Habitation Checks in Italy Anyone ?

[paid2travel]

Hi everyone, I have a question on Habitation (Infiltration) checks in Italy please.

 

We’ve been looking for our first MH (with the layout we want) for around 5 months now and have spotted a LHD 2006 year old used MH with an Italian dealer and so far, looks (on-the-face-of-it) sound ie; one owner, low mileage, pics seem good too etc.

 

As newbies, we’ve been asking as much as possible about the vehicle over the last two weeks and have now obtained an Italian version of a Habitation check-sheet done on the MH in May this year.

 

Although the sheet has all the right ticks in all the right boxes and after translating most of the content, I can’t help feeling something’s not quite right with it.

 

Firstly, all the ticks have been inserted digitally but the header details of the vehicle have been hand written, so this means that after the test, either the sheet was filled out digitally then printed out, then the vehicle details were inserted in by hand, or, the sheet was printed out blank (but with all the ticks digitally in place) and hand written with the vehicle details afterwards, meaning a fake report !

 

Secondly, there is no individual report number associated with it making traceability very weak.

 

Thirdly, on closer inspection there appears to be faint grey makings under some of the hand written text of vehicle giving me the impression that Tipp-Ex has been used at some point.

 

So as I can’t establish whether this is just common practice in Italy, and the fact that there seems to be no association over there to compare what a standard Italian check-sheet should look like, I’m just wondering if anybody has had the same experience, or an I just being over cautious ?

 

Many thanks guys !

:-)

[Keithl]

Usual rule seems to apply, "If it sounds too good to be true it probably is!"

 

You have doubts now so don't waste any more time on it, look elsewhere for another.

 

Just my opinion for what it's worth.

 

Keith.

[Wasnt Me]

You could always ask if you can arrange and pay for your own Habitation check.

 

If the dealer says no, then forget it.

[Don636]

Sounds odd to me. Our habitation check is carried out by Vantage and the form is all filled in by hand. In contrast the service invoice and associated check sheets from the Fiat dealer are all filled out electronically.

I can see no logical reason why the habitation sheet should have the boxes ticked electronically but the vehicle details added by hand. My approach when buying vehicles has always been, if in doubt don’t buy. Trust your instincts and do not let your heart rule your head.

[spirou]

I've never seen anyone doing such checks outside UK. Then again, you've also got some weird insurance and H&S laws. So my guess would be they found something just to satisfy your inquiry? In any case, I wouldn't be buying a MH without going over it myself, official habitation check or no.

[weldted]

For a 2006 report to be perfect? I would of thought there would be a couple of advisories at least.

Having spent over 25 years repairing them. Do they have the previous hab check report.

[Brian Kirby]

How is your Italian? Are you relying on the dealer's English? If so, are you absolutely confident that nothing is getting lost in translation?

 

The van is with a dealer somewhere in Italy? You'll presumably want to visit the dealer to check that the van is OK before paying? You don't say where the dealer is, but Italy is over 600 miles from north to south.

 

You'll presumably then want to get the van from Italy back to UK? Have you investigated insurance for the van? If not, I suggest you do. It can be quite difficult getting insurance to drive vans just from northern France back to UK. Germany is a little easier, as you can obtain export insurance from German dealers (this comes in conjunction with the temporary export licence plates that, afaik, are unique to Germany). It is generally third party only, and provides no cover whatever against accidental damage to the van.

 

It is approximately 700 miles from the French channel ports to the Italian border. Driving (assuming you can get insurance to do so) a strange, untested, 13 year old, vehicle from the Italian dealer to your home looks to me like an act of faith of breathtaking magnitude! I assume that you would want breakdown insurance? Have you investigated this, and if the vehicle were to break down, and couldn't be fixed at the roadside, you would then have to get it repaired in whatever country you were in, and pay for the repairs. If you then wanted to re-claim the cost of repair from the Italian dealer you would need to pursue him for your costs from UK.

 

In short, what I'm really asking is why you are considering buying from a dealer so far from the UK?

 

Getting a personal import back to UK, registered, MoT Tested (the Italian vehicle test will be invalid in UK) and finally legally insured under its new, UK, registration number, is unlikely to be completed within the period of latitude allowed to UK insurers between the point in time at which they accept the risk, and the point in time art which they are legally obliged to enter the vehicle onto the Motor Insurers' Bureau database. These administrative procedures can be challenging to complete within the allowed timescale even for vehicles bought within 8 hours driving time from your home, but from Italy?

 

Final thought. Where would you keep the van once back home? Ideally, it will need to be parked on private land, and only driven on UK roads in connection with the MoT test and a VOSA inspection, until the registration procedure is completed.

 

What I'm trying to say is that looking at France, Belgium, Germany, or possibly Holland, as the source for your van will make the task of re-registering in UK much more certain and simpler than trying to import from Italy.

 

Sorry, I'm not trying to put you off, and my apologies if you have already run all the investigations, and have solutions to the various, foreseeable problems, but I think shopping a lot nearer home would be much wiser. Good luck with whatever you decide.

[charleydog]

YOU MUST BE NUTS , MATE! to even consider such a thing. Brian is the fountain of all wisdom. Read and obey! :-D

[paid2travel]

THE ITALIAN JOB!

 

Thank you to all who’ve advised and commented on our proposed escapades in Italy, and we take on board everything that has been mentioned so far, the good the bad, and the ugly, plus a special thanks to Brian’s thorough and thoughtful reply too.

 

Since embarking on our new quest to become Motorhome Nomads in March this year, we have to say, we’ve found that the process of buying a house seems infinitely more simpler than a MH, although the stress levels are probably on a par.

 

Just so you know our situation, we’re looking for a LHD as we’re going to spend many months away in Europe even though people are telling us ‘what’s the point, you’ll never sell it again and it’s easy driving in Europe with a RHD’.

 

Anyway, we’ve only found one MH of our chosen layout, make, style, age and budget available in the UK, being in N/Ireland. After getting there and viewing it, it seemed ideal but when we arranged for a Hab check to be done, the results showed small amounts of water ingress, so we thought about looking into Europe but haven’t found any of what we’re looking for in France, Belgium or Germany to date.

We then flew to the Puglia province of Italy to view a similar model but found a lack of historical vehicle documentation and certification from the private seller which made us feel uneasy plus the habitation seating was very uncomfortable, especially when being driven, so that was that.

 

You might be forgiven for thinking why the hell are we still looking for our chosen layout etc, just find another type!. Well we’ve physically seen over two hundred MHs of all shapes & sizes (RHDs & LHDs) in the past four months (albeit some of them were similar types to each other) but because we want a layout which demands total flexibility for accommodating us for long periods of time, plus family & friends joining us along our journey, Fixed beds/Island beds, U-shaped seating, Side-seating, and low profile designs not only eats up space, but inhibits our capacity for belted travelling seats too, hence bunk beds, over-head cab bed, and two dinette centre tables which convert into double & single beds, giving us ample space and choice.

 

So now we’ve found this latest one in Florence with a dealer (the one with the potentially dodgy Hab check).

 

Over the last few weeks, I’ve been making enquires with the DVLA and the V55/5 NOVA online process regarding registering an imported vehicle and also made contact with the EU citizen vehicle registration dept, Italian ACI Automobile club, Italian PRA (Public Automobile Registry), plus a few others I’m still waiting on to get a sense of not only what might be involved, but the authenticity and traceability of how vehicle data is controlled over there. The administration process package to validate a new ownership transfer, deed of sale, etc and permanently release a camper from the PRA system in this region of Italy is around €450 to €550 Euros.

 

But I’m drawing a blank on Habitation checks as I can’t find any procedure or regulation for such inspections. In fact, I’m not sure if any European country (including the UK) has a legal requirement for this test?

 

I’ve also just obtained the registration number of this latest one and will try to see if I can access a couple of Italian sites that might allow me to retrieve the history of it without going through the normal channels.

Picking up on Brian’s valid points, I did enquire about insurance but that was a while ago so yes, that side definitely needs revisiting. If anyone knows of a company that’ll take on the temporary Ins cover just to get it back into the UK, it would be very useful, just in case I may need it if a purchase ever materializes in the future.

 

I am sure there’s a lot more to find out and consider but at least we’re learning as we’re going along, which makes our decision making process that much easier (I think ?) and although it’s frustrating we’re trying to view our adventures with an optimistic outlook but balancing that with some realisation of the reality in front of us.

 

So anyway, onwards and upwards as they say!

 

Martin

:-D

[Brian Kirby]

Martin, it may help if you were to say what make, model, and age of van you are looking for. It is possible that someone on here may know of alternatives with similar characteristics. Also, it should allow an understanding of the size of van you are considering.

 

From your description, it seems that it will be quite large, which raises two issues. First, do you have a driving licence for vehicles over 3.5 tonnes max weight? Second, it seems you will need a considerable payload. If buying a large Italian made van, do be aware that although popular with the Italian hire market, a number of these type of vans do not have the payload for the kind of use you are contemplating. I would add that you need to be very cautious when looking at claimed payloads, as some manufacturers are a little economical with the truth when presenting the facts.

 

It is possible to increase the maximum allowable mass (MAM) of most motorhomes, but because each axle has its own, individual, weight limit, and because the load carried in a van is seldom evenly distributed, the re-plating is very unlikely to yield the gain that the arithmetic may suggest. This is mainly to do with the length of the rear overhang of the van (the distance from the centre of the rear axle to the actual rear wall of the van). Due to leverage, load placed behind the rear axle imposes more than its self-weight on the rear axle and reduces by the same amount the load placed on the front axle. Load carried between the two axles merely distributes in proportion to its location relative to the distance between the two axles (the wheelbase).

 

The upshot is that although the amount by which the MAM could be increased may look impressive, it is almost invariably the case that the total that you can actually carry will be limited by the load on the rear axle. It is a lot simpler, and cheaper, to get a van that already has an adequate MAM, complemented by a suitably generous maximum permissible rear axle load. The standard Fiat chassis (max rear axle load 2,000kg), when coupled with a long rear overhang and a voluminous body, is not the ideal starting point in this respect.

 

My final thought is that in view of your plans for long term travel, it may be wise to hold off until after Brexit before buying. If/when we cease to be members of the EU and become a "third country", the rules on how long you can stay in the EU (specifically Schengen) will change and, unless these are varied from the present rules, you will only be allowed to spend 90 days within any 180 day period in the Schengen area, with the 180 day period commencing when you first enter Schengen, and your entry and exit being logged, with a substantial fine for over-staying. The next 180 day period cannot begin before the expiry of the first. To exceed these limits you will need a long term Schengen visa that is valid in all Schengen states, or once the 90 days has expired, you will have to leave the Schengen area for the next 90 days.

[BruceM]

paid2travel - 2019-07-31 4:41 PM

 

But I’m drawing a blank on Habitation checks as I can’t find any procedure or regulation for such inspections. In fact, I’m not sure if any European country (including the UK) has a legal requirement for this test?

 

:-D

 

Quite, habitation checks are much like having an AA inspection of a prospective second hand car purchase. Some people have them done, some of us do our own and some people never bother at all. I suspect the same is true for most countries. Incidentally, bear in mind that a habitation check is just for the habitation area so if you’re buying second hand and need the vehicle to be long term reliable then unless you have the knowledge yourself, have the base vehicle professionally checked as well. An MOT pass or the equivalent is no guarantee that the van won’t have an expensive break down 200 miles after picking it up.

[BruceM]

paid2travel - 2019-07-31 4:41 PM

 

Anyway, we’ve only found one MH of our chosen layout, make, style, age and budget available in the UK, being in N/Ireland. After getting there and viewing it, it seemed ideal but when we arranged for a Hab check to be done, the results showed small amounts of water ingress, so we thought about looking into Europe . . .

 

Also, is the van in N Ireland worth another look?

 

I’m thinking that if the small amounts of water ingress has not resulted in damage (hopefully the hab test details) then would it be of less risk to buy that van (at a further reduced price?) and have the water ingress issue fixed?

[paid2travel]

Bruce, that's a good point. We have considered this quite a bit since we saw it.

 

The only worry we have is that trying to establish the root cause may really turn out to be very hard to pin down and the costs could escalate over time.

 

Its a call we'd rather not like to make, especially as it's our first MH purchase. *-)

[paid2travel]

We’ve been looking for Mobilvetta Huari 1002 models (2004-2007) which has a FWD 3.0 ltr 136hp Renault Master cab. MH Dims; L 7,040 x W 2,200 x H 3,040 mm

 

Obviously, I don’t have a cab handbook or brochure at my disposal, I’m just going on what I’ve picked up along the way, so please don’t shoot the messenger before its chirped and fluttered its wings!

 

TTL Weight plate 3,500 kg - 1) 1,870 kg, 2) 2,060 kg which I guess gives a payload of 430 kg ??? either way, I’m aware we have to weigh the van + axles at a local weighbridge facility, however, if we can’t totally rely on manufacturers’ stated weights, then how are we supposed to make accurate and responsible judgements if the makers don’t ? especially if we are supposed to ideally look for vans with a heavier weight than 3,500 kg plus higher axle weights too ?? confused - I certainly am !!

 

Anyway, we’ve both passed our driving test before 01/1997 so at least that’s one small ray of hope in all of this (until we reach 70 yrs though, of course).

 

Before I lose the will to live, regarding waiting for Brexit to happen or not happen, after 3 yrs of political indecision, incompetence or deceit, call it as you wish, that’s one area I now refuse to worry about anymore. Wherever we end up, if we get 90 days out of each single visit then I for one, would be over the moon, it we don’t, we just move on.

 

I used to be a “what if” person, but after many decades procrastinating, I’ve become a “why not” person now. Life’s too short!!

;-)

[Keithl]

paid2travel - 2019-08-01 12:53 AM

 

We’ve been looking for Mobilvetta Huari 1002 models (2004-2007) which has a FWD 3.0 ltr 136hp Renault Master cab. MH Dims; L 7,040 x W 2,200 x H 3,040 mm

 

 

TTL Weight plate 3,500 kg - 1) 1,870 kg, 2) 2,060 kg which I guess gives a payload of 430 kg ???

 

Martin,

 

Sorry to point out that you are reading these figures incorrectly.

 

The 3,500 kg figure is your GVW or MPTLM. This is the MAXIMUM weight of the vehicle fully loaded ready to travel. It CANNOT be exceeded under any circumstances without risking a fine/penalty for overloading.

 

The 1,870 kg figure is your MAXIMUM Front axle weight and the 2,060 kg the Rear axle maximum. These total greater than the GVW/MTPLM to allow for position of load so you do not overload either axle. Typical 're-plating' exercises utilise this 'excess' capacity but may lead to difficulties in actual use as one axle may be more prone to overloading than the other.

 

The only way to find out your payload is to get the actual MH weighed in as near empty condition as you can. Never trust manufacturers brochures as they typically allow for a +/- 5% (or greater) inaccuracy!

 

Keith.

[Brian Kirby]

I think, as you have surely discovered, that you have chosen a very rare van. I searched mobile.de to see what came up and there is only one Hurari listed, and that is a 1102 on the Iveco base. Layout looks similar to your description and is in Italy near Perugia. However, it is a biggish van, with a long rear overhang so I'd be suspicious that, at 3,500kg it will lack adequate payload, especially at the rear. Got to run now, but I'll explain a bit later on about the payload problem (as I've encountered it) with Italian vans of that vintage.

[Derek Uzzell]

Martin’s interest in a Mobilvetta Huari 1002 was first mentioned in June here

 

https://forums.outandaboutlive.co.uk/forums/Motorhomes/Motorhome-Matters/Mobilvetta/51783/

 

and I provided there a link showing an example

 

https://www.gumtree.com/p/campervans-motorhomes/mobilvetta-huari-1002-lhd-7-berth-bunk-beds-for-sale./1306786464

 

Although (logically) this model of motorhome should be most easily found in Italy, the logistics of sourcing it from that country would be very challenging with many potential pitfalls.

 

I ‘self-imported’ a new motorhome from Germany in 2005, but I would never have considered doing this from Italy.

 

Rather than focus on the fine detail of Italian motorhome habitation-check documentation, Martin would be well-advised to research (in depth) what buying a motorhome abroad and importing it into the UK entails.

 

Realistically, if a Huari 1002 proves impossible to find in the UK or Ireland, or in Germany or a European country close to the Channel, choose something else.

[Brian Kirby]

In addition to Derek's sage comments above, and as I said above that I'd try to cover the payload issue in greater detail, here is my take that topic. I believe it is reasonably accurate, but if anyone spots errors please say, as we all learn all the time! :-)

 

1. Simply stated, payload is the difference between the value given at line 2 of the manufacturer's VIN (the Vehicle Identification Number, or Chassis Number) plate, and the unladen weight of the vehicle. The line 2 value is the Maximum Allowable Mass (MAM) at which it is legal to operate the vehicle on the road. (Line 3 is the maximum allowable front axle weight, and line 4 the maximum allowable rear axle weight. Forget line 1 unless you are considering towing a trailer.) Note that for motorhomes, which are completed in stages, it only the final stage plate (that applied by the actual motorhome manufacturer) that is relevant. Other plates, usually those of the base vehicle manufacturer (e.g. Fiat, etc.), possibly AlKo if an AlKo chassis is included, are not relevant.

 

2. Unladen weight (ULW) is a legal definition which is not quoted by motorhome manufacturers. It is the weight of the vehicle including all fixtures, but minus all loose equipment (including jack and wheel-brace) and all fluids except engine oil. So, without any fuel. It's significance in UK is that if ULW exceeds 3,050kg, the vehicle is restricted to lower speed limits on motorways, dual carriageways and otherwise unrestricted national roads. It is therefore a value that is almost impossible for a vehicle owner to prove, since one cannot drive a vehicle that has no fuel in its tank to a weighbridge. The work-around (if you need to check what speed limits will apply in UK), is to brim the fuel tank (the capacity of which will be found in the owners handbook for the vehicle), remove everything loose, drive to a weighbridge and get the vehicle weighed (ideally getting the front and rear axle loads at the same time) and then, if necessary (because you'll only need to do this if the vehicle comes in over 3,050kg with a full tank), deduct the weight of the tank full of fuel at 0.86kg per litre. By contrast, when abroad, any lower speed limits will depend on whether the plated MAM exceeds 3,500kg.

 

3. Because of the above difficulty in establishing ULW, motorhome manufacturers use "Mass in Running Order", or MIRO. This is established under a European Standard, in which it is defined as the weight of the vehicle (subject to a tolerance of +/- 5%), with all items such as jack, wheel-brace and any other essential tools, plus the fuel tank 90% full, the water tank 90% full, one gas cylinder 90% full, a driver at a nominal 75kg, with both waste water and toilet cassette empty. However, not all manufacturers adhere to this standard, some including the reservoirs at 100% and, more commonly in recent years, with the water tank containing only 20 litres. So, you do need to read the manufacturer's definition to check what is, actually included. Note that the weights of all passengers in addition to the driver are treated as payload.

 

4. In the case of some older Italian made vans, MIRO was not stated, and the van would be delivered with a statement of the actual unladen weight as measured at works. What was included in this weight can only be established if the document is handed over with the other vehicle documentation. Where the original buyer did not anticipate payload problems, this could lead to the van being loaded with options and packs and, unless the dealer warned of the diminishing payload, arriving with an inadequate payload that would only become apparent when/if its owner took it to a weighbridge fully laden and discovered it was overloaded.

 

5. So, it is necessary to look carefully at the fine print when establishing what is, and is not, included. This weight will be quoted against the basic specification for the model, so that the weight of any upgrades, options or “packs” etc. that may have been included in the vehicle specification (base vehicle or conversion, whether added at the works or added later by the dealer or anyone else), will add to the MIRO, so reducing the payload. This can be difficult to establish on used vehicles, where previous owners' additions (awnings, satellite TV systems, solar panels, wind-out awnings, bike racks, tow bars, etc.) may not always be obvious.

 

6. Note that German vans, unless otherwise stated, usually quote the weight of an aluminium gas cylinder of 11kg capacity, whereas UK and French vans, unless otherwise stated, usually quote a steel cylinder of 13kg capacity. The 11kg German aluminium cylinders weigh around 12kg, so approx. 23 kg for a full cylinder: the 13kg British steel cylinders weigh around 15kg, so approx. 28kg for a full cylinder. For gas lockers with space for two gas cylinders, only the first will be included in MIRO. The second cylinder will count as payload, as will the difference in weight between the quoted 11kg aluminium German, and 13kg steel British, first cylinders.

 

7. Because of this, and that all important +/-5% tolerance on the vehicle weight based on its basic specification, the published weights should be used with great caution. My approach is to take the published figure as a rough estimate, adjust as necessary for options etc. bung on a factor of safety to cover the +5% tolerance, and only proceed if the result looks viable. Then, when the vehicle is delivered, fill the fuel tank and take it as delivered to a weighbridge and weigh it in that state, deducting the result from the MAM to give the actual usable payload for the vehicle.

 

8. As previously stated, although it is possible to re-plate a vehicle to a higher MAM, the practical advantage gained, especially on a vehicle with a long rear overhang, can be sharply reduced due to the rear axle load limit. Trying to uprate the permissible rear axle load gets costly, so it is better to ensure that the vehicle has either adequate scope for re-plating, or ideally, is already on a suitably equipped chassis. Some motorhomes are delivered on a “heavy” chassis that is down-plated by the converter to 3,500kg to suit the driving licence limitations of most buyers. This can only be discovered by reference to lines 3 and 4 of the final stage VIN plate, but note that to accommodate the inevitably uneven distribution of load between the two axles, the sum of the two axle limits will always exceed the plated MAM. For example, the current axle loads for the Fiat Ducato on the heavy chassis total 4,500kg, whereas for the standard chassis they total 3,850kg. (Other, and older, base vehicles will differ)

 

I hope this helps a bit. It is not intended as a spoiler (honest! :-D) but it is a somewhat complex issue. I don't want to labour the point, it's just that getting it wrong can lead to disappointment and/or expense, which are not the ideal introduction to the pastime we all enjoy.

[paid2travel]

Thanks guys !, there’s certainly a lot of food for thought here.

 

The vehicle VIN plate of the van we previously looked at only had line numbers 1 & 2. The plate’s sequential descending order of data was as follows; 3500kg. 0000kg. 1)1870kg. 2)2060kg. but I didn’t see any line numbers 3 or 4

 

I think whenever we eventually get a MH, we’ll follow the advice of firstly weighing it as empty as possible, then we’ll know what allowance we have left to play with, then build a weight list of all those loose items prior to being reinstated back on the van so we have some idea how close we’ll hopefully be to our limit. It sounds like we won’t hardly have any flexibility for additional internal/external fixed accessories though.

 

If this next van we’re looking at disappoints, we’ll probably have to wait and buy in the UK which ironically, was what we intended from day one.

 

Martin

*-)

[Derek Uzzell]

A ‘generic’ VIN-plate is shown on the attached image below.

 

A coachbuilt motorhome with Type Approval should be expected to have two (or possibly three) VIN-plates and the weight-related values (in descending order) for a motorhome with two axles (one at the front; the other at the rear) will show

 

- The maximum authorised weight of the vehicle alone.

- The maximum authorised combined weight of the vehicle and anything being towed.

- The maximum authorised front axle loading.

- The maximum authorised rear axle loading.

 

In the case you mention, the motorhome’s maximum authorised weight was 3500kg; apparently no ‘towing’ weight was specified; the maximum authorised front and rear axle loadings were respectively 1870kg and 2060kg.

 

A ‘Line 3’ weight would only be present on a VIN-plate if the motorhome had two rear axles and a ‘Line 4’ weight would only be given if a motorhome had three rear axles.

 

(Do you really appreciate the potential pitfalls regarding buying a motothome abroad and importing it to the UK? Habitation-check documentation and - to some extent - payload considerations need thinking about, but you need to be confident that you know what the buying/importing/registration procedure actually involves.)

[paid2travel]

Derek, many thanks for your information and attachment. Your comments are also noted.

[Derek Uzzell]

This 2015 PistonHeads forum discussion relates to buying a vehicle in Italy and importing it to the UK

 

https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=1512894

 

The ‘safest’ way would be to have the vehicle transported from the Italian vendor’s premises to the new owner’s address in the UK. But, even then, obtaining valid motor insurance cover in the UK while the vehicle is still not UK registered may be tricky.

 

I note the posting about buying a secondhand Ferrari Modena in Italy and driving it back to the UK that suggests that Italy has an exporting process that MIGHT be similar to Germany’s. It’s worth adding that, while UK-registering a LHD car may be a simple on-line process, UK-registering an imported LHD motorhome (wherever it was bought from abroad) is more complicated.

[paid2travel]

 

I did make the trek over to Florence to see the MH (Mobilvetta Huari 1002) and had a good look around it and went out in it too. Overall, the underside and engine did look in surprisingly good condition, although the ride was just a tab hard for an air suspension vehicle, but I guess that could be adjusted.

 

I've now seen the underside of three Mobilvetta models and in fact, they all appear to have a sound under-body, perhaps due to their double floor protection? However, the inside did show some small signs of previous dampness around one of the overhead cab windows and what looked like a dried-up water stain running down inside a large cupboard. The dealer said it could be down to condensation when a vehicle is parked next to a wall etc for long periods. Even though I knew it was a 2006 version, most of the upholstery was quite badly faded (which couldn't be detected in the pics) so it definitely needed replacing, and a few window blinds didn't close properly, the rear bathroom window didn't close at all and there was no gas to check the cooker fridge etc.

 

They had a large workshop there and said they can fix any of the minor issues I found and offered a long warranty but I knew the MH had been in the yard for over four months and I could see they hadn't bothered to clean it up inside, especially considering I came from the UK so I just got the feeling that they didn't seem too concerned about it's appearance.

 

On the other hand, the company was a relatively small family run concern and standards can vary considerably in different countries so I had to bear some of this in mind too.

 

So on reflection, weighing up all that I saw, plus the fact that they've never sold a MH to a foreigner, and coupled with the GBP/EUR dropping like a lead balloon, perhaps it's time to wait until the autumn and wait for the right one to turn up in the UK.

 

Although it was a disappointing trip, the experience was invaluably and have learnt a lot from it.