# What about a trailer? Supplementary questions



## sallytrafic (Jan 17, 2006)

I've put this in panel van conversions because we are the most pushed for space but it could apply to others.

When we go for any trip over a week long with our two dogs its crowded (especially if they are wet the van seems to shrink a foot each way). If we go abroad they go for their holidays in Walton on Thames where they are better known than we are  and the van has enough room for our lifestyle. We are off to Ireland for 5 weeks or so with the dogs so I thought I'd take a trailer. 

I haven't bought one yet but yesterday I saw an older smaller version of the one in the attachment and I've started thinking......


Cons

Its £1400 +vat
Its 3m long so adding to ferry costs
It reduces my legal speed 
It might be a white elephant

Pros

Put a few panels on the roof a controller 4 * 110Ahr batteries and a 1000W inverter then I've got power where ever I go. Plenty of room for a collapsable kennel or internal cage plus loads of storage for bikes etc, the van could be emptied of clutter and doesn't add to my width.. Don't need it for every trip so can still do the other sort of camping 

The greatest pro would be with that power pack Doreen could have her hair dryer - marital bliss


Its probably just going to stay on the drawing board but you have to admit it looks a nice bit of kit. Who knows I could hire it out

Regards Frank

edit size of inverter


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## Motorhomersimpson (May 9, 2005)

Hi Frank,

I keep toing and froing about that very type of trailer, my needs are slightly different as I wish carry my motorbike inside, rather than on a open trailer.

The idea about the batts etc has me thinking now that it may well be worth the expense after all.

Not sure whether to thank you or curse at the moment  

MHS...Rob


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## CatherineandSteve (Dec 20, 2005)

Hi Frank,

Been thinking along the same lines myself, but for me it's to carry my bike when we go off for a few days.

Cheers Steve.

PS nice trailer.


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## Scotjimland (May 23, 2005)

Hi Frank

It makes perfect sense to me, we tow a trailer to carry bikes, RV spare wheel, chairs, inflatable boat and engine, BBQ etc .. 
It's extremely useful on site, it gets used like a garden shed, items can be securely locked up when you go out.

Your cons.

Its £1400 +vat ... .... you can buy one like mine for under £1000 from
Lynton Trailers.

Its 3m long so adding to ferry costs .. yes it does, but not a lot, the benefits outweight the cost.

It reduces my legal speed .. yes it does, but we never travel more than 60mph anyway.

It might be a white elephant .. if you decide to sell it will retain much of it's value, box/van trailers are in big demand.










>>Lynton Trailers<<


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## 88927 (May 10, 2005)

Hi Frank
I saw This and thought that it may well suit your purpose and save you a chunk of change into the bargain mate......

Keith


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## gromett (May 9, 2005)

I was thinking of getting a small transit last year and a trailer so that for weekends away I just used the transit but for longer runs such as france i added the trailer. That is the same company I looked at using 

http://www.batesontrailers.com/trailer-detail.asp?ID=18&cat=1

Although I was going to have this one
http://www.batesontrailers.com/trailer-detail.asp?ID=6&cat=1

Karl


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## richard863 (May 1, 2005)

*What about a trailer?*

Hi Frank
With a trailer like that, you could modify the inside so D has her own saloon  
Kind regards


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## sallytrafic (Jan 17, 2006)

Well thanks for all the interesting replies. Sorry if it leads to anyone elses bank balance being dented.

I must say it was the look of the thing that attracted me, nearly as smooth looking as my van. 

I'm not sure I could justify the large one Karl unless I was looking to store my van inside it. 

regards Frank


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## androidGB (May 26, 2005)

I used a trailer on a charity run to Croatia, (the same sort that ScotJimland has) and I must admit it was a pain in the arse.

As it was so short, including the A frame, it was practically impossible to reverse, so every site we stayed at we had to select a pitch that we could drive in and out of, or unhook the trailer.

We left it on a site in Pula whilst we took the van to explore the town, and were quite disappointed on returning to find it still there  

If you are full timing, or staying in one place for a length of time, I can see it makes sense. but for touring it wasn't for me.


Andrew


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## Motorhomersimpson (May 9, 2005)

Hi Frank,

That is the shape of trailer I have been considering, however for me the cost has shot up. 

Looking on grommets link (thanks I think ) I noticed the size of the cheapest one was just too short to transport my bike and I would need the next one up, costing £2800 8O 

Still, at least I now know somewhere to buy one if I decide. Andrew your right about the short trailer reversing it can be pain, my garden trailer is hard work :wink: 

MHS...Rob


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## 98452 (Apr 2, 2006)

You could buy a cheap caravan for half the price and then have his and hers :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: 

Domestic bliss maybe :?: 


:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

I often thought of having an ejector seat fitted when navigation becomes an issue :wink:

We tow a car because we cant do without it but the RV swallow all the additional bits we seem to need but never use  :roll:


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## baldlygo (Sep 19, 2006)

*Re: What about a trailer?*



sallytrafic said:


> Pros
> 
> Put a few panels on the roof a controller 4 * 110Ahr batteries and a 100W inverter then I've got power where ever I go. Plenty of room for a collapsable kennel or internal cage plus loads of storage for bikes etc, the van could be emptied of clutter and doesn't add to my width.. Don't need it for every trip so can still do the other sort of camping


Forgive me from being slow here Frank but are you suggesting making the trailer into a sort of Solar generator? ...or do you mean that the space you save in the van will allow you to fit extra batteries there?

Paul


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## sallytrafic (Jan 17, 2006)

Paul
Well I have a lot of room for pv modules (edited) on the roof of my van but no room for more batteries inside. So as 230V is easier to move around than 12V it makes sense to colocate the inverter batteries and solar.

Regards Frank

edited to remove the annoying link that solar p****s produced.


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## Scotjimland (May 23, 2005)

I'm in the process of up sizing our's, I need to carry a motorcycle and am looking at the next size up, the Lynton Load Lugger.. 
If anyone is interested in my Load Trekker please let me know. 


I agree about reversing .. nigh on impossible.. but that is exacerbated by the long overhang on the RV, shouldn't be so difficult with a panel van ..


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## 97993 (Mar 5, 2006)

Thankfully Frank I am not offended by your asterix,s 
for information only I had for many many years toured with type 2 VWs me the wife 2 kids 2 dogs now that was tight, I moved onto a trailor, an old wooden one as it happens and used it for the very purposes you propose inc dog kennel and I never looked back, make the move you wont regret it, 
Caution!!! Geting used to space has caused me to buy an RV :lol: you have been warned Frank
Geo


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## wakk44 (Jun 15, 2006)

I would have thought that an important con that should be on the list is not being able to tour round remote places without leaving the trailer on site and the security problems this entails.A couple of gypos could have it hitched up and off in less than 5 minutes.

Steve


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## maddie (Jan 4, 2006)

Hi how about hireing 1 ?don't know cost but it may be better than buying / selling


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

Looks like the mobile kitchen trailers that seem to be replacing the more usual tent annexe for the discerning European long term traveller. Beware ! You might not get access to some sites ! 

http://tinyurl.com/2ded5j

G


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## sallytrafic (Jan 17, 2006)

Sometimes ferries have really good deals for caravans (during one special offer it was cheaper to drive on with a caravan attached than without on Red Funnel) I wonder if I would get the same deal with a motorhome and trailer?

Regards Frank


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## androidGB (May 26, 2005)

I don't think so Frank, Red Funnel always add a supplement for my van and car on an A Frame (which they class as a trailer) despite the fact that I pointed out that the overall length is less that a car and caravan.

Even Eurotunnel who make no distinction for a motorhome up to 12 metres, add on a disproportionate amount when you add a trailer.


Andrew


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## sallytrafic (Jan 17, 2006)

*Insurance and testing*

How does insurance work for trailers, is it covered by van (once you've told them) or do you have to have seperate cover.

Is their an annual MOT test or similar?


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## 97993 (Mar 5, 2006)

Hi Frank your trailor would be covered for 3rd party damage only, ie damage it caused to others property,when attached to your M/H
sepertate cover will be rqd for theft or fully comp cover, to include the contents ie your 42" plasma screen your mounting on the back wall :lol: 
No MOT test reqd for trailors, years of rumours have resulted in nothing so far
Geo


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## trevorf (May 16, 2005)

> Cons
> 
> Its £1400 +vat


Hi Frank, how can the price be a problem, if you add a few panels controller, batteries etc that must be about another grands worth :lol: :lol: :lol:

Trevor

p.s. surely you missed off a zero in the inverter rating :wink:


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## olley (May 1, 2005)

sallytrafic said:


> Sometimes ferries have really good deals for caravans (during one special offer it was cheaper to drive on with a caravan attached than without on Red Funnel) I wonder if I would get the same deal with a motorhome and trailer?
> 
> Regards Frank


Hi Frank last two years I have taken up Norfolk lines m/h and caravan offer (cheaper than m/h on its own) each time turned up without caravan or trailer and never been questioned. 

Fully comp insurance on it is roughly 10% of value

Olley


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## Duadua (Feb 16, 2006)

Jim

Sorry to interfere, but why get another trailer for a m/c and your current mobile shed contents, when perhaps instead your could get a m/c rack which lifts the bike above the towing hitch which might allow you to continue with your current mobile shed, unless you need a bigger trailer for the original shed contents.

I would be worried for securing the m/c in a shed, and allowing others to push thing past to one side or another of the m/c, and or the inconvenience of shuffling the shed contents around the m/c, unless the m/c was say a lightweight 125 scrambler. Any m/c with paintwork might get wrecked.

I can see the attraction of a covered garage for a m/c, or a trailer for the shed contents, but mixing the two, unless it is a covered car size trailer. We did see a 40 foot RV in Austria with a box trailer, for a big Jeep Cherokee, with colour matched swirls and everthing to match the mh. Looked amazing, but it must be a truly huge rig for minor roads in Europe.

Long time no see or hear.

Duadua.

PS We researched your idea re ferry from Sete to Morocco, to save driving time and diesel, but unfortunately it seems the ferry companies (both the agents in the UK and the two companies themselves in Sete) say NO Motorhomes during the peak summer months! So it sounds like Algeciras after all. I can only assume they prefer lots of small cars in the summer peak.


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## sallytrafic (Jan 17, 2006)

trevorf said:


> > Cons
> >
> > Its £1400 +vat
> 
> ...


well spotted trevor

yes well now i'm looking at second hand


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## Duadua (Feb 16, 2006)

Sorry Jim

Ignore my post above, as I see on your other post that you are already expecting delivery of your new trailer.

Best Wishes

Duadua


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