We started off with a cheapie 2 berth just to see if we liked it and then went up to a 6 berth with a layout we liked but got tempted by the lovely shiny new ones and are awaiting delivery of our brand new Ranger 540/6 lol.
I'd definetly say go for cheap and cheerful to begin with and keep looking around dealers to find the layout that would suit you. We were really tempted by the 4 berth fixed bed but with 3 (most often 4, when dd's friend comes with us) we couldn't really have that but promised ourselves it in 6 years time when the kids are older. Until you actually start caravanning you won't know what layout suits you. I thought that our layout was exactly what we wanted and with our budget that was all that was available but the Ranger is even better with it's fixed bunks and side dinette.
I know i looked at 'vans in November and they were a lot less than when we went to buy in May.
I too think that at some point there will be a glut of tents and caravans for sale but don't know when. Not this year or next but maybe the next. Lots of people are buying tents and caravans now but i think they will keep them for a few years and then decide to sell them. Caravan's maybe quicker as they are bigger to store. My cousin has a caravan in her garden which has been there for years but she doesn't want to sell it and i doubt she'd get much for it now as its been stood for too long. She uses it to store the kids Xmas presents lol
HTH Jeannie
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