Advice on purchasing first caravan

When looking for a caravan you want to aim for a maximum(MTPLM) of 85% of the kerbweight of your car rather than its gross weight. That isn't, of course, the only criteria. Engine performance, particularly torque, will affect your cars ability to tow. Don't
get carried away by buying some massive double axle jobby, even oif it is light enough. Think modest to start with.

If you pass your test after 1997 and want to tow an overall capacity of 3500kg then you do need a towing licence . I know this , because my husband and I have just bought a new caravan and the dealer we bought this from informed us that one of us would have
to do a towing licence if we passed ouR test after 1997. We checked with Dvla , and it was correct . A lot of people who have been towing for years have not heard of this Atall because they never had to do it .

and licence aside, DAMP is the biggest thing to look for (or not - depending how you view it )

Back to the original question Laura!  As far as buying is concerned, as you seem to be well aware what you are 'allowed' to tow, but you need to look at any many layouts as possible, perhaps even new ones in a dealership, to decide what layout works best for you and your family/circumstances.  A van which suits a couple is likely to be very different to a van which suits a family with small or older children - and teenagers may need a different layout again.  Once you've decided on the best layout have a look at a variety of manufacturers who offer that layout to see what you like best and see if it is available on the second hand market.  There are lots of second hand vans for sale, and you can get a good idea of what is out there, on line, before committing yourselves to a visit to look at things.

Don't buy unseen - always check what you're buying, and preferably in the company of an experienced caravanner who knows what they are looking at.  Damp can be very well hidden and can be a killer of older vans.

As far as websites to avoid, I'm not sure that any one is better or worse than any other!  Just email the seller and you'll get a feel for if they're a 'real' caravanner with a genuine reason for selling, or someone in the trade trying to make money.  If the caravan comes complete with awning, water carrier, waste carrier, and other bits and pieces then it's likely to be genuine.

Have you any idea what layout you want?  Fixed bed, bunks for children?  Older caravans tend to be lighter than the current model - ours is a fixed bed Swift, which would be within your towing limits even fully loaded, but the newer models of the same layout are much heavier. Ours doesn't have an oven but we carry a small oven which cooks everything we need and weighs considerably less than a fitted one........ so you can adapt a less than ideal caravan to suit what you want from it and make sure you keep within your weight limits.

Perhaps a good place to start might be your local supermarket free ads, especially at this time of year.  If someone is giving up caravanning they may put a postcard in the supermarket before thinking of advertising it further afield.  That was how we bought our first van!

Not sure where you are from ,but as said be vary carefull if buying from a "card in a shop window /internet" a trip to a few dealers this time of year can be usefull as they are normally looking at "clearing out " used vans,also do not look at the gross
vehicle weight of your tow car ,what is the Kerbweight? then look at a van of about 85% of that,

PLEASE someone - we know you want the last word, but surely this isn't helping the original poster who asked a perfectly reasonable question.  Whoever is right, you've both aired your views plenty of times now.

I agree .

Hi everyone,

I’ve Deleted User the argumentative comments from this thread, and have asked Kelly, our Technical Advisor to offer advice to the OP. She will be along shortly with answers!

To Laura, I hope you find the van you’re looking for and that you enjoy your time with The Caravan Club 

Enjoy the towing experience at the show. They are really a great way to get some initial skills.

Both clubs also do a more comprehensive courses aimed at newcomers and those who want to brush up their skills.

These are based usually somewhere like HGV training centers and enable you to safely learn how to reverse and pitch up safely. It's dead easy when you know how and these courses are excellent starting points.

Hi All,

This is my first ever post so I'm sorry if it is in the wrong place. I'm hoping to buy my first ever caravan this winter/spring and I'm a bit of a novice to it all so I was wondering if any one had any advice. 

I can only afford around £3000-5000 so I'm buying second hand, I am also only allowed to tow maximum 3500kg because I dont have an B&E license and my car is 2170kg gross vehicle weight.

Does anyone have any advice on the best place to purchase a caravan, am I better off buying privately or from a trade dealer? Are there any websites I should avoid when looking for caravans for sale?

Also does anyone have an idea of what weight van I can get, can I push it to the max and get one at around 1300kg or am I better off trying to get a lightweight model at around 1200kg or less?

Finally if anyone has advice on models that would be greatly appreciated as it would really help the search!

Thank you for any advice you have.

Laura

Hi Laura, its great to hear you're buying your very first caravan 

As you've said your licence has category B which means you are restricted to towing a combined weight up to 3,500kg. This limit can be increased by passing the B+E test, but you should find plenty of choice of lighter caravans around which means you
don’t need to worry about this for now.

As the GVW of your car is 2170kg, 1330kg is left spare for towing a caravan. Even at that limit, the ratio of caravan to car weight should be fine for you (with sensible care over how you load things into it), and looking at 1300kg caravan will widen
your choice quite significantly. Where to buy one can be tricky, as your budget will cover caravans for sale privately and from some dealers. Do look for evidence of service history which should give more confidence around roadworthiness, general safety of
the gas and electrics etc and evidence of major repair or damp issues. You might get more for your money privately, but from a dealer you should get at least a basic guarantee of the condition, and hopefully some form of warranty. Always check the legitimacy
of the caravan for sale (CRIS check from the National Caravan Council and/or
Theftcheck via The Club). As with any secondhand vehicle, deals with look too good to be true probably are….

Do try and visit the caravan to ensure that it is exactly what is on the seller’s advert before making an offer. Have a good look in lockers and around the washroom, looking (and smelling) for signs of mould/damp. Check the age of the tyres, industry
advice recommends changing tyres ideally after 5 years, no more than 7 years old. Enquire what you’re getting with the caravan - are they including the electrical cable and battery? Do they have an awning included in the deal? Is the Aquaroll (fresh water
container) and Wastemaster (grey waste water) included?

If the caravan is bought from a dealer, enquire what warranty they offer. Read the small print to see what the warranty covers, and how long it lasts. You can have the caravan inspected by independent assessors before purchase, and this is a good idea
if you’re parting with a significant amount of money and you’re not familiar with what you’re buying. It’s also a good idea to budget for a service before using the caravan. Dealers might be willing to build this into the sale agreement.

Pretty much all UK caravan manufacturers make caravan models in the 1300kg weight range. Foreign makers such as Adria and Eriba also have suitable models, but these are not as common. Stick to the mainstream UK makes for maximum choice and good spare
parts support. I would advise having a mooch around a few caravan dealers, just to get the feel of what layout suits you best– end kitchen or side dinette etc. You could do the same at the forthcoming Motorhome and Caravan Show at the NEC, Birmingham, where
although the models of display will be outside your budget, you’ll get a good feel for which layouts suit your needs. Don’t rush into buying something – find the right ‘van in the right condition, and at the right price.

Please feel free to call Technical on 01342 336611 for any further advice.

If you buy from a dealer, getting a first-time-buyer starter kit in the deal can save you a lot of money. This will get you all the extra bits you need to get going, including gas, water containers, hook-up cable, battery, wheel clamp,hitch lock ... and sometime an awning. Also make sure you get a good warranty. I got a 12 month warranty on a 12 year old caravan with a starter kit for less than £3000 5 years ago and it's still going strong.

  I got an absolutely step by step instruction in how to replace a rooflight with a mini-heki, and how to replace a smashed jockey wheel!

Well there would have been no use asking me ValDa

I am not allowed tools as I am dangerous with them

(ValDa bought my Heiki)

I'm rapidly coming to the conclusion that caravans and damp are about as common as dodgy backs (my old doc used to say "60% of the human race have back problems, the other 40% are just waiting for it to start"). Damp in itself isn't so much of a problem,
it may only be down to condensation rather than a leak and if you asked two experts to run a damp meter over your van, their conclusions may differ dramatically. The main point isn't so much the damp but the damage it can do to the framework. Later models
are less effected but a good test is to press gently on the surface where you think there may be damp and see if it feels soft underneath, in which case the panel probably needs replacing and the van probably needs to be avoided!  Our best and most recent
investment is a dehumidifier which we leave in the van the week after a trip, then for a couple of hours a month after that. Hope this helps

In addition to the advice already given we found the following has always helped us when considering a suitable layout. Once you have narrowed down size, price etc. have a look round dealers with plenty possible suitable models on display. Spend time inside a few, preferably without a salesman hovering and keeping you talking. Then go through the various apects of living in the caravan. Try the beds for size, check out the washroom. Some can be very tight and the basin impractical for a decent wash. Is there sufficient worktop space to cook? There will be compromises but some trade offs are easier to live with than others. For us we like a decent lounge where we can put our feet up in the evenings. This may not be important to you if only summer caranning and using an awning. Even if you are going to buy privately going round dealers and seeing plenty of options will help you decide which layout will suit best. Good luck.

Hi follow all the advice given but under no circumstances part with any money apart from a small deposit untill you literally have the van hooked up to the car.If you buy off the internet don't bother with people who want to do the hand over in a laybye
or motorway services.After all the daunting messages that people have replied with you still want to go for it then enjoy it !!

Steve