Secondhand Caravans

[fifi1962fifi]

hi everyone please can you help....we're new to caravaning and want to buy a caravan and permenantly site it on a park, preferabley in Lytham, or blackpool. Because we're new to this we want to purchase a secondhand van, to see if we're really ineterested, then look for something new in a few years. The site's that i've conntacted up to now take vans up to three years old? Is this correct...new vans cost a fortune, and if the van can't be more than three years old , do you have to keep trading them in every three years or so?? and if this is the case where do all the old caravans go???? ...we'd really appreciate any advice you guys can give as yesterday we spent all day on the internet..and we've got to the first hurdle and now we're fed up..as we've not got wads of money, with two kids...how do you get on the ladder....thxs xxxx

[xanderma]

Are you talking about a touring caravan (that can be pulled behind a car) or a static (bigger holiday home that stays on one site)?

I know that some sites of statics want caravans less than 3 years old for rental purposes i.e. your caravan is on their site for your use but also for them to rent out to other families with a percentage of the rental payable to yourselves. Presumably they want the 'vans to be reasonably new to attract customers.

If you're simply looking at owning a caravan for your own use, try looking at a few other sites; especially if you're buying a tourer, you should be able to find somewhere to site it.

[Pinky99]

Try looking on www.ukcampsite.co.uk - they have a really good forum where I'm sure you will be able to get loads of information on caravans and sites

[tweenyb]

Caravans are built to last upto 10 years max and thats only if used 6 months a year so buying second hands not always a good option unless its a year or two old (lots of people try to tax dodge by living in them which not only is illegal but the caravans not designed for this and therefore cannot cope and fall apart quickly or can have major probs)
check with the park that you wish to site it on - they dont want there parks looking shabby and therefore often have a clause where you have to upgrade to a new caravan every 2-10years (dep on the park but most specify 3yrs)

The best advise would be to buy or rent a Euro tent that you can hook up electronically with camping stove and tv etc to a camping pitch and camp on a camp site as buying a caravan worth a pittance compared to what you pay, then you pay siting fees and often maintenance fees you will be ripped off for what youll spend a year you could afford several trips abroad