Buying Used Caravan Advice Please

NVP · 16 Jul 2023 at 10:40

Hi all,

I've a few bookings to go and see some caravans this coming week and would like some advice on things to check for and look out for etc. please

I know I have to check for damp and ensure there is no smell, and also to check all individual things work, too. That's about it.

Also, any must haves I should be aware of?

I'm looking at 4 berth models as anything with higher capacity appear to have those combined washrooms rather than a separate toilet and shower. Also looking for ones with motor movers just for ease as I'm a single parent and my kids are too young to help move a caravan lol.

Thanks in advance

note: I know caravans don't have motors but I thought this section would still be more knowledgeable, however mods can move elsewhere if they deem fit.

Uther · 16 Jul 2023 at 10:50

Damp is the main one certainly. Also check that it's been serviced (should be yearly) and the tyres are newish (they can look like new, but should be replaced every 5-7 years regardless. The caravan should also be CRIS registered.

NVP · 16 Jul 2023 at 11:10

Ah great, thank you

I see I'd have to CRIS register it to myself after purchase, too. Cool. Thank you

AnastieByte · 16 Jul 2023 at 11:22

As a caravanner since 2018 so not long. I can share my experience which started as a expensive lesson!

In 2018 we bought a caravan from a used dealer 100 miles from home. It came with a damp report, fresh service by the dealer. and 6 months warranty (had to be returned to the dealer for any work).

At the 4 month point we got an NCC dealer to service the caravan not expecting any problems as all appeared fine before the 6 month warranty expired. The service manager called my and said "you had better sit down". They had discovered significant water ingress, very high damp readings in the bathroom and rear panel, and the fridge was not connected properly presenting a significant risk. We were quoted £3000 to repair the damp alone.

It was clear that the dealer we bought it from produced an inaccurate damp report etc. We did not trust the supplying dealer to do the repair so we sold it as seen and bought a brand new caravan. Yes, we lost thousands.

The lesson at that point was to only buy with full service history and also do our own damp checks with a meter.

The new caravan however, has not been without problems. A known issue with some Elddis caravans is the front window not being sealed properly. That gave a higher than average damp reading last year but was fixed easily with no damage.

Must haves I would agree with motor mover, awning, fixed bed for us are must haves. And check with something like Tow Car Info that your car is suited to the weight of the caravan you are towing.

We are still caravanning albeit on a store and stay site which works better for us.

In summary:

buy a good damp meter
full service history by NCC registered
do a towing course (helped me loads)

NVP · 16 Jul 2023 at 12:21

Oh wow, sounds like a nightmare.

Ok great ill take a damp-meter with me, I'll have a Google on which areas I should be testing.

I'm looking private as they all seem to be way better condition, fully stocked and a good few grand cheaper than the dealer adverts I've seen.

Towing wise I'm good, used to tow my parents caravan when we were younger, so fingers crossed, I'll be ok

Thanks for all the advice, I've already checked my tow car capacity, luckily it's a 7 seater van so tow weight is good.

Could I ask why you prefer a fixed bed?

Thanks

AnastieByte · 16 Jul 2023 at 12:28

NVP said:
Oh wow, sounds like a nightmare.

Ok great ill take a damp-meter with me, I'll have a Google on which areas I should be testing.

I'm looking private as they all seem to be way better condition, fully stocked and a good few grand cheaper than the dealer adverts I've seen.

Towing wise I'm good, used to tow my parents caravan when we were younger, so fingers crossed, I'll be ok

Thanks for all the advice, I've already checked my tow car capacity, luckily it's a 7 seater van so tow weight is good.

Could I ask why you prefer a fixed bed?

Thanks

No problem happy to share the lessons we learnt along the way. A fixed bed for us works really well. No making up the fold or pull out beds when to knackared or intoxicated late into the evening. My friends that did not have a fixed bed all wished they had sooner when they changed caravans. Horses for courses though.

MissChief · 16 Jul 2023 at 12:31

Don't forget to drive as slowly as possible, especially on roads with poor visibility and take it as a competition to see how many cars you can have queued up behind you.

Dis86 · 16 Jul 2023 at 12:32

Definitely buy one from people with a strange Irish lilt to their accent and a proclivity for dags.

Diddums · 16 Jul 2023 at 13:40

In periwinkle blue.

(having been on holiday a few times with a caravan as a kid, there's absolutely zero chance I'd buy one, but then I don't have kids so hotels make a lot more sense)

NVP · 16 Jul 2023 at 14:13

AnastieByte said:
No problem happy to share the lessons we learnt along the way. A fixed bed for us works really well. No making up the fold or pull out beds when to knackared or intoxicated late into the evening. My friends that did not have a fixed bed all wished they had sooner when they changed caravans. Horses for courses though.

Ah I see, ok that makes sense. These are just gonna be me and my two little boys so there won't be any intoxication I hope haha

NVP · 16 Jul 2023 at 14:15

Diddums said:
having been on holiday a few times with a caravan as a kid, there's absolutely zero chance I'd buy one, but then I don't have kids so hotels make a lot more sense

I used to love it as a kid.

The main reason is the convenience of just taking them away randomly without worrying about pre-booking a hotel or overpaying during peak periods etc.

Diddums · 16 Jul 2023 at 14:23

NVP said:
I used to love it as a kid.

The main reason is the convenience of just taking them away randomly without worrying about pre-booking a hotel or overpaying during peak periods etc.

Oh I can 100% see the appeal make no mistake, I'm just far too lazy for all the work involved

the_worrier · 16 Jul 2023 at 14:56

I’ve been caravanning for about 4 years. We are on our 2nd as the 1st one had terrible damp meaning we couldn’t use an awning as the side would’ve peeled off the van it was so rotten. My advice? Don’t buy privately unless you really know what you are doing. If you must however, test a lot for damp particularly around windows and buy one without a wooden frame. Even these have a laminated wooden floor so look underneath for signs of de-lamination and bodge repair. Be aware that wood has moisture in it naturally so you’ll get positive readings, the question is what is normal and what is due to ingress? Good luck. We love ‘vanning but aware they are a pain to be stuck behind!! As a rough rule of thumb I would say for an average 4 berth van your tow car needs a mass of about 1600-1700Kg and at least 170bhp if its a diesel (aware its all about torque). It gets less stressful the more you do it (towing, setting up, etc). Do get a motor mover for a 4 berth as you have no chance pushing it by hand i.e. mine is 1600Kg.

AnastieByte · 16 Jul 2023 at 15:02

I would also suggest by some stuff you will need secondhand as there are many people tried vanning in the last couple of years and since changed their mind.

As above I would be very cautious buying privately.

Uther · 16 Jul 2023 at 15:07

Also accept that it's more of a hobby than a cheap getaway now, because servicing, insurance, storage etc can be pretty expensive, and that's before you've even got to a (expensive...) caravan park.
I think ours costs around a grand a year without it moving a wheel.

the_worrier · 16 Jul 2023 at 17:50

My storage is £1/day and that is considered cheap. Insurance £12/month. On average sites charge £25-35/night now but most annoying is that a lot of sites charge more for an awning, dogs, extra people. Annual service £150. Biggest expense along with buying a van (£££ atm) is if you need a different car to tug the thing, then think 20-25mpg when towing.

Feek · 16 Jul 2023 at 18:08

I’ve said it before on these forums and I’ll say it again.

Make sure you join the Caravan Club.

AnastieByte · 16 Jul 2023 at 18:11

The costs do vary as above PJ pays £1 a day which is what i used to pay for outdoor storage.

I now pay £800 a year for indoor storage and servicing by a mobile tech is £250 for a single axel. Insurance £250

CL sites that a friend of mines uses are cheaper but more basic services in some. However, they have stayed on some superb sites.

NVP · 16 Jul 2023 at 22:10

Thanks for all the helpful replies guys, duly noted!

Weight wise I'm good with my mpv, the caravans I'm looking at are about 3-400kg under my max tow weight.

Will take my damp meter, and have watched some youtube videos on where to check etc.

I'm just going to keep it covered behind my garages so no worries there. Will dehumidify it before I store it like with my cars so should be fine.

And yes Mr Feek, I'll join

Demon · 19 Jul 2023 at 07:03

I asked the guys in work about this, since one or two have caravans.. it was actually the non caravan owners who had the best advice:

Best test for damp is to pour petrol all over the caravan, then set fire to it.. If you hear lots of sizzling whilst it’s burning through the floor, it was damp/rotten and best to avoid that one.. if it’s noise free whilst burning, that’s a good ‘un and you might want to consider putting an offer in..
And as is customary, try to check out at least 20 - 30 caravans, testing each for damp first, then put an offer in on the one you liked the most..