Help with buying a used dandy dart

Hi could anyone give me some advice on buying a used dandy dart.

We're going to look at a 1996 model priced at £1500.00 this weekend.
They're not sure if its winterised,even with a description ( white walls etc )so I guess it probably isn't, it has a dandy awning, spare wheel and underfloor heating.No pictures available as yet so I can't check if it is winterised.

We definately want winterised (Ian has qoted £450.00 to retro fit) - couple questions if anyone can help?

Originally looking for a later model but not sure what the differances are between say a 2000 & a 1996 model(apart from the obvious age gap !!)eg decor, double glazed windows etc?.

Also what would be a fair price for the 1996 model if its in reasonable condition.

Any help appreciated as very new to the dandy world !!

Fred

Hello Fred

I see that you talked to Ian, so I hardly think your "wet behind the ears"
I presume you have read Mikes piece on buying secondhand.
My thoughts are that the big issues are: No tears in the PVC. Solid Floor. Less important suspension and brakes.
Beyond that its your feelings on the general condition. Then appliances: Does the underfloor heating work. What sort of job was done for the electric hookup?
What's a fair price for a 1990's Dart. Occasional ones go for £800 one or two manage £1700 or more. So your in the top 25% of price. That said if it was in perfect condition had gas struts and skirts it still might be good value.
Didn't follow your comment about being winterised. If it has white walls inside it is winterised.
I don't know the year of the switchover from glass to plastic windows or the perceived benefit
Did underfloor heaters make it to the end of the light blues? One of our correspondents has a propex fitted in a 2000's Dandy, still warm but needs a battery and isn't quiet.
My biggest question to you is why a Dart? The extra space of a Delta or a Designer/Discovery is always welcome and they're all easy to tow.
Best of luck with search.

Kevin.

Hi Fred, a 1996 model should have double glazed windows although I can't be sure when underfloor heaters stopped being fitted. If it is a 1996 model and winterised with a full awning then it is a very fair price. You will be able to tell if it is winterised because the interior pvc walls will be all white, it will feel padded between the inside and exterior pvc skins just like the roof on all Dandy's even none winterised........ If it doesn't feel the same as the roof then it will not be fully insulated/Winterised. You could always check out the numbers stamped on the towbar as this is a good indication of when it was built, the last two digits are the ones that matter.

I hope the Dandy comes up to expectations and you are soon the very proud owner of a Dandy Dart.

Hi
Thanks for all the good advice, yes I've read Mike's piece on buying second hand dandy's and have printed out to take with us as a guide -thanks Mike !!

.....& why a dandy?, we're limited by storage space for a trailer and don't want to tow anything wider than the car .As a female (despite the online name Fred) I'm already looking for good ideas to make full use of the available storage space !!

Will let you know how we get on..fingers crossed.

Fred

Fred dont buy it unless its winterised the price you are talking about will get you a winterised dandy with floor heater and awning no problem.
As said if its winterised the interior walls will be white,and feeling of them you will be able to tell if its two layers with pvc in the middle.

Good luck

mike

Funnily enough the interior white walls wouldn't have helped us to tell if Minnie was winterised as her exterior walls are all white. She is as it happens because when the sun shines you can actually see the padding and the walls do feel thick.
I agree with the others Fred (based on my limited experience and a lot of window shopping since we bought Minnie) don't spend that much on a Dart unless it is winterised. There seems to be a lot of good Dandys around and if this one turns out not to be the one for you, I'm sure that the one that is will come along soon.
Good luck anyway, make sure you let us know how you get on

Hi and welcome to the forum, I can't really add anything to what has already been said, so good luck with your search for your Dandy.

Hello Again Fred

I see in your second piece you wrote

.....& why a dandy?,

If that was in response to my question then my point wasn't clear.
I was asking "Why a Dart?" The Darts are about 4' across folded plus wheels. Deltas are about 4'10" plus wheels (Some bespoke Darts and Deltas have the wheels inboard) Now the next size up the Designer or Discovery (Same Size interior different) might be at or above your width requirements at 188cm. (Wheels inboard) Being short though they avoid the snaking issues of longer trailer tents. The extra width does make a big difference to the living space.
Your spending a lot of money, go through ebay, gumtree etc and go look at ones close to you so you can visualise the different sizes. If your near the North West go to Riva and have a browse. Any questions you find while looking there you would be sure of an honest and authoritative answer.
All Dandies are within the 750Kg license restriction for post 1997 licences.(the big Destiny one only just) I don't know if you have such a license or an older one where you can theoretically have a unit of up to 8.25 tonnes. Whichever you have I hate to see someones options limited by trepidation. Have you thought of a couple of B+E driving lessons?
1...2....3....4.....5 Right now you have counted to five none of that was meant in a Sid the sexist way giving Fred a hard time because we now know Fred is a Freda. No it may well be that you have talents or confidence you never would have believed. You don't need the licence so just a couple of lessons might fire you up. Conversely the Caravaning Club do courses on towing. I know you don't have the space for a caravan, but if the course is the right price why not? People have lot's of misconceptions about trailers. i.e. most non towers wouldn't understand, trailers get harder to reverse the shorter they get.
If any of that seems a little grumpy it's not meant to be. Everyone would love to see you in a Dandy and preferably the right one for you.

Kevin.

Hi again
thanks again for all your posts, if this one's not winterized and won't drop to a reasonable price,we'll take your advice and just walk away.

Re: why a dart....well, we've been to Riva in Wigan with a measuring tape in hand,had a chat with Ian and looked at the other models he had in.
All in all,a dart is the best option for us, there's just the two of us & as only using for long weekends away don't need all the extra's.

Thanks

Fred

Fred

Sorry total brain fade on my part you said in your first post you had been to Riva and I even commented on it.

Re winterised status. If you only want it for summer it's not important, but if you have it you have more options.

Best of luck with your viewing.

Kevin.

Tow Itch wrote: Fred

Sorry total brain fade on my part you said in your first post you had been to Riva and I even commented on it.

Re winterised status. If you only want it for summer it's not important, but if you have it you have more options.

Best of luck with your viewing.

Kevin.

Its not very often i dare to disagree with Kevin but i think he has forgotten that if we ever have a hot summer the insulation will keep the dandy a lot cooler.

good luck fred,
but hold out on the price i personally wouldn't pay more than 1000 and it would have to be winterised and immaculate 1500(especially if its a private sale) is an awful high price for a dart of that age,even with all the bells and whitsles ),
nick and i bought a 94 delta for our first dandy thinking that would be big enough as there are only the 2 of us we had it 10 months and now have a 2005 designer which is much better
good luck

Hi
Unfortunately no luck with the Dart we went to see today,didn't even bother making an offer.

Main things were, not winterized,no 12v or 240v,cracked window & loads of dints on the trailer body.

Will just have to keep looking, but thanks for all the advice.

Fred

fred7 wrote:Hi
Unfortunately no luck with the Dart we went to see today,didn't even bother making an offer.

Main things were, not winterized,no 12v or 240v,cracked window & loads of dints on the trailer body.

Will just have to keep looking, but thanks for all the advice.

Fred

Sorry to hear that but the budget your talking about you will get a good one

fred7 wrote:Hi
Unfortunately no luck with the Dart we went to see today,didn't even bother making an offer.

Main things were, not winterized,no 12v or 240v,cracked window & loads of dints on the trailer body.

Will just have to keep looking, but thanks for all the advice.

Fred

sorry to hear that fred but for the money they were asking i personally think it was taking the michael anyhow,
the right dandy is out there somewhere for you good luck