TOPIC: newbie

hi all, newbie from Lincolnshire,, never had a caravan before so I thought I should ask you good people for advice??? whats the main points to look out for when buying a used van??? obviously signs of damp??!!,, but whats the little hidden dangers that need looking for??? I'm looking for a fixed bed 2/4/5 birth fixed bed, single axle, with a mover around about the 4/5 grand mark,,also I've never towed anything in my life before so very nervous at the thought of it??!!!!,, thanks in advance regards Martin,,

Hi. I've just recently got my first caravan and was terrified about towing. Thinking the caravan would flip over half a mile down the road. But after researching about weights and loading and recently towed 140 miles everything was totally fine.

While there are far more knowledgeable people then myself on here I personally would purchase from a dealer that way you should get 3 or 12 months warranty, at least if anything goes wrong with your pride and joy or doesn't work when you get it home you will be covered.

Hi martc1 , craig here,
Welcome to the forum , like it has been said I would try and go to a dealer where are you may get warranty for your money on what you buy, whatever you are looking for take your family with you , try out everything you need to try , bed wise ; let the kids go into the bunks or the beds , you try the beds out for size , and spatial awareness and see if you can move about in what you like . If you know someone with a caravan maybe take them with you for some advice....
What kind of car have you got to tow with ? also ,when did you pass your test because if it was after 97 you will be limited to 35oo'kg , you may have to pass a B + E course to enable you to tow more . Check this out

www.practicalcaravan.com/forum/general/5...t-caravanning#446940

Good luck.

hi Craig thanks for your reply,, I've got a 3.0 Range Rover sport, although its an old one ,,

martc1 wrote:
Hi again !
No worries about what kind of caravan to buy as that will pull anything then ! But when did you pass your test because your RR will be a fair weight ? So that means your RR + caravan must = less than 35oo kg or under as you will still need to load it .

Craigyoung wrote:
This is not quite correct, and sadly its potentially worse news than it appears . Craig is correct to raise the question about your licence, becasue what you can tow does depend on when you passed your basic driving test. The fact is to tow a caravan behind any Range Rover the driver will almost certainly need to have Entitlement BE or B+E on their licence IF you passed your test before 1st Jan 1997, then you will have BE and be alright for any combination, but if you passed after that date, then you will only have entitlement B in the car and light commercial category, and that limits you to a COMBINED MAM of only 3500kg.

MAM stands for Maximum Authorised Mass, and its is the absolute weight limit for the vehicle when it is fully loaded. It has several other names and JLR use Maximum Laden weight. according to JLR website
www.landrover.com/vehicles/range-rover-s.../specifications.html
the RR 3.0 Sport has a MAM of 3000/3150 kg depending on options; That means an owner without BE, would have to find a caravan with an MTPLM of 3500-3150=350kg ! - Impossible!!!

You an take a +E test to gain the equivalent of BE which will allow you to tow with the RR.

thanks for your help guy's I passed my test back in 1981,, I'm an old geezer now,, ,

martc1 wrote:
Well you're laughing mate as the ball is in your court as they say & the choice is yours when you come to choose what you want , and weight not being a problem .
Happy caravan hunting.

Craig

thanks Craig,, after the advice I've received from you lads I shall more than likely be going down the road of buying from a reputable dealer,,,,,

Welcome to the forum. For a first caravan I would agree that a reputable dealer is probably the beat option. With your car and licence there is very little you cannot tow but it is possibly best to avoid the very large ones as they can be a bit too much for some people when the first set out.
Given the budget then I would look at condition more than the make as you all looking for something that has survived well over the years. The first job is to look round dealers and see what layout suits you best and what level of equipment you want. As ever for the same price you can get a newer basic model or an older more upmarket one.
When buying make sure that everything works and that you get a comprehensive handover. A damp report is essential and do remember you will need to allow for the gear you need to go with it. The dealer will normally have a starter pack at a reduced price or give you a discount.
Not sure if you have a towbar fitted but that is also a costly item so get quotes and factor the cost in.
Check out the CMCH website for more advice at www.caravanclub.co.uk/globalassets/pdfs/...ond-hand-caravan.pdf