Buying a Caravan on the Cheap...
Discussion
In a nutshell our budget is quite limited. My wife is a full time Mum at the moment so we only have the one income but we'd still like to have some holidays this year. We've done camping in the past and it's fine but we're thinking of upgrading so that we're more likely to be away for a week or two rather than just a few nights. With two young kids to chase around it's quite tiring so being able to retire to a fairly decent bed at the end of the day is quite appealing, airbed and sleeping bag doesn't really cut it anymore.
So what should we expect spending about £3k on one? Appreciate it's not going to be that modern but is there any reason that it shouldn't give us another 3-5 years of use or is it likely to just fall apart.
To get an idea we visited a local place yesterday and had a look at this: http://ridgewaytourers.co.uk/lunar-solar-464-1997-...
It was a bit tatty on the outside but nothing you couldn't live with. Internally it was in a very good state, admittedly didn't give it a proper going over but no visible damp or anything. The sales place was a very small outfit, about 10-12 vans on sale, the chap was very helpful, seemed honest and no pressure whatsoever, just happy to show us what he had. Said they were all safety checked, minor issues fixed up, tyres swapped for new if over 7 years old or below 3mm, CO2 and CO alarm fitted, gas tested, etc. + 3 month warranty which he said was pretty much no quibble.
Not saying we'll buy this van but it early impressions were that it did seem to tick all the boxes we needed.
So what should we expect spending about £3k on one? Appreciate it's not going to be that modern but is there any reason that it shouldn't give us another 3-5 years of use or is it likely to just fall apart.
To get an idea we visited a local place yesterday and had a look at this: http://ridgewaytourers.co.uk/lunar-solar-464-1997-...
It was a bit tatty on the outside but nothing you couldn't live with. Internally it was in a very good state, admittedly didn't give it a proper going over but no visible damp or anything. The sales place was a very small outfit, about 10-12 vans on sale, the chap was very helpful, seemed honest and no pressure whatsoever, just happy to show us what he had. Said they were all safety checked, minor issues fixed up, tyres swapped for new if over 7 years old or below 3mm, CO2 and CO alarm fitted, gas tested, etc. + 3 month warranty which he said was pretty much no quibble.
Not saying we'll buy this van but it early impressions were that it did seem to tick all the boxes we needed.
My advice to you would be to buy privately on eBay. Dealers have big markups so at that price point you'll get far more for your money. Just make sure you take a damp meter to test throughout the van.
Admittedly our budget was a bit bigger at 6k, but we got a lovely Burstner van about 4 years ago and haven't had a problem with it.
Admittedly our budget was a bit bigger at 6k, but we got a lovely Burstner van about 4 years ago and haven't had a problem with it.
Have you considered renting a caravan or motorhome? With that budget you could do 3 or 4 good holidays and not worry about maintenance, storage, repairs etc, and keep the cash in the bank for emergencies.
I don't think I'd want £3k tied up in a bulky asset that only comes out once or twice a year. Just a thought.
I don't think I'd want £3k tied up in a bulky asset that only comes out once or twice a year. Just a thought.
TartanPaint said:
Have you considered renting a caravan or motorhome? With that budget you could do 3 or 4 good holidays and not worry about maintenance, storage, repairs etc, and keep the cash in the bank for emergencies.
I don't think I'd want £3k tied up in a bulky asset that only comes out once or twice a year. Just a thought.
Probably didn't make myself clear, if we had one it would be getting used a lot more than once or twice a year. Would probably be most school holidays and several weekends in between e.g. week at Easter, two weeks summer, a half term + weekends in the warmer months.I don't think I'd want £3k tied up in a bulky asset that only comes out once or twice a year. Just a thought.
hornetrider said:
My advice to you would be to buy privately on eBay. Dealers have big markups so at that price point you'll get far more for your money. Just make sure you take a damp meter to test throughout the van.
Admittedly our budget was a bit bigger at 6k, but we got a lovely Burstner van about 4 years ago and haven't had a problem with it.
This is most likely what we would do once in a position to spend. You also seem to get more stuff thrown in privately - awnings, water carriers, etc.Admittedly our budget was a bit bigger at 6k, but we got a lovely Burstner van about 4 years ago and haven't had a problem with it.
I set myself the same challenge last year, in fact i may have mentioned it on here
I saw circa 20 caravans in the 3-5K price range, every one of them (without fail) had damp problems or a badly hidden delaminated floor.
So that's 100% failure rate from a random selection of Caravans!
A couple of the owners were genuinely surprised and removed them from sale (presumably so they could get them repaired), one got really angry after permitting me to use a damp meter and then it reading off the scale on an obviously wet piece of wallboard. The rest weren't fussed as they'll just sell it on to someone else instead.
As a result, i personally wouldn't buy a caravan that wasn't still under its manufacturers warranty as at least you have some comeback.
For example, i px'd a caravan that was 2 years old. During the handover they found serious damp behind one of the cupboards above the fixed bed. As it was under warranty they honoured the agreed trade in value, as they could get it sorted at no cost to themselves.
I saw circa 20 caravans in the 3-5K price range, every one of them (without fail) had damp problems or a badly hidden delaminated floor.
So that's 100% failure rate from a random selection of Caravans!
A couple of the owners were genuinely surprised and removed them from sale (presumably so they could get them repaired), one got really angry after permitting me to use a damp meter and then it reading off the scale on an obviously wet piece of wallboard. The rest weren't fussed as they'll just sell it on to someone else instead.
As a result, i personally wouldn't buy a caravan that wasn't still under its manufacturers warranty as at least you have some comeback.
For example, i px'd a caravan that was 2 years old. During the handover they found serious damp behind one of the cupboards above the fixed bed. As it was under warranty they honoured the agreed trade in value, as they could get it sorted at no cost to themselves.
Damp is very hard to spot on vans unless you have the correct equipment and some sellers might not want you to tell them their van has damp - we traded a very much loved Stirling Europa 540 in for a brand new Coachman and during the hand over they found damp in one of the corners - it wasnt like I was hiding it, but it did effect the trade in price by a couple of hundred quid at the time.
Dealers are more likely to offer a warranty - some dont on older vans so check.
Private sales might include the accessories you will need or want that when you start from new cost an arm and a leg to get together. Awning/Aquarol/WasteMaster/waterpipes/Steps/electric hookup cables/gas bottle/etc etc etc....
Our first van was the well loved family Stirling purchased privately from somebody we knew and it came with EVERYTHING. The second van was a brand new one and I did a deal on the awning at the point of sale (50% discount from RRP) and I sold the old awning on the Ebay.
Look at loads of vans, dont rush - find a layout that you like then find a manufacturer you prefer the style of. Then narrow your search down to that actual van and see what you can find at your budget.
Dont Rush. Seriously. There will be many many years of happy caravaning when you have found one that you love and serves you well (like finding a wife/husband!)...... :-)
Dealers are more likely to offer a warranty - some dont on older vans so check.
Private sales might include the accessories you will need or want that when you start from new cost an arm and a leg to get together. Awning/Aquarol/WasteMaster/waterpipes/Steps/electric hookup cables/gas bottle/etc etc etc....
Our first van was the well loved family Stirling purchased privately from somebody we knew and it came with EVERYTHING. The second van was a brand new one and I did a deal on the awning at the point of sale (50% discount from RRP) and I sold the old awning on the Ebay.
Look at loads of vans, dont rush - find a layout that you like then find a manufacturer you prefer the style of. Then narrow your search down to that actual van and see what you can find at your budget.
Dont Rush. Seriously. There will be many many years of happy caravaning when you have found one that you love and serves you well (like finding a wife/husband!)...... :-)
We started off in a similar position to you where we went out looking for a 3k caravan. Every single one we looked at was dreadful. One had water in the windows. I offered the dealer some guppies to put in them as a feature!
There may be the odd two berth that is worth looking at for 3k however you may strike lucky.
Don't forget you could look for a van for 4-5K with all the accessories and sell some to get the cost back down.
IMHO save a bit more or borrow some money.
We spent 10K in the end and have a lovely "dry" van that we are itching to go away in all the time.
There may be the odd two berth that is worth looking at for 3k however you may strike lucky.
Don't forget you could look for a van for 4-5K with all the accessories and sell some to get the cost back down.
IMHO save a bit more or borrow some money.
We spent 10K in the end and have a lovely "dry" van that we are itching to go away in all the time.
Wacky Racer said:
Golden rules when buying any used motorhome or caravan even three or four years old....
1) Check for damp
2) Check for damp
3) Don't forget rules 1 & 2.
What he said. Ten times over.1) Check for damp
2) Check for damp
3) Don't forget rules 1 & 2.
Some dealers might offer a good finance rate on a higher value van - use the savings you have to pay the deposit and the accessories...
We did this a couple of years ago - and ended up upping the budget to around 4.5k. This year we will be heading back to Norfolk for two weeks in the summer and the kids (now 3 and 7 love it). We also try and do something around Easter and some of the half-terms.
Maybe we were lucky but the van is bone dry, verified again last year when I got it serviced. Its coming up 15 years old now and at this age they will not be problem free. The only major expenditure (aside from storage) has been a new fridge (I could have just used a powered coolbox) and some new tyres. When the weather warms up I need to replace a couple of water connectors that developed leaks last year and I have had to reseal the plug in the sink. I also had to repair a corner steady last winter.
We use the shower cubicle for storing the sleeping bags during the day (it would need resealing to be used as a shower and frankly there is more room and more water in the shower blocks!!!)
If you are looking to use it for school holidays as we do you will easily (man maths wise) recoup your outlay and get away more often than would otherwise be the case.
I wouldn't be too hung up about warranties - at that age/price they are only normally 3 months if you get one at all.......it may be that long before you use it in anger. We got ours from T Giles Caravans in Horsham who do a lot in the budget area of the market although not sure where you are based.
As somewhere warm and dry to sleep with reasonable catering facilities (ours has a full oven and grill and outside BBQ point) and a TV it beats a tent hands down and therefore keeps the wife and kids happy. I still like tents but can't deny this is warmer dryer and more comfortable (although I hate the need to make up the beds every night) in every way and makes pretty much the whole year suitable for family camping!!
Maybe we were lucky but the van is bone dry, verified again last year when I got it serviced. Its coming up 15 years old now and at this age they will not be problem free. The only major expenditure (aside from storage) has been a new fridge (I could have just used a powered coolbox) and some new tyres. When the weather warms up I need to replace a couple of water connectors that developed leaks last year and I have had to reseal the plug in the sink. I also had to repair a corner steady last winter.
We use the shower cubicle for storing the sleeping bags during the day (it would need resealing to be used as a shower and frankly there is more room and more water in the shower blocks!!!)
If you are looking to use it for school holidays as we do you will easily (man maths wise) recoup your outlay and get away more often than would otherwise be the case.
I wouldn't be too hung up about warranties - at that age/price they are only normally 3 months if you get one at all.......it may be that long before you use it in anger. We got ours from T Giles Caravans in Horsham who do a lot in the budget area of the market although not sure where you are based.
As somewhere warm and dry to sleep with reasonable catering facilities (ours has a full oven and grill and outside BBQ point) and a TV it beats a tent hands down and therefore keeps the wife and kids happy. I still like tents but can't deny this is warmer dryer and more comfortable (although I hate the need to make up the beds every night) in every way and makes pretty much the whole year suitable for family camping!!
We had a similar budget and looked at so many that were smelly and grotty that we were put off and spent the money visiting Santa in Lapland instead.
It took us a few years to be in a position to look again and bought a caravan last year. We had budget creep, we went to a dealer to look at their cheapest 4 berth at £4500 and ended up liking one that was up at £8000.
We said it was beyond our budget and it ended up coming down to £6700 with a 12 month warranty, an new awning, gas bottle, waste and water containers, step, towing mirrors (basically everything we needed to use it).
It has been great, we used it loads of times last year, and I wish we had bought a 'van when we first looked years ago.
It took us a few years to be in a position to look again and bought a caravan last year. We had budget creep, we went to a dealer to look at their cheapest 4 berth at £4500 and ended up liking one that was up at £8000.
We said it was beyond our budget and it ended up coming down to £6700 with a 12 month warranty, an new awning, gas bottle, waste and water containers, step, towing mirrors (basically everything we needed to use it).
It has been great, we used it loads of times last year, and I wish we had bought a 'van when we first looked years ago.
CoolCurly said:
Wacky Racer said:
Golden rules when buying any used motorhome or caravan even three or four years old....
1) Check for damp
2) Check for damp
3) Don't forget rules 1 & 2.
What he said. Ten times over.1) Check for damp
2) Check for damp
3) Don't forget rules 1 & 2.
Some dealers might offer a good finance rate on a higher value van - use the savings you have to pay the deposit and the accessories...
Wacky Racer said:
Golden rules when buying any used motorhome or caravan even three or four years old....
1) Check for damp
2) Check for damp
3) Don't forget rules 1 & 2.
I'll support that.1) Check for damp
2) Check for damp
3) Don't forget rules 1 & 2.
They tend to go in different places depending on make and model, but the front corner seems favourite. You can buy a damp tester for under £20 locally and much less of ebay. Test every area inside the caravan, from the back of the cupboards at the top to over the wheel arches. Check the outside for any additional silicon sealant. That said, as soon as you get your caravan, put the special silicon sealant - you can get transparent stuff - along all edges of the metal bits on top and the sides of the caravan.
Caravans can seem immaculate, and so tempting, but hidden damp can cost a fortune to repair.
As support for you decision, I used to thoroughly enjoy camping. We ended up with a 22' x 24' frame tent with an annex and remote toilet tent - I had four kids. I was approached by my kids for a caravan instead and I regretted not trying earlier. It extended the season and as I got more financially stable we were able to have occasional holidays abroad and lots in the UK.
Many years ago, 8 or 9 in fact, we were holidaying in a tent on a campsite. Beside the shower block was an old Dethleff caravan with a sign in it saying for sale, enquire at reception. After much bleating by my wife about wanting a caravan I said go and see how much it is.
Shortly afterwards she returned saying it was £500 on near offer. 3 days later we returned home towing said caravan which we had bought for £400. Bought new tyres, and a couple of gas bottles. Used it for 6 years or so before deciding it was time to upgrade.
Sold it on EBay, keeping the gas bottles, for £620!
So yes it is possible to do caravanning on the cheap if you are lucky!
Shortly afterwards she returned saying it was £500 on near offer. 3 days later we returned home towing said caravan which we had bought for £400. Bought new tyres, and a couple of gas bottles. Used it for 6 years or so before deciding it was time to upgrade.
Sold it on EBay, keeping the gas bottles, for £620!
So yes it is possible to do caravanning on the cheap if you are lucky!
You can also do it with a motorhome , just keep looking, and now is probably the wrong time of year.
I found an old (1995) Renault Trafic based Elddis Arianne for £4K, from an elderly couple who were giving up motorhoming as they were going into sheltered accommodation and didn't have anywhere to keep it.
It is probably one of the ugliest motorhomes you will ever see, but we have had a lot of fun with it over the last year.
Like you we had a very limited budget, it must've been about the tenth we looked at.
I found an old (1995) Renault Trafic based Elddis Arianne for £4K, from an elderly couple who were giving up motorhoming as they were going into sheltered accommodation and didn't have anywhere to keep it.
It is probably one of the ugliest motorhomes you will ever see, but we have had a lot of fun with it over the last year.
Like you we had a very limited budget, it must've been about the tenth we looked at.
Thanks for all the advice, some good food for thought.
Think we'll be looking for something privately if possible and then going over it with a damp meter very carefully. May up the budget slightly as well if we can.
First thing I need to do is sell my car so if I can get on with that then we can decide what to do next.
Think we'll be looking for something privately if possible and then going over it with a damp meter very carefully. May up the budget slightly as well if we can.
First thing I need to do is sell my car so if I can get on with that then we can decide what to do next.
Don't necessarily right something off because it's showing damp, as long as the panels and timbers aren't rotten and there isn't any significant de-lamination, it may well dry out with little ill effect. One re-seal later and you may have gotten yourself a bargain that others had steered clear of.
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