Hi all,
We bought an old caravan last year (1990 Elddis Tornado XL). Unfortunately, I took it for a service last week and he couldn't pass it due to damp and various other issues. So, we're looking for another. We'd like a 5 berth and £4k is our maximum budget. We're erring towards a dealer van due to the heartbreaking issues with the last one but they are few and far between at this price range.
We've seen a 2000/2001 Lunar LX2000 525 for sale at a local dealer up for £3995. I was hoping for any input you could provide on price/value, anything I should specifically look for. We're going to be really pushing ourselves financially to replace our old Elddis but both myself and my partner love caravanning and our kids absolutely adore it - they ask to sleep in the van every weekend!
The one we're looking at is here - http://caravans.autotrader.co.uk/used-caravans/lunar/lx-2000/2000-lunar-lx-2000-redcar-cfpa-2c929b1259d03c15015a281bd128435f
Thanks in advance for any help you can provide.
Dan
The one you mention only comes "with a full gas & water service £3,995".
It should come with a full damp report, and be much cheaper than the price quoted. Our last van was a 1999, and this layout, and we sold it for £1,000.
I would shop around locally for a private but, get it checked by an engineer, and if there is any damp walk away. Buy in haste etc.
Thanks Jim,
I thought it was a bit expensive. It's looking quite likely we'll need to use finance hence looking at dealer vans - 5 berth vans from dealers at this end of the price scale are few and far between though it would seem!
Hitby, I dont know your financial arrangements, but I personally draw down some more mortgage money any time i need money rather than finance as its the least expensive way to borrow. It allowed me to upgrade our van last year.
Buy private BUT as Jim says make an Engineers inspection part of the deal that lets you walk away (offer to half cost with seller and if they are not interested......walk away) This will let you buy with confidence and also give you a heads up on any issues, some may be a bargin chip to get money of-- say tires almost at life end, gas leak, a socket or light not working, a window seal gone, etc OR it could find damp and let you walk away for a few quid spent and no big bill.
------------- if your not living life on the edge your taking up tooo much room
We have a Lunar 525 (2014) but the same layout. We love the layout and it is good for 5, in fact we've slept 6 in it. Possible only downside is that the bunk bed is not easy to put up on a daily basis. We leave it made up when there are five in the van.
Is it worth looking privately and getting a reliable mobile service engineer to check it out?
------------- Jean
Sometimes a little rain must fall before you reach a rainbow.
The work will wait while you show the child the rainbow, but the rainbow won't wait while you finish the work.
I'm wondering what the problems are with your current caravan. If it is still roadworthy could you keep using it for a year or two while you save up for another caravan?
Many caravans have damp problems and it may be possible to seal the leaking areas to prevent the problem getting any worse. This could be a diy job that may only cost you the price of a tube of sealant.
If you have gas problems it may be possible to disconnect the problem area and use electricity instead for heating and cooling.
I would be worried that spending £4000 at a dealer may put you back in a similar position in a year or so with an old caravan that has damp and other problems. If you could tell us what the actual problems are we may be able to suggest ways that you can get around the problems and keep using the caravan.
Thanks Rob,
I asked him not to complete the service to save a few pounds after he rang me to tell me about the issues so there could be further issues with the brakes, tyres etc but this was the list.
Damp around the whole van including heavy damp at the front (some of which we already knew about as the boarding is coming away near the front windows).
The damp has lifted the front window shelf so you can now put your hand straight into the front locker from inside the van. The off side of the van is bowing out away from the furniture due to damp and the axle dropping (I don't know what this means). Battery needed to be in a proper battery box as it's just loose under the wardrobe and behind the fire at the moment (I realise this one is a cheap fix). He explained it would cost about £3000 to put everything right properly and then the van would be worth about £800 hence the search for a new van.
I'll certainly be getting him to do a pre-purchase inspection before we buy another, even if it's from a dealer.
That doesn't sound too good if the side is bowing out. If the axle has dropped the caravan does not sound roadworthy.
I've just looked back at your original posts from when you bought the caravan last year and noticed that you have quite a heavy car and a B licence. If you have the same car you will be restricted to a caravan of 995 kg or less to keep within your licence restrictions. Any 5 berth of that weight is likely to be as old or older than your existing caravan and possibly in the same sort of condition.
There are good solid, dry, safe older caravans out there but they are hard to find within the weight limit you require. It might be worth changing the car to a lighter one to allow you to tow a heavier caravan (keeping within the 3500 kg limit and the 85% guideline) or taking the extra driving test to allow you to tow a heavier van, this will cost you about £500 of your budget.
it'll work out cheaper than changing the car. As I understand it I can at least pick up a heavier van and bring it home if I'm on L plates with a B+E license holder in the car. I'm currently trying to work out how many hours of training I'll need to pass so have feelers out at a couple of training centres locally. 5 hours and the test is £299 up the road in Gateshead but I'm not sure that'll be enough.
So, the van we looked had had several issues - the front windows had been glossed black round the edges to hide a poor repair.
Moving on!
We've seen an Elddis Odyssey 505 2005 Caravan. 5 berth,new tyres, hitch lock, water barrel and waste, porch awning. It was apparently serviced a year ago and was damp free (I'll check the paperwork!).
Does this seem like a reasonably price?
Many thanks in advance,
Dan
Oops sorry! It's up for £4995.
Yes, I thought the same. If the price is reasonable and it all looks good then I'll get a pre-purchase inspection before committing.
Quote: Originally posted by hitby on 29/3/2017
So, the van we looked had had several issues - the front windows had been glossed black round the edges to hide a poor repair.
Moving on!
We've seen an Elddis Odyssey 505 2005 Caravan. 5 berth,new tyres, hitch lock, water barrel and waste, porch awning. It was apparently serviced a year ago and was damp free (I'll check the paperwork!).
Does this seem like a reasonably price?
Many thanks in advance,
Dan
That price sounds about right if it is a 2005, if anything it may be a bit on the low side. If you check the Cris number etched on the windows the tenth digit gives you the year, 2005 would be 5, 2004 would be 4 etc. You can also get a check done against the Cris number, a bit like an HPI check on a car, to check the caravan is not on finance, has not been written off and is registered to the person selling it.
If it looks good and you can tow it then it's worth getting it checked over. I would haggle the price of the service it needs off the price as well as anything else that the inspection throws up.
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Topic: 5 berth caravan help
