the caravan club - jetta sets towcar · 2012. 12. 18. · insurance statistic. many caravan...

SPECIAL : NEW YEAR TIPS

MAKE SURE YOURCARAVAN IS SECUREAbout 1,400 caravans are

stolen every year in the UK and veryfew make it back to their owners. Manydisappear into an illicit network ofbuyers and sellers and even when theyare found by the police, identifyingmarks have often been removed (it isnot uncommon for thieves to grind outthe VIN number from the windows).

It’s not just new caravans that aretargets – in fact, two or three-year-oldvehicles are more likely to be stolen.

You can avoid becoming anotherinsurance statistic. Many caravansecurity devices are available on the

market, from hitchlocks, steady locksand wheelclamps to alarms andsophisticated tracking systems.

Caravan Club members can save upto £200 on TRACKER anti-theftdevice subscriptions when they buy aTRACKER Caravan Monitor (£309 +£153 installation). The unit is hiddenin your caravan and allows police totrack your vehicle if it is stolen. Seecaravanclub.co.uk/newyear for more information.

STORE YOURCARAVAN PROPERLY A comprehensive onlineleaflet entitled ‘Storage’

provides advice on preparing yourcaravan for winter. Topics coveredinclude the water system, batteries,electrics and care of the exteriorpanels and upholstery. For a freedownload, see caravanclub.co.uk/newyear.

If you’re taking a break fromtouring during the cold season anddon’t want to keep your caravanat home, you might like to considera Club site that offers secure,members-only storage pitches.Visit caravanclub.co.uk and type‘storage’ into the search bar tofind out more.

GET THE RIGHTINSURANCEIf you already own, or are looking to buy, a

caravan or motorhome it’s vital youget the right insurance. One in threemembers already insures with us – see

January 2013 The Caravan Club Magazine 7170 www.caravanclub.co.uk

caravanclub.co.uk/newyear. We cansend you a reminder close to yourrenewal date – simply sign in atcaravanclub.co.uk and click on ‘My profile’ followed by ‘My insurance policies’ to take advantageof this service.

ATTEND ATRAINING COURSE Whether you’re new tocaravanning or want to

brush up on your skills, there’s a coursefor you. The Club, which also providesmotorhome manoeuvring courses, has16 training centres across the country –to find out more call 01342 336666 orsee caravanclub.co.uk/newyear. If youcomplete a Caravan Club towingcourse you can get a 5% discount onyour insurance with us.

STAY UP TO DATEAND PROTECT YOURVEHICLEThe Caravan Club provides

a free ‘Theftcheck’ service. When youfirst join, your caravan’s uniqueidentification number is loggedagainst your membership record.Should your caravan ever be stolen,this information can help the policetrace you as the legal owner – sodon't forget to inform us if youchange your caravan. We can also runa check to see if a caravan you’rethinking of buying is listed as stolenon the Theftcheck register. For more information, seecaravanclub.co.uk/newyear.

CHECK BEFOREYOU BUYIf you are buying a usedcaravan, make sure you

perform a CRiS (Caravan Registrationand identification Scheme) checkon it first.

The CRiS Check will confirm thecorrect identity of the caravan andreveal whether it is recorded as beingon finance, reported as stolen or aninsurance write off. It will also verifywhether the seller is recorded withCRiS as the current keeper.

All caravans manufactured since1992 by National Caravan Councilmembers are recorded on the CRiSdatabase along with their 17-digitVehicle Identification Number (VIN).To find out more see thencc.org.uk/our_schemes/cris_scheme.aspx orcall 020 3282 1000. Make sure youregister any new purchases withCRiS – the registration documentacts as proof of ownership and you’llneed it if you travel abroad.

Don’t forget to check Caravan ClubClassifieds if you are looking to buy orsell a caravan or motorhome. You can

browse hundreds of adverts or placeyour own for free – it willautomatically appear on the CaravanSelecta website as well. Simply visitcaravanclub.co.uk/shop and click on ‘Caravan Club Classifieds’ on theleft-hand side.

FIND THE RIGHTTOWCAR Each year The Caravan Clubinvites manufacturers to

enter vehicles in various Towcar of theYear Competition categories. Eachundergoes rigorous testing and theresults are published in the Clubmagazine and on our website. TheVolkswagen Jetta Sport 2.0TDI DSGonce again won its class and tookoverall honours in the 2013competition. You can see all of theresults in the supplement thataccompanied the October issue or at Remember, if you’re thinking of buyinga Volkswagen Jetta in 2013, you can geta 10% discount on car insurancethrough the Club.

PREPARE BEFORE HEADING OVERSEASWhen you are driving on the Continent, you need to make sure you complywith local laws and have the appropriate equipment on board. The Club’sEssential Motoring Pack for France (£34.95 + £2.50) comes in a durable,

heavyweight black sling bag and includes a GB sticker, beam deflector set, two disposable alcohol testers, a warning triangle and two high-visibility vests. A Complete European Motoring Pack (£44.95 + £2.50 P&P) is also available. Visitcaravanclub.co.uk/newyear.

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TOP 10 TIPS FORA HAPPY 2013From getting the right insurance to preparing for an overseas break –here are a few things to consider as the new year approaches

Attend a training course

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S U P P L E M E N T S P O N S O R E D B Y B A I L E Y O F B R I S T O L

Jetta setsrecord!VW saloon is the first to secureback-to-back wins in the industry’spremier towcar competition

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JUDGES’

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EXAMINE YOURCONTENTS COVERDo you know how much

the contents of your house areworth? According to the Associationof British Insurers, many householdsmay be underinsured so it’simportant check your documents to see what level of cover you have. Some policies also require that you list all valuable items so keep your policy up to date by recording any special Christmas presents! The Caravan Club provides contents, buildings and combined home insurance policies – see caravanclub.co.uk/ insurance-and-finance.

JOIN IN THEDISCUSSIONIf you haven’t already

registered with our online community,Club Together (caravanclub.co.uk/community), you could be missing outon discussions and useful informationprovided by other members. Find outwhat other members think aboutinsurance, storage, training courses andother ways to be safer when touring.

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