Buying a used caravan

Buyer beware.

If you are new to caravanning and are thinking of buying a second hand caravan, then you should make sure you check the tyres before venturing onto the road with it. That bargain priced caravan might hold some hidden dangers…

This week I was called out to replace two tyres on a caravan, the couple that owned it bought it last year from an advert in a local paper. it was only £250 which they thought was a bargain as they could have family holidays very cheaply. In fact they did use it over the summer holidays last year, travelling around the UK.

Being new to caravanning, they didn't make any checks on its condition, just hooked it up and off they went. It was only this year when planning a few more holidays, that they came across an article in a magazine telling them how to check their tyres. From the outside they looked fine, but within the tread there were large cracks. A quick post on Facebook asking for recommendations, brought them to Hometyre.

After talking to our team, they booked me in to change their tyres at their house, which is where the caravan is kept. When I arrived one of the first checks I did was to make sure, we had the sizes correct, I then asked for the tyre pressures (No idea!), I then checked the old tyres for pressure (to get some idea of what was required) and at the same time I checked the date on the existing tyres. They were dated 216?? which means week 21, 1996, so the tyres were 22 years old. The handbrake was on, but the wheels were still spinning, which led me to believe that the caravan had not been serviced for a while. Upon checking with the couple, they admitted that they didn't realise that caravans needed servicing. I explained about the non-working brakes, and went on to explain about the electrics, water and gas, all of which could cause serious problems if not inspected on a regular basis.

So if you are considering buying a used caravan, whether from a dealer or a private purchase, ask to see the service schedule, and check the tyres for age and condition. All modern tyres since 1980 have a date code on one side of the tyre wall. Generally you look for the letters DOT, just after it are usually some code letters/ numbers and finally there should be four numbers. These four numbers are the date, I.e. 2018 would equate to week 20, 2018. If there are only 3 numbers then that tyre is from the 80's, if it has 3 numbers followed by a triangle it is from the 90's.

We at Hometyre go by the recommendations of the caravan club, who say that caravan tyres should be changed every 5 to 7 years, regardless of the amount of tread remaining. Some insurance companies also insist, that caravan tyres are changed every 7 years, otherwise your insurance is invalid. Not something you want to find out, when you are on the side of a road, after having a blow out, swerving across the road and wiping out a car that was coming the opposite way. Be safe, check your tyres.

You should also consider Tyron safety bands for added protection. we at Hometyre are recommended suppliers and fitters of Tyron products. For more info on Tyrons click here.

Showing a Tyron band