A guide to buying your first caravan

With staycations becoming a fashionable prime for summertime plans successful the UK, buying a caravan is simply a large mode of touring the state without having to usage nationalist transport. It gives you state and convenience – what’s not to love? 

With truthful galore antithetic types and brands of caravans to take from, it tin beryllium hard for first-time buyers to cognize which 1 to choose. No request to worry, we’ll reply each these questions and much here.

Do I request a high-powered car to tow a caravan?

Not necessarily, though this volition beryllium connected the size of the caravan you’d similar to purchase. 

If you’ve passed a class B trial for cars and tiny vehicles aft 1st January 1997, you tin tow:

• Small caravans weighing nary much than 750kg with a car oregon van that has a maximum authorised wide (MAM) of 3,500kg
• Caravans implicit 750kg if the combined MAM of your conveyance and caravan does not transcend 3,500kg

For those who passed earlier 1st January 1997, if you person a class B driving licence you tin tow caravans:

• Weighing up to 750kg MAM with a conveyance of up to 3,500kg MAM
• Over 750kg if the combined MAM does not transcend 3,500kg MAM

Please enactment that the MAM should beryllium measured erstwhile some vehicles are loaded. If you’d similar to tow a caravan with a higher MAM, you’ll request to walk a car and trailer driving test.

What to see erstwhile buying your archetypal caravan

When making a larger purchase, similar a caravan, you’ll privation to bash your probe and see the elements that you’re looking for. You whitethorn person already got an thought of the terms point, layout, and further amenities you want, but determination are immoderate different questions that you request to inquire yourself.  

A static oregon touring caravan?

If you’re reasoning astir buying a caravan you tin tow and acceptable up anywhere, a touring caravan is what you’ll need. 

A static caravan should lone beryllium considered if you privation to vacation successful the aforesaid spot each twelvemonth oregon you privation to usage it arsenic your main location arsenic it cannot beryllium towed easy by your car. Many vacation parks person static caravans to rent/hire truthful that is ever an enactment too.

A second-hand oregon caller caravan?

Most caller caravanners thin to commencement disconnected with a second-hand caravan arsenic towing a caravan takes a small getting utilized to! A utilized caravan volition besides clasp its worth for longer than if you were to bargain a caller caravan – conscionable similar cars, a caller caravan’s worth volition depreciate arsenic soon arsenic you instrumentality it disconnected the forecourt.

If you person children oregon pets you’d similar to instrumentality connected your journey, a utilized caravan is besides a large option. This is due to the fact that you astir apt won’t beryllium truthful fussed astir immoderate tiny nicks oregon deterioration and teardrop that mightiness occur.

There are plentifulness of classical caravans you mightiness privation to put successful but bash cognize that you mightiness request to enactment successful rather a spot of TLC to get the caravan successful afloat moving order. It’s worthy noting that classic caravan insurance tin beryllium precise reasonably priced.

This isn’t to definitively accidental caller caravans are a atrocious choice. They’ll travel with the latest mod-cons and whitethorn person a much pleasing aesthetic, so, if that’s thing you prioritise, it’s worthy bearing that successful mind.

A trader oregon autarkic seller?

Buying a caravan done a trader volition often springiness you much extortion than a backstage sale. You mightiness beryllium capable to get a warranty from a dealer, which you apt won’t person if you opt for an autarkic sale. Of course, immoderate backstage merchantability deals tin beryllium precise tempting, but bash enactment that if it seems excessively bully to beryllium true, it mightiness conscionable beryllium excessively bully to beryllium true! 

If you bash determine to instrumentality the backstage merchantability route, beryllium definite to bring a checklist of areas of the caravan to inspect, and double-check the documents you’re shown to guarantee they’re legitimate. Give yourself immoderate bid of caput and wage peculiar attraction to the areas listed below.

What to cheque erstwhile buying a utilized caravan

There are a fig of communal issues recovered successful utilized caravans that you should look retired for successful bid to debar buying the incorrect one. 

Damp

Caravans are prone to damp, mostly due to the fact that they’re usually laid up for astir of the winter. As a result, it’s important that you springiness the caravan a thorough cheque for damp earlier you bargain arsenic buying a caravan with damp could pb to further issues similar mould oregon rust. 

You tin cheque for this by either purchasing a damp metre oregon getting the caravan serviced. Make definite to instrumentality readings astir windows, doors and extortion lights arsenic these areas are astir prone to damp.

Registration fig and signs of damage: is it stolen?

Sadly, caravan thefts are connected the emergence successful the UK truthful it’s important to guarantee everything astir your caravan is supra board.

Make definite determination are nary signs of harm astir the hitch, doorway locks oregon windows. You should besides cheque the Caravan Registration & Identifications Scheme (CRIS) number, which is usually displayed connected the caravan windows and stamped connected the chassis. In astir cases, if the caravan has been stolen, thieves volition effort to region the CRIS arsenic this fig identifies the caravan.

You tin get a CRIS check to guarantee everything is legitimate. A CRIS cheque is the manufacture modular inheritance cheque for pre-owned touring caravans. You bash person to wage for it and it takes 6-8 weeks, but it volition fto you cognize if the conveyance was stolen oregon has ever been written off.

The work history

You should besides cheque the caravan’s afloat work history. This volition person accusation connected immoderate issues the caravan has antecedently had with damp, electrics, wheels, brakes and more.

Best types of caravans to buy

If this is the archetypal clip you’re buying and driving a caravan, you astir apt person a batch of questions astir which benignant of caravan is best. The information of the substance is that this volition alteration a large woody depending connected your situation, household size, and the amenities you need.

Single-axle caravans

For the astir part, single-axle caravans are often the cheapest to buy, but these are smaller and truthful usually lone suitable for azygous people, couples oregon tiny families. Single-axle caravans are besides improbable to person arsenic overmuch retention abstraction and mightiness not person arsenic galore amenities.

It should beryllium noted, though, that arsenic single-axle caravans are usually smaller and lighter, they’re often easier to manoeuvre. As a result, they tin beryllium a large enactment for those who are caller to caravanning.

Imported caravans

These are mostly much costly some to bargain and insure, truthful it mightiness not beryllium the champion enactment for first-time buyers, but we cognize however it feels erstwhile you autumn successful emotion with an American oregon European caravan and you can’t get it retired of your caput – nary substance however galore British caravans you look at!

Import taxation is different large expense, though the outgo varies from state to country. You won’t beryllium capable to cheque the conveyance for faults until it’s already imported, truthful this is important to carnivore successful caput too.

If you’re looking to question this summer, you mightiness privation to look astatine different options this clip astir arsenic importing a caravan usually takes longer than if you were to bargain 1 successful the UK.

Small two-berth caravans

In general, these are the easiest to negociate and are often the cheapest to insure. Of course, two-berths won’t enactment if you person a ample family, but they’re large for a couple.

Folding caravans

These compact caravans are besides rather inexpensive to insure – we connection precise affordable caravan insurance for astir of these antithetic caravan types.

Folding caravans enactment successful overmuch the aforesaid mode arsenic a mean touring caravan, but they tin beryllium “folded” erstwhile you’re travelling oregon erstwhile you store your caravan successful the garage. 

Once on-site and expanded, they’re often reasonably sizeable, though they don’t ever travel with toilet facilities. One happening to enactment is that they bash usually instrumentality a small portion to acceptable up, meaning you mightiness not beryllium capable to entree your room facilities portion connected the road.

How overmuch is simply a utilized caravan to buy?

Caravans don’t person to beryllium ridiculously expensive, but their terms volition alteration depending connected a fig of factors. This includes the twelvemonth it was manufactured, its size, and its berth (i.e. the fig of radical that tin slumber successful it). Prices volition besides alteration depending connected the caravan’s features.

Common caravan features

• Every caravan exemplary is unique, but the astir communal features include:
• Between 2 and six beds
• Shower facilities
• Toilet
• Stovetop
• Sink
• Kitchen enactment surfaces
• Fridge
• Microwave
• Storage space

Should I bargain a caravan?

As with thing successful life, determination are pros and cons to buying and owning a caravan that you volition request to measurement to determine if it’s the close prime for you. 

Pros:

• The quality to roam each parts of the UK without the nuisance of booking transport oregon hotels 
• Once you person your caravan, staycations tin go a batch much cost-effective
• Caravan owners are precise assemblage driven and you whitethorn conscionable galore caller friends during your journeys
• If you don’t usage your caravan successful each seasons, you tin rent it retired to get immoderate other money
• Pet owner? You’ll ne'er person to interest astir pet-friendly accommodation again with a caravan

Cons:

• Travelling successful a caravan isn’t wholly free, determination are attraction costs and tract fees to wage for
• Towing caravans tin beryllium hard and you whitethorn request to practice. You whitethorn besides request a larger car to bash it
• Caravans bash person constricted retention truthful you volition person to beryllium cautious with packing 
• If your caravan has a toilet, you volition astir apt person to bare it astatine antithetic spots
• ​​Pitching a caravan tin instrumentality immoderate time, particularly if you’re caller to it

Best archetypal caravans to buy

Now that we’ve tally done everything you should cognize astir your archetypal caravan, present it’s clip to bargain one. But which should you choose? With a wide enactment of caravans available, it tin beryllium hard to marque a decision. We’ve enactment unneurotic a database of the champion archetypal caravans you tin buy.

Best tiny caravan nether 750kg: Freedom Caravans

Need a tiny caravan nether 750kg truthful you tin tow it without getting different licence? Freedom Caravans are a large option.

Price erstwhile buying new: £13,995-£25,995

Used price: £8,995-£20,995

Freedom Caravans merchantability a scope of tiny caravans, astir of which person won awards successful the lightweight trailer category. The bulk of Freedom Caravan models person an unladen value beneath 750kg, but you astir wouldn’t announcement however compact these caravans are arsenic they’re packed afloat of features.

Take the Freedom Jetstream Twin Sport (two-berth), for instance. The caravan has an unladen value of 700kg, yet it includes the pursuing items arsenic standard:

• Oven/Grill
• Fridge
• Hob
• Kitchen and bath taps
• Toilet
• Shower
• Overhead lockers
• Half-length wardrobe
• Seating area, which tin beryllium converted to either:
• 2x azygous beds, oregon 1x super-king sized double

If you’re travelling unsocial oregon arsenic a couple, you’d beryllium hard-pressed to find a comfier caravan than 1 from Freedom Caravans.

Best caravan for beginners: La Mancelle Fantaisy 360 CL

If you didn’t person a household caravan successful your childhood, the La Mancelle Fantaisy is for you. Simple but effective, this tiny caravan is casual to tow and offers each the modular comforts you privation from your archetypal caravan. 

Price erstwhile buying new: Starting from £27,995 

Used price: Previously sold for astir £25,995-£27,995

It sleeps 3 and, for a smaller caravan, has a spacious plan – the layout is simply a instrumentality favourite constituent that makes this a fashionable choice. The plan makes it an appealing enactment for young families. 

Models whitethorn include:

• Combined state oven and grill
• TV pre-equipped
• Electric swivel cassette toilet
• Combined ablution & swivel washbasin
• Two-burner hob
• Exterior BBQ
• Stainless alloy tank

Best caravan for couples: Elddis Affinity 520

There aren’t galore caravans much stunning than the Elddis Affinity 520.

Price erstwhile buying new: Starting astatine £29,499

Used price: Starting astatine £19,495

Described arsenic a ‘luxurious couple’s retreat’, the 520 is beautifully designed with tons of retention and different features. This 2-berth caravan offers a luxury look without the terms tag and it’s besides lightweight. 

The caravan includes:

• Combination oven, grill and dual substance hob
• Microwave with microwave isolation switch
• Speakers and TV points
• Fully bonded roof
• Electric flush toilet & heated towel rail
• Kitchen locker doors with concealed catches

Best utilized caravans: Swift Challenger 570 and Bailey Pegasus 462

Swift and Bailey are 2 of the astir fashionable caravan manufacturers, truthful it’s nary astonishment that immoderate of their models are large second-hand caravans. What’s more, utilized models for these 2 caravans are successful abundance and you tin find immoderate fantastic deals if you cheque online regularly.

Swift Challenger 570

Used price: £7,500 to £14,995

This four-berth caravan is an older model, but it’s inactive packed with immoderate large features and is reasonably spacious for the price. Designed with galore windows, the caravan lets successful a batch of earthy airy too, which helps marque the Challenger 570 look adjacent roomier. Although the plan is simply a small outdated compared to the different caravans connected this list, it would beryllium hard to find a much affordable utilized four-berth. 

The Swift Challenger 570 includes the pursuing features:

• End washroom with a shower, toilet & sink
• Rear treble bed
• Front lounge country tin person into either: 2x singles, oregon 1x treble bed
• Oven and grill
• Four burned hobs
• Fridge with freezer compartment
• Microwave

Bailey Pegasus 462

Used price: £7,995-£22,000

As a two-berth, the Bailey Pegasus is simply a large enactment for solo travellers oregon couples. Despite its compact size, the caravan has plentifulness of seating space, meaning 3 to 4 radical could comfortably unbend successful the van astatine a time.

Although the Pegasus 462 is simply a reasonably aged model, it inactive has a wide scope of amenities that volition marque your vacation relaxing. This includes:

• Gas heater
• Double glazed windows
• Grill and oven
• Microwave
• Fridge
• TV aerial
• End washroom with a toilet and shower

Insuring your caller caravan

Once you person picked retired the caravan of your dreams, you’ll privation the close insurance. At Adrian Flux, we tin assistance you find the due caravan insurance argumentation based connected your needs, helping you skip each the fuss. Call america connected 0800 369 8590 for a punctuation oregon book a callback astatine a clip that suits you.

The station A usher to buying your archetypal caravan appeared archetypal connected Fluxposure.