When is the best time to buy for a good deal. My beloved Bongo has gone and I now need a tin tent! Do I buy now, wait another few months or just after Christmas?
if i was looking about now would be good.end of the season when people put them up for winter.many use there van all year round now.for an idea of what you can get for your money see.....
A lot of people have bought a van only to find out it wasnt for them.I agree with Michael now is the time to start looking around for something that may suit your needs not to buy but whats on offer.I would say october or better still december to buy when people are looking for money for xmas.Also as Michael said take a damp meter or best still someone who knows about caravans.
On the other hand, a lot of potential sellers might be thinking the same and hang on until spring thinking they will get a better price. In reality, a lot of used caravans appear on dealers forecourts in the spring as they are taken in part exchange.
In reality there is no right time to buy, you have to be ready when the bargain comes up. This may not be a seasonal thing, but because the seller needs the money to pay for something completely unrelated.
I've started looking and already they've started coming in! I've set myself strict criteria re price, berth, size and layout and am going to stick with it. Can't afford what I really really want but all things considered probably not practical long term anyway. A waiting game now. I did see one but it's the opposite end of the UK and that is OH's criteria - not going as far! Lol
I certainly wouldn't rule out travelling a few hundred miles to get the right van at the right price. We travelled 200 miles for hours which we bought privately. If you are buying from a dealer then maybe it could be slightly more of a concern but when buying privately you don't have a warranty as such to worry about. I certainly wouldn't want to travel 400 miles to have a fuse replaced under warranty.
If you have a particular make in mind then it may surprise you to know that some makes are more popular in some areas than others. I am from South Wales and 90% of the caravans you see in this area are Baileys. We have a Coachman and more often than not seem to have the only Coachman on site. We went up to Skegness a few weeks ago and noticed that about 50% of the caravans we saw up there were Coachman caravans.
I had always assumed Bailey were popular in our area because of the price. It strikes me that the fact they are made 50 miles away in Bristol probably has a lot to do with it. Coachman caravans being made in Hull seem a lot more popular in the North East than they are in the South West where they are relatively scarce. Ours came from Chester originally.
Best time to buy is when you find one you like at a price you are willing to pay. See my ad for a compass corona 2 berth end bathroom at £4250 or offer. I'll want more in spring.
When you are ready, If you want the best deal dont go into dealerships asking" whats the best price on that van and that one over there"
Find a van you like and want to buy then ask about the deal and be prepared to get your money out if you happy with the deal. Dont ask for the best deal then use one of the great one liners "food for thought" "have to chew that over" just going for some lunch" Next time you go to the dealership you will have lost all credibilty and are less likely to get the best deal. Dont mess about, no what you want, no what you want to pay and drive a hard bargain. Time of year is not important......
if your in the market to just purchase, then I agree with the above. Any time is good. We've just placed a deposit on a van and I must admit I had sort of written off this year in my head a couple of weeks ago, thinking that the choice wouldn't be out there.
Truth is the forecourts are still busy, vans are still turning over and there is loads out there to choose from especially if your willing to travel a little.
I suspect you might get a little more off a van around Christmas when trade is slow and may have a bigger choice in the spring, but the right van and better deal for you could be out there now
I need a van now as mine is about to undergo a very expensive repair through insurance or they may just right it off as parts are too expensive and damage isn't much but parts are hard to find so I am told... I should start another thread for this..
We want a triple bunk 6 berth for our family that is most likely single axel (thinking about this) but need to be light as our 100% is 1700kg and I won't tow above 85%. Help!
------------- 2014
Easter Hols - Burnham-on-sea (7 nts)
Early May bank hol - Hopley's Bewdley (3nts).
Whitsun - Goodrington (14 nts).
August - Goodrington (16 nts).
not looking myself but if i was i would my homework on the internet,the reason for this is wherever you go to buy one (private or ebay) the information on price you can afford plus requirements ie.berths are to hand.a good site for this is on layouts/berths and price .......... www.caravanfinder.co.uk a damp meter will save you a lot of money.
------------- the only silly question is the one you do not ask.