bigger plated trailer.

    But when you factor in when you got your driving licence is gets more complicated. If you passed test before 1997 you are fine to crack on as above.

    With a post 1997 licence you are allowed to drive a car up to 3500kg GVW with a 750kg plated or under trailer.

    However with a post 1997 licence you can’t have a train weight over 3500kg if the trailer is plated over 750kg unless you do a trailer test.

    So with this Ford a post-97 holder can tow 3500-2505 = 995kg plated trailer max.

    wzzzz
    Free Member

    PS the rules seem odd as I am allowed to tow a 1200kg caravan with a 1.2 Skoda Fabia, but not a Land Rover Freelander 2.

    Conventional wisdom would say the heavier car would make for a much safer rig, but rules is rules.

    garage-dweller
    Full Member

    even if its empty you can’t tow a bigger plated trailer.

    I thought that had been changed quite a while ago because someone realised the stupidity of it … With trailers plated to CE and type approval requirements it was hard / impractical to down/up plate trailers to suit vehicle by vehicle plating needs and the actual train weight became the measure.

    It came up on here a while back in a towing thread that either I started on this very point and someone put the links up.

    My old thread

    See cleetonator’s post half way down for the link.

    andrewh
    Free Member

    Anyone got experience of insuring a van as an accountant

    I’m an accountant and am on my second van.
    Never had a problem. Well, had to change insurers when I bought my first as the old one didn’t vans but after that it’s been fine, that was July 2012.
    Had a panel van which became a camper, and currently have a panel van which is becoming a camper.
    Old van was an 2004 2.0 SWB Transit, was £240-ish per year to insure (protected NCD, two drivers, parked on the road) current one is 2013 2.2 LWB Transit, £360 per year.
    Not insured for business use mind, just SDP& Commuting, I’m in industry rather than practice so work travel is minimal

    djflexure
    Full Member

    We run the Anssems GT750, plus Ford Galaxy and top box. Go to France every year for 2-3 weeks and its a great setup.

    Family of 5 – trailer takes 4 bikes, car has another bike on top with the top box.
    Boogie boards fit under the bikes on the trailer.

    We take a huge tent – Cabanon Awaya 5 x 5 m, platform for cooking, stove etc.

    Wife loves the Galaxy for transporting kids and dogs year round

    garage-dweller
    Full Member

    I just thought I’d pop back and update now that we’ve settled on a solution in case the process we went through helps anyone else.

    Combi/crew panel van
    We looked at spending about £10-12k on a 5/6 seat crew van to try and find one in good order where we could use the load bay for loading all our gear inside for big trips and for winter days hiking and biking we’d have a changing room/discreet storage. The idea was we’d try to make things work with a van and my wife’s car.

    We ruled this out in the end as it’s really hard to find a crew cab in half decent condition with air con (one mod-con I would not accept being missing for a daily user) and even many newer vans were missing it. The Vito’s were the best spec’d but no bulkheads in the ones we found.

    Van based people carrier – Grand Tourneo/Caddy Maxi
    Drove the Grand Tourneo. It was fine and pleasant and would have done the job I’m sure, especially with the rear row of seats removed but tow bar nose weight was only 75kg (can’t therefore put 4 bikes on it) and it was still very van like. Caddy Maxi was better on weights on paper but for the price really didn’t seem great value (new or 2nd hand).

    Was a bit worried with my annual mileage and a lot of time travelling solo it would have become a chore on a day to day basis to have something that van like without the full advantage of it being a van would probably have got on my wick in the end.

    The common thing that counted against the van/van like options was fuel economy, slower and more fuel burned than a decent estate or normal MPV didn’t sit well given I do quite a few miles on my own in any given year.

    Galaxy/Sharan/MPV
    Not quite as much usable space as the van based MPV options but would probably have squeezed everything in without too\ much trouble and both options I looked at were better on nose and roof weights than the van based stuff. All are much nicer inside but the prices are (to me) eye-watering at the age/condition we’d want to buy at and then I remembered someone on here had a Galaxy and had still added a small trailer.

    Big (ish) trailer
    This is what we’ve settled on, probably the Anssemms GT750-201-HT1 (or maybe even VT1) or something from one of the other brands of similar size.
    Main reasons:
    (1) It will take a normal “estate car” roof rack so solves the taking kayaks + bikes problem and should be big enough to carry stuff without groaning at the seams.
    (2) Big enough I can potentially downsize my car for reduced day to day running costs (so long as it will still tow 750kg and carry 75kg on the roof)
    (3) No concerns about securing the load in a way that won’t land in the kids laps if stopping suddenly and any gas bottles can go in trailer not in car.
    (4) If it turns out to be a pants solution the amount lost on it after a year’s use is nothing like a year’s vehicle depreciation.

    spooky_b329
    Full Member

    I think you are right to go for a wider trailer, the small narrow ones are hard enough to reverse, especially when the tow car is loaded up so you cannot see the trailer through the rear window. At least wider once will be visible in the wing mirrors (even if its also going awry when it comes into view)

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