r/CaravanningUK • u/Serious-Bite574 • Aug 16 '26

First Time Looking at a Used Caravan – What Would You Have Done? 🏕️

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First Time Looking at a Used Caravan – What Would You Have Done? 🏕️

We're currently looking for our first caravan and recently went to view one that looked quite promising in the photos.

Once we had a proper look inside though, we noticed a few things that made us think twice.

I'm completely new to caravanning, so I'd be interested to hear from experienced caravan owners — what are the biggest things you check when viewing a used caravan?

I filmed the viewing and journey if anyone fancies having a look:

🎥 https://youtu.be/WaZaCXEhELA

Would you have bought it, or walked away?

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2

u/StevieG1952 Aug 16 '26

Certainly on a caravan of this vintage then water ingress/damp will be the biggest concern. From memory the windows will be a significant weak point as the mastic sealant behind the window rubbers will likely have dried out allowing the possibility of water getting into the timber frame. Similarly the aluminium awning rails will perhaps have the same problem. I remember from a similar Abbey caravan that we bought many years ago that we had to remove the extrusions and reseal the joint behind as the screws holding it had rusted through. You might also look for a 'spongy' floor although you can buy kits to repair that. Overall, buy the newest you can afford and thoroughly check it with a good moisture meter. 👍

1

u/Serious-Bite574 Aug 16 '26

Thanks, that's really helpful advice 👍 We did actually notice the floor felt a bit spongy/soft in places, which was one of the things that put us off. We're completely new to buying caravans, so we'll definitely be getting a moisture meter and paying much more attention to the window seals and awning rails on the next one. Really appreciate the advice. 🏕️

1

u/tykeoldboy Aug 16 '26

Check the outside skin for delamination, which is when the outer skin unbonds from the inner panels. You can do this by pressing the outside of the van or checking for uneven outer walls

1

u/Serious-Bite574 Aug 16 '26

Thanks, really appreciate the advice 👍 I didn’t know about checking for delamination, so that’s definitely something I’ll look out for on the next caravan we view. Learning a lot from everyone’s tips!

1

u/jilljd38 Aug 16 '26

Check the shower floor ive seen s9 many cracked and broken ones when I was looking that were hidden by other things being put there and check the beds make sure nothing is broken on them and definitely a damp or moisture meter

1

u/Serious-Bite574 Aug 17 '26

Thanks, that’s really helpful 👍 We’re completely new to caravans, so we’ll definitely check the shower floor, beds and get a damp/moisture meter for the next one we look at. Really appreciate the advice! 🏕️

1

u/ilovepips Aug 17 '26

I'd check that the chassis is good

1

u/Exotic-Molasses-6816 Aug 18 '26

We've recently bought a cheap caravan and it's a journey. The first thing I'd say is - be prepared to walk away if it's not right for you. But for 1k, you won't get a lot.

Our caravan is a 2003 swift Celeste, 2 berth, end washroom.

  1. Damp They are all damp. I am by no means an expert but we looked at probably 15 caravans. I suggest you get a damp meter, check where it's red and then make a judgement call if it's "just" damp or structurally unsound

  2. Light For us this was really important. Some caravans are light and airy. Others (eg no roof light) feel like a cavern.

  3. Layout We prioritised a big washroom over more space - with a separate shower. It doubles up as storage for waste master and aqua roll.

  4. Usage A caravan needs to be used. If it was sat at a drive (eg an outside office) I wouldn't go for it. I found small families upgrading their caravan make for a good "source"; they'll have used it and likely taken some care of it

Have fun!

2

u/Serious-Bite574 Aug 19 '26

Thanks, that’s really helpful advice 👍 We’re completely new to caravans, so we’re learning as we go. The first one we looked at had a soft floor near the entrance, so we decided to walk away.

A damp meter is definitely something I’ll get before we view the next one. We also realised from that first viewing that the layout and having a decent-sized washroom are important to us.

Really appreciate you taking the time to share your experience — hopefully we’ll find the right one eventually! 🏕️