CUT OUT AND KEEP GUIDE!
‘If the caravan has a tracker, contact the provider and check it works. You’ll need to re-register and reactivate it’
Investigate the van’s electrical connector. Is it compatible with your tow car?
This is particularly important if you’re planning to take the caravan home with you that day
Ensure that all mechanicals on the hitch head are functioning: your inspection should include the handbrake, breakaway cable, electric cable, jockey wheel, the stabiliser and the towball-release handle. Are there any Approved Workshop Scheme (AWS) annual service stickers?
Inspect the front panel for signs of damage, because this receives the bulk of any dirt and debris that is thrown up by the tow car
Scour GRP panels for hairline cracks. They are common, especially on older caravans.
Also on older vans, look for ‘chalking’ of GRP panels. This is where the surface of the glass fibre erodes and can be chalky or dusty. A polish can help disguise this and protect the surface, if the van is just too big a bargain to miss
Do all of the van’s accessories work? This will include kit such as the motor mover, auto-levelling, air conditioning and satellite dish
Inspect all of the windows closely. Are any scratched (possibly from an over-enthusiastic cleaning routine) or misted up?
On older vans, check the rubber window seals haven’t perished, and all windows and rooflights open properly
Give the exterior a good once-over, looking carefully for evidence of problems such as dents, damage, scratches, filler and mismatched paintwork
Examine the age of the tyres. You’ll find this data on the tyre wall.
There are two numbers here, for example, 37 20, which in this case would denote that the tyre was produced in week 37 of 2020.
We recommend changing the tyres five years after their manufacture (sooner if required, of course)
Check the roof for signs of damage and, likewise, make sure you look underneath the van for any potential problems with the chassis (particularly corrosion) and the floor (especially damp)