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Hi everyone

I've been skulking around in the shadows for a while, reading the forums and doing some research. I'm working up to buying a 2nd hand lightweight caravan for my 5 year old daughter and I to pootle about in during the summer holidays. As it'll really just be me and her (my other half isn't interested and doesn't get much time off work) I have been looking at 2 berth, end kitchen models with Mass in Running Order (is that right?) of less than 1000kgs (my car is a 1.6 2004 Vauxhall Meriva). I am planning on doing the towing course as most of the time it'll just be me and a 5 year old arriving at sites, so I know I have to learn to do it right with no help! I've seen a 1990 caravans for less than £1000 (Compass, ABI etc) which look like just what we are looking for.

So my questions are:

1. Apart from water ingress/damp what should I be looking out for in these older vans? What other models should I be considering? Where should I be looking to maximise my chances of not getting ripped off?!

2. If my partner or mum does come away with us, can my daughter sleep on a ready-bed/blow up mattress between the beds? Or is it really just too small and I should be thinking of a 4 berth?

3. I have a decent sized 4 man tent (the kind with a central 'living room'- is it possible to get attachments so the tent could be used as an awning (attached to caravan)? Or do I have to buy a separate awning.

4. Storage - Is it possible to store on a pitch during the spring/autumn months so we could go and stay in it at weekends, then take her away during summer and then store away all winter (not staying in it but doing maintenance jobs). We live in Central Belt of Scotland - any recommendations of sites I could do that at (or even what that kind of storage is called) please. 

Thanks so much,

Katy and the little one x

Great sound advice - thanks guys!

1800 dave - will a tow course not teach me the basics of towing, reversing, manoeuvring onto pitches no matter how light I am? I've never towed anything and won't have anyone to help me (other than my 5 year old) to help me reverse/manoevre onto a pitch ... and I so don't want become a spectacle!

Billy x - was wondering about buying at the end of the season.  Thanks for that tip. We have a busy summer planned already with family/friends/holidays so might spend summer saving and research/viewing before buying at end of season for next year. Then spend winter sewing and sealing ready for next season. Assume I can just peel back rubber bits and apply sealant and clean off excess - like round a bath? Hopefully someone will pitch in with winter storage ideas locally.

Thanks so much for recommendations.

Katy and the little one x