Advice please on selling a MOT failed Motorhome

meadow3
meadow3 Forum Participant Posts: 2
edited August 2019 in Motorhomes #1

Our Motorhome has failed its MOT due to corrosion under the cab but the interior, engine, brakes etc are in good working order. Please can anyone give advice on selling unrepaired?

Comments

  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Posts: 23,142 ✭✭✭
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    edited August 2019 #2

    Try advertising it exactly as it is. Say it’s an MOT failure for spares or repair.

    Local press, PreLoved, Gumtree, eBay, AutoTrader… There are lots of options including offering it to a caravan/MH scrapper.

  • JVB66
    JVB66 Forum Participant Posts: 22,892
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    edited August 2019 #3

    It depends on what you want for it or are looking to replace it?if a dealer wants to shift something it might be worth asking

  • mickysf
    mickysf Forum Participant Posts: 6,474 ✭✭✭
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    edited August 2019 #4

    Have you compared the repair cost with the estimated value? Have you considered if the repair cost will provide some acceptable extra years of reasonable care free use? All worth considering in the longer term I guess.

  • Unknown
    Unknown Forum Participant
    edited August 2019 #5
    The user and all related content has been Deleted User
  • beero
    beero Forum Participant Posts: 38
    edited August 2019 #6

    I am selling my 20 year old motorhome on a well known auction site and I am astounded at the price it has fetched. More than I paid for it 6 years ago! So get the work done and sell it with an MOT and I bet you won't regret it.

  • Bakers2
    Bakers2 Forum Participant Posts: 8,195 ✭✭✭
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    edited August 2019 #7

    Out of interest and as I  may have to do similar in the not too distant future can I ask are folks bidding after viewing? What are you/have you done regarding payment?

  • Takethedogalong
    Takethedogalong Forum Participant Posts: 17,044 ✭✭✭
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    edited August 2019 #8

    We sold our old caravan via Caravan Club website. It was nearly 30 years old, and had a few issues, but we advertised it honestly, put a realistic value on it, and it sold within a week. We were happy to let the prospective buyer come along and have a look before committing to anything, which she did. From quite a way away as well, good four hour trip, but she did have family in area. She liked it, we haggled, she gave us cash there and then, and we even towed it to her family member not far away for an extra £50. We had communicated by telephone prior to her coming along. We sounded honest, she sounded genuine, it does happen. It the bidders unseen you need to be wary of dealing with. We had bought the van via Classic Car weekly, and did the reverse when we bought it.

    Find out what “corrosion” means. If it’s a decent MH in other respects, and you like it, it might not be that expensive to repair, but you need to find out. If you choose to get rid, suggest Classic car weekly or Classic Car buyer. Both have caravan/MH sections. We got more for our caravan than we paid for it, enough to cover the restoration costs. But be honest. 

  • meadow3
    meadow3 Forum Participant Posts: 2
    edited August 2019 #9

    Many thanks for all the very helpful replies. In our case the corrosion is severe - the welder tried to repair 3 issues raised by MOT but could not find sound metal to work from and pointed out more areas of apparent weakness. 16 years of Northumberland winters have taken their toll! Good internal and mechanical condition might make it a good project for a welder wanting a cheap entry into motorhoming. But do such people exist? Thanks again for your help.

  • Takethedogalong
    Takethedogalong Forum Participant Posts: 17,044 ✭✭✭
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    edited August 2019 #10

    That’s bad luck meadow. But someone might want it for spares or the interior. There are lots of folks doing their own van conversations, who might be grateful for some of the stuff.

  • Navigateur
    Navigateur Club Member Posts: 3,880 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited August 2019 #11

    Almost every motor caravan is built on more or less of some commercial vehicle, and it reads as though it is this part that has fallen prey to corrosion. Perhaps your good welder could take a good condition van/pickup of the same model, or even newer, and use it as a transplant to all the good parts of the caravan.

  • DavidKlyne
    DavidKlyne Club Member Posts: 13,860 ✭✭✭
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    edited August 2019 #12

    Have you been to a commercial vehicle dealer for the brand of the cab involved? Perhaps it is a question structural replacement rather than welding. You obviously have to balance the cost of expensive repairs and what little you would get for it has a MOT reject with lots of work to do. Is it 16 years old or is that how long you have had it?

    David

  • beero
    beero Forum Participant Posts: 38
    edited August 2019 #13

    I have 6 people bidding and not one of them has been to view it yet. Crazy. I will let you know how it goes at the end of the auction on Friday. By bidding they are entering a contract to buy but we shall see.

  • Unknown
    Unknown Forum Participant
    edited August 2019 #14
    The user and all related content has been Deleted User
  • Rocky 2 buckets
    Rocky 2 buckets Forum Participant Posts: 7,101
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    edited August 2019 #15

    Which one DD?, there have been a few😕. With caution all can be swerved mind👍🏻

  • Bakers2
    Bakers2 Forum Participant Posts: 8,195 ✭✭✭
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    edited August 2019 #16

    I suspected this. Chap at work sold his on eBay years ago. Got more than he paid, don't think there was problem like yours, never thought to ask him at the time if it was viewed.

    Seems bizarre to me to offer large sum of money for something unseen. I'd expect viewings if genuine so its good to discuss.

    Do keep us posted - details of how payment is sorted too. 

    [Deleted User User] how can scams be avoided??

    I'm hanging fire as I really miss motorhoming but not sure about driving ours - it's tall but only 21 feet long wider than the car 😉. But old school driving, he's 17 years old, no bells and whistles like our new car. They drove me mad to begin with but I love them now! As I'm getting on top of things I'm wondering if I can do 'lessons' with trailer/driving instructors to get my confidence. It's stored and paid for until end of May next year, no refunds, and off road at mo. I do give it a turn or 2 around our huge storage compound, but parking can't be fraught if OH watches 😉😉

  • Mr OrangeTree
    Mr OrangeTree Forum Participant Posts: 32
    edited September 2019 #17

    Our 15 year old Peugoet based Nuevo sadly failed the MOT - also due to much rust - at the end of last year.

    As is so often the case, it was just the van bit that was a problem, the living bit was still very nice.

    We discovered, on the local jungle drums, a business that buys and fixes such stricken vans.  I admit I was pleasantly surprised at the price offered, even given the rust problem.

    I decided to let them buy it and get a new van.   

  • Bakers2
    Bakers2 Forum Participant Posts: 8,195 ✭✭✭
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    edited September 2019 #18

    We have good body, 17 years, but water coming in, thought reseal had fixed but sadly still a dribble 😤.  Due to OH health and I don't want to drive it. I see you're a long way from us! Is it one of the companies that advertise in the club magazine?

    Is there any way you can get a rough idea of what to expect, equivalent of Glasses for card?

  • beero
    beero Forum Participant Posts: 38
    edited September 2019 #19

    All went well. How people can part with that much money without viewing first beats me. Got a bank transfer in the morning and the guy picked it up lunchtime. No problems. 

    So this will be my last post as I have now cancelled membership. Cheerio everyone!! 

  • Bakers2
    Bakers2 Forum Participant Posts: 8,195 ✭✭✭
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    edited September 2019 #20

    Thank you for posting back. I too am really surprised that it wasn't viewed, but delighted it all went smoothly.

    Definitely food for thought and probably worth a try before taking up one of the advertisers in the magazines.

    No decision made yet, I'll probably kick the can further down the road until the storage expires and just insure ours again.