buying a second hand caravan

typhoon

as the title says, have been toying with the idea of buying a little touring caravan, but don't know the first thing about them! I have the room to store it in garden, and want something suitable for 2 adults and 2 small kids. Anyone got any idea what the cost is for a semi-decent one, and any recommended dealers? Also what is the rough cost of campsite fees, and how long in advance do we need to book? I like the idea of taking off at the last minute if we get some rare good weather, but dont know how feasible this is. Any advice greatly appreciated :beer:

kidshorsesdogs

Best peice of advice I can give you, and it was what we did was to register on this forum http://www.ukcampsite.co.uk apart from it being a really friendly forum there is an absolute stack of information on buying your first van.

Sites here are usually very busy and book up quickly for all the usual popular dates, but don't let that put you off as most forestry sites and smaller less well known sites can usually accommodate at the last minute. Cost per night is usually between £12 and £25 depending on site and facilities.

The dealer we used and were more than happy with was Dorvic in Ballyclare but they don't do a big range of secondhand vans..

Good luck in your search

hartcjhart

take a look here some good advice

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=1614425

big-girl

How is your search going for your caravan? A five berth caravan would probably suit your needs - it means the kids would have their own space at the back they could watch tv, play there and you could still have your own space at the front. Be very careful when buying a caravan that it has no damp - buy a damp detector and check all vans that you view. Belfast Telegraph ads for free usually has good range of second hand vans. Always get the vendor to go through the set up of the van and appliances with you to ensure that they work. Good luck and dont be afraid to post again with questions!