Are you looking for a bargain in which to go caravanning? Will you be touring with a large family, who like to pack lots of stuff? Have you always envied the reassurance of having a twin-axle caravan, but feared you could never afford one new? Well, fear not: here is our pick of secondhand twin-axle models that wowed our reviewers when they were launched, and secondhand versions that we’ve spotted on the forecourts as an example of a great buy.
LUNAR QUASAR 696 (2019)
- Layout L-shaped front lounge with rear bunks
- Berths 6
- L/W 7.86m/2.45m
- MTPLM 1680kg
- Payload 181kg
- MiRO 1499kg
- Plus points Spacious lounge, rear bedroom you can shut off
- Minus points No ATC, dining spacer six is a bit limited
Our review said…
The Quasar 696 was the last significant model that Lunar has produced. (It only released a limited range for the 2020 season, with no really new models.)
However, this is a cracking van. It was the second model within mainstream Lunar (as opposed to the Alaria brand) to be 8ft wide, and its development was a lot smoother than the first, the 686, which underwent several readjustments before it was launched.
Our reviewer loved the spacious, light-filled front lounge, with its L-shaped settee and solid wall designed for a TV. The children’s lounge at the back – which can be partitioned off with solid doors – is well kitted out.
We also love the central washroom, and in particular, the handy pull-out step to help children reach the basin when they are brushing their teeth.
In fact, the only thing that we felt was really missing was Al-Ko’s ATC trailer system, to make this a smooth run on the road. Look carefully and you might be lucky and find one with this fitted as an extra, however.
Full review here
ALARIA TS (2019)
- Layout L-shaped front lounge with rear fixed single beds
- Berths 4
- L/W 7.88m/2.46m
- MTPLM 1845.kg
- Payload 161kg
- MiRO 1684kg
- Plus points Brilliant lighting, spacious lounge, great spec
- Minus points No solar panel, only one mains socket in kitchen
Our review said…
TS stands for twin single beds, the layout you’ll find in this model: part of what was Lunar’s luxury range, which came complete with an on-board water tank, Alde heating, L-shaped front lounge and self-levelling.
The line-up was two years old by 2019, so had seen little tweaks, such as changing the front gas bottle locker back to white, and installing the latest Thetford oven and grill. The 8ft width was a newish development, too: the first Alarias were a conventional width, but that soon changed.
Our reviewer loved the spacious front lounge, and the superb end washroom that comes with twin wardrobes. The inclusion of a large footstool gets around the problem of where everyone sits when you put up the table in an L-shaped lounge, and although you can make a large double out of that settee, you might not want to, because both fixed beds in the rear are over 6ft long.
Although the Alarias were designed for seasonal pitches, the relatively light weight of this model means you could take it touring, too. In which case you might appreciate the LED-lit grab handles when you arrive on-site.
Full review here
ELDDIS AVANTÉ 860 (2018)
- Layout Rear transverse island bed with central washroom
- Berths 4
- L/W 8.05m/2.45m
- MTPLM 1695kg
- Payload 159kg
- MiRO 1536kg
- Plus points Spacious interior with loads of storage
- Minus points No external access to front seat lockers
Our review said…
The 860 was one of two 8ft-wide models Erwin Hymer UK introduced into Elddis’s entry-level range for the 2018 season. This one features a rear island transverse bed and washroom spread across the centre of the caravan.
Although there is no L-shaped front settee, as there is in other 8ft-wide models, our reviewer still found the lounge, with its parallel settees, airy and spacious, thanks to the extra width. The long settees also provide more room for guests.
The central washroom can be closed off. Complete with a lit mirror and heating vent, it easily doubles up as a dressing room.
Although the wheel arch takes up some space in the shower cubicle, our reviewer felt you could possibly sit on it if you were in for a long soak! The washroom, with a salad-bowl-style basin and swan-neck tap, has a contemporary vibe.
There’s plenty of storage space in the rear bedroom, and we particularly liked the pull-out shelves where you could perch a glass of water.
With ATC fitted as standard, and all services connected to the offside away from any possible awning, this should be an easy van to tour in.
Full review here
SWIFT SPRITE QUATTRO EB (2018)
- Layout Rear transverse island bed with central washroom
- Berths 4
- L/W 7.98m/2.25m
- MTPLM 1624kg
- Payload 205kg
- MiRO 1419kg
- Plus points Fantastic spec and quality looks for a budget tourer
- Minus points Front settees are on the short side
Our review said…
The 2018 season was when Swift significantly rationalised its offering, taking everything under the Swift umbrella. But unlike Sterling, Sprite survived the cull, with a fresh new look; and just to prove it, out came this new Quattro model, with a twin axle like the others, only this time with four berths instead of six.
Our reviewer felt that the extra spec on the new-look Sprite was such good value, the whole range now seemed like a serious challenge to Swift’s own Challenger. But we do think you should hunt down a model where the optional sunroof has been included, because that makes a big difference to the light inside.
Unusually, the rear bedroom, with transverse bed, does not include wardrobes. But this makes it feel more airy, and Swift has taken advantage of only having to find sleeping space for four to include two wardrobes in the large central washroom. (You could say that is more democratic if there are four of you travelling.) There is plenty of space to get dressed in here, although the slanting partition does make getting the table out on the lounge side a bit more tricky.
Full review here
SWIFT CONQUEROR 650 (2016)
- Layout Rear in-line island bed with central washroom
- Berths 4
- L/W 7.94m/2.26m
- MTPLM 1800kg
- Payload 160kg
- MiRO 1640kg
- Plus points Generous storage, high spec, great washroom and rear bedroom layout
- Minus points Kitchen workspace is lacking
Our review said…
Swift’s Conqueror range has been deleted now, but its 2016 incarnation was the first Swift van outside the top-notch Elegance line-up to feature the manufacturer’s highly innovative SMART HT timber-free construction system – which means even used models should be wearing well.
The whole interior feels spacious, and our reviewer felt the large central washroom was a very good reason to go for this model, rather than the single-axle 560 from the same year, which has the same layout.
Unusually, here, you access the rear bedroom through a pair of ‘his and hers’ doors either side of the in-line island bed. Padded wallboards around the windows are a classy touch.
Perhaps the only downsides in the 650 are that an otherwise high-spec kitchen does not have a huge amount of workspace. And only the offside settee in the lounge can realistically be made into a single; the nearside one is too short. Still, that means you get a double with extra sitting space for bedtime stories or an early riser.
Full review here
COACHMAN LASER 650 (2016)
- Layout Rear in-line island bed with central washroom
- Berths 4
- L/W 7.87m/2.32m
- MTPLM 1810kg
- Payload 158kg
- MiRO 1651kg
- Plus points Great storage, kitchen and washroom spec
- Minus points Front lounge is on the small side
Our review said…
Coachman’s flagship Laser has been through a fair few changes in recent years – disappearing into the VIP line-up, then coming back again, and now including 8ft-wide Laser Xcel models.
In 2016 all that was yet to come, however, and the vans from this year were the first to be made using Coachman’s ABC method of construction. This relied on glue rather than screws, while all timber parts were replaced with polyurethane. As well as improving water resistance, this was intended to make them lighter; although with an MTPLM of 1810kg, this one is still quite a monster.
You get a large in-line island bed, accessed by ‘his and hers’ doors from a central washroom that houses two cupboards and a linen bin.
Kitchen spec includes an Omnivent and a microwave, but not a huge amount of workspace. The front lounge is flooded with light, although it is on the smaller side for a caravan this size.
Full review here
BAILEY PEGASUS PALERMO (2016)
- Layout End washroom with rear bunks
- Berths 6
- L/W 7.90/2.23m
- MTPLM 1760kg
- Payload 187kg
- MiRO 1573kg
- Plus points Great headroom, comfy lounge and children’s dinette
- Minus points Smaller than expected washroom with clear window
Our review said…
Bailey’s mid-market range was given a refresh for 2016, with new graphics and polar white exterior, which our reviewer found a welcome change from the previous season’s “drab” magnolia.
Heating was boosted with a Truma Combi 6E boiler, and the central LED lighting moved to the side, so headroom is 6ft 5in throughout the van.
The 2016 Pegasus included Bailey’s Dream Sleep system, a method for putting beds together that, despite our reviewers positive reaction, has since been discounted. This does mean, though, that you get a much more domestic-style settee, with a high backrest that plays no part in the bed.
Our reviewer also liked the way the bunks at the back had been brought forward, instead of being tucked in the corner. They were also given their own reading lights. The dinette on the other side makes up a fifth bed, and you might even find a model with an optional sixth bunk.
End washrooms spread across the caravan like this are usually spacious. But the inclusion of a wardrobe here made our reviewer feel this one was a little more cramped than expected.
Full review here
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