After 2 years and lots of bad experiences with the trailer tent, we have decided it's time to make the change and invest in a second hand caravan. My problem is I don't know where to start! I've no idea what weight of caravan I can tow, what kerb weight and other weights mean. I've just got no idea really and hope you many helpful people out there will point me in the right direction! How would I test for damp or would I take the word of the current owner that it's dry? I'm sure there are a lot more questions for me to be asking!
How much weight you can tow depends on the vehicle you are towing with so if you could tell us the vehicle details we can probably give you the weights but you would still have to check with the plate on the vehicle as variations do occur.
Kerb weight is the unladen weight of the vehicle. Ideally the caravan should be around 85% of the kerb weight.
The MTPLM is tha max allowed weight of the caravan ie including all your bits and pieces.
There may be other restrictions on your licence if you took your test after 1997, check your licence.
You can buy a damp tester or get a mobile caravan mechanic to do a damp test for you. I don't trust anyone who says it's damp free unless I've got something in writing to back it up and a decent warranty if something goes wrong.
Now, after that lot, how many berths do you need and how much can you spend?
Keep asking questions, it can be expensive if you make a mistake with this but you can minimise the risks by asking questions on here before you spend any money.
The caravan you buy to be safe on tow should be 85% of your cars kerb weight this is taken from the MTPLM or max load of your caravan you buy.the other thing to look at is your cars tow bar max weight this should be marked near your towball .some are 50 kgs others 75 kgs,mine a 4x4 is 92 kgs.a landrover can be 150 kgs.work this figure out before you go to a dealer and tell them you do not want a caravan over this weight.the micro of a caravan is the unloaded caravan weight but say a battery and gas bottle.all makes differ in this.the difference between the MIRO and the MTPLM weight is the load you can safely carry without being overloaded.if you buy from a dealer ask for a full damp report,if no don't buy.if you buy private take a damp meter with you and test in every corner you can find including under the beds mainly at the front.if they say no don't buy.
------------- the only silly question is the one you do not ask.
My car is a Renault Megane Grand Scenic Dynamique, 2007, 1598cc petrol.
Just to clarify Rob, unladen weight of the vehicle is the weight of my car with nothing in?
Ideally, I'd like a 5 berth but I think I might struggle to tow one of them so might have to settle for a big 4 berth.
If I were to buy private though, how could I ensure there's no damp or is that a chance I'd have to take?
As for budget, as cheap as possible for a starter van, so around £1K perhaps, unless that's too cheap but it's what I had in mind. I did see one at the weekend at a dealership over the weekend who would take my TT in part ex but the price was still around £3K after part ex!
The weights on Renault cars can be hard to understand sometimes, check with the owners handbook and the weight plates on the car. You may find that you can only tow a small caravan with your car.
The kerb weight of the car is the unladen weight of the car with an allowance for fuel etc but no passengers or luggage.
Don't worry it'll all make sense after you have gone through the figures a few times.
Hi according to autotrader your car has a kerbeweight of around 1400 kilos so i'd say your best bet would be around the 1000kg mark a little more even, however the biggest problem is a 1.6 petrol will struggle with the weight of the car and van.
My advice would be change the car to a diesal if you can this would give you better options, however it can work as it is but will be a big ask of that 1600 engine
hi we made the same switch last year just had enough bad trips with our tent then our tt so we got a caravan. we bought a fleetwood crystal 148/5 it has a MTPLM of 1100kgs a quick look at your car says max towing weight of 1300kgs so at 1100kgs you would be in the 85% so a 5 berth is possible
we paid £1250 for the van this time last year it is a 1994 model and has no damp so it can be done
browse some vans and then try adding the info to Towcar.infoit will give you a good idea on what to expect performance wise for the chosen outfit
Do not take anyone's word that There is no damp! Just read a few of the posts on here and you will see why. It's heartbreaking. Get yourself a damp meter and check every bit. Don't be afraid of offending the seller, they really won't mind if there is nothing to hide. Once you have paid your money it's too late. You will see there are some cruel and unscrupulous people out there. That is one reason why we decided to buy from a reputable trader (Salop leisure in Shrewsbury) as we got a 12 month warranty and the service has been brilliant.
the biggest risk in buying a caravan is the dreaded damp
buy your self a cheap damp meter & learn how to use it & where to check for damp, then when you are sure of the van you wish to buy HAVE a pre purchase check by a mobile engineer this may cost a few quid but it could save hundreds & a lot of heartache
If you are buying from a dealer he should check it over and give some kind of warranty. At your budget you will not be likely to find anything at a dealer as there won't be enough margin in it so you are better off looking in local papers, ebay etc, the free ads in supermarkets are good sometimes. If something looks good and the seller seems genuine then think about getting a pre purchase check done.
If you look on the MCEA website you'll find a list of local engineers and they often publish their prices.
Apart from the damp problem cheaper caravans often get neglected. Tyres are often left on rather too long, they have plenty of tread but they perish so check the age of the tyres and budget for new ones as a haggling tool. A pre purchase check will probably be around £50, a full service £150-£200, tyres depend on size but make sure you get the correct ones for the caravan.
At your budget you can get a nice van, probably early 1990's but remember that a 5 berth will have had lots of use by a family so a bit of diy will probably be needed. We started off with a similar budget 15 years ago and our budget had to include a tow car and tow bar as well!
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Topic: Newbie caravan owner to be - please help!
