Buying caravan private sale

[Bob c]

2016 caravan last serviced 2022 only used twice since according to owner
If i get a engineers report and all is ok would you purchase or pay more to use a dealership

 

[borderbilly]

Think I would buy if all is well, plus they may throw in extras like water containers, pump, awning etc.

 

[otherclive]

2016 caravan last serviced 2022 only used twice since according to owner
If i get a engineers report and all is ok would you purchase or pay more to use a dealership

Wise to have an AWS report as in a private sale you have less protection than if purchased from a dealer. Plus any pick ups they should be able to give an estimate of cost to make good. Check tyres as advice is change between 5-7 years. If it’s only been used twice in two years then tyres would be suspect in my mind.

 

[Bob c]

Thanks for advice
Caravan comes with the owners kit, water barrel, grey waste container and power supply cables
Will have a look at tyres,would engineers report pick that up?

 

[otherclive]

Thanks for advice
Caravan comes with the owners kit, water barrel, grey waste container and power supply cables
Will have a look at tyres,would engineers report pick that up?

Should do but check yourself as tyres have date of manufacture embossed on sidewall. They may have good tread depth but that’s not a good guide as caravan tyres rarely wear their tread. They may have
cracks in sidewalls or base of. treads. Given its not been used more than twice I two years that tells me tyres should be replaced.

 

[Bob c]

Should do but check yourself as tyres have date of manufacture embossed on sidewall. They may have good tread depth but that’s not a good guide as caravan tyres rarely wear their tread. They may have
cracks in sidewalls or base of. treads. Given its not been used more than twice I two years that tells me tyres should be replaced.

Will do thanks

 

[Buckman]

2016 caravan last serviced 2022 only used twice since according to owner
If i get a engineers report and all is ok would you purchase or pay more to use a dealership

It has been 2 years since the last service so definitely time for a proper service and damp check otherwise you may be buying a heap of trouble!

 

[Hutch]

Thanks for advice
Caravan comes with the owners kit, water barrel, grey waste container and power supply cables
Will have a look at tyres,would engineers report pick that up?

I would buy it, my 2013 Coachman has been used 4 times in the last 2 years due to health and hospital and eye appointments. FSH and always dry on damp checks.

 

[ProfJohnL]

I would buy it, my 2013 Coachman has been used 4 times in the last 2 years due to health and hospital and eye appointments. FSH and always dry on damp checks.

Unfortunately Hutch as well you know (or at least should know) that just becasue one particular caravan from a manufacturer has been a good one does not guarantee or necessarily mean another van from the same manufacturer will be as good. All UK manufacturers have a pretty abysmal record of consistency.

I would consider it and I would also make any offer to purchase conditional on the outcome of an independent (i.e. AWS) engineers pre purchase inspection and report being satisfactory to me.

If the seller is unhappy about you having an independent inspection carried out, ask your self why, and consider the possibility the seller knows there is or could be a problem. If they have nothing to hide then they should be ok with having it inspected.

Do proper due diligence checks for owners registration, and if there is any finance outstanding on the caravan.

These checks are worth the money they cost, becasue with a private sale you have very little come back if anything isn't right.

 

[Gafferbill]

......don't buy a caravan privately without doing a CRIS check.
A conscientious owner will have it registered and CRIS can tell you if the caravan has outstanding finance on it and other information.
I would walk away if the seller cannot produce a CRIS registration document and a invoice/ bill of sale as proof of their purchase.

 

[Bob c]

Thanks everyone for all the advice very much appreciated especially me being a novice in buying a touring caravan

 

[DaveA1]

Let us know your decision.

 

[Dustydog]

Fully echo everything said .
I’d like to see the full FSH
An AWS engineer should check all the equipment works correctly.
Used only twice over two years can cause things to seize up. Gas jets can become blocked. How fit is the battery for example? Has the handbrake been left on whilst not in use?
What make and model is it?
Is the price attractive compared to a Dealer?

 

[Bob c]

Fully echo everything said .
I’d like to see the full FSH
An AWS engineer should check all the equipment works correctly.
Used only twice over two years can cause things to seize up. Gas jets can become blocked. How fit is the battery for example? Has the handbrake been left on whilst not in use?
What make and model is it?
Is the price attractive compared to a Dealer?

It’s a 2015 coachman 575/4 vip and asking £14995

 

[Beachball]

If he brought it from new has the service book been stamped up including damp checks and all the paperwork up to date . if thinking of buying i would take someone like a AWS engineer to check it. The price looks very reasonable

 

[Bob c]

Didn’t proceed any further with the private sale
Service history was very intermittent so walked away
Going to view another private sale tomorrow which sounds really good
It’s a 2017 Sterling Elite 565 one owner from new and a full service history, also a Cris plus membership
Wish me luck

 

[otherclive]

Didn’t proceed any further with the private sale
Service history was very intermittent so walked away
Going to view another private sale tomorrow which sounds really good
It’s a 2017 Sterling Elite 565 one owner from new and a full service history, also a Cris plus membership
Wish me luck

Thats a Swift brand so make sure the service history has been uploaded to Swift and you see all invoices. Swift don’t accept stamps in the service book.

 

[Bob c]

Thats a Swift brand so make sure the service history has been uploaded to Swift and you see all invoices. Swift don’t accept stamps in the service book.

Can i check myself if it has been uploaded

 

[otherclive]

Can i check myself if it has been uploaded

Yes that’s what I did by phoning Swift Customer Services. They told me the service history was incomplete. Fortunately the service book had been stamped by three different dealers so I had to contact each one. There was a reluctance to provide copies of the service invoices, citing GDPR. But with the previous owners permission and suitable redactions I obtained the invoices which I emailed to Swift. They then confirmed that the warranty was transferred to me. Fortunate as the rear panel had developed cracks and it was replaced under warranty.

I don’t know where you stand wrt warranty on a 2017 caravan.

 

[Bob c]

Yes that’s what I did by phoning Swift Customer Services. They told me the service history was incomplete. Fortunately the service book had been stamped by three different dealers so I had to contact each one. There was a reluctance to provide copies of the service invoices, citing GDPR. But with the previous owners permission and suitable redactions I obtained the invoices which I emailed to Swift. They then confirmed that the warranty was transferred to me. Fortunate as the rear panel had developed cracks and it was replaced under warranty.

I don’t know where you stand wrt warranty on a 2017 caravan.

thanks for info but to be honest i don’t really expect any swift warranty on this age of van
It seems well looked after and nothing seems to have been scrimped on
New tyre last year and he has put top brands on and not cheap crap

 

[Buckman]

Yes that’s what I did by phoning Swift Customer Services. They told me the service history was incomplete. Fortunately the service book had been stamped by three different dealers so I had to contact each one. There was a reluctance to provide copies of the service invoices, citing GDPR. But with the previous owners permission and suitable redactions I obtained the invoices which I emailed to Swift. They then confirmed that the warranty was transferred to me. Fortunate as the rear panel had developed cracks and it was replaced under warranty.

I don’t know where you stand wrt warranty on a 2017 caravan.

As it is over 6 years old the warranty cannot be transferred.

 

[Beachball]

Didn’t proceed any further with the private sale
Service history was very intermittent so walked away
Going to view another private sale tomorrow which sounds really good
It’s a 2017 Sterling Elite 565 one owner from new and a full service history, also a Cris plus membership
Wish me luck

We brought a Abbey that was one owner with full service history it was in stunning condition check everything inside and out on the caravan if it what you want go for it

 

[Bob c]

I have purchased the caravan and picking it up on Tuesday
Thanks for everyone’s advice

 

[borderbilly]

I have purchased the caravan and picking it up on Tuesday
Thanks for everyone’s advice

Great, enjoy it. And any questions fire away, they are great bunch on here and very knowledgeable.

 

[Dustydog]

Well done Bob
Time to sit in the new toy with the hand book and try everything out and get to know her👍