Don't be misled by 'brand quality' or the supposed prestige of any brand R, caravans are best judged on an individual basis especially when buying a used model.
All caravans do basically the same sort of thing whether you have spent over 20 grand on a brand new twin axle mobile gin palace or a couple of hundred quid on a first time starter caravan to see if you like caravanning.
Used caravans need to be judged solely on their condition at the point of sale, look carefully for signs of damp, neglect or misuse when deciding whether to buy or not.
It can help if you prepare and print off a check-list before inspecting a caravan prior to purchase.
Have a walk around the outside and look for panel irregularities, scratches and dinks and look carefully at the end panels for signs of cracking. Inspect the mastic between the ends and the sides of the caravan, is it cracked and dried out? Look for signs of bodywork repairs such as different shading of panels.Check inside road lamp fittings for signs of water ingress or algae, check grab handles, tyres and the hitch mechanism and spring damper.
Ask to see evidence of regular servicing complete with damp reports which are done as a part of servicing.Ask how long the tyres have been fitted to the caravan, they may need to be replaced after 5 years regardless of how much tread is left on because of side-wall deterioration.
When you enter the caravan you should feel a solid floor with no sponginess which is symptomatic of floor delamination.
Look inside wardrobes, lockers and bed boxes with a torch and press on panelling to feel for soft spots or bubbling. The front, rear and awning side joints are susceptible to water ingress, look for water marks or discolouration on the interior walls. Look behind curtains and gently ease down window surround rubbers to spot tell tale signs of black mould around the windows and on curtain linings. Is there a musty smell? the use of stick on air fresheners can also be a dead give away, they may be disguising a damp smell.
If everything is ok ensure that all appliances work, check to see exactly what equipment will be supplied as part of the deal (awning, step, water & waste containers, leisure battery and ehu lead) and get it in writing to prevent disputes later.
Ensure that the vendor has the right to sell the caravan and that he lives at the address given if the sale is private.
Do this for every caravan that you decide to go and see irrespective of brand or manufacturer, what you should come away with is a nice, dry, well maintained and well looked after caravan that you and your family will really enjoy using for a long time.
Good luck and let us know how it goes
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