wildebus
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if you were to base your decisions on the posts and opinions of gasgas, you would end up like this ...
Buying first motorhome
- Thread starter Julie w
- Start date
StuartHolmes
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Sounds like Sargent Electrics is the company at fault, not every maker or converter in the country where they are based..
gasgas
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I have. . . . . . That's why I have given up buying new and nearly new campers, of which I have had many and spent my inheritance on.
My opinion is that German manufacturers take more care in the design and build than the British ones I have owned, and the rest of what I post is facts - my own experiences, not what I have seen on ticktock or wattsapp or youtube or Trump Today News. I could add more photos but that would be a different subject.
I do think that possibly there are a lot of motorhome owners who don't realise all the faults they are living with.
On my current motorhome, a 1999 Autosleeper, the previous owner was using the Carver Cascade water heater, which was so rusty its burner was falling to bits in a pile of rust. The flames had been issuing out through the flue, licking up the outside wall coating it in a layer of carbon soot. And yet there they were still using it.
My opinion is that German manufacturers take more care in the design and build than the British ones I have owned, and the rest of what I post is facts - my own experiences, not what I have seen on ticktock or wattsapp or youtube or Trump Today News. I could add more photos but that would be a different subject.
I do think that possibly there are a lot of motorhome owners who don't realise all the faults they are living with.
On my current motorhome, a 1999 Autosleeper, the previous owner was using the Carver Cascade water heater, which was so rusty its burner was falling to bits in a pile of rust. The flames had been issuing out through the flue, licking up the outside wall coating it in a layer of carbon soot. And yet there they were still using it.
Boris7
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When we pretty sure we liked the idea of a motorhome we rented one, took a good time choosing what to rent to suit our needs.
What a nightmare, 2 nights in and our opinions had changed 100%, best thing I ever did tbh.
Later I went to the above mentioned show and with my new knowledge found the right van for us. Had it a good few years now and it’s still the right van.
Been looking to change lately and I’m most likely going to buy a new version of exactly the same van.
I meet other people and often think their van is awful, but the point is we all have different needs.
Were I you I’d rent/borrow a motorhome for a few nights, I bet you’ll change your mind about what you like.
What a nightmare, 2 nights in and our opinions had changed 100%, best thing I ever did tbh.
Later I went to the above mentioned show and with my new knowledge found the right van for us. Had it a good few years now and it’s still the right van.
Been looking to change lately and I’m most likely going to buy a new version of exactly the same van.
I meet other people and often think their van is awful, but the point is we all have different needs.
Were I you I’d rent/borrow a motorhome for a few nights, I bet you’ll change your mind about what you like.
Tim120
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Sound advice indeed, hire one.
It should give you a good idea how they work and what you like and don't like, then you will be more critical of what you look at.
CriftinsCampers
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Useful info from everyone but where’s the op gone this time….
Andy n Mandy Travel
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Maybe also check for owners clubs relating to the vehicle you think you want, for our moho if we had done this before hand we certainly would not have bought it.
However, all that being said, the sense of freedom and adventure that motorhome ownership can give you is a great thing so just choose wisely and I think the pros will outweigh the cons.
There are also professional snaggers you can hire to check vehicles over before you accept them
However, all that being said, the sense of freedom and adventure that motorhome ownership can give you is a great thing so just choose wisely and I think the pros will outweigh the cons.
There are also professional snaggers you can hire to check vehicles over before you accept them
Geek
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There are three separate issues:
1. is this size/style/type of motorhome correct for you?
2. Is this layout/floor plan correct for you?
3. Is this one in good condition/well constructed and well assembled from good components?
Some of the comments have addressed different ones of these questions.
As a buyer you need to consider all of them before buying, unless you want to have to address them after buying.
1. is this size/style/type of motorhome correct for you?
2. Is this layout/floor plan correct for you?
3. Is this one in good condition/well constructed and well assembled from good components?
Some of the comments have addressed different ones of these questions.
As a buyer you need to consider all of them before buying, unless you want to have to address them after buying.
CriftinsCampers
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wildebus
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Geek
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Although this discussion was prompted by a specific question, it is relevant to far, far more people.
The vast majority of members of most discussion forums never (or hardly ever) post or comment. They still keep the forum solvent, if not alive. We do need to consider them.
The vast majority of members of most discussion forums never (or hardly ever) post or comment. They still keep the forum solvent, if not alive. We do need to consider them.
gasgas
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My rates are very reasonable . . . . . . .Yup, he's called "gasgas"
But you would need at least all day to throroughly check any motorhome, used or new. When I went to view my current one, ( 1999 model) the selller had a mains lead running from his house. "Just to keep the battery topped up and show you the mains operated things inside". Yes, the engine started and the water was hot, and the mains sockets worked.
I agreed a price and the seller kindly offered to drive it to my house, which he did.
The next day the engine wouldn't start. Strangely there were two batteries under the bonnet, wired in parallel. One was brand new, the other was a dead short, thus killing the good one so it had zero volts. I removed the dead one, charged the good one and the engine started. So that is one reason for the mains lead coming from his house. Next, I tried the water heater on gas. I knew it worked on mains, he had showed me. The gas part of the water heater had completely disintegrated in a heap of dust and had been sending flames out through the flue as I previously mentioned.
So to thoroughly check over a camper you would need, I guess, all day. You would need to check when mains is disconnected, check the gas things are working, check the mains things are working, check battery voltages, check for water leaks - does the pump turn off when the taps turn off or does it periodically pump and stop, do all the lights work on mains hook up and 12v?
And that is only for an old camper, the newer ones have all sorts of touch screen panels that go wrong . . . .
wildebus
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I think if the above is an example of your 'inspection' ability, your rate better be zero!
wildebus
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I'll give a little anecdote of my purchasing of my first motorhome - as opposed to having self-build campers previously.....
First potential purchase and one I put down a deposit on needed a fair bit of remedial work needed - and I gave the dealer a two page list of everything I wanted doing - and which he agreed to fix
Unfortunately this was in 2020 and in the midst of the Covid Lockdown, so had the twin problem of staff going off-sick/isolating and suppliers not supplying parts that were needed.
So that purchase was aborted after around a month and deposit returned (with absolutely no problem, btw).
Next potential purchase was successful. Being a private purchase, no warranties and any problems would need to be identified and remedy negotiated.
Spent maybe 3 or more hours looking at vehicle and chatting to owner. IMO, doing an "owner inspection" can be as revealing as a vehicle inspection as you get a feeling of how they used and looked after the vehicle.
Things I identified were:
Leisure batteries were old. As I intended to update all the electrics, didn't matter.
Tyres were ok tread-wise but brand-mismatched. Some people wouldn't care; I like them matching and as I wanted to switch to Michelin Cross-Climates, again didn't matter.
Only problem that I encountered post-purchase within what would have been within a dealer-warranty period and would expect fixed if bought that way was the Shurflo pump had a self-priming issue. Worked in use no problem at all, but couldn't prime if tank allowed to empty before refill. Spoke to owner to see if any suggestions on this (as not mentioned by him) and following his process, sorted out issue (more later on this))
Now talking about "owner inspection", when he delivered the motorhome to me, he spent 2-3 hours doing a handover on how to use everything, and then quizzed me on how to do various things to make sure I was listening! A sign to me of someone who was proud of what they had and wanted to make sure it would continue to be looked after.
The water pump issue I have no doubt would have been mentioned if he remembered, but his way of dealing with it was simply to not let the water run out and after over 10 years of using it this way, would have simply forgotten about. In the end, I got fed up with messing about with the priming process and decided to buy a new pump about 18 months into ownership. This fixed the issue instantly at a cost of £65.
In my ownership of over 5 years, spent a fair bit on maintenance and repairs on the vehicle, but those costs are virtually all around the Fiat Ducato base vehicle and not for the Autotrail Motorhome part.
Sure, spent a tidy sum on the Motorhome side as well, but these were 99% optional upgrades and enhancements to make it more comfortable and nicer to use (and IMO, my near-18 year old motorhome in use is now nicer to be in than just about any other motorhome I have been in, new or old).
First potential purchase and one I put down a deposit on needed a fair bit of remedial work needed - and I gave the dealer a two page list of everything I wanted doing - and which he agreed to fix
Unfortunately this was in 2020 and in the midst of the Covid Lockdown, so had the twin problem of staff going off-sick/isolating and suppliers not supplying parts that were needed.So that purchase was aborted after around a month and deposit returned (with absolutely no problem, btw).
Next potential purchase was successful. Being a private purchase, no warranties and any problems would need to be identified and remedy negotiated.
Spent maybe 3 or more hours looking at vehicle and chatting to owner. IMO, doing an "owner inspection" can be as revealing as a vehicle inspection as you get a feeling of how they used and looked after the vehicle.
Things I identified were:
Leisure batteries were old. As I intended to update all the electrics, didn't matter.
Tyres were ok tread-wise but brand-mismatched. Some people wouldn't care; I like them matching and as I wanted to switch to Michelin Cross-Climates, again didn't matter.
Only problem that I encountered post-purchase within what would have been within a dealer-warranty period and would expect fixed if bought that way was the Shurflo pump had a self-priming issue. Worked in use no problem at all, but couldn't prime if tank allowed to empty before refill. Spoke to owner to see if any suggestions on this (as not mentioned by him) and following his process, sorted out issue (more later on this))
Now talking about "owner inspection", when he delivered the motorhome to me, he spent 2-3 hours doing a handover on how to use everything, and then quizzed me on how to do various things to make sure I was listening! A sign to me of someone who was proud of what they had and wanted to make sure it would continue to be looked after.
The water pump issue I have no doubt would have been mentioned if he remembered, but his way of dealing with it was simply to not let the water run out and after over 10 years of using it this way, would have simply forgotten about. In the end, I got fed up with messing about with the priming process and decided to buy a new pump about 18 months into ownership. This fixed the issue instantly at a cost of £65.
In my ownership of over 5 years, spent a fair bit on maintenance and repairs on the vehicle, but those costs are virtually all around the Fiat Ducato base vehicle and not for the Autotrail Motorhome part.
Sure, spent a tidy sum on the Motorhome side as well, but these were 99% optional upgrades and enhancements to make it more comfortable and nicer to use (and IMO, my near-18 year old motorhome in use is now nicer to be in than just about any other motorhome I have been in, new or old).
Boris7
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Maybe it’s me but it seemed to go
“l’m ignoring this conversation”, “here’s what I think”