How muh should I pay for a small old caravan?

[Racingsnake]

Not sure where to post this.

We want a tiny caravan, mainly to stand outside the house as a spare room, but also hopefully for the odd local weekend 'camping' trip.

We would like a caravan which is basically sound and water tight but no more - it doesn't have to look good inside or have any modcons.

How much should we think of paying?

Don't know, but be certain that any second hand caravan you have has a service history and has had a recent full service. My sister bought a caravan not long ago at what she thought was a bargain price from an old gent, it looked immaculate but turned out to have terrible damp and cost her thousands to put right.

I bought a very good caravan off ebay a couple of years ago for £350.00. It was a sprite musketeer. It was a bit old fashioned inside so I did it up with new curtains and upholstery and it looked great. sold it for £875.00 because it was in the spring. So you may not get a caravan at its cheapest just now.good luck!

I like the sound of £350. Hadn't thought that spring was a bad time - obvious, really. I will keep an eye on ebay. Damp seems to be a recurrent theme.

Good point about dealers. I had never even realised that such things existed. (Hopes that 2 berth caravan would only cost £250.)

can I ask an idiotic question - how can you tell if they are damp? when the outside in sealed aluminium? - is it just if its rusty?

Water marks, stains on the interior panels, just like you get on wallpaper.

The big giveaway is the smell. If you arrive and the caravan is sitting with all the windows open and it still smells foosty, beware. Any van that has been closed up all winter will smell a bit musty but should be OK after airing. Watch out for copious amounts of cheap airfreshners too, another clue they are covering up a damp smell.