Buying a caravan for 1st time and not buying damp

Reedit wrote:

I've even found a firm close to us which specialises in servicing and repairs and has a great rep - never would have thought about that without the help of everyone who has answered my post on this thread!

Don't dismiss NCC Approved mobile engineers. They are, more often than not, sole traders who rely on their reputation for future business. Dealerships primarily want sales of caravans, new or second-hand, but their servicing department is just and add-on to their business. They probably don't lose much sleep if someone complains about a shoddy repair job.

The engineer that I use has a mobile workshop. I wish my workshop was so well equipped as his with a place for everything and everything in its place. He is definitely less expensive than dealer based workshops. My service this year including a full damp test was £170.00. 

Four out of our five caravans had damp. One was written off, another went back to the factory twice then after we sold it we heard it had damp again and the dealer warranty was only for £1000 against a bill of £5k. So, we thought a motorhome would solve the damp problem. Wrong! Our five year old Autosleeper has extensive damp so we have traded it in (6 year damp warranty).

I don’t know what the solution is but I have learned a few things - if a van/ motorhome has had damp it is likely to reoccur at some point so get rid of it. Always maintain any damp warranty by meeting the service requirements. Try and get the manufacturers warranty transferred if you are buying secondhand.

Good luck!

So here's my big question for all you highly experienced caravanners out there - is there a make/model of caravan which is less susceptible to damp?

Yes, Adria.

However, due the very nature of how these "tin cans" are manufactured, there's a 40% chance of damp occuring somewhere. FACT.

Don't dismiss looking at private buyers - there are still some of us who are actually honest, trustworthy and careful with our outfits. Mine was sold recently with a full service history and comprehensive up-to-date habitation reports, as well as brand new tyres, a full service and professional valet. 

When you come across a caravan you like, get a local mobile service engineer to check it out for you, or buy yourself a damp meter. If the seller raises any objections, just walk away. Caravan dealers have never had it so good with buyers queing up to spend their Covid savings (and prices reflect this) - which is why the lazy sales people can't be bothered to get off their backsides to talk to you. Bear in mind they're currently putting £3-4k margins across their stock (sometimes more) and whilst every business needs to make a profit, some are just plain greedy and there's always room for negotiation. If you dont ask - you wont get. If you can hang on till the holiday season is over, you'll probably find a greater selection will become available as people trade their caravans in for newer models, or the "staycationers" decide it's not for them.

Good luck 

Hi ExTugger.  Many thanks for that.  I always prefer candid and straightforward advice and you've given it in spades. Yes to getting a mobile service engineer -definitely and then I think we'd feel more confident to also be dealing with private sellers.

We're going to wait until after September to start looking and we'll have until next March to find one, plus after the sale of our motorhome we are cash buyers (albeit on a relatively small budget), so we're hoping to use all the good advice we've had here and get a good van.

We both like Adrias and personally I'd be very happy to buy an Adria.

Hadn't thought of a mobile engineer before, but actually that's a great idea. Particularly if you can find a good one fairly local to you and build up a good relationship with them over years, including a yearly service and full damp test.  Many thanks.

Well hitchglitch, I always say I prefer candid advice and you've certainly given it!  But what you say about damp is definite food for thought.  What I'm thinking now on the back of your advice is DON'T BUY DAMP! Don't buy a van with even a bit of damp because it will come back, and come back (and come back in different places)  I can tell you from experience that motorhomes also can have bad problems with damp and even though it seems to be something that people associate more with caravans, I can absolutely assure you that motorhomes are prone to the same problems with damp as caravans are.

We'll be looking for a damp warranty if possible and if not, to buy as dry as possible and keep it as dry as possible by having regular services and damp checks. Spend a little, save a lot in the long run!

I have had that many caravan since I began caravanning, I could not begin to count them. All of them did suffer ingress eventually, to a greater or lesser degree. It used to be that it was fairly easy to spot, but due to modern vinyl wall board linings it has become much more difficult.

I don't rate damp meters that highly, because you have to deeply pierce the wall material to get a true reading. The finger and nose test is probably as good as any - you probe around with your finger, feeling for any soft spots in the lining and also see if you can smell any damp. Having said that, if you do find any likely it will be much worse than it at first appears.

For example, my Pageant developed a drip under a front window, a couple of years ago in wet weather. There was no obvious cause and no obvious damage at that stage, so I made a guess (correct) at the hinge rail for the front windows and resealed it.

Once water is in, it tends to stay in and the following year it became obvious that the wall board was softened under the vinyl. It wasn't too bad, so I left it until this year to actually tackle repairs - I have done such repairs before.

In July, I had a few weeks when it wasn't planned to use it and the weather (repair in my back garden) was supposed to be good, so I got stuck in. I removed the front cupboard, the entire section of wall board, windows, window rubbers and back to the timber frame, which just crumbled - a one piece plastic composite front. I had to source the matching wall board and get 40 foot of timber specially cut to size, to match the original dimensions. I then rebuilt the full width of the front, from waist height up to almost the ceiling. The most difficult part was cutting and fitting the full width of the front wall board. My repair is invisible and I am quite proud of how well the wall board fit. That part could have so easily gone very wrong.

It took me a leisurely 5 days, start to finish. 20 years ago, I had to reframe and reline the entire roof of the caravan I had back then - a roof light had leaked.         

Very impressive work and interesting to know it can be done yourself if you have the skills! 

I've never been in a Pageant and I'm not familiar with them.  We hired an Elddis to try it out two weeks ago and it was the best decision.  Having now gone away in a caravan we know exactly what we want and what we don't want and what's important to us.

We were impressed with the Elddis build quality and layout and are now looking for an Elddis with fixed single beds and an end bathroom.  We probably won't go away now until next Spring (though with the current nice weather we're having, if we had a van, we'd be away in it right now) so we have plenty of time to look around.

Sorry Reedit, given your OP and the answers, advice and suggestions given by all on here - in the words of John McEnroe - “You cannot be serious!” 

Ah! My mistake - you mentioned damp, not cracking panels and damp!

Many of the manufacturers had issues with cracking front and rear composite panels, including Bailey. The issue I mentioned above in my own Pageant, is a common one, but more usually the result of the holes in the composite panel for the window hinge screws, being drilled too small. That results in the panels splitting, though that wasn't to blame in my case. It was the sealant which had failed for the hinge rail.