CARAVAN BUYING

[WILLWONKER]

When you buy a car from a private seller you can do checks to see if it is stolen or on finance, are there any checks you can do when buying a caravan . Thanks

[Buenchico]

See here:
http://www.caravansan...van_buying_advice.htm

[lslowry]

check it's not been on Top Gear.

[donna1901]

^^^funny x

[WILLWONKER]

Thanks Buenchico a good start

[sherrardk]

That is such good timing as we have just decided (today in fact) that we will buy a caravan when we have got some money.

Willwonker - have you had a caravan before?

[WILLWONKER]

No sherr, but thinking about it for next year, so will wait for the winter months to buy and bag a bargin, hopefully

[sherrardk]

We have just returned from our first-ever touring caravan holiday (today in fact). We rented a caravan to see if we liked it/could cope with it and it was far better than we thought (although we did buy an awning without which the holiday would have been a disaster). Have you thought about renting one for a week or so to see how you get on? We learnt loads from the experience.

[WILLWONKER]

May well do that, ( hire one) was it ok to tow, and move around on site. brave of you to have a go.

[saxy_jag]

Lots of advice here from the people who know:

http://www.caravanclu...ce/new-to-caravanning

Not sure whether this covers the finance aspect, but I know modern caravans all carry a unique, traceable number. It's not entirely foolproof, but it does help.

We bought our first caravan from a friend 18 months ago. It's 30 years old and looks a bit ramshackle, but it's sound and we're slowly doing it up. We've got the chance to upgrade to something a little newer, and the friend who sold me the current one says he may well want to buy it back.

[sherrardk]

We went to France and only had a couple of problems - some French petrol stations are really small (we had to unhitch the caravan, get the diesel and go back round for the caravan), went down a dead end and had to reverse under a railway bridge (good communication needed - was very tense!), you use loads more fuel than anticipated and go REALLY slowly. Some idiot in front of us on the ferry had a dog they hadn't declared so my husband had to reverse the length of the ferry so they could get the vehicle out (luckily the ferry was very quiet and the men on the deck thing helped him). At the sites we were quite lucky - the first one was just a reversing job and at the second one some French people took pity on us and gave us a hand (you can get a motorised thing to move it into position but they are probably not cheap). Next time we would - organise our awning better, think more carefully about what we took (could have taken loads more stuff for the kids to do), organise our route better to minimise driving big distances. Overall, I would give it 9 1/2 out or 10 (it loses a 1/2 cause I still had to sort out the meals!)

[jomifl]

wouldn't it be cheaper and easier and quicker to just drive to a hotel and sleep in a room, they don't cost much more than caravan pitches and don't need awnings.

[sherrardk]

If you have 5 kids then an (a?) hotel just doesn't work - I was dubious, but it was good fun (and no, I am not a jolly hockey sticks type).

[Hopkirk]

I apologise that I cheer when the traffic news reports an overturned caravan.

[WILLWONKER]

Thank you Sax and Sherr, great info,my god , Sherr France you don't mess about! thanks again and best of luck on your next trip it can only get better.

[WILLWONKER]

Jomfil, hotels are boring to kids, a caravan is an adventure to them and freedom, to go and stop when and where they please. night all.

[sherrardk]

Hi Willwonker - even more of an adventure when you have moved house 8 days earlier and have five kids aged 10 and under (including 2 year old twins)! Totally recommend it - but have a trial run first, huge learning curve!

[ethandron]

we've been caravanning for more years than i care to think about and really love the life-style. we started out when our two kids were 5 and 7 and we had some great holoidays. we're retired now and spend about 12 weeks in europe in it, not to mention all the time here in britain too. it's a bit like marmite - you either love it or hate it, and i think there's still a perception by some that it's very basic. well our caravan has all mod cons - central heating, shower, running hot and cold water, a flush loo, a 4 ring cooker and oven, large fridge, very comfy bed with sprung mattress - it's like taking your own apartment/house away with you.
i would advise you to join a forum where you'll get lots of info and advice on all aspects of caravanning, people are really happy to share their knowledge. and you'll find lots of help on sites too, when you turn up for the first time and aren't sure what to do. we're members of 4 forums but by far the best is caravan talk:
http://www.caravantalk.org.uk/

[WILLWONKER]

And thankyou for that info ETHANDRON! Well Sherr i'm thinking your both very mad. lol.