Private sales, Some times it can be Cheaper than buying through a dealer, But be aware of the real reason for selling, Check, is it the age they state ?, damp and sagging floors etc, The best time for bargain hunting is winter time because most caravanners have finished touring for the season, BUT don't dismiss the idea of checking out the dealerships, often it is a good method of checking the current values of similar caravans and you may also pick up a clearance Bargain. Remember cheaper is not always better.
You have far less rights of compensation when you buy a caravan privately, the "Sales of Goods Act" does not apply to sales made between individuals. " let the buyer beware" is a good way of describing the legal situation if you buy a caravan through a private sale.
The fact that you have less legal rights when buying privately makes it even more important that you thoroughly check the caravan for defects prior to purchase and that you check the history of the caravan where possible.
There are companies that can tell you if the caravan is stolen or if it has outstanding finance on it. Even if you were only buying a something as insignificant as a bar of chocolate, if the seller does not have the right to sell it to you it can become a complicated and expensive mistake. You need to ensure that the seller has "title to the goods", unfortunately possession is not 9/10ths of the law, this phrase will not be of any help if all goes wrong. No one can sell a caravan to you if that someone does not have the legal right to sell it, they can not "pass title to you". If this unfortunate circumstance were to arise the caravan still belongs to the original owner and they have the right to repossess it from you. If the caravan turned out to be stolen the insurance company are the rightful owners and would be likely to file a claim of theft and repossess the caravan from you.
If however there turned out to be outstanding finance on the caravan you as the "keeper" would never be able to sell on the caravan until every last penny of the finance was cleared against the unit.
Buying privately is often the preferred method of people looking to make a purchase, it has some great benefits, not least of which can be cost, but be aware it can cause just as much heartache and bother if you don't check out the seller and caravan history before buying. In short, be aware, be careful and check it out thoroughly.
Buying from a Dealer.
Buying from a dealership will provide the buyer with far more rights, and peace of mind than buying privately. Legally the dealer is deemed to be in a far better position to find out if the caravan is stolen or has outstanding finance attached to it. Should the caravan be then found to be stolen the dealer is usually liable to refund the monies paid back to the consumer. This point is important due to the fact that if the original owner of the caravan had kept the unit in storage over the winter they may not be aware that it had been stolen until the start of the caravanning season and may not report it missing to the police and insurance companies until after you have purchased from the dealership.
Fit for the Purpose it is intended for; Caravanning.
The dealer is also obliged to ensure that the caravan is fit for use, or using the correct terminology, ‘fit for the purpose’ that they are selling it to you for. Also in a legal situation the law would fall in favour of the consumer over the dealer if they had sold the unit without informing the customer of any material facts about the condition of the unit.
Many dealers will, as a matter of course, service the caravan to N.C.C. guidelines to ensure the unit is in safe and reasonable order. Ask for a copy of the Pre delivery Inspection service Check List.
When you have ensured that you are getting your monies worth and getting a caravan that is "fit for the use", you should ensure that the dealer gives you copies of the necessary sales documentation and keep them in a safe place; should there be any need to take legal proceedings these can prove invaluable. The main majority of dealerships are reputable and respectable and would not sell any unit that was not "fit for the purpose" of caravanning or that was damp, but there will always be certain individuals who are not quite as ethical within the industry and are likely to try and rip you off. Follow our advice and you should find yourself with a caravan you will be able to get weeks of enjoyment, rest and relaxation from every year.
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Take a final look around the caravan and ask yourself, does it look right, does it feel right, is the price right. Bear in mind any of the things you picked up on whilst you were going through the caravan, and be realistic, are you happy to fix a few things or is there to much for you to do?
Please also bear in mind when buying privately that you are surveying what is likely to be the current owners pride and joy, if they don't sell it today they will want to for another day. Try not to inflict damage to the caravan whilst checking it out and even if you find something wrong with the caravan there is a right and polite way to go about it.
Check the bodywork around the caravan for dents and signs of accident damage, make sure you check the roof as well. The body of the caravan is normally constructed of alluminium which dents easily, you'll always find small dents which are tolerable, but if you can't live with any dents you find remember repairing these is a costly business. If you find signs of accident repairs, ask questions, look for attributing damage and be cautious of any lasting damage. From this check you can get a good idea of how well the caravan has been cared for in the past, it will also reflect on what to expect when you get inside.
When checking caravan tyres you need to be concentrating less on the actual tread of the tyre, but more on the condition of the tyre walls, although don't ignore the tread depth. If the caravan has been well looked after the caravan wheels will have been rotated regularly or even removed and replaced with axle stands when it has been left in one place for a length of time. If this hasn't been the case the tyre walls will look worn and rough and you could well need a new set of tyres.
A good caravanner will use his jockey wheel, ramps and wheel blocks to make sure their caravan is level, then use the corner legs for the purpose they were made for......steadying the caravan!!! They will also keep the winding mechanism well greased and free moving. However, here's a few tell tale points that can only to often be found, check that the legs are not bent; from people using the legs to level the caravan excessively and them buckling under the strain. Wind the legs up and down,, firstly if the squeal like a banshee they probably have forgotten what grease looks like, also check to see if the move slightly from side to side as the mechanism turns: this would not indicate any major issue but is an indication that the spindle is slightly warped.
The jockey wheel is fundamentally identical on any caravan, but you may find that it attaches either inside the A-frame or is clamped on the outside of the A-frame, it may have a solid or an inflatable tyre. Check first that the winding mechanism is functioning correctly and is well greased, you'll often find the top of the handle missing as well and needs replacing. Check that the wheel is not worn or punctured if it's an inflatable, and check that the securing pin or bolt that attaches the wheel is in tact and allows the wheel to rotate freely.
Once again all hitches are fundamentally the same, but come in a couple of different forms. However they will all have some sort of catch on the handle to secure it and be attached to the push bar that operates the caravan brakes when pressure is applied. You will need to check that the hitch handle mechanism moves freely and the push bar moves correctly and are both well lubricated, also check the condition of the rubber gaiter that covers the push bar between the hitch and A-frame. Please remember that if it has an Alko hitch stabiliser, this should not be grease or lubricated in any way or else it will be rendered completely ineffective.
You need to check the handbrake moves freely and is effective, "the caravan moves when it's off and stays still when it's applied". Also check the break way cable is in good condition and has secure connection to the base of the handbrake and a good secure link to attach to the car. One other check is to watch the connection between the hand brake and the braking mechanism under the caravan as you pull the handbrake on and off, watch for signs of drooping or bucking when the handbrake is released, this could show that there may be a problem with the brakes such as binding.
Check to see if the grab handles are secure and firmly attached, give them a tug and if you fall on your backside they weren't secure!!!! You will often find that these are attached by bolts through the body work and frame, so if there is excessive movement it could indicate problems such as damp and rotting woodwork in the frame.
Underneath the caravan you need to check for hanging wires, loose objects and that it looks generally tidy. Check for signs of rot and that the flooring is in good order. If the caravan has a steel chassis, check that it is free from rust.
There a three type of sealant used in the production of caravans, acrylic, oil based and silicone sealants, these seals can last anything from 5 to 20 years before showing signed of perishing dependant on the type of sealant used. Have a good look around the panels for signed of perished, missing or penetrated seals showing signed of water ingress and rusting screws. Needless to say this is not good and you'll probably find more symptoms inside the caravan.
Check that the doors open and shut properly on not only the main door but on all locker doors as well. Do they fit snuggly into the aperture or can you see daylight through the seals, are the seals clean and flexible or perished and cracked? Look to see if the doors open freely and the top and bottom parts of the doors don't splay apart as the door opens. Check the hinges are secure and in good condition and finally check that the locks work and turn freely.
Check around for cracks in windows and seals, in older caravans a common problem is that the plastic trim around the inside of the windows cracks as it get old. Check out the window locks, make sure they work and watch out for signs or rust around the screws. If the windows are double glazed, look for signed of condensation between the layers.
Firstly plug the towing electrics into the car and check all the lights, indicators and electrics, check that the plugs themselves are in good condition: no cracks and loose pins, and check that the cables are in good condition and have not been exposed from dragging on the road.
When you get into the caravan see if it smells OK, you'll be able to tell if there is any sighs of damp. Push away on the walls to see if they move or are soft, check in all the dark corners under the beds and in the cupboards for signs of damp. It would be advisable if you can get hold of a damp meter to use it around the walls and corners to see if there is any damp as well.
Take a firm walk around the caravan to see if the floors are weak, sagging or sloping. You'll find that areas around the main door, kitchen area and seats are prone to this due to these being the main areas of use in the caravan. These signs would indicate the floor is starting to de-laminate, this is expensive and not so easy to repair. The usual method is to inject a substance every 4 inches throughout the caravan floor, a very labour intensive and costly business best carried out by your local caravan repair centre. Our advice, keep aware unless the price reflects it and you have the budget to get it fixed.
Check the distribution panels, fuse panels and wiring, do they look safe and well fitted or have they been "bodged" by Mr. D.I.Y. 1992? Ultimately check that all the 12v and 240v appliance and fittings operate correctly. You can buy plug testers from any caravan or electrical components centre, take on along to check any mains outlets in the caravan.
Check the water system, do the water pumps work effectively to give a steady flow of water through the taps? And does the water drain away effectively from the sinks, if not you could be looking at finding a leak or a blockage somewhere in the system or replacing the water pump.
Throughout the caravan you need to check that all the air vents are working and not blocked.
Depending on the age of the caravan and how many bed there are, you will find many different systems for setting up beds and bunk beds, but the one thing you need to do is check they all work, that they are all secure and safe and that they are easy to operate.
Check all the cupboard doors open and shut alright and have functioning transit catches to keep them shut when you are travelling and stays to keep them open when you want them open.
Check all the gas appliances in the caravan operate and burn with a blue flame, this indicates that the gas is being burnt efficiently and is free from the dangers of carbon monoxide. Also check that all the gas flues are in good condition on appliances such as the fridge and heater.
If the table is used as part of the bed you'll probably have already checked that it at least there, check that all the tables are present and in good condition. A common problem is the trim on things such as the table and around cupboard comes off through general use and time, it's not a big or expensive job to sort out, but it could indicate how well it has been loved and looked after if there are no signs of missing trim.
Do they match? Are they in good condition? Questions like this are just what you should be asking yourself before committing to a purchase, stains on the surface of the fabrics could tell you a lot about the conditions of the foam underneath. Wear and tear and missing buttons are cosmetic and repairable but the service could be expensive.
Check to see if they look clean and fresh and if they show wear around the most used places of a caravan, the door, the kitchen and he seats. Although it is relatively cheap to nip down the local carpet shop and get a roll end to fit out the caravan, it is more expense that needs to be accounted for in the asking price.