First Motor Home - New or Used

[Scubadude59]

Would you buy a New Motor Home or buy a used one, this will be our first Motor Home

Looking on the lines of a Autotrail Tracker FB - will be touring all Europe

Going to the NEC show in October - so any advice really appreciated

 

[claude et maude]

My first and current MH was second hand, couldn’t be happier with it but if I had oodles of spare cash sitting around I probably would have bought new and spec’ed the living daylights out of it. I guess a lot comes down to each person’s particular circumstances.

 

[Jo662]

Personally I would go for a good used one.
Main reasons ,hopefully all the snags would of been sorted out.
And it’s unusual for you to find your ideal layout first time round.
Good luck which ever you go for.

 

[Badknee]

It was and would be again a s/h one for us.

 

[TUCANO]

Personally I would go for a good used one.
Main reasons ,hopefully all the snags would of been sorted out.
And it’s unusual for you to find your ideal layout first time round.
Good luck which ever you go for.

My thoughts exactly.

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[Lenny HB]

Always bought new, the few minor problems we have had always been sorted without any problem. Only bought German vans and have a new one on order.
If you can afford it go for new much nicer being the first owner.

 

[tonka]

I would go s/h.
Once you start using a van and then seeing others as you travel, you start to make decisions on what you actually want.
We had 3 vans in 18 months and the third layout was one we stuck with for the next 12 years.
Until it's being used you dont think about where to store everything and the restrictions on carrying some items.

 

[Elsie2010]

I would go s/h.
Once you start using a van and then seeing others as you travel, you start to make decisions on what you actually want.
We had 3 vans in 18 months and the third layout was one we stuck with for the next 12 years.
Until it's being used you dont think about where to store everything and the restrictions on carrying some items.

Definitely seems to be a trend with 3rd van being the ideal one
Oh well, looks like we've the one more to go then

 

[pampam]

And there the VAT

 

[Lenny HB]

Definitely seems to be a trend with 3rd van being the ideal one
Oh well, looks like we've the one more to go then

Our first van was perfect only changed it after 6 years as we decided we would like an A Class, "nd van was perfect too changed it in just under 3 years only because we got a cracking deal we couldn't refuse, current van is same layout as last van but it's now 6 years old so time to change, one on order similar layout but a bit smaller.

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[DJIT]

We are currently looking for something new or newish - but with the current supply issues, newish vans are going for almost the same price (or even higher) than new ones.
If we deice to go new at the moment, we might have a wait on our hands.

 

[Two on Tour]

If you buy S/H, then it's very likely that any faults and niggles would have been sorted out on a new van under warranty before you buy the MH.

 

[Elsie2010]

Our first van was perfect only changed it after 6 years as we decided we would like an A Class, "nd van was perfect too changed it in just under 3 years only because we got a cracking deal we couldn't refuse, current van is same layout as last van but it's now 6 years old so time to change, one on order similar layout but a bit smaller.

When's your new one due?
We had to change ours from coach built to PVC as we sold the car (there's only me as the driver in the household, and working from home it seemed daft to have the 2 vehicles, given we rarely took the car out and used to MH so it was getting a good run)
We only had MH 10 months....which, for my dad, is a lifetime! (Their on their 3rd in a year)

 

[Lenny HB]

When's your new one due?

Was this month but now February.
What happened to you at the Retro? Or was that just a joke?

 

[Elsie2010]

Was this month but now February.
What happened to you at the Retro? Or was that just a joke?

It was the latter
Blimey, I bet you're frustrated with them keep pushing the delivery back

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[Verteuil Man]

I would go for a used one. You tend to get extras worth a few grand thrown in. Also i believe (but could be wrong) the used vans have no VAT so there should be more room for a deal.

 

[Lenny HB]

It was the latter
Blimey, I bet you're frustrated with them keep pushing the delivery back

It was first pushed back to October, Feb probably better than October as we have decided although we like to get away from the UK winter weather we think now we prefer to escape in April when Spain & Portugal are warmer and less crowded. The only problem is Feb is often too cold for fixing solar panels.

 

[Coolcats]

Always bought new, the few minor problems we have had always been sorted without any problem. Only bought German vans and have a new one on order.
If you can afford it go for new much nicer being the first owner.

So true and you won't have someone else's Dog sleeping in or on the bed !

 

[Lenny HB]

I would go for a used one. You tend to get extras worth a few grand thrown in. Also i believe (but could be wrong) the used vans have no VAT so there should be more room for a deal.

VAT is totally irrelevant, the price they fetch secondhand is based on the original retail which included VAT (present times excepted where they are fetching more than the original price).
In fact there is even more VAT effectively included in the secondhand price, the original VAT plus the VAT on the dealer profit.

 

[Alsatian]

Personally I would go for a good used one.
Main reasons ,hopefully all the snags would of been sorted out.
And it’s unusual for you to find your ideal layout first time round.
Good luck which ever you go for.

Yep agree 100% with that

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[Alsatian]

When's your new one due?
We had to change ours from coach built to PVC as we sold the car (there's only me as the driver in the household, and working from home it seemed daft to have the 2 vehicles, given we rarely took the car out and used to MH so it was getting a good run)
We only had MH 10 months....which, for my dad, is a lifetime! (Their on their 3rd in a year)

OY! Stop casting nasturtiums!

 

[Mzracer]

Swings and roundabouts regarding new or SH, the problem with new is that the MH's that I like are all well north of £100K new so I buy second hand and accept the faults and correct those faults to a high standard.

I would advise allowing about a 5% contingency fund if buying a SH motorhome, this will allow you to fix annoying little problems.

 

[Gerry77]

I never buy new be it car, moho or accessories. Do those that only buy new motorhomes apply that to houses too?

 

[Lenny HB]

I never buy new be it car, moho or accessories. Do those that only buy new motorhomes apply that to houses too?

Our first house was a new one but never again.
Like to buy new Motorhomes & cars.

 

[stevewagner]

If it's your first motorhome I would suggest buying a used one. Layout is everything and if you buy new and realise after using a few times it doesn't suit your lifestyle, you are either stuck with it or will lose money if you decide to change it.

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[davidbaldam]

Mine was 11 years old when I bought it and I’ve had it 11 years, so you pay your money and take a chance. Good second hand for me every time.

 

[Mzracer]

Would you buy a New Motor Home or buy a used one, this will be our first Motor Home

Looking on the lines of a Autotrail Tracker FB - will be touring all Europe

Going to the NEC show in October - so any advice really appreciated

I have just looked at the AT Tracker FB, that does not really look like a Euro wide touring machine, a couple of things jump out.

I personally think that the 500Kg pay load will be limiting on very long trips where you will have to carry everything with you, secondly I don't see how 135 litres of fresh water and only 85 litres on the waste water tank work out. From much experience pretty well as the water is taken from the fresh tank that it goes to the waste tank, I have never seen it any other way.

Do you intend to tour in the winter in Europe?

 

[nicholsong]

I bought my first, and still the same, N&B Arto at 6-years old after a lot of research. I have now had it another 14 years and it has done all I wanted, which has been from Scotland to Mediterranean, Pyrenees to Eastern Greek islands.

It cost me, buying privately, half the price of what it cost new. Figure it out for yourself.

My advice would be to buy a German MH S/H at just a few years old and it should last you as long as ours and I anticipate many more years out of ours. I am not sure if it would be the same for an Autotrail, just from comments on MH forums.

So far my depreciation has been about £8K in 14 years, so in real terms say double that, so just over £1K per year.

 

[Alsatian]

If it's your first motorhome I would suggest buying a used one. Layout is everything and if you buy new and realise after using a few times it doesn't suit your lifestyle, you are either stuck with it or will lose money if you decide to change it.

Been there, done that! Albeit with a used one.

 

[Scubadude59]

I have just looked at the AT Tracker FB, that does not really look like a Euro wide touring machine, a couple of things jump out.

I personally think that the 500Kg pay load will be limiting on very long trips where you will have to carry everything with you, secondly I don't see how 135 litres of fresh water and only 85 litres on the waste water tank work out. From much experience pretty well as the water is taken from the fresh tank that it goes to the waste tank, I have never seen it any other way.

Do you intend to tour in the winter in Europe?

Winter touring yes