Just put our Crusader up for sale, I know it's the wrong time of year, but it will take as long as it takes. I think it's all about having someone in the right place at the right time. Let's hope the caravan we have fallen in love with will still be there.
Hopefully, by going back to a van we can extend our season as we both work some weekends, OH permanent nights, it makes it difficult and would be nice if we could get away for a few nights which is a bit harder with the Crusader.
I put our FC on Gumtree, UKCS and Preloved and got a few enquiries but nothing serious until I put it at a come and see me price, then it sold! That was at the beginning of September.
Okay I lost a fair bit on its value, but what I got, paid for our caravan and will also cover the price of a Motor Mover, getting it fitted and a new 120Ah battery.
So at the end of the day, even although we lost out on the FC, we now have a van that will last us a few years and give us an extended camping season.
We've just been for our first trip in our caravan, having just changed from a tt., really enjoyed it, much to learn and few issues to iron out but much longer seasn, if not continual season, so chuffed.
------------- From tents to trailer tents to a tin tent to an air tent to trailer tent and back to tin tent!
We couldn't sell ours privately and travelled miles to buy a caravan from a dealer that dealt in FCs as well. When chatting to our local dealer he said they would have taken it in as PX then passed it on, we didn't even think to ask!
We've looked at 2 local dealers and neither will px. Now listed on here, preloved and ebay so maybe lucky. If not will try again in the spring. Not selling for silly money would rather keep it.
Our dealer wasn't interested in PXing our FC but they did hold the caravan for 3 weeks for us to give us a chance to sell it. I sold the FC via the UKCS ads (plus an auction on ebay that had a few views which I pulled with no bids).
Like LobeyDossey, we lost a fair chunk when selling it (around £1500 if adding up all the bits plus the original purchase cost) and we only owned it for just over a year. However, we would never have bought a caravan at the beginning so the FC allowed us to decide whether we enjoyed the style of holiday.
Venture would px, but they just didn't offer enough...I could seriously drop the price from what we are advertising at and still get more...like Claire, I'm not selling for silly money. I had a bloke phone up the other week, really arrogant, and he basically told me I wouldn't sell it for what we were asking and that if I hadn't sold it in 2 weeks, ring him and he would 'take it off our hands but not at the over-inflated price I had it up for'. I told him to go away in words starting with F and O. Think he was a dealer.
Seriously! I'm really not expecting to sell it for the price we are advertising it at, we will consider any SENSIBLE offer.
We have owned Tents, TTs, Motorhomes, Caravans and then the FC.
We have enjoyed them all, but in different ways, however, now that we are getting on a bit (mid 60's) and draughts and exertions of building up and dismantling the FC are taking their toll and so we are returning to the caravan idea again.
Apart from styling, caravan equipment has not changed much over the past 20 years and so spare parts are not a problem if you buy an older (cheaper) van.
Although, thanks to retirement, we could have gone out and bought a top of the range super duper caravan, there was nothing on the market that would give us the bed sizes we required, so instead we have gone for a 16 year old caravan where I will reconfigure the interior to give us the beds sizes we desire, yet still give us the lounge area and all the rest of the usual caravan equipment. It was the decent bed sizes that attracted us to the FC. Shame that caravan manufacturers are still of the opinion that all caravanners are 5' 3" with their hands up!
Life is never straight forward when it comes to selling "your pride and joy" and there are usually other factors involved.
We live "out in the sticks" and so to get folks to come all this way to view our FC, we had to set the price at an attractive level.
Also, we had already bought the caravan but it was 50 odd miles away in a farmyard caravan storage area and open to the elements. Meanwhile our FC was taking up space in my workshop where I wanted the caravan to be.
In the end a chap drove up from Somerset, bought the FC and towed it home all in one go. I have since heard from him and he is pleased as punch, as I am for him.
Now we are no longer paying storage fees for the van and it is now under cover for the winter during which time I can get working on it to make it ready for an early start next year.
So yes we did lose quite a bit, but just being able to get the van where I want it and able to work on it every day, more than makes up for any loss on the FC.
Anything is only worth what someone is prepared to pay for it. That price obviously is more in spring than in Autumn so its probably worth readvertising in Spring. I've, seen Veemas advert and its good and consider the price is probably fine it will more than likely move close to the asking price in Spring. Don't lose heart Veema your FC looks good just be prepared to wait until next spring and I,m sure it will sell
We're not rushing...would have been nice to have sold it before we got the van, but we dont need the money from it to buy the van, so happy to hang onto it and see what happens.
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: Veema You`ve made our mind up!
