Caravans - Why not in India ?

F50 · 21st August 2006, 23:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by amit

1. Currently the government believes roads are a luxury so we can forget about RV parks and other caravan infrastructure.

2. Most potential caravan buyers will be the rich. Rich Indians do not go on a vacation to cook food, clean toilets , fetch water etc. To go caravaning you need to have a sense of adventure. Indians are not adventurous.

3. Currently, Indians can't drive hatchbacks. You can imagine the chaos and the accidents on our highways due to towing of caravans.

I would like to add Time
Be it a Rich guy or a upper middle class persons ... unless they have millions of money in their account ... no one has the time to go on a Caravan Trip. And its not a one day thing .... atleast need a week or more.
And we dont have roads to drive that caravan through Mumbai roads. Its better to have an off-roader. Caravans will topple here and there.

Quote:

Originally Posted by amit

By the way, how many of you remember the hilarious Top Gear Caravaning episode?

I asked same question to NC ...by any chance he saw TG Caravaning Epi.

hellspawn · 22nd August 2006, 01:16

caravans wont make sense here simply because hey will be priced too high.its difficult to park a car,where wil u park a caravan.and like amit said,indians arent adventurous.
not to forget the brilliant condition of our roads.

sbasak · 22nd August 2006, 14:44

Since only the very rich can afford a caravan in India - they can afford going overseas and hire a caravan there and enjoy

It is highly unlikely to be successful in India. In developed countries, there are special places for caravan parking with cleaning and drainage facilities. We can't imagine that in India even in near future.
More "adventurous" attitude will die down after 2/3 trips. Then caravan will be a burden rather than recreation.

sumitkalindi · 22nd August 2006, 15:59

Thinking of selling my Flat and Byuing a Caravan, maybe on a 407

To 407 from a Spacio.

GTO · 22nd August 2006, 16:04

Nope, Not in India:

1. I really dont know of anyone (even in the States) who use a caravan as a daily use vehicle.

2. They are too big. Too impractical.

3. In India, every car is a multi-purpose vehicle. City driving, highway driving, grocery shopping, chaffeur driven, self driven, dropping kids to school, going to parties on the weekends etc. How could a caravan possibly fit into these roles?

4. Too expensive. A business person would buy a luxury car over a caravan anyday.

esteem_lover · 22nd August 2006, 16:09

i guess the indian version of the caravan is the horse or bullock driven wagon which people used to travel in those days.

man, that wouldn't that be FE.

tsk1979 · 22nd August 2006, 16:20

where will you take a caravan too?
In the US, I saw people going fishing to lakes on weekends, parking by the side. I wonder where will we go from delhi. Yamuna? and die of the stench.
some remote lake, and get looted?
Or go for a day trip and get roasted. Covered in dust and soot. Even if they were free, they would not make sense. Caravans are good for nice good weathered places with wide roads. Himachal would be great, but then, the roads are not there.
In India the caravan expirience would be worse than Jeremy Clarksons.

normally_crazy · 23rd August 2006, 11:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by amit

Indians are not adventurous.

The replies here confirm this statement .

And I didnt mean caravans that are pulled by anothr vehicle ....I meant a job like the one DC did on a traveller a few years back.

Hire a driver and enjoy your city and out of city rides....maan Im getting more and more sure that this is what I want now.

Mack · 24th August 2006, 11:15

I would so love to have a good caravan. I did like those caravans in Swades and that Barjatya movie - Hum Saath Saath Hain.

I Imagine myself with 8/10 of my good friends and family going to Goa in the winter in such a Caravan. I'll take the Bombay-Goa highway and stop along some of them beautiful Konkan villages, the beaches et al. Lotsa beer, seafood. Guitar, camp-fires, football on the beach. I could actually carry wine/beer glasses on the trip if I had a caravan. My dog too won't be left behind. Man, won't that be awesome?

Rtech · 24th August 2006, 11:27

Best thing in the world would be to build up on the chassis of a Volvo bus!

manson · 24th August 2006, 11:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mack

I did like those caravans in Swades

it has been standing in the same place since more than a few months now. hope this suggests how irritating it can get even for movie producers/directors who more or less would be the target market for caravans in India.

manson.

esteem_lover · 24th August 2006, 12:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rtech

Best thing in the world would be to build up on the chassis of a Volvo bus!

perfect !!! even a AL bus would do. u can have all the facilities u need & it wont cost u much either, if u build on a AL chassis.

souravbasu · 24th August 2006, 12:36

IMHO, the concept of Caravan can't get pupular in India primarily due to the two reasons below:
1. Lack of space (more people are living per square kilometer - where will you park when you are not using it?).
2. High Maintanence Cost - due to bad road infrastructure and high fuel costs.

vincentt · 25th August 2006, 12:34

Caravans make sense only if we use our vehicles, drive it and go out for a holiday with it or for a slightly long trip or ofcourse short weekend trips with a lot of stuff to be carried along with.

Tempo travellers, are a good buy in that nature. They are quite economical, quite spacious and quite powerful a vehicle too. It has the top first gear, which is not usually used to tackle steep inclines. Our team had taken a trip to madikeri and with 15 members in it, the driver had used it on real steep inclines, otherwise, the normal first does good.

Maintenance and fit and finish looks however bad on the vehicle. There is definitely more maintenance than a car to be done, also considering that this is a bus like vehicle. In Bangalore these vehicles are excellent carriers too, considering that bus comes packed, these vehicles give a good travel, to both sitting and standing passengers.

kutlee · 25th August 2006, 14:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by GTO

Nope, Not in India:
2. They are too big. Too impractical.

The whole Caravan is just nothing ( i didn't tell this). Recently watched BBC2 TopGear program. Jeremy, Richard and James bought caravan and went to a caravan site. None of them didn't like anypart of the caravanism. According to them
1. They simply clog up the roads in summer
2. Nothing to do what is holidayish.
3. Too many rules like, keeping pets, sleep by 11, no music, no dance etc etc.
4. The only activity is 'filling up the loo'
So i don't think even we won't like it.
Not offending any enthusiasts.

22nd August 2006, 01:16	#17
hellspawn Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: noida Posts: 1,686 Thanked: 9 Times View My Garage Infractions: 0/1 (10)	caravans wont make sense here simply because hey will be priced too high.its difficult to park a car,where wil u park a caravan.and like amit said,indians arent adventurous. not to forget the brilliant condition of our roads.
	() Thanks

22nd August 2006, 14:44	#18
sbasak BHPian Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: CCU-LTN Posts: 607 Thanked: 16 Times	Since only the very rich can afford a caravan in India - they can afford going overseas and hire a caravan there and enjoy It is highly unlikely to be successful in India. In developed countries, there are special places for caravan parking with cleaning and drainage facilities. We can't imagine that in India even in near future. More "adventurous" attitude will die down after 2/3 trips. Then caravan will be a burden rather than recreation.
	() Thanks

22nd August 2006, 15:59	#19
sumitkalindi BHPian Join Date: May 2006 Location: Kolkata Posts: 376 Thanked: 17 Times View My Garage	Thinking of selling my Flat and Byuing a Caravan, maybe on a 407 To 407 from a Spacio.
	() Thanks

22nd August 2006, 16:04	#20
GTO Team-BHP Support Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Bombay Posts: 71,848 Thanked: 322,916 Times View My Garage	Nope, Not in India: 1. I really dont know of anyone (even in the States) who use a caravan as a daily use vehicle. 2. They are too big. Too impractical. 3. In India, every car is a multi-purpose vehicle. City driving, highway driving, grocery shopping, chaffeur driven, self driven, dropping kids to school, going to parties on the weekends etc. How could a caravan possibly fit into these roles? 4. Too expensive. A business person would buy a luxury car over a caravan anyday.
	(1) Thanks

22nd August 2006, 16:09	#21
esteem_lover Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Madras/Py Posts: 7,556 Thanked: 513 Times View My Garage	i guess the indian version of the caravan is the horse or bullock driven wagon which people used to travel in those days. man, that wouldn't that be FE. Last edited by esteem_lover : 22nd August 2006 at 16:14.
	() Thanks

22nd August 2006, 16:20	#22
tsk1979 Team-BHP Support Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 23,688 Thanked: 23,494 Times View My Garage	where will you take a caravan too? In the US, I saw people going fishing to lakes on weekends, parking by the side. I wonder where will we go from delhi. Yamuna? and die of the stench. some remote lake, and get looted? Or go for a day trip and get roasted. Covered in dust and soot. Even if they were free, they would not make sense. Caravans are good for nice good weathered places with wide roads. Himachal would be great, but then, the roads are not there. In India the caravan expirience would be worse than Jeremy Clarksons.
	(1) Thanks

24th August 2006, 11:15	#24
Mack Newbie Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Pune Posts: 17 Thanked: 4 Times	I would so love to have a good caravan. I did like those caravans in Swades and that Barjatya movie - Hum Saath Saath Hain. I Imagine myself with 8/10 of my good friends and family going to Goa in the winter in such a Caravan. I'll take the Bombay-Goa highway and stop along some of them beautiful Konkan villages, the beaches et al. Lotsa beer, seafood. Guitar, camp-fires, football on the beach. I could actually carry wine/beer glasses on the trip if I had a caravan. My dog too won't be left behind. Man, won't that be awesome?
	() Thanks

24th August 2006, 11:27	#25
Rtech Team-BHP Support Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Bombay Posts: 5,765 Thanked: 371 Times View My Garage	Best thing in the world would be to build up on the chassis of a Volvo bus!
	() Thanks

24th August 2006, 12:36	#28
souravbasu BHPian Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Bangalore Posts: 79 Thanked: 11 Times	IMHO, the concept of Caravan can't get pupular in India primarily due to the two reasons below: 1. Lack of space (more people are living per square kilometer - where will you park when you are not using it?). 2. High Maintanence Cost - due to bad road infrastructure and high fuel costs.
	() Thanks

25th August 2006, 12:34	#29
vincentt BHPian Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Bangalore Posts: 70 Thanked: Once	Caravans in India Caravans make sense only if we use our vehicles, drive it and go out for a holiday with it or for a slightly long trip or ofcourse short weekend trips with a lot of stuff to be carried along with. Tempo travellers, are a good buy in that nature. They are quite economical, quite spacious and quite powerful a vehicle too. It has the top first gear, which is not usually used to tackle steep inclines. Our team had taken a trip to madikeri and with 15 members in it, the driver had used it on real steep inclines, otherwise, the normal first does good. Maintenance and fit and finish looks however bad on the vehicle. There is definitely more maintenance than a car to be done, also considering that this is a bus like vehicle. In Bangalore these vehicles are excellent carriers too, considering that bus comes packed, these vehicles give a good travel, to both sitting and standing passengers.
	() Thanks