Maciej Mokwiński

Each of us has different requirements and preferences regarding the car. Over the last few years, the selection of cars that meet the expectations of caravanning enthusiasts has significantly increased. In addition to classic station wagons, SUVs and SUVs, we also have more practical proposals. VW Transporter and Renault Trafic are the most popular buses on the market - of course, each of them is available in typical passenger versions . There are at least a dozen alternatives, but the little-known Ssangyong Rodius deserves our attention.

Ssangyong Rodius

For several years, SUVs have been one of the most popular segments (not only on the European market). In the class of universal vehicles, the Japanese are important players from the very beginning, serving functional, refined and durable structures. Virtually all of them will successfully replace the mid-range estate cars, often surpassing them in many categories. In addition to the beloved by Toyota RAV4 drivers, the Honda CRV is very popular - which especially in its latest incarnation attracts customers.

Honda CRV - for traveling

For several years, a real revolution has been taking place on the automotive market, the place of the classic segments is quickly taken over by niche structures - meeting many different expectations. Among the popular Japanese, Korean and German SUVs on the Polish market, their budget alternative has been boldly making for several years. Renault is to blame for everything. The French a few years ago decided to make a little-known, communist brand - Dacia - a serious player. After the success of the first few models, production of the affordable SUV began in 2010 . The neat body was drawn in a very thoughtful way, the effect of the designers' work is liked by virtually everyone. By paying a few hundred zlotys, we can diversify the appearance of the Romanian car with solid sills made of steel pipes , as well as a tubular cover for the front bumper (it is an excellent basis for accessory lighting). Active users will also appreciate the large rear-view mirrors and the solid chrome-plated roof rails .

Dacia Duster 1.5 dCi 4x4 - budget SUV

Automatic gearboxes are available on the market practically from the very beginning of motorization, they guarantee travel comfort that is unavailable for manual counterparts. Unfortunately - especially in the eyes of Polish drivers - the machine only means a lot of problems, i.e. expensive breakdowns . So much for the stereotypical approach of many of us, the reality is different. Automatic transmissions have been offered for years in practically every segment, and show their advantages especially during typical city driving, as well as when towing heavy trailers . The users of cars with traditional transmissions know perfectly well the troublesome starting with a heavy load ( it is easy to burn the clutch ) and many other difficulties that we will not experience with the automatic transmission. Using a car with an automatic gearbox is very simple - just press the brake pedal when stationary, move the selector lever to the "D" position , then press the gas and move freely. after all, the transmission controller - in the standard setting , it ensures the lowest possible fuel consumption , switching to the highest gear as quickly as possible.

Automatic gearboxes

Older caravanning enthusiasts perfectly remember the realities of that time. For towing a caravan, the good-natured Fiat 125p, Polonez and even the sickly Maluch were enough. Today, drivers focus on versatile SUVs that combine the advantages of several different segments . Among the most interesting and popular market offers we can mention the Mazda CX5 . The Japanese SUV hit the market by storm, attracting customers with its innovative design and loudly advertised innovative technology . For many years, Mazda has been famous for producing boring, practical cars for everyone, with a few exceptions in the form of the crazy MX5 and RX8 . In 2012, a compact SUV debuted in the Japanese manufacturer's price lists - the CX5 model - announcing the upcoming radical changes. There is no trace of the old design, this time the stylists focused on dynamic embossing and aggressive lines . In addition to the standard daytime running lights made in LED technology , we can also count on xenon lights ( optional ). Already the shape of the front and rear bumpers clearly confirms the road disposition of the model - a typical bulbs (when approaching curbs we still have to be careful, this time with the low profile of the tires).

Mazda CX5 - an SUV straight from Japan

Each of us is well aware of the fact that all devices wear out naturally. Starting with the equipment of the living quarters of a caravan or motorhome, ending with mechanics. The service life of the engine, gearbox and other moving components depends on many factors. Of course, quality and regular, professional service using brand-name spare parts are of great importance. Nevertheless, even new equipment will quickly deteriorate (wear out) if the user makes certain mistakes. Contrary to appearances, you do not need to use the camper outside of paved trails to quickly destroy the suspension - and more. As reported by mechanics, users know many other "effective" ways. Let's start with the most common sin of drivers - aggressive driving on potholed roads . While dynamically passing each corner on our way, we only accelerate tire wear, similar behavior on a devastated artery means strenuous work of shock absorbers, springs, swingarms and all metal-rubber elements. What's more, the entire vehicle frame and the load-bearing structure of the bodywork also work in such conditions - plastic panels will start to crack after some time. Similar results also generate violent shocks - they can violate the tightness of the building. Another important issue that we often forget is the placement of the cargo inside the camper. Many drivers do not pay much attention to this, packing their luggage wherever possible. Instead, place the heaviest packages between the axles - keeping the weight evenly distributed and the load on each axle.

What are the effects of improper use?

Sooner or later, every driver will face a stressful situation - a letter from the municipal / commune guard with a ticket inside for an offense from a few weeks or months ago. While few of us discuss the punishment imposed by a police officer - they act preventively - but almost no one agrees with the activities of the aforementioned guards. Mobile speed cameras are placed only in "profitable" points throughout the country . No wonder that during a holiday trip we will be caught by a patrol of the city guard , hidden in the bushes, behind a bus stop or behind a fence. Fortunately, thanks to the ruling of the Constitutional Tribunal, we can successfully avoid the mandate.

How can we avoid a mandate from the Municipal / Communal Guard?

Each passion inevitably involves certain expenses that we have to incur in its implementation. It is no different in the case of caravanning - regardless of whether we rent or use our own equipment . The cost level is of course incomparably higher for campers. Their service, ongoing repairs and maintenance consume more funds. The lion's share is generated by professional service of the drive unit - the number of breakdowns and fuel consumption largely depend on its condition. At least for this reason, we should pay special attention to it - even the color of the exhaust gas will reveal a lot of valuable information about the condition of the engine.

What does the color of the exhaust fumes portend?

For an avid enthusiast of caravanning, mid-range and compact class wagons often turn out to be too small. Relatively low ground clearance and too small luggage capacity do not make them our favorites. Passenger buses are definitely the best choice for towing a trailer or for the pursuit of travel passions. In addition to the very popular Volkswagen Transporter in various versions (Multivan, Caravele), we also have a choice of Renault Trafica. Last year, the third version of the French special-purpose car went on sale, of course, we are most interested in the passenger variants.

Renault Trafic - an almost perfect solution

There are many specialized companies operating on the European caravanning market. Thanks to that, as customers, we have a huge choice: in terms of design, price, quality and many others. In addition to extremely popular brands such as Hobby and Knaus, we also find less known manufacturers. Their offer is also worth getting interested in. In the shadow of market leaders, Forster has been creating its vehicles for many years - the German company does not have a wide range of models. Nevertheless, the Teilintegriete model can easily appeal to the tastes of sensible customers who focus on functionality and mobility . Like other similar designs, it was based on the chassis of Fiat Ducato , the undisputed leader of camping bodies. In terms of appearance, the German camper does not differ from competitors of a similar size. The windows, slightly protruding beyond the outline of the building development, were additionally darkened , as well as the skylight. The individual stickers for the manufacturer should also be mentioned.

Forster Teilintegrierte - vacation midfielder

The vast majority of Polish drivers value cars made by German and Japanese manufacturers above all else, considering the rest to be underdeveloped and problematic. For decades , Korean cars were considered the epitome of trash and lack of panache. Nevertheless, recently Hyundai and Kia are catching up very quickly for many years, a perfect example of which is the current offer of each brand. For us, the most interesting in the Hyundai model range is the compact SUV - the IX35 model . The Korean competitor of the Toyota RAV4 has been taking global markets by storm since 2010, finding a huge number of customers. The sophisticated lines of the body are diversified by prominent xenon headlamps as well as daytime and taillights made in LED technology . Designers also tried to incorporate the embossments running along the entire length of the car - the whole drawn in this way, contrary to appearances, looks extremely European.

Hyundai IX35 2.0 CDRi - Korean on vacation

The May weekend is behind us, many of us have used campers, caravans and various tourist accessories for the first time this season. It is the quality of the holiday equipment that largely determines whether we will save a few days of vacation to successful ones. It would seem that finding the tourist equipment that meets our requirements will not take much time, what's more - it is a very simple task. Many people believe that it is enough to visit one of the popular supermarkets - additionally spending less on equipment. The problem, however, is that the tents or tourist furniture available in the aforementioned stores are of poor quality - the seams break easily, the material loses color surprisingly quickly, and the plastic elements of the furniture break under a slight load.