buying a previously damp motorhome (1 Viewer)

Scout

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Would you buy a 2012 motorhome that had had previous damp problems? But was fixed under warranty. No with no further warranty on-going.

What would you want to see to prove that it was now ok, and the work had been done correctly? Is a full damp check enough.

Or would you just walk away as there’s plenty of motorhomes out there.

The van in question is being fixed under warranty then being sold, but I’m like other people super suspicious of it ever being done right and we all know damp is a motorhome killer.
 

JJ

Mágica
May 1, 2008
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Is it a private sale or from a dealer.

Does the asking price reflect the trouble it has had?

Is it exactly what you want and have had difficulty in finding?

JJ :cool:
 

Lenny HB

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I wouldn't go near it. It can be very difficult to trace the source of the original leak completely, also it may have just had a quick fix to get it ready for sale. With the price of a 2012 Motorhome it is just not worth the risk, especially if a UK built van. If it is 2012 why hasn't it got the remainder of the water ingress warranty?

Re-reading your post are you saying it is your van that you are selling or is it one you are looking to buy?

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OP
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Scout

Scout

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Is it a private sale or from a dealer.

Does the asking price reflect the trouble it has had?

Is it exactly what you want and have had difficulty in finding?

JJ :cool:

yes

yes

yes but there are allways more vans

Ive asked the current owner for the detailed secdual of work being done on the van by the dealer which I think is fair, just to see to what extent it was.

The owner is seems very honist and need not have have told me about it all, he just said it needed the repairs in two places that were picked up as damp ( to what extent I dont know) at the hab check at the end of his warranty period, the dealership have agreed do the work, but it will then be out of any warranty with them with no ongoing warranty on the repair?

The owner is then selling the van at a about 8k under retail on a 54k van , What botherd me was it needed sealing inside and out and some inside pannel needed replaceing. Im interested in it, but concerned.
 

hilldweller

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Two ways of looking at it............

Damp - run a mile.

Damp - most are - this is fixed so a good buy.
 
OP
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Scout

Scout

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Two ways of looking at it............

Damp - run a mile.

Damp - most are - this is fixed so a good buy.

yes thanks thsts both my thoghts , but what would you check and/or need to know to determin this?

Im just after opinions

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pappajohn

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First priority......An independant damp survey.
Anyone can say the damp issue has been resolved and an unscrupulous dealer can simply fill in a damp report without even stepping inside.
 
OP
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Scout

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I wouldn't go near it. It can be very difficult to trace the source of the original leak completely, also it may have just had a quick fix to get it ready for sale. With the price of a 2012 Motorhome it is just not worth the risk, especially if a UK built van. If it is 2012 why hasn't it got the remainder of the water ingress warranty?

Re-reading your post are you saying it is your van that you are selling or is it one you are looking to buy?

no its not my van, its just one Im considering buying...the ower was very upfront about,
 

tonka

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ABSOLUTELY YES.....

ESPECIALLY IF IT WAS MINE YOUR WERE BUYING.. (y)(y)(y)(y)


:rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl:


On a serious note.. A 2012 van should have the Autotrail 10 year ingress warranty, so ensure all hab checks are up to date and AT are fully aware of any work done and that the 10 year cover is still intact and transferable..
Mine was only ever touched by the factory, any issues and they have no one to pass the blame on to..;)

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Oct 7, 2013
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Most dealers we have dealt are happy to guarantee their work.

Why won't the dealer offer a warranty on their work fixing the damp?

On a previous second hand van we found substantial damp which necessitated a major repair.

The repair workshop guaranteed their work for two years as long as we had it damp checked by them, free of charge at 3 months and twelve months.
 

jumartoo

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Depends on the extent of the damp. This was our caravan!!! Yes I know! Written off due to water ingress! When taken back for replacement we were told it would be worked on over the winter and put back for sale!

Some unsuspecting people may have had a problem.

IMG_20161027_140531.jpg

Not suggesting anything like this tho, Phil!

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Last edited:
Aug 6, 2013
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I would need to know in detail where the damp was found and exactly what steps were taken to repair it. There is damp and damp - if you consider both the source and fix to be simple, obvious, and not likely to recur you shouldn't be put off. A good fix now is better than a future problem. If however either the owner or the person fixing it is vague in describing either the source of the damp or the repair undertaken I'd leave it well alone.
 

Lenny HB

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The owner is then selling the van at a about 8k under retail on a 54k van , What botherd me was it needed sealing inside and out and some inside pannel needed replaceing. Im interested in it, but concerned.
Don't walk RUN away.

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Feb 16, 2013
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Just my view, you know this van has been damp and repaired , if the seller has alerted you to this , I would say he's pretty honest and will have had it put right properly, on the other hand you could go out and buy one from an unscrupulous dealer for eight grand more that doesn't tell you it's damp.
 

MikeD

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Dec 21, 2011
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My 2012 Autotrail Tracker had a damp problem in 2015 and was resealed under warranty in August of that year.

March 2016 traded it in for a IH and it failed its part exchange damp check.

In the same areas as well.

The dealer had it up for sale at around £38k. If your one is £8k under retail then that is less than I received as a part ex price.

As Lenny stated I would run away as fast as you can.
 
OP
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Scout

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I can see pionts all posts, Im 99% running and I have told the vendor so but UI have asked for more praticulars, he may have been just over honist.

I'll ask the seller if it was ever registerd for the 10 year warranty, not all are Im not sure if you the first owner has to pay extra or not for that, I also dont know at this time if the hab checks were kept up, but it If it had been Im sure he would have told me. I like others hear damp and think the sides falling off...we all do.

On this van one place was damp behind the drivers seat which is farly common fault, I've aked were the other bit was and evidance of how bad or not both areas were, the owner "says" he wasnt aware of it untill he had it hab checked in his readyness to sell, then the warnty with the "dealer" not the autotrail kicked in. I dont know igf you owner knows about the the 10 year autotrail warranty, it still may be a good buy or may not, but thanks for ALL the input.

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tonka

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I'll ask the seller if it was ever registerd for the 10 year warranty, not all are Im not sure if you the first owner has to pay extra or not for that, I also dont know at this time if the hab checks were kept up, but it If it had been Im sure he would have told me. I like others hear damp and think the sides falling off...we all do.

On this van one place was damp behind the drivers seat which is farly common fault, I've aked were the other bit was and evidance of how bad or not both areas were, the owner "says" he wasnt aware of it untill he had it hab checked in his readyness to sell, then the warnty with the "dealer" not the autotrail kicked in. I dont know igf you owner knows about the the 10 year autotrail warranty, it still may be a good buy or may not, but thanks for ALL the input.

I bought mine in January 2012 and the 10 year thing had just started.. Nothing you needed to do and nothing to pay..
End of year one I asked AT about hab checks as I didn't want to use the dealer and they said as long as it was NCC approved then all good.. 2 funster members have done the Hab checks, NCC approved and I have had no problems with Autotrail.


The rear of the drivers seat does seem a constant problem area, Mine was never "bad" in that area but always higher then "normal" and was being watched.. It went to factory April this year, they replaced inner panel and the service guy mentioned they found a leak on the EHU point... My thoughts are this could have been the problem all along and no one really checked for it..
 
Feb 9, 2008
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If there is no warranty given for the repair carried out where is the assurance the work being carried out is of a suitable standard and long lasting. The answer is.......There is no assurance. Walk away !
 
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Scout

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Having just spoken to auto-trail, for a van to be included in their 10 year water ingress warranty

The van must have been a 2012 year model, (2011 year models registered in 2012 don’t apply)

The van must have a hab check every year (+ or - 30days from each anniversary of registration) by an auto-trial dealer or an NCC qualified service agent, all documents to be retained.

They can confirm by the build number if its had a warranty.

That all seems simple.

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tonka

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Having just spoken to auto-trail, for a van to be included in their 10 year water ingress warranty

The van must have been a 2012 year model, (2011 year models registered in 2012 don’t apply)

The van must have a hab check every year (+ or - 30days from each anniversary of registration) by an auto-trial dealer or an NCC qualified service agent, all documents to be retained.

They can confirm by the build number if its had a warranty.

That all seems simple.


2012 model will usually mean the Euro 5 engine then and the black dashboard.
 

Minxy

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If there is no warranty given for the repair carried out where is the assurance the work being carried out is of a suitable standard and long lasting. The answer is.......There is no assurance. Walk away !
Agree with you and others who have posted similar, all repairs (warranty or otherwise) SHOULD be guaranteed by a reputable repairer for at least a year, if no guarantee is offered then it suggests that, for example, they know they are doing a cr@p job, or the damp is more extensive than they are willing to admit.

I would NEVER EVER touch a motorhome with lots of damp and even modest repairs ... no chance.

Walk away from the motorhome ... quickly!!!!
 

TheBig1

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something doesnt ring true with the story to me. if it is being sold so cheap, why is the repairing dealer not buying it? i would run away

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May 8, 2010
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Don't buy it. You'll always be thinking about it, and it'll spoil your enjoyment. Plenty more vans out there.
 

zac

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I would not of brought mine if it had damp that i knew about although mine was new. My point being i would not expect someone to buy mine off of me now based on the damp which is one of the main reasons why i am trading it in. That way the dealer can sort all the issues out and the next person that buys it will have to go back to the dealer to get it sorted, mine is also covered by the 10 year water ingress warranty and from what i have seen they will bloody need it. :)

Run Run Run :)
 
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Scout

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I've had no more contact with the seller, I've asked all the correct questions and, based on my own thoughts and the collective on here for which I’m gratefull.

The seller has not got back any more yet, but that not to say he won’t, and things may or may not be as bad drastic as we all seem to think it is. Remember he was honist, he did tell me about the problem, which we dont know how bad it is, a lot of sellers dealers included could/would have not mentioned it at all.
I’m still open minded on things but my money is not easily spent, all avenues have to be explored and looked into correctly, there’s loads and loads of van out there and no too many buyers with cash in pocket.

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Jul 10, 2016
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seeing for myself how a dealer repaired damp. I would be doing my road runner impersonation, they are in it to make money.

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