BUYING A USED CARAVAN

Jonathan Crouch On What To Look For When Buying A Used Caravan

Buying a caravan is a big investment and with caravanning thefts on the up, owners can't afford to take any risks.

Buying rights

There are a number of precautions consumers should take when looking to buy a used caravan.

1) Don't judge a book by its cover; no matter how good a caravan may look, it could be carrying baggage that you can't see. It may be subject to an outstanding finance, so it could be repossessed by the lenders, leaving an unsuspecting buyer without their dream purchase and out of pocket. It could have been written-off by an insurer or worse, it could be stolen.

2) Bear in mind that consumer protection is far greater when buying from an established dealer than from a private vendor.

Buying Pointers

With these two things in mind, the following list of pointers should ensure that you don't go too far wrong in buying the caravan of your dreams:

(i) Research the market place - compare prices between advertisements and your local dealer. Don't forget to budget for insurance and routine maintenance.

(ii) Don't waste your time visiting vans that are not a legal match for your car.

(iii) Don't deal in the dark - make sure you view the caravan in good daylight and don't go alone. Meet at the seller's house ...