New or pre-owned caravan - what’s best for you?

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If you’re thinking about purchasing your first caravan, or simply trading your existing one in, the first thing to decide is if you’re going to opt for a new model or a pre-owned one.

This will largely depend on your budget, but there are many other things to consider too, so read on to discover the full picture…

BUDGET

How much do you have to spend? Do you have a strict budget or can you be flexible depending on what you can get for your money? It’s good to have an idea about these two things so that you don’t don’t overstretch yourself or waste your time looking at models way out of your reach.

It’s important to get the balance right; you must go for a caravan that has all the features and facilities that you want and need, but you also need to feel that you’ve got good value for money. It’s not a good idea to spend more than you’re truly comfortable with and find yourself regretting it weeks or months later. Similarly, skimping too much on all the things you set out to get will leave you feeling disappointed with your purchase which is not ideal either.

Start off by doing some research - price up different manufacturers and models and compare the options. Which ones appeal to you and have the features that will fulfil your requirements? See what the new models cost and then investigate what those models (or the slightly older versions of those models, which may have a slightly different name) are going for. If you’d like some help with this, we’re always here and happy to help so do get in touch or give us a call on 01962 714 844 to discuss your options.

At Winchester Caravans and Motorhomes, we’re an approved dealer for new Bailey and Swift caravans. Check out the ranges online to see what the costs of the different models are and go from there.

WHAT CAN I GET FOR MY MONEY?

If buying a new Bailey or Swift caravan:

£22,000 - £27,500 will get you a great entry-level family caravan with all the mod cons.
£27,500 – £35,000 would give you a wider choice of family touring caravans with additional features and higher spec.
£37,000 – £43,500 will buy you a luxury tourer with high levels of equipment and furnishings.

You’ll find the equivalent pre-owned models for less and how much you pay will depend on the brand and model you go for, as well as the age of the model. The average life of a caravan is 14 years +, perhaps longer depending on care and use, so if you buy a pre-owned one, keep that in mind when calculating the ‘value’ of it.

As a rough guide, if buying a five-year-old, mid-range, 4-berth caravan from a dealership you should expect to pay between £19,000 and £24,000. Check out our blog: How much do caravans cost? for further info.

STAND BY YOUR MUST-HAVES!

Whether you’re buying new or pre-owned, there are bound to be a number of things that you’d really like to have in your new van. Whether that’s a specific layout or the latest tech, make a note of them all and make sure you achieve the ones that are really important to you. If you compromise too much, you won’t be happy with your purchase in the long run and you’ll end up wanting to trade it in. What things might be on your wish list?

• A specific layout - this could be the berth size, position of the washroom, the configuration of the beds to name a few options.
• A large washroom - Swift caravans tend to have larger washrooms so keep this in mind if this is important to you.
• Spacious living area - Bailey have generous dimensions for lounging - especially in their 8ft-wide caravans.
• Extra storage space - make sure the model you go for has enough space for all your kit!
• A focus on technology - for example, the Swift Command system allows you to control all the systems within your caravan at the touch of a button!

WHAT’S NEW FOR 2024?

BAILEY
Bailey has given the Pegasus Grande and the Phoenix ranges a major overhaul, renaming them “GT75” to celebrate Bailey’s 75th anniversary.

Pegasus Grande GT75
The Pegasus Grande GT75 is a refresh of Bailey’s best-selling 8ft range, and offers four spacious four-berth layouts to choose from, with a further two family layouts being launched this month. All models now boast king-size island beds to ensure complete comfort.

• Portofino, single-axle - new addition for 2024!
• Brindisi, single axle
• Bologna, twin-axle
• Messina, twin-axle

Phoenix GT75
The new Phoenix GT75 seamlessly combines space, comfort and affordability to deliver a caravan to suit parties of all sizes. The 2024 range boasts stylish new looks both inside and out as well as a host of additional practical features. The range includes five of the most popular single-axle models from the current Phoenix range as well as the Phoenix GT75 762, a spacious twin-axle, 6-berth family model.

SWIFT
Swift have given their models a refresh for 2024 but retained their popular Sprite, Challenger and Elegance ranges.

Elegance Grande
The Elegance Grande range offers three 8ft-wide, four-berth models, each offering very different layout options. The Elegance is all about luxury and premium quality, and key features include an on-board fresh water tank, a dimmable LED lighting system, new underfloor heating and two flexible lightweight solar panels (200w).

Challenger Grande SE
The Challenger Grande SE range offers five 8ft-wide models, four of which are four-berth, and the 670, which is sixth-berth. It’s ideal for families with spacious interiors, bigger beds and additional storage. The different models all have front lounges that convert into doubles for sleeping, mid kitchens, and all except the 580 have mid washrooms too.

Sprite
Sprite’s seven models cater for 2-6 people and offer great value for money. The light, airy interior has three opening front windows, stylish Langholme soft furnishings and low energy LED lighting throughout, with features including the Truma blown air heating system, Duvalay Duvalite Apollo Luxe mattresses and an upgraded Dometic Series 10 fridge.

PROS AND CONS OF BUYING NEW

THE PROS

• You’ll be the first owner and everything will be brand new and completely unused.
• When you buy new, you can choose the model and spec you like and tailor it to meet your own taste and requirements - the options are endless!
• New caravans are low maintenance - it shouldn’t need anything doing for a good while, and if something does come up, your comprehensive manufacturer's warranty will cover it.
• If you buy your new caravan from an NCC-approved dealer like Winchester Caravans and Motorhomes, any problems will be taken care of as soon as they arise.

THE CONS

• There’s really only one - the fact that buying a new caravan comes with a higher price tag than buying a pre-owned one. But you may feel that the pros of buying new outweigh this. It could also be said that by buying new you will experience an element of depreciation in the first year - but as long as you keep hold of your caravan for at least a couple of years, you should come out on top.

PROS AND CONS OF BUYING PRE-OWNED

THE PROS

• The initial cost will be a lot less than a new caravan, which means you get yourself a lovely home from home on a smaller budget.
• Spending less on a pre-owned caravan rather than a new one will allow you to get a higher spec or more spacious model meaning that in this case, less really is more!
• If you buy a model that’s more than a year old, you’ll avoid the first sharp depreciation drop - you’ll get a nearly-new caravan for a much lower price.
• If you buy from an NCC-approved dealer like us, the caravan will come with a warranty. Winchester Caravans and Motorhomes offer an Approved Warranty Scheme, giving great coverage. We provide 12 months’ cover on caravans up to 5 model years old, 6 months’ cover on caravans up to 10 model years old and 3 months’ cover on caravans over 10 years old. Please also note that any remaining balance of the original manufacturer’s in-house warranty can be transferred to you as the new owner. This is done directly with the manufacturer and usually applies to caravans up to three years old.

THE CONS

• You never know why the owners have decided to sell a caravan so you must always be on the lookout for anything that may cause issues or inconvenience in the future. Rest assured though that if you buy a pre-owned caravan from us, not only will we check it thoroughly for faults, but we’ll also provide a warranty for your peace of mind.
• The selection of available caravans may be fewer and if there are certain features that you are looking for, you’ll have to be on the ball and willing to spend longer searching for just the right model. Compromises may have to be made!

Check out our available new and pre-owned ranges online and get in touch if you’d like to know more about any of our stock. If you’re still unsure about whether to go for new or pre-owned, we’re happy to chat through your options with you.

 

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