Caravan manufacturers tell us that 2017 was a sell-out year.
It may well have been, but does that mean there will be no tasty end-of-season deals?
Always with our nose to the ground to sniff out a bargain, it seems there are some good deals out there on 2017-season caravans for sale right now.
And that’s the key – they are for sale now. They aren’t going to hang around for long!
Three steps to a van-tastic end-of-season deal
- Act quickly – discounts mean that unsold stock will move fast
- Consider added extras like an awning or mover, to sweeten any deal
- Buy as local as possible – bear in mind that you will need to return to the supplying dealer for any warranty work that arises
The 2018 stock is beginning to filter through now, and most tourers have not undergone major changes, so does buying a 2017 model still look like a good bargain?
The answer is yes, as long as enough cash is wiped off the sticker price, and perhaps an added incentive, such as an awning or a mover, is thrown in.
Outgoing 2017 models may be thinner on the ground, but we still found some wallet-tempters around the UK.
Scouring the forecourts
During our search, we found that Viscount Caravans near Southampton had a last-remaining Sprite Alpine 2 for £1600 off the original price of £16,180.
And over at Spinney Caravans, its Silverdale branch in Staffordshire was slicing cash off its remaining stock of the third-generation Unicorn range of Bailey caravans – check out these well-specified tourers:
- Bailey Unicorn Cabrera – was £23,564, now £21,495
- Bailey Unicorn Valencia – was £22,964, now £20,945
- Bailey Unicorn Madrid – was £22,964, now £20,945
Meanwhile, Marquis, the UK’s biggest dealer network, is doing deals at the time of writing on its lightweight Caravelair caravans, although these are already at a bargain-basement price, so don’t expect too much of a discount:
- Caravelair Antarès 335 – was £12,666, now £11,995
- Caravelair Antarès 450 – was £14,460, now £13,695
- Caravelair Antarès 455 – was £15,883, now £14,295
Plus, Marquis still had a few 2016 Compass models, too, such as the Rallye 540 (was £21,894, now £19,995) and the Rallye 554 (was £22,294, now £20,995).
We reckon these ‘new two-year-old’ tourers could be got for even less if you haggle.
Great value caravans for sale across the UK!
Glossop Caravans, a large dealer in Derbyshire supplying most of the British brands, also had some of its ultra-value-for-money specials on offer at the time of writing.
The dealer’s Coachman specials give buyers some juicy extras, and with a discount they are hard to resist. Look at the savings here:
- Coachman Festival 450 – was £21,878, now £18,990
- Coachman Festival 520 – was £21,647, now £19,990
- Coachman Festival 565 – was £22,297, now £20,490
Over in Cheshire at Leisure Sales, there are some fantastic deals to be had on the last-remaining Lunar caravans – including the top-of-the-range Alarias:
- Lunar Clubman SE – was £24,399, now £21,474
- Lunar Delta TS and RI – were £27,799, now £24,474
- Alaria TI and TS – were £33,599, now £29,470
DorVic Caravans in Ballyclare, Co Antrim, also had a sale on its last remaining Bailey Pursuit and third-generation Unicorn caravans:
DorVic also had discounts of up to £2000 on Unicorn and Pegasus models, but a ‘new 2015 Unicorn Cordoba’ had a mega-discount of £4449 on the original price of £25,449 – a great saving on a model that’s identical to the 2017 version.
Scottish savings
In Scotland, Dyce Caravans is offering a free mover as a deal on Baileys, plus you can get some cash off a Unicorn Cadiz – this was £23,699, but Dyce has it for £22,964, saving £735, plus the mover.
It seems that most Scottish dealers have little 2017 caravans for sale left, but overall there are deals to be had if you take some time out and check what’s on sale.
Remember, though, you will need to take your new tourer back to the dealer you bought it from for any warranty work, so you may find that this dents your discount price.
It’s worth checking out, however – we found there are some great savings to be made.
Motor movers are often added to sweeten a potential deal, so don’t turn up your nose if you are offered one.
Don’t delay, act today
One word of warning, though: don’t delay!
Most of the dealers had little or no 2017 stock left – and some were not over-keen to move much on the price.
If you want a ‘new last season’ caravan, buying at this time of year could save you a fortune – and that money could go towards your next holiday.
So happy hunting! And let us know if you grab a bigger bargain than we found on our quest.
All deals correct at the time of writing.
Buying at this time of year could save you a fortune
