Good or bad time to buy?

[PTA]

According to Practical Caravan magazine received today, dealers are saying they are experiencing considerable demand.

 

[Raywood]

Not got mine yet, but to my mind they would want to talk up the interest to inflate prices. Not all are doing it though which possibly tells a tale although I do think second hand might do better because that is where newcomers will be looking, and they may be less savy on prices.

 

[Galgo slave]

I think there is increased interest on caravan sales. The whole of the UK is looking at stay at home holidays and the caravan as ever perfectly fits that situation. Add the cost of borrowing to buy them is low, that will also help. If you have some form of job security and a deposit. Afetr all many people were furloughed for 12 weeks on almosy full pay with next to wastefull outgoings to increase their savings. I know several people that have done very very well out of covid 19 and its furlough scheme.All of whom were also earning holiday allowance from their firms which now needs to be taken before Christmas. If you have 28 days holiday per year and had no breaks in jan or feb, as of say July you have five months and 20 days to have on holiday plus a three day bank holiday wekened to use up.

You might even want to say that the missed sales of March, April, May and June are now being full filled and there fore inflating figures.


I tried to buy a new caravan in May during the lock down as we use it for my work and mine was damaged in an accident. 20 firms said no, one said yes, so i brought the caravan from his company. We had it delivered by lorry to prevent the police questions of towing during lock down. Though I was towing it over the lock down without any hassle.

I think as the season closes in July and August there is going to be a good strong flurry to finish on sales.

 

[ProfJohnL]

Though I was towing it over the lock down without any hassle.

Why ?

 

[Mel]

Hi Prof, Galgo said:

I tried to buy a new caravan in May during the lock down as we use it for my work

Hope this helps.
mel

 

[Galgo slave]

Why ?

i use a caravan for work, i travel for work all over the UK and stay in the caravan monday night to thursday night, traveling home to the bricks and mortar on fridays. work on the construction sites takes anywhere from 3 week to 3 years. when finished i move to the next site and next caravan park. As all the tourists and holiday caravaners were on hold anyone seen with a caravan on tow on the roads was stopped and asked why. even driving in and out of caravan parked up points cause inquiries. I had the new to me caravan driven down on a lorry but had to tow the old one away from the area i was parked. i also then when finished had to two my caravan to the new site 270 miles away from the old one.

alas whilst millions have been sat at home doing wonderfull planning of holidays, earning money for nothing and accumulating holiday pay ( i realise not all of us ) and DIY, gardening and new fondness for baking cakes, hahahahaah

Construction sites have never closed. if i am not at work in the caravan then we are away on holiday, strangly enough in the same caravan. whilst everyone was complaining that they could not get to there caravan i was praying to have that happen to me, whilst sat in mine at work

 

[Raywood]

There has to be some pent up demand for new models but it may not be enough to cover the sales lost in the lock down. The mahufacturers though have not been building either and therefore it is difficult to know what then truth is. The market seems to be divided as to how to approach the problem, but if you get the Adria e mails you will see one dealer in South Wales is giving huge incentives and most others seem to be offering something if you check their adverts.. I suggest that if you bargain hard you will do well.
The second hand market may be stronger though as I think this is where the people looking to buy their first caravan will be, although when they see the cost of the tow bar and equipment plus licence requirements they need, I do wonder if it will put many off.

 

[Beachball]

i to have received the practical caravan our sales are well ahead of expectations.

 

[Gralay]

Hi all
We have lived at our house for 5 years with caravan on the drive and had flyers through door (we will buy your caravan) ect. However in the last few weeks we have had 2 knocks on door asking in person if we wanted to sell our caravan, I presume they were independent dealers. So would think 2nd hand caravans could be in demand. However daanshepp has not let us know how if he bought one.

 

[Raywood]

Given that there does appear to be a lo of people wanting to start caravanning I would imagine they will be starting with a second hand model. On that basis I would think that second hand models might well be in demand. Given that most dealers had a stock of new models on site ready for the Spring rush I would suspect there is some doubt about the level of new sales pressure, but the factories have been closed for three months, so the number of replacement models for any sold will be low, so the position is not clear to me. Personally I think there is a lot of talking up the position by dealers, but unless you try to do a deal you will not know.

 

[Marsh Harrier]

Picked up my new (to us) caravan today, the caravan have been doing a blazing business, its manic they are struggling to keep up with getting caravan's, motor homes etc, serviced and handed over to the new owners. When we arrived a lorry was delivering 2 brand new campavan's.

After listening to the radio last night, chat radio, a holiday cottage owner in Cornwall, rang in to say his experience of the lockdown, the hit they took with lost booking, then due to new cleaning routines taking longer, so having to pay cleaners more... Really thought he was going to lose his investment, he had high mortgages on the property.... But with the relaxations of the lockdown, he's found that demand was so high to rent, he's now commanding £6,000 per week for letting!

So I can see that demand for caravans will increase, do you pay £6,000 for a week in Cornwall, or invest £6,000 plus for a caravan that will give you many Holidays!

So now, no caravan prices will stay steady or increase, but when travel return to near normal, I suspect the prices will drop.... As those who really want their jolly's with the guarantee of sun, pool etc etc aboard returns, the cost of a caravan will plummet has everyone tries to off load their investment

 

[Raywood]

There had to be pent up demand from those who were not able to buy during lockdown and there has been a spurt of newcomers. I doubt this is more than a flash in the pan though, particularly if unemployment keeps rising and interest rates increase.

 

[otherclive]

There had to be pent up demand from those who were not able to buy during lockdown and there has been a spurt of newcomers. I doubt this is more than a flash in the pan though, particularly if unemployment keeps rising and interest rates increase.

And dont forget that any rubbish weather will see some soon lose interest as the family opt for Spain next year!

 

[Cammy]

And dont forget that any rubbish weather will see some soon lose interest as the family opt for Spain next year!

I wonder if the rapid change in quarantine that just happened will influence those choices?

 

[bertieboy1]

Hi everyone

Me and my wife have been saying we'd buy a 2 berther forever and we've saved up finally.

With everything going on, we didn't know if this was a good or bad time to buy? Does anyone know if prices are low at the moment or whether this pandemic has meant more people are buying up.

We have just retired and are not in any rush and could happily wait a year if we can save a bit.

Thanks everyone

Dan

Hi,
We have been caravanning for years now and sold our 2 berth van privately last year.We had anticipated the pandemic would last well into 2021 and the van would lie unused all this time.
meanwhile we ordered a new van saving a deposit during the lockdown and using the money we got for our van.It's due May/June,at the moment it looks like we pitched (forgive the pun) it correctly,things are starting to open up,however things can change.

 

[Raywood]

If you are buying nerwe I think the long term position is likely to be the same as it always was. Those buying second hand are paying more than they would have been worth if no Covid and the value will probably drop very quickly once the shortage has gone. To me new is not a problem but those buying second hand need to actor in the potential losses that may result.

 

[RogerL]

If you are buying nerwe I think the long term position is likely to be the same as it always was. Those buying second hand are paying more than they would have been worth if no Covid and the value will probably drop very quickly once the shortage has gone. To me new is not a problem but those buying second hand need to actor in the potential losses that may result.

I'm not in that market but I'd suspect that discounts on new caravans have all but disappeared - so in practice the "staycation" high demand will have pushed both new and used prices up - but you'll need to be brave to predict when they will fall back to normal.

 

[bertieboy1]

I'm not in that market but I'd suspect that discounts on new caravans have all but disappeared - so in practice the "staycation" high demand will have pushed both new and used prices up - but you'll need to be brave to predict when they will fall back to normal.

The market is awash with discounts on new caravans,dealers are well aware that people have money they didn't or couldn't spend during the pandemic."Staycation" has pushed out delivery times and not prices.
Bravery doesn't come into it,just look at the figures the government are looking at,after all it's in everyone's interest to get back to normal as soon as it safe and possible to do so.

 

[RogerL]

"Staycation" has pushed out delivery times and not prices.

How unlike the caravan industry! Higher demand normally allows higher prices and more profits.

 

[JezzerB]

I know someone who tried to buy knew-allocation has run out so there is a long wait for new caravans! Another friend ordered Jan-delivery won't be till June/ July earliest. ANd dealers are very reluctant to do 'deals'.