How do I value my caravan? How much is my caravan worth? These common questions have different answers depending on if:
First things first, you need to look at your caravan closely. The caravan’s value is all in the details — the model you have; what you’ve done with it over the years, and the condition it’s in. Think about:
If it’s getting on a bit, then the chances are it’ll hold less value.
If you’ve taken good care of your caravan, then you’ll be able to fetch a higher price for it.
A service history without any gaps in it is always more attractive to would-be buyers. Especially if the service history can be traced back to a reputable caravan service centre.
Size is always a big factor when considering how much you caravan is worth. The bigger the better (in terms of value). When it comes right down to it, if all else is equal, the bigger caravan will always be worth more than a smaller model.
Things like an awning, or an air conditioning unit. If you’ve improved upon the standard manufactured model, then it’s probably worth more money.
Ask yourself the following questions and think honestly about how you’d answer them:
In our experience, it’s best to jot these questions and answers down on a piece of paper — to help you really think about them.
What’s my caravan worth? Your caravan may look brand new and run like a dream, but ultimately it’s the market that has the final say over your asking price.
To get an idea of your caravan’s market value, a little research is in order. You’ll need to know:
Start by searching online wherever people are selling caravans. For example, eBay, Autotrader, and so on. You’ll quickly get an idea for what counts as an acceptable or expected price.
Pro tip: although some models might look almost exactly like yours, they could be worlds apart under the surface. Some models have modifications and extra specifications that could make them worth a lot more than the ‘standard’ models. So make sure to examine the caravans you look at closely. On the plus side, if yours has all the bells and whistles, then you might find yours has a value that is higher than all the other ‘standard’ versions for sale online.
All sorts of things can influence how caravans are priced on the market. From international issues, to the changing of the seasons. When the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic grounded international flights in the summer of 2020, caravan prices skyrocketed due to a surge in demand from people looking for UK ‘staycations’.
More predictably, springtime-to-late summer (February to August) is the high season for caravan-buying. Lots of enthusiasts get excited about planning their holidays for the year as the weather improves. Sell in the springtime, and you could get more money for your caravan.
Here’s a great tip — instead of relying solely on the Internet and other avenues, why not try contacting the manufacturer directly? They will be able to give you a very realistic resale price.
Caravan dealers will also be able to provide a good estimate, and the most reputable of them will do it for free — of no charge to you at all. Try asking them what value they would place on your caravan if they were to put it on the market. They may even offer to buy it off you at a better price than is worth for all the difficulties of selling privately.
In addition to asking both dealers and the manufacturers, you could also try Glass’s Caravan Guide. This catalogue of caravans details hundreds of different models by year — and provides an estimated price. Use this price as a general guide. But remember yours will be worth more or less, depending on its condition and the number of accessories included.
Potential buyers will always want to inspect your caravan, including if you are selling to a dealer and especially if you’re selling privately. Here are the different parts of the caravan they will closely inspect, and what it is they’ll be looking for:
Most people won’t be expecting the exterior to look perfect. But they will want to make sure that it looks nice, clean and polished.
There are many different interior layout variations — and some are preferable to others — which unsurprisingly will impact the caravan’s value. If there is any interior damage that could be easily fixed, it’s a good idea to see to it before hosting viewings. Especially if a minor interior repair could increase the total value of the caravan.
The buyer will want to know why it is you’re selling up. Although this might sound a bit intrusive, it’s actually a normal response for anyone. After all, if it’s a perfectly good caravan, why sell it?
Don’t be afraid to be honest. Many people sell up because they’ve decided not to pursue the caravan lifestyle anymore. Others are looking to upgrade or switch models. Some might be looking to trade in their caravan for a motorhome. And some cannot afford to keep up with the hobby due to changing life circumstances.
A buyer will appreciate your honesty and, importantly, will likely see through you if you are dishonest.
It’s perfectly natural for a buyer to want to look at the insurance history. After all, caravans are often knocked about on the road. And insurance claims can negatively impact the worth of your caravan. The chances are, your buyer will want to read up on these insurance claims and then inspect the areas where the damage was done.
From awnings to steps, air-conditioning, to TV aerials and radio-controlled moving aids — all of these accessories can push the caravan value up. Buyers will want to see how these accessories have been integrated into the caravan, and why they are worth it.
It’s increasingly common for caravan enthusiasts to buy their caravans using some sort of finance package. Meaning they might still have to make payments on it at the time they are thinking of selling up.
Having outstanding finance payments doesn’t mean you can’t make the sale — and especially to a dealer. But it does require your transparency, and you should have all the right documents at hand. .
It’s important to have an idea of the market value of your caravan for insurance purposes, and not just if you’re planning on selling up.
If you’re looking to find out your caravan valuations for insurance purposes, you’ll need to know which way to go about it. There are two main ways to go about insuring your caravan:
The value you insure your caravan for will differ, depending on which one you choose.
‘New for old’ insurance is a type of insurance that will replace your touring caravan with a new model if it gets written-off or stolen and not recovered. For example, say if you had a model that was five years old that was irretrievably lost or written-off, under the ‘New for old’ policy it would be replaced with the latest version of that model.
But to qualify for ‘New for old’, you must insure your caravan for the value it would cost to replace it with the newest model, not at its current market value. It is important to make sure you have it insured for the newest model. Failure to do so could leave you under-insured should something happen.
And finally, if you have a very old touring caravan, then this option might not be available for you at all.
Make sure to look up the current market value price of the latest version of your caravan. If your caravan is more than a year old, it is very likely that a new and updated version exists.
A good place to find the latest, up-to-date prices is on the manufacturer’s website. Or you could call them. Most caravan manufacturers will clearly label the price of their models, and will handily even provide the cost of the added accessory extras.
If you cannot locate your model, or if your model has been discontinued, look for the closest equivalent on the market and use that sales price as a guide. But remember that the ‘closest equivalent’ must be a caravan that you’d be happy with, as you’re essentially declaring that it is the replacement you want in the event of a total loss claim. In this sense, it’s important to consider the layout, among other things, of this ‘closest equivalent’ caravan — to make sure it’s what you really want.
You don’t want to be over- or underinsured. But in some situations you could be either paying too much or not enough. These situations can apply if:
Most insurance companies take into account that your caravan will have depreciated slightly from the previous year. This should translate into a slightly lower insurance cost. But this doesn’t always happen. To make sure you don’t end up paying too much be sure to take a look around and window-shop for a lower deal.
As for the ‘extras’ — if you have the equipment (including awnings, motor movers, gas bottles) and security devices (wheel clamps, hitch locks, trackers, and so on) in addition to general content, then they could all be worth covering if they are expensive to replace. If that’s the case, if you are touring with your caravan with all of these items, then you could be under-insured. Ask yourself if it’s worth the extra premium if it means you can sleep a little easier at night.
If you have a static caravan, you might be thinking “how much is my static caravan worth?”.
Some efficient ways to determine the market value of your static caravan include:
Speaking to a dealer can offer up some very valuable insights. Because they can give you figures that will help if you’re buying or selling. A caravan dealer can tell you how much your static caravan is worth privately and as a part-exchange. They will also tell you the ‘park value’ or, how much you could expect to pay if you’re buying from a caravan park. Finally, a dealer will more than likely offer to buy your static caravan then and there.
In some instances, you may find that it is of better value to sell quickly to a dealer, rather than going through the motions and stresses of selling privately.
Obvious factors include the make, model, and age. Less obvious factors are the location (where about in the country is it settled?) and the annual site fees of the park it’s in.
If your static caravan has double glazing or central heating, this is a massive bonus — as it will make your caravan more accessible year round, and therefore worth more money.
Selling or making a purchase in the high season (February to August) will push the prices up. So if you’re selling, the spring to summertime is the best time to do so.
Note: static caravans go by lots of different names. Including ‘holiday homes’, ‘park homes’ and even ‘lodges’. So in case you were wondering what the difference is, they’re all essentially the same thing.
The price can vary by a lot. New touring caravans can cost somewhere between £15,000 — £100,000. While used touring caravans can be as cheap as £5,000 some of the top-end ones can range up to £50,000.
Yes and no. Your caravan, like most things, will depreciate with age. But there are things you can do to make sure it holds as much value as possible. Having a full service history, keeping on top of repairs, and generally taking good care of your caravan will slow down the rate of depreciation. And will help your caravan to keep its value for longer.
About 14 years. Most experts agree that if a caravan is well looked-after and properly maintained, it can provide a healthy 14 years of service.
Caravans depreciate at a rate similar to that of a car. Some estimates place that value at around 15% a year. Most caravans are great at holding their value for sustained periods. But the majority of them will be almost worthless or unsaleable after 10 years (except to a caravan dealer).
It’s our job to be clued up on these things. Here at We Buy Any Motorcaravan, our experts provide quick and accurate caravan and motorhome valuations on a daily basis. And we’ll do it free or charge, at no personal expense to you.
We can tell you:
This way, you can get an idea of all the different prices and the best deals, and work out who to buy from and where.
We can do this if you’re buying or selling. If you are buying a caravan, then you’ll want to know how much it’s worth — to make sure you don’t get ripped off and pay too much for it.
And if you’re selling, we’ll let you know how much it’s worth on the market, to save you time and to increase your chances of a quicker sale. And also, to stop potential buyers from trying to rip you off by offering a lower price for it.
So if you’re confused about something, have further questions, or perhaps you just want to talk — give us a call or send us a message. We’re ready to listen and provide our expert opinion. It doesn’t matter where you are in the country, or what caravan model it is you’re selling. We’re ready to talk.
Or if you want to jump straight to the caravan valuation point, simply fill in the quick form that we have on our sell my caravan page.
Already confident that you’ve worked out the value of your caravan? Then you might find our how to sell a caravan guide useful for the next step on your journey.
Get in touch today!
T. 01283 240237 / 01283 688112
We Buy Any Motor Caravan
T. 01283 240237 / 01283 688112
E. sales@webuyanymotorcaravan.com
Repton House, Bretby Business Park, Ashby Road, Bretby, Burton-on-Trent, Derbyshire, DE15 0YZ
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Terms & conditions
Please note: We Buy Any Motor Caravan Ltd are not inclined to offer a price on every motorhome. All data on this website is to be used as a guideline and not to be considered as accurate. We Buy Any Motor Caravan Ltd is a subsidiary of Caravan & Motorhome Sales Ltd, company number 06451383, VAT registration number 924205059.
Our guarantee
We guarantee we are willing to buy your motorhome at the time of the valuation. All valuations are subject to inspection of the motorhome. Changes in valuation occur on a daily basis. To make sure we don’t waste your time, if there is a change in the market value of your motorhome resulting in a reduced valuation, we endeavour to let you know the new valuation before your appointment, so that you have the opportunity to cancel, if you choose to do so.
