Secondhand Caravans
What to look for when buying a used caravan.

When you are looking at secondhand caravans, what do you need to check before parting with any of your hard earned cash? Keep reading to find out more ...

You can pick up a real secondhand caravan bargain if you know what you are looking for but remember, you could also pick up a right old lemon if you don't do your homework first. A private seller will probably offer a better deal than a caravan dealer as the dealer will always be looking to make the maximum amount of profit. But, if you don't know what to look for you will have to trust the seller and just because they "look" honest doesn't mean they are!! Also, a caravan dealer will probably offer a warranty period should anything go wrong whereas you will have no comeback with a private seller. You may be wiser to pay a little extra to buy from a caravan dealer just for peace of mind.

Have a look further down this page - there is a selection of secondhand caravans which are on Ebay at present - keep checking for bargains as they change daily!

Have a look at our checklist below to see what we think you should be looking for when buying a secondhand caravan (wear your overalls and take a torch):

REMEMBER - if buying a secondhand caravan privately never arrange to meet somewhere other than the sellers house as you will have no comback if the caravan is stolen.

ARE YOU SURE - You may have found your perfect secondhand caravan but is there enough room for all of you? How many people will be going caravanning with you, including the dog? Where will they all sleep? Is there enough room for all of you to comfortably relax during the day and is there enough room to prepare a meal if you are not eating out?

NOW CHECK the condition of the caravan. First look over the outside of the caravan. Check the chassis for rusting - also look out for fresh paint which could be covering any rust patches. Carefully check down the sides of the caravan for any dents or small dings which are easily missed. You may be able to negotiate on price if you point out any problems to the seller. Check the handbrake, the brakes and brake cables - if you are unsure perhaps you could find a caravan expert to help you inspect the caravan. Open all the doors and flaps and check they all fit OK. Check the tyres for cracks, splits, bulges and wear and tear, and ask if there is a spare.

NOW CHECK the interior of the caravan. First go in the door and have a good sniff - if it smells musty at all DON'T BUY IT. Look out for room fragrances which the seller could have recently sprayed to cover up the damp smell. Then you will need to check the four corners, in the cupboard corners and around the windows for any signs of damp or water marks. Remember, damp can cost a fortune to put right. Walk along the length of the caravan and look out for any sponginess in the floor which could be a sign of delamination which also could cost rather alot to fix.

NOW CHECK the toilet works and ask if you can see the electric and gas appliances working as well as the water system. Check in the washroom to ensure that the sealant is intact and operate the toilet to ensure it works properly.

CHECK the owners handbook/manual. It should tell you if the seller has looked after the caravan and whether it has been serviced regularly. If it hasn't, you may end up with a rather large maintenance bill.

NOW CHECK that the caravan is not stolen. Do not part with any money until you have checked with CRiS - after 1992 a CRis number should be etched on each window and they should all be the same. CRis will check this number to ensure that the caravan is not stolen and has no finance outstanding on it. It will cost you under £15.00 to get this checked but it is cheaper than finding out after you have parted with all your money that the caravan is stolen and you have to surrender it to the police or have to settle any outstanding finance on the caravan. Have a look on our webpage about CRis - it gives you all the contact information you will need.

If you are buying a secondhand caravan, CLICK HERE to have a look at our page on CRiS and find out how to contact them..

MAKE SURE your car is heavy enough to tow the caravan and the noseweight is OK.

BUY caravan insurance before towing the caravan away.

If buying a privately-owned secondhand caravan we would recommend taking it to a dealer to be serviced before you use it for the first time. Your safety is the most important thing to remember - when it is being serviced the dealer will check all the appliances and the gas and electricity, as well as the tyres, brakes, etc.

Now you know what to look for when buying a secondhand caravan, we hope you find a great used caravan bargain and have lots of happy caravanning!!

Do you know of any good places to buy secondhand caravans?
CLICK HERE to let us know so we can add them to this page.

We have received the following information from Ted regarding CLASSIFIED ADVERT & EBAY SCAMS : Could you please update your scam advice so that it covers forged EBAY sites that these people will send to you in the hope that you give them your paypal details etc or get you to pay via western union money transfer. The best way to detect a scam is to check the address bar at the top of your browser - they normally have an address that has NO mention of EBAY etc. While recently looking for a replacement caravan on the caravan clubs classified pages I noticed that a lot of fairly new vans were advertised at considerable lower asking prices i.e. Bailey Senator Indianna 4 berth 2007 - £3850.00 This van is worth about £8000 to £9000 on Ebay. Anyway I sent a email asking if I could come a view it. This is a copy of all communications with the seller: Due to my location and since view is not an option I have requested personal support and I was approved to use Buyer Protection Program. Here is how the process works through the Buyer Protection Program: - I make the private listing on eBay for you, - you go and buy it through their website, - you have to pay for the item to eBay to secure the funds, - they confirm me that they received the funds, - I deliver the van, - you receive the van, - they send me the money, Everything is covered by eBay. I will get paid only after you confirm that you received the van in good order. Let me know if this is acceptable. Thank you Mark On Wednesday Jun 8 Ted wrote: Hi Mark Thanks for the reply I would like to view it if possible and if it's what I want then I can pay cash. On 8 June Mark wrote: Hello, It's still for sale. Immaculate condition, no damages, nothing to worry about. All necessary documents available. My current location is Scotland due to my work commitments. If this is going to be a quick sale, I will let it go for £3,850 delivered at my costs. Are you familiar to eBay? I will list the caravan on eBay Motors for the £3,850 buy it now price and I will send you a link to my auction, so you can buy it immediately. As soon as you will confirm the payment to eBay, I will proceed delivery without any additional costs for you. In case you are not familiar with them, please read their Buyer Protection and will see that they cover 100% the transaction done through them up to £50,000. You will receive the caravan with all the documents. As you know eBay is the best company of online transactions. If you are indeed interested in buying it and have the funds, I will list it on eBay, as I have a 100% positive feedback with them. Please let me know your decision. Thank you Mark THE ABOVE SHOWS HOW EASILY YOU CAN BE TRICKED INTO GIVING YOUR PAYPAL DETAILS OR MONEY TRANSFER DETAILS THEREFORE PROBABLY LOSING ALOT OF MONEY!! TAKE HEED.