Damp - to buy or not to buy?
We’ve put a deposit on a 3 year old Bailey Advance, and have now found a small area of damp in the bathroom floor - it’s a fairly high reading, in a small area in the corner next to the toilet, around 60%. The dealership are making light of it, saying it can easily be fixed before we pay the balance and take delivery. They claim to have recorded insignificant readings 2 days earlier, but there was heavy rain in the intervening day, so it suggests there’s ingress somewhere. We’re now trying to decide whether to go ahead with the purchase, or to try to get our deposit back and look elsewhere. What would you do??
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I'd get my deposit back on the grounds the fault was not made apparent at the time of payment and run a mile.
If you buy it, you will always be looking for a return of the damp.
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Thanks, both. I think that’s how we feel too, although a family member has told us that most coachbuilt m/hs have some degree of damp. Maybe we’re just being fussy.
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Damp in motorhomes is the same as damp anywhere else, it’s what you can’t see that you should worry about. I don’t know if coachbuilts deserve their reputation for damp or not, but a box with lots of joints rigidly fixed to a flexing chassis might have some inherent weakness?
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This may help you if you have a doubt about feeling fussy. Get your deposit returned and run, not walk away.
Caravan Moisture Meter Results
0 – 15%: The surface is dry, no damp present
15-20%: Make a note of the area, check again in a few months.
20-25%: Area needs further damp investigation.
25-30%: There would appear to be water ingress into the caravan.
Above 30%: Immediate action needs to be taken.
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The dealership either knew & didn’t mention the damp or they didn’t pre check-either way sounds the alarm bells. If you take the LV with a fault you may have issues getting it in to be fixed. Run & don’t look back until you are well clear of these people. Then pat yourself on the back for your smart thinking👍🏻
B2-sorry I stole a wee bit of your post. . .Whoops🤷🏻♂️
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No worries Rocky. I don't think it can be said enough.
Just prior to OH's health 'performance' in 2019 we were getting high damp readings on the roof of our motorhome, 2002 model otherwise really solid and reliable. Weren't able to pursue due to circumstances just covered the roof. Despite everything it didn't dry out or lessen by much.
Long story short small holes in the aluminium roof, didn't know it could happen. Sold for a very small amount for spares or repair if the guy had the time, needed the whole lid and rear panel removed and replaced and I suspect the wooden starts etc replaced. Our damp readings weren't as high as 60% at any point. Unable to trace the registration on DVLA so scrapped 😪.
Gave us 14 years of wonderful memories. I'll be looking out for another in the future but not until our move is settled and the market has LOADS of hardly used 2ndhand ones on offer 😉🤣
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