Crazy season?

[Freeasabird]

Hi all,
We're a young family looking to buy a caravan - both myself and my wife had great times as children caravanning and want to give our little ones the same experience.

We've been looking for the last couple of months at 4 and 5 berth options but the market at the moment seems crazy. We are looking at vans online and they are sold by the time we reach dealers the next day. We even went to one dealer to look at a van and it was sold before we could get to have a second look at it in the half hour we were there!

I'm assuming this is due to COVID and wish now that we'd looked sooner as this is something we'd been planning to do for some time. We've decided to let the market settle a bit and try again in a few months. I know nobody has a crystal ball but any advice on when would be a good time to start looking or when dealers get new (second hand) stock most commonly?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Parksy]

Hi and welcome to the forum.
Under normal circumstances, caravan dealers show the new models at caravan exhibitions in Manchester, Hull, Glasgow and the NEC in September and October.
The exhibitions have been cancelled but Practical Caravan are hosting an online exhibition showing next years models on October 12th.
Normally, caravan owners part exchange their existing caravans for new models at these shows, so contact local caravan dealers, speak to sales staff and ask them to contact you when suitable part ex used caravans are becoming available. Keep a close eye on reputable advertising websites because there will be some who want to sell privately in the hope of a better price.
If and when foreign holidays become available again I think that the market will be flooded with a glut of used caravans when the sun seeker all inclusive crowd decide that caravan holidays in rainy Britain are no longer for them.
Good luck in your search, in the meantime while you're looking you can do some research on what layout will suit you best, and what to look for to avoid buying a leaky shed.

 

[Freeasabird]

Thanks so much, really useful information. Will absolutely be keeping track on dealers and private sales; we would definitely rather hold fire and get the right van than go for something expensive and/or unsuitable.

 

[WayneS]

Hi Freeasabird - great forum name btw! I'm sure things will improve wih time. We bought our van (our 1st) 2 yrs ago privately from a couple who for health reasons, sadly for them had to retire from touring, they couldn't have been nicer or more helpful. We were lucky they were so kind & the caavan came with lots of extras saving us a lot of money - these sort of purchases are out there. May be a way to go?
Good luck!

 

[otherclive]

There might be some improvement in supply early in 2021 as folks pick up their new vans and the pre owned get traded in. Also there will also be those who now feel that caravans aren’t for them. But I wouldn’t expect prices to drop much until perhaps the unemployment starts to really bite and people are forced to sell assets, and dealers have to respond also to stay in business.

 

[Beachball]

Hi and welcome to the forum we brought our caravan private only one owner from new if you look on Preloved or Gumtree you might get one but if want one fairly new the caravan dealer might the way forward

 

[Raywood]

Possibly soon might be a good time. After the travel restrictions were lifted the market went mad and stocks were quickly cleared by most dealers. There had been no new caravans built for some time and so many people were unable to trade in their current ones for new and a lot of people found caravans a safe and easy option for holidays when other options were closed to them or just not advisable.
Now that the summer is over and people are looking to the future there could be a fair number of used models coming back onto the market from people who did not get on with them, want to go abroad next year or can now trade in for a newer model. Time will tell but watching prices might give a clue.
Sales are slow now through to early next year so dealers normally mark stock down but they may not have enough to worry them this year and they will have more room to display new models arriving for the new season and not have to worry about space. This is a unique year and possibly dealers will go both ways, so it is all guesswork I am afraid.

 

[CustardAvenger]

We've been looking for the last couple of months at 4 and 5 berth options but the market at the moment seems crazy. We are looking at vans online and they are sold by the time we reach dealers the next day...

I experienced vans being shifted quick in 'Normal Times™'. Was interested in an End-Bed layout, so looked at an end of season 2017 Sprite Major 4 EB my local dealer had in stock; within 10 mins of looking round it, it had been sold and door had been locked.

The availability of accessories is about the same as used vans; specifically gas bottles being limited and high demand for second hand stuff. There are too many variables to call when would be a good time to buy. I always recommend considering buying a new van from one of the NEC shows (with appropriate homework), but as previously mentioned they are cancelled. Dealers & manufacturers may not need to push the discounts & show offers to get sales in the short term if demand continues.

 

[Freeasabird]

I experienced vans being shifted quick in 'Normal Times™'. Was interested in an End-Bed layout, so looked at an end of season 2017 Sprite Major 4 EB my local dealer had in stock; within 10 mins of looking round it, it had been sold and door had been locked.

The availability of accessories is about the same as used vans; specifically gas bottles being limited and high demand for second hand stuff. There are too many variables to call when would be a good time to buy. I always recommend considering buying a new van from one of the NEC shows (with appropriate homework), but as previously mentioned they are cancelled. Dealers & manufacturers may not need to push the discounts & show offers to get sales in the short term if demand continues.

Interesting point on the availability of other accessories - hadn't even thought of them being in shorter supply.

I guess we will keep saving and hopefully be ready to pounce when something good appears...!

 

[Sponner]

I've never had a caravan before but just jumped and bought one.
We looked at a few but again they were all selling within a day or so, probably not a good time to buy.
We got chatting to a local independent dealer and he told us what was coming in, looked at one and bought it before it was advertised/prepped for sale.
We got a reasonable deal I think, it was a quick hit for him. Who knows of it of a good time to buy but I do know of several people who are planning to purchase on the spring so I don't see prices plummeting anytime soon.