We have been looking for a caravn for a while now and I am getting fed up with the adverts I am seeing and the replies to them.
I am sick of traveling miles and making phone calls to folk who can`t be bothered to tell me the truth. Private sales as well as dealers. I have now resorted to asking all my questions by email but still folk cant answer simple questions.
Do you have cris reg docs in your name?
How long have you owned the caravan?
Any faults?
Is there an xtras included in the sale, ie awning etc?
Are these questions so hard to reply to and why are these things not included in the ad in the first place.
we found exactly the same thing when we looked for our first van earlier in the year. The amount of sellers who dont even bother replying and the rubbish vans we drove miles to see that were described as immaculate.
We did eventually find one on preloved (athough we've since sold the van as the layout didnt work for us).
------------- Thistledown Easter
Nantcol June
Domaine du Verdon Castellane and Etoile d'Argens Frejus Aug
Fairly normal, I'm afraid. Before travelling you need to have a long phone conversation with the seller asking a large amount of specific questions which you can write down as a list. If the seller is unwilling or unable to describe condition of caravan in great detail then it probably ain't worth travelling to see.
While the above is not always the case I would always suspect that ads very scarce in detail suggest that the seller is protecting their own interests by not describing caravan as 'good' or 'damp free' when it is anything but.
Thanks guy`s I thought I was going round the bend.
We nearly bought a caravn last week but something wasn`t quite right, the owner said it was cris registered in her name but when we went back to see everything working they said they didn`t have documents (which they didn`t tell me when I asked). They also had sold off water butts and couldn`t show us how everything worked, we had agreed over the phone to go back to see everything working.
Surely you would see everything working before you bought a caravan, you wouldn`t buy a car without starting up the engine.
Have you tried the caravan club website? we purchased our caravan from there in July, first van we had enquired about, did have to travel 3hours to collect it but it was worth it.
------------- 2013
March: Ferry Meadows
April: North Morte, North Devon
May: Lyndon Top, Rutland
May: Top Lodge.
June: Fairy's lodge
July: La Croix Du Vieux Pont
August: West Beeston,
The problem with extras is that some people turn up expecting to haggle a massive reduction in the price and expect extras thrown in. I think extras should be given if the asking price is met, otherwise negotiated separately.
Look at it from a sellers point of view. They deter other buyers because they think they have a serious buyer coming only for them to make a silly offer.
I bought our caravan from Preloved after seeing two but asking lots of others for extra photos and a few questions.
I was able to rule a lot out because I got no reply and also some who got quite rude with me for asking so many questions.
On the other hand, the person I did buy the caravan from said that they had received a lot of emails from dealers asking lots of questions and making silly offers. They said that they were not even reading emails from free email accounts like hotmail, because most of them seemed to be from dealers masquerading as private buyers.
So I can see this from both points of view, I managed to reach a shortlist of just two caravans buy asking people for extra photographs and details by email. In reality, the caravan I did buy had a few small faults, but the seller was honest and open about them and they were also reflected in the price. I would much rather have something with a few small faults that I know about and can repair myself than be lied to and find faults afterwards.
So if someone emails you back and tells you about a few faults, you can probably assume they are being more honest than those that tell you the caravan is in showroom condition.
Quote: Originally posted by brianconwy on 17/10/2011
The problem with extras is that some people turn up expecting to haggle a massive reduction in the price and expect extras thrown in. I think extras should be given if the asking price is met, otherwise negotiated separately.
Look at it from a sellers point of view. They deter other buyers because they think they have a serious buyer coming only for them to make a silly offer.
It works both ways.
When I mention extras I mean the basic running gear ie battery, step, spare wheel, water bottles. I would expect to at least known then I can work out a budget of how much I will need to spend to be able to go away and if it`s worth going to see the caravan. Not trying to rip anyone off but need a clear picture before traveling miles.
Look at it from a buyers point of view the`re the ones sending money on petrol and phone calls to find out that the caravan isn`t as described.
If everyone put the info in the ad in the first place I wouldn`t have started this topic.
am looking to buy our next 'van now we've got a taste for 'vanning, not in too much of a rush but the one thing i'm finding and it's really peeing me off is the number of folk that advertise a 'van for sale , tell you everything about it bar the important bit's i.e . length, laden / un-laden weights and when questioned have no idea what these are .
how the heck have they been towing them safely with-out such basic info'?
------------- no tin tent outings booked as yet ,just another cruise in Sept' booked so far
Same here. Some whopping lies -a few ignorant of the damp.I looked at one at the same time as another man. Damp meter was loud and clear as the owner thought it would be as he had left in store for several years while abroad. The other chap bought it to my surprise.A few days later we followed up an ad. I rang first and was told the van had service history with damp check report. It turned out to be the same very wet van. When I asked for damp report he recognised me and slammed his door in my face.
Quote: Originally posted by Travel Bug on 17/10/2011
We have been looking for a caravn for a while now and I am getting fed up with the adverts I am seeing and the replies to them.
I am sick of traveling miles and making phone calls to folk who can`t be bothered to tell me the truth. Private sales as well as dealers. I have now resorted to asking all my questions by email but still folk cant answer simple questions.
Do you have cris reg docs in your name?
How long have you owned the caravan?
Any faults?
Is there an xtras included in the sale, ie awning etc?
Are these questions so hard to reply to and why are these things not included in the ad in the first place.
Post last edited on 17/10/2011 15:08:03
I had to smile at this. I spent months trying to find a decent caravan and as you say, you can never get a straight forward answer. Try asking if the van has any damp and you will be amazed at the answers
Quote: Originally posted by realbusdriver on 17/10/2011
am looking to buy our next 'van now we've got a taste for 'vanning, not in too much of a rush but the one thing i'm finding and it's really peeing me off is the number of folk that advertise a 'van for sale , tell you everything about it bar the important bit's i.e . length, laden / un-laden weights and when questioned have no idea what these are .
how the heck have they been towing them safely with-out such basic info'?
We found this too when buying our 'van back in the summer. The people we eventually bought our van from did not have/know this info when we responded to the ad.
Had to get all the info from the makers website. Thankfully it was only a few miles away and was all ok when we came to view it. Vendors turned out to be lovely genuine people who simply hadn't taken to caravanning - they had bought it only last year from a dealer. It came with everything we needed to get going - but the ad had one grainy picture and two lines. We probably would not have travelled any distance to see it.
Looking on eBay it is a wonder some people manage to sell anything? Badly spelt (there is a spell checker) and poorly punctuated descriptions often in block capitals with meaningless, often duplicated pictures. If they can't be bothered with the ad - what is the item going to be like??
So pleased our van was local and all ok on inspection.
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: Is it me or am I talking another language
