One careful pensioner owner eh? . It may well be ok, price would about right for a '93 provided it was dry & ready for use. Older larger caravans are more likely to be damp than small ones & one this age that is badly damp is scrap really so you need to check it very carefully before parting with money. As I said, seam along middle of roof is potential water ingress point along with all other seams, awning rail & window frames etc.
Yes, I suppose for many the term "steam clean" can mean pretty much anything, but a proper steam cleaner or a jet washer, in the wrong hands, can cause a lot of damage.
I would say a jet washer is a complete no-no, but that's just me. (I'm not sparking off that little debate again!)
I have got a bid in for a protimeter on ebay. I figure I am youngish (33) and have just started out with caravaning but plan to still be doing it in 30 years time.
Although £100 is a lot of money for a protimeter I will always be buying second hand vans so it will probably pay for itself over the years and give me piece of mind.
I will view today and if I like it arrange to go back and perform a damp test with my new meter. I take it checking with your fingers for mushy bits is not enough?
Checking with your fingers will give you a good enough idea, but a damp meter will tell you beforehand.
Here's some simple checks I advised someone else yesterday, copied & pasted from another thread. You won't go far wrong with these pointers....
from the outside;
Make sure it sits nice & level (side to side) & not too low. Have a look underneath, the boards that make up the underside of the floor should be reasonably smooth (a few bits of flaking wood is OK, but not too much). Check the wooden & metal beams which make up the chassis all look ok & are pretty solid.
Check any plastic panels (usually front & back of caravan) & windows for any cracks.
Have a good look at all the exterior panels of the caravan, making sure there are no holes (obviously there will probably be a few scuffs & dents, but no massive gouges or any penetration of the outer skin).
Check all locker doors, windows & the main door all close properly, have their appropriate seals & aren't distorted.
Moving inside;
If the floor is spongy, you will feel it under foot. Have a little bounce here & there. It usually happens around the entrance.
Check all internal wall panels, they should be hard & not spongy at all (you should be able to press your fingernail into it & get resistance. It's only wood, you should know what it's supposed to feel like). Especially check the panels around the windows, the door, in the washroom & inside the cupboards.
Also, give the internal walls a little shove. they should be nice & rigid.
I don't know too much about using a damp meter. If you have any suspicions, I think you just stab it into the wall panel & take a reading.
Now, remember to check the integrity of the ceiling panels as well, especially around the roof-light. Also, check the washroom panels thoroughly.
Check carpets, check cupboards, check fixtures & fittings for general integrity.
To be perfectly honest, even a caravan with a few soft spots could well last you years & years without any work. A few soft spots isn't the end of the world, especially at your price range, in fact they are a good way of knocking the price down a bit.
Ask if it's possible to see it with gas & water connected? Maybe run the heater up, try all the taps, test the water heater.
Finally, check the tow hitch at the front. The actual hitch (which goes onto the tow-ball of the car) has a rubber bellows just behind it, this is the damper & also activates the caravan brakes whilst going along. Give it a good push inwards, towards the 'van, it should be quite stiff to push in, & have a "damped-effect".
That's about all I can think of now. One or two defects are to be expected in these old 'vans. I think it's slightly unfair to expect a caravan to exist for 20-30 years & not let a little water in or pick up a few battle scars or defects.
Just a quick addition, make sure you check well into the corners (can't remember if I said that already or not)
Well I viewed the van and there is no way I would pay anything like £1250.
First off it was pretty clear the seller and hos wife were smokers and that is a big no no for us as I don't think you could ever get rid of the smell.
Despite claiming the van had no damp or history of damp there appeared (to my untrained eye) to be damp in the top rear corner of the van. The wall was a wee bit spongy and an attempt had been made to paint over the top of the damp bit.
If I was offered it for say £500 I may consider it as a project to tackle the damp etc. I think he is just hoping to get a naive viewer who is happy to part with their cash without a proper inspection.
Nevertheless I am now £90 down after buying a second hand Protimeter mini H20. But I will now be armed with it in my search for a van!
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Topic: How much would you pay for this?
. It may well be ok, price would about right for a '93 provided it was dry & ready for use. Older larger caravans are more likely to be damp than small ones & one this age that is badly damp is scrap really so you need to check it very carefully before parting with money. As I said, seam along middle of roof is potential water ingress point along with all other seams, awning rail & window frames etc.
