Can the Ford Ranger be used as a towcar on caravan sites?

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by Marcus Dubois
Let’s face it; Britain hasn’t taken the pickup truck to its bosom in the same way as our English-speaking counterparts.
While the pickup is synonymous with American life (and affectionately termed “ute” in Australia) outside of commercial life Brits have largely ignored the pickup.
It may well have something to do with fuel costs – notably high on our island shores in comparison to the US and other markets where the pickup is successful. Yet with the newest generation of Ranger, Ford is hoping to change the popular perception of a gas-guzzling giant more suited for wide open roads.

Diesel power
The major gain for UK customers is at the fuel pumps, with the option of a two wheel drive system married to a frugal diesel engine. This has become a recent trend in the 4×4 market, with the aim of increasing economy and reducing emissions.
A 2.2-litre diesel engine in the Ranger produces 375nm of torque and nearly 150bhp, allowing for smooth progress on motorways. In addition the Ranger now offers best-in-class towing ability of 3,350kgs, all while returning an impressive 32 mpg on the combined cycle.
As a result the 2.2 diesel is likely to be the strongest seller in the UK, but those seeking even more power may be interested in the 3.2-litre diesel that accesses an even wider range of torque for towing. There are marginal losses here on fuel economy which drops to around 28 mpg with a full 4×4 system.
Rugged, yet stylish
There’s no doubting that as pick-ups go, the Ford Ranger is a handsome beast. None of the rugged styling has been lost for European markets, with Ford adopting a “one-size-fits-all” approach.
All double-cab Ranger models come with a reasonable amount of standard equipment; the entry level model includes a CD player and remote central locking, while XLT trim offers air conditioning as standard alongside chrome and leather touches.
Is the Ranger a good choice for caravanners?
With a competitive entry price of £15,515 the Ford Ranger offers a huge amount of power for the price. Yet there are some caravanners who will be familiar with the issues that can arise for pickup owners looking to tow a caravan to sites.
A number of caravan sites in the UK prohibit commercial vehicles from pitching up on site, regardless of whether the vehicle is held by a private owner and not used for business purposes.
Other parks state clearly which types of vehicle are allowed, and pickups are often permitted as long as they do not bear signage or advertising.
Often the decision is left to the discretion of the warden, which means those caravanners thinking of owning a Ranger should expect to have to call ahead or check any websites before booking.
But what is clear is that when it comes to performance for the pound, the new Ford Ranger takes some beating.
Do you tow using a pickup truck? Have you ever been turned away from a caravan site for privately owning a “commercial” vehicle? Have your say in our forum topic


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Elemment Palazzo: How can you insure such a luxury tourer?

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by Chris Jefferies
When Marchi Mobile launched the Elemment Palazzo last week, it certainly got quite a reaction from motorhome enthusiasts even if, at £1.9 million, only oil barons can actually afford one.
As if the price tag wasn’t prohibitive enough, our readers wondered how you’d go about living with such a mammoth motorhome, from petrol costs to the all-important insurance cover.
The Elemment Palazzo has also caught the eye of the caravan insurance specialists at Towergate, who have explained the process of covering a luxury caravan such as an Airstream, and the important things to consider when choosing top-end cover.
Edward Cross, insurance expert at Towergate, said that there are many things to bear in mind, from storage to security gadgets.
“The best way to protect your caravan against damage or loss is to ensure that it is well secured using a high quality security device, such as a proactive tracking device or a chassis secure wheel lock,” he said.
Mr Cross added that caravan owners should also consider paying for winter storage at a CaSSOA approved centre, while taking a towing course can also help, as you can pick up the skills to help you avoid a crash.
To read more caravan insurance advice from Towergate, see their article: The new Elemment Palazzo and insuring a luxury caravan

Swift Caravans announces £20m worth of sales from NCC Show

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by Tom Lowenstein

Swift’s new touring caravan and motorhome ranges are proving incredibly popular with caravanners, with the company announcing sales way beyond its predictions at the recent Motorhome and Caravan Show.

The leading caravan manufacturer sold a whopping £20 million worth of caravans and motorhomes at the show in Birmingham’s NEC earlier this month.

Swift’s new Sprite Lite range was launched and the show and aims to offer value-for-money for families during the current economic climate.

Visitors to the show also got a chance to see other recently revamped tourers including the Swift Challenger Sport and Eccles Sport models.

Praising the organisers for bringing 90,000 people to this year’s show, Nick Page, Swift’s commercial director, said the show’s success proved that despite the recession caravanning is still as popular as ever.

“Our new price-conscious and fuel-conscious models hit the market just at the right time and are the main reason we outsold the competition and returned some very encouraging results,” he said.

By comparison, Lunar Caravans announced last week that they sold £6.7 million worth of caravans at the same show.

Survey names top ten most reliable 4x4s on the market

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by Tom Lowenstein

If you’re a caravanner looking for a new towcar for your tourer, a new study by Warranty Direct may just offer the pearls of wisdom you need to make your mind up on which model to plum for.

Looking at which 4x4s were the most reliable without costing the earth, Warranty Direct assessed the cars on a range of criteria to give them a reliability rating – exactly what you want from your towcar when you’re driving down the motorway with your caravan behind you.

Coming out on top was the Honda HR-V 98-06 model, while the Range Rover was found to be the least reliable.

Showing that the Japanese clearly know how to build them tough, the Suzuki Grand Vitara came in second place, with the Honda CR-V in third.

Duncan McClure Fisher from Warranty Direct told WhatCar? magazine: “Modern 4x4s are fairly expensive to run, but our study shows that there’s a handful of incredibly reliable examples, which won’t break the bank.”

The survey gave 4x4s a score based on the frequency of failures, repair costs, amount of time off the road and the average age and mileage.

Warranty Direct’s top 10 most reliable 4x4s:

  • 1. Honda HR-V (’98-’06)
  • 2. Suzuki Grand Vitara (’05-Present)
  • 3. Honda CR-V (’07-Present)
  • 4. Subaru Forester (’02-’08)
  • 5. Mitsubishi Shogun Pinin (’99-’06)
  • 6. Kia Sportage (’05-’11)
  • 7. Land Rover Freelander (’06-Present)
  • 8. Nissan X-Trail (’07-Present)
  • 9. Kia Sorento (’03-Present)
  • 10. Hyundai Santa Fe (’01-’06)

Caravan shows offer great value, says Friendly Club

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by Tom Lowenstein

Anyone with an interest in caravans is sure to be excited by the number of caravan shows that are on the horizon, with a bumper crop due in 2012, according to the Camping and Caravanning Club.

As well as offering a great day out for the whole family, shows such as the Caravan and Motorhome Show at Manchester EventCity (19th-22nd January 2012) will give you a chance to check out the latest models and ask the experts your burning questions.

Great for anyone thinking about getting into caravanning with leading industry authorities on hand to help out and maybe even sell you a caravan, they also offer the more experienced caravanner the opportunity to brush up on their knowledge while finding out about the latest news in the world of caravans.

Jon Dale, public relations manager at the Camping and Caravanning Club, said: “In terms of what they can offer, they’re obviously great value.

“There is so much information and advice on offer in one place at one time, whatever questions you have got.”

As well as the usual there are also various activities on offer, including towing and manoeuvring lessons, which may be good news given recent figures that show the number of caravanners making insurance claims for accidents while towing is increasing.

In the Field: Do shower blocks make caravan showers redundant?

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by Chris Jefferies
Every year the major caravan makers talk about the efforts they have made to save weight in their latest range, after carefully trimming off a few kilos here and there.
But earlier this month, Swift took the massive step of removing the shower from their new Sprite range, resulting in an overall weight saving of more than 130kg for the new Sprite Lite tourers.
With many modern caravan sites offering clean, well-equipped shower blocks, it’s surprising no-one has done it sooner, as showers in caravans are often left unused.
Large families in particular will often rely on using a decent shower block, as the wait to use a tiny shower cubicle in their six-berth caravan can stretch on for hours.
Furthermore, having a shower in your caravan pushes up the gas consumption due to the use of a water heater, means you need to empty your grey waste water tank more regularly and increases the risk of damp.
Creature comforts
This week we stayed on a Caravan Club site that had a spacious, clean and well-designed shower block, with a locking door for privacy, a separate bench for all your items and a shower curtain to stop your clothes from getting wet.
Even in large caravans, the space in the shower is cramped at best, but many caravanners still value the importance of having a washroom, as it means you can travel much more freely across the country without worrying about the state of the facilities at your next stop-off.
This approach is widely popular among more experienced caravanners, who describe the experience as ‘real caravanning’.
However, on a more practical level, many will simply dread having to traipse through the rain to get to the shower block when the notorious British weather turns on them in the morning.
What do you think? Are showers an unnecessary luxury in a caravan? Or are they an integral part of a properly-equipped caravan? Share your thoughts in our community forum.

RAC study suggests caravanners will be dodging potholes this winter

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by Tom Lowenstein

Caravanners planning a winter break this year may have to contend with more potholes in the road, as a recent survey has found that 80 per cent of UK councils have seen their road maintenance budget shrink in real terms.

Some 55 per cent of the 20 UK councils questioned in the RAC study have seen an outright reduction in their funding, the Daily Telegraph reported.

With inflation meaning that costs of the materials used to repair roads as well as the labour used to do the work have increased, even the 25 per cent of councils who said funding had stayed the same have in reality seen their budgets decrease.

One council spokesman told the newspaper: ”The reduction in capital spend has reduced the ability of the county council to continue with the on-going improvement in roads condition.”

It’s not all bad news, however. Despite constraints on their budgets, half of councils said they were still focusing on long-term fixes instead of short-term repairs, a rise of ten per cent from six months ago.

Police warning as woman loses £4,000 to online caravan fraudsters

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by Tom Lowenstein

Caravan buyers in East Riding have been warned by police to approach online sales with caution following news that a local resident was conned out of £4,000 when trying to buy a caravan on eBay.

After seeing the caravan for sale on the internet auction site, the 63-year-old woman from Beverley made an enquiry and was then contacted with a view to purchasing the caravan.

After transferring £4,000 to their eBay account, the woman had her money returned by eBay who said that the transaction was not possible.

She was then contacted again by the company who requested she transfer it to a different account, which she did.

Following an email informing her that the money had been received, the lady has received no further contact and no caravan has been delivered.

Detective Sergeant Mark Ormiston of Beverley CID said: “This woman appears to have been the victim of a fairly sophisticated and professional scam.

“We believe the money has been transferred to an account in Europe, possibly Spain.”

Elddis Caravans lets Discover Leisure customers pick a new dealer

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by Chris Jefferies

Elddis owners with outstanding Discover Leisure warranties have been offered a helping hand by the Consett-based manufacturer.

After the UK’s largest caravan dealer network went into administration earlier this month, many caravanners were left out of pocket and struggling to get the aftersales support they sorely need.

In reaction to this, last week Bailey Caravans were the first ‘vanmaker to step in and offer customers a list of alternative dealerships.

But now Elddis has gone one better, offering customers their choice of dealership to transfer their warranty to. Elddis customers can find their five nearest approved dealerships by using the ‘Find a Retailer’ tool on the company’s website.

Anyone wishing to discuss their parts, servicing or warranty situation with Elddis is advised to call 01207 699 000, while all other Discover Leisure customers are advised to contact the administrators KPMG on 0845 617 1490.

“Elddis would like to take this opportunity to assure customers that this development is in no way indicative of the state of the leisure vehicle industry as a whole,” a company spokesperson added.

The news comes after Elddis recently announced a winter price freeze on all its touring caravan ranges, including Xplore, Avante, Odyssey, Crusader and the luxury Buccaneer collection.

REVIEW: Can the Dyson Hot work as a portable heater for a caravan?

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by Marcus Dubois

When the space-age looking Dyson Hot landed in the Caravan Times office, there was a collective buzz as staff rushed over to have a play. Like all Dyson products, the object is visually arresting with a futuristic and intriguing design.

There are no obvious elements such as ceramic plates or fan blades; just a large purple oval ring atop a slim base. So how does it actually work as a heater? And most importantly for us, can it be taken away on a caravan holiday?

The heater follows on from Dyson’s Air Multiplier by using the same system to warm a room evenly. So rather than simply moving around the air, the Hot can change the climate of a room.

Air is drawn in and then accelerated through an aperture which is the thickness of a £2 coin. This creates a powerful jet, while surrounding air is drawn into the airflow, amplifying it six times.

While most portable heaters use a rotary dial as a basic thermostat, the Dyson Hot uses a digital system to select the exact temperature and maintain it. If you fancy some cool air, choosing the 1 degree setting turns the Hot into a fan.

Meanwhile a rotary base allows it to rotate up to 180 degrees to spread the air. All functions can be controlled using the ultra-slim remote, which docks neatly on the top of the heater using a magnetic system.

Is it any good as a heater?

The controls on the Dyson Hot are thankfully minimal and easy to use straight from the box. A pair of two-way toggles control the thermostat and fan speed, while either side is a power button and the rotate button. A digital display shows the current temperature, while the Hot can be tilted upwards or downwards for better spread of heat.

Those with families will appreciate the safety aspects of this new Dyson. The firm claims the heater cannot burn you, because none of the exposed parts get hot enough. Additionally, the Hot automatically shuts down when knocked over, and pauses when rotating if you make adjustments using the buttons on the base.

Can it be used on a caravan holiday?

This is where things get potentially tricky. While the Dyson Hot is innovative in a number of areas, power consumption is not one of them. A 1500kw output is fairly typical for a heater such as this, but in the caravanning world this can automatically rule it out for holiday use.

Most campsites tend to have restricted supplies ranging between 6A and 16A, with only the upper end of the scale being suitable for the Dyson Hot. Earlier this week a warden from the Hilhead Caravan Club site spoke to Caravan Times and advised against using high output heaters with other devices such as toasters or hairdryers, claiming such devices have previously tripped the power circuit.

Our verdict

It’s hard not to be intrigued when first setting eyes on the Dyson Hot. The firm are known as the Apple of household appliances, yet in the same way, customers pay a premium for design. The Hot retails at £270, putting this beyond the reach of all but the fashion-conscious.

As a heater the Dyson Hot is excellent, using the digital thermostat and Air Multiplier technology to give a quick and even spread of heat. Most caravanners however will be wary of using such a high output device on holiday unless hooked up to the largest of power supplies. As such, the Dyson Hot may be best left at home, where the beautiful design and impressive efficiency can be enjoyed from the comfort of a sofa.

What do you make of the Dyson Hot? Would you take it on a caravan holiday? Share your thoughts in our community forum

Camping and Caravanning Club collects conservation accolades

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by Tom Lowenstein

The Camping and Caravanning Club has seen four of its parks honoured with the highest award in the prestigious David Bellamy Conservation Awards.

The Club’s Asbourne, Corfe Castle, Charmouth and Folkestone sites were all awarded the coveted gold rosettes in recognition of their exceptional commitment to the enhancement and preservation of the natural environment.

Last week, the family-run Hackings Holiday Caravan Park in Billington was also awarded the top gong for its sterling work.

Conservation Award assessors were impressed by the Lauder Club Site, which achieved a commendable silver rosette. Barnard Castle and Dunbar Club Sites meanwhile were awarded the bronze level of certification.

Bob Hill, the Club’s sites director, acknowledged the importance of the Club playing its part in helping to protect the beautiful British countryside.

“As we continue to expand and develop our site network, conservation is very much at the forefront of our minds and we will endeavour to continue to practise and promote green tourism,” he said.

The Conservation Awards are presented to sites that show clear steps taken to support the local community, manage their land as a wildlife habitat, reduce their consumption of resources and reuse and recycle their waste.

Scottish caravanners promised price freeze by new park owners

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by Tom Lowenstein

Caravan owners who feared the worst when their beloved park was taken over by a new company have been assured that fees will not increase next season.

Regulars at the Silver Sands leisure park in Lossiemouth, Moray, were anxious that they would be forced out with price hikes when Lifestyle Living Group took over their site.

When it was revealed that the owner of the new company was Tony Barney, a former director at one of the site’s previous management companies, it was expected that similar events to 2007 would unfold in which more than 50 caravans abandoned the site as prices rocketed, STV reported.

Moving to assure residents at the park, which has been in administration for the past two years, general manager Grant Kerr told the news provider that fees and ground rent will remain the same for the coming season.

“Even though the Retail Price Index is at 5.6 per cent [inflation] there will be no price increases for the coming season,” he said.

“There hasn’t been any money spent on the site while it has been in administration for the past two years so we are hopeful that this will be welcomed,” he added.

Mr Kerr did however acknowledge that fees may go up the following year, but promised to keep owners well informed about any changes that may happen in the future.