Gas regulations for caravans

[mrsmelly]

34 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

The longer the caravan the easier it is to manoeuver, I used to tow a 30 foot long Glider trailer, &, because the axles are set further back any 'going out of line' happens so slowly it gives more time to correct it, we could reverse between the lines to get into a parking spot with vehicles each side. You just need plenty of room to 'spin around'.

 

The worse trailer for handling is a little 6 foot one that you cannot even see out of the rear window, and, as it is narrower than the car it cannot be seem in the wing mirrors, by the time you can see it, it has jack-knifed - the easiest is just to unhook and manoeuver by hand.

Same with narrowboats. The longer they are the better they drive 

[Ray T]

16 hours ago, Cheshire cat said:

Our neighbour took his van for a service last week. I wondered what they would do other than pump the tyres up. It's only two years old.

Our van is now 10 years old so needs cherishing.

We were able to watch the engineer, from a distance, as we moor the van on land* at the marina where park the boat. He and his son were very thorough, the service was about 3 hours. We had a full and comprehensive report which brought to light some minor issues which needed attention.

 

Can highly recommend them Mark Lowe of Cara-Fix (Midlands) Ltd.

 

*Put this in before we get asked if the van floats.

 

Waiting in coming regarding mooring in caravan park = old, tired, boring jokes.

 

Edited July 4, 2020 by Ray T

[ditchcrawler]

1 hour ago, Alan de Enfield said:

The longer the caravan the easier it is to manoeuver, I used to tow a 30 foot long Glider trailer, &, because the axles are set further back any 'going out of line' happens so slowly it gives more time to correct it, we could reverse between the lines to get into a parking spot with vehicles each side. You just need plenty of room to 'spin around'.

 

The worse trailer for handling is a little 6 foot one that you cannot even see out of the rear window, and, as it is narrower than the car it cannot be seem in the wing mirrors, by the time you can see it, it has jack-knifed - the easiest is just to unhook and manoeuver by hand.

A lot of people don't realise that, its the ratio or the distance between the vehicle front and back wheels against the distance between the back wheels and the trailer wheels. That is why moving things with tractors is easier. I always struggled reversing a trailer just using mirrors, most are just to small.

[ditchcrawler]

1 hour ago, haggis said:

If it was a new caravan to keep the warranty it must be serviced

every year by an approved service place for that make.  My van was new in March 19 but with Covid the service had to be postponed till now. The next service will be March 2021 and the only miles the caravan will have done between the two services will be from and to the dealer - a total of about 120 miles!. However, I know to my cost that it is worth getting the annual services done thus keeping the warranty. 

 

Haggis

That is disgusting and should be outlawed as a restrictive practice.

[Alan de Enfield]

16 minutes ago, ditchcrawler said:

A lot of people don't realise that, its the ratio or the distance between the vehicle front and back wheels against the distance between the back wheels and the trailer wheels. That is why moving things with tractors is easier. I always struggled reversing a trailer just using mirrors, most are just to small.

I'm fortunate to have "Grandfather Towing rights", I wonder how much they actually teach youngsters when doing the towing-test.

 

I was fortunate that in the 'old days' you could drive a tractor on the road at age 13 so got the towing experience carting bales of straw and hay.

[ditchcrawler]

Just now, Alan de Enfield said:

I'm fortunate to have "Grandfather Towing rights", I wonder how much they actually teach youngsters when doing the towing-test.

 

I was fortunate that in the 'old days' you could drive a tractor on the road at age 13 so got the towing experience carting bales of straw and hay.

You went to the same driving school as me 

 

[haggis]

6 minutes ago, ditchcrawler said:

You went to the same driving school as me 

 

and me ? .

 

I have had a reply from the dealer who serviced the van as follows  

"I have spoken with the technicians and they advise that the gas test fails if the vents are covered. This is under advise by the training instructor who puts them through their tests guided by the NCC for the Approved Workshop Scheme which we work to.

 

Whilst we appreciate it is a big space for just the gas bottles they have to advise all customers that it is ‘not for storage’ under the NCC rules for safety for the end users."

 

Brian, re your comment about restrictive practices, I agree but if I want the warranty, thems the rules!  I had my last caravan serviced by a recommended mobile service guy and when damp was found in the van when I traded it in, I was not covered by the warranty which meant the trade in price was greatly reduced. Had I had it serviced by an approved outlet, the manufacturers would have put right the problem and I would have got the full price for the van. You learn by your mistakes ? 

 

Haggis

[Dav and Pen]

36 minutes ago, ditchcrawler said:

You went to the same driving school as me 

 

And me although once driving one of those 3 wheel farm all’s at the age of 11 I wasn’t strong enough to push the a brake fully down and stop it with a trailer full of bales behind. My uncle ran down behind it and jumped on, nearly killing him in the process due to being a heavy smoker he had little puff.

[Alan de Enfield]

9 minutes ago, Dav and Pen said:

And me although once driving one of those 3 wheel farm all’s

I guess I was 'lucky', we had 'Grey Fergies'.

Over the years we had a number of them but never had two the same, with variations from Petrol/TVO to diesel, vertical exhaust to horizontal exhaust, 'plus-gas' pump to start, Button start, starter on the gear-shift, a heel-operated button on the side of the gearbox to engage the starter, Twin 6-volt batteries, single 12v batteries, and all sorts of differing bits and pieces.

But, a superb little tractor, and was still running one around  year 2000 when we had the small holding in Wales.

 

Edited July 4, 2020 by Alan de Enfield

[ditchcrawler]

11 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

I guess I was 'lucky', we had 'Grey Fergies'.

Over the years we had a number of them but never had two the same, with variations from Petrol/TVO to diesel, vertical exhaust to horizontal exhaust, 'plus-gas' pump to start, Button start, starter on the gear-shift, a heel-operated button on the side of the gearbox to engage the starter, Twin 6-volt batteries, single 12v batteries, and all sorts of differing bits and pieces.

But, a superb little tractor, and was still running one around  year 2000 when we had the small holding in Wales.

 

For me it was Fordson Majors but they didn't look like this, I also use to move static caravans around the site.

[WotEver]

7 hours ago, haggis said:

If it was a new caravan to keep the warranty it must be serviced

every year by an approved service place for that make.  My van was new in March 19 but with Covid the service had to be postponed till now. The next service will be March 2021 and the only miles the caravan will have done between the two services will be from and to the dealer - a total of about 120 miles!. However, I know to my cost that it is worth getting the annual services done thus keeping the warranty. 

Similar thing happened to a mate  He bought last May and had to book the annual service at that time because the dealership is so busy  They phoned him and allowed a postponement due to Covid but he'd already decided after a single trip that he didn't like his brand new Bailey and was going to exchange it for a Coachman. He's due to make the exchange next month but they still insisted that he have the Bailey serviced this month!

[Guest]

5 hours ago, ditchcrawler said:

That is disgusting and should be outlawed as a restrictive practice.

Not sure what you mean. Most vehicles have a service interval based on miles or time interval. The time interval is normally annual. My Ford is. 

 

I know my BMW used to have a service indicator based on usage/driving style but I don't know about new ones. 

Edited July 4, 2020 by The Happy Nomad

[WotEver]

18 minutes ago, The Happy Nomad said:

Not sure what you mean. Most vehicles have a service interval based on miles or time interval. The time interval is normally annual. My Ford is. 

But it's been made illegal for them to force you to use a Ford dealership for the servicing.  Any garage may service the car without affecting the warranty  Not so with caravans.

[Guest]

49 minutes ago, WotEver said:

But it's been made illegal for them to force you to use a Ford dealership for the servicing.  Any garage may service the car without affecting the warranty  Not so with caravans.

? My error I thought he was refering to the interval issue.

 

As for servicing there is no actual obligation to have it serviced by the dealer. Warranty repairs are a different issue though but sometimes manufacturers will even authorise warranty repairs to be done by an approved workshop.

 

One of our neighbours has his caravan serviced by an independent 'one man band' mobile workshop who does it on his drive at home, then apparently uploads all the servce information to the manufacturer in order to preserve the warranty. They can service caravans from several different manufacturers. 

 

Granted, Ford (like most) will indeed allow any VAT registered garage to service a Ford, using genuine parts and there is no need for them to be part of an 'approved' network but there is at least some degree of freedom with caravans.

 

 

 

 

Edited July 4, 2020 by The Happy Nomad

[GUMPY]

7 hours ago, Alan de Enfield said:

I'm fortunate to have "Grandfather Towing rights", I wonder how much they actually teach youngsters when doing the towing-test.

Only until you are 70 unless you specifically request that they are carried on. Might even be a medical involved to keep them I cant remember. If you are over 70 check your licence and you may find them gone and you can't get them back without taking the test

 

 

[Graham Davis]

1 hour ago, The Happy Nomad said:

Not sure what you mean. Most vehicles have a service interval based on miles or time interval. The time interval is normally annual. My Ford is. 

 

I know my BMW used to have a service indicator based on usage/driving style but I don't know about new ones. 

The "problem" is that with a car you are allowed to have it serviced at any VAT registered garage and the warranty will be preserved, as long as the manufacturer's parts are used, but with a caravan they insist that it can only be done either at one of their own franchises or by one of their registered (normally) mobile service agents. And as has been stated they rarely allow any variation over dates when the service is due. Bailey have one of the worst reputations over this.

[Guest]

1 minute ago, Graham Davis said:

The "problem" is that with a car you are allowed to have it serviced at any VAT registered garage and the warranty will be preserved, as long as the manufacturer's parts are used, but with a caravan they insist that it can only be done either at one of their own franchises or by one of their registered (normally) mobile service agents. And as has been stated they rarely allow any variation over dates when the service is due. Bailey have one of the worst reputations over this.

Indeed Ive just said much the same.

 

As to varying the dates try owning a Ford. Ive just had a battle with them over being allowed to vary the date due to the lockdown/covid 19,

 

not a chance.

 

Mercedes are one manufacturer that did show flexibility there may be others.

 

 

[ditchcrawler]

1 hour ago, Loddon said:

Only until you are 70 unless you specifically request that they are carried on. Might even be a medical involved to keep them I cant remember. If you are over 70 check your licence and you may find them gone and you can't get them back without taking the test

 

 

I think the only thing I last was Minibus which didnt bother me.

[dor]

1 hour ago, The Happy Nomad said:

Indeed Ive just said much the same.

 

As to varying the dates try owning a Ford. Ive just had a battle with them over being allowed to vary the date due to the lockdown/covid 19,

 

not a chance.

 

Mercedes are one manufacturer that did show flexibility there may be others.

 

 

Kia very helpful and accommodating, including collecting and returning the car to home at no charge.

[GUMPY]

4 minutes ago, ditchcrawler said:

I think the only thing I last was Minibus which didnt bother me.

And the ability to tow over 3500kg gtw

 

[ditchcrawler]

55 minutes ago, Loddon said:

And the ability to tow over 3500kg gtw

 

I didn't notice that one, but I don't own a tow car now so not a problem, lets face it, at 72 I don't even know how much longer I will even hold a licence.

[GUMPY]

2 minutes ago, ditchcrawler said:

I didn't notice that one, but I don't own a tow car now so not a problem, lets face it, at 72 I don't even know how much longer I will even hold a licence.

I seem to be towing something more often than not, 250 miles to do tomorrow with trailer attached, off to clear the boat ready for painting.

MIL is still driving at 91..............but not with me as a passenger

 

[haggis]

3 hours ago, Loddon said:

Only until you are 70 unless you specifically request that they are carried on. Might even be a medical involved to keep them I cant remember. If you are over 70 check your licence and you may find them gone and you can't get them back without taking the test

 

 

No medical required but you have to sign a form saying that you are fit to drive and the licence has to be renewed very 3 years. I always make sure that the towing bit is still there.

 

haggis

[ditchcrawler]

This is the back of mine 

 

[haggis]

same as mine!