C&M adverts re valuation

Ivannet
Ivannet Forum Participant Posts: 7
edited July 2020 in Motorhomes #1

Hi all

We are planning on selling our motorhome and putting the money toward a caravan/car.

In the club magazine there are many adverts for companies who buy motorhomes in 'any condition' and 'collect from anywhere' etc.  Does anyone have any experience of using these firms?  My gut tells me to avoid them.  ~Does anyone have any advice re putting a value on a m/home, other than trawling through adverts for something similar?

 

Comments

  • DavidKlyne
    DavidKlyne Club Member Posts: 13,859 ✭✭✭
    5,000 Likes 1000 Comments Name Dropper Photogenic
    edited July 2020 #2

    When we purchased our first motorhome we traded in the caravan towards the cost of the motorhome. It just happen the company had two outlets, one selling caravans and one motorhomes. It might depend on the value of your motorhome viz a viz the caravan you buy. 

    I am not sure "We buy any Caravan.com" has yet been invented but the car buying website seems to have a reasonable reputation. You won't know until you have a chat to them.

    David

  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Posts: 23,141 ✭✭✭
    10,000 Likes 1000 Comments Name Dropper
    edited July 2020 #3

    Some of the LV buyers have been in business tor years. I’ve contacted them in the past and they seemed reasonable. The big advantages are that they come to you and collect and you get the payment electronically there and then without the effort and risk involved in advertising a private sale or haggling a p/ex deal.

    Call a few and sound them out. You’ve nothing to lose other than the cost of a few phone calls.

    Also, try ringing a few local non-mainstream dealers who sell used MHs. We did that and got a simple and reasonable deal.

  • EasyT
    EasyT Forum Participant Posts: 16,194
    1000 Comments
    edited July 2020 #4
  • moulesy
    moulesy Forum Participant Posts: 9,402 ✭✭✭✭✭
    1000 Comments
    edited July 2020 #5

    We used the company above when we sold our van last year. We'd advertised privately and got some enquiries, but the van was 10 years old and as soon as we mentioned a couple of things that would need fixing they just lost interest.

    We got an estimate over the phone which ended up within £500 of what we eventually received  (in cash!) - guy drove all the way from Colchester to Wiltshire to collect the van and back the same day.

    I guess we could have persevered in trying to sell it ourselves, but, to be honest, selling it that way removed all the hassle.

  • SeasideBill
    SeasideBill Forum Participant Posts: 2,112
    1000 Comments
    edited July 2020 #6

    The motorhome market is very strong at the moment - probably more so than many years. Forced staycations and months of lost production have driven up demand. Dealers aren’t giving cash discounts for decent MHs and sales are fast & furious. You might just find this is the right time to sell it yourself? Remember, all these dealers are taking a commission out of your pocket.

  • Rocky 2 buckets
    Rocky 2 buckets Forum Participant Posts: 7,101
    1000 Comments
    edited July 2020 #7

    That shocks me SB, millions unemployed( Govt projected) jobs & companies lost, others on short time working I’d expect the ‘big purchases’ to be put on hold if not now then very soon. It’s good news if you are right for at least 1 industry👍🏻

  • JVB66
    JVB66 Forum Participant Posts: 22,892
    1000 Comments
    edited July 2020 #8

    There has been a very large increase in the market for LVs and holidaypark homes in the last weeks, as more are now having "staycations",and even on CT ,which is a tiny proportion of this clubs membership I have noticed numerous new members posting,two of our neigbours have now decided to have a closer look at LVs ,and they have in the past been a bit anti and an "over there" holidays

  • Rocky 2 buckets
    Rocky 2 buckets Forum Participant Posts: 7,101
    1000 Comments
    edited July 2020 #9

    It shocks me tbh🤷🏻‍♂️. It must be mainly cash rich older folks then👍🏻. Either that or the Govt is kidding us about all the folk losing jobs or on reduced hours/wages.

  • SeasideBill
    SeasideBill Forum Participant Posts: 2,112
    1000 Comments
    edited July 2020 #10

    The folks hit hardest now and into the future by the fall-out from CV19 are not in the demographic that purchase motorhomes. If anything, many in that group have been frustrated by having nothing to spend money on since March. The trend may not continue too long tho’ if we plunge into deep recession as seems probable.

  • EasyT
    EasyT Forum Participant Posts: 16,194
    1000 Comments
    edited July 2020 #11

    Many folk not in work have been furloughed on 80% wage. I retired 12 years ago but would probably worked from home, would not have gone out with friends for a meal or paid for fuel and have saved £1,000 plus around £4,000 in holidays not taken and so overall would have been a £5,000 saving. Had I been furloughed then with a lower tax and other reductions, no travelling I would still have been £700 down over 3 months but overall about £4,000 better off due to no holidays, meals etc.

    Different figures for all and I know some will be out of work, running small businesses that could not trade etc. but for those that previously holidayed abroad a couple of times a tear or more they have probably saved more than they lost if working from home or furloughed

  • Rocky 2 buckets
    Rocky 2 buckets Forum Participant Posts: 7,101
    1000 Comments
    edited July 2020 #12

    I think if the Govt are right re unemployment figures then those folk really won’t be thinking about LV’s.

    plus there’s this-

  • JVB66
    JVB66 Forum Participant Posts: 22,892
    1000 Comments
    edited July 2020 #13

    One of the ways that many Lv puchases are now being made (according to the press) are being purchased via equity release /pensionpots also small campers VWs can be leased like cars maybe others motor caravans also?

  • Rocky 2 buckets
    Rocky 2 buckets Forum Participant Posts: 7,101
    1000 Comments
    edited July 2020 #14

    Yup, as I said-cash rich older folks👍🏻

  • SeasideBill
    SeasideBill Forum Participant Posts: 2,112
    1000 Comments
    edited July 2020 #15

    In context that headline is about localised fears for the caravan industry when dealers and manufacturers first went into lockdown. No production over the ensuing period means limited supply so dealers are struggling to meet demand hence no incentives required to shift motorhomes. Not sure if the same applies to caravan sales?

    There are always people about with money in any economic crisis and some prosper because of it.

  • SeasideBill
    SeasideBill Forum Participant Posts: 2,112
    1000 Comments
    edited July 2020 #16

    Yep, as long as you’ve got the deposit and income, you can get yourself a £50k motorhome on PCP.

  • Fisherman
    Fisherman Forum Participant Posts: 2,367
    1000 Comments
    edited July 2020 #17

    Have a look at the Autotrader site for Motorhomes. They have excellent details of how to sell. , what scams, how to get payment etc. There are also model adverts for you to compare. I sold my last van that way. Advertised for 1 month, got numerous responses and viewings ( even here in remote North wales). Sold it in 10 days after 2 viewings. The price offers from dealers was not great compared with their selling prices. I got 7K more selling privately and no hassle. 

  • Compo
    Compo Forum Participant Posts: 324
    100 Comments
    edited July 2020 #18

    I know it is usually more hassle to sell vehicles privately but I don't think you will have a better time than the present to do just that. There are billions more pounds sloshing about in the economy at the present time due to the (some would say) irresponsible way the Government are borrowing money at the moment. The problem will come in a few months time when it has to start to be paid back and that will last for quite a few years. 

  • Ivannet
    Ivannet Forum Participant Posts: 7
    edited July 2020 #19

    Thanks for all the replies folks, much appreciated.