Like many, we haven't been on holidays for years and with 2 dogs, one of whom wouldn't last in kennels, Mrs S has suggested a caravan. We used to 'camp' when I raced motorbikes, a variety of old caravans, tents, and a 7 1/2t truck so we have experienced outside living before. We have somewhere to store one, obviously a good tow car, Ive towed lots before and have a class 1 HGV licence so could do with some tips on what to look for, what makes to avoid and any other pitfalls we can avoid. To house two adults, a big 13 year old, and two small Rottweilers

looking at 5-10k purchase price. First time FFRR owner

Damp damp damp! Lots suffer from it. Be wary of floors delaminating, panels splitting particularly around windows and doors.

Buy a damp meter to test them. Check they have Ben serviced regularly by an approved person…they should be able to show you the certificate including a damp check. Approved companies/ individuals normally apply a sticker to the side of the tow hitch showing the year checked. They also check gas and electric installation to ensure they are safe and working properly.

Tyres normally do not wear out but expire due to age….anything over 7 years is considered due for replacement….if they blow out they take out the bodywork!

Should have a CRIS number etched on the windows, check they are all the same and ask the seller for the paperwork they should have registered themselves as the owners when they purchased the caravan.

Look at seams to see if the sealant is still there … some people use pressure washers and damage the vans water integrity.

Tyres are relatively inexpensive… circa £60 to £80 each. 2012 tdv8 Westminster arrived Jan 19 gone Dec 23

200 TDi discovery bobtail gone
RR classic v8 bobtail gone
300 tdi Discovery 3 dr gone

Buy an Adria, very well built and no damp after 6 years of ownership. Our mobile service engineer reckons they are the best van out there and he never finds any of them with damp issues.

Ours is a 2017 Adria Isonzo, 8ft wide and plenty of room. 2019 L405 SDV8 Autobiography
2023 Defender P400e HSE X-dynamic - gone
2020 Defender P300 SE - gone

2019 Jaguar F-Pace SVR - gone
2013 SDV8 Autobiography - gone
2011 L322 TDV8 Vogue SE - gone
2006 L322 3.6 Vogue Se - gone
1999 P38 4.0 se - gone
199? Classic 3.5 - gone

cheers bob and buzz, great info. I didnt realise Adria were a good make to go for, thanks  First time FFRR owner

If it were me I would restrict my choice to vans that has a service record carried
out by an NCC Approved Workshop or engineer. They carry out a habitation check for damp and issue a report. Personally we like the Coachman vans as they're perceived to be of better quality than many of the others. -----------------------------------------------
Indus Silver L405 SDV6 Range Rover 2020
Defender 90 Puma 2014
Discovery 5 HSE 2017
Discovery 4 HSE 2016

I know nothing about Caravans, but helping out 2 friends move their vans about manually this weekend, in a tight spot. I was amazed at the ease of manually moving a single axel compared to a twin axle.

Single axle all the way if i were to go down the tin tent route.

This comes from having personally worked extensively as a manufacturing/process/business/IT consultant with a number of leisure vehicle manufacturers and having been up close and personal with all aspects of their businesses including procurement, manufacturing, distribution, sales, customer support, warranty, repairs, etc.

I cannot name names of previous clients, but I'll say this.

Were I to be in the market for a caravan, my choices would be limited to:

Caravans:
Adria, Hobby, Knaus (and Fendt, Tabbert, LMC if you don't mind a certain assumption being made) or other imported brands like Hymer (not to be confused with a certain UK manufacturer now owned by the Erwin Hymer Group).

I haven't worked with all the UK manufacturers, but I wouldn't buy a van made by any of them based on what I've seen in those I've worked with and comparing them up close to others I've been in.

Continental vans are just better put together. They're often not seen as being as 'plush' (or 'fussy, as I see it) as UK-built vans, but I'd rather have a dry, comfortable, functional and well-specified van where all the doors shut properly than one with nice pelmets around windows and lovely scatter cushions... 2012 (L322) 4.4TDV8 Vogue SE, RSE, Fuji White over Arabica.
Previous V8s: BMW 645Ci, P38 4.6, P38 4.0, Merc CL500
Previous others: Honda x1, Volvo x7, Rover x6, BMW x6, Ford x1, Mercedes x2, Skoda x3, VW x2, Renault x2, Citroen x1, Mazda x3, Nissan x1, Audi x3, Kia x1, Fiat x4, Subaru x3, Austin x2, Triumph x2, Jeep x2, Hyundai x2, Lexus x1, Mitsubishi x1, Saab x2... and some others I've forgotten!

is it correct that the door entry on continental caravans is on the opposite side to the UK ones?

is there a disadvantage or advantage to this. ... - .- -.




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@Arch:

As a previous caravanner of longstanding, I would concur with all the great advice given above, except for Coachman, our 3yo model had severe damp problems and cost us a few grand to fix.

Go German, as they say above. Maybe not so pretty, but better built.

Even then, go over it with a fine tooth comb, and the best damp meter you can find.  “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” -where’s the fun in that?

stan wrote:

is it correct that the door entry on continental caravans is on the opposite side to the UK ones?

is there a disadvantage or advantage to this.

thanks for clarifying John..  ... - .- -.




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As Danb says look at German / European vans however be aware that some carry a stigma and some site owners don’t allow them even if you are towing with a FFRR and not a transit.
A motor mover is a valuable addition , you normally need two on twin axle vans. Check jockey wheel isn’t bent, some try and move the vans with the jockey wheel extended and they are at their weakest and often bend. 2012 tdv8 Westminster arrived Jan 19 gone Dec 23

200 TDi discovery bobtail gone
RR classic v8 bobtail gone
300 tdi Discovery 3 dr gone

I have a opposing experience to above it seems, I have towed twin and single axle and would go twin every day they are way more stable on the road and if you have a flat tyre / blow out the result is not quite so bad. Mine is 1.9T and it's easy to manoeuvre with the car. I didn't have motor movers on it for the first 3 years, and only now as I push it hitch in on the drive.

We have a late 2015 Swift Elegance, owned it since late 2017 and it's been faultless (touch wood) there is no wood, not even the floor so nothing to check damp wise. It's great to tow and it has held up well to family life well, my parents have a 2016 and use it regularly with the same experience. If you can get one without wood in budget, that would be my bet.

Yeah when I first got it I found screws everywhere, and tidied up some of the wiring routing from the factory but otherwise it's been a great purchase.

Here is a cut out of the floor from when the motor movers were fitted:

Click image to enlarge

Rent one, see if you like it....

We bought one some time ago, used it once, then sold it...  Pete

__________________________________________________
2014 L405 Autobiography SDV8 4.4 Loire Blue Ebony interior
2011 L322 Vogue SE 4.4 TDV8 Baltic Blue. Parchment over Navy Interior. Sold
2012 L322 Autobiography 5.0 Supercharged Ipanema Sand, Jet Interior. Sold
2002 L322 Vogue 4.4 V8 Epson Green, Ivory over Aspen Interior (Fatty Offroader) Sold
-Click for Project Fatty off roader-

This is also a good point, I found it incredibly stressful the first couple of times! But love it now, even if its only going 5-10 miles down the road  Sold - Bell a 2015 MY16 Loire Blue Autobiography 4.4 SDV8
Previously George a 2007 MY07 Java Black VSE 3.6 TDV8
Previously a 04 MY04 Defender 90