Caravan and Motorhome Club motorhome manoeuvring training course for a Cali?

[DG1]

I was wondering is there any need or advantage in signing up for the Caravan and Motorhome Club motorhome manoeuvring training course for a Cali? It is obviously designed for "great whites" which are much longer, wider and have a big overhang, but I like the idea of practising in our new Cali Ocean offroad with an instructor.

Any thoughts please?

 

[bigmac77]

The charge is £175 for a session and I wouldn't have thought you get much more challenging off roading than driving on some grass. Go and find a farmer and offer him £50 for a bit of time driving round one of his fields.

 

[Velma's Dad]

I'm guessing the C&MC course originated mainly for new caravan owners, to teach how to reverse a caravan/trailer which of course requires a slightly counter-intuitive method for a newbie.

But for a MH/campervan I'm not sure what a course would usefully teach, as it's really just all about a bit of practice getting used to the larger dimensions. I'd suggest investing instead in a handful of traffic cones and finding an empty car park to practise in.

(I used to drive HGVs and also learnt in the army the correct methods to direct a reversing truck/tank using 'banksman' signals into a garage or more often into a hide between trees in a forest. Now that actually IS a useful skill, but one that Mrs VD simply refuses to be taught, Oh well.)

 

[Meoncoast]

ditto re all above.

If you feel you need some practice just find a big empty car park a "borrow" a few cones and have a play

 

[DG1]

I'm getting a clear message here...

Thanks!

 

[Jay586]

I did the caravan course & it was really good. It is 2 solid days of reversing. I now reverse well but the van is wee wee easy compared to towing.

Glad I did it, tho never did get to tow a caravan, long story, but if you can reverse a car, a van is easier, I think.

 

[2into1]

I'm in the 'no need' camp too. The van is no bigger than an estate car, but what you may notice is that you sit much further forward because of the short bonnet, so there is more behind you than in a similar sized car.
You need to watch you don't clip the inside curb when turning sharp left (or anything higher up that would be very expensive).
Just need to turn a little later, but not like you are driving a bus!

 

[GrannyJen]

I am going to stick my neck out here:

I think the Cali is far easier to drive than many People carriers or large estate cars. The high seating position means the front corners are visible, the big mirrors cover you usefully for reversing.

The CAMC motorhome course is designed for great whites, big lumbering things where often the cab is narrower than the rest of the vehicle, and quite restricted vision for reversing with an abnormal (for a car) length.

The Cali takes a little bit of getting used to, but only a little bit. Go on to an industrial estate on a Sunday afternoon and have a good practice. It's a little wider, but not much and a little longer, but not much, than average but the seating position, short rear overhang and a "wheel in each corner" feel makes it a doddle to drive most times. The mirrors are the cats whiskers for narrow spaces, if you don't nudge them then you are not going to nudge anything else.