Caravan Tow Covers, Are They Worth The Money?
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- Опубликовано: 13 сен 2024
- A quick look at caravan tow covers. We had one for our Bailey, but it was tailored to that specific model. We've changed caravan so we'll need to buy a new one. But I really can't make my mind up.
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Never used one, always thought, it's just more stuff to pack away, clean and store. Keep safe👍Mark & coral
Go for it Graham, we have the SC product and takes a couple of minutes to fit. It has saved the front of the van from damage and now has a gash in the fabric where a large stone flicked up!
Before fitting any cover,the caravan has to be 100% clean otherwise fine dust will act like sandpaper on the paintwork and windows over time, from my experience don't bother.
We bought a cheapo from Ebay and using some radiator foil, we cover the windows and then place the cover over it. Stops stones from cracking the windows.
I have got the Defender universal cover that you featured towards the end of your vlog. Only about £45 on Ebay so a tenth of the cost of some of the 'superior' makes. The fabric is very good but as others have said it can a bit of a faff fitting the straps & tucking them in (took me about 20 mins the first time).
Have had it about 18 months and it’s still like new. If/when I buy a different make of caravan I can still use it - something that you can't do with the 'made to measure' ones. Would definitely buy the Defender again.
Hi Graham, I bought a Protec towing cover in black for our new swift to protect the black carbon Fibre front and the windows when towing . Easy and quick to fit. It costs £240 in October 2019. My brother thought it was a waste of time until he had a stone come up and crack the front window on his Elddis which cost him £850 to replace the window. He has since purchased a towing cover. The Protec cover has access to grab handles if you request it when ordering and is made to fit your model of caravan so front lights are visible through the cover.
Thanks for watching. Blimey £850! Just about made my mind up for me 👍🏻
We’ve had a towing cover for a couple of years, never used one before and have found it to be great. Protects the van and keeps it more or less clean on the journey, however on our last trip we didn’t use our awning and had nowhere to put the thing. I just put it in it’s bag wet and chucked it in the boot until we went home. I always think on sort journeys I won’t put the cover on then I get this voice in my head saying ‘I told you you should have put the cover on’ Have a fallen for the old.....You really need one of these!
Thanks for watching Martin. They can be a pain can’t they but I’m pretty sure if I didn’t get one I’d soon wish I had🙄👍🏻
I have the TPE great cover
Hi graham... I have towed for 28 years never had one if there the same price as a new window... that means I have saved over £4000 over the 28 years also I’m guessing I have saved a few days off my life.. putting it on and off... less is more I find when caravanning
I have the specialised one but just the £200 one and it’s mainly for stones flicking up as I tow with a pickup. And when it’s wet and still raining when we get to site I slide it under the caravan until I can dry it properly.
We have the Tow Pro cover from Prima Leisure. It’s great, and gives peace of mind in case of damage. Keeps the front clean too when towing. 👍🏻
Thanks for watching. We got our last one from Prima too.. Graham
@@CaravanVlogger You’re welcome, we really enjoy watching your vlogs. James & Teresa.
I had a cheap universal cover with all the straps and found if you dont tuck the loose ends of the strap in they can and did mark the side of the van as they flapped around. So I went for the Tow Pro custom fit when I got my new van and love it. On my old van I could see loads of very small marks where road grit has damaged it if you tow without a cover, so yes your van does get damaged albeit very slight unless its a big stone. I wouldnt tow 100 yards without it on.
Hello Graham, just a quick one on this topic, I started off with a caravan front cover nearly 10 years ago, it was special made to fit the caravan we had at that time and it was not cheap. I have to say I liked the idea but what hassle it provided to be taking it on and off every trip both at home and at the campsite . So at one Point i decided to leave it on when we arrived home , big mistake because on our next trip I took it of to wash the caravan and to my dismay part of the front of the van had developed black mold which was a pig to get off. So for the last few years I have not bothered and have had no issues with stone chips or anything like that . So my opinion is to save your money and just wash and wax the front of the van . 😉😉 think what else you could spend your money on , cheers Martin 👍
Thanks for watching. Very good point. When we had our last one we didn’t have any mould issues and I left it on overnight a few times. The specialised covers one is pricey but easy to put on and take off.
They are worth every penny! A good one that’s made to fit properly takes seconds to install. No brainer for me.
Nice one Graham we’ve got the TowPro + which is the slightly cheaper about £299. When it’s wet we ether put it in the garage, over the washing line or on site over the bonnet of the car. We had a universal on the defender one you shown it was ok but took ages to put on. Not picking faults but we felt the specialised was better quality. Specialised actually produce F1 car covers too. We’ve only used the window assess twice but it’d handy none the less. We’ve been caravanning nearly 40yrs and have only had one for 4yrs it’s been a great investment though. When we bought ours I was asked about a logo and I said definitely no! I like to be discreet sometimes to no stickers on the van etc... I hope you do choose one Graham as they are helpful👍 Cheers, Oliver.
I have the SC Tow pro Elite which has the LR target stitched into the front. When the car sees the target it switches from the rear camera to the rear facing door mirror cameras down each side of the van. Having had an unprotected GRP Carlite and experienced spider cracks where stones had hit, I wanted protection for my Vanmaster. Not the same issues with polycarbonate but you can get damage nonetheless. I wouldn’t be without, personally. As ever, each to his own. 👍🏻
Never had one so can't comment if they are good or bad. Maybe I've been lucky and never had any damage while towing but, it only take 5 minutes using my collapsible bucket and a long handle brush to clean the van front after towing.
I used a tow universal cover on my Bailey for the first time, so when I got to my destination I took it off, and discovered it rubbed the stickers off, or made them faint, so not used it since..
I like the idea of a tow cover but one more job to add to the list, same as fitting a caravan cover when in storage so a no from me, it falls into the can i be arsed box.
You've spent a small fortune on a cover, if you're not bothered about it being a taylored fit for your newer caravan, then save yourself some money and use it just as a front cover, it will possibly just cover up your front lights of the caravan, and if someone hits you, then they must be blind.
Why worry about it being wet on site, just put it in the locker until you go home, chances are it’s going to get wet going home. I would recommend one, it’s peace of mind. I bought a Bailey cover for £100.
You lay the tow cover on the floor at home 😱😂 What??!!! I bet Mandy loves you doing that 🤣🤣🤣
Never realised all the options you have for them, thank goodness we don’t have to consider these options.... would seriously struggle to drive 😉😉😉 Interesting Vlog, cheers Graham ..Michelle and Andy 🚐😊
Thanks for watching. Yes heated tile floor is great for drying it out in the winter 👍🏻
We've got one from specialised covers, cost a fortune. We've had to return it as the stitching came undone. waiting now for a replacement.
Hi Graham good topic mate.i personally like the idea but as others have said the cheaper ones are a absolute pain in the backside to put on. Putting all the clips on the sides and trying to took all the excess away behind.but our problem and the better half would agree is tha every time I go to put this on both me and my misses get absolutely soak by the rain cloud that follows us around😠infact it's become that much of a family joke my parents bought us a two ponchos 😧😂😂
Thanks for watching. At least you get soaked together! I have to admit although the the one I had was 400 quid, it was a dream to use and in theory it'll last a lifetime - unless of course you sell the bloody caravan :-)
When we get onto site I usually fit the tow cover on the awning rails at the back of the caravan to dry. We always have the bathroom blind shut anyway so it’s not like I’m covering a window we actually look out off.
Thanks for watching Matt. Now there's a good idea. Thanks, I've have never thought of that! Graham
@@CaravanVlogger no probs mate. I watch all your videos. All very good and informative.
I’ve had a few people come up to me on site and say they’d not thought of drying the covers like that either. Looking forward to seeing your new van and hopefully being able to get out and about a bit soon!!
Great idea thanks 😊
Seems like a reasonable idea, probably no good for our motorhome though as we wouldn't be able to see where we were going 😎
Thanks for watching. You could wind down your window and look out 😂It would prevent your windscreen getting chipped 😆Graham
They are definitely more faff but I don’t think I’d have a Caravan without one. We didn’t use one with our 1st and 2nd caravans and they both got loads of stone chips all over the front
Thanks for watching. Never really suffered stone chips, but then Essex has tarmac roads :-) Which is my main issue tar spots! I'm going to have to bite the bullet and buy one I think. Mind you, as an International Caravan Vlogger you'd think _someone_ would give me one hahaha. Graham
It's a shame u can't use your old cover been it was no cheap I do believe towing covers r worth having on the van .kev
Hi Mark. You could just put a vinyl decal over the logo on your cover and sell it. I have a vinyl cutter and some spare rolls so give me a shout if you're interested. No charge to you sir.
I'm looking at the Pro-tec towing jacket.
Thanks for watching. Pro-tec are very popular tow covers, see loads on the road.. Graham
Don’t have one and have no intention of buying one, I can deal with cleaning a bit of mud off the front of the caravan with a squeegee and some water, as good as they are, £400 is a bit steep
I’ve never actually used one IMO it just seems a costly gimmick & another job involving more work as you still have to clean the front of the caravan every time you fit & then there’s cleaning the cover too! Arriving on site drying off, packing away & storing. While driving any water running off the roof is still going to run down between the van & cover.
In my experience if anything is going to hit the front of the caravan while towing it would be the front roof area above the main windows so even with cover fitted this part remains exposed & with late vans more likely to damage the high level panoramic window which is probably the most expensive one to replace.
Thanks for watching Michael. Yes, I do agree to some degree. The main reason I got one is because they look good (to me anyway). I'd been caravanning happily without having onBut then I'd probably argue the real reason I have a twin axle is that I prefer the way they look. Having had a two cover for a few years, they aren't really as much hassle as they might seem. I'm certainly one for making everything about caravanning easier. Graham
@@CaravanVlogger Hi Graham yes they look absolutely brilliant, when we purchased our latest van I even considered one myself tbh lol 😂
My previous caravan had a stone chip/ crack on one front window, £400 for new window, i bought a towing cover for out latest van.
I've got the pro-tec on a swift. It's okay but the rubbery material in the centre isn't very durable, the top coat has starting pealing from the stitching of the zip.
I don't leave it on in storage either, so it's not been overly weathered.
Good morning Rich, very sorry to hear this how old is your cover? as this sometimes happens with extended UV exposure, if it's still within warranty please let us sort this out for you, even if it is out of warranty I'm sure we will be able to help. fortunately, the water-resistant rubber coating coming away from the 4-way centre stretch doesn't affect the overall use of the Towing Jacket.
@Pro-tec Covers, thanks for the reply. I have just sent you an email.
As I mentioned in the email and perhaps I should have mentioned above. For its minor faults I would still rather use the tow cover than not, just to protect the front of the caravan from stone chips. 👍
I think they are a good idea (after cleaning the tar off the front of the caravan), but as you say £250 - £400 ouch! maybe the cheaper covers would do a good enough job albeit they probably wont last as long...
Thanks for watching. Yeah it’s a tricky decision and expensive 😳
We're into our 3 rd season of a 3 year trial to see if we like this caravaning lark, I bought a cheap cover off eBay to see if worthwhile.
Definitely worthwhile we now have a Specialised universal one if we stay caravaning and buy a newer one i will probably get a tailored one to suit. Why would you spend 20 grand plus on a van and not a couple of hundred on a cover 🤔
I totally agree 👍
Just wondering why you would need access to open the windows? Don’t you just take the cover off when on site?
Iv Noticed Recently One Or two Caravanners Leave Them In Place On Site!! We Like To Look out And See Wots Going On!..
We have a universal one but it has buckles and straps which is a bit of a faff putting it on.ive been swithering whether to upgrade/replace but cant decide on which one to get.£400 seems a bit much though.anyway i dont think it will be this year with all thats going on
Definitely worth upgrading
have your old one resized to fit
I’m having same dilemma .
It’s getting to a site and it’s wet that puts me off .
Thanks for watching. If it’s wet it’ll dry quickly in the summer. I’ve just taken it off and folded up in the boot and it’s been fine.
We have never had one so far but been lucky. I imagine if the big bailey front window gets hit might be expensive but would imagine Insurance would pay out. We have just bought some new levelling ramps that look great for twin. Cost 14 pounds against a lock and level 200 pounds. Fingers crossed out tightness pays off.
Thanks for watching Paul. It’s not right it’s frugal 🤣😆👍🏻
Even though getting a new caravan my self and have looked at them I'm not going to get one, if I win the lottery ( must a ticket ) I think I will get heated floor installed at home so then I can dry my top end cover that my staff will put on and of for me..never mind where to put when arriving on site.. nice one Graham 👍👍
Thanks for watching. Well, new caravan 21k, tow cover £400 underfloor heating £10k. For just £31k you can have a tow cover and self drying floor. Absolute bargain. Actually I didn't add the cost of staff !
I have no idea what I'm talking about, I should lay off the strong coffee for a bit :-) Graham
@@CaravanVlogger @Caravan Vlogger I don't think it's the coffee I think it's the sweetness 😁. Yes you are right staff is a bit extravagant I shall settle on floor heating.. £21k for your new swift challenger !!! You got one hell of a bargain for a 27k van..should have got you to get a deal for me
No I didn’t pay 21k for the caravan 😂That would have been a bargain! You’d have thought Swift would have given it to me really wouldn’t you. 🤣
I think they look smart on the road but wonder if they are an Emperors New Clothes accessory. I’ve never had one, my van is over 10yrs old and has 3 minor stone chips on the front. The only thing that came flying towards us was a canoe from the roof of a vehicle travelling on the opposing carriageway, thankfully it missed. Don’t think towing cover would have helped. 😂😂. Re LED lights in pockets on covers, they don’t comply with Construction and Use Regulations can’t see anyone being prosecuted but it could give a stingy Insurance Company wriggle room in the event of a claim. But I think towing covers look smart.
Thanks for watching Colin. I bet that canoe was a shock 😱
I was so relieved when it hit ground in front of us and skidded off the road like an ice hockey puck.
I have been caravanning for over 40 years, have never had any damage to the front of any of my vans.
Would spend my money on something else ,to be honest.
If something like that could just roll up like a roman blind...
Thanks for watching. Now there's an idea, may you (I) should patent it 😂😂😂
I don’t have one and have no intention on getting one, yes it keeps the front clean but you should clean the front before fitting it anyway so if your really that bothered what difference would it really make if you cleaned the front when arriving on site. The only real benefit is they protect the front of the caravan, however if my caravan ever got damaged I’ll just claim off my insurance, it’s why I pay for it, if you got another elite cover, those two covers would have cost you £800, that’s a lot when your insurance excess is considerably less, personally I just see it as another thing to faff around with, it’s another thing to remember, another thing you have to store and dry when wet, it uses up valuable payload and increases the nose weight when wet, it’s just another unnecessary thing that other caravaners convince you that you need.
Never used one, have always considered caravanners with these covers to be a bit of a pervert!