ULP
29-06-2008, 08:08 PM
Friends of ours, Jayne and Steve, have recently been looking for an old campervan. They love walking, the countryside and getting out an about. After viewing a number of smoky, rusty, damp and nasty 20 year old VW's all for around £6,000 they decided to look at something different.
An impulse purchase (Jayne does impulse, Steve does dispair!) on ebay has led them to an Eriba Touring for £4,000. It sounds quite steep for a 12 year old 'van, but a look around it tells you these Eriba's are built to an exceptional standard it feels 4-5 years old at the most the quality is light years ahead of many UK 'vans I have had a look around. They picked it up on Saturday morning and came to St. Neots for an overnight stay in our local caravan and camping park (see the Duxford thread for a link) after some quick cleaning.
They wanted a small 'van that wouldn't feel cumbersome and at 610kg (750kg maximum total weight) Steve feels happy towing this behind his Renault Kangoo dCi van although Jayne's Corsa 1.2 would also tow it with ease.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v371/christodd1/IMG_7266.jpg
We went and had a butchers today and it's a fantastic piece of kit - for anyone considering a caravan I can strongly reccomend these things are very comfortable. Thier Touring has two single beds that make up to a huge double, with a small kitchen and a huge wardrobe - you can get them with a toilet room that's slightly longer or have one with a cross-double and wc that is the same length but Steve and Jayne are not bothered by the lack of a loo - as our fellow camping enthusiasts will testify, camp sites cater very well nowadays and Steve's van has a solid bulkhead and no windows on the doors so they could put a Porta Potti in the back!!! You can also get them with a single bed (and cross double) or, the longer one of the same configuration, with a loo.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v371/christodd1/IMG_7260.jpg
The four of us fitted around the dining table with ease, and you could get six at a push. It has 12v leisure batteries and 240v hook-up, along with a 3-burner hob and a cold water tap for the sink and 2.2kw heater (more than enough).
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v371/christodd1/IMG_7261.jpg
And with the kitchen panels tilted up to reveal the hob and sink:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v371/christodd1/IMG_7262.jpg
With the roof raised headroom is about 6'2" and ventilation is excellent with zipped-cloth panels - in the rain or wind you'd want to drop the roof down which takes about 20 seconds and is easy.
Steve has found towing it easy although he suspects there may be a slight binding on the brakes and is therefore booking it in for a service.
Although it cost £4,000, that included an awning and the 240v connection (an extra when new). They didn't put the awning up but their intention is to use it in the summer and leave the bed made up - in winter, early spring and late autumn they will just use the 'van. Yes, they will use it through the winter!
Ingenious storage
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v371/christodd1/IMG_7267.jpg
These things are suitable behind an A2, even the 1.4 petrol could tow a fully-loaded Eriba Touring and still have the 'van within the 85% weight limit. If anyone is thunking about it but would discount these on them being horrid little things then I can vouch they are incredibly well built and, within the confines of something 10ft long, rather spacious.
An impulse purchase (Jayne does impulse, Steve does dispair!) on ebay has led them to an Eriba Touring for £4,000. It sounds quite steep for a 12 year old 'van, but a look around it tells you these Eriba's are built to an exceptional standard it feels 4-5 years old at the most the quality is light years ahead of many UK 'vans I have had a look around. They picked it up on Saturday morning and came to St. Neots for an overnight stay in our local caravan and camping park (see the Duxford thread for a link) after some quick cleaning.
They wanted a small 'van that wouldn't feel cumbersome and at 610kg (750kg maximum total weight) Steve feels happy towing this behind his Renault Kangoo dCi van although Jayne's Corsa 1.2 would also tow it with ease.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v371/christodd1/IMG_7266.jpg
We went and had a butchers today and it's a fantastic piece of kit - for anyone considering a caravan I can strongly reccomend these things are very comfortable. Thier Touring has two single beds that make up to a huge double, with a small kitchen and a huge wardrobe - you can get them with a toilet room that's slightly longer or have one with a cross-double and wc that is the same length but Steve and Jayne are not bothered by the lack of a loo - as our fellow camping enthusiasts will testify, camp sites cater very well nowadays and Steve's van has a solid bulkhead and no windows on the doors so they could put a Porta Potti in the back!!! You can also get them with a single bed (and cross double) or, the longer one of the same configuration, with a loo.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v371/christodd1/IMG_7260.jpg
The four of us fitted around the dining table with ease, and you could get six at a push. It has 12v leisure batteries and 240v hook-up, along with a 3-burner hob and a cold water tap for the sink and 2.2kw heater (more than enough).
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v371/christodd1/IMG_7261.jpg
And with the kitchen panels tilted up to reveal the hob and sink:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v371/christodd1/IMG_7262.jpg
With the roof raised headroom is about 6'2" and ventilation is excellent with zipped-cloth panels - in the rain or wind you'd want to drop the roof down which takes about 20 seconds and is easy.
Steve has found towing it easy although he suspects there may be a slight binding on the brakes and is therefore booking it in for a service.
Although it cost £4,000, that included an awning and the 240v connection (an extra when new). They didn't put the awning up but their intention is to use it in the summer and leave the bed made up - in winter, early spring and late autumn they will just use the 'van. Yes, they will use it through the winter!
Ingenious storage
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v371/christodd1/IMG_7267.jpg
These things are suitable behind an A2, even the 1.4 petrol could tow a fully-loaded Eriba Touring and still have the 'van within the 85% weight limit. If anyone is thunking about it but would discount these on them being horrid little things then I can vouch they are incredibly well built and, within the confines of something 10ft long, rather spacious.