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25/9/2013 at 9:36pm
Location: Norfolk
Outfit: Still Looking
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Joined: 25/9/2013 Standard Member
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Hi, this is my first post on what seems to be a very friendly site. Sometime between now and January (best time to buy?) I intend to spend up to £4000 on a used caravan and would like to pick your brains. We're keeping our car which has a 1300 Kg max. allowable braked towing capacity. I've been looking for stuff under 1200Kg so I'm nearer the 85% figure. My girlfriend and I need a double bed, stove, heating and shower (for very occasional use if away from camp sites). I think the British '3.6 to 3.8 metres inside' caravans fit the bill the best and I could buy one just under 10 years old. One worry is damp of course, and buying a 'timebomb', waiting each trip for damp to start. Is this pessamistic view correct? I was drawn to German 'vans to avoid this. We looked at an Eriba Troll (over my budget but top quality) but it was too petite for my girlfriend, and had no hot water. There's a Hobby on eBay right now that seems perfect for us but the owner won't give me the chassis number and it's older than the 2003 stated in the listing so I'll avoid that one. From what I've read, I don't want an Avondale, Bailey or Lunar for definite. Any suggestions,opinions, pointers or leads to suitable 'vans for sale would be very welcome. Thank you.
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25/9/2013 at 9:52pm
Location: west country
Outfit: None Entered
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Joined: 29/3/2009 Diamond Member 
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In your price range there's good & bad in all makes. Just make sure you get a layout you like and dry.
Who knows what the future holds for your new purchase but there are far more dry than damp vans.
If it's such a worry perhaps a caravan purchase is not for you. Hire instead.
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Steve
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26/9/2013 at 7:54am
Location: Hampshire
Outfit: Hymer Nova S
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Joined: 01/11/2005 Diamond Member
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I think based on the info you state you are misunderstanding the weight guidance ratio of 85%.
It is not 85% of the cars braked allowable towing limit, but 85% of the car's "kerb weight"; this could lead to quite significantly differing figures so needs reviewing.
In respect to makes and your dismissal of several; with respect at your price point and thus age the make is all but irrelevant, it is whether the van you can buy has damp.
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26/9/2013 at 9:24am
Location: north wales
Outfit: Sprite Quattro FB
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A hobby with a dodgy chassis number. I bet that van has an interesting history.
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26/9/2013 at 10:47am
Location: West Yorkshire
Outfit: Sterling Eccles Sport & S-Max
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Don't worry about the make, just make sure you take a damp meter when you go to view the van. Our old Lunar was 15 years old and bone dry - it really is down to the individual caravan, not the make.
I'm still amazed that not one of the people who came to buy it brought a damp meter with them.
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Topic: Best Caravan
