Special caution required when planning the caravan holiday tips

Caravan holiday tips

Venturing out onto the open road in your home on wheels is one of life’s great but simple pleasures. If this is your first time on this new adventure, read these tips before heading out on your caravanning experience so you can be sure of a safe and enjoyable journey.

Planning your trip

With lots to think about prior to leaving for your caravanning holiday, the first and most important tip is to invest in planning ahead, particularly if you’re visiting a distant destination.

Research the area you’re visiting and identify the best caravan sites in which to spend your holiday. Make sure the road to your destination is suitable for your towing vehicle and caravan type; some sites may only be accessible to 4x4s. Knowing the area means being equipped to prepare for any specific conditions you are likely to encounter – for example, the weather, and the available facilities and amenities at the caravan site. Use the internet to assess locations on the basis of feedback from others who have visited your prospective sites – some places are better than others.

Joining a caravan club can be enormously helpful, particularly with tips on great places to go and what to take with. Social media provides the ability to very quickly connect with like-minded people and online forums can provide instant insight and feedback to help deal with any issues, concerns or questions.

Draw up a menu for all the meals you’ll be eating while you’re away. Then you’ll know which ingredients you’ll need to purchase (and which can be sourced on-site) as well as where best to store them – for example, in a cooler box or freezer.

Write a checklist during your planning phase so that you don’;t leave anything behind. Must-have items include a fire extinguisher and a fully-stocked first aid kit.

Entertainment

Every caravan will need some form of entertainment in order to keep the kids busy – especially if it rains.  Consider packing some board games or other forms of entertainment, such as a small portable TV. A good bet is to bring a games console or DVD player with you. A docking station for music ensures that you can enjoy your favourite tunes – but be aware of others around you.  

Towing tips

• Make sure your caravan windows are closed, doors locked and gas and electricity turned off before you drive off.


• Take utmost care in attaching the caravan to the tow ball, including fastening the safety chain connecting the electrical socket and, on braked caravans, disconnecting the handbrake.


• Check that the taillights and indicators are working on the caravan.


• Don’t exceed the maximum towing capacity of the towing vehicle.


• Equipment such as water, food, camping gear, etc. will generally add another 300kg to the weight of the empty caravan. Typically, you do not want to overload the caravan; where possible, equipment should be transported in your car. If some gear is in the caravan, make sure it is loaded in accordance with manufacturer recommendations.


• Make sure your towing vehicle can handle the weight of caravan, equipment and supplies.

Caravan insurance

Despite the best precautions, accidents can happen, so another essential task before setting out on holiday is getting the insurance up to date. Make sure you have the appropriate cover for your car and caravan so you can enjoy the open road secure in the knowledge that your home-away-from-home is protected from the unexpected.

Caravan insurance covers:

• Theft and hijack


• Fire and explosion


• Accidental damage


• Storm, hail, flood or snow


• Liabilities caused to other parties

Importantly, make sure your caravan policy covers contents and accessories as well as the caravan itself. After all, no caravanning holiday is complete without camping tables, chairs, tents cutlery and crockery, and a range of electronic devices and personal property. If it’s in the caravan, it should be covered by the insurance policy for complete peace of mind; note only caravan items (including permanent fixtures and accessories such as air-conditioning units, fitted canopies and awnings) will be covered under the caravan policy. Other items will be covered by MiMovables or All Risk cover.

Also, check that your chosen insurance policy offers roadside assistance and emergency services; after all, caravanning explicitly requires being out on the road.

[By: Rory Judd, MiWay Head of Online Marketing]

MiWay is an Authorised Financial Services Provider (Licence no: 33970)

MiWay Insurance Limited (‘MiWay’) is a direct, short-term insurance company, offering customers a range of short-term insurance products including motor, household and homeowners insurance as well as add-on products such as warranty cover and liability cover. MiWay’;s shareholder is Santam, a blue-chip JSE-listed company.

Also view: Towing a Trailer Safely

Special caution required when planning the caravan holiday tips

Supercar Subdivisions: McLaren’s “Special Operations” Division Specifics its Solutions

McLaren’s so-known as “Special Operations” (MSO) branch has been undertaking cool stuff for years, even back when the division was recognized as the McLaren Consumer Care Plan and tasked only with sustaining McLaren owners’ F1s in the 1990s (which inherently qualifies as “cool stuff”). These days, MSO offers everything from carbon-fiber aero kits to fully rebodied a single-offs for the most moneyed of McLaren-isti. So broad is MSO’s portfolio of solutions that McLaren has decided to organize the secretive outfit’s a variety of personalization endeavors along 5 tiers: MSO Defined, MSO Bespoke, MSO Restricted, MSO Heritage, and MSO Applications. Here’s what every single element entails:

MSO Defined: essentially carbon-fiber interior and exterior trim pieces, such as the extended side blades and aero addenda that McLaren bolted onto its hot MSO 650S notion earlier this year.

MSO Bespoke: every thing from custom stitching on the seats to special paint and leather colors to full a single-off bodies such as the, um, creative, 12C-primarily based X-1 idea from 2012. McLaren says that 20 % of all 650S models and 95 % of all P1s constructed this year feature some degree of MSO Bespoke content.

MSO Restricted: low-volume, unique-edition models, like the McLaren 50 12C and the aforementioned MSO 650S.

MSO Heritage: service, upkeep, and personalization for vintage F1 and Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren models.

MSO Applications: production, preparation, and upkeep of upcoming McLaren P1 GTR Driver Plan cars.

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Custom upfitting of exotic sports automobiles is absolutely nothing new, of course, and we envision that the high-rollers who sashay into a McLaren showroom with a blank verify care tiny about which internal subdivision does what to their new ride they just spec it out and wait for it to arrive. But for us mere fanboys, these juicy particulars provide daydream fodder about the factors we may do with a McLaren if we had unlimited sources at our disposal. How much is this week’s Powerball jackpot once again?

Supercar Subdivisions: McLaren’s “Special Operations” Division Specifics its Solutions

Coming to America: What Tends to make the U.S.-Spec Alfa Romeo 4C Special? Really a Lot

Looking at the 2015 Alfa Romeo 4C in its U.S.-industry guise, you might feel that it is the identical animal as the European model, only with the usual rash of federal emissions-compliance gear onboard. You would be wrong. Alfa Romeo reps recently showed us around the North American version of the 4C, and for the duration of the stroll-around we were capable to hammer out exactly what makes the North American version of the small Italian sports car different from the one sold everywhere else. The list is more complete than you probably anticipated.

Bumpers and Lights: Naturally, U.S. regulations differ from European ones, so while our 4C looks almost identical to the Euro-spec model, there are important visual variations. The rear bumper is new, and it incorporates bulging Dagmars on either side of a narrowed license-plate-mounting nacelle, in place of the original 4C’s more sophisticated Euro-plate mount. Although the headlight and taillight internals seem to be the same, they are truly entirely new to comply with federal lighting laws, and U.S. purchasers won’t be provided the European car’s optional “bug-eye” lights that’s okay by us, because these are ugly.

Left: 2015 Alfa Romeo 4C (U.S-spec). Right: 2015 Alfa Romeo 4C (Euro-spec).

Carbon-Fiber Monocoque: The U.S.-market place 4C’s central carbon-fiber tub is special, with the fibers laid differently throughout to tailor the structure for federal crash tests. Consider us surprised to learn that Alfa Romeo altered more than just the bolt-on front and rear subframes.

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Weight: Speaking of American crash tests and added gear, they’re accountable for almost all of the U.S.-spec car’s weight acquire more than the European version. The unique carbon-fiber tub is 92 pounds heavier, although other tweaks—an adjustable passenger seat (required by U.S. regulations), side and knee airbags, and standard air conditioning (46 pounds on its own)—add up to a total claimed weight distinction of 342 pounds between a base Euro model and ours.

Prime: 2015 Alfa Romeo 4C (U.S-spec). Bottom: 2015 Alfa Romeo 4C (Euro-spec).

Tuning: Anytime a hot European automobile comes stateside, we’re often pessimistic about its tuning. A car’s transition to accommodate “American tastes” almost always ruins the suspension tuning, for example. But lo and behold, the U.S.-industry 4C’s only suspension changes are mild bushing tweaks to account for its heavier curb weight plus a switch from cast-aluminum suspension pieces to steel ones for durability.

Happily, none of the U.S.-spec 4C’s alterations significantly alter the car’s lusty driving experience—even the added mass doesn’t ruin things—and parked side-by-side, most individuals would be challenging-pressed to spot the differences. In truth, we’re keen to concentrate on 4C content shared with both the U.S. and Euro versions: Manual steering that feels definitely wonderful, a stripped-down interior, the (optional) lack of a muffler, the identical 237 turbocharged horsepower, and these saliva-gland-stimulating appears.

Coming to America: What Tends to make the U.S.-Spec Alfa Romeo 4C Special? Really a Lot

2015 Ford Mustang Dealer Stock Production Imminent, Special Orders Can Be Placed 9/9

July 10, 2014 at 1:43 pm by Steve Siler | Photography by Marc Urbano

There’s no upcoming vehicle a lot more highly anticipated than the 2015 Ford Mustang. Now, thanks to a leaked Ford Dealer Bulletin published to Mustang6g.com, we’ve discovered that Job 1 production starts subsequent Monday.

That date applies to coupes, while convertibles will commence rolling off the assembly lines in Flat Rock, Michigan, on September 15. The “OK to Buy” date—the day on which dealers can accept customer orders—for coupes is September 9. Ragtop orders can be placed on October 27.

Mustang6g is the same venue that initially published 2015 Mustang coupe pricing, which starts at $ 24,425 for a base V-6 coupe and rises to $ 46,995 for the coupe-only 50 Year Limited Edition GT model. Full pricing is available here.

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When will vehicles reach consumer driveways? Though far from an official confirmation, Mustang6g member 5 Oh Brian says that orders for dealer stock currently have been rolling in for weeks and that these vehicles will be released for immediate sale as soon as they arrive at dealerships. He also says that this could extremely nicely be ahead of September 9, so early adopters will want to get in touch with their local Blue Oval shop rightfreakingnow and hope that the waiting list is a brief 1.

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2015 Ford Mustang Dealer Stock Production Imminent, Special Orders Can Be Placed 9/9

Wilson Wednesday – Geoff Special

He’s back!! (For 1 week only?? Who knows) Geoff and Daisy DAF have taken a break from there holidays and this week they are placing in a shift or 2. Not to more than do it HC Wilson gave Geoff a steady export that was just over length. At 1.5 metres over length from the North West out to the Netherlands dear Daisy and her ever-tanned pilot should have a good little run out to the land of Cloggs and Cheese.

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Wilson Wednesday – Geoff Special