Hi all we are thinking about getting a starter van as we are use to camping but we are wanting a more solid warmer roof over our heads lol.
So what should we be looking out for? i guess spongy floors and obvious damp patches, but is there anything else does anyone have any horror stories that i might be able to learn from? we are looking at wanting to spend about £800 to start with and go from there.
an amount of damp is liveable as long as its on the lower area, no good when on roof line. several find some damp around the front corners and door also below window esp at front. all fixable and the best cure is to cover the van, the cover will allow the excessive wet to wick away. as to the floor easiest cure and one done all the time by dealers is to lay a laminate floor over existing.
in reality you will get a fine starter for your budget. just spend time looking and searching the web sales places. anything from a dealer at that price will almost always be a trader that they have allowed £500 for, if not less. get a good small torch and get right under and check the underneath. and ignore the shiny body. thats only cosmetic. also research the models weight etc. several here have rushed into a bargain to find their car just cant handle the weight or size/shape. some vans have the airodynamics of a breeze block.
good luck. whatever you get it will be better than a tent.
Absolutely you can get a good cheapie off ebay, I got an 80s Monza 12ft £430, no damp I could see, ebayed the awning for £80 'cos I didn't want it, got a chassis service £70, 2 new tyres £80, new hitch £22, new lights £18 + a few little jobs reasealing any dodgy lookin seams etc, so less than £600.
Just given it 12 days in Holland to try it out no probs so ready for France trip Jul/Aug. Its just a shed to kip in the warm weather & does the job.
Whatever you get, a chassis service(hubs, brakes, hitch, lights)& new tyres will be essential, unless you have evidence it has been done recently. Don't think tyres are ok because they have plenty of tread, they may be 10yrs old & liable to blow out at motorway speeds.
I would like 2 double beds as a 4 berth. I have only seen 2 doubles with the 5 berth caravans.
But I also would like it to be quite small as a first caravan to make it easier towing around the peak district.
We will also have to get a 'bigger' car. Ours is only an 1100 at the moment. Is it just the engine size that has to be bigger or a heavier car as well?
I was thinking we would probably buy from a dealer first time to get some warranty. I am hoping a friend who has experience with caravans will come along when we are nearing our decision.
Thanks for the links, I have saved them to favourites.
The last van we had was an ABI Ambassador Jubilee 1991 4 berth with 2 doubles, one front, one rear.
How much are you looking to spend?
Bigger and heavier car - you can look at towing at around 85% so if the car can tow 1500kg you should be looking at a van's MTPLM (loaded weight) of 1275kg.
We haven't bought any of our vans/FCs from a dealer as the price they want is often very high compared to a private sale. If you have someone who is experienced with caravans I think you'd be better buying privately - what you'd pay £1500 for from a dealer would buy you a much better 'van privately.
No dealer selling a £1000 caravan will give any sort of warranty, if they do & you take it back they will just tinker with it. They certainly ain't going to be doing extensive damp repairs. A cheap caravan always has to be viewed as an ongoing project & you do need a bit of diy skill.
If I bought one for £4 to 5 thousand from a dealer what would that probably be if I went private?
I can't use it if damp, my child has a lung condition and that is one of the reasons we are looking into a caravan. We struggle getting away in the tent if the forcast is bad. Also tied to pitches with ehu for heating. That limits us for quick weekend breaks.
HI there, five years ago I wanted to buy a cheap caravan to spend a few weeks touring france with, and then planned to come back and sell it on ebay. However, with gas, electric and water systems on the van the safety issues are HUGE and thats just when it is standing still. There is also the running gear, wheels, etc which need expert servicing to ensure your caravan does not kill you when towing.
I discovered Glossop caravans have a bargain basement section and my first caravan I bought from them for £800 because as a dealer they have to ensure anything they sell is safe. I bought a 20 year old Linton 4 berth caravan which did not have a patch of damp and although very basic in its features they safety tested and serviced it and we spent a very happy summer in it.
In those days it was Robert (maybe a family member of the owner?) who ran the bargain basement section, and he even promised to buy it back off me at the end of the summer if I didnt like caravanning, although he told me I would love it, and that I would only bring it back to buy a bigger one!
I did take it back, because I loved caravanning so much and I traded it in a year later for a bigger van, and I got every penny I paid for the van back in part ex!
I would give Glossop Caravans a ring, you probably wont get one for £800 nowadays, but best to save up a little bit more and make sure you and your family are safe.
5 years on I am now about to trade up again, pick my new van up tomorrow, and my teenagers still insist on coming on holiday with me in the cvan because they love it so much - we have toured france, met loads of people and had the best holidays ever.
Search parameters, within 100 miles of York, price between 3000-4999, 4 berth. You can change the search criteria to suit you. It gives trade and private sales.
Check what it comes with: awning, waste, fresh water, battery etc. These things all add up if you have to buy them separately.
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Topic: looking to get a cheap van???
