Stevechillyb Posted September 21, 2015 Share Posted September 21, 2015 Hi - we returned to caravanning last year after a break of about 11 years and purchased a caravan relatively cheaply to see whether we still liked it as much as we used to! We did, and so we've just updated and exchanged it for a 2012 model and now we're wondering whether to invest in a full cover. The van is stored outside in a secure location but I've heard positive and negative opinions on covers, even down to someone who has one but has stopped using it as it damaged his van. We used a towing cover when we took the older van to France this year and I will get one of those again but I just can't decide which way to go on the storage cover. Any comments much appreciated. Cheers and happy caravanning! Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve frs Posted September 21, 2015 Share Posted September 21, 2015 Having stored many cars outside with covers on as long as the car/caravan is clean and you have a tailored fit type with a breathable material it shouldn't cause a problem. Issues I have seen are with the cheap universal covers that dont fit well it can cause rubbing marks especially if not secured well. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marks Posted September 21, 2015 Share Posted September 21, 2015 (edited) A cover is a double edged sword, yes a good one that is installed carefully on a clean van, will keep that van looking good for years, but, cheap ones will make the van sweat because they may not breath well enough, badly fitting ones will move about and rub the body causing marks, and fitting them is a ***** of a job, and if you get any grit on the inside of the cover while fitting it or trying to fold it, that will scatch the van. I bought one recently on the advice of Tourershine, it was cheaper than my van being cleaned (the van needed a major clean and restoration of the whole body but looks like new now) and folding it was a big job, it is half the size of a tennis court, but if you can get a good one, a custom fit one is best, can fold it on a big patch of grass, min 2 man job, fit it without ripping it or arguing with your co fitter, then get one, your caravan will be better off for it. Edited September 21, 2015 by Marks 1 Quote Land Rover Discovery and Conquerer 630 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sea Dog Posted September 21, 2015 Share Posted September 21, 2015 I agree with Marks, you get what you pay for. Don't rush in do a bit of research, we went for a tailored cover, just told the manufacturer the caravan make & model and they made it. We also covered our windows as we heard they could get damaged. In all it worked well and stopped a lot of algae & crud from settling on the van, but it was a pain in the **** to get on and off. Quote Discovery 4 & Lunar Clubman SB. Sailing close to the wind Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The 2 Tops Posted September 21, 2015 Share Posted September 21, 2015 A very good idea if you are a manufacturer of them. I did buy one once, because I thought it would be good for keeping down the need to clean the van so regularly, particularly the roof. Fitting and removal combined took a lot more effort than cleaning, and it was advised that it should be removed during high winds. So I returned it as not fit for purpose and got my cash back. We has a coachman at the time, and so I contacted their customer services and spoke to a manager. His reply was that caravans were designed to withstand being out in all weathers, and he would personally not use one. Says it all, really. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milton Posted September 21, 2015 Share Posted September 21, 2015 Hi Steve If when in storage the caravan is parked under or in close vicinity to trees then get a cover. Tree sap, berries, bird droppings etc are a nightmare to get off. If not then I would not use a cover. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevechillyb Posted September 21, 2015 Author Share Posted September 21, 2015 Thanks all for your replies, very interesting to hear your views but it does confirm there are 2 views as I suspected! Our storage location isn't under trees but is at the end of the compound adjacent to the fence, beyond which there are low trees so nothing roosting above. I shall continue to ponder and will visit the cover manufacturers at the upcoming NEC show to get more of a view. I did notice when I purchased my tailored towing cover from ProTec that they have an 'Easy-Fit' system for full covers whereby extending poles latch into the cover so two people can position the cover on the front of the van then lift it up over the top and walk it down the length. This may help the fitting issue - there's a demo video on their site which shows this. Thanks again, I'll let you know what I decide, Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathy657 Posted September 21, 2015 Share Posted September 21, 2015 We have bought a protec cover but haven't used it yet. Our caravan is stored outside under a tree so we thought a cover would be best. We do use a towing cover too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beryl Posted September 22, 2015 Share Posted September 22, 2015 Hi steve, as you say you are under trees would just a roof cover be suitable, it would stop the green and sap and bird poo and still a low good air flow round the van? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noddy123 Posted October 4, 2015 Share Posted October 4, 2015 Hi, I use a full cover on my van as park it under a tree, never had a problem with damage to van, its made by Kampa and it has got 4 zips, me and wife use 2 poles to put it on and it takes us about 15 mins from start to finish, its not a tailored one but is a snug fit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pollywollydoodle Posted October 5, 2015 Share Posted October 5, 2015 From experience - don't bother unless your van is stored somewhere where it is going to get exceptionally mucky, irrespective of whether the cover is one which is specially tailored and/or (supposedly) easy to fit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.