artandlandscape Posted August 24, 2020 Share Posted August 24, 2020 Hi looking to move from camping back to motorhomes and found a well maintained sunlight cliff 540 2 years old but it has a high milage nearly 50000 miles, we will be expecting to do 8 - 10000 miles per year as it will be a second vehicle and we are a bit concerned that once we get over the 50000 miles the value will drop dramatically, as we may decide after a year that the vehicle is too small for us . owner open to offers currently up for £36000. most of the miles have been put on by long distance European travel as used for his business (he needs a tachometer). We accept that there will be drop in value but how big? Or will it be difficult to sell as normally higher milage vehicles are 8 - 15 years old Any thoughts welcomed Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted August 24, 2020 Share Posted August 24, 2020 Welcome to the Out&AboutLlive forums. The Sunlight Cliff 540 is a compact panel-van conversion model https://www.outandaboutlive.co.uk/motorhomes/buyers-guide/motorhomes/details/motorhome-review-sunlight-cliff-540-campervan/137186 https://www.practicalmotorhome.com/reviews/sunlight-cliff-540 and as you are already wary that it might prove to be too small for you, it might be wise to consider vehicle-size carefully before proceding further. Regarding the asking-price, it’s evident from the above links that you’ll need to establish the vehicle’s specification as to which powerplant and which (if any) options package it has. Although ‘white van’ Ducatos are designed to happily tolerate high mileage use, you’d still be starting off with a 2-year-old motorhome with 50K miles on the odometer and a tachograph, and a subsequent buyer might not care for either of those factors. I’d want to check very carefully that the vehicle has been correctly serviced (and by whom) and what tyres it now wears. I notice that there’s a brand-new Cliff 540 being advertised for £39000 https://www.autotrader.co.uk/motorhome-details/202007121158696?advertising-location=at_motorhomes and you may want to bear that in mind if you choose to make an offer on the 2018 vehicle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robbo Posted August 24, 2020 Share Posted August 24, 2020 If the original owner bought it for his business there is the question of VAT and whether this is passed on to a private buyer. Something to be aware of !!! I would be reasonably happy to purchase a 2 year old vehicle up to 20k miles but not any more than that unless there was a serious cash incentive. I would be looking for a more popular make with a more moderate mileage so you could easily sell-on if you found it didn't suit your needs. As is often quoted - it's unlikely you'll find your ideal van until the second or third one. So, ease of resale is even more important for your first van. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Den Posted August 24, 2020 Share Posted August 24, 2020 I find it strange his used it for business and needing a Tacho. To require a tacho it has to be carrying over 9 paying passengers or a goods carrying vehicle. Has it been out on hire and will be heavily used inside. The owner may not say his a hire company, but they hide them behind a legitimate company. I personally wouldn’t touch it with a barge pole even at a lower price We do continental travel most of the time and being a 66 reg PVC it’s only done 23k Den Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will86 Posted August 24, 2020 Share Posted August 24, 2020 Do you really mean you've actually seen it, you say. ... 'found a well maintained' ... or was this an advert where the seller added those words Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keithl Posted August 24, 2020 Share Posted August 24, 2020 If you can get a brand new model for £39,000 and this two year old has done 50,000 miles then I would only value it at 50% of new price, ie £20,000 MAX. Out of curiosity does it have a towbar? He may have used it to tow a market stall or trade trailer in which case I would walk away without question. The seller may be basing his asking price on what his business needs to recoup from the sale rather than true market value, if so the best of luck to him! Keith. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BruceM Posted August 24, 2020 Share Posted August 24, 2020 More questions than answers I think. The first obvious question is what is the business that requires the owner to drive so many European miles and to use a Tachometer? If it’s been used as a commercial vehicle then it may well have been hammered ‘white van’ style unlike most motorhomes which will have probably spent a substantial part of their life being driven at a holiday pace in lane 1 of a motorway. The second question, how much has it been lived in? Six months of each year? If so then wear and tear of the habitation area will be above average. And like Will, I’m unsure what is meant by ‘well maintained.’ It’s only two years old and will no doubt have had two dealer services much like any other two year old vehicle. Personally, up to 12K miles a year would strike me as acceptable especially if it’s a household's only vehicle. 25K a year would, I think, require both the sale price to be significantly lower and an acceptance that when it comes to reselling some people will be put off buying by the relatively high early years mileage. Given that this is a private sale (no dealer warranty) and a high pa mileage ‘commercially used’ vehicle, I’d have expected it to depreciate in value by at least £6k pa . So if £39k new now I’d expect to pay no more than £27k now and even then I’d want a positive mechanic's report on its condition. Having said all that, there will no doubt be someone out there who buys emotionally rather than rationally and will buy it at the asking price without doing any research. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
artandlandscape Posted August 24, 2020 Author Share Posted August 24, 2020 it does have a tow bar he has an agricultural engineering business and goes to italy to pick up tractor mounted hedge cutters in a trailer. He did admit that often traveled at 70/80mph Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keithl Posted August 24, 2020 Share Posted August 24, 2020 In which case I stand by my valuation of approx £20,000. That will be a hard life on the engine and transmission! Keith. PS Why not try phoning a dealer and see what they would offer for it as a trade in? You may be very surprised (or not) by the answer! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BruceM Posted August 24, 2020 Share Posted August 24, 2020 artandlandscape - 2020-08-24 5:47 PM it does have a tow bar he has an agricultural engineering business and goes to italy to pick up tractor mounted hedge cutters in a trailer. He did admit that often traveled at 70/80mph Ouch! So to Italy and back about twelve times a year pulling a reasonably heavy trailer at speeds of 70/80 mph. Clutch and transmission will certainly feel it. It doesn’t mean that it will fall apart in the next two years, but it will certainly shorten the base vehicle’s life which needs to be reflected in the purchase price. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted August 24, 2020 Share Posted August 24, 2020 Derek Uzzell - 2020-08-24 11:26 AM.......................I notice that there’s a brand-new Cliff 540 being advertised for £39000 https://www.autotrader.co.uk/motorhome-details/202007121158696?advertising-location=at_motorhomes and you may want to bear that in mind if you choose to make an offer on the 2018 vehicle. Steady though! :-D Goodmans Motorhomes stock in the Autotrader ad all carry McRent labels, as does their premises on Station Road Waltham Cross, which make me just a bit sceptical about that "brand new" claim against that van, although it is pictured unregistered, and also whose name might appear in the V5C. Ex hire vehicles won't be that popular with potential buyers. However, Goodmans do have a new, unregistered, 2020 Cliff, that is not McRent badged, but that one's advertised at £43,000 so something doesn't quite gell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keithl Posted August 24, 2020 Share Posted August 24, 2020 Brian Kirby - 2020-08-24 6:37 PM Steady though! :-D Goodmans Motorhomes stock in the Autotrader ad all carry McRent labels... But as they are advertising it as 'Brand new, already registered' they are possibly having to reduce their stock due to reduced bookings. Just check mileage being quoted is acceptable for 'New'. Keith. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
artandlandscape Posted August 24, 2020 Author Share Posted August 24, 2020 thanks for all the advice decided not to go with this van will keep on looking Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyboyprowler Posted August 24, 2020 Share Posted August 24, 2020 artandlandscape - 2020-08-24 8:08 PM thanks for all the advice decided not to go with this van will keep on looking Hummm, very wise, me thinks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted August 25, 2020 Share Posted August 25, 2020 Brian Kirby - 2020-08-24 6:37 PM Derek Uzzell - 2020-08-24 11:26 AM.......................I notice that there’s a brand-new Cliff 540 being advertised for £39000 https://www.autotrader.co.uk/motorhome-details/202007121158696?advertising-location=at_motorhomes and you may want to bear that in mind if you choose to make an offer on the 2018 vehicle. Steady though! :-D Goodmans Motorhomes stock in the Autotrader ad all carry McRent labels, as does their premises on Station Road Waltham Cross, which make me just a bit sceptical about that "brand new" claim against that van, although it is pictured unregistered, and also whose name might appear in the V5C. Ex hire vehicles won't be that popular with potential buyers. However, Goodmans do have a new, unregistered, 2020 Cliff, that is not McRent badged, but that one's advertised at £43,000 so something doesn't quite gell. Just for the record, Goodmans currently have three Cliff models for sale - a 540 (already registered) at £39,999, and two 600 (unregistered) models at £42,000 or £45,000. The 600 is significantly bigger than the 540 and the specification of the £45K 600 version is enhanced over the the £42K vehicle. https://www.autotrader.co.uk/dealers/essex/waltham-abbey/goodmans-motor-homes-limited-10009636/stock?advanced=true&advertising-location=at_motorhomes&advertising-location=at_profile_motorhomes&channel=motorhomes&dealer=10009636&make=SUNLIGHT&page=1&sort=price-asc&model=CLIFF%20600 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crocs Posted August 25, 2020 Share Posted August 25, 2020 I’m assuming the original enquiry meant a tachograph rather than a tachometer in which cas3 I’d be very wary as to what it has been used for. Agree that it should be reflected in the price if brave enough to take it on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weldted Posted August 26, 2020 Share Posted August 26, 2020 Probably dealer speak but I traded in a 7 year old against a brand new one and they knocked me as I had covered 39700 miles from new. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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