Hi everyone
New to this forum and looking for a little advice.
After a week under canvas camping with the family and a couple of heavy rain showers me and the wife quite like the idea of a caravan.
Would need to be 4/5 berth and ideally have awing.
Don't really want to spend much over 2k till we've tried caravaning
My cars upto towing one(volvo xc90)
I am upto towing one (have class1 hgv)
Come from mechanical back ground but don't have a clue what to look for when it comes to caravans so any advice would be welcome
Regards david
Hi, if you don't mind waiting a few months, there are often bargains to be had in the run-up to Christmas. The main thing to look for in caravans is damp. Virtually everything else is easily fixable, but damp can cause nightmares! I'm sure there are many on here who could advise you better than me as to what van to buy, but it will to some extent depend on where you intend to store it. A nice big garden is best in my opinion, as you can keep an eye on it and it's not far to go to work on it.
£2k gives quite a scope, as I found many to look at for less than half that. My own cost me £500 just before last Christmas, but mine would probably be too small for you with a young family. Ours have all grown up and left home. We also tow with a Volvo, albeit an elderly V70.
Hello Colin
To be fair in no rush for one, as have long weekend in the tent booked to look forward to yet.
Heard horror stories about damp, also worried about unwittingly buying a stollen one.
I can understand your concern about stolen vans. At your price range, you will probably be buying privately as I did, so take care. Try to buy from someone's house rather than a remote location. You could try a cris check, but older vans are not likely to be registered. However, they may be voluntarily.
Get yourself a damp-meter, they are not expensive. Check around all the windows, skylights etc, and in all the lockers, particularly near the floor and in the corners. If there are any obvious signs of damp, walk away. It's always much worse than it looks.
Have a visit to your local caravan dealer. Just like visiting a car show room. Gives you a good idea regarding layouts and what you get for your money. Our first van was bought from a dealer £1500 and 6 month guarantee, went back after a year and traded up.
Hi Bob, dealers obviously vary quite considerably. I couldn't find any dealers around this way that had anything much under £4,000. Most started at around £5,000. Well out of my league.
Other option is to get mobile caravan engineer to give it the once over £50-£70 on something your keen on. if there's anything needs doing use it as a bargaining tool.
------------- I went to the top of the mountain...and looked over the other side!
Sounds like best idea, obviously you've got to decide if its worth the 50-70 pounds for the engineer to check. You don't want to be calling him out 4 or 5 times...starts adding up.
------------- I went to the top of the mountain...and looked over the other side!
Find local Mobile Caravan engineers and ask them to keep a look out for one for you.My neighbour found a Mobile man who did a damp check for £25. If you get your own damp meter don't be shy about getting under beds and in cupboards,also if any seller says there is no damp, don't accept what they say.
Good luck.
Not sure caravan is for me..... Been camping near Filey this weekend and on way home spotted a caravan for sale. However when looking round it was unable to stand up inside due to lack of head room :(
Hi Biff77.
Getting a caravan will not change the weather, that's for sure.
We gave up on Tent camping in the UK back in 1978, and since then have only done family camping in South Eastern France for a fortnight each July.
And we are still at it with both of us being +50 now, our plans are to get a caravan when we hit 60.
Having said that, looking on the caravan section here, it would appear that buying a caravan, can turn into a nightmare, build quality for all makes seems to be a totally random affair, you either get a good un, or a bad un, and both dealers and manufactures head for the hills when there is a problem.
I've seen one,had a bit of mould on outside cupboard door,they said they had it covered and it's from condensation. Moved all beds checked all corners in cupboards no sign of damp. All around windows clear. Is this a worrying sign?
HI Biff you can hire touring caravans from about £200 per week depending on time of year like everything else dearer when kids are on holiday. why don,t you hire one and see if you like it, you have sleeping bags from camping etc so any extras is only going to be your pitch fees and fuel towing van over camping trailer ?? Your part of the country has more caravans per square mile than anywhere else so you should not have difficulty finding a hirer. good luck and hope you become addicted.
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Topic: New member advice, looking for caravan
