| Finding decent used caravans for sale can be as | | | | offering caravan repairs about them and it will be |
| tricky as buying a good second hand car – | | | | a lot easier to work out whether the prices being |
| particularly for someone who has never owned a | | | | quoted are fair or not. |
| caravan before. Trying to find somewhere that | | | | The first and most common killer of caravans is |
| does reliable caravan repairs, too, is an | | | | damp. With the exception of Gypsy caravans, |
| undertaking beset with difficulty – and with | | | | which are built "dry" all caravans have seals and |
| caravan ownership more popular than ever | | | | seams that eventually fall prey to water ingress. |
| before, both are getting harder. The problem is | | | | Once damp has got in it's very hard to repair or |
| this: when something is in demand, lots of | | | | maintain: so any used caravans for sale that |
| businesses pop up to service that demand. And | | | | bear evidence of damp (mould patches, seam |
| with multiple businesses offering a service (in this | | | | repairs, discoloured curtains or strong musty |
| case, used caravans for sale or caravan repairs), | | | | smells) should be treated with caution. Ceilings |
| the law of averages unfortunately dictates that a | | | | and floors are the most likely candidates for |
| lot of them are going to be less than perfect. | | | | damp damage: when viewing used caravans for |
| So how does a person go about finding used | | | | sale, look for bubbles on the inside of the ceiling, |
| caravans for sale that they can trust, or caravan | | | | and stamp on the floor to test for weak spots. |
| repairs that are worth what they are paying? In | | | | Also, press the walls. Any soft patch under the |
| part, unfortunately, the answer comes with simple | | | | wall covering is a likely indicator of damp ingress. |
| experience: once someone is familiar with | | | | Caravan repairs are harder to quantify, though a |
| caravans, the things that go wrong with them and | | | | good basic rule also applies to damp. A caravan |
| what to look out for when buying them, they'll be | | | | with minor damp ingress can be dried and |
| in a better position to judge whether the used | | | | repaired: a caravan where damp has settled in |
| caravans for sale they are being offered, or the | | | | wall, floor or ceiling is impossible to save without |
| caravan repairs they are being quoted for, are | | | | rebuilding the shell. Really, the best rule of thumb |
| worth the money asked. Again, the whole | | | | when considering quotes for caravan repairs is |
| experience is very similar to that of used cars: | | | | how far the company concerned seems prepared |
| until a person knows what tends to go wrong | | | | to go: fixing windows or tow bars is one thing, |
| with second hand cars, they're unlikely to be able | | | | but promises to repair a caravan with serious |
| to make a good judgement on whether the | | | | damp problems should set alarm bells ringing. |
| vehicle or repair they are being offered is a good | | | | The best advice anyone can give on the subject |
| one. | | | | of both caravan repairs, and viewing used |
| Here, then, are a few simple things to look for | | | | caravans for sale: talk to people who have |
| – both when considering used caravans for | | | | owned and lived in them. Take someone along |
| sale and when accepting or rejecting a price for | | | | who has long-term experience of caravans. |
| caravan repairs. Like cars, caravans are subject | | | | They, more than an article or even a book, can |
| to an easily identifiable roster of recurring | | | | prevent holidays from being ruined by caravans |
| gremlins. Look for those, and talk to whoever is | | | | that should never have been sold. |