just to warn people who are novices like ourselves when buying folding campers privately, we done this and found a lot of problems, back end completely rotten, fridge not working, canvas rotten but the biggest problem were this week end our first away at Brean in this camper on our way home on Monday the wheel came completely off the camper coming out of Brean lucky not to happen on motorway, big hole in floor of camper as well as other damage, told by people who came to help from nearby garage looks like the chassis had been going for awhile waiting for garage to check this for us and total cost to get this camper home even though we are members of the R A C has been £208.20 still trying to sort this out with their customers service centre, please, please, please take warning my family and myself could of been dead.
I am glad you have not come out of this badly injured or worse!
Unfortunately there are two issues here, firstly when buying second hand its very much a case of 'buyer beware', especially where campers and caravans are concerned. There are plenty of horror stories on this and other sites warning of the pitfalls of buying second hand.
I appreciate you saying you are novices but the warnings are here to read and the advice as to what to look for.
This site is priceless for this because whatever problem you have someone somewhere will have an answer.
With regard to the wheel coming off, was it a mechanical failure or the wheel nuts come loose? If the first then this is just bad luck, if the second then I'm afraid this is down to you..... Always check tyres, tyre pressures and wheel nuts before your journey.
I certainly don't want you to think I'm kicking you while you are down, and hope you can get it sorted because we love our folding camper.
If you have a recourse against the seller then you could try and get some money back depending on what sort of deal you did. Did you see the camper open when you bought it, if so you probably wont have a leg to stand on.
With regard to the fridge, they are very fussy about being dead level or they wont work, also if the gas has been disconnected it can take a while to get the gas through the pipes again... .It may just be something simple
You don't say what sort of unit you have but I have a Pennine Pullman and they are relatively easy to work on as long as you have basic DIY knowledge and somewhere to work on it.
As said, sorry you started off so badly but work through the problems and I'm sure you will have great holidays in the future.
Don't forget if you have a problem odds on someone will have the answer on this site!
Treat campers/ caravans like cars when buying, everything needs to be checked it's working, and that it's road worthy.
I did my research on forums etc as I myself was new to all this, but I treated like i was buying a second hand car.
I made them out it up, plug it into the electrics to check that all worked.
I checked tyres then got underneath it.
If you don't know then all you need to do is ask, as it pays off in the end.
------------- Up there for thinking, down there for dancing. 😎
This is a very common problem, unfortunately, as there is no real legal certification we can get to show a folding camper is road worthy, like there is for a car MOT. We've written a guide for first time buyers (especially when buying privately). I wont rub salt in the wounds by linking to it here, but it is very much a case of buyer beware, and we ignore that at our peril. Hope it all gets sorted out ok.
------------- The one good thing about being wrong is the joy it brings to others..
We researched for months sorting out what was a good deal and what was a good product.
My wife and father in law saw one, liked it, drove to see it and saw immediately that one of the panels had blown with water damage inside. Chap "look surprised" and promised to update his ebay. needless to say the price dropped a lot and we didnt buy that one.
A lot of folks selling one will have a day or wknd that they will erect if for potential buyers to view. This is a must for anyone looking to buy into TT's/FC's. I appreciate thats not helpful for you now but if someone is new and looking to buy this thread will be invaluable to them.
That is true. Andrew. A lot of people will be buying campers at this time of year, as loads are on sale for the end of the season. Prices are low anyway, so not always easy to tell, based on price, if it is any good or not. If you are thinking of buying, and you are a novice, this is probably worth a read; Used Folding Camper Buyers Guide either way, as has been said above, make sure you do your research, and never buy a camper unless you have seen it up and working.
------------- The one good thing about being wrong is the joy it brings to others..
Thanks everyone for you input perhaps we were a little to trustworthy when buying this from previous sellers, did read buyers guide from blue sky pennine but after we got it did not know this web site was here, anyway its a Conway tardis 1987 just had someone to look at it for us and its not as bad as we thought chassis is all ok looks like the suspension rubbers are worn right down, nuts on wheels are worn also and hole in back of wheel arch where tyre come off. Do anyone know whot size wheels should be on this camper ours are 13 inch.
Lets just say once bitten never get done again.
Sorry to hear about your disaster of a FC
You had a tardis didn't you?
The problem with the tardis and others FC is there getting abit long in the tooth! And no regular safety inspection are required to be towed on the road also new FC and ones a few years old are not cheap witch makes the older units more attractive to people on a budget or people unsure if FC are for them!
I also treat buying these things abit like buying a second hand car!
Lots of research and look over everything under over in and out and take someone with you to do the same incase you miss something!
Some of the units especially the tardis are creeping on 30 years old!
Would you buy a 30 year old car?
Because like a old car they need constant tinkering and care!
I got totally stung last year with renault traffic campervan ended up being the most rotten thing I'd ever seen! But that's a story for another day! On a plus side I broke it up for spares and even made some profit!!!
Buyer beware!!!!!!!!
Pete
13inch wheels with 155 r13 tyres are what should be on it!
I'm glad to hear you haven't gave up on the tardis!
Might be worth giving the running gear abit of a service re greese bearings etc for peace of mind!
Pete
Hi do anyone know by chance whot size suspension rubbers we would need for a Conway tardis 1987 because we have not got a manual or has anyone got one we could buy thanks.
If anyone is looking for help with conway things i can highly recommend Graham at TVS. Someone on here pointed me in their direction. Although we have a pennine they made a wonderful annexe for our awning (constantly missing out on ebay!) but he is a conway expert.
I'm affraid I don't think you can replace those rubbers your speaking about! There the same sort of idea as a indespension unit but in a axle with 3 or 4 bits of rubber! So you would have to change the axle all alko chassis of ruffly this ages would have that axle and one wouldnt be to hard to track down at a caravan breakers!
But unless you suspension has totally collapsed I wouldn't worry about it! As the rubber up the inside of the axle is probably fine!
Pete
Hi Peter2ltr you said about the tyres just been to a fitter who has told us these should be reinforce tyres for a camper which the ones on our camper were not but told by previous owner they just had two new tyres fitted.
Hello!
Yeh you fitters correct! Any sort of trailer/caravan should have reinforced tyres witch basically means the side wall of the tyre are stronger than car tyre to withstand the weights of the trailer!
Car tyres are made up to 4ply trailers vans are normally 6/8ply
So there should be a ply or kg rating on the tyre!
Problem with trailer tyres is there more expensive
Than car tyres! So its possible the guy has been a cheap skate because he knew he was going to sell it!
My tardis I must admit had newish tyres when we bought it no kg or ply rating my thoughts are they are car tyres and I must of done 1000 plus miles since we bought it and had no problems iv also have a trailer for motorbikes and a general purpose one all running car tyres for years and never had a problem! Probably because there not dealing any serious weight! I'm not saying that anyone should use car tyres instead! Just a personal experance! once my tyres are done on my tardis I will probably be buying proper trailer tyres! Until then I'll just leave the ones that are on it!
Hi Peter2ltr always very helpful advice, cost of reinforce tyres are £45.00 which we think are not bad at all we usually pay £40.00 for our car tyres and after this incident that's nothing compared to price on your life if you know whot I mean, thanks again everyone always good advice.
Amazing family weekend with old steam engines, classic car displays, market stalls, and full catering and bar. And camping on site - Save £25 by booking in advance.
Topic: folding camper
