rmab Posted September 10, 2008 Share Posted September 10, 2008 Hello, and this is my first post so please be gentle! I have been motorhoming for two weeks now, and my pride and joy is sitting on the drive. Although not brand new, my dealer's website assures me that used motorhomes are valeted to a "showroom condition". Imagine my surprise to put a ladder to the side of her today and see a white roof covered in green algae and filthy! Am I being too picky? Does showroom condition not include the roof? You don't really take a twelve foot ladder when inspecting used motorhomes do you? Thanks for any advice / comments - I did spend £20000 after all. Richard :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
panagah Posted September 10, 2008 Share Posted September 10, 2008 Hi and welcome. I think that whatever the showroom tell you about condition is to be taken with a pinch of salt. Do the job yourself, much more rewarding and more likely to get the finish your looking for. Enjoy your MH it will get dirty no matter how hard you try. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malc d Posted September 10, 2008 Share Posted September 10, 2008 Hi rmab and welcome I wouldn't take too much notice of the term " showroom condition" any more than " low mileage" or " one careful owner" It's all a matter of opinion, and these terms are only a sales pitch. I would have expected it to at least be clean, but standards are bound to be different from place to place. Good luck with your van anyway and may you enjoy many great trips in it. :-| Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LordThornber Posted September 10, 2008 Share Posted September 10, 2008 Personally I would return to the dealer and politely invite their view as to whether the state of the roof would be acceptable to them if they were buying the van. I've always thought that the state of the roof reflects the rest of the van, i.e. if you can be bothered to get approx 160 sq foot clean at heights of 10ft on a ladder then the rest of the van won't be too bad either. Martyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malc d Posted September 10, 2008 Share Posted September 10, 2008 LordThornber - 2008-09-10 10:22 AM Personally I would return to the dealer and politely invite their view as to whether the state of the roof would be acceptable to them if they were buying the van. I've always thought that the state of the roof reflects the rest of the van, i.e. if you can be bothered to get approx 160 sq foot clean at heights of 10ft on a ladder then the rest of the van won't be too bad either. Martyn I agree,no harm in letting the dealer know what you think about it, but he might well say " all the motorhomes in this showroom have dirty roofs", confirming that this one was indeed in "showroom condition " ! ...and if that is their standard you will at least know to avoid them in future. ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmab Posted September 10, 2008 Author Share Posted September 10, 2008 Well thanks for the advice, I had really hoped the experience would be superior to buying a used car but I am beginning to think that was a bit naive. Thanks again Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ranger Posted September 10, 2008 Share Posted September 10, 2008 Hi rmab, welcome to the Forum, you don't have to be nuts but it does help. Perhaps the dirt was left on the roof to cover up a problem, that they did not want you to see. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted September 10, 2008 Share Posted September 10, 2008 I would be concerned as well...as if they are this slack, whats the chance of proper damp/gas checks etc..... being carried out 8-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted September 10, 2008 Share Posted September 10, 2008 rmab - 2008-09-10 11:55 AM Well thanks for the advice, I had really hoped the experience would be superior to buying a used car but I am beginning to think that was a bit naive. Thanks again A bit like buying a used car, but with more pitfalls Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LordThornber Posted September 10, 2008 Share Posted September 10, 2008 JudgeMental - 2008-09-10 1:59 PM I would be concerned as well...as if they are this slack, whats the chance of proper damp/gas checks etc..... being carried out 8-) Exactly my point Judge, if a dealer can clean the roof, everything else will surely follow. Martyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Tracker Posted September 10, 2008 Share Posted September 10, 2008 Showroom clean depends on the standards of the showroom and they do vary a lot. It is not uncommon to buy a van with a filthy roof and has happened to me several times. It happens because vans are parked for long periods often near trees and the owners as well as the dealers forget about the roof. Whenever it has happened to me the dealer has been too far away to warrant a return trip but a friendly phone call to them usually gets a bottle of cleaner and/or polish through the post by way of compensation - especially if you ask for these - but don't be shy! Failing that, it is no big deal as long as the roof is solid enough to get up on to clean, although it does usually involve some scrubbing with Jif and/or Flash or similar to shift the crud and a hose to rinse it all off, which means that you will probably get cold and wet up there! Far better to get the dealer to do it for you and then you can do it next year! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmab Posted September 10, 2008 Author Share Posted September 10, 2008 I wonder then if people should list those dealers who have provided clean motorhomes and those that haven't?? Wouldn't that make dealers take more care? rmab (lol) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Den Posted September 11, 2008 Share Posted September 11, 2008 Hi rmab I would feel very let down. "Showroom condition" To me would be exactly as stated. I'm sure i can speak for the majority of mh owners, who keep the roof clean like the rest of the mh. Out of site "not out of mind in this case". Has everything else ok. Using Fenwicks mh cleaner will do no damage and works well. Do not use any abrasive cleaners specially on the acrylic windows ect. Protect the mh from the ladders, Foam, towel ect or use steps and a long brush like those you find at the shows. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted September 11, 2008 Share Posted September 11, 2008 Mmm...Its a bind to do, but pointless cleaning a van without doing the roof first, or else within days if it rains you get black streaks down the walls due to the enviromental crud on the roof...well at least in London anyway *-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davenewellhome Posted September 12, 2008 Share Posted September 12, 2008 Whilst it is disappointing that your motorhome roof was left in a dirty state I have to say that if that's all you found that your not happy with then you did pretty well. D. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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