Why such low mileage on advertised motorhomes?

[Lizzy]

It amazes hubby and I! Do first timers make a bad choice on the layout ? Do they simply not like camping once they try it? It's a bit off-putting when searching the 'used' adverts of magazines to see so many motorhomes with such low useage! Honest opinions anyone? I suppose though that those who have sold up won't be making comments here anyway :-( ;-)

[Brian Kirby]

Not sure what you're comparing with.  Around 6,000 miles per year is "normal" for a motorhome, so the annual mileage will look sharply down on normal for a car.

However, the best advice is always "try before you buy" and yes, many folk do seem to get the first one wrong and change quite soon.  Also, it seems the idea appeals more that the reality for many.  Finally, I think many are tempted by the acres of internal space into buying motorhomes that are, simply, too large and encumbering as vehicles.  Do think hard about where you'll want to go with it and how you think you'll use it.  If it is to be used to get off the beaten track and into small towns and villages, be very wary of the width of many motorhomes.  A 2.3 metre wide van is very "tight" in a surprising number of places!

[scoutse]

Hi yes we bought a scout se in may this year with only 1500 miles on the clock having done 4000 miles in her to date we as a family find it to small for what we want and have trouble in storing things also the pay load is a factor to so we have now orderd a new dethflass 7078 big with garage for all our things we,v got the bug

[docted]

You are right there Lizzy but just think of the potential bargains that there are out there as a result.

[jumper]

You are right Lizzy.... Fact is most motorhomes spend their lives sitting on driveways. Dreaming, like thier owners, of far off and distant places they think they may visit sometime. My brother in-law is a class/motor dealer and does at times get low milage motorhomes in. In fact he put more milage on one recently going on his own two week holiday that the pre-owner had in its lifetime. I read a "trade" artical reecntly [forgot where] which said that the average motorhome spends just 23 days a year being used......work out the true cost of that! Cheaper to hire I would think. Me/Us? We are on our way back to Morocco, second time with desertdetours [I will keep mentioning them, as they were fantastic] this coming new year......then maybe Turkey.

[Lizzy]

Hiring is too costly and too many restrictions!

[Mel E]

There is, of course, a downside to these low mileages. Diesel van engines are built for intensive use and highmileages. Use as low as some motorhomes manage is positively bad for the engine, especially the turbo type. And always check the servicing. Our new 'van has 20,000 mile/ 2 year intervals, but I know many people ignore the time and just go by mileage. A low mileage van might never have been serviced.

[johnsandywhite]

:'( Low mileage should tell it's own story. It usually means the Motorhome has not been used much ie: possibly one or two holidays of up to 3 weeks each time. The rest of the time the Motorhome is possibly parked up and going no where. I know. I bought one. I shall never (maybe) buy an older low mileage Motorhome again. Especially from a dealer who has tarted it up to match the mileage. 8o|

[mikemoss]

Our first motorhome had only one owner and only 10,000 miles in five years - we should have put two and two together and realised that they hadn't really enjoyed it that much! We found it uncomfortable and the layout didn't work as well as we thought it would - for us. We exchanged if after only three months for an eight year old which has done 70,000 miles. We're now enjoying this one just as much as its previous three owners obviousl had, to judge from the mileage they put on (nearly 10,000 a year). Yes, these are based on commercial vehicles which are designed to be driven hard and rack up high mileages. The older one is now smoother, quieter and more economical than the newer one was, and provided we continue to look after it and get it serviced properly it should go on that way for many, many more miles yet (hope that isn't tempting providence...)