Wappy idea....or is it?

[Guest JudgeMental]

I find it somewhat astonishing how some can be so cavalier in their attitudes....As long as its someone else and not them I guess! lol

[AliB]

ips - 2011-09-06 8:49 PM

 

I cannot possilbly be the only one on here who buys new.

 

We bought new even although our original plan was to buy used. Having decided the required layout and only real addition being cab aircon I'd have thought we would have found a good secondhand example easily. Not so. Despite a phone call to a dealer to confirm the spec. on arrival discovered the van did not have aircon. He then tried to sell us another vehicle that did have aircon but a different layout.

Looked at a private sale but declined as the interior was very grubby - mould and grime in the bathroom. It just had not been cleaned regulary.

Another van from a dealer had so many faults, broken kitchen table, broken blinds etc. I was suprised he allowed anyone to see it. Of course he said all the faults would be fixed prior to delivery. But you have to wonder at the treatment the van received from the previous owner.

I wont bore you with details of evry van we looked at.

 

After visiting several dealers with our spec. I was pleasantly suprised as to the discount we would receive on a new purchase. The wait for delivery was worth it - especially after christening the loo.

 

That was over 3 years ago and looking at secondhand prices we do not seem to have lost a huge amount through depreciation.

 

I would have considered buying abroad if I had had the confidence using a motorhome. But as this was our first motorhome decided there was advantages to source from a UK dealer. Next time a European dealer will get my money.

 

I am sure the right decision is to stick to your required specification and not to compromise.

[Guest JudgeMental]

A lot of German dealers order stock with most of the usual factory options fitted, and then sell on to custumers.... So no waiting, just go and get it! and they will add the awning/SOG/extra battery/sat system, whatever when you get there and swap over your bits as well....

[JamesFrance]

If I were planning to spend all year travelling in England, I would rather buy a narrowboat such as this one:

http://www.whiltonmarina.co.uk/used-narrowboats/details/1739.aspx

 

If you look at the interior pictures you can see the level of accommodation and equipment available for the price of a motorhome but in a secondhand narrowboat. Far more comfortable in winter, although when we lived on ours 10 years ago we spent the cold months motorhoming in Spain and Portugal through choice.

 

Our narrowboat weighed 25 tons, so loading it with personal items was no problem. We could also cruise for 4 hours on a gallon of diesel.

[nuevoboy]

Nice boat, but not really suitable for travelling the coastal roads (or even coastal water) of England and Wales methinks. ;-)

[Mel B]

Okay, to be serious for a minute ... would you be willing to let them have the use of your motorhome for a weekend to see how they got on? Even if this is just for them to stay on your drive (not at their home as too tempting for them to just 'pop back in' for this and that). This would give them the opportunity of using a motorhome to 'live' in and ensure they could cope, if you would let them toddle around in it to see how they got on with parking etc, even better, or take them out for a trip and see how you cope with it.

 

However, I would suggest that they'd need something a bit more substantion than a Talisman for living in full time, taking into account the comments above about winterisation, storage, payload etc.

 

As they are only intending on keeping it for a year, I would suggest that getting a new one is a no-no, unless they could get a massive discount to make up for the depreciation, but bear in mind that during the first year is the time when there are most niggles with things that need fixing, than in a 2/3 year old van which has had them sorted out by a previous owner - do they really want to spend time sorting them out and have this hassle of doing so?

 

As for letting out their house - this is NOT without danger/problem too and should be only undertaken after very careful consideration as to how they would cope if there were problems and they were 500 miles away who would sort them out? What would the be wiling to accept as 'wear and tear' as something will probably get damaged. They'd have to move out their own personal possessions and leave just the minimum in for the renters. I would suggest that if they cannot afford to do this without renting out their house they shouldn't do it especially as they will be inexperienced motorhomers - they may need to go back, such as for illness or if they have major problems with the motorhome which cannot be easily or quickly sorted, or simply because they miss being on 'terra-firma' rather than 'rubber' etc! Just because they have been together for a long time (I'm assuming) doesn't mean that in a confined space they won't want to kill each other after a few days couped up!!!

 

Instead of explaining issues as 'downsides' instead give them scenarios to consider as to how they will realisticly 'cope' with them - such as you have already mentioned of illness, homesick etc ... if they are not willing to give these the consideration they deserve, then they are very foolish IMV. They can't possibly cover every eventuality but they should at least plan for those that could possibly happen. Only once they have thought through the practicalities of their grand plan, shoudl they then even consider what base vehilce and motorhome they want! It sounds like they've got a bit carried away with the 'idea' of it all, without thinking it through - trudging around a campsite in the middle of winter to empty the toilet or fill up with water is not my idea of fun ... doing it for a few months would give me the heebie-geebies!!!

 

I don't wish to rain on their parade but this is not a decision to be taken lightly, as I know you appreciate - instead of a motorhome ask them what kind of thought and planning they would put into the process of moving into rental property for a year instead, somehow I think they'd be much more cautious. It may be the best solution would be to keep their home available (ie not rent it out) and just do a month/2 month trip, with a break in between, then another, etc, etc - even those of us who love motorhoming wouldn't want to live in it without a break for a year!

[SAS]

I have to agree Mel. It`s not so much what kind of m/h you have as long as it`s big enough but it`s all the other situations that might be the real problems.

She enjoys cooking and is quite a gourmet cook so that`s going to be out of the window most of the time. He loves his computer & the internet...won`t be so easy or quick to access as at home. I also don`t think you could realistically do the coastline in a year either. There are going to be loads of places where you could easily spend a week. It won`t be much fun just driving from place to place without looking around or taking in the sights. I also wouldn`t want to be on a campsite in the middle of January on a miserable, freezing cold, foggy or gale force day never mind trying to explore the coastline. Renting the house could also be a big problem as they won`t be able to return there should something crop up....in fact when I asked them what would they do if faced with a problem, he said "We`d stop at a Premier Inn......." 8-)

I agree it would be a nice idea to take off and see how far you`d get during the summer months but in my opinion it`s WAPPY one to try for 12 months...especially if you don`t have the option of being able to go home.