Sellers Description.

Tips and Tricks on buying and restoring your vintage caravan.
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Richard
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Joined: Wed Nov 26, 2008 4:01 pm
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Sellers Description.

Post by Richard »

It is always hard to tell the actual condition of a caravan without first having a look at it and only relying on how the seller sees the van. It is human nature to "talk up" something when you are selling it, but sometimes people get a little carried away which in the long run is basically a waist of your time.

Over the years I have become a little wary of a sellers description of either a car or caravan as no two people will have the same idea of how a caravan looks. For instance "fully restored" could mean to the seller that he gave it a clean and a coat of paint, but to me it would mean that a caravan has had a lot of work carried out on it to bring the caravan back to a condition as nearly as good as when it left the showroom.

Even these days a common word I come across is "refurbished" and from what I can gather it is somewhere in between original condition and fully restored. :roll: :roll: So if you are looking to buy a vintage caravan be prepared to travel as it is unlikely that you will find a vintage caravan just around the corner (although it has happened), and which in the long run will save a lot of disappointment when the caravan turns up not quite in the condition you were expecting.

The following couple of photos are of a Sunliner that was listed for sale as "Immaculate", and from the photos this caravan is far from immaculate BUT is a very good caravan for a base for an easy restoration.
Im 1.JPG
Im 2.JPG
ourtouringpast.com THE vintage caravan restoration website
and home of The National Caravan Museum.
Richard
Posts: 2450
Joined: Wed Nov 26, 2008 4:01 pm
Contact:

Re: Sellers Description.

Post by Richard »

As a bit of a follow up to this story, before Christmas last year I was contacted by a young couple that had purchased a Franklin caravan. They had been after this type of van for a while so when one turned up for sale they jumped on the opportunity to buy it.
But once it had arrived via a transport company they could tell straight away that the van was in a very poor condition although it looked good from a distance.
The outcome for this couple was that they had spent $3500.00 on something they eventually took to the tip.

So go and have a look and be prepared with the cash in your pocket to take it there and then if its the van of your dreams.
ourtouringpast.com THE vintage caravan restoration website
and home of The National Caravan Museum.
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