10 Things We Wish We'd Known Before Full Time Caravan Living

[@Avantgardist]

Man, you don't know how much I enjoyed your "No bullshit and no instagram livingthevanlife crap"-approach! Just honest real life tips presented by a charismatic and relatable fella. Keep it up! I'm loving it!

[@TheMcNeillsonWheels]

Thanks! This means a lot to us. We just hope to grow as organically as we can with a loyal fan base. We also aim to be truthful - this lifestyle is not without its challenges, as the current pandemic is showing. Thanks again for your lovely comment.

[@knightgary3139]

Within the last few years I have battled cancer on two occasions and now I do the things in life that I always wanted to but never quite got round to doing. Whilst recovering in hospital I watched endless videos on jags. I’d always wanted one since being a kid so after leaving hospital I got myself one. I had always dreamed about a small canal cruiser....I bought one. I have always wanted a touring caravan and I am on the look out for a budget one. All with the help of a pension I didn’t realise I’d been paying into 🤔 just wish I had done these things when I was younger and my son was younger. I truly enjoy your videos, great tips and add to the excitement of starting out with a caravan. My advice is to anyone contemplating doing something in life that they’ve always wanted to do....do it.....you can make it happen, your only here once. Enjoy life ! Good luck to you my friends.

[@TheMcNeillsonWheels]

Gary, this is a beautiful comment. I am so pleased that you have found happiness after such terrible misfortune. We also believe that it is incredibly important to live the life we've all been given - who knows when it will end. Incidentally, our friend is selling a caravan - 2007/8 Bailey Ranger. You can see it on this video here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/kHyxqqF9a82NmZo

[@LairdIanEliasMordecai]

I live In my caravan and my heater fan works great. I love it. The best way to use it is in auto mode. The fan will adjust its speed depending on the heat of the heater all my vents give out hot air I’ve even added one to blow hot air on to my bed and it’s great.

[@Essexyorkie]

Just about to buy a caravan after having a house fire. Thank you for the tips and you have got great presentation skills.

[@TheMcNeillsonWheels]

Thanks for your kind words. Sorry to hear about your house. Hopefully, my video on inspecting a used caravan for sale will be useful to you.

[@lincolntablepodcast3139]

I think theres going to be a massive increase in caravaners in 2021 me been one of them looking forward o our first outing

[@TheMcNeillsonWheels]

The more, the merrier! Glad to welcome you to caravanning. Feel free to throw any questions our way. I can't guarantee that we'll have all the answers, but I'll give it our best shot!

[@gnd08light72]

I hope so! The councils are just greedy

[@tommccafferty517]

3w3s3s3sss3ssss3s3sses3ss3sse3s3s4e

[@andrewmoorey6103]

I think there's an upsurge at the moment as people cannot get away on their usual cheap package holidays. As the restrictions ease as we learn to live with Covid for the rest of our lives people will drop caravanning as fast as they took it up. We've been caravanning for 20 years and noticed the dramatic increase since March 2020 as anything resembling a caravan was dragged out of the bushes and pressed into use. Some people have been badly ripped off with old damp caravans in very poor condition with defective equipment, poor chassis and tyres and I've heard of a lot of dangerously overloaded and mismatched cars being seen on the roads, the DVSA and police have had a field day stopping people on motorways and fining them for being overweight, towing without mirrors, dangerous tyres or the driver not having the right licence.

[@vipdrumnbass9682]

There will be more now in 2022

[@juppyro1106]

Regarding "having the wrong licrnse for towing", as of the 16th december 2021, you are now allowed to tow a trailer of up to 3,500kg (way more than enough for a caravan) by simply passing your driving test, so long as you passed after 1st of January 1997. The government has done this to simplify the journey towards becoming a lorry driver, as there is a shortage of HGV drivers in the UK.

[@enzodelbono9884]

You should be a TV presenter....the BBC needs you...love your channel..

[@TheMcNeillsonWheels]

You’re too kind! But I thank you for your lovely comment.

[@douglassmith720]

We have a Lunar Ariva 2 berth with the end kitchen/shower room. The electric blow heating works fine because the heated air does not travel far before it is expelled into the living area and shower. Despite it being a 2005 model we have not experienced any problems with the Status aerial similar to the one on your caravan. However as I like my technology we have fitted a Sky+ HD box complete with portable satellite dish and can watch, pause & record live shows. We always use pink fluid but regularly forget to use the blue in the waste tank. The seat bases do not work well so we use memory foam to soothe our aching bones. We have a 100 watt solar panel with 20 amp charge controller to keep the 110ah lead acid battery topped up. We have an electric motor mover which uses electric motors to engage and disengage the rollers which means no struggling with a long lever.

[@TheMcNeillsonWheels]

Sounds like you've got quite the nifty set up going on! The motor movers are a definite plus and make setting up on site a whole lot easier!

[@Youtube_deleted_my_favourites]

for adding the bog-flush water I use a big lenor bottle - its flatish so it means its easier to top up the flush water

[@TheMcNeillsonWheels]

Oh yes, I like this idea!

[@ericajohnson3504]

Another tip for mattress comfort, we bought a memory foam mattress topper which is very comfortable, with our double sleeping bag on top. It folds up ok to fit in the under-bed storage too.

[@TheMcNeillsonWheels]

Like this - A LOT! Thanks!

[@ambulancekidd]

Excellent video & coming from someone who has caravanned & motorhomed for 56yrs tells you that I'm impressed. One very minor criticism is how heavy handed you are with doors, water hatches & the likes will come back to bite you, be gentle, these parts are not of household quality & when they break you'll have water going where you do not want it. Keep up the good work, best wishes...Rob

[@TheMcNeillsonWheels]

Cheers, Rob! In truth, I just get a little over excited whilst filming. I’m usually very gentle!

[@davekelly9345]

this is more of a time saving tip rather than anything else , we lived in our tourer for nearly 2 years and we found that leaving a spirit level just inside the caravan door before you set of was a good and handy way 2 check how level your van is when you arrive (side 2 side )this way you could check the level before un-hooking and you didnt have 2 traipse in and out re-hook start cursing and so on lol

[@TheMcNeillsonWheels]

'Start Cursing' - How every caravan holiday should start😂!

[@dataanalyst5704]

1) The blown air heating is perfect to take the chill off at night, you mentioned the fire but having the fan on actually gets air into all the areas that condensation and mould would form..... so not as useless as you think. 2) The blue shouldn’t be put where the pink goes especially if it contains formaldehyde as it shouldn’t come into contact with skin, it’s an irritant and harmful. However.... I fully agree with you on the alteration of a caravan. As long as it looks like it came that way and not made by the Clampits. I ripped out our end dinette and made an ottoman style bed base with loads of storage in and bought a proper pocket sprung mattress. I used the laminate boarding already there to finish it and it made a world of difference. If you are living or spending long periods of time in it you need a descent bed. Plus, change all the plug sockets for ones with USB’s, it’s so handy if you’ve got gadgets. Ps. Liked you video otherwise.

[@TheMcNeillsonWheels]

Hello, Thanks for your reply. The blown air heating was useless in this caravan as it leaked so much warm air that, even in summer, the temperature measured at outlets was only marginally above ambient. The blue in the flush won’t come into contact with skin, as we stand up to flush 😂 Thanks for commenting! Hope you enjoy the rest of the channel.

[@martinroberts4391]

We have just bought our first caravan thanks to the towing laws being changed. Thank you truck driver crisis, best thing to come out of the covid

[@TheMcNeillsonWheels]

Awesome! That makes me enormously happy. We need more to enter caravanning to keep things going! Enjoy it!

[@danuk2005]

Thanks for the video as it does raise a lot of points someone new to caravanning with perhaps an older caravan wouldn't even start to think about. One thing I would say about modifying the inside is to be careful of weight and your payload and to get the caravan weighed before towing.

[@TheMcNeillsonWheels]

Hi Dan, Glad you enjoyed the video. You raise good advice for anyone modifying their van. For me, the weight of the removed materials was similar to the new materials, so we should be fine. I should probably have mentioned this! Don't want people installing a washing machine there! Thanks for watching! Jamie

[@marybarnes9898]

Thanks, have enjoyed your presentation. We bought a 21 year old 2 berth L shaped lounge Swift two months ago, have adapted the double bed to two singles (one shorter ) and added memory foam toppers. Didn't drill into anything, its a supplementary bed base on legs held in place by bungee cords. Much more comfortable and now both of us can get up without disturbing the other. Sadly only had 3 nights in it so far, but will start again next Spring. I was however surprised how much all the extras for caravan cost, even though we were left the most important stuff , actually spent another £2000 on stuff including a second hand awning and other second hand things and obviously had a tow bar fitted. Best wishes.

[@TheMcNeillsonWheels]

Glad to hear that you've been able to adapt the space to suit your needs better. Yes, caravan accessories can be pricey. We try to avoid buying something unless we absolutely need it! Shame that you haven't been able to make as much use of your caravan as you'd like. Depending on how you feel about winter, is it possible to use your caravan year-round and there are some sites that are open to touring during the winter. However, if it gets really cold, you may find that the water in your aqua roll freezes! Best wishes, Jamie

[@Fractalkoala]

Thanks! We got a caravan with nothing in it, slowly slowly we are setting it up but right now our toilet is outside having a bag with a bucket and toilet seat ontop lol It was just much cheaper getting it with nothing in it and we wanted to put everything where WE wanted it.... We got it made brand new!

[@Globalweb999]

You really enlightened me on TV signals. My Abbey 216 is 19 years old and I bought it 2 years ago.Everything about it is brilliant EXCEPT the tv won’t work! However you have just made my day when you said about the Digital signal being introduced in 2005! Great info...THANK YOU 👍👍

[@TheMcNeillsonWheels]

Wonderful! Glad it was useful for you. However, a T.V. aerial technician commented, reckoning that I am wrong about that point, as the hardware isn't that different, however I cannot find another reason for the difference.

[@deezelbum]

Enjoyed that. Don't know if anyone else has said it but you don't need to reverse the polarity on the fan - just turn the fan around!

[@TheMcNeillsonWheels]

Ah ha! What a perfect idea! I’ll look into that 👍 Thanks!

[@LuckiesLife]

Blown air heating works superb in my Senator Wyoming 5. Mind you when I first bought it I had to reconnect all the corrugated cardboard pipes that had popped off the vent outlets and replace the ones that were crushed flat. It also helps to open the far vents and allow the van to heat up from the back first (at least for my van). Now I just have to sort the damp in the front window and rear bathroom (unless you guys feel like doing it and I cough up the readies!) and sort the water heater that trips everything out when I use it. Great hint on double quilting. There's a reason why I love your caravan channel so much. Awesome work, always engaging videos with interesting content, great presenter and great camerawoman. Keep being excellent!

[@TheMcNeillsonWheels]

Thanks for your lovely comment. Sorry to read about your damp. We definitely don't fancy doing another caravan in a hurry but would definitely encourage you to tackle it! Our blown air heating was hopeless. They'd installed outlets into the awning area, so it was incredibly leaky. Keep us updated with how you get on!

[@JoniqueLife]

Tip top advice! Essential to know that yes we sometimes need to amend our dream van along the way! Nothing is perfect at the start!

[@TheMcNeillsonWheels]

So true! Glad you enjoyed the video.

[@kapihuria]

Can we just say what an amazing job the camera person was too! ❤️ love these videos, learning so much. Thank u!

[@TheMcNeillsonWheels]

Glad you found it useful! Thanks! :)

[@shed.projects5150]

Our self build camper has a 12 / 240v fridge which works on 12v = 24/7, powered by solar panels, along with cold water tap, and we cook with gas. All works great, no shower though, but saying that, we only stay in it for a few nights at a time and the camp sights always have showers. thanks for the vid. Paul UK

[@ct026]

We’ve had our 1999 caravan for two days! The learning curve is quite enjoyable.......at the moment! The blown air heating info was interesting. New sub. 👍🏻👊🏻

[@TheMcNeillsonWheels]

Awesome! Welcome aboard! How have you found your blown air heating? Yay or Nay?

[@PhilMozchops1974]

Have been caravanning since I was 18 months old . great video. there is another way to lay out your bed. This also means you dont get your backside sliding down between the middle cushions,Try inverting the two larger cushions in the middle keeping the thicker parts to the outside of the bed I have found this much more comfy. By the way I notice in an earlier video when you sold your house that it was the village i grew up in and lived for 20 years or so. keep up the great videos.

[@TheMcNeillsonWheels]

Hello! Thanks for your comment. I know we tried numerous layouts for the bed before settling on the one shown, however not sure whether we tried the layout you have mentioned. Will try it and get back to you! You recognised Binley Woods from that small snippet?! It was a lovely place, but we were only there for 2 years before moving on. Having the woods so close by was a joyful retreat. Are you still caravanning?

[@PhilMozchops1974]

@@TheMcNeillsonWheels At present I am repairing the front window section on my caravan due to the dreaded damp getting in. It is a common design flaw in many manufacturers to not drill clearance holes in the the window hinges. This then when combined with poor weather and road vibrations can crack the plastic front hence damp. Unfortunately my caravan was in storage during lockdown and it didn't have the cover on. Binley woods is a lovely place, up until my fathers passing a couple of years ago my parents who still live there also where keen caravanners,this is of course where I became hooked.(pardon the pun).... Luckily as I was a 70's child and passed my test in 91 dont have to pass the test to tow. Don't know if I would pass it either. (Too many bad habits.lol) needless to say I can reverse ok as I kind of have to, my caravan is the max permissible length of 7meters and I dont have a motor mover. Once again keep up the great videos and look forward to hearing the outcome of your bed layout. Take care.

[@BallisticBurns]

Really good video, appreciate it. The mrs and I are moving into a Buccanner Cruiser 5. Bricking it, is an understatement. Never towed anything. Don't know the caravanning etiquette. So thank goodness for videos like this and others. :)

[@TheMcNeillsonWheels]

Awesome! Exciting times ahead for you. With towing, slow and steady is the key. You'll have a great time. Let us know how you get on!

[@lovefromaustralia6961]

Hello! I just bought my first caravan, and am picking it up this weekend. Your video was hugely helpful, and I found it great to learn from someone so friendly and fun. From someone who is new to it all, Thank you for sharing your knowledge. 🙂

[@TheMcNeillsonWheels]

Thanks! We certainly don't know everything, but happy to share what we've learnt!

[@himwotdus]

Good to see you back and doing caravan related vlogs. Keep em coming !

[@TheMcNeillsonWheels]

Thanks for your comment! Up with the caravan vlogs and down with the travel vlogs! Okay, okay, we get the message, it's all about caravanning! Less travel more caravan content! Ha! Ha! Thanks for watching! Jamie :)

[@steveh3483]

Always reverse onto ramps, the braking system on a caravan is such that if you pull it forward on to a ramp when you take the tow vehicle off, it can roll down the ramp backwards....

[@TheMcNeillsonWheels]

This is a classic debate! We’ve had people tell us to NEVER reverse onto ramps due to how the caravan’s braking system operates. Either way, our caravan has never rolled off the ramps whichever way, so for me, I’d say it’s personal preference, unless the design of your caravan calls for either method.

[@higgy1726]

Dog storage 🤣👍🏼 cracking video like a lot have people will have said, no nonsense, no Instagram vibes 👍🏼

[@TheMcNeillsonWheels]

Thanks! We try our best to please!

[@christenebackhouse4419]

Hey, we are new to Caravans, and its perfect timing seeing your video. Top priority is "clean the pipes" !!! we were not told that by the salesman, and another aerial will be a must have for our 2003 Compass Corona (hope its not an omen) as I had Covid and nearly killed me, hope this van is not as deadly ... Although it doesn't apply to me, being that I passed my test in 1986, the info about different licences clarified that for me.

[@TheMcNeillsonWheels]

Hi Christene, Sorry to hear about your recent illness, but glad to hear that you’re on the mend. Hopefully, you’re new caravan will give you lots of happy memories. I’m also pleased that you won’t have to sit the B+E as it really is a hassle. Enjoy your adventures and feel free to let us know how you’re getting on 😀

[@tylerburgess8709]

For the bed, look at a memory foam mattress topper. It's honestly a game-changer. And as it's memory foam you can roll it up easily when not in use.

[@TheMcNeillsonWheels]

Hi Tyler, Thanks for your comment. We've considered this before, however our problem is a lack of storage at present. Under the bunk seats, we've got some food stores under one and the bedding under another. Despite them rolling up, I don't think we have anywhere to store one at present. Perhaps once the pandemic is over, we will reduce our food stores and have space. Thanks! Jamie

[@flopskicollins8482]

I'm living in a fendt caravan 2016 model, I love it, I'm on a traveller site at mo, as council won't house me because ma ex missus has our house until I force a sale. I have no bills, I get on with tha travellers, and I actually feel safer here than some areas iv stayed in ma home town. It took me a while to get used to toilet and shower situation, but you get used to it. Thinking of a campervan next, an maybe tow a trailer with ma motorbike😁

[@TheMcNeillsonWheels]

So glad that you are enjoying living how you are. It's not for everyone, as some don't enjoy the hardships that come with it, but if you can look past those, there is a lot to be gleamed from it! Best wishes for the future!

[@flopskicollins8482]

@@TheMcNeillsonWheels thank you, I do enjoy not being stuck to our governments ways on control, il be looking for my own bit of land to set up ma own little farm to eventually live on😎

[@googlemusiconly1138]

I was in a similar situation and a biker. I’ve now got 2 caravans, still got my bike and I kept the marital home but I rent it and live in the caravans on my drive. One is my office and bed and one I tow for getting away. Only bought the second one yesterday. My motorbike is in my garage. I’m a biker chick with a difference. I used to hang out with travellers back in the early 90s. Enjoy your freedom 😊

[@flopskicollins8482]

@@googlemusiconly1138 glad to hear from a fellow outcast😎😂, I enjoy tha freedom from society, it's been an experience I won't forget. I'm going to get a van an another bike, so onwards an up upwards ma friend 😁👍

[@ellr4650]

I'm weeks away from beginning the same route for similar reasons..actually looking forward to it. Been down for so long

[@flybobbie1449]

Toilets, i used the cheap blue blocs from Lidl. Work just great and cheap. Breaking solids no problem, just give the cassette a good shake before emptying. If living on just one site, i covered the underfloor with loft insulation. Also insulate your outside water barrels. two 50 litres would last a week. And when buying a caravan buy one with the storage heater next to the sink and shower. Easy to insulate in winter. I lined the walls with floor tiles to reduce condensation. I only used my heater all night one Xmas, when temp dropped to -13 c.

[@TheMcNeillsonWheels]

All good tips there. I'm not sure whether the blue blocs you mention would be compatible with the septic that we have here, but I will do some further investigation. With regards to additional insulation - this caravan will require some remedial work in the coming years, so I'll incorporate additional insulation in to that. For example, the floor needs replacing, so I'll substitute the existing material for kingspan boards, etc.

[@flybobbie1449]

@@TheMcNeillsonWheels I just used the loft insulation from BandQ. Just held in place by running some string or wire to hold it in place. Just stops the wind chilling the floor.

[@justmark1976]

Our Knightsbridge also has a soft floor, it has gone right under the bed, around the table storage about s two/three foot section. I've looked underneath ours and looks dry and sound, so I was planning on using a resin that you inject into drilled holes to fill the voids caused by the ply delaminating. Replacing the floor sounds very involved and expensive, so if you want to try it first and let us know how you get on... 😁😁😁

[@TheMcNeillsonWheels]

Mark Thompson There’s a section that will need replacing anyway, as it’s rotten. I know the dowels and the resin, which is straightforward enough to do. Not sure when or whether we’ll do it!

[@riboid]

@@flybobbie1449 kingspan is twice the performance of bq loft insulation at the same thickness approximately.

[@andyfermo1586]

Thanks for the tips. We’re about to head on a 12mth lap of Australia 🇦🇺 and these little nuggets are very useful to know before heading off on our adventure

[@TheMcNeillsonWheels]

That sounds like an amazing adventure! Will you be putting out any content onto KZbin?

[@andyfermo1586]

Yes Jamie we’ll be documenting our adventures whilst also helping veterans and first responders experiencing PTSD

[@TheMcNeillsonWheels]

A very worthy and noble cause - do let me know when you have the first video up and I'll give it a watch :)

[@RealNewZealandAdventures]

Thanks for all the information we will be heading to the uk for 6 months in april 2023 and looking forward to caravaning our way around

[@TheMcNeillsonWheels]

Have fun! The UK is an awesome country to explore. Check out Travelling K's UK tour - she's a fellow Kiwi, so may be able to give you some interesting insights into 'Life in the UK'!

[@jaynerice529]

Really enjoyed your no nonsense and proper basic tips that everyone needs when starting! Thanks!! Jayne

[@TheMcNeillsonWheels]

Glad it was helpful! Feel free to ask any questions 😃

[@ia23947002]

Just taken up caravaning found your video very informative thanks for taking the time

[@TheMcNeillsonWheels]

Glad it was helpful! I've got another caravan tips video in the pipeline!

[@samhartfieldlewis5247]

Good going, definitely right the perfect caravan doesn’t exist. We got one not a super expensive one but am currently totally updating to what will work for us. Nice one take care Sam

[@domcovers8729]

I've just bought my first caravan! This was very helpful. Specially about the drinking water pipes! Thanks

[@TheMcNeillsonWheels]

Awesome! Glad we've been helpful for you. Where are you heading first in your caravan?

[@domcovers8729]

@@TheMcNeillsonWheels for a test out I am thinking Dalby forest. I want to seal along the roof seems first so may make a video on this as can't find many? It's an old van so needs some tlc. But I'm with you on making it your own. The floor is also a bit bouncy but hopefully this is all. :/ I'm also working out what I need for alko stabiliser as been told standard tow ball to small. Nervous about the first tow!!! 😬

[@CrackzelPretzelPiece]

Not good at reading instruction before trying to put stuff together but this video is so simple from leveling up to dressing the bed thanks so much.

[@TheMcNeillsonWheels]

Glad you found it useful 😀

[@deltafoxtrot2]

Well presented video, you will only need one levelling ramp as it will only be one side that is out. Add Dacia Duster to your key search words, you will get more clicks as there are a lot of caravan owners out there with Dusters..😊

[@TheMcNeillsonWheels]

Thanks for the tips! I possibly would've added #DaciaDuster to the search terms if the video content was more about the car as a tow car. If I did include it, I would feel like I was being dishonest, as the video content doesn't really mention the car apart from in passing. Glad you enjoyed the video otherwise! All the best, J

[@soniawallis4967]

Brilliant advice, thank you. Genius idea about the double quilting for the bed too.

[@TheMcNeillsonWheels]

No worries! Thanks for the comment :)

[@tonybreeze8516]

We run an Elldis that is older than your van. Re the blown air heating, you may find when you take to bits that inside the heater there is an element (like those in irons) and the fan blows the heat from the element ... But beware of an unpredictable thermo push switch that sometimes needs resetting by pressing a moving slot on the outside of the cover.

[@TheMcNeillsonWheels]

Hello Tony, Thanks for your comment. The main problem in our setup is the heat loss between unit and outlets. In any event, the ducting has been removed now to make way for a design that better suits the layout of this van.

[@andrewnatt1448]

Brilliant vid thanks. We have finally decided to go down the caravan route rather than the Motorhome route and so your channel really helps.

[@TheMcNeillsonWheels]

Thanks, Andrew. Glad to learn that we’ve been of some help to you. We also agonised over buying a motorhome or a caravan and settled on the latter primarily because of budget - we got more for our money buying a caravan. Thanks for taking the time to watch 😀

[@dazbrowne4984]

Had my caravan nearly 2 years elddis cyclone wish I had watched your video before our first outing very informative cheers 👍

[@TheMcNeillsonWheels]

That's great to hear. Glad we've been helpful ☺️

[@dr.t.]

Brilliant, informative and funny too, you'd make a good teacher 😎😎

[@TheMcNeillsonWheels]

Ha ha! Thanks. If only my video skills were as good as my teaching was ;)

[@johngreen6375]

I wish I had seen this before I bought, and subsequently, sold my Caravan. I did it twice, then sold it. Maybe I’ll buy another in the future. Thanks for such an informative video 👍

[@TheMcNeillsonWheels]

Glad you enjoyed it. What motivated you to sell your caravan last time around?

[@johngreen6375]

@@TheMcNeillsonWheels it was mostly because of the lack of knowledge. The final straw was when I over wound the jockey wheel and it fell off without the stabilisers down when trying to get it back on the drive. It nearly took my foot off and blocked the road! Luckily a guy was passing who knew what to do. I put it up for sale soon after 😄

[@TheMcNeillsonWheels]

@@johngreen6375 Nightmare! Fortunately, everything worked out well in the end. 😄

[@martinsmith8156]

Hi just watched your video, I just wanted to say how entertaining it was, an informativ. You're a natural talent and I think you should be a professional presenter, well done .

[@TheMcNeillsonWheels]

Wow, thank you! Got to be honest, I'm blushing here! I don't find it easy, still, after all of the videos we've done. However, each will get better with practice, right? Thanks for joining us on the channel. Take it easy!

[@smudgealdrin1512]

If on hook up I use one of those plug in oil filled radiators set on low to keep it warm in the winter. It takes the bite out of winter overnight for sure.

[@TheMcNeillsonWheels]

Great tip! Caravans can be chilly in winter, that's for sure!

[@smudgealdrin1512]

@@TheMcNeillsonWheels They are great .. dont turn the thing into a sauna overnight .. but really does take that slap away when throwing back the duvet to get up . I used one in -7 in Norway .. worked a peach .

[@paulbateman5769]

Awesome mate. I'm 55 and started caravanning today. After 6 hours trying to set it up I gave up and went home, ha ha. We are going back tomorrow to give it another shot. I will bear a lot of these tips in mind. You havent got any putting up awning tips have you ha ha that was the point I had had enough

[@TheMcNeillsonWheels]

Ha ha! Sorry to hear that you had some troubles. Awnings are never easy and we don't bother with one anymore. I'd say that the best thing to do is give yourself plenty of time. Don't rush it!

[@johnnymacf1]

Get an inflatable awning. Best thing to come to caravaning in decades!! 🤣

[@jeffstocking509]

First time watched one of your videos and we are just about to purchase our first van so very helpful Thanks

[@TheMcNeillsonWheels]

That's awesome. So glad that you found it useful. You'll have a blast with your caravan. Lots of happy memories waiting to be made.

[@janwaite9701]

I have an 1998 Elddis converted for Australia, this was so fun

[@TheMcNeillsonWheels]

How interesting! What changes do they make for the Australian market?

[@raymondpiper8294]

Did you have a hard time shipping the caravan ?👍

[@yaquot]

Gonna Have my first caravan tomorrow and just watched this video. It's really amazing and given me a good idea of what I could be expected soon 🤗.

[@TheMcNeillsonWheels]

Glad to hear it! Welcome to caravanning

[@gordons8843]

Got to agree on the blown air heating we have got it in our van and the amount of times I've fiddled about with it to get the van warm and eventually given up as it was blowing cold we also use a little electric heater which is a lot easier.

[@TheMcNeillsonWheels]

Yup!! I feel your pain. Loads of people have commented, leaping to the defence of blown air heating. Perhaps their ducting is routed more sensibly.

[@carriegaye3403]

Nice, natural, presentation!

[@TheMcNeillsonWheels]

Thanks! It doesn’t come naturally! I don’t know why, but I find it incredibly difficult 😂 Thanks again 😀

[@carriegaye3403]

@@TheMcNeillsonWheels Well, in spite of that, it comes across as very natural and pleasant. Which makes me want to watch further episodes.

[@rt-ks2bh]

Fantastic tips,,, love your explanations lol,,you got a good sense of humor got my vote,,,cheers

[@TheMcNeillsonWheels]

Glad you enjoyed the video. Great to have you on the channel!

[@saralouisemulhern4463]

Loved watching this

[@starcruiser75r12]

Love the video guys. Been with you since the beginning and glad you are loving the van life. Very helpful and informative video. Interesting about the tow load plus car. I bet an amazing number of people are unaware of the weight allowance - if it is even enforced I wonder. Full respect to you guys. Spread the love. Keep living the dream.

[@TheMcNeillsonWheels]

Hello! Thanks for sticking with us - we really appreciate it. We know that we don’t post as often as our subscribers would like us to, but we also don’t always have a lot to tell! I’m in the process of crafting a video all about towing weights, which I’ll try to get out ASAP as I’m sure that it’ll help a lot of people. We often get questions on it. Hope you’re well. Thanks Jamie

[@starcruiser75r12]

@@TheMcNeillsonWheels Your future video on towing weighs is going to be very interesting. Looking forward to seeing it. Fully understand that you dont release videos very often. Quality is always better than quantity. Keep living your dreams guys. You are helping to blaze the trail for people wanting to get out of a rut and live happer lives. Rock on!

[@moyaking8961]

Thank you for this. I'm a newbie at caravaning and I'm trying to learn everything from scratch 😯

[@TheMcNeillsonWheels]

Awesome! Welcome to caravanning! We were newbies in Spring 2018, but have been on a steep learning curve since. If you need anything, feel free to ask and if I can help, then I gladly will. 😀

[@moyaking8961]

@@TheMcNeillsonWheels I've now subscribed to your channel. One thing that I am trying to find out is about the gas! I live in Cyprus and caravans are very rare out here and finding info sucks. My caravan is a 2002 Lunar Lexon end bed. I can run the fridge, cooker, hot water and heater with gas. As the UK have different regulators the caravan hasn't got one. Do you know if I need a low or high pressure regulator? For my house gas hob I have a low pressure regulator. Now I must get back to watching your other videos 😀

[@TheMcNeillsonWheels]

Hi Moya, Was your question: Which regulator will you need for your gas bottle bought in Crete? If so, then I have absolutely no idea 😂 You’ll have to source one from a local camping store. Sorry that I couldn’t help this time 😀

[@moyaking8961]

@@TheMcNeillsonWheels Awww bless you, thank you anyway.

[@sarahdenyer2519]

Ditto... 😀👍

[@stevelutwyche]

New subscriber and a 'Vanner for 40 years elapsed, but with a 20yr gap in the middle! Some great tips here, good presentation style too, like it!

[@TheMcNeillsonWheels]

Thanks, Steve. Glad you liked the video. It’s nice to be able share what you’ve learnt along the way and we certainly have made many mistakes! Thanks for getting in touch. 😃

[@jamiemurphy1316]

Fantastic help, we have just bought our first caravan, tips are brilliant 👏

[@TheMcNeillsonWheels]

Glad you enjoyed it. Feel free to ask any questions 😃

[@victorkent768]

we have a 2004 caravan, not really watchers when away,, but there are times like F1, SO BOUGHT A 12V TV did not work in van no signal thought the same as you not digital aerial,,, but wrong got a coax cable and works,, you only know what you know from one experience , ps our blown air seems to work even in december!! ,do like your work top idea if full time living though,,have subscribed to see your journey

[@TheMcNeillsonWheels]

Glad to hear that you managed to get your T.V. sorted. Also glad to hear that your blown air heating works well. The worktop is fantastic and gives us loads of space. Thanks for joining us on our journey.

[@AndyJWalsh]

Hi Folks, Splendid video. Entertaining and informative. I lived in a static caravan for a year in the 1980's. Had a great time!

[@TheMcNeillsonWheels]

Hi Andy! Thanks for watching our video. It’s always interesting to learn of others who have experienced living in caravans and thoroughly enjoyed it. Hope you’re keeping well. Thanks Jamie

[@tarabray8521]

Im so glad we have found your channel! We have also decided to embark on a full time caravan lifestyle, with our young son. Your Videos are really insightful. Thank you!

[@TheMcNeillsonWheels]

Hi Tara! What a lovely comment to receive! We’re so glad that we’ve been able to inspire you and to have been part of your journey. We were in the same position two years ago and can honestly say that we have no regrets. If useful, we’re always happy to have skype chats with people, if you’d like any advice or help along the way. Enjoy the journey! Jamie

[@tarabray8521]

@@TheMcNeillsonWheels that would be amazing thank you! It would be great to chat to people who are doing it ad people think we are crazy 😂 especially with a toddler in tow!

[@TheMcNeillsonWheels]

@@tarabray8521 No problem. Add me to your Skype and we'll have a chat at some point - [e-mail]

[@Thumper427]

I've been full time caravanning since September last year. I love it... But... I am so cold. Last night it was 6 degrees inside when I woke up so so cold. I bought an oil filled heater to use overnight and it is utterly useless. I need to use electric rather than gas as that's included (unlimited) in my pitch fees each month. Any tips for a good electric heater you can leave on all night safely to keep the space warm? Subbed to you, brilliant videos, thank you!

[@TheMcNeillsonWheels]

Hello! Thanks for the sub and we're pleased that you like the content. Unfortunately, caravans are fairly appalling at retaining heat, so unless you're piling tons of energy in, you're never going to succeed in maintaing a high ambient temperature on cold nights. If you've got the benefit of electric hookup, I'd wholeheartedly recommend an electric blanket. Rather than trying to heat the whole area, heat the bed only. Also, old fashioned technology like pyjamas, bed socks and slippers work wonders. Hot water bottles are great, also. If you have pets, cover them at night with an additional blanket - they too feel the cold. Ultimately, it's a downside of caravan life, but in our climate is mercifully short-lived, as our winters are fairly mild! Take care!

[@BuddyBuddy21]

Thump...look up the diesel heater for caravan....a coke can of diesel would last you a week.

[@bodienutt1]

Your spot on about the blow heating absolutely useless how are they supposed to heat an awning lol but the actual heater is ample to heat the caravan. We bought a memory foam mattress topper for £39 from B&M worth every penny and it's easy to store. Thanks for the Great little tips

[@TheMcNeillsonWheels]

Thanks for the comment. We have no where to store a mattress topper, otherwise we’d love one. Our gas heater does okay at heating the caravan, but the electric is a waste of time for us in our van.

[@xvsupremacy7190]

Yes so do we in our Avondale but he is right we also use a sleeping bag to lie on on top of the topper

[@Tedskuttle1971]

I dont live in my caravan fulltime, but stay away alot with work all year round, fixed bed is def a no brainer, mine has alde wet water heating, used it for a few weeks but when i realised it was costing me £25 a week to keep warm in the winter i fitted a diesel night heater and it costs pence to run now, another good thing is electric blanket in winter, happy caravaning peeps

[@TheMcNeillsonWheels]

Yea, I’m hearing lots of positive praise for the diesel night heater. We have a safefill cylinder which slashed your gas costs. Worth considering. Thanks 😀

[@mizjaynec]

Thanks for these hints. We are 12 days away from moving into our caravan full time until we finish our new house, so really helpful, especially considering we bought a UK caravan, which is quite different for those made in Australia. I wondered what the heck all those little ducts were. How long does your gas bottle generally last for heating & cooking. We’re going into winter & Will be living in a mountain area in Victoria, which gets pretty damn chilly.

[@TheMcNeillsonWheels]

Hi Jayne, Thanks for getting in touch. UK wintertime temperatures are generally between 5-10 Deg C. In a normal winter, we would be refilling our bottle weekly, however it largely depends on how often we run the gas heating. This is one reason why we like the refillable system we have. It’s far cheaper to refill than it would be for the equivalent volume of ‘exchange’ bottle gas. Hope this helps. Best of luck on your new adventure 😀

[@scotts6012]

New to caravans, some really helpful info. Need to clean our lines. I would say though our gas and electric blown air heating is super. Thermostatic control very quite setting for night.

[@TheMcNeillsonWheels]

Hi Scott, Glad to hear that your heating is better than ours. Ours is just so leaky that it loses all its heat by the end of lines. Welcome to caravanning! 😀

[@jongabriel7808]

Excellent guys. Just bought my first caravan and the tips were awesome. Thanks again.

[@TheMcNeillsonWheels]

You’re very welcome! Glad you found it helpful.

[@privateprivate4384]

Puriclean is the best product on the market. We also only ever used filtered water. We also used a Kampa electric heater on setting (1) 750 Watt. Great if you run out of gas.

[@stephenacquah9053]

Very enjoyable, informative and enthusiastically presented. Well done 👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿

[@TheMcNeillsonWheels]

Glad it was helpful! Thanks for watching.

[@jez6208]

Just watched your vid. Really interesting. I've been towing and caravan for nearly 20 years. Always had crappy old caravans. Didn't know half this stuff! 😂 I'm selling my house and buying a custom made caravan from a UK company called Revival. A 19ft work of art. Looks similar to an airstream. 1800 kg dry weight. Crapping myself trying to find the right car to tow it. I passed my test in 95 by the way. Great vid. Cheers mate!

[@TheMcNeillsonWheels]

Hiya! I've just Googled Revival caravans and they look amazing! I've possibly seen them before and counted them as an Airstream, but WOW! They are so cool. Thanks for your kind words about the video. I'm certainly not an expert, but having spent many nights living in our caravan, I think that we've learnt a lot along the way and wanted to share it. For your tow car, I'd like to give the Nissan Navara a shout. They're tough, reliable and relatively reasonably priced. I'd steer clear of Land Rover, sadly, as although I love the brand and design, you'll be battling corrosion on many models, even early 2000s Discos. At least you don't have the licence problems to worry about! Enjoy the move and get back in touch and let us know how you're getting on! Best wishes! Jamie & Stacey

[@jez6208]

@@TheMcNeillsonWheels Really nice of you to take the time to write back. Thank you. Re camping, my lady and I do alot. We are members of the Sealed knot Society. With a membership of about 4,500 we re enact battles from the English Civil wars. All off grid camping. Been to some amazing locations. I'll definitely need a 4x4. I moved up to County Durham from Oxford about 2 years ago. Always has crappy caravans so when my house is sold, I've decided to treat myself. 40 grand give or take. Always had knackered old cars too. I'll be getting something nice but 2nd hand. Nissan Navara you reckon? I did consider that. Also a landcruiser or shogun. Definitely not a landrover. Expensive and unreliable. ☹ I am worried about the combined weight of the car and the caravan. Your vid has helped alot! Cheers! When this virus madness is over, keep an eye out for The Sealed knot. Good day out and you might see me get stretcherd off. 😂 I'm a pikeman in Sir George Lisle's Regiment of Foote. Bloody painful but hilarious! By for now mate. Jez.

[@johnnymacf1]

@@jez6208 Kia Sorento. Pulls like a train. Good road manners and reliable!

[@LowVisionUKTerrysView]

really pleased I came by your channel. never been in a caravan before. bought a 2002 2 berth to see if we like it...and really quite excited about it - cant wait to try it out. have subscribed, and look forward to binge watching your other videos :-)

[@TheMcNeillsonWheels]

Welcome aboard! Caravanning holidays are a superb way to explore the UK. Feel free to forward any questions that you might have and I will do my best to answer them!

[@diggydog1242]

really enjoyed the video, and well done on leaving the rat race and living the dream, i'm sure it's something most of us consider doing but don't have the bottle to see it through.good luck to you both.

[@TheMcNeillsonWheels]

Thanks! Feel free to follow us on our journey by subscribing. We're not sure how long we'll live like this for, but I guess that we will continue to do so until we no longer enjoy it or fancy doing something different!

[@tilt390]

Hi,thanks for the top tip on the pipe cleaner,I hadn't given it a thought,as to why it tastes like pond water 😯😂 many thanks great video

[@TheMcNeillsonWheels]

You’re welcome! Check out Dan’s excellent video on it, where he goes through it step by step 👍

[@bobo3034]

Good video and sure it will help lots of new people to caravanning. Just a minor point, I notice you have the caravan brake on. Once you get set up on site, its always best to leave it off, otherwise the brake shoes can stick to the drums and will need a good tug on the caravan to release them.

[@TheMcNeillsonWheels]

Hi David, Thanks for your comment. Funny thing is, I wouldn't normally leave it on for that reason! I must have forgotten last time I moved the caravan. The current pitch is dead level, so there's no definitely no worry of the caravan running away anywhere! Thanks for your contribution! Jamie

[@AmazingPhilippines1]

Watching from the Philippines where I have yet to see a caravan. If I were in the states, I would be traveling in one though. Thanks.

[@dairekearney66]

thanks for that info guys. im looking at getting a caravan soon and you helped me make up my mind on what I want to do

[@TheMcNeillsonWheels]

I’m so pleased to hear that we’ve been of help 😀

[@sarahdenyer2519]

This was sooooo useful - thank you. I have a (new to me) Elddis Mistral Vogue 1997, so very similar and extremely helpful advice. However as my caravan is only a small 2 berth, the blow heating makes sitting on the loo a delight! 😀 Plus thank you for the aerial advice, I’ll stick with iPad downloads for TV. I ow also know how to make our water taste better! 👍 So pleased I stumbled across you guys. Sarah. 😉

[@TheMcNeillsonWheels]

Hi Sarah, I'm really glad to hear that we have been helpful to you. We have lots of caravan-related content across our channel, so feel free to have a browse and let us know if you have any questions! Thanks Jamie

[@philallin5071]

This is the 1st video of yours that I have watched, and as a fairly new member of the caravaning fraternity I would have to agree with the majority of your top 10 tips especially the incompatibility of older caravan tv antennas with modern digital TV. Around 12 months ago we bought our 1st caravan, an Avondale built in 2004 and used it extensively for 6 months right up to the UK lockdown in March of this year. I'm really surprised to hear that you don't like the blown air heating as I think that it it one of the best features in our van an seemed very capable of keeping us warm over the winter months. I really don't fancy using the Elsan blue chemical in the toilet rinse tank, I find that it has a quite unpleasant smell and am much happier using the pink for flushing. Your tip for cleaning the fresh water pipes is great however, we have stopped drinking the water from the barrel and now carry a separate 5 litre container to use for drinking as the barrel water tastes awful. You have gained me as a new subscriber, I'll be searching out more interesting content from your channel archive over the coming days, thank you.

[@TheMcNeillsonWheels]

Thanks, Phil! It's great to have you onboard. I'm hoping to do another 'tips' video before the autumn really sets in, that I hope you and others will find useful. We don't put out content as often as our subscribers would like - this is due to us having been very busy with work at the moment. Take care, hope to hear from you again soon. Jamie

[@themadchook]

nice video ,picking up my first caravan on xmas eve cant wait for out first trip in the spring

[@TheMcNeillsonWheels]

Awesome! You won't regret it. How soon are you hoping to get out in it?

[@lewisfirth6502]

So glad I saw your vid, I've just bought a little Abi Marauder ready for my maiden voyage, the Scotland coast will be my destination ,any tips welcome, great vid and subbed.

[@TheMcNeillsonWheels]

Have fun! The Marauders are lovely caravans!

[@jamesdecross1035]

Tip 7 = so useful… thank you!

[@TheMcNeillsonWheels]

Glad it was helpful! This is something that we definitely didn't know, but once you do and you think about it, it does make sense! Thanks for commenting!

[@saddlerkey]

Informative video , hope you are both well and safe given covid 19 take care!!!

[@TheMcNeillsonWheels]

We're both doing well, thanks. Our site has been closed to the public, but we have remained behind to help maintain things. Stacey is still out cutting the grass and I'm spending a lot of time in the garden planting veggies, repairing things in the caravan and other bits and pieces. We're also both studying for the TEFL qualification, which will allow us to teach English online. Exciting times! Thanks for watching. Hope that you and yours are well. Thanks Jamie :)

[@cesar190472]

just got my first caravan!!! what a great video!!! thanks.

[@TheMcNeillsonWheels]

Have fun! Where are you off to first in it?

[@flybobbie1449]

What i learned about living in a caravan, i could have designed it better than the company with 50 years experience. Your caravan layout like mine a 2008 Swift Challenger. But on my version they made the mistake of moving the immersion heater far from next to the shower. Big mistake winter as the water froze. Also if had a 3rd year in the van i would have fitted on board water storage and moved heater under diner seat. My blown warm air worked fine. Also when you vacate the van, lift cushions away from walls, otherwise like mine, mould starts to form in damp corners. I just slept on the bench seat, such that now in my flat i can only get a good night sleep, sleeping on my couch. I have no bed.

[@TheMcNeillsonWheels]

They're really designed for holiday users. We searched for a long time looking for a large, 2-berth caravan, but they simply don't exist. They're all too often designed for family holiday, summer occupation. However, like you've said previously, with a few tweaks, they are incredibly habitable for winter and longer term!

[@jamesdollshead6902]

Great info, just bought puriclean half way through the video. 👍

[@TheMcNeillsonWheels]

Awesome. Glad we've been helpful!

[@nab1uk]

Excellent thanks for the tips, watching your presentation I think ," move over Mr Tumble" 👍

[@TheMcNeillsonWheels]

Glad you enjoyed it. I've got a similar video in the pipeline, so keep an eye out for that one. Should be useful for a lot of people 🙂

[@heatherpalmer]

All great advice some I’m already doing in our van 🎉especially the double quilting 😂 my god those seats are hard 😂 xx

[@Celt_Downunder]

Absolutely the best video ever. Thank you from Australia 🇦🇺

[@thebritishbloke4893]

Yet again great info looking forward to buying my first caravan going out there and living free 🚐

[@TheMcNeillsonWheels]

You’ve put yourself on an exciting journey! Enjoy every minute! Thanks 😊

[@thebritishbloke4893]

The McNeills on Wheels thanks One thing you can do is fishing! free food ha ha been fishing for years trout salmon carp mackerel it’s easy if you’ve got the right rods and tackle, i’ve got a ton of equipment if you need anything let me know! drop me a line give me your phone number and I’ll send you a video of how to set up with secondhand gear, you will catch any type of fish you need for that day if you are near a river lake or reservoir, all you need is an environmental license it’s cheap as chips

[@ludicer122]

Excellent video, super down to earth about caravanning, love it!

[@TheMcNeillsonWheels]

Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for your lovely comment.

[@g7eit]

Great video bud. I live on a sailboat but have just bought a caravan but still looking for a full time site to keep it at.

[@TheMcNeillsonWheels]

Check out warden jobs if you also need a job or full-time caravan dwellers on Facebook for permanent sites. We'd like to move to a boat in the future!

[@karenaustin1436]

Thanks for the tips, will be great help when I finally go for it

[@TheMcNeillsonWheels]

Don't delay! A better life is just around the corner ☺️

[@suelois3187]

So good, thank you. I learned a lot about my own caravan.

[@TheMcNeillsonWheels]

Glad you found it helpful. I’ve learned most of what I know from being in it and having to make repairs. There’s a few more jobs on the repair list and I’m sure that the list will keep having things added to it. Enjoy your summer ☀️ 😀

[@lisabeaumont]

Newby here, and that was really helpful, I’ll subscribe! Thank you.

[@AbdulAbulbulAmir]

With uhf antennas, a few feet in the height may make all the difference. That doesn't mean if you add an extra 6ft of pipe, it will be better. It depends where you are and where the hills and trees are. In general though, a bit of extra height is the best way.

[@TheMcNeillsonWheels]

Yea, absolutely spot on. We use a domestic aerial now, anyway, which receives great reception. It isn’t even boosted! I’ve never dug into the roof one, but I’d suspect it corroded inside also 👌

[@martinkitchin6204]

Thanks. Really relatable content (& you're funny too) We're coming back to caravaning after 10 years away and it's amazing what you think you remember but you've forgotten. Now let's see if you've done a vid on hooking up ...

[@TheMcNeillsonWheels]

Ha ha, I haven't done a video on hooking up, but there's plenty of videos that show the DVSA hookup procedure from the days when the B+E test were a thing!

[@michaelreynolds6543]

hya im just about to embrace and embark on living full time in a caravan just found your channel and i shall be looking around for others too. At the time of posting ive got £4500 saved up im hoping to have around £10,000 by christmas to go and buy in the winter i was gonna go down the campervan route but a mate talked me out of that and i reckon i will live better in a caravan

[@TheMcNeillsonWheels]

You should be able to get a very decent caravan with that sort of money! Best wishes for your future! 👍

[@michaelreynolds6543]

@@TheMcNeillsonWheels thanks im looking at buying from a dealer im going through your videos and the trudgians at the moment