5th Year Maintenance Costs

[P_Dodd]

If you have had a motorhome for many years then this post is not for you as you have probably encountered those expenses yourself. It is intended for those that are new to Motorhoming or have only had a Motorhome for a couple of years.

 

I am the type of person who saves for known expenses such as my Motorhome Service, MOT, Habitation Checks etc. I also accept the Caravan and Motorhome Club’s advice that Motorhome Tyres should be replace after 5 years whether they appear to need it or not, as ultraviolet light deteriorates the rubber. So, when we bought our motorhome in 2016, I also started saving to replace the tyres after 5 years.

 

My Motorhome reached its 5th year this year and I have discovered some other expensive expenses that I did not know about, or save for. Last year, on the Motorhome’s 4th year service, I was warned by the garage that this year (year 5) it would be due for a timing belt change. Luckily, I asked them how much this was gong to cost and they quoted a 5th year service with timing belt change would be about £550, so that gave me 1 year to save the extra for that.

 

At the start of this year, the Vehicle battery started losing voltage quite quickly while the motorhome was in storage, so that was £156.22 to have a garage replace it. Unfortunately, that only improved the problem slightly as it was the two leisure batteries that were going wrong and hogging all the power from the solar panel, so I replaced them myself with the same make model etc. as the originals at a cost of £259.98

 

I had the 4 tyres replaced last month and the old tyres did have small cracks around the sidewalls just above the wheel rim. The cheapest I could find the original make model etc. tyres, was Asda Tyres at £169.98 each, fitted. Total £679.96. Asda tyres is online and they arrange to deliver the tyres to a local tyre garage to fit them at their expense.

 

I have now just had the 5th year service (Including the replacement timing belt), MOT, Habitation check and an aircon re-gas as it was not blowing cold. Total cost £986.83

 

All in, this year’s 5th year maintenance has cost £2082.99 and we still have not been able to get away in it yet this year. Hopefully soon.

 

I would encourage anyone with a Motorhome to think ahead and save for those major expenses so that you are not caught out and may decide to sell up.

[Brock]

Agree. It's one of the reasons I am sceptical about 'trying before you buy' which will not give you an insight into motorhome costs and the maintenance regime. The biggest cost is depreciation and that can be unseen until you want to sell.

 

I work on a Total Cost of Ownership over five years. Prior to lockdown, I estimated my total cost over 5 years ending 2024 would be £44,372 including standing costs such as depreciation and running costs such as fuel and sites. It does not include buying another motorhome afterwards which could add tens of thousands.

 

On the upside, I can justify the costs for the benefits it's brought/will bring so it doesn't bother me!

 

https://www.iveco.com/uk/Pages/tco.html

 

[aandy]

Brock - 2021-05-15 6:17 PM

 

It does not include buying another motorhome afterwards which could add tens of thousands.

 

On the upside, I can justify the costs for the benefits it's brought/will bring so it doesn't bother me!

 

https://www.iveco.com/uk/Pages/tco.html

Surely, if you have factored in depreciation then the cost of replacement is not part of the cost of ownership of your current van and has to be set against the next five years.

 

Prompted by the original post I've just done the sums for my current van, which I bought when it was nearly three years old. Including depreciation, all running and maintenance costs, site fees and ferry fares, and based on an average of 9000 miles a year, it comes to approximately £27,000.

[Brock]

Correct aandy. You have yo find the extra money for the second van.

[StuartO]

This thread reminds me of a salutary encounter with a salesman at motorhome show many years ago when I had been considering the purchase of a fairy expensive accessory, to whom I had expressed doubt that there was a cost/benefit case for buying. He placed his hand on my shoulder in a kindly way and said “There is nothing remotely cost effective about any part of motorhoming” - and of course he was absolutely right. Depreciation puts all other expenses markedly in the shade and substantial additional expenses are also pretty much unavoidable so I prefer not to follow them too closely. Even if you worked quite hard at renting your motorhome out when are not using it I doubt you could cover all the costs.

 

But I have found it possible to avoid piling up Fifth Year expenses apart from the highly desirable timing belt changes, because for example my tyres have been safe for at least seven years and a habitation service has not been necessary every year because I have been confident to do functional checks myself, although I have had a mechanical service at least annually. Starter batteries have needed replacement every seven years like clockwork so far but leisure batteries have been less predictable.

 

Fairly major recommissioning was necessary this year after 18 months storage and apart from mechanical service and timing belt (still to come) the biggest bill (nevertheless worthwhile) was a mobile valeting service. Hey ho, at least we’ve saved on depreciation by keeping our current (third) motorhome for 15 years so far and we’re still happy with it.

[curdle]

Brock - 2021-05-16 2:30 AM

 

Correct aandy. You have yo find the extra money for the second van.

I bought my original Hymer Van 522 in 2007 and when I sold it in 2019 i actually got back what I had paid for it new. It is the inflation in the new models that is the killer. I bought a new Hymer in 2018 and since then the same specification has increased by an incredible 14K. Fortunately (unfortunately) I do not expect to outlive the current MH, so don't expect to have to fund any future difference.

[Deneb]

curdle - 2021-05-15 7:57 PM

I bought my original Hymer Van 522 in 2007 and when I sold it in 2019 i actually got back what I had paid for it new. It is the inflation in the new models that is the killer. I bought a new Hymer in 2018 and since then the same specification has increased by an incredible 14K. Fortunately (unfortunately) I do not expect to outlive the current MH, so don't expect to have to fund any future difference.

If you mean that you got back the same amount in pounds sterling in 2019 as you paid for it in 2007, factoring in the real value of currency due to inflation, you suffered a loss of around 30 per cent.