£15k budget for a motorhome/van. Damp problems

[Fulltiming Felines]

My girlfriend and I want to move into a motorhome/van full-time. We've got about £15k budget but want to spend less if possible.

We've found two motorhomes we liked and paid MACIC to do an inspection on each. Both inspections advised not purchasing due to damp and other issues. Details from the reports below:

Motorhome 1
1988 reg. £6000

Various faults were found as listed above. The interior has been mostly and recently painted
with a very hard gloss paint. The reason for this is unknown but it makes it almost impossible to
obtain accurate damp readings, so you must draw your own conclusions as to why this has
been done. Furthermore, it is unsightly and devalues the Motorhome. No appliances could be
checked due to no power in the rear etc although after 15 minutes of engine running the
extractor fan worked but that was all.
It was disappointing that no service history was seen so it must be presumed that it has not
been serviced in accordance with the manufacturer’s schedules which may increase wear to
certain components. No cam belt record was seen so it must be presumed that this has not
been changed. There is an oil leakage which should be investigated further.
I cannot recommend the purchase of this Motorhome.

Motorhome 2
1990 reg. £8000

Essential repairs
Not recommended for purchase until following issues are rectified:
1. Delamination of floor under footstep and Nearside rear corner. Repair and cause to be
identified/rectified
2. Various areas of damp internally to be further investigated and repaired. Please see
report for damp readings and recommendations
3. Cracks in front corners of roof to be repaired
4. Offside tyre to be replaced and wear reason investigated
5. Nearside front window (remove misting to aid drivers vision)
6. Remove padding from front vents to aid demisting.

35% Off side above front window
35% in Off side rear overhead locker
29% in cupboard
27% around entrance door
15% in shower area

Guidelines for damp are as follows:
• 0-15% no cause for concern
• 15-20% require further investigation
• 20%+ remedial repairs required.
• 30% and above structural damage may be occurring and deterioration is
inevitable

We're feeling frustrated about this buying process now, having spent £800 on 2 inspections (£400 each). What should we do? Go ahead and buy one of these motorhomes and spend the money to fix them up? Or do more searching, possibly raising our budget, and try to find another vehicle that can pass inspection?

If we had to choose between these two, we're leaning towards Motorhome 2, as it has a lot of nice features like good sized fridge, lots of solar, automatic transmission.

 

[138go]

Don’t think you will be able to get full time insurance for 1989 Hymer and Don’t think you will be driving anywhere near London.

 

[mfw]

Looking at a £8k Hymer 534, 1989, 92k miles. Dealer shows me the habitation check they had done. Roof area by the door, and the door itself shows moisture levels 28-33%. Rest of the van is ok.

Try to get dealer to fix the damp, or don't bother and walk away?

Dealer is unlikely to do much on a van priced at 8k but i would ask what sort of mechanical warranty he will give with it.

With the damp he will probably only squirt some sealant around joints anyway - cost would be too expensive to do properly

 

[Fulltiming Felines]

Yes, spoke to dealer and he said he wouldn't do anything about the damp. Is it worth buying? Assuming the leak is sealed up, what will happen? Would it continue to rot, and the whole structure might break, even though there's no more water ingress?

I'm really just hoping to find anything that's damp-free so I don't have to deal with any problems in the future. Is that possible for under £15k? 5 out of 5 that we've looked into has had damp.

 

[Rosemary1]

Hi. Don’t know much about damp apart from a warning. We bought an auto trail scout from a dealer as our first van (absolute fab van apart from the damp at £22k). Showed damp at back which they promised to fix before collection. A year later it went back for its habiatation services and it was note that the damp had increased and they estimated £2000 - £2500 to put right! As it was it was put right for us at no charge as the salesman agreed with us that the Service department had not corrected it at point of sale.

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[Figaro]

I don't think a little bit of damp in a 1989 hymer should put you off. At that age it's to be expected.
The question of if it's suitable for full timing is a different matter and only you can know if it could be suitable

 

[monzer]

I think it would be fine to buy it if you are happy with the all the other positive points of the van. Do what I do and keep it in Spain most of the time (I keep mine at Alicante in storage) they don't get much rain so you will get much more life out of it. It will of course need to come back to the UK once a year for mot but this wouldn't be a problem as you want to do a bit of UK travelling to. Just make sure it's in summer!

 

[mfw]

If it has had chassis welding on it walk away

 

[Minxy]

I'm really just hoping to find anything that's damp-free so I don't have to deal with any problems in the future. Is that possible for under £15k? 5 out of 5 that we've looked into has had damp.

The problem is that you cannot see into the future and any MH, young or old, can have issues so don't think that buying one without issues now will future-proof you against repairs. Its no different to having a 'bricks and mortar' home, you still have to maintain and look after it.

With your budget you'll be lucky find any MH that hasn't got some issue or other, not necessarily damp though, anything other than a very small area with a slightly higher reading I'd say walk away. Also, don't keep looking at the cheaper one ... they's usually cheap for a reason, better to spend nearer £13,000 and keep £2,000 back for any repairs etc, that way you should be able to get one that won't give you any issues when trying to insure it.

 

[Hilewaychile]

Oh dear. I am putting my head above the battlements with every expectation it will be shot off by a fusillade like the scene at the end of "Butch Cassidy & ... "

SELF BUILD...

There. I've said it.

With your budget you could get a really clean late model panel van with FSH and in theory get exactly what you want.

Adrian Flux and other ins cos will insure it whilst in build. Flux and others do 12 month cover - for self builds.

Maybe not you personally doing the work, tho' surely anyone who has lived in a building rather than a yurt all their lives has learned a bit of useful DIY? Absolutely anyone can stick insulation all over the interior of a panel van. As others have noted, even late model, £55k coach-builts require contant fettling. You are going to have to learn some of this stuff, esp if you are going to full-time it.

Leaks? Where is all this water getting into all these expensive coach-builts? I put 40cm sq and a 50cm sq Fiamma roof hatches into the roof of my Vaux Movano [aka Reno' Master] and, after swearing I would not put any more fixings into the roof, chickened out of Sikaflex-only and bolted my two big solar panels down with, I think 20 thru' bolts for each. Also through the roof is the cabling for the 2 x 100W panels. And the roof is not flat - heavily ribbed. I'm a genius, I know ...

Drizabone!

I had a man who does vehicle windows put one each into the sides of my van for £180 - the old-fashioned rubber-sealed ones which must be a precision fit, not the easy-peasy bonded ones. If I could have afforded those, that's a very simple DIY. As long as the cut out is smaller than the glass, yer laughing. My windows? Drizabone!

There are loads of vids on t'internet of self-builds or 'custom built' by people who offer that service. The maintenance of the vehicle is as per the donor panel van - I can rock up to any Reno'/Vauxhall/Opel/Nissan van garage in any country and they can fix anything, as can any decent independent mob.

Have a look on the Self Built Motor Caravan Club site. Look [amongst others] for a very comprehensive account of a conversion called Big Red. It may not suit you but it will give you an idea of what is possible and the budget to do it. There are many similar.

I have a pal who is a pro auto-electrician/electronics whizz. He can also rebuild an engine, convert petrol to LPG - all that grease-monkey stuff. I pay him to do stuff I want done once and correctly. I can do household 240V wiring but I leave 12V vehicle wiring to him. I am probably going to fly him out to Spain to complete the fitting of my water tanks/system. I just can't get under the van to do this work any more. I'm too old and broken.

He built a complete camper for his mum, who is a full timer. It's a bit of a Glasto Special, a plywood-panelled country cottage on wheels but she likes it - and is parked up at Glasto ...

I attach a few smudges one I did earlier ...

The 'interior from side door' is how I bought the van. A conversion using a recycled caravan. Horrible. So I threw all that away and started again. There's a brilliany archictectural programme called Floorplanner. I planned my kitchen at home to the 5mm with it. 'Interior of the van,' in 3D.

'Interior. Wall cabs offered up.' I made the framework for my cabinets from pop riveted ali angle. Like a Spitfire! - very strong, very light. Panelled out in self-extinguishing, water and solvent resistant rigid foamed PVC panel. Comes in 8' x 4' thicknesses from 3mm to 50mm. No plywood in my van! Aprt from the floor.

Solar panels, 2 x 100W and gizmo-whizz Seb. Note the 40cm Fiamma hatch. I put it in. It does not leak. 'o.s.side'. Under all that rock wool is double-sided ali surfaced bubble, said to be as good as 50mm polystyrene, stuck to the steel all round and on the floor and sandwiched between the two layers of 13mm ply on the floor.

Axon panel - actually for a narrow boat but Axon did a deal.

And the point of it all. 'Chicken casserole on an induction hob' A best buy. You can get twin hob versions. Pack it away when not in use. Use it outside, no problems with gas, smoke, fumes.

And somewhere in La France Profonde - forgotten where. Quiche and cab sauv, evening sun. Perfect.

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[stevewagner]

Have you tried British Car Auctions? They have a motorhome auction every 3/4 weeks in Nottingham. We have bought several motorhomes from there and all came with history. I have my own damp meter and have a reasonable knowledge of mechanical items. If you have now bought a damp meter then all you would need is someone to do mechanical checks for you which would be a lot less than £400. Many of the motorhomes on sale are dealer part exchanges and finance company repossessions so you can get a good deal. It's also worth mentioning that all A Class or coachbuilt motorhomes will show some damp particularly in cold weather. The motorhomes on sale are listed in advance so you can do your research around values etc in advance of the auction. It is important that if you do choose the auction route, set your own maximum price that you are willing to pay, bearing in mind that the on-costs come to around 20% of the hammer price. We have saved a minimum of 3K (and sometimes more) and have never bought a bad one yet!

Good luck.

 

[Barclaybasher]

Don't think a PVC or auctìons are the answer.

A suitable coachbuilt or A class will be needed for 2 to fulltime in.

There are very good MHs out there - be patient - for £15k you should find something year 2000 or younger.

Go for quality built - Hymer, Burstner, Laika...
....My 2001 Mobilvetta is just fantastic - space and quality

Just keep looking - the right van at the right price is out there - but you have to kiss a lot of frogs before you find your prince

 

[Hilewaychile]

Don't think a PVC or auctìons are the answer.

A suitable coachbuilt or A class will be needed for 2 to fulltime in.

There are very good MHs out there - be patient - for £15k you should find something year 2000 or younger.

Go for quality built - Hymer, Burstner, Laika...
....My 2001 Mobilvetta is just fantastic - space and quality

Just keep looking - the right van at the right price is out there - but you have to kiss a lot of frogs before you find your prince

If you are going to full-time, maybe a LHD would be more suitable? A LHD in UK for limited periods is better than a RHD on the continent for extended periods.

The size of the French camper sales parks is astonishing. You go past one that has hundreds of vans thinking "How can they hold so much stock? Who is going to buy these vans?" Five mins down the road, there's another dealer with another couple of hundred. It amazes me. The choice must be greater, tho' the logistics more tricky.

As for kissing frogs - reminds me of a woman who told me that she went on 98 internet dates before she clocked Mr Right.

 

[stevewagner]

You don't think auctions are the answer but you don't say why. In my experience there's nothing wrong with auctions if you know what you are doing. If a van doesn't look right you leave it.

 

[Barclaybasher]

You don't think auctions are the answer but you don't say why. In my experience there's nothing wrong with auctions if you know what you are doing. If a van doesn't look right you leave it.

The OPs clearly said they needed help as 'newbies'

Auctions are more suited for those more experienced and aren't always bargains....I've been to auctions and seen folk pay way over, caught up in auction fever

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[Hilewaychile]

"...seen folk pay way over, caught up in auction fever". Auctions are like that, for any kind of object. It just takes discipline. With two of them and a piece of paper on which is writ large a figure which they both agree is their max, the fever should be containable.

The trick at vehicle auctions is to try to zero in on the ones the trade find unattractive as stock. In my case, with cars, I've had brilliant Citroens because the trade hates them. And of course the trade must factor in their profit margin. For more popular/clean machines this is the thin band between what the trade will pay and what is too much to pay. Prior research on the prices being asked on forecourts for the models in the auction should give a guide to this margin.

I think it's definitely worth a look.

 

[maz]

Also, don't keep looking at the cheaper one ... they's usually cheap for a reason, better to spend nearer £13,000 and keep £2,000 back for any repairs etc, that way you should be able to get one that won't give you any issues when trying to insure it.

Like Mel, I too don’t understand why you’re still chasing after too old and too cheap vans. As you know, for proper fulltiming insurance with the likes of Comfort you need to be looking at vans no older than 2005 and that you can reasonably value at £25k+.

 

[deleted-member02]

The OPs clearly said they needed help as 'newbies'

Auctions are more suited for those more experienced and aren't always bargains....I've been to auctions and seen folk pay way over, caught up in auction fever

I agree. OP clearly doesn't have the knowledge, confidence or experience. Why on earth would they even consider an auction??

 

[TerryL]

With the greatest sympathy and respect for the OP does anybody agree with me that he/she is perhaps expecting a little too much? What with finding a suitable van, getting insurance etc. to say it's a minefield wouldn't be too much of an exaggeration. I really believe a re-think would be in order; sorry my friend.

 

[138go]

With the greatest sympathy and respect for the OP does anybody agree with me that he/she is perhaps expecting a little too much? What with finding a suitable van, getting insurance etc. to say it's a minefield wouldn't be too much of an exaggeration. I really believe a re-think would be in order; sorry my friend.

I would also add that you need to be a bit of a DIY type with an old van just to keep it working. You cannot just keep taking it in for repairs especially if you are living in it.

We have now been away 7 weeks. We had a water leak which I fixed. The inverter is not inverting anymore and needs sorting. The ignition on the hob has stopped working. Everything was working fine when we left. It’s just ongoing maintenance.

..

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[Fulltiming Felines]

With the greatest sympathy and respect for the OP does anybody agree with me that he/she is perhaps expecting a little too much? What with finding a suitable van, getting insurance etc. to say it's a minefield wouldn't be too much of an exaggeration. I really believe a re-think would be in order; sorry my friend.

I appreciate all the input here.

I've managed to find at least one UK insurer (ERS underwriter, through HIC agent) that will work for me: no limits on the value or age of the motorhome, even with my US license. £1550/year.

Seems pricey, so I'm currently looking at insuring in Germany after a month or two, when we go there for Christmas.

My new strategy is to send out damp meters to sellers before I even arrange to drive out there for a viewing. Got a few lined up in UK, a few in Germany. Hopefully can do some more viewings soon.

 

[Fulltiming Felines]

Auctions and self-build are out of the question for me.

I'm a newbie at DIY; am decent working on my bicycle. I hope to learn more skills for the motorhome.

 

[mfw]

I'd look at something like this
Peugeot Boxer Pilote galaxy 27s 4 Berth motorhome
A class motorhome Pilote 4 Berth


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[Fulltiming Felines]

I haven't seen a single Pilote that I like, because they don't have U-lounge. I'm set on U-lounge, and mostly looking at Hymer B534.

 

[Figaro]

My new strategy is to send out damp meters to sellers before I even arrange to drive out there for a viewing.

Seems an odd statergy to me, what are you hoping they will do with them and how do you know they will have the inclination or skills to use them and record findings accurately ?
Could get expensive. Any Moho in your budget is likely to have issues of some sort that will need some DIY skills to rectify as to use a dealer for repairs would be uneconomic.

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[Spriddler]

My new strategy is to send out damp meters to sellers before I even arrange to drive out there for a viewing. Got a few lined up in UK, a few in Germany. Hopefully can do some more viewings soon.

No offence intended @Fulltiming Felines, but from your posts you seem to be very much struggling in the dark (a tad naïve too) and at risk of disappointment if not also making an expensive mistake. As previously mentioned you just won't know if a seller is being honest about or even using your costly meter to take damp readings. Besides, in the grand scheme of purchasing a vehicle damp is only one of many potential issues.
I would strongly advise that you go to an established and respected dealer who has a reputation to maintain rather than small-time (bomb site or farmyard) dealer or eBay seller. Many 'dealers' are merely agents acting on a commission basis and advertising vehicles for third parties whom you're unlikely to meet to assess the validity of their statements. I doubt that any seller will tell a dealing agent that their m/h is a leaky old thing with a dodgy fridge, knackered batteries, burns loads of oil and cost them a fortune for MOT welding. Even if you have to pay a bit more initially it could save you much expense, inconvenience, stress, and heartache in your full-timing experience.
'The bitterness of poor quality lasts far longer than the sweetness of a low price'
Do you not know anyone who either has or has had a m/h or is in the motor trade to advise or accompany you to viewings?

 

[Fulltiming Felines]

A damp meter only costs £20 from Amazon. My cost to get to a viewing is greater than that, so if that can weed out a couple of bad apples, then it's worthwhile to me.

Do you not know anyone who either has or has had a m/h or is in the motor trade to advise or accompany you to viewings?

No, I'm afraid not.

I've now viewed about a dozen motorhomes and have the inspection reports to use a checklist. I'm still by no means an expert, but I think I can do a pretty thorough check so that I can check 70% of the issues on that checklist. If I'm happy with a vehicle and it passes my personal inspection, I still intend on paying for a proper inspection from a pro.

Any reputable dealers with a Hymer 534?

 

[maz]

Presumably you’ve checked this one out:

 

[Figaro]

@Fulltiming Felines
Have you any experience of living in a motorhome ?
I love the time I spend in mine but could never live in it permanently.
I did three month round Europe this year and at the end I was ready for bricks and mortar living again !
The Hymer maz linked to looks pretty good
Good luck with your search

 

[Fulltiming Felines]

Yes, we did a 20 day trip in a rental, with our four cats as well, tried to simulate full-timing as well we could. Very happy with it.

This is nice. It's newer at 1995, but at £13k so much more expensive than some of the £6-8k ones I'm currently looking at which are 1989-1993.

Our search is still focused on the cheaper ones, hoping that one of them will turn out without damp, or at least just an acceptable amount of damp. Are we going down the wrong route and should just pony up for a more expensive one?

Maybe the £10k+ ones are just overpriced? There's no guarantee they'll be free of problems either.

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[Figaro]

You need to look for value at whatever your price point.
The more you can spend the greater the chance of getting something reasonable.
At 6-8K it's gonna be a shed I'm afraid unless you drop really really really lucky !