For many new caravanners, the first tourer that they buy can be tough to find and require some difficult decisions, especially if the caravan is second-hand. As well as the fear of buying a lemon, there's also the fact that you're unlikely to know what layouts will work, what equipment you need as standard and all manner of other things, simply through lack of experience. The main things to worry about are the same as when buying a new one, namely price and weight. You'll know your budget, but in terms of weights, you need to know what your towcar can pull. The weight to compare to your towcar's kerbweight is the MTPLM, but depending on the age of caravan you are looking at, that figure may be listed as MAM, MGW or MTPW. Generally speaking, older caravans are lighter than more modern models but the basic rules at the 85% guideline remain important.

Finding a ten-year-old van that is beaten to a pulp is a worse bet than a cherished 20-year-old model. Many buyers will be scared off if a van is over a certain age, but the choice is still whether you are buying a good or bad van. A few choice modifications can bring an old van up to spec.

Phone calls to local dealers and workshops can often get you the inside line on any little bargains that are coming up. Explain that you don't mind cleaning the van up yourself, and you're not averse to some simple DIY. With very cheap vans, many dealers would rather move them on quickly for a small profit than have a cheap van sitting around for months.

If you're looking at a van where the water pump doesn't work, or there is some electrical malady, they are faults that will be simple to sort out, but not all caravan faults are so easy to rectify. Significant body damage, water ingress and broken windows are all things to be very wary of. Before committing to a purchase, have a ring around some caravan spares suppliers to ensure you aren't buying a cheap van that will cost a fortune to put right.