Are pop top caravans good? (5+ things to consider)

In this article, we discuss whether pop top caravans are good and what are the advantages and disadvantages of owning a caravan. 

Are pop top caravans good?

Yes, Pop top caravans are good.Pop-top caravans are practical models with little consumption, in which the roof is raised in just over two minutes, and that allows you that functionality of having it parked at home and deciding to go out for a weekend without a problem. 

The biggest disadvantages would be if you travel as a family, the interior space may be scarce; they are not really “cheap” and the variety of brands to choose from is small. 

Although the trend among buyers of caravans in our country is to opt for rigid models with three-room distribution, the most restless caravans, those we usually call “routers”, keep asking and looking for very small caravans, easy to tow and simple to install.

One of the most popular models of the pop-top caravan is the Eriba Touring. For them, the lifting roof models are an option, that is to say, on the road you take a vehicle of very compact dimensions and once parked, the raised roof allows you to gain spaciousness inside.

And another brand that offers caravans of this type in its catalogue is Silver Pop-Up Caravans, with original models of different exterior dimensions and interior distributions. The Trigano group brand manufactures in polyester with aluminium profiles and offers wide spaces inside.

What is a pop-top caravan?

A pop-top caravan means that you can easily lift its roof. The lifting roof of a caravan allows you to increase the usable space inside the caravan when it is stopped, and ready to be used thanks to the fact that the roof can be deployed in less than 5 minutes.

This type of caravans is perfect for long-distance routes.

Also, when this space is no longer needed and the journey is to be undertaken, the roof is placed back integrated into the caravan, as if it were a rigid caravan, which facilitates its transport.

In other words, the lifting roof allows the caravan to have more space when it is going to be used for sleeping or living, without the need to purchase a larger one, which allows it to return to its compact size so as not to lose the ease of transport.

Pros of having a Pop Top Caravans

Easy to transport: being small in size, a caravan with a lifting roof is easier to transport, it does not weigh as much for the car that is transporting it, and the manoeuvres are also easier than if it were a conventional caravan.

Extra space: when you park and you want to inhabit the caravan, you will have an extra space, which not all small caravans have.

Lower consumption: the consumption of the vehicle with which you transport the pop-up roof caravan will be less than if you take a large caravan since it weighs less and the size is reduced when the roof is folded.

Easy to store: due to its dimensions, smaller than those of a regular caravan, it can be stored in the garage when it is not going to be used.

Cons of aPop Top Caravans

Limited space for a family: a caravan with a lifting roof is still a small caravan with an extension, so it is not designed to accommodate many people. If you want to do it, you should opt for a larger caravan.

Worse insulation: the pop-up roof makes the caravan have better insulation than one that does not have this type of roof, something that is very noticeable, both on the coldest days and on the hottest ones.

After knowing and comparing the advantages and disadvantages of Pop Top caravans, we can conclude that this type of caravans is perfect for routes, that is, for trips in which you are going to complete long journeys, while rigid caravans are better to spend several days in camping.

So your decision when buying a caravan will depend, in addition to other factors, on the use that you are going to give it.

Is living in a caravan cheap?

It is usually the most common question and doubt of those who want to have a caravan or motorhome to live alone. Also, for those who want the whole family to live there.

The answer is that it will depend on several factors. For example, if you install solar panels you will not need electricity or something similar. The same if you decide to have internet in the motorhome itself or use your phone as a modem.

There is also a lot of price difference between the cost of spending the night in one campsite and another. And another thing that influences here is the season because in winter it is much cheaper.

To have a clear answer, it is best to calculate each of the basic expenses that we named above. Thus, you will know if it is an outflow of money that you will have or not depending on the type of motorhome and your lifestyle.

If you don’t know how much these services cost, do your research or talk to other people who own motorhomes. You will be able to get an approximate idea of what your monthly cost would be.

We are sure that you will love being able to say “I live in a caravan” to your friends. To do this, if you have decided that this is the case, we are going to leave you 11 tips so that you take into account what it is like to live in a caravan or motorhome.

Basic expenses for living in a caravan

The fact that you are going to live in a caravan does not mean that you will not have expenses. There are some basic questions that you will have to take into account to calculate a monthly budget for expenses. Some of them are for example:

• Gasoline (may vary depending on where you are moving with your caravan).
• Food.
• Water.
• Electricity.
• Laundry.
• Tolls
• Gas.
• Motorhome insurance.
• Life or general insurance.
• Repair/maintenance of the motorhome.
• Internet.
• Mobile phone.
• Various extras (parking, restaurants, etc).

Of course, some of these expenses are fixed expenses while others are variable. The latter is where you can save some money. Think very well how you want it to be, if you are going to stay in a campsite or if, on the contrary, you want to spend a few weeks in one place and others in another.

Advantages of buying a caravan

Freedom. You will not depend on the schedules of other means of transport, nor on the destination limitations that other alternatives may offer. Discover new places and go at the pace that you like. With your caravan, you will have FREEDOM written in capital letters. Go where you want, when you want and with whoever you want.

Multiple places to go. Wherever there is parking, you can park your caravan and spend some time there. It can be a parking lot next to the beach, a plot in a place with difficult access or a campsite. The road network is extensive enough that the sites you can visit with your caravan are almost unlimited.

You can plan your route. Connected with freedom appears the option of being able to make the trip as you want, this means that if in the middle of the road you see a city that you are interested in knowing first hand, you can make a stop and visit it. Knowing that you have a caravan many times the trip becomes a continuous adventure.

Family and friends. Having a caravan or motorhome allows trips to be massive. Instead of travelling one person or a couple, the whole family or a group of friends can travel. In this way, the trip takes on a new meaning, where the group will unite and a multitude of anecdotes will be produced. If you don’t like to travel alone or alone, you will love the environment this vehicle provides.

Nature. Being able to enjoy a night under the light of the stars or in a national park surrounded by vegetation are experiences that are difficult to achieve if it is not having a caravan. Bring out your most natural side and get in touch with the scenic beauty.

Adapted to your style. We all like to have things prepared the way we like. We have little hobbies and habits that make us feel good. Being able to decorate the caravan to our liking and prepare it with the materials that we find most interesting is a way of having our home anywhere. There may be more luxurious places to sleep, but it is difficult to feel as comfortable as when you are in a place prepared for your way of life.

You save on hotels. A caravan is not cheap and a motorhome is even less economical. However, after the initial expense, there is a great saving in hotels and pensions that makes it profitable if we like to travel a lot and provides us with guarantees such as being able to take our pet with us to enjoy the best pet-friendly routes.

Disadvantages of buying a caravan

It takes space. When not in use, a caravan needs to be stored in a spacious place. Discarding the idea of parking it in a public parking space, our motorhome must have a place to sleep when it is not on the road. That means having to have a personal parking lot or a garden where to park it. If you don’t have such a place, you may have to rent it, which increases the cost.

Driving problems on narrow roads. If the width of the road you travel on is not wide enough, a caravan will have trouble cornering. For this reason, mountain roads or those in small towns where hardly a vehicle passes, are forbidden places for this type of transport. Fortunately, there are GPS that have the option of drawing personalized routes taking into account the size of your caravan.

Driving limitations. According to the traffic regulations, on motorways and highways, a trailer that does not exceed 750 kilograms can go at a speed of 90 kilometres per hour, which means a significant reduction in speed that can even be greater, because if it is heavier the Regulations require that 80 kilometres per hour are not exceeded.

Higher consumption. The greater weight of a caravan will make our vehicle use more energy to move it and therefore fuel consumption will skyrocket. On the other hand, a motorhome is not very efficient due to its poor aerodynamics. Legal requirements. Any car that has to transport a caravan must have a hitch ball, so it will be necessary to go through a workshop. 

Similarly, if the weight of the caravan weighs less than 750 kilograms, it is only necessary to have the normal driving license, B. But if this weight is exceeded, variables are needed that make it necessary to carry out a new driving test. drive.

Not being able to park in urban centres. Due to space limitations, a caravan will not be able to park in the most important parts of a city, having to do so on the outskirts. This means that if you want to visit this type of place it is necessary to need other means of transport.

Conclusions

In this article, we discussed whether pop top caravans are good and what are the advantages and disadvantages of owning a caravan. 

In our opinion, pop-top caravans are ideal for single persons or couples who want to hit the road for a longer period. The size of this type of caravan allows you that functionality of having it parked at home and deciding to go out for a weekend without a problem. 

If you have any questions or comments on the content, please let us know!

FAQ on Are pop top caravans good?

References

Motorhomedepot.com

Rvtrader.com

Escapecampervans.com

Tripsavvy.com

Cruiseamerica.com