So we have decided to buy a caravan. We are going to put it on a seasonal site (stored by them over winter). We don't tow (tried it before, hated it, never again).
Anyway our dilemma is what type (or age) of van to buy. We know we are going to keep it and use it for the long term. We have a decent budget that means we can get a van, in our preferred layout, new. My concern though is if we buy new, how likely are we to have to get the van towed back for warranty issues? Would we be better getting a nearly new van that will, potentially, have warranty issues resolved? Appreciate that some warranty items last for a long time (10 years for ingress for example) so in those cases we would have to get it towed back.
Any thoughts/advice appreciated.
Have you owned a caravan previously? Or is will this be the first time? I ask becasue buying a caravan is a big undertaking, and if it's an "experiment" with no prior experience, it could be unwise to commit to a brand new caravan, which will lose 20% or more of its value as soon as it turns a wheel leaving the dealers showroom.
If this is the case, I'd suggest going for pre owned model which will lose less of its value on purchase, and as you have suggested been through the new caravan snagging process under its original owner.
You should also very carefully review any contact for the site, where it will be pitched and stored as there is no statutory model contract that covers your rights. The devil is in the detail, and things like if a caravan reaches a certain age you may be required remove the caravan, or if you wish to sell the caravan whilst its on the site, the site owners may impose a fee or lien on the caravan. The site may be able to increase service charges or site fees beyond inflation. Just make sure you have all the possible information about the site and you understand and agree with it before signing up to it.
You're absolutely right to be wary about buying a brand new caravan. based not only on comments posted to this and other forums, but also on annual customer satisfaction surveys Caravan manufacturers seem unable to assemble their caravans consistently, ant two consecutive vans of the production line can be like chalk and cheese. This seems to apply to UK brands so there is no risk free choice of manufacturer.
It's more than likely that you can expect to have a warranty problem from new. It's more 'when' rather than 'if.' And when it does arise, having the dealer nearby rather than far away can become an easier pill to swallow.
Caravan insurance, unlike car insurance which has to cover certain statutory conditions, there is no similar model for caravan insurance. Two policies which you might think will be the same, can have some strange clauses which give the insurer the chance to decline a claim. As with the site contract read the details of the policies before you choose which one to go for.
The true value of an insurer only really comes home when you need to make a claim, don't trust the "trustpilot" types of reviews which only looks at how easily the insure takes your money, try and get a feel for the way they support you if you need to make a claim. Low cost policies are low cost becasue the insurance company may have very tight purse strings.
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