I have a few questions for experienced caravan owners. Having decided to buy a used caravan, I have decided on my layout (5 berth, front bed, double bed plus bunk at the rear, middle kitchen) and now need to start searching. So...
Where should I look - private sales, classified ads or dealers? How about E-Bay?
Are there any makes/models I should avoid?
Are there any makes/models I should consider more than others?
I have already been searching on-line with CaravanFinder and have found several suitable vans, but they are all quite a distance from where I live. I have found a few Swifts and several Fleetwoods - what do you think of these?
Any advice would be really appreciated. Thanks in advance.
Thanks Custer, will need to ask Hubby when he returns from work. We will be towing with a 2007 Ford Mondeo Estate diesel, but I have no idea what it can and can't tow. Maybe there's somewhere I can search online for nose weight, tow weight etc.
There are places such as cuddles-abelgratis but to be honest we've been finding the data a bit awry of late. Your best bet is to check the plates on the car which are often found under the bonnet, and the handbook. Failing that your local dealer or take the vehicle to a weighbridge. Regardless you will need to know the max tow weight as this can differ to the kerbweight considerably.
If you are post 1997 licence holders then different rules may apply too.
Being a service engineer, if I was ever to buy a van it would be either a Bailey, or something from the Swift Group. The contender at the top of my list would be a Sterling. But that's just me talking from experiences of dealing with common faults found during services and of those that are prone to damp.
Each to their own. Best advice would be to use common sense and get a NCC Approved mobile engineer to check the short list over for you. Things to look for is if the wall board is discoloured or looking like shadow or bluey, then either walk away or seek further help from an Engineer and possibly seek a discount from the seller. Moderate damp can easily be repaired with a simple rail re-seal at a cost of about £150 per rail.
Then get the seller to connect the electric and check that all the appliances work on mains, not forgetting to pull the water through and check the water heater. Then disconnect the mains and check them on gas.
If it's an older van check for a spongy floor, if it feels springy then it has probably de-laminated, this can also be remedied for about £60 per square meter.
What I'm trying to say is that if there are faults, dependant on what they are they can all normally be repaired so don't discount any vans because of them, simply negotiate the price to account for repairs.
Moving on. Unless you know what to look for or you're not very confident when it comes to haggling, then buy from a dealer. But even if you have enough cash to purchase the van outright, always stick a bit on finance, even if it's just £1k. That way, if you later find problems and the dealer isn't helpful with putting them right, you can simply get in touch with the finance company and tell them that you're not making any further payments until the dealer resolves the issues. You'll soon find that the dealer will be straight on the phone to help you out..
Good Luck.
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Topic: Buying a second-hand caravan
