grocer jack Posted September 6, 2007 Share Posted September 6, 2007 In the time I have been contributing to this forum I have seen many good pieces of advice, and am grateful to those who have answered my queries. I have also enjoyed putting in my own two penn’orth. However, one thing does puzzle me, and that is the belief of some people that before buying a motor home you should hire one for at least a week, as that is the only way to know whether you will like it. Why? When did you last hire the model and make of a car you were to buy, I got a ten minute test drive and that told me little. When I bought my house I looked round it on two or three occasions for half an hour. Have you ever test driven a new job? I don’t think so! And when I popped out of my mother’s womb I had no test drive of life, I just got on with it. The last three are more momentous than buying a motor home, so, come on, tell me why a test hire is so essential. (?) (?) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michele Posted September 6, 2007 Share Posted September 6, 2007 Did they all state the word ESSENTIAL ? I would do it BUT it's not ESSENTIAL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest starspirit Posted September 6, 2007 Share Posted September 6, 2007 You don't eat sleep cook wash etc in a car? Shall I go on? So if you have enough knowledge, experience and confidence not to need to try different layouts - then don't bother. Each to their own and good luck to all. However do bear this in mind. Plenty of folks buy expensive vans without trying the concept first and that is why there are so many under one year old vans available. Suits me 'cos I know what I want (35 years experience) and I do like a nice one year old well cared for hardly used but run in and sorted van where someone else has taken the biggest financial hit first. You pays yer money and you takes yer choice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted September 6, 2007 Share Posted September 6, 2007 some times you have to trust your instincts and get on with it.... you don't test drive the wife do you? Well............. :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michele Posted September 6, 2007 Share Posted September 6, 2007 You certainly don't test drive the husband first :D Test drive the others and keep the less worn for new if you see what I mean :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted September 6, 2007 Share Posted September 6, 2007 The advice to hire is usualy given to people who are not quite decided, interestingly when at 'interview' for my present job boss asked me 'can you start next week and do you want a contract of employment or to be self employed' I said 'yes I'll start next week, hold off on contract till I decide whearer I'm staying' , so yes I've test driven my job, as I had no job after traveling around the world. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crinklystarfish Posted September 6, 2007 Share Posted September 6, 2007 grocer jack - 2007-09-06 5:38 PM ...so, come on, tell me why a test hire is so essential. (?) (?) It isn't, it's just preferable if you aren't absolutely certain that your prospective (very expensive) purchase is going to be exactly what you want.Seems perfectly straightforward to me, I’m surprised you couldn’t work it out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BGD Posted September 7, 2007 Share Posted September 7, 2007 It's a purely personal judgement issue - Of course it's not essential......if you don't think it's essential. But if you do think it's essential, then of course it is. If as you say you have bought cars after only (in my personal opinion) an incredibly small time test driving it, and if you are happy to pay the large amount of your money on that basis, then that's fine. Personally I'd never do that. I'd never risk such a large amount of money (and such a large amount of future time that I'm going to be in that vehicle for) by using such a cursory judgement. Whenever I've bought new cars, or been choosing my next company car I've shortlisted cars based on the usual features/benefits/plusses/minuses based upon the brochures, the prices, and other user reviews, I've always demanded a demo car from the dealer for at leat 24 hours. Dealers can always get these demo cars from their national distributor, and so long as you sound very keen, they'll obtain one for you to try out over an extended period. On occasions, the actual manufacturing company can be contacted direct as several of them have a central loan/demo setup nationally....they'll even deliver and collect from your door. In a couple of cases I've had demo cars over a weekend - which is a great way for you and the rest of your family to really get to know the vehicle. A good 2nd hand dealer will normally still offer an extended test drive if you push him hard enough too. In the Motorhoming world these facilities for the loan of a demo-van for free don't (so far as I'm aware) yet apply.....so a good alternative option seems to me to be to hire one of the models that you think you are going to buy, to make sure it's rigt for you. All it may do is reinforce your view that, yes, this is the van size, engine type and power, cab comfort and layout, accomodation comfort and layout that is right for us. But (and here's the but!) 30, 40 or even 50 thousand pounds is a MASSIVE amount of money to spend on an un-tried product. And if you do get the purchase decison wrong, you're gonna drop a huge bundle of money selling or exchanging that van a few months later. Have a look around this and other forums at all the posts from the people who admit that they got their first, and sometimes subsequent, van decision wrong.....and none of those people intended to make that very costly mistake!! A couple of other thoughts: 1. I reckon that if you think about it, you actually DO test drive a new job. In very job I've ever taken there's been a trial period....primarlily for the employer to see if you are as you said you'd be; but also at any point you are of course free to simply hand in your notice and then walk away once you have served that notice period without any instant, huge direct financial penalty. 2. If you buy your houses, risking hundreds of thousands of pounds of hard-earned money, after only a couple of ten-minute walk-arounds, then good luck to you. In doing so, I suggest that you have a refreshingly brave (or foolhardy, depending upon your standpoint) attitude towards huge financial and happiness risks. I have and would ALAWYS inspect much more deeply than that....3rd, 4th 5th visit is perfectly OK; as is visiting at different times of the day, evening, weekend to understand the locality properly. And as is taking time and effort in talking to neighbours about their properties and the neighbourhood plusses and minuses, to build up as full and honest a picture as possible as to what it will REALLY be like to live in that house, in that area. Remember that just as with a van salesperson, the estate agent and present property owners want to sell you the house. So on the downside they'll only tell you what they think you want to hear. But on the upside they should be willing to accomodate a much wider and deeper level of property/services/equipment inspection from a serious potential buyer. Bottom line: if you don't want to try out a specific van before you buy, then don't bother. But just be clear about the size of both the happiness and financial risk of not getting the BEST van (for your needs) that you could have obtained for your money....and unless you try a few out you'll never actually know if there was a better one that you ignored. Good luck!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikey72 Posted September 7, 2007 Share Posted September 7, 2007 Yes, we hired a motorhome for a week, and decided we liked motorhoming enough to go out and buy one. We also decided the one we hired was too large, so we paid several thousand pounds out eventually for one that was actually right for us. I think the hire charge was very good for a weeks holiday, and it enabled us to decide that camping in a tent or renting cottages was no longer the way to go. But, if you're not sure that packing up every time you move, living on top of the rest of the family, being stuck in a very small room when it's raining with 3 bored children may not be right, rent one first. Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flicka Posted September 8, 2007 Share Posted September 8, 2007 The point is really for those with no previous experience Jack It is a mainly space thing to people I have spoken too. People can imagine if a house is suitable for their needs, as it is something they are familar with and usually base their descisions on their experience. They try to visulise what they can do, but living 24/7 in a confined space is not what they are familar with. Some will think it very daunting in, say, a VW lift -up top for 2 people, others will find it OK for say 2 adults & 2 children. Some can't imaging at all how 2 people can exist in such a small space. Others might decide they need the biggest A class or R/V as suitable, but having no experience of the reality of manouvering it on our minor roads, in carparks, etc.. might sour their enjoyment. So IMHO the amount spent on a weeks hire is a good investment when they have no experience and give them some understanding of what they actually must have, need, like to have, etc.. Instead of spending a large ammount of cash on something inappropriate and then having to live with it or lose a lot on trading in. You only have to look at all the "nearly" new Vans for sale to see it appears a lot of people made the wrong initial choice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grocer jack Posted September 10, 2007 Author Share Posted September 10, 2007 JudgeMental - 2007-09-06 6:05 PM some times you have to trust your instincts and get on with it.... you don't test drive the wife do you? Well............. :-D Yes! Didn't you? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted September 10, 2007 Share Posted September 10, 2007 grocer jack - 2007-09-10 1:10 PM JudgeMental - 2007-09-06 6:05 PM some times you have to trust your instincts and get on with it.... you don't test drive the wife do you? Well............. :-D Yes! Didn't you? Robert! thats a bit personal:-D. Mrs mental looks in from time to time and will not be amused *-) I have to agree for complete novices a week or two away in a van should help them decide if right for them... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Git Posted September 10, 2007 Share Posted September 10, 2007 JudgeMental - 2007-09-10 1:22 PM Mrs mental looks in from time to time and will not be amused *-) Love it Eddie. Now I wonder how long I shall live if I start calling mine "Mrs Git". B-) B-) Regards Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted September 10, 2007 Share Posted September 10, 2007 Old Git - 2007-09-10 3:32 PM JudgeMental - 2007-09-10 1:22 PM Mrs mental looks in from time to time and will not be amused *-) Love it Eddie. Now I wonder how long I shall live if I start calling mine "Mrs Git". B-) B-) Regards Dave we try to amuse, But I assure you there is nothing amusing regards Mrs Mental, she is a vicious sado masochist and that is one of her better traits...... Please be beware if you ever appear before me in my professional capacity. I will be duty bound to pass the ultimate deterrent of a good old fashioned neck stretch You will forgo the 400 lashes because of your age....... Always had a bit of a soft spot for the older delinquents :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel B Posted September 10, 2007 Share Posted September 10, 2007 JudgeMental - 2007-09-10 9:44 PM Old Git - 2007-09-10 3:32 PM JudgeMental - 2007-09-10 1:22 PM Mrs mental looks in from time to time and will not be amused *-) Love it Eddie. Now I wonder how long I shall live if I start calling mine "Mrs Git". B-) B-) Regards Dave we try to amuse, But I assure you there is nothing amusing regards Mrs Mental, she is a vicious sado masochist and that is one of her better traits...... Ah-ha ... so the noose has nothing to do with the 'day job' at all then, it's your 'after hours' entertainment .... :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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