Paul Howard is sent to Coventry to purchase a motor mover that will help him steer his caravan safely through a very narrow gap indeed!

Coventry was once the centre of the British car manufacturing industry, but in the last 40 years, most of these iconic companies have now gone or have been swallowed up by European or Chinese companies. However, there is still a British manufacturer tucked away in a small industrial unit in the Tile Hill area of the city. It doesn't produce cars or vans, but motor movers for caravans.

The company is called Rhyno Caravan Motor Movers and has just six employees including the manager, who doesn't mind getting his hands dirty, because he fits the movers, while the other workers design, machine and assemble the units.

Motor movers are known to be heavy but, to keep weight down, Rhyno's movers are made predominantly from aluminium and are CNC machined from solid blocks of the metal.

The only parts that come from outside Coventry (but still in Great Britain) are the electric motor, the remote control and the gearbox, though the company has plans to also make the gearbox in-house, too.

By selling direct to the public, the company cuts out the middle man and keeps the costs down. If you tow your caravan to its unit, it can usually fit the movers within a couple of hours, and, if you have bought it while there, the fitting is included within the basic price.

My choice of mover is a Rhyno Charger, an eBay offer that includes fitting at just £595.

Each mover has a five-year guarantee and because it manufactures most of the parts itself, repairing the unit, should you have any problems, will be straightforward. You'll be getting the personal service, too – because the man you speak to will be the person who either manufactured the unit or fitted it originally.

When I took my caravan there to have my mover fitted, it was decided that it could only be fitted on the rear side of the wheels, because the A-frame curved inwards too much in front of the wheels. The team assured me that it wasn't a problem, except that the units are more prone to dust and dirt, but I was shown how to clean the unit on a demo mover set up in its workshop.

When I returned after a couple of hours, I was shown how to engage the movers onto the wheel using a brace, then how to switch the power on. Finally, I had a go in the car park, learning how to use the remote control. Feeling happy that I could control the caravan moving in all different directions, I paid the agreed amount. I have to say the whole process was easy, reassuring and stress-free.

Hooked up, I drove home to face the daunting task of manoeuvring the caravan through the very tight gap between my house and the next. Then of course, after unhooking the caravan from the car, I'd have to tackle the slope that leads up to the little space where we keep the caravan.

No problem! I now have a mover, don't I?

I was like a kid with a new remote control car. I took the control and switched on the power as I had been shown… but nothing happened. I couldn't understand, it had worked well in the car park. I phoned the man that did the demo and very patiently he talked me through the switching on process, which boiled down to this – I had turned the power key the wrong way!

After

Mover engaged, power on, handbrake off and remote in hand, it was all systems go. The caravan slowly but surely moved up the incline and with a few mistakes (not knowing my back from forward and left from my right) it slid into position ready to hibernate for the winter.
This would have taken my wife and I about the same time to move manually, but with a lot more energy and effort, which, as you get older, you want to conserve for things like bending down to untie your shoes and then making a well deserved cuppa. Plus, the Rhyno removes any risk of injury or strain… unless you get Xbox thumb of course! With practice, I knew I'd be much quicker next time. Fingers crossed!

Motor movers are a significant purchase, but if you value your time, convenience and have a tight spot to manoeuvre in, like us, they are absolutely invaluable. I can't wait to try it out on site! I'm sure I'll be the envy of my pitch neighbours!
 

More info: www.rhynomovers.com