Brand new caravans can cost a fortune, so getting into caravanning can be difficult for some. Fortunately, there are plenty of affordable caravans available second-hand that have all the benefits of newer, much more expensive caravans.
Here are some of the best caravans that you can purchase for under 10k:
- Bailey Senator Carolina Series 6: £9,500
- Swift Charisma 650: £9,895
- Elddis Avante 526: £9,999
- Lunar Quasar 546: £10,000
- Sprite Musketeer EB: £9,995
- Bailey Pegasus 546: £9,995
- Sprite Quattro: £7,999
- Bailey Ranger 540 Series 5: £7,800
- Lunar Venus 500: £9,995
- Lunar Venus 490: £8,995
- Bailey Unicorn Seville: £10,000
I’m going to take a closer look at some of these caravans and choose the best for each of these categories:
- Most spacious caravan under 10k
- Best caravan for families under 10k
- Best lightweight caravan under 10k
- Best caravan for couples under 10k
First, let’s take a look at the most spacious caravan available for under £10,000.
Most Spacious Caravan Under 10k
If you’re looking for a spacious tourer for under £10,000, you’re in luck. There are plenty of luxuriously large tourers available for 10k and less, but which are the best?
These are the most spacious caravans available for less than £10,000:
- Bailey Senator Carolina S6 (2009)
- Swift Charisma 650 (2009)
- Elddis Avante 526 (2011)
I couldn’t pick one of these caravans, because they all cater to different needs. But these are the best caravans in terms of space and all are available regularly for under £10,000. Here’s a closer look at all 3.
Bailey Senator Carolina S6 (2009)
The Senator Carolina Series 6 is a 6-berth, twin-axle caravan aimed at families. The Senator Carolina Series 6 is very high-spec, making it even better that you can now find them for under £10,000. And most importantly, it’s one of the most spacious bargain caravans out there! The Senator Carolina Series 6 is 2.29m wide and 8.05m long, making it one of the largest and widest caravans out there.
The Bailey Senator Carolina is perfect for families. There’s a large double bed at the front, with 3 fixed bunks to the rear. Opposite the fixed bunks is an additional dinette area that converts into a further single bed.
As you can see in the photograph above, the caravan is feature-packed yet spacious as far as caravans go. Furthermore, it has a lovely wooden interior throughout that makes the caravan feel premium even today.
Swift Charisma 650 (2009)
Yet another capacious caravan is the twin-axle Swift Charisma 650 manufactured in 2009. This is another 6 berth caravan that really makes family holidays as comfortable as can be. The Charisma 650 is 2.29m wide and 7.95m long, making it a sizeable caravan great for families.
“Plenty of seating” isn’t something you’ll hear often when discussing touring caravans. However, the Charisma 650 has two unusually large seating areas that make this caravan feel massive. At the front of the caravan, you will find the main U-shape lounge area that seats 6 relatively comfortably. At the rear of the caravan, you will find a further U-shape lounge area that also comfortably seats 6.
By having the second lounge area at the rear of the caravan, different generations can have their own space. For instance, adults can enjoy TV at the front of the caravan while the children have their own area to the rear. Because of the two roomy lounge areas, this is one of the better caravans for longer family holidays.
Elddis Avante 526 (2011)
The Elddis Avante 526 is another large 6 berth caravan that is one of my favourite caravans available for under £10,000. The Elddis Avante 526 is a lightweight, single-axle caravan that is shockingly spacious, containing a fixed double bed as well as a large seating area at the front of the unit and additional dinette opposite the kitchen.
This caravan is ideal for couples or small families looking for a capacious caravan. My favourite feature of this caravan is the fixed double bed. Combine this with the fact the caravan is large and lightweight and you have a brilliant caravan available for an excellent price.
I found this caravan available for just £9,999, so it falls just under the limit of £10,000.
Best Caravan For Families Under 10k
Caravans are perfect for families looking to explore a wide range of locations without spending a fortune. In this section of the blog post, I’m going to list the best caravans for families that are available for under £10,000.
But first, here are the variables I’ve considered when deciding which caravans are best for families:
- Seating space: Is there enough seating space for all of the family to sit comfortably? The last thing you want is to be all crammed together when you’re going on holiday for weeks at a time.
- Fixed beds: Do the caravans have fixed beds? I know that most parents don’t want the hassle of putting beds together when it comes to bed time.
- Features: Do the caravans contain all the features that a family needs when away from home? I will consider the kitchen, sleeping areas, lounge areas, and storage space.
- Weight: Are these caravans light enough for the average family car to tow?
These are the best family caravans available for under £10,000:
- Lunar Quasar 546 (2012)
- Sprite Musketeer EB (2010)
- Bailey Pegasus 546 (2010)
- Sprite Quattro (2006)
All of these are great family caravans, but I’m going to explain a little more about the two that I consider to be the best: The Lunar Quasar 546 and the Sprite Quattro.
Lunar Quasar 546
The Lunar Quasar 546 is a great family caravan. It’s 6 berth, lightweight, has triple fixed bunks, and two lounge areas. All of these things are what makes the Quasar 546 one of the best family caravans available for under £10,000.
At the front of this caravan, there is a large seating area that will comfortably seat the entire family. At the rear of the caravan, opposite the triple bunk bed, there is a dinette that will seat 3 in comfort. Seating is plentiful in the Quasar 546, which is exactly what you need from a family caravan.
The Quasar 546 has triple fixed bunks, which is a feature most families with young children will appreciate. No one wants the hassle of making up bunk beds every evening, so it’s ideal that the younger children’s beds are ready to use. Each bed have individual nightlights too, which is another benefit for younger children.
This caravan has an MTPLM of just 1495kg. It’s a lightweight unit that most family cars will tow without any trouble. For me, this is the cherry on top of the cake that makes the Quasar 546 one of the best family caravans available for under £10,000.
Sprite Quattro
The Sprite Quattro is a twin-axle 6 berth caravan. This has all the things every good family caravan needs: fixed bunk beds, plenty of seating, and loads of storage. But it also has a rather unique feature: a large bathroom, with a toilet, sink, cupboards, and a shower cubicle.
The large bathroom is the main reason that I chose the Sprite Quattro (2006) as one of the best family caravans. Very few touring caravans have large bathrooms, so this feature sets it apart from the majority of 6 berth tourers.
Beyond the bathroom, the Sprite Quattro has a large seating area at the front of the caravan. This converts into a sizeable double bed. Towards the middle of the caravan, there is a kitchen containing an oven, grill, hob, three-way fridge, and plenty of overhead lockers. Opposite the kitchen, there is a dinette that converts into two bunk beds. Beyond that, there are two fixed bunk beds as well as plenty more storage space.
This caravan is relatively lightweight. Its MTPLM is 1577kg, so it can be towed by a wide range of cars. All in all, this is one of the best family caravans available for under £10,000, primarily thanks to its large end bathroom.
Best Lightweight Caravan Under 10k
If you have a car with a low towing capacity or you simply don’t enjoy towing, there are plenty of lightweight caravans available for under £10,000.
I found three brilliant lightweight caravans available for under £10,000:
- Bailey Ranger 540 Series 5 (2008)
- Lunar Venus 500 (2013)
- Lunar Venus 490 (2014)
I’ll explain a bit more about each of these caravans and why they are the best lightweight caravans available for under 10k.
Bailey Ranger 540 Series 5 (2008)
The Bailey Ranger 540 Series 5 is a 6 berth caravan. This caravan is one of the lightest 6 berths out there, with a MIRO of just 1060kg. The MTPLM of the Ranger 540 S5 is just 1300kg. A caravan of this weight can be towed by most family cars, making it the ideal lightweight unit for families!
The layout of the Ranger 540 Series 5 is very clever. The unit has 3 fixed bunk beds at the rear, with a dinette opposite that converts into an additional single. This is a great layout for families with young children. There is a door you can use here to partition this ‘bedroom’ from the rest of the caravan. I personally think this is great, as it gives both parents and children their own space in the diminutive caravan.
The Ranger 540 Series 5 is packed with features, facilities, and accessories. But despite this, the caravan still feels capacious. In my opinion, all these variables are what makes this caravan the best lightweight 6 berth available for under £10,000.
Lunar Venus 500 (2013)
The Lunar Venus 500 is a very light 4 berth caravan. It has an MTPLM of just 1190kg! This is one of my favourite lightweight 4 berths because the layout makes the most of the unit’s small body and gives the illusion of the caravan being rather spacious.
The layout in the Lunar Venus 500 is rather unique. At the front of the caravan, there’s a large seating area that converts into either two singles or a large double. Towards the back of the caravan, there are two fixed singles. Beyond these fixed beds, there is a sizeable washroom for a caravan of this size.
This caravan is rather flexible in terms of beds and therefore is suitable for a range of audiences. For example, it’s a good option for families with older children (where bunk beds won’t suffice), a couple, or even a group of friends going on holiday together. Flexibility is a key benefit of the Lunar Venus 500.
The Venus 500 has a good kitchen, with an oven, hob, three-way fridge, and sink. There is also plenty of worktop space, with the sink and hob having covers to provide more space. With some lightweight caravans, you feel like something is missing to make the caravan light. I don’t get that with the Venus 500, which is why it’s one of the best lightweight caravans available for under £10,000.
Lunar Venus 490 (2014)
The Lunar Venus 490 is a lightweight 4 berth caravan, with an MTPLM of just 1199kg! Lunar should be commended for creating such a light caravan with so much packed into it, including it’s best feature: a fixed double bed!
This caravan is perhaps perfect for couples looking to purchase a lightweight unit. The fixed double bed is what really makes this one of the best lightweight caravans. After all, there aren’t many lightweight caravans that have fixed double beds! If you’re anything like me, you don’t like the hassle of having to put the bed together. Having a fixed bed makes life so much easier.
Beyond the bedroom, there are other features that impress. For example, the bathroom containing a full shower. A lot of lightweight caravans have small washrooms with the toilet, sink, and shower all crammed together into a tiny, anxiety-inducing space. Here, you’ll find a rather capacious washroom for a tourer the size of the Venus 490.
All in all, the Lunar Venus 490 is an impressive caravan. Especially when you can get one for less than £10,000!
Best Caravan For Couples Under 10k
For couples wanting to purchase a tourer, there are plenty of caravans to choose between. To choose the best caravan for couples, I considered numerous factors such as weight, layout, and space.
These are the best caravans for couples under 10k:
- Bailey Unicorn Seville
- Lunar Venus 490
While the Bailey Unicorn Seville is a 2 berth caravan, the Lunar Venus 490 is 4 berth. Keep reading to find out why these caravans are the best option for couples looking for a tourer costing less than £10,000.
Bailey Unicorn Seville
The Bailey Unicorn Seville is a gorgeous 2 berth caravan perfect for couples looking to purchase a tourer while sticking to a £10k budget.
There are several features that make the Unicorn Seville one of the best caravans for couples:
- Large lounge area
- Impressive interior, with stunning colours
- Large washroom for a 2 berth caravan
- Excellent kitchen
Starting with the lounge area, the picture above says it all. Despite being a 2 berth caravan, the Unicorn Seville is incredibly capacious and has more than enough room for a couple. The lounge area offers excellent flexibility when it comes to sleeping arrangements, as the sofas can become two single beds or a large double.
The kitchen is one of the most impressive features of this caravan. Not only is there plenty of worktop space, but there are a variety of appliances; some of which you wouldn’t find in larger, more expensive caravans! The kitchen contains an oven, grill, hob, three-way fridge, and a microwave. There are also several overhead lockers, in addition to a large cupboard under the sink.
Yet another great feature here is the bathroom, which is very spacious relative to many other 2 berth caravans. As well as a large cupboard and drawers under the stylish sink, the shower is a separate cubicle. In many 2 berth caravans, the washroom is small and uncomfortable. That isn’t a problem here.
Lunar Venus 490 (2014)
Not only is the Lunar Venus 490 one of the best lightweight caravans, it’s also one of the best caravans for couples too! The Venus 490 is actually a 4 berth caravan, but the fixed double bed makes it one of the best caravans for couples.
No one likes the hassle of making up the bed in a caravan. However, most caravans aimed at couples (2 berths) are plagued with the issue of not having a fixed bed. This is because 2 berths are also designed to appeal to people looking for a caravan with separate single beds, but it’s a drawback as far as I’m concerned. In fact, it’s the only thing that holds back the aforementioned Bailey Unicorn Seville. This caravan has a fixed double bed, which is a massive benefit for couples that can’t be bothered with the hassle of making up a bed every night.
The Venus 490 has a kitchen with everything that you’ll need, such as a full oven, a grill, and a three-way fridge. Furthermore, there is plenty of worktop space. This kitchen benefits massively from the sink and hob having covers, which gives you much more space to work.
The Lunar 490 has a stylish bathroom that’s relatively spacious. This caravan benefits from having a separate shower cubicle, where some manufacturers would sacrifice comfort for space and put the shower head close to the toilet and sink.
The Lunar 490 is good for 4 people, but it’s excellent for 2. That’s what makes this caravan an excellent choice for couples purchasing a tourer.
Conclusion
£10,000 might seem like a small budget but hopefully, this blog post helps show that there’s a tourer to meet your needs – no matter how much you’re spending.
Are there any other tourers that you’d include on this list? Leave me a comment below and let me know why you think other tourers should be featured here!
