As someone with no previous experience with caravans, what sort of questions should I be asking before I buy a used caravan?
Questions to ask when buying a used caravan
- Thread starter smd
- Start date
A lot depends on the age of the van but service record and damp report for starters. Hopefully buying from a dealer with some sort of warranty and as a first timer ask for a starter pack to be part of the deal - otherwise the likes of rolling fresh and waste water containers soon add up. Do you have a caravanning friend who could accompany you?
A massive question.... 
.... Damp ! Damp ! Damp ! Number one priority ... Get yourself a decent damp meter... A lot of Dick Turpins out there.
As already stated it will depend on your budget. A Dealership with Warranty cover is a good start coupled with a starter pack for instance is peace of mind and a massive saving. Buying second hand privately can be a bit more of a minefield.
Private purchase a caravanning buddy is helpful , service history , actually get the seller to have it plugged in set up as if on site . Check water taps , gas , heating on electric and gas , fridge again check it is working on gas and lecky , all internal lights , check window seals , damp check round the windows and areas where the ceiling meets the wall, toilet area and shower cubicle for cracks. Feel the walls for a spongy feeling , usually smell damp before you actually test for it. Floor delamination is another I once bought a Mardon with a split floor and from a Dealership many moons ago.
Plug in caravan towing leads to your tow bar electrics bar making sure all indicators , break lights , marker lights are working , also check the jockey wheel , towing hitch and caravan corner steadies...
Don't take anything for granted . Good luck but a good dealership will a PDI a caravan ( Pre Delivery Inspection ) taking care all of the above....
GAS ....
.... Damp ! Damp ! Damp ! Number one priority ... Get yourself a decent damp meter... A lot of Dick Turpins out there.As already stated it will depend on your budget. A Dealership with Warranty cover is a good start coupled with a starter pack for instance is peace of mind and a massive saving. Buying second hand privately can be a bit more of a minefield.
Private purchase a caravanning buddy is helpful , service history , actually get the seller to have it plugged in set up as if on site . Check water taps , gas , heating on electric and gas , fridge again check it is working on gas and lecky , all internal lights , check window seals , damp check round the windows and areas where the ceiling meets the wall, toilet area and shower cubicle for cracks. Feel the walls for a spongy feeling , usually smell damp before you actually test for it. Floor delamination is another I once bought a Mardon with a split floor and from a Dealership many moons ago.
Plug in caravan towing leads to your tow bar electrics bar making sure all indicators , break lights , marker lights are working , also check the jockey wheel , towing hitch and caravan corner steadies...
Don't take anything for granted . Good luck but a good dealership will a PDI a caravan ( Pre Delivery Inspection ) taking care all of the above....
GAS ....
I think GAS has probably covered most things, but getting a good dealer near to my self ! White Arches , for them to hook up a van to view, could be a problem. -as there site is so big.
But for them to give you a damp check should be no problem. To me that would be good.
Maybe next week As a test I will go there an see what their response is.
Anyone else willing to ask for a damp report on a van. For sale.
But for them to give you a damp check should be no problem. To me that would be good.
Maybe next week As a test I will go there an see what their response is.
Anyone else willing to ask for a damp report on a van. For sale.
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Whilst I agree with most of what Gas has suggested, I disagree with the idea of getting your own damp meter. There are several reasons for this but the two biggest ones are:A massive question....
As already stated it will depend on your budget. A Dealership with Warranty cover is a good start coupled with a starter pack for instance is peace of mind and a massive saving. Buying second hand privately can be a bit more of a minefield.
Private purchase a caravanning buddy is helpful , service history , actually get the seller to have it plugged in set up as if on site . Check water taps , gas , heating on electric and gas , fridge again check it is working on gas and lecky , all internal lights , check window seals , damp check round the windows and areas where the ceiling meets the wall, toilet area and shower cubicle for cracks. Feel the walls for a spongy feeling , usually smell damp before you actually test for it. Floor delamination is another I once bought a Mardon with a split floor and from a Dealership many moons ago.
Plug in caravan towing leads to your tow bar electrics bar making sure all indicators , break lights , marker lights are working , also check the jockey wheel , towing hitch and caravan corner steadies...
Don't take anything for granted . Good luck but a good dealership will a PDI a caravan ( Pre Delivery Inspection ) taking care all of the above....
GAS ....
1 due to the construction of caravans, you have to be very careful in how you take the measurements and you have to know how to interpret the results
2 You must ask the owners permision to do a damp test, as the probes do cause penetration marks, and you could be accused of causing criminal damage. You need to know how to apply the probes so they do not cause visible or permanent damage.
As a follow on point you should consider it suspicious if a seller refuses to allow a proper independent damp check to be carried out.
Hi John, I have a digital non- invasive inductive damp meter or moisture meter. Basically a pin-less damp meter and agree if a seller is refusing the buyer to do a damp check in a private sale , walk away.......
GAS .....
If buying privately you must get the VIN number and check it with HPI to make sure it is not shown as on HP or stolen. Get proof of ownership and all maintenance records and make sure you see at the owners home to confirm that it is correct. I would say a good dealer though is the best bet if you have no experience of caravans.
What no one seems to have mentioned though is the car. You need to know its kerb weight and towing limit. The makers towing limit is the legal maximum it can tow, so must not be exceeded, but some are far higher than the cars kerb weight, which might make towing unsafe at the higher weights the makers show.
What you need is a weight that the car can control in an emergency, and the towing guide suggests no more than 85% of the kerb weight, which for that purpose is the weight empty plus three quarters of a tank of fuel and 75 kg for the driver and some luggage. This is a very old figure and with improvements many people will say it is outdated due to improvements in the towing performance of both cars and caravans, personally I would not worry about a figure up to90%, but the advice in the Guide is there and you have to make your own mind up as to whether you go with it.
What no one seems to have mentioned though is the car. You need to know its kerb weight and towing limit. The makers towing limit is the legal maximum it can tow, so must not be exceeded, but some are far higher than the cars kerb weight, which might make towing unsafe at the higher weights the makers show.
What you need is a weight that the car can control in an emergency, and the towing guide suggests no more than 85% of the kerb weight, which for that purpose is the weight empty plus three quarters of a tank of fuel and 75 kg for the driver and some luggage. This is a very old figure and with improvements many people will say it is outdated due to improvements in the towing performance of both cars and caravans, personally I would not worry about a figure up to90%, but the advice in the Guide is there and you have to make your own mind up as to whether you go with it.
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It is actually a CRIS number however there is no obligation to CRIS register a caravan. I am wondering how do you prove ownership if not CRIS registered?
The VIN number is a requirement under EU/UK Type Approval regulations - CRIS simply use the VIN number.
A CRIS certificate isn't proof of ownership, just as a V5C isn't proof of ownership of a car.
Which is why I asked how you would prove ownership? i don't think there is any formal way to prove ownership?
Parksy
Moderator
I should imagine that a bill of sale would prove ownership if the caravan hasn't been sold privately in the past to the current vendor.
If I was to buy another caravan I would ask the Caravan Dealer, "Do you properly service it and what does it cover ?" as the caravan I bought last year was supposed to be serviced and I went to the workshop while it was on tha ramp and asked the mechanic what they did in the service and he replised "We dont service them, we make sure they are safe" I then found out that they had not checked the tyre pressures as the valve caps were chorroded on and could not be removed.
Perhaps I am a bit cynical, but I would imagain that any large caravan dealer will have a building which has a Dehumidifier in it and the put the caravan in the building, put the dehumidifier inside the caravan, switch it on, shut the building door and go in every day to empty the Dehumidifier of water, and do that for 3 days.
Then the caravan does not have any damp issues.
(At home we use our conservatory to dry clothes straight from the washing machine. We use a dehumidifier, when we empty it it can easly have 1 liter of water in the container. Brilliant Machines. My Letting Agent lends them to tenants if they complain about damp or black mould)
If a dealer were to use that technique to falsify the condition of a caravan prior to sale, it would soon become apparent if the caravan had a pre-existing damp condition to the new owner, and assuming they know their rights, the dealer would be facing a large refund or repair bill, and potentially criminal proceeding for knowingly selling faulty goods.
No .It doesn’t work like that ., Water ingress , damp , gets into the , usually timbers, between the outer and inner skins, aluminium and non porous decorative membrane. Hence why a damp meter has very sharp probes.
Your suggestion wouldn’t do any good at all sorry to say
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