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19/1/2022 at 11:52pm
Location: London
Outfit: Lunar Cosmos 524
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This is useful web site for getting a feel of what's on the market. Set any of the filter criteria that you are fixed on, leave others blank, then see what caravans come up and judge what appeals or doesn't. https://www.caravanfinder.co.uk/caravan_search_results.html
After filtering down the options, go visit dealers and caravan shows to see the van types/layouts in the flesh, in all likelihood you'll change your mind about either what you wanted or what you didn't want after having a more hands on experience!
If buying privately pretty much accept that anything you buy is what you are stuck with no matter how rubbish it turns out to be, no legal redress on a private sale, best option is to pay £100 or so for a professional caravan engineer to do an inspection/report BEFORE purchase, and if it's bad, walk away! Dealers in the worst cases will still lie and sell rubbish, but you do have a legal comeback, and you should either get it fixed or your money back if you act quickly. But obviously best to avoid a bad van under all circumstances!
I spent a year or so pondering what I wanted for my first van (after decades of tent camping), coming to the conclusion that compact side bathrooms with shower over toilet type arrangements were really not for me as I just didn't fit in them (I'm a big bloke!) and hated idea of cleaning up water everywhere, so end bathroom with large separate shower cubical was the way to go, two berth was my original objective but I ended up with a 4 berth as the layout and space suited better.
A fair number of people buy their first van without enough thought, then regret and/or learn from their error and quickly sell it to buy another van more suited, my van was carefully chosen and 4 years on I'm still very happy with it and would happily buy it again as well suited to my needs.
Unfortunately you are buying at the near peak of the market, as in start of the new season following a dramatic rise in demand due to Covid pushing demand and prices to unprecedented levels over past couple of years, so prices are high (my van is now worth 8% MORE than I paid for it back in 2018! - and that is typical across the market). Many forecast a crash in prices once international holidays resume on their previous scale when the market will then be flooded with unwanted vans, time will tell, but a caravan is probably not a good cash investment at the present time! - that said, it will bring much joy if you take to the lifestyle and don't sell it anytime too soon, and it is a very good lifestyle IMHO.
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23/1/2022 at 12:19pm
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Quote: Originally posted by marg6 on 22/1/2022
Quote: Originally posted by Mick S. on 20/1/2022
Quote: Originally posted by Trace 66 on 19/1/2022
Thank you all for ur messages will help a lot. I was looking for a 4 birth.
You are going to struggle at 4 berth/21 foot. Is the limiter your car/weight or storage? There are very few, if any sub-21 foot caravans. As there isnt the room for the berths.
Somebody said fit a towbar before looking - absolutely no reason for this. As you will likely be looking for a while. And you wont be coming away with any purchase on the day.
we have had 3 caravans all under 21 foot and all 4 berth and i see plenty more on the roads/campsites too. As for the fitting the towbar, yes that was me and our last 2 caravans where bought very quickly and unexpectedly. first one was paid for via bank transfer and collected the following morning, the second one, our current caravan, the cash was taken, along with the essentials in the car, was paid for in cash and then we took it away and used it that weekend going directly to a caravan site! yes ok its a rare thing to do tht but it does happen
Points taken on the towbar and berths. But im guessing these caravans weren't exactly this years models. I cant see the OP toting a handbag full of £50's around on the off-chance they find one they like, if im honest.
They need to really shop around, and not buy the first thing they think will do. Though i would consider Colins thought of buying an older one, which still arent cheap just now, just to see whether caravan life is for them. I'm not sure teenagers and caravans mix, for numerous reasons.
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via mobile 19/1/2022 at 2:06pm
