hi all
Just spent a few hours looking at reviews for caravans and the conclusion is that there are lots of problems out there.Iive saved up quite a lot of money with the intention of buying a van to live in it full time and all ive discovered is shoddy workmanship dealers who rip you off and problems that will induce heart attacks.
Im 62 and i really dont need all this
someone talked me into looking at living in a caravan over a van conversion but im just not sure any longer due to all the worrying reviews im reading about the state of vans (yes new vans at that) out there
can someone prove me wrong?
are there vans out there from decent dealers that are worth buying?
Getting back to the gents question rather than the off topic posts.
Yes UK caravans have a very poor quality of build issues,not all the time but a higher than expected a lot of the time. couple that with terrible warrenty service and or dealer back up and yes there is a massive risk to a person buying a right old heap of a brand new caravan. I am fairly sure for every horror story theres hundreds of unheard happy stories.
As for full time living in a touring caravan its easily do able and very cheap and effective way to live. I work away from home and use my caravan on a site for 12 months of the year, average for me is 230 + days a year in the tin box.
As well as work i also use it for breaks and holidays.
So how do I get round the risk and horror stories, its easy i allow a cost to repair and upkeep.
A bricks and mortor house costs a fotune to upkeep. painting decorating, repairs windows, guttering, gardening and a hundred other jobs. and yet we expect to do drive a caravan on some of the worst roads in europe, across fields and through campsites and all that good stuff. you cant twist a house foundation and tow a bungalow at 60 mph up a motorway and yet we complain our caravan leaks or windows dont seal.
I maintain my caravan, i dont wait for things to break first i prevent them when ever possible. i change stuff, repair stuff, improve stuff. I put my hand in my pocket and pay out, probably a lot more than most do. but i do a lot more than most do.
A couple of holidays and ten weekends away a year is rough average for a caravan owner, 14+ 14+(10x2) 48 nights out a year? say 3000miles a year towing, mine is nearer 250 nights and 30,000 miles, five times the use, should i be paying five times the average maintenance costs?
Unless its a blow out or a puncture its extremely rare for caravan tyres to want to be changed. we have all seen tyres decades old, 10 years or 20 years is not uncommon. still full of tread plenty of grip left, old and brittle but still "looking good". i change my tyres every other year because they are worn out, how many caravaner's wear tyres out with miles traveled.
Do your research as best you can,
Just like a boat a cheap caravan is expensive to run and repair, a newer caravan has had less time to break or wear.
If your uncertain, PAY AN EXPERT to survey it first, asking a mate is not the same as asking a mate, in facts mates are just about the worst people ever to ask for advice, a cold hearted expert with insurance to cover you is far safer.
Buy the van you want but expet its not free living and you will need to pay at least some money out every year in maintenance.