About to spend £20K - where am I going to go wrong?

[Sopworth]

Hi all,

New member so please bear with me.....

I've been lurking on the site for a few weeks and unable to answer many of my questions so I hope you don't mind me firing them off all at once?

We have £20k to spend on a MH for our family of 4 (well, plus a small dog). Having looked around 6 used MH in our price range and we also spent the day at the MH show in Glasgow a few months back, we decided to go for rear bunk beds (kids are 4 and 8) as apposed to U shape lounge. We feel the kids will pop off to thier bunks at their appropriate bed times better than if it was a different layout. Since deciding on bunk beds, our choice of MH has reduced hugely (there isn't many bunk bed around). Are they a difficult layout MH to sell on?

We do have our eye on one that is for sale privately and I have been in touch with the seller, who is waiting for restrictions to be lifted before allowing viewings (a good sign, surely). Its a Benimar 6000ld 2.8l 2006 for £20k. 25k miles. It doesn't have a habitation check. The seller has provided me with a list of minor points about the MH that I should be aware of, and they seem in line with wear and tear I'd expect from a 14 year old MH (but what would I know?). How do I approach a purchase that doesn't have an habitation check? Is this a concern?

The MH comes with gas hob and gas grill. My wife would prefer a big oven but this is clearly going to be a trade off at some stage in our buying process. Does anyone see problems in this area? Suggestions for lack of cooker?

I have lots of questions, and will no doubt be asking in the coming days/weeks, but any assistance would be great.

Thank you,
Mark

 

[StephandJohn]

We'e got a proper oven and are really glad we have but it depends on how you're going to use the van.We lived in ours full time for 3 years and so used the oven a lot in the winter and on bad days. Otherwise you can comfortably use all the other means of cooking suggested.
We have an outside kitchen with a Cadac cooker https://www.ebay.co.uk/p/548127292?iid=133311756246 which we use in good weather.

 

[Podney]

The chausson are ford.

Well yes,I thought that the ones I’ve seen are on a fiery Ford.

But at post 13,the renowned Emmit refers to the X244 engine.

So,if I was wrong,it’s his fault

And if it is a ford.............I’m still right as that’s a good engine too

 

[The Wino]

Well yes,I thought that the ones I’ve seen are on a fiery Ford.

But at post 13,the renowned Emmit refers to the X244 engine.

So,if I was wrong,it’s his fault

Some come on either.

 

[thebriars]

You can always buy a ready roasted chicken

or ready roasted duck

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Puddleduck]

or ready roasted duck

oi!!!!! Step away from the oranges............. and the plums

 

[Snoopy]

As expected always great support and advice on here, we only bought last july 2004 hymer , like yourselves was a complete novice, hubby and i, thought what we would want ( finances played its part) but we were lucky, had damp meter on time of inspection, joined this great forum then learnt about payload! All information we needed, thankfully trip to the weighbridge, all legal, paid this year for habitation check, everything as it should be, we don't have a oven, got ourselves a toaster/ microwave, suits our needs, like mentioned above, take your time, research, ask every question possible, but without a doubt best choice we ever made, grandkids love it. Goodluck

 

[Puddleduck]

We'e got a proper oven and are really glad we have but it depends on how you're going to use the van.We lived in ours full time for 3 years and so used the oven a lot in the winter and on bad days. .

If I was full timing in the UK I would want an oven We do have a combi microwave / grill which I use on hook up.

 

[Mark and Mindy]

In the first van it had a small cooker with hob and oven with grill inside, the oven was so small that in spite of it having 2 shelves the heating element on the top of the oven would burn what was on the top shelf before the middle shelf was ready plus it took about twice the cooking time it should have.
On Christmas Day last year we were in a campsite in the Lake District and on hookup, in our current van we only have a hob and bought a small portable oven, it roasted our 2 bird roast very well along with some stuffing and we had it with mashed potato, peas and all the Christmassy trimmings, took a little longer than the instructions said but nothing like twice as long.