Buying a 1990 - 1999 caravan - help!

[RobertFT]

Hello folks. I am a complete novice and hope someone can help. I want to buy a 2-birth caravan, it will be a 1990 - 1999 vintage as that seems to fit my budget, but I'm lost as to which makes/models I should look out for and more importantly AND those that are best avoided! Any pointers would be much appreciated. Thanks Robert

 

[Raywood]

I think that at that age the make is less important than the condition. Firstly make sure there is no damp, I would buy a damp meter and check down the corners, where the roof meets the wall, where the floor meets the wall and round the windows. If you find damp leave it although if it is round the windows check it is not just condensation under the rubber seal and in the toilet again it is not surface condensation which can give false readings.
As for everything else it needs all equipment demonstrating to be sure it works and the general condition checking. Get the chassis number and do an HPI check to make sure it is not stolen or on HP. If buying privately make sure you get proof of the owners ownership and any servicing or other work carried out.
If you know someone who has a caravan take them along to advise.
The Caravan Club can provide details of engineers who will check it out for you but given your price range this may be too expensive for you. The NCC has a list of authorised workshops who could probably do you a damp check though for a lot less if that helps. You can check out their website for details.

 

[Parksy]

As Ray mentioned, the overall condition is what to look for.
Basically you're looking for a well maintained and looked after caravan and the most common killer of caravans is damp / water ingress.
Never be tempted to bag a 'bargain' from an online auction website without checking the caravan before you agree to buy it.
Click Here to browse the Used Caravan Buyers Guide which will highlight the main points to look out for and have a look through the Practical Caravan website for more advice.
If there's anything you are not sure about just ask on this forum.
Good luck and enjoy your quest to purchase a nice sound tourer.

 

[Dustydog]

A lot of the major dealers have "bargain basements". Some with no guarantees at all , some with limited guarantees.
May be worth a quick look and will help you to understand what to look for when making your final choice on layout. Although you say 2 berth it may well be a 4 berth in good condition could be better for you.
As all the others have said DAMP is the killer to avoid!!

 

[JamesH]

Speaking from experience I would VERY strongly suggest you buy from a dealer. I bought a 1991 two berth from a dealer. I gave it a very close inspection, unhindered by any salesman breathing over my shoulder and gave the dealer a (long) list of snags I required to be rectified, which included a complete re-panelling of the toilet/shower room. The price, which was within your budget, included a twelve month warranty.
In the price range you are talking about it will obviously be a cash transaction but that does not stop you pushing for a discount, especially if you offer `green-backs`. I did and it worked.
My van was fourteen years old when I bought it ten years ago and its still going strong today. Just back yesterday after a few days away.
Take your time in buying.

 

[Martin24]

Just really to agree with what has already been said. Damp is the biggest evil and apart from that the make and age is pretty much irrelevant. Condition and a layout you are happy with is much more important. Good luck, ask away for advice and above all enjoy.

 

[emmerson]

While I agree in principle with what James says,If you can find a private sale from someone who is giving up caravanning, then you might get all the very expensive kit that you will need to add to your dealer van.The money saved could pay for repairs, should they become necessary.

 

[JamesH]

I agree with Emmerson that it would be nice to have a lot of kit thrown in with a private purchase but if you are buying privately then it will be necessary to carry out a CRIS and HP check unless the purchase was from a friend or neighbour you know well. I don't know how much hassle it would be to carry out the checks, having never been in that position myself.
I would suggest one place to look for caravan equipment bargains is Preloved. I have bought and sold on this site in the past.

 

[RobertFT]

Many thanks for all the very useful advice everyone. With regards the number of births I was thinking in terms of weight. My assumption is that more births = bigger van = heavier van = more costs to tow etc. Is this NOT the case?

 

[Martin24]

Not necessarily. A 1989 Marauda 4 berth was lighter than a 1989 Compass Rallye GTE 2 berth. This was as much as anything down to specs at the time.

 

[ProfJohnL]

Many thanks for all the very useful advice everyone. With regards the number of births I was thinking in terms of weight. My assumption is that more births = bigger van = heavier van = more costs to tow etc. Is this NOT the case?

Hello Robert,

Your basic general assumption about towing costs is I think correct, but there can be a few quirks which might belie that thought.

If we just look at the weight then yes the heavier the more it will cost to tow.

But size is a slightly different matter, caravans are by their nature quit large and boxy, so the aerodynamics start to play a significant part in towing fuel costs. As the aerodynamics air flows around a caravan are affected by tow vehicle just in front of it so it is perfectly possible for a smaller caravan to actually produce a higher wind resistance than a bigger van behind the same to vehicle it all depends on the individual designs.

I do recall that many years ago I had to drive a Ford Transit van with a Luton box body down to Fleetwood caravans in Suffolk. It was a very windy day. Fully loaded with 30cwt of goods and a following wind I averaged 50% more mpg compared to the return journey empty but with a head wind!

So that shows how much windage and aerodynamics does affect mpg.

In practice a difference in trailer weight of 10 to 15% wont make much difference to real life mpg figures, but the size might.

 

[Raywood]

As Martin says extra berths does not mean more weight. The Maurauder he refers to is a basic caravan and has less equipment and luxuries than the Compass so it may depend on what your preferences are.
A four berth can let you leave the bed down during the day saving on the work needed to make it in an evening and clear it in the morning.

 

[WoodlandsCamper]

A four berth can let you leave the bed down during the day saving on the work needed to make it in an evening and clear it in the morning.

But it may reduce your living space, so it depends on your lifestyle. If you are out of the van all day being active eg walking, cycling, sightseeing, etc then reduced space during the day is not important.

 

[Mel]

If you go on the caravanfinder website and put in your max budget on the advanced search option you will get a good idea of what is out there including the mptlm. Happy hunting
Mel