Second hand caravan ?

[turbo20010]

Hello.

First of all, I should say that English is not my native language. So, you may excuse me for some mistakes.

Second, I want to buy a Knaus caravan, second hand, from 1990. I want to know what should I do to inspect the caravan (to discover the main hidden problems : rust, wheels, dampers).

Which are the most important parts of the caravan that I must inspect very carefully ? Which are the parts that can deteriorate easily ?

Thanks in advance for your answer.

Turbo

 

[Lutz]

Hi Kantor,

Knaus caravans generally have a good name. I've got a '92 model and it's still going strong. As with any other caravan, the most important thing to watch out for is damp. It's worth going over the caravan with a really critical eye, especially all joints and corners, inside and out, to look for any signs of damp because that sort of damage can be very expensive to repair. Any major patches of swelling or discolouration may indicate the worst, that the cost of repair is more than a caravan of that age is worth. Otherwise, there are the usual and more obvious things like rust and corrosion, so check whether the coupling and the brakes move freely. However, such jobs are relatively easy to put right.

 

[turbo20010]

Hi Kantor,

Knaus caravans generally have a good name. I've got a '92 model and it's still going strong. As with any other caravan, the most important thing to watch out for is damp. It's worth going over the caravan with a really critical eye, especially all joints and corners, inside and out, to look for any signs of damp because that sort of damage can be very expensive to repair. Any major patches of swelling or discolouration may indicate the worst, that the cost of repair is more than a caravan of that age is worth. Otherwise, there are the usual and more obvious things like rust and corrosion, so check whether the coupling and the brakes move freely. However, such jobs are relatively easy to put right.

Ok, thanks.

And one more think : the damp is from the shower, the toilet etc. or from the atmosphere conditions ?

I ask you this because maybe I may choose a caravan without bathroom (if this is the main cause for damp).

Thanks once again.

 

[turbo20010]

Ok, thanks.

And one more think : the damp is from the shower, the toilet etc. or from the atmosphere conditions ?

I ask you this because maybe I may choose a caravan without bathroom (if this is the main cause for damp).

Thanks once again.

 

[Lutz]

It can be from the shower or kitchen but more likely from rain or underneath from wet roads.