Private viewing/sale

[Brian/April]

Evening all,

Looking to buy our 1st MH and may go private, can you give me some pointers as to what to look out for?

Where would be likely areas to use a damp meter?
Are hab reports reliable?
We have seen one where beveled door trim was missing from two thirds of door and edge had mastic instead, so have a general idea of poor repair .
I'm thinking decent torch to see in all lockers etc , check tyre dates, engine same as I would with car,
Is it reasonable to expect EHU to house to check items.

I know there's probably so much to check but any advice would be appreciated.

Brian.

 

[Spriddler]

Be very cautious with the 'extremely well priced' ones on auction sites. Never buy without viewing. There are very many scams.

Look up the vehicle's MOT history on the Gov't website here:

Check the MOT history of a vehicle

Check the MOT history of a vehicle from 2005 onwards, including if it passed or failed, its mileage and why it failed, download MOT test certificate

www.gov.uk

You'll probably find this by our Leader Jim useful...............

The Motorhome Buyers Guide

This book will save you money, probably a lot of money. It will show you, step step by step, how choose the right motorhome and then show you how you can easily negotiate the very best price. This book is FREE to subscribers. Download it by...

www.motorhomefun.co.uk

 

[Bessy765]

Might be an idea if you posted make model and year you are thinking of to give us info to go on. Seeing as a lot of dealers warranties on pre owned vans cover everything except what goes wrong you may be better off private sale but be cautious

 

[TheBig1]

Don't be ruled by your heart, be clinical in the examination of a van. First thing as you enter, check for smells. Have they tried to mask a damp smell? check in ALL lockers for any signs of visible damp or soft wood. Low down by the floor, under windows and in top cupboards. Take a piece of carpet or tarp with you to lay on and look underneath for any signs of rust, underfloor damage and leaks. Fresh paint or sealants under the van are a red flag. Check tyre dates on the sidewall and condition, both wear and cracking
back inside, check all the fittings are working as they should, including fridge, hob and heating

We are presuming here that you will do the obvious and check the MOT history and an HPI check for outstanding finance or repaired accident/flood damage

Under the bonnet, be suspicious if it's too clean. Check for obvious oil leaks. Take off the radiator cap and check for signs of water (looks like mayonaise) Check the expansion bottle for staining as a tell tale sign of head gasket issues. Ask for documented evidence that the cambelt has been changed in line with the manufacturer's specification. Check the windscreen for chips or signs of delamination

The hab reports are not worth the paper they are written on, but evidence they have been done regularly does indicate that the owner has taken some care of the van

 

[Silver-Fox]

As a paid up member you have access to Jim’s buying guide.

Good luck with your search

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[Brian/April]

We've seen the "well priced" ones I had a motorbike , tesla , and MH in my basket for £10,000 ....then decided too good to be true

 

[TheBig1]

We've seen the "well priced" ones I had a motorbike , tesla , and MH in my basket for £10,000 ....then decided too good to be true

You do sound sensible. If it looks like a bargain, ask yourself why?

 

[Jev88]

I would insist on seeing every appliance work and video sometimes as you will not remember it all (or save that for collection day?)

 

[Steve and Denise]

We've seen the "well priced" ones I had a motorbike , tesla , and MH in my basket for £10,000 ....then decided too good to be true

Take someone with you that already has a Motorhome nothing like experience

 

[Brian/April]

Thanks for advice all , got Jim's guide I interesting read ,

We assumed we would use a dealer but scarcity and high price at the moment means we may need to be brave and carefully look private.

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[MisterB]

What are you looking for in terms of layout? You may not realise how important layout is as opposed to how shiny it is or how many toys it has on board.
Have you decided the 'stuff' it must have or mustn't have, the 'stuff' it would be useful to have and the stuff you would like it have?
For us the must haves were beds that didn't need to made into beds via cushion manoeuvres every night, a large fridge freezer, four belted seats and a decent sized shower cubicle. We also decided very early on that we didn't want a motorhome with an above the cab bed that had a ' hump', for no other reason that we didn't like the way they looked.

It wouldn't hurt if you posted a wanted advert in the classifieds section, giving a few examples of what you're looking for. Another member might be thinking of selling or even know if one for sale.

As regards buying from a dealer, don't be off from buying from a dealer, there are more good ones than you may think. We bought ours from Brownhills in the end but were severely tempted by Simon-Alan Kerr who was extremely helpful and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend him.

 

[EuroTrotters]

I’ve purchased many vehicles privately, just do lots of research and every possible check.

Our current motorhome I purchased from an Australian couple who were in Sydney. But the motorhome was in Granada Spain.

They were surprised when I asked for photo ID etc. but I don’t think they knew much about the big bad world out there and had led a sheltered life.

 

[chaser]

Don't know what age or price you are looking at, but if the van is sound, the other stuff about appliances and things working can all be repaired if the price is right likewise tyres ,they will need replacing at some point anyway so age and condition are immaterial if ,as before the price is right.
By the very nature of the things something will need mending or tarting up, it just comes down to what you can put right yourself.

 

[Elsie2010]

Give Oaktree Motorhomes a try, we're just purchasing our 2nd van, this one from them. read their trust pilot reviews too, very good to deal with so far plus, they're extremely selective in what they sell and all maintenance work, they only pick up and do for customers who have bought their van from them.
We've only ever gone via dealers as if it breaks, then they pick up the fix (e.g recently our gas locker floor fell through but our dealer, despite him knowing we were trading it in to a rival dealer, has picked up the repair)
You may pay a grand or so more but for me, iys the peace of mind
Good luck and I'm sure you'll never look back

 

[JoshnPen]

We bought ours privately - ad in auto trader. We were complete novices. We viewed, took a test drive and agreed to leave a small deposit (£500) to 'hold' the van whilst we arranged for an AA mechanical check and a habitation check. Neither revealed anything of concern, so we went to collect, and paid the balance.

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[Puddleduck]

Take someone with you that already has a Motorhome nothing like experience

I'm not sure where you are based but if there is a funster nearby they may be willing to go along with you and be able to point out any issues they see.

Have you decided the 'stuff' it must have or mustn't have, the 'stuff' it would be useful to have and the stuff you would like it have?

And things that it must not have which can be just as important!