Why Buy New?

[Guest Slacker]

I've just bought my first motorhome and it was new. Here's my economics. If I'd bought a used one that had been slept in by God knows who, who'd done God know's what in the bed, then I would only be half as happy as having a brand new one. So my new van, which was only one third more than the price of a used one, gives me twice as much pleasure. Seems right to me!

 

I have a mate who seems to be a fairly normal chap, but he's got a fetish about spending money and will never stay on a site. Consequently he can be away for weeks and never have a shower and he subjects his wife to the same regime! That's fine, if he wants to live like that it's a free country say I and good luck to him. But would you want to run the risk of buying a used motorhome knowing that the previous owner may be someone like him? Personally, I would never be able to sleep comfortably for my skin crawling! New for me every time!

[StAubyns]

We spent a year looking at second/third/fourth/fifth hand vans and could not find one that we would be comfortable with. We had seen a new one outside our budget that we liked, a financial window of opportunity opened, so we bought it. No regrets. We have had it 18 months, done 8,000 miles, and cant wait to get out in it again. The plan is to keep it until I can't or don't want to drive it again.

 

Our last buy was a caravan for for which we paid £4,800, we kept it for 15 years and sold it 2 years ago for £1,000.

 

Quite frankly, I could not care less about the economics, it was boring at college, and its boring now. If I can afford it and I thinks its value for money, thats what matters.

 

Geoff

 

 

[Guest Tracker]

Slacker - 2007-11-01 12:08

I have a mate who seems to be a fairly normal chap, but he's got a fetish about spending money and will never stay on a site. Consequently he can be away for weeks and never have a shower and he subjects his wife to the same regime! That's fine, if he wants to live like that it's a free country say I and good luck to him. But would you want to run the risk of buying a used motorhome knowing that the previous owner may be someone like him? Personally, I would never be able to sleep comfortably for my skin crawling! New for me every time!

 

 

You do not have to have a daily shower to be clean Clive as it is quite possible, and probably somewhat easier in most vans, to have a good strip down wash every morning rather than a shower.

 

Then there is the regular changing of clothes and bedding, as well the use of a laundrette whilst away to consider, so do not delude yourself that a well used shower room means clean owners because that particular 2 + 2 does not always make 4!

 

The PC brigade have become obsessed with showering these days but it would be more to the point if we all accepted that there is more than one way of keeping clean and odour free.

 

Can we assume then that these folk who would only ever buy a new van because of fear of a used bed would never stay in a Hotel in case the bed had been used before?

[Guest Tracker]

For more reasons to be wary of buying new see the '2008 Autotrail' thread

[Guest Slacker]

But to my mind a man who is so money-obsessed that he will not even use water for showering, even when his 'van has (or had) a perfectly good shower, is also the kind of man who won't wash his sheets often enough, or even his underwear. I'm sure that you Mr Tracker are not this kind of person as you are a really nice man, who never gets upset by anyone and who never wishes anyone else any harm (we know this because you tell us regularly). But my point is that I don't want to take the risk of a previously owned 'van having been owned by such a person. It's also why I prefer go on holiday in my new motorhome rather than in hotels.

[MandyAndy]

We bought new because we trailed around many a van second hand and new and checked out all the designs and what we needed, the only thing you couldn't change was the smell of others, be it dog, smoke, BO or general cooking each van has a smell of its own, as we all do.

 

I am sure our van now has a smell of us but sad though it maybe to some we cut our cloth accordingly and bought the layout we wanted at a price that suited us, and new. We have no regrets and have just clocked up 10,000 since March and loved every inch of them.

 

As others have said good job some like new or we would loose the second hand market and vice versa, we would have a very large Motorhome mountain if it wasn't for those who preferred that option.

 

Mandy

[Guest Tracker]

Slacker - 2007-11-01 11:04 AM

 

But to my mind a man who is so money-obsessed that he will not even use water for showering, even when his 'van has (or had) a perfectly good shower, is also the kind of man who won't wash his sheets often enough, or even his underwear. I'm sure that you Mr Tracker are not this kind of person as you are a really nice man, who never gets upset by anyone and who never wishes anyone else any harm (we know this because you tell us regularly). But my point is that I don't want to take the risk of a previously owned 'van having been owned by such a person. It's also why I prefer go on holiday in my new motorhome rather than in hotels.

 

Quite frankly You seem to be showing some very muddled thinking here Clive - if indeed that is your real name?

 

Either that or you deliberately choose to take comments out of context and attempt to use them to justify your own actions?

 

Quite frankly Your lightly veiled assertions about the hygiene habits of someone whom you have never met are entirely illogical and many people could be quite offended by your attitude.

 

Whether anyone chooses to take a shower or chooses to have a thorough wash each day is a personal choice and you might like to consider whether being as offensive as you are is really OK as long as you think that you can qualify it in the way that you have attempted?

 

The fact that you prefer a new van to a used one is an entirely separate issue and is not a problem - it is after all your money and your choice.

 

You do not need to justify your choice to me or to anyone else in any way shape or form let alone in such a veiled offensive manner.

 

If you wish to disagree with my views that is fine but, frankly, at least be man enough to have the decency to do it without personal attacks please.

 

[Champstar]

We bought a 23 yr old autotrail and kept it for a month...in that time we got used to the life and loved it...hence we decided to buy a new van as it would be ours and the fact that not being mechanically minded we did not want to fixing this and that all the time.

 

I must say I was really impressed by the build quality of old "Daisy" esp as since 23 yr old and still sound....wish I could have bought a new one but we cut our cloth and found a van we could afford that had a layout we find comfortable.....so really it is down to personal choice.

[enodreven]

Hi, Just a question

 

You buy this years MH with the layout that suits etc for 40000 you go back to the dealers 1 year later and see next years model with more or less the same layout etc that suits you and the dealer offers you 34000 for your vehicle against the new years model at 46000 how much does the years motorhome actually cost you ?? 6000 or 12000 just to get back to where you were 1 year ago

 

??

[Guest Tracker]

Won't cost you a penny unless you choose to Brian.

 

As long as we all get what we want within our own budgets that is all that matters - one man's delight is another man's folly!

[enodreven]

Hi,

 

I am a great believer in if you have the money buy what you like as you can't take it with you ?? unless someone know better ?

 

Tracker - 2007-11-01 5:42 PM

 

Won't cost you a penny unless you choose to Brian.

 

As long as we all get what we want within our own budgets that is all that matters - one man's delight is another man's folly!

[Brian Kirby]

"So...........for those who've come at this choice from the other end and did buy brand new rather than saving vast amounts of money buying used which they could have then spent elsewhere, could you explain the logic to me of why did you not buy used?

Cheers,

Bruce."

Purely so, dear Brucey, that you may buy them secondhand afterwards.  What possible other reason could we have?  But that sentence of yours is a bit of a bugger!

[KD]

why not if you can afford it and its your interest you cannot put a price on happiness

[panagah]

duplicate post :$

[panagah]

:$ and again :$ its the next one.

[panagah]

what a good post/thread.

Now then I must agree initally with the poster but my story is not like the lord and lady of Blackburn. (incidently if your that wealthy why on earth would you choose Blackburn to live)

 

I have a young family and can afford what I can afford. I have two cars to run a house to live in etc etc. This is the way I look at it. I brought 2 years ago, a motorhome for 20k. It ticked all my boxes, rear bunks for the kids, a nice layout, and of course the added extras at new, bike rack awning top box etc. I paid half there and then and financed the rest. I made a few improvements to get exactly what I wanted. reecently i attended the motorhome show at the NEC intent on buying a new van. I always wanted a motorhome and had previously had a caravan and a tent because financially could not afford a MH. I thought I would buy new at the MH show. I looked and looked, the closest van that I could see to my requirements came at £33k + the extra that i required 2K. The dealer offered me 17k for my van. I thought about it for a while. Then thought what is a new van giving me that I dont have in my current van? answer was a better cab layout ie cruise, AC, electric windows. In the living area nothing. I therefore came to the conclusion that for 17k I could have say 2k on improvements to my already good and capable motorhome. and 15+ holidays over the next couple of years. When I replace my motorhome I will look for a used again. I will llook for the model that I want and it will come with all the extras and a knock down price. It will probably have low milage and be less than 3 years old. MY used van will still probably give me 2/3rds of what I paid for it and I would have had some great times in it.

Many people buy in to a dream. They see a MH driving down the motorway or on the continent and buy in to the romantic picture of it. Many of these are people that have been used to hoteling in exoctic resorts. The reality of living with a MH is a different kettle of fish. Not everyone takes to it, But ressed assured I will be there to buy it off you. The only way I would buy new is if I had the money to do so, the loss of a new one would not effect me, and if i got it wrong i could just go and buy another new one. That day i doubt will never come. Therefore I expect to buying and saving money on nearly new for some time.

 

If you can afford a new one, good luck to you, remember how fortunate you are and enjoy it. But don't be snobby and make sure you wave to me in my four year old MH and Bruce in his really old one, simply because we are doing something we all enjoy.

[Basil]

panagah - 2007-11-02 11:48 PM

The only way I would buy new is if I had the money to do so, the loss of a new one would not effect me, and if i got it wrong i could just go and buy another new one. That day i doubt will never come. Therefore I expect to buying and saving money on nearly new for some time.

 

If you can afford a new one, good luck to you, remember how fortunate you are and enjoy it. But don't be snobby and make sure you wave to me in my four year old MH and Bruce in his really old one, simply because we are doing something we all enjoy.

 

Good post panagah,

 

I am fortunate enough to be in the catagory you state in the first quoted paragraph, not boasting here just stating fact, but I still totally agree with your comments I bought pre-used, second hand, someone elses cast off saved a packet and I have altered all the things that I wanted to make the van as I required, that included complete re-upholstery (van was less than 6 months old but we didn't like it but we liked the van) and soft furnishings, cruise control and a TB Turbo and the van is still worth as much as I paid for it with all my additions.

I have no need to look for other vans, except if Ken's Tax takes off all over maybe, as the same as your thinking it does all that a new van could for me.

I am happy that people waste their money on new as there will always be bargains for me to save money on, but to answer the origional question the one thing we still have in this country (at the moment) is choice and the freedom to choose. What influences choice whether it be thoughts of status or snobbery thats the individuals own problem and doesn't bother me.

 

Bas

[MH1]

Having just lost my wife from a totally unexpected sudden brain haemorrage at the tender age of 46, all I can say is, the money doesn't come into it. I'm glad we bought the van when we did ( it was new and was the exact spec we wanted and it was available) rather than chance the right second hand one coming along. The memories that van and the ones before have given me are all what counts. The last couple of weeks has made many of my friends start to rethink their lives. This is not a dress rehearsal. Your dreams can evaporate in seconds. If you have a dream and can fulfill it, grab it with both hands before it is too late.

 

 

[Brian Kirby]

Not a response to Mark, whose sad post this will follow, but to most of the others. 

Why, oh why, does it matter to you who buys what, why, and at what price?  There will be all kinds of personal reasons why people choose to buy this or that van, new or used, at whatever price. 

Some will prefer a new van for the warranties it will have, possibly because it is on an updated base vehicle, some will be influenced against used by the thought of sleeping on a secondhand bed, even using a secondhand toilet, and some because the van they want isn't available secondhand. 

Others will prefer used because someone else will have de-bugged it (though they may just a likely have sold it because they couldn't!), or because it gives the van they want at a price they can afford, or because they see the high initial depreciation as more than they want to bear.

However, it seems to me it is their business how they arrive at their decision.  I fully accept that a number of folk have voluntarily decided to "bare all" on here, and that too is their business, but what is the supposed benefit to other motorhomers of all this poking around in other peoples lives? 

As to the allegations that those with differing points of view somehow "waste their money".  Come on, guys and gals, in the final analysis all motorhomes are a waste of money.  No one truly needs one: we could all do without.  They are all, however bought, an exensive luxury that merely facilitates a lot of generally pointless travelling around.  All that travel, and the free time to do it, is also a considerably luxury.  We are a lucky, comparatively wealthy, minority of the population who indulge in a rather expensive hobby.  What the hell does it matter to anyone else who bought what, and how much they paid?  Or is there a tiny tinge of "mine's bigger than yours", somewhere?

I think this string is really just gossip, and truly belongs in "chatterbox", rather than "motorhome matters".

[panagah]

Brian Kirby - 2007-11-03 1:25 PM

Not a response to Mark, whose sad post this will follow, but to most of the others. 

Why, oh why, does it matter to you who buys what, why, and at what price?  There will be all kinds of personal reasons why people choose to buy this or that van, new or used, at whatever price. 

Some will prefer a new van for the warranties it will have, possibly because it is on an updated base vehicle, some will be influenced against used by the thought of sleeping on a secondhand bed, even using a secondhand toilet, and some because the van they want isn't available secondhand. 

Others will prefer used because someone else will have de-bugged it (though they may just a likely have sold it because they couldn't!), or because it gives the van they want at a price they can afford, or because they see the high initial depreciation as more than they want to bear.

However, it seems to me it is their business how they arrive at their decision.  I fully accept that a number of folk have voluntarily decided to "bare all" on here, and that too is their business, but what is the supposed benefit to other motorhomers of all this poking around in other peoples lives? 

As to the allegations that those with differing points of view somehow "waste their money".  Come on, guys and gals, in the final analysis all motorhomes are a waste of money.  No one truly needs one: we could all do without.  They are all, however bought, an exensive luxury that merely facilitates a lot of generally pointless travelling around.  All that travel, and the free time to do it, is also a considerably luxury.  We are a lucky, comparatively wealthy, minority of the population who indulge in a rather expensive hobby.  What the hell does it matter to anyone else who bought what, and how much they paid?  Or is there a tiny tinge of "mine's bigger than yours", somewhere?

I think this string is really just gossip, and truly belongs in "chatterbox", rather than "motorhome matters".

I quite agree Brian.At the end of the day it's about doing what you enjoy in the best way that you can. I have a mate with a 15 year old van that leaks and squeels a bit, but when we park up he has just as much fun as we do. also his hobby allows him to take it one step further as he enjoys tinkering with old motors. However if he could buy a newer one he would, but he cant, but he still enjoys himself.Think this post has a bit of snobbery in it like i said erlier. if you can do it and you want to . DO IT, sadly as posted you don't always get to much time to think about doing it or plan to do it.

[Champstar]

Life is definately too short..so everyone just do what is best for you and noone else (?) ;-) ;-)

 

who really cares whether the van is brand new or 2nd 3rd tec hand but you are the one who will get the pleasure from it when you own it....so live your life to the full...and have no regrets 8-) 8-)