Ceiling panels and wallpaper in shower room

[TheTravelMan]

Hi there,

A friend is thinking of buying an 1992 ish, Elddis xl,4 berth, one owner from new, asking price £2000.

After a good look around, and deciding it needs a new carpet and general clean, it seems OK!

However after closer inspection a small section of the internal ceiling panel above the front lounge seems to be sagging in. We looked at this and cant find any damp, is there likely to be a serious problem here or as we suspect has the glue which holds roof and ceiling panel just parted company. The sagging is not bad and nothing that you would notice without looking for it, and its only sagging in by about a couple of inches at most in a small area.

The other fault we found is that for some reason the shower / changing area has had its ceiling area wallpapered of which is peeling off, after trying to get our hands up behind the wallpaper again there does not seem to be any problems!!

Any advice on this is greatly appreciated!

Also does the price sound good or bad??

Cheers

Andrew.

 

[JTQ]

Andrew; for what its worth you have said enough about the van to make most give it a very wide berth. So it would be very difficult ever to move it on.

Why would anyone repaper a shower area wall unless the existing has gone wrong?

Even if its the glue in the roof giving up, that means the glue is failing, so what gives you confidence that its limited to that area. They are most unlikely to use a different pot of glue for the rest?

The chances of both these being damp related at some time in the vans life is high, no very high, even if its now patched up.

Walk away and continue walking there must be less risky ones out there and its not been given away at

 

[David_374301039]

I agree with JTQ, but don't walk, RUN!!!! My first van developed a sagy ceiling and it was damp!!! Good luck in your search.

David (from Kent)

 

[brianr]

Hi Andrew, I agree with the two earlier replies, I usually keep my caravan for approx. 10 years, my experience with my last one is quite similar to the points you have mentioned. When the caravan was around eight years old noticed the bathroom two "outside walls" were starting to warp. Removed all bathroom units and interior walls replaced wooden battons and panels resealed EVERYWHERE inside and outside. Lasted two years and resale value was nil. Also roof panel at front of van (above sitting area) which had a dip of 1" over two years became a 6" dip and over a much wider area. There are plenty good dry caravans for under

 

[TheTravelMan]

Thanks for your replies!

However, Since posting this question for your views, I have since been contacted by my friend tonight to say, that this morning, he made an offer on the caravan of