Tammy Middelweerd
Buying a caravan, everything you need to know!
When you drive back from your holiday, you are driving on the motorway and you see many cars with caravans driving around you. An idyllic picture, which evokes pleasant feelings in you. Once you arrive home, you think back to your journey on the road. The feeling starts to itch and you secretly want to have your own caravan, so that you can also experience such a nice and pleasant camping holiday.
The feeling of having your own caravan does not leave you and you start to doubt whether to buy one. A caravan is not cheap, but one thing is for sure; you will get your money’s worth twice over!
Where camping with a caravan used to be more like survival, today’s caravans are often equipped with modern gadgets and can even be called pure luxury.
What should you pay attention to when buying a new or second-hand caravan? In this article you can read, among other things, where you can buy a caravan and what you should pay attention to when buying a caravan.
Buying a caravan
1. What should I pay attention to when buying a caravan?
A new or second-hand caravan is not cheap and it is therefore important that you choose a caravan that fully meets your requirements. To make purchasing a caravan easier for you, we have drawn up a checklist for you in which you can read what is important.
Weight of the caravan
It is important that you decide in advance whether you want to purchase a smaller or larger caravan. A larger caravan is heavier than a smaller caravan. The weight of the caravan is important, because it allows you to determine whether your car can pull the weight of the caravan. Every car has a maximum towing weight. This is stated on the registration card of your car. Before you buy a caravan, it is therefore important that you check what maximum towing weight your car is allowed to pull.
You must also pay attention to which driving licence you have. If you have a B driving licence, you are allowed to drive with a caravan up to a maximum of 750 kg (empty weight + load capacity). In addition, the total weight of your car and caravan may not exceed 3,500 kg. If one of the weights is heavier than the maximum, a BE driving licence is required.
With a BE driving licence you are allowed to transport a caravan with a load of up to 3,500 kg. This weight is without the weight of your car.
Ball weight of the caravan
A caravan has a mass of kerb weight and a maximum weight. The difference between these two values is the weight that is available for the luggage that you can take with you. Also take the ball weight into account. A correct ball weight ensures better road holding and more safety while driving.
Every car has its own maximum nose weight. The maximum nose weight of your car can be found on the plate next to your car’s tow bar. The values that you can read on this plate are the vertical, maximum weight that may rest on the tow bar.
The budget
In addition to the weight that you may tow with your car and the nose weight, the budget is also an important factor when purchasing a caravan.
There are various websites where you can compare caravan prices.
2. Tips for buying a caravan
Not only the weight, nose weight and budget are important when purchasing a new caravan, the layout, facilities and accessories are also important.
Below you will find an overview of what you can think about before buying a new caravan.
Family composition and living space
When buying a caravan, it is important that you know in advance how many sleeping places you need. It is also important that you determine how much living space you find pleasant. If you spend a lot of time outdoors or in the awning, a smaller living space may be sufficient for you. If you like to be able to retreat quietly to the caravan, you will probably prefer a larger caravan.
Sleeping places
A caravan offers various sleeping places. You can choose from four different beds: a French bed, queen bed, a bunk bed or, to save space, a lifting bed.
- French bed: A French bed is a double bed that is always placed lengthwise. The corners of the mattress are cut off in the bed. This has to do with the fact that a bed in a caravan is always smaller than at home and must fit exactly. If you choose a French bed, this means that the mattresses are smaller. The mattress of a French bed is always made to measure for you.
Advantages of a French bed are:
- Space-saving;
- Gives a spacious effect;
- The bed is always placed low, which makes getting in and out of bed extra easy.
- A queen bed: A queen bed is a double bed that is placed lengthwise and is completely separate from the side walls of your caravan. So you can walk along the bed on two sides and get into the bed. Because the bed has space on two sides, you need quite a bit of space in the bedroom of your caravan.
- A bunk bed: If you choose a family caravan, you will quickly end up with a caravan with bunk beds. These can be 1 or more beds. The caravan often also has a fixed bed (double bed).
- A lifting bed: a lifting bed is a bed that can be easily pulled down when you want to go to sleep. When you are not in the bed, you can store the bed against the ceiling. The big advantage of a lifting bed is that it saves a lot of space.
Kitchen
There are different types of kitchens in a caravan, namely: end, front or middle kitchen.
Caravans with a front kitchen often have a shorter drawbar length than caravans with an end kitchen. Caravans with a shorter drawbar length (with a front kitchen) can cause noticeable instability while driving. This can sometimes result in poorer road handling; which is especially noticeable with passing trucks, buses and with ruts in the road surface.
Storage space
Because you are going on holiday with a caravan, it is important that your caravan has storage space. Note that not only the contents of the storage space is important, but also its accessibility. There is nothing more annoying than a difficult to reach cupboard!
3. Where do I buy my caravan?
Are you new to the camping world and do you have no experience yet? Then it is smart to first visit a trade fair.
Do you already have an idea of what kind of caravan you would like to have? We advise you to buy your caravan from an approved dealer. The advantage of this is that there are clear agreements on warranty in writing.
4. When is the best time to buy a caravan?
The best time to buy a caravan is in the autumn. Dealers know exactly what they have sold in the previous season and which caravan is best for your situation. In addition, dealers often have a number of models in the autumn that they would like to sell that year. This of course gives you extra negotiating opportunities.
Is the price not a big factor? Then you can also buy a caravan at the beginning of the season. This way you are sure that you have the very latest model and you can immediately enjoy your caravan in the camping season.
5. Buying a second-hand caravan
Not everyone is able to afford a new caravan. Fortunately, there is a wide range of beautiful second-hand caravans. However, it is important that you check various things about the exterior and interior. Below you can find two checklists.
Exterior
- Check the plating of the caravan. Check carefully whether there are any cracks in the plating. It is also important that the sealant edge of the caravan is still in order and that the drawbar box looks neat.
- Are the shunting bars properly secured?
- Do all the windows and doors work properly and are the rubbers still flexible?
- Check the chassis of the caravan for rust spots;
- Do the nose wheel and the extension supports turn smoothly?
- Do all the electrics work when the 13-pin plug is connected to the tow bar?
- Do the caravan tyres still look good and are they not too old? You can determine the age of the tyres using the DOT code. This is a code that is on the side of the tyre. The code consists of the week number and year of production of the tyre. For example: DOT code 3715: the tyre was produced in week 37 of 2015. The advice for caravans is to replace the tyres every six years.
Interior
In addition to the exterior of the caravan, it is important that you check whether the interior of the caravan is still in good condition. You can do this using the following checklist:
- Does the caravan have a musty mouldy smell? Whether the smell is in the cushions, walls or floor, if the caravan has a musty mouldy smell, we advise you not to buy this caravan. This is because mould is not only harmful to your caravan, but also to you!
A caravan can smell a bit musty. You can solve this by airing and cleaning the caravan thoroughly.
- Are all the technical gadgets in the caravan working? Check the lights, sockets, heaters, water pump, taps and drain. In addition, it is wise to check the refrigerator, toilet and cassette.
- What is the condition of the walls, cupboards and benches? Pay close attention to the corners when checking. If necessary, press on the corners, as there may be moisture in them. Also check the hinges and locks of the caravan cupboards.
Are all the insect screens still working? These are easy to replace if they are broken, but it is of course much nicer if everything works properly!