Auto- Sleeper Duetto (1 Viewer)

[Indy259]

I am considering buying an Auto-Sleeper Duetto year 2002, it is in very good condition, however it has done 85 thousand miles, is this something to be concerned about? Any comments would be useful.

 

[Just smiffy]

Diesels are meant to be run, I rather have one that's been on the go then sitting around in storage... If it's been serviced regular with oil changes then it wouldn't bother me.
It also means that the previous owner has been on the road enjoying the motorhome then sitting in the garage for repair..
I buy luxary cars with about 100k miles on and run them for another 100k, I get them serviced regular and it's the body work that go's first..!

Check service record, AA inspection is quite reasonable...

 

[normanandsue]

Agree with Sas r us, the higher mileage should be reflected in the price. If not having AAinspection slide underneath and check for oil leaks front and back. It can be cotly having oil seals replaced. Also check when timjng belt was last changed.

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[Ivory55]

If it's transit based , you could look on the transit owners forum for what to check on the base vehicle. Would give you a heads up for any problems that you might not think of.

 

[Indy259]

Thank you very much all three of you, , I will check underneath for oil leaks, it is transit based so will look at the website. It will also have new MOT and habitation check it was just the miles that were worrying me, and I think you've all sorted that.

 

[icantremember]

We had a Duetto(2003), which we sold in 2007, but not with a great mileage on the clock at that time ..... it was a great little motorhome for our first venture into the world of touring and we only changed to get more space.

The Transit is a very good vehicle being capable of covering mileages well into the 1-2K so long as it has been maintained and serviced through its life.

They are of course built to withstand a hard life as they receive from many builders and "white van men"!

If you are buying privately it may be worth having it professionally checked over or have a well experienced friend with you when viewing.

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[Terry]

Mileage is nothing but do check around the back axle fixing points and around the rear inner wheel arches carefully -they are prone to rot and expensive to fix as most of the rear inside furniture has to come out - If sound then they are a good vehicle and hold prices well -provided you don't pay over the top they are a good buy
terry

 

[Indy259]

Thank you very much, I'm getting a list of things to check from you all, as you probably gathered I'm a mechanical novice, checking oil and water OK anything else I'm learning.

 

[Minxy]

It works out at around 6,500 miles a year so not a massive amount as these tend to be used as a sole vehicle and therefore often have higher mileages.

Check the service history and go on line and check the MOT status here to see if anything was 'advised' or 'failed' in recent years.

https://www.gov.uk/check-mot-status

I'd advise you to have a garage give it a good look at (not the one the seller uses!) so that they can let you know if there's anything that needs doing which could give you an edge when negotiating on price but also make sure you're not buying a lemon.

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[ambulancekidd]

We had Transit ambulances from the same era & they went on to do 350-400k with only normal service costs (clutches etc) & there can be no harder life for a vehicle. However a small word of caution. We had 3 Transit ambulances that went into service on the same day. Two went onto 3 shift systems so were running 24/7 & the other went onto a mon-fri 8.30-16.30 now aftern 3yrs or so, the two vehicles that were on 24/7 were seriously quick but had the usual rattles that came with abuse but the day shift only vehicle wouldn't pull a soldier off a woman but were rattle free!

I've had a chat with a friend of mine who MOT's commercial vehicles & I asked him about weak points on these Transits. The usual words of caution as mentioned by other funsters but further to that he says that the front chassis legs rust from the inside out & the only sign of this is that the legs have a slightly crushed (flattened) look about them. This is unlikely in the case of the vehicle your looking at but worth checking for.

Good luck...Robert.

 

[Indy259]

Thanks both. I did check MOT Mel at your suggestion all OK and Robert, thanks for your info.

 

[Candapack]

Also, have a look at the AutoSleeper Owners forum - www.autosleeper-ownersforum.com. The Duetto is a very popular model and you'll get lots of help and info from owners.
Good luck and enjoy.