I mentioned this in a post below but specific information regarding this make and model please is needed ready for a view next week.
We are new to caravanning (not camping) anyone ever owned one of these?
Thanks.
Its a bit like asking if anyones ever owned a Mk3 Escort.
Loads will have, but everyone will have a different opinion. This make/model of van is unlikely to have traits that would put anyone off buying one (in its day). And on the flip side, by the very fact its a Compass (possibly the Ford Escort of the caravan world), nothing to make people scramble over each other in order to buy one.
Its an 11 year old van, so should be checked over just like any other model. As has been alluded to earlier; the bloke who is 'getting this in' for you to view, is only interested in turning it around for as little spending as possible, in order to maximise his profit.
There are loads of second hand vans kicking about all the time, so i would be looking at these (as well) and getting a good idea what you can get for your budget.
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Most important is to get it damp checked properly & independently of the seller you described in your earlier post. A dealer in older caravans will often source his stock from main dealer trade ins & one might wonder why a main dealer is not selling this caravan on his forecourt?
If the seller is a trader then new consumer rights act applies & you are entitled to a full refund if goods are faulty & are returned within 30 days. Refund must be made within 14 days of return of goods.
This is the reason reputable main dealers are now disposing of substandard trade ins via the trade or selling on ebay as 'spares or repair'.
Worth pointing out so you know. Caravans of different makes share many common parts. For example most have chassis & running gear made by Al-ko & some have Bpw chassis. Interior appliances, cooker/fridge/heater/toilet/roof lights/windows are mostly supplied by same manufacturers. Construction methods of body for a given age is pretty similar too.
Anecdotally some makes have a better reputation than others but mention leaky Baileys & plenty will state their's is perfect. Mention better built German caravan & you can be pointed towards Hobbys with rotten floors.
So really it is absolutely down to the individual caravan & not so much the make. If you can find a caravan with a main dealer service history including annual damp checks then you should be on a winner but generally for a 2005 model such a caravan will be on the main dealer forecourt who took it in or be for sale by a private owner.
An 11yr old caravan of any make can be anything from just about perfect to a damp riddled wreck beyond economical repair.
Thank you everyone. I shall heed your words. Just a bit more to worry about with a caravan than a tent. After years of camping alongside caravans it's amazing how much we still have to learn x
What you dont have to 'worry about' with a caravan over a tent, is wanting to go to the loo at 3am and having to get dressed for the privilege, then fighting your way across a blackened field in a storm, ending up wetter than if you had just peed yourself in your sleeping bag!
True the loo situation is a major plus point. Especially after he last camping trip with loads of slugs on the path. Excellent on a dark rainy night with only the phone for a torch! Yuck.
That said, there may have been an odd occasion where i didnt make it past the zip in the door at 3 am. Its the mrs i felt sorry for. She wouldnt risk a nettled arse.