Help buying privately
Evening all,
We're very new to the motorhome experience, having only hired one for a long weekend back in November.
We think we know what layout we would like, this being the fixed bed at the rear. One such company that does these is Burstner, are there any other makes worth considering?
Does anyone have any useful tips for buying privately? We will of course go see the motorhome and hopefully get to test drive it, before buying, but are there any lesser known tasks/questions that should be covered off?
Has anyone on this forum bought privately before, and how was the experience.
Sorry for all the questions.
Thanks in advance
Simon
Comments
-
I suppose the main thing is to ensure that they actually own the LV (that it’s not on finance/stolen etc). Unfortunately, there are a lot of scams out there.
Probably best to ask to see/check all the paperwork - service history/MOT etc of the front end (Fiat, Ford, Peugeot whatever it is) also check the habitation/service history of the back end (living quarters). Some things can be checked on gov website etc if you have the correct info to input.
Never bought privately but when we’ve bought from dealers we’ve asked to see that things work-eg heating and water systems etc. as well as test driving. Good Luck
0 -
"…..hopefully get to test drive it, before buying"
Strike "hopefully" and insert "definitely"!
Buying a used MH privately is a minefield unless buying from someone you know well. Other than older less costly vans, I think it worth buying from an established dealer and even that is no guarantee of getting a good one but at least you will have the Consumer Rights Act to fall back on.
The club has a link in Member Offers to an inspection service which might be worth considering.
0 -
I sold mine through Autotrader. There is some really ueful material on their site, well worth reading before you start. Following their instruction, the vehicle should be inspected at the home address of the seller. Buyers took over an hour for their inspection. The actual buyer looked carefully underneath. used step ladder for the top. Had a small damp meter.All the paperwork, service records, MOT and habitation checks wre readily available to inspect. They had already made a DVLA check and even knew it had failed an MOT because of defective wiper blade at one time. Passed when fitted.. Payment made immediately to my bank account and insurance completed over the phone and they drove away. All in all an easy process. As a buyer if there was anything missing in the above process or not happy about any answer I would walk away. I got £7K more seling privately and still it was cheaper for thye buyer than the listed prices. Hope this provides some help in your search
2 -
Sounds like your buyer was well prepared and had done their homework. Given the inflated prices of MHs I think there are big savings to be had with a private deal. Not a lot different from buying a car really, just need to check more things and you can always get an independent mechanical and/or habitation check for additional peace of mind. HPI check ditto. The introduction of online current & historical MOT checks is extremely useful. A knowledgeable mate is always a good idea and two sets of eyes better than one. If possible, I’d accompany the buyer/seller to a branch of their bank and do the transaction with both parties present. Given the prices being asked for new MHs at the NEC yesterday, I’d be looking to get at least what I paid for mine 3 or 4 years ago via a private sale, and I reckon I’d have a good chance of getting it currently without further lining a dealers pockets.
2 -
We have bought vehicles privately in the past. All good advice from above, particularly about seeing the vehicle at the home address, and doing as many pre visit checks, and on the day checks as possible. You need to make a “habitation” list of things to check as well as vehicle checks. It helps if you know someone with both vehicle and habitation experience, so that nothing gets missed. Look inside every cupboard, drawer, behind and inside lockers etc….. take your time, and don’t be rushed in any way. Ensure you take it forAnd be prepared to walk away politely if things don’t turn out well.
A halfway house in terms of buying is to consider a small independent dealer who can offer a better level of buying experience, and will give you a small (6-12 month warranty) on what you buy. We went down this route, and got a superb second hand MH at a good price, all MOT, fully checked and valeted. And a 12 month warranty on both vehicle and habitation. The whole experience proved very satisfactory, and we would go back again. The vehicle has been very reliable, only wear and tear things like timing belt, shockers, brake pads etc.. regarding upkeep. No habitation issues of any kind, all worked well for last eight years. OH did replace ignition on fridge last year, but in eight years of ownership we didn’t think that unreasonable.
Once purchased, find yourself a good independent garage to have any work done, rather than a dealer.0
