Pricing

[Red_Mick]

Not having bought a caravan yet, I'm looking for a reasonably priced 2 berth.

What I can't figure is the way older vans are still an amazing price.
Surely if a caravan is twenty years old, how can it be worth around the £3000 mark????
How much did a two berth van cost in 1991/2? I can't believe that the depreciation rate is so low
unless they cost £15000 back then??

If I had a scruffy car which was 15 -20 years old, like the 'vans I've seen in many dealers, that it
would be worth anything more than a few hundred pounds.

 

[Damian]

A caravan, like everything else, is only worth what someone is prepared to pay for it.
Good older vans are very rare and command high prices as they were built of better materials than their modern counterparts, however, many have been neglected and are full of damp.

There are some good deals to be had but you need to be very careful in your choice and it is worth getting a pre purchase inspection done on any prospective purchase.
It should cost around the £60 mark, but may save you thousands on a damp, rotten van.

If the seller is not prepared to allow such an inspection, walk away.

 

[ProfJohnL]

Hi Mick,

I know what Damian means, but I would offer a slightly different perspective on old vs new:-

I actually belive that modern caravans are manufactured with better materials than older vans, BUT I am not convinced the manufactures are using the materials to their best advantage.

And I also think that in many cases the manufactures have gone design mad, or designing for the sake of designing, rather than listening to what their customers actually want, and fully developing a concept to iron out the flaws before moving on.

Consequently, older caravans often provide what we are looking for in a more durable package, But as Damian writes it is really worth getting a proper inspection.

 

[RogerL]

Although caravan depreciation in the first year is similar to cars, after that it's much, much lower - mainly because they're bought based on condition not age - as posted above, it's all down to supply and demand.

 

[Steve L]

I have until recently never spent more than £1500 buying our caravans. The last one was a Link 575 twin axle 4 berth that was 1983 vintage and only one of twenty made. It was a very well made van and lasted us right upto 2008, when we sold it to some strawbery pickers to tow back to Bulgarie as they called it. I sold it for £1100. So over the 7 years we had it, we lost a mere £400.

Our current van cost us £8'000 via a dealership as we were looking for a specific dealer special model. I bargained hard and got a grand off the screen price, a full sercice and gas&electric test certs included. I also had 2 new tyres and a new 110amp battery thrown in for good measure. However over the 3 years we have owned it, it looks to of lost about a grand, by comparison with dealer prices now.

The only reason we changed was that the Link was not suitable for fulltime living, as we had to make the bed every night. The abbey is a fixed bed and has glassfibre comosite sides which are warmer in the winter. I was offered a new Fleetwood Sonata that had been "lost at the manufacturer" for 2 years, for only a grand above what the abbey was, but the interior seemed oppressive and that matters a lot if you are going to be there 365 days a year.

Always buy with your nose and eyes wide open. Don't be particular about age as it's quality and condition that are the key's to a good deal. If you're going through a dealer, don't be afraid to stick to your guns and aim to knock a grand off. If they say no simply walk off, don't go back for a week or so and you might see a different sales man who works on a lower commission for himself. Always look at as many vans as you can before deciding on a brand and model that suits you.

 

[chrisbee1]

I have a somewhat impulsive friend who bought his first caravan, a dealer special island bed model, 16 months ago. He paid over £16.000, including a new mover and has used the ‘van twice for a total of 21 nights. . He’s now decided caravanning is not for him and is looking to sell his ‘van. The dealer has offered him £9000.00. If he accepts their offer it will have cost him £333.33 per night in depreciation alone. I’ve advised him to go for a private sale but he’s not one to listen to advice from others as was shown when I suggested he should buy a cheapish used van to test the water before parting with 16 grand.

 

[Lord Braykewynde]

he’s not one to listen to advice from others as was shown when I suggested he should buy a cheapish used van to test the water before parting with 16 grand.

Obviously more money than sense???

Certainly an expensive lesson.