To buy or not to buy (1 Viewer)

Motorhome Muppets

Free Member
Dec 1, 2014
70
66
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34,398
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Coachbuilt
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Since 2012
We have a 20 year old Swift Royale. We bought her 2 years ago to see if we like motorhoming - we do!!!
We are wondering whether to upgrade a little now. We would want to buy one around £23,000. We only do about 3000 miles per year. Here is the quandary - the Swift had mechanical problems but they are all sorted now and these last few months we have had trouble free trips - also she is as dry as a bone so we are fairly confident that we could run her for the next few years without any major repairs. At the price we want to pay it would be possible to inherit problems that we don't have now, but get a more up to date looking van.
Is it worth changing it? I have looked at a few on Autotrader just to see what we would get for this money (must have a rear lounge) and I like the look of them, but can't decide.
What are the thoughts of you more experienced funsters?
 

GeriatricWanderer

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Feb 1, 2015
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Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, just cos I can!
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45years
Better the devil...............

With the mileage you do, I'd stick with what you have and enjoy it - maybe it will run forever, maybe it won't. Another £23,000 won't gaurantee trouble and cost free and that's a lot of £ per mile.

20 year old runners are far better than 2 year olds with damp or scuttle eg issues.
 
Feb 9, 2008
4,086
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Since 2008 after caravanning for 20 years
I'd go along with the above, better the devil... You have obviously invested a little in the van recently to fix problems, why not enjoy the benefits of that. We often talk about our van and its age but always decide not to change. Our annual mileage is at least twice that of yours and we are very happy with it even with 50k on the clock.

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OP
OP
Motorhome Muppets

Motorhome Muppets

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Rather than spend lots of pounds on another vehicle that might be less reliable, how about having the upholstery re-done and giving the interior a new lease of life?
Good suggestion - but the interior was reupholstered before we had it and is still looking good. It is the exterior that looks tired and dated.

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GeriatricWanderer

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Feb 1, 2015
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Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, just cos I can!
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Pop-Top Campervan
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45years
Just chuckle and smile when you read posts from new van owners worried about how much depreciation there is, which polish to use,
Good suggestion - but the interior was reupholstered before we had it and is still looking good. It is the exterior that looks tired and dated.


You can't see the exterior when you're inside - why worry about what it looks like to others?

Spending money to make things more attractive to others has always baffled me (unless of course you're a CC site user)
 

Candapack

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Oct 16, 2014
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We were like you. Had an older van for 2 years, liked the lifestyle, swapped for a new van. Love the van, but it was a lot of money.
I was just looking at it today, wondering if we had done the right thing. We do 2 continental trips a year, of about 8 weeks each. In the UK, probably another 4 - 6 weeks. So maybe 22 weeks total, meaning it sits on the drive doing nothing for 30 weeks.
By the sound of it, you use your van less than we do. If you like the layout, it doesn't leak and the mechanicals are fine, keep it. And keep the money.(y)
 
D

deleted-member02

Deleted User
What's your van, a 1996 P reg or thereabouts ? With the 115bhp 2.5tdi ??
Still a perfectly good van in my mind, even if the drive isn't quite as good as newer vans...
Still worth a fair bit and unlikely to devalue much, if at all...

What are you thinking of changing too ? £23k offers a huge range of vans, from 2002 to perhaps 2010 or even newer...
Buy carefully and you can get something that will probably depreciate about as slowly as yours.
It doesn't have to 'cost' you anything extra, you're merely tying up the money :)
We're on our 3rd van in 13years, to date we've lost £2,000 in depreciation and the current van is arguably in good profit...

If you can afford to, why not ? (y)

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Motorhome Muppets

Motorhome Muppets

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We do only do low mileage at present, I am still working. Was hoping in a few years things might change when I do retire. But the van would be even older then.
It is 1996 N reg 2.5 not turbo @kaasbroodje, do you have any advice on suitable vans? My husband is disabled, so if newer vans (in our price bracket) were easier to drive that would certainly be something to consider. If we do not buy now, much of the money may be spent on other things - you know how it is, so will not get the chance again, could it keep going for another 10 years? If it could we could perhaps spend a couple of grand having the exterior tarted up.
 

CWH

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Jan 29, 2014
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if newer vans (in our price bracket) were easier to drive that would certainly be something to consider
... make sure you get an automatic then! It makes a HUGE difference - disability or not. I had to presuade Him Indoors but it's the one thing he says he now wouldn't consider not having - in ANY vehicle. :)(y)
 
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deleted-member02

Deleted User
Buy a 2005 van, in nine years time, you'll be back to where you are now...
I'd normally suggest an Autosleeper with monocoque body (one piece, so less chance of damp). Newer the better...
Unfortunately, not many are rear lounge (usually two long benches). A 2005 van is not that much more than a 2000 model or even a 1992 ! They are very desirable (hence low depreciation) and good ones sell quickly.
This one isn't monocoque but I'm pretty sure it won't depreciate much and is very suited to disabled drivers (y)

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Lenny HB

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Oct 18, 2007
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Since 2008 & many years tugging
In your case as you have a very rare Swift one that is not damp and with your low mileage I would hang on until you retire by then you might have changed your views to layout.
An auto would make driving easier that will restrict you to Mercs or LHD Fiats up to 2006. If you want RHD from 2006/2007 3 Lt X250 Fiat available with auto and from around 2012 2.3 with auto.
 
Jan 10, 2013
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Warwick XL PVC
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Still trucking and learning
Better the devil...............

With the mileage you do, I'd stick with what you have and enjoy it - maybe it will run forever, maybe it won't. Another £23,000 won't gaurantee trouble and cost free and that's a lot of £ per mile.

20 year old runners are far better than 2 year olds with damp or scuttle eg issues.
Hi Pam, Totally agree with the OP. We are on our 3rd van in 3.1/2 years (you've probably noticed the changes as they appear on our drive) and have spent a fortune and lost a fortune in trading the previous ones in. Stick with the one you have if it suits you - a van of that age without any damp problems is a rare beast indeed.
Best wishes
Ann and Mark (across the road).
 
Jan 13, 2014
3,547
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Leeds - Yorkshire
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29,678
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40+
Hi, you might only do 3000 miles a year,however,you don't say how many nights!
Cost isn't always the criteria, if you go on a Hotel holiday for 7/14 nights you might say it's only 14 nights we'll stay in a 1 star and spend little or you may stay in a 5 star and say it's the only time we get away we work hard,I don't care what it costs we are having a bit of luxury.
The MH is the same, you get what fills your criteria and enjoy the luxury of the living space and the look of the Vehicle and feel good sitting behind the wheel it's all part of enjoying the MH experience.
Do you deserve better than what you've got? You have a budget and want to change otherwise you wouldn't be doing this exercise.
Get on and move onwards and upwards you're only here once.

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Jun 16, 2013
1,228
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Low Profile Hymer CL 554
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Since May 2014
We changed recently when we didn't really need to but wanted to. Had a bit of a windfall and thought spend it before it gets swallowed up in something else. Do we regret it? No. You never know what you are getting with a new van, but so far cross fingers it is going ok. Our other van had a few teething problems that took time to sort. It was fully sorted and we traded it in :rolleyes:. So if you have the money and see a van you like then buy it, life it far too short.
 

TERRY&PAULINE

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Feb 18, 2015
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autocruise starfire
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since 1987
Keep your old van, you can do a lot of repairs for £23,000, the engine should be ok, trade vans do over 200.000 miles no problem, so the engine will last, nothing else to worry about, better the devil you know, have it resprayed fit new decals & fit a set of alloys if you want to tart it up, enjoy
 

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