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Subject Topic: £500 caravan Post Reply Post New Topic
29/8/2013 at 3:14pm
 Location: Lancashire
 Outfit: Mojave 5 tent
View angelpond's Profile View Profile   Reply to angelpond Reply   Quote angelpond Quote  
Joined: 19/8/2011

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I'm looking at a caravan on ebay with a buy it now price of £500. Looks in good order, quite old, but that doesn't bother me - prefer vintage ;)
My question is - does anyone have experience of buying such a cheap caravan, as I'm a caravan novice what should I be looking for if I go to view it??


29/8/2013 at 3:39pm
 Location: Hants
 Outfit: Fleetwood Heritage 640 EB & ML270
View Al+Mel's Profile View Profile   Reply to Al+Mel Reply   Quote Al+Mel Quote  
Joined: 18/9/2010

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Rotten framework. You can't see it from the outside and you can't usually see it from the inside - as both are covered in waterproof membranes.

Take a damp meter if you view it and check it all over.

Google caravan damp problems. You need to be aware of this!


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29/8/2013 at 3:43pm
 Location: west country
 Outfit: None Entered
View millermicm's Profile View Profile   Reply to millermicm Reply   Quote millermicm Quote  
Joined: 29/3/2009

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Biggest problem - damp. Make sure it's dry. As above use a damp meter. Also check the tyres for signs of age related cracking.


29/8/2013 at 3:44pm
 Location: 
 Outfit: 
View jeff juke's Profile View Profile   Reply to jeff juke Reply   Quote jeff juke Quote  
Joined: 09/8/2010

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Damp in corners or showers including roof corners.Delamination on the floor tested by small steps on floor looking for dips or softness....as above best check with damp meter dont take the word of people selling..

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Animals have feelings..

JEFF................


29/8/2013 at 3:45pm
 Location: Lancashire
 Outfit: Caravan now Sold
View michael's Profile View Profile   Reply to michael Reply   Quote michael Quote  
Joined: 30/6/2002

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Buying Secondhand

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the only silly question is the one you do not ask.


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29/8/2013 at 7:17pm
 Location: Lancashire
 Outfit: Mojave 5 tent
View angelpond's Profile View Profile   Reply to angelpond Reply   Quote angelpond Quote  
Joined: 19/8/2011

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Thanks for that. Had a feeling that damp would be the big one to look for!!
May have to get hold of a damp meter!!


29/8/2013 at 7:33pm
 Location: Northamptonshire
 Outfit: 1983 ABI ACE MARAUDER
View AceMarauders's Profile View Profile   Reply to AceMarauders Reply   Quote AceMarauders Quote  
Joined: 12/8/2013

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You can hire them from hire shops.
We got are via ebay on a buy it now and we love it.

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She may be old, she may be rough around the edges but she is our home from home and we love it.


29/8/2013 at 9:04pm
 Location: 
 Outfit: 
View fife-bloke's Profile View Profile   Reply to fife-bloke Reply   Quote fife-bloke Quote  
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Our first caravan was a 500 quid elddiss cyclone. Had loads of holidays in it, decided to upgrade, and sold it for 725
But as above take a damp meter

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Who needs travel agents,we have our static


30/8/2013 at 9:14pm
 Location: manchester
 Outfit: Avondale Dart 545 & Kia Optima
View the cat's Profile View Profile   Reply to the cat Reply   Quote the cat Quote  
Joined: 11/9/2006

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If you can't get hold of a damp meter, run your hands along the wallboard particularly where the seals are (windows/door/front & rear top & bottom corners) If any of it feels spongy then it is damp. We bought our 1989 ABI for £500 3 years ago and found some damp round the front window, but for £500 it was still worth it. I would be more concerned about getting the chassis, brakes & gas system serviced, we did and found it needed 4 new tyres and the gas pipe to the fire was corroded, we just had it disconnected and use a fan heater instead


31/8/2013 at 12:12am
 Location: North Yorkshire
 Outfit: Holi * Perran 4 * Airedale 5
View HEJC72's Profile View Profile   Reply to HEJC72 Reply   Quote HEJC72 Quote  
Joined: 28/9/2004

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I paid £450 for my little caravan.
It had had some damp in the past due to a rubber seal failing round the rear kitchen window but this has been fixed and the whole van is cosy and dry.
I am now into my second full season of using her and I wouldn't change her for the world.
Old and cheap doesn't always mean rubbish!

-------------
Helen xx
Mini Mad Mum


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31/8/2013 at 1:08am
 Location: Midlands
 Outfit: Mondeo Avondale Gram
View Grampian91's Profile View Profile   Reply to Grampian91 Reply   Quote Grampian91 Quote  
Joined: 11/5/2008

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The smell as soon as you walk in is a good sign if you have a decent nose.

Lots of air fresheners hiding in the corners?

Many years ago when looking for our 1st van we ended up with an older glass window model rather than the newer plastic window ones which all seemed to be rotten.

Early 80's vans must have been very badly made.

So i bought a mid - late 70's Sprite Musketeer. It had been re-upholstered and new curtains etc and it was great.

A great start to caravanning.



01/9/2013 at 9:25am
 Location: west mids
 Outfit: Bailey ranger gt 50
View vonnie 123's Profile View Profile   Reply to vonnie 123 Reply   Quote vonnie 123 Quote  
Joined: 14/9/2012

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Forum Posts:   186

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get a damp meter, we paid 1,500 for a van that looked perfect, no smells or air fresheners ,only to find out later the whole frame was as rotten as a pear, but with alot of hard work we replaced it and we now have a solid van that we know is dry.



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