There is no official price guide for caravans
If you have ever sold a car, you will know how it works. You type in the registration, a trade guide gives you a figure, and everyone argues from the same starting point. Caravans do not work like that.
There is no CAP or Glass's equivalent for touring caravans, static caravans or campervans, and no national registration lookup that gives you a value. A CRiS number confirms who owns a touring caravan and whether it is recorded as stolen or written off, but it will not tell you what the van is worth.
So owners are left guessing. One neighbour says one figure, a forum post says another, a dealer quotes something else again. None of them are lying. They are all valuing different things.
This guide explains what actually moves the number, how to research a sensible figure yourself, and the honest pros and cons of each way of selling in 2026.
What actually determines what your caravan is worth
Age and model
Age sets the rough bracket. Beyond that, make and model matter more than most owners expect. Some manufacturers hold value well because buyers trust the build. Others drop away quickly. A well regarded model from ten years ago can be worth more than a budget model half its age.
Damp
Damp is the single biggest factor in a caravan's value, and the one most owners find out about too late. Water gets in through failed seals, roof joints and window surrounds, then spreads through the timber frame behind the wall boards.
A damp meter reading is taken at points around the van. As a rough guide, these are the bands the trade works to:
| Reading | What it usually means |
|---|---|
| Under 15% | Considered dry. Normal for a sound van. |
| 15% to 20% | Worth monitoring. Often an early seal issue. |
| 20% to 25% | Active ingress. Water is getting in somewhere. |
| Over 25% | Likely structural damage to the timber frame. |
These are general bands, not a rule. Readings vary with the meter, the weather and where you test. But once you are into the higher bands, repair costs often run into thousands, and that comes off the value. A damp van is still saleable. It just needs a buyer set up for it, which is why damp caravan buyers exist as a separate route.
Layout and berths
Layout affects demand more than quality does. Fixed bed models, particularly fixed island beds, tend to be easier to sell than end washroom or bunk layouts. Two and four berth vans generally find buyers faster than six berths. A lightweight van that a family car can legally tow will attract more interest than a heavy twin axle.
Condition
Buyers look at the outside first. Delamination, cracked panels, crazing, chips on the front and faded decals all register before anyone opens the door. Inside, worn upholstery and a tired washroom pull the figure down. A working fridge, heating, hob and electrics are assumed. If they are not working, expect that to be deducted.
Extras and history
A motor mover is the extra that makes the most difference. An awning in good condition helps. Solar, ATC, a decent hitch lock and alarm all add something. A full service history with recent damp reports is genuinely valuable, because it removes doubt. Missing paperwork, keys or proof of ownership will hold a sale up and can cost you money.
How to research a realistic figure yourself
You can get close on your own with an hour of work.
- Search the main classified sites for your exact make, model and year. Not a similar one. The same one.
- Collect five to ten comparable vans. Note the berth count, layout, extras such as a mover, and anything said about damp.
- Work out where yours sits against them on condition and equipment. Be honest with yourself here. Most people overrate their own van.
- Remember that an asking price is not a selling price. Listings show what sellers hope to get, not what changed hands. Private sales routinely settle below the advertised number.
- Watch what happens to listings over a few weeks. Ones that sit and get reduced were priced above the market.
That gives you a private sale ballpark. Every other route sits below it, for reasons covered next.
The main ways to sell, compared honestly
Private sale
Usually the highest figure on paper. It is also the slowest and the most work. You handle the advert, the photographs, the calls, the timewasters and the viewings at your house. You also handle payment safely, and you carry the risk of someone coming back later claiming the van is not as described. With time and patience, this route can pay best.
Dealer part exchange
Simple and quick, but it is not really a valuation. The part exchange figure and the price of the van you are buying are two halves of one deal. A generous looking trade in often comes with less movement on the purchase price. It only suits you if you are buying from that dealer anyway.
Auction
Fast and final. You pay entry fees and commission, and you have no control over what the van makes on the day. A poor turnout can cost you badly. Better suited to vans that are hard to place privately.
Outright sale to a buying service
You get one figure for the van as it stands, with no advert and no viewings. Buying companies take on the work of reselling it, so the offer sits below a top private sale price. That gap is the honest trade off, and anyone who tells you otherwise is selling you something. What you get in return is certainty, no fees or commission, free collection anywhere in the UK, and no comeback afterwards. It suits owners who want the van gone without the hassle, and owners with damp, age or storage problems that make a private sale hard. If you want a figure without committing to anything, a free caravan valuation costs nothing and you are free to walk away.
Common mistakes owners make when valuing
- Valuing on what you paid. Purchase price has no bearing on today's value.
- Adding up the extras. A mover that cost a thousand does not add a thousand. Extras add a fraction of what they cost.
- Using asking prices as fact. They are opening positions.
- Ignoring damp until a buyer finds it. Get it checked before you set a price, not after.
- Forgetting the cost of waiting. Storage and insurance carry on while the van sits unsold.
- Comparing a dealer's forecourt price to your own. That price includes their preparation, warranty and overheads.
If you are trying to sell a touring caravan, a static, a motorhome or a campervan, the same principles apply. Price it on evidence, not on hope.
Getting a figure for your caravan
If you would like a free, no obligation offer on your caravan, fill in the form on this site with a few details about the van and its condition. There is no charge, no commission, and no pressure to accept. If you do accept, collection anywhere in the UK is free of charge.