Going 300/2

MORE and more European caravan manufacturers are building models or ranges that are destined solely for our shores and now Going is joining in.

Going are Portuguese-built caravans, imported into this country by Red Lion Caravans of Ormskirk. Although Going has had a presence in the UK since 2002, this was through another company and Red Lion Caravans only took on this brand last year.

This model, the 300/2 is just for us Brits and it is a direct result of Red Lion Caravans' desire to evolve the Going name. Added to this, all models are fitted with British standard wiring at the factory instead of being converted to three-pin electrics once over here.

It has a compact two-berth floor plan that many UK manufacturers have dropped in favour of those with larger end-washrooms. That isn't to say that this isn't an appealing caravan merely because it lacks a huge end washroom because its light weight means it can be comfortably towed by a compact hatchback.

Stepping inside, the clean fresh lines and unfussy styling continues. There is a kitchen across the back of the caravan with a washroom on the rear offside corner. The lounge is at the front and the wardrobe is on the offside in the centre with a fridge opposite.

Starting at the back, the kitchen is extremely basic but you get more than you normally would with an entry-level European caravan like this. In the centre of the worktop is an integrated two-burner hob and sink. The sink is small and there's no drainer, but you do get a decent amount of worktop space on either side of it.

Below the worktop is a 240-volt plug socket with a large cupboard under the sink and hob. The shelf is quite thin and I'd be tempted to store my tins on the floor.

The washroom in the rear corner is actually quite big and there's a manual flush (a handle needs to be pumped) swivel cassette Thetford toilet.

There's a large sink with a tap that doubles as the shower head, although there's nowhere to fix it to the wall. The window is frosted, there's a double mirror and a vent in the roof and a small fluorescent light above the sink. All-in-all, it's a better washroom than you'll find in some caravans costing twice the price.

Next to this is the wardrobe, which is huge but has only one hanging rail. Although it looks quite big, the fridge is only a 77-litre unit but it does have a full-width freezer compartment. There's a small, awkward cupboard below, which won't store a lot of stuff.

Overhead there are two decent-sized lockers fitted with those fiddly plastic stays. The ceiling area overhead is mostly taken up with a large rooflight, that allows the light to flood into the caravan.

The front consists of a decent-sized lounge with a semi-fixed table. The table is large enough for four to dine but the lounge just about offers space for six average sized people to sit down if you want to entertain.

There's lots of under-seat storage but with the table in place, these are quite difficult to get at and have no drop-down doors at the front. Another drawback is that there's nowhere to store the table.

The curtains are just for show, but the netting stretches all the way across the windows for privacy. The rails are cheap however - those wire ones that stretch - and you can still see the pencil marks where the screws have to go.

Lighting in the lounge, with no spotlights and only one ceiling fluorescent, is just about adequate - at least you won't have to worry about running out of battery power when not hooked up to the mains.

There's a heater by the door, which probably isn't the best place for it as much of the heat will stay in the kitchen area or escape through the door, but at least there is one. The large front window and overhead rooflight make up for the lack of a window in the door.

PROS
• Lightweight
• Low price
• External styling
• Solid build

CONS
• Heater position
• Locker stays
• Basic equipment fitted

Which Caravan Verdict

8 out of 10

The washroom is generous in size for such a compact caravan and everything works as it should do. Unlike many basic European models, it even comes with hot water as standard.

You don't get alloy wheels, smart light fittings or blown-air heating and it's all a bit basic, but what more do you expect for under £7,000?

Specification

Guide price £6,995 Berths 2 Warranty 2 years general and 3 years water ingress MIRO 780kg MTPLM 1000kg Internal length 3.1m Overall length 4.63m Overall width 2.12m Headroom n/a Overall height 2.35m Awning n/a

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