Pros and Cons of buying Camper on Ebay (Without test driving) (1 Viewer)

FrCrilly

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Mar 16, 2008
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Hi All,

I’m planning to buy a used camper and I have noticed that there is great choice on Ebay, with campers that meet my requirements being based in different countries. (I’m based in Ireland). I’m considering arranging to buy one from the comfort of my laptop, without test driving and only travelling to pick the vehicle up.

The advantages of this approach include:
1. I can potentially find a bargain by underbidding on a number of vehicles.
2. As already stated, the choice would be considerably greater.

The disadvantages include:
1. Without test driving, I would lose a deposit if my bid was successful and I decided not to proceed with buying the vehicle.
2. Without test driving, I am more likely to end up with a crock/banger.

(I could potentially get around these disadvantages by ensuring the vehicle has a valid MOT (or equivalent) and ensuring the seller is a regular Ebay seller with plenty of positive feedback)

If anyone has any other information that I should take into account before deciding on this approach, that would be most welcome.

Thanks In Advance for all responses.
 

Snowbird

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Personaly I dont have a problem buying from ebay.
Keep your witts about you and you can save a lot of cash.
On the other hand,if its NOT what it says it is,you are perfectly within your rights to walk away from the deal.
But always remember BUYER BEWARE, but that also is the case with buying used from a dealer.
There are a lot of bargains out there at the moment if you have the readies and no trade in.
 
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hilldweller

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I’m considering arranging to buy one from the comfort of my laptop, without test driving and only travelling to pick the vehicle up.

How can I put this delicately ? You must be mad.

It's just about the most complicated thing you will ever buy.

There has to be a better plan, like organising a long holiday visit. Maybe even to Germany.

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eclaire

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Jul 24, 2009
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HPI it!! We have HPI several RV's over the last few weeks. One of these is currently still on ebay and I was assured by the seller that it was HPI clear. We checked it ourselves and it came through as a cat b write off.
The HPI will also give you an idea of mileage.
We have bought cars, motorbikes and caravans off ebay and only one was duff - we just walked away when we went to collect.
claire:-}
 
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Gonewiththewind

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Sep 13, 2007
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IMHO I agree with Snowbird and Eclaire. Do your research, do a detail check sellers Feedback, see what he has been selling and what buyers thought. If you do find that there is outstanding debt, tell seller you are prepared to continue if you are able to settle debt and pay seller remaining cash, if he/she is gen then they will co-operate with you. I have bought Bikes, Cars and and sold same. Paypal is a safe payment system.
Do your homework, proceed carefully.
Best of luck

Don
 
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GregM

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From experience of buy and selling cars on ebay, if you go to view a vehicle before bidding and you like it then generally the seller will accept an 'off ebay' offer and sell it to you there and then. There are obvious the odd few that won't, especially if there are a number of bidders.

In your position I would think about looking at a few, arrange to view them all, in order of your preference. View the first, if you like then make a fair offer, if not move to the next one.

You can also do an HPI check over the phone, so you can (Must) run a check once you have viewed the camper.

That is my personal opinion, but I have only traveled up to 100 miles to view when doing it.

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Tony Santara

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Jul 26, 2007
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I've done this myself in the past and although I've saved some money on the cost compared with dealer prices I've also spent money putting right work needed on the vehicle.
Even if advertised with full MOT that does not take into consideration other problems such as water ingress which could potentially cost a fortune .

As previous posters have said do your homework HPI and ask questions of the seller about appliances fitted etc, if possible ask a friend near to the seller to have look at it

Would I do it again yes

Good luck :thumb:
 
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barnybg

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Ebay bargains ???

Dont see a problem with EBAY,read the advert very carefully,ask the right answers,if not answered ,dont bid unless a complete bargain,i never pay 'up front' or even a deposit,as stated there are some 'porkies' told,so if bidding or win,THEN travel to see it,try it,check it over,but tell seller first,as some say no tyre kickers,i couldn't agree more,unless the advert is bull,especially when your handing over £5000 to £20,000 upwards !!!!!
We went to see a £1000 caravan,pictures looked good (beware they all look good with pics)travelled 100 miles after speaking to sellers,and yes it was a 'bargain' no damp,blah,blah blah,we arrived and thought it was scrap !!My Mrs didn't even get out of the car,my feet stuck to the floor when i walked in it,it buzzed of all sorts including damp,doors where hanging off etc.
I purchased my 6 berth Eldiss from EBAY,and have been very happy with it,it hasn't missed a beat and done us proud 5 + years on,and we still have her.
Sometimes,there will be 'something' that needs doing or changing but that's all relative to the cost of purchase,if your saving £5000 and all it needs is say a boiler or a windscreen or even engine/gearbox !!!! its still a saving of £5000 or whatever.
 
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Peter JohnsCross MH

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The logistics of this idea do not stack up.

Buyer in Ireland, vans in UK and unproven condition, photos always LOOK good.

Buyer has to come to anywhere in UK......... transport?

Arrives and finds it OK, has to arrange insurance, ferry, when arrives in Ireland, has to import it wilh all the beaurocratic nonsence that goes with it, import duties?

Arrives and finds it a 'dog' wasted time and money, has to go back.

Too much hard work, people spend a lot of time before making a decision as to buying a van, its not like buying a car.

Peter

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lebesset

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May 31, 2009
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so don't buy from a dealer in uk either peter ?
see something that sounds good , but a wasted trip ?

I wanted a left hooker , saw dealers advertising them at sensible prices , came to the uk and did a lot of miles to look ...nothing offered the value for money that was suggested

went back to france , paid a little more but got something I was happy with
 
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evans88

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The biggest potential problem in buying a motorhome from the comfort of your armchair is damp. Mechanical problems are easily repairable but damp is a whole new ball game. I know as I've experienced the problem in caravans - twice and boy did it cost me.

So whatever you decide please bear in mind damp issues: a dealer might not buy a damp van so the only and best way to get rid is on ebay.

Be careful.
 
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Peter JohnsCross MH

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so don't buy from a dealer in uk either peter ?
see something that sounds good , but a wasted trip ?

I wanted a left hooker , saw dealers advertising them at sensible prices , came to the uk and did a lot of miles to look ...nothing offered the value for money that was suggested
went back to france , paid a little more but got something I was happy with

Buying in UK has the same problems in some ways as most vans need servicing etc before handover.

Very few vans are up to full spec on a forecourt and an insurance based warranty in Ireland?...........................

Peter

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pappajohn

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have you looked into the customs and excise and import duties if importing to southern Ireland.

if i remember correctly a van of less than 3500kg will cost €50 and over 3500kg its a percentage of market value...much more expensive!!!!
 
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Minxy

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I'm in the 'you must be mad' camp I'm afraid. You simply cannot get a 'good' van without doing the 'legwork' (or ferry/car/flight work). Photos certainly do lie and unfortunately owners do too, whether purposely or not. What they think of as being in A1 condition could be, to you, a heap of junk with loads of problems ...

A good few years ago, before 'ebay', we went to look at a Fiat 126, on the phone the lady owner said it was in very good condition, no rust at all, just odd marks where the pain needed touching up (ie as in scratch etc). As it was some distance away we 'interrogated' her at length, we then travelled there to see this wonderful car ... what a load of cr*p! It looked like it has massive measles as there was that much rust on it - if there was such a thing as a machine gun that created rust, it would have been a 'victim'! :Eeek:

When I asked her why she had said it didn't have any rust, she still insisted it didn't ... amazingly she thought unless it had HOLES it wasn't rust!!!!!:whatthe:

The only sure way to get what you want, in the condition you expect, is to go and see any potential campers personally, check, check and check again their condition. Don't be embarrassed to have a really good old poke around inside/outside and ask question after question, spend as much time on it as you need, don't be rushed or swayed by the seller, as its probably not peanuts your looking to pay, so until you are satisfied, either to buy, or not, in which case walk away, there will be others.

If you are serious I suggest you arrange to have a 'working holiday' and come over for a couple of weeks but be prepared to travel and be realistic, visiting dealers and also private sellers - there are bargains to be had but sometimes such 'bargains' don't end up being so in the longer term.

Be careful out there!
 
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jhorsf

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I'm in the 'you must be mad' camp I'm afraid. You simply cannot get a 'good' van without doing the 'legwork' (or ferry/car/flight work). Photos certainly do lie and unfortunately owners do too, whether purposely or not. What they think of as being in A1 condition could be, to you, a heap of junk with loads of problems ...

A good few years ago, before 'ebay', we went to look at a Fiat 126, on the phone the lady owner said it was in very good condition, no rust at all, just odd marks where the pain needed touching up (ie as in scratch etc). As it was some distance away we 'interrogated' her at length, we then travelled there to see this wonderful car ... what a load of cr*p! It looked like it has massive measles as there was that much rust on it - if there was such a thing as a machine gun that created rust, it would have been a 'victim'! :Eeek:

When I asked her why she had said it didn't have any rust, she still insisted it didn't ... amazingly she thought unless it had HOLES it wasn't rust!!!!!:whatthe:

The only sure way to get what you want, in the condition you expect, is to go and see any potential campers personally, check, check and check again their condition. Don't be embarrassed to have a really good old poke around inside/outside and ask question after question, spend as much time on it as you need, don't be rushed or swayed by the seller, as its probably not peanuts your looking to pay, so until you are satisfied, either to buy, or not, in which case walk away, there will be others.

If you are serious I suggest you arrange to have a 'working holiday' and come over for a couple of weeks but be prepared to travel and be realistic, visiting dealers and also private sellers - there are bargains to be had but sometimes such 'bargains' don't end up being so in the longer term.

Be careful out there!



buying a van is hard work finding what you want if you think you can buy one from a photo then I also think you are mad and agree with the above

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Bryan

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Jul 19, 2007
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Hi,

We have bought motorhomes from ebay without seeing them, and sold them to people who bought without seeing them. One of these was in fact sold to a gentleman from southern Ireland.

They paid their deposit and then saw the vehicle 'in the flesh' before paying the balance.

Yes, there may be things that need attention that you were not aware of after all, they are not new vehicles. Of course, new vehicles have faults too.

We have never bought from a dealer because the savings by buying from ebay more than cover any minor faults that exist.

Would we buy blind again? Definitely. As long as your bid is based on buying blind, you can't really go wrong.

There is a cracking motorhome for sale on ebay at the moment and it is located near Heysham so easy to get it to Ireland.

Here's a link to it :Smile:

Link Removed :winky:

Regards
Bryan
 
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dealgan

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I've bought a few cars on ebay, blind. All have worked out fine, but I'm talking sub 2k.

I'd be worried about damp as well. As someone said above, mechanical problems are fine and most can be fixed relatively cheaply. Damp in a motorhome ? Potentially huge cost.
- Can you get an inspection done ? Surely someone does a callout inspection service for a MH, similar to the AA/RAC inspections for cars ?


I would have thought some obliging funster nearby would go and have a look, at least to say "its a pile of crap" or "its exactly as described" .. but I guess funsters are all too busy having fun :roflmto:
 
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ourcampersbeentrashed

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Hi All,

I’m considering arranging to buy one from the comfort of my laptop, without test driving and only travelling to pick the vehicle up.

Do NOT buy without test driving or getting an AA or RAC inspection

The advantages of this approach include:
1. I can potentially find a bargain by underbidding on a number of vehicles.
2. As already stated, the choice would be considerably greater.

The disadvantages include:
1. Without test driving, I would lose a deposit if my bid was successful and I decided not to proceed with buying the vehicle.

If you won the the item you would be expected to pay in full not just lose your deposit
2. Without test driving, I am more likely to end up with a crock/banger.
not always but you are risking a hell of a lot

(I could potentially get around these disadvantages by ensuring the vehicle has a valid MOT (or equivalent) and ensuring the seller is a regular Ebay seller with plenty of positive feedback)

valid mot is only valid for the day that it is issued on if you are looking to take action against seller (complicated to explain) or mot station. and then theres always the "BENT" MOT sorry folks but it does happen which could either be a forged certificate or a genuine certificate that someone has received a backhander for - and unless spotted on the day it is issued, again its very difficult to prosecute.

If anyone has any other information that I should take into account before deciding on this approach, that would be most welcome.

We have bought two motorhomes off ebay both of which were inspected before purchase. I cant stress how important it is to get a professional inspection done. I know someone who has been duped buying a car on ebay, someone who bought a cloned vehicle on ebay and someone who was sold a car on ebay they mugged him for the money and he never got the vehicle so it is all down to experience and taking good precautions.

Always make sure the vehicle is registered to the person who is selling it on ebay. As soon as you place a bid, you can obtain the sellers details - name address etc. Ask the seller for details of mot certificate number this can be checked, carry out an HPI check and get the vehicle registration document number to check this with the dvla. Make sure all details match exactly - if there is even ONE slight mistake - DONT BUY IT
If the vehicle is not collected from the address given, BE VERY WARY - go knock on the address before hand - this saved us once!!! and it wasnt an ebay purchase - the vehicle was parked in another road nearby. We got there early and knocked on the address only to find a very pleasant elderly couple who dont drive. The seller was subsequently arrested.

You will find there are good and bad experiences had by various people on buying and selling vehicles, so get as much knowledge as possible, check engine, chassis numbers plates etc pay for the various checks, look online learn how to spot fake documents and NEVER take the sellers word for anything (apologies to genuine sellers and fellow funsters) but if you presume nothing and check everything you stand a good chance of NOT being HAD xxxxxxx

For every genuine honest seller there are at least two who are not xxxxxxxxxxxxx

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Bulletguy

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I’m planning to buy a used camper and I have noticed that there is great choice on Ebay, with campers that meet my requirements being based in different countries. (I’m based in Ireland). I’m considering arranging to buy one from the comfort of my laptop, without test driving and only travelling to pick the vehicle up.
Buying from eBay is fine and you can certainly get a bargain.....but you could also end up with a 'lemon' if you are not careful.

I would recommend you view before buying. Any genuine seller will not have a problem with this and if they do, then it's far too risky to bid on.

When I was looking around for a campervan I looked at a few on eBay and believe me there are some right shockers. I drove a round trip of 120 miles to view one which the advert description read fine, but when I got there it was quite a different story. It had stood for years in a field, there was no battery so couldn't even start the engine, and it was full of damp and mould.

View first......or pay with heavy regrets later.
 
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WESTERNSTAR1

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HI.WE BOUGHT OUR MERCEDES HYMER 720 FROM EBAY.
IT WAS LISTED AS A BUY IT NOW.
CHAP PUT 12 MONTHS TICKET ON IT AND TAXED IT FOR US.
HE COLLECTED US FROM THE STATION AND GAVE US AN HOUR WITH IT TO MAKE SURE WE WERE HAPPY WITH THE PURCHASE.
IT WAS AROUND HALF THE PRICE OF OTHERS GENERALLY.
EBAY IS SUPERB BUT KEEP YOUR WITS ABOUT YOU.
HAPPY HUNTING
DON.:thumb:
 
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hilldweller

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HI.WE BOUGHT OUR MERCEDES HYMER 720 FROM EBAY.
IT WAS LISTED AS A BUY IT NOW.
CHAP PUT 12 MONTHS TICKET ON IT AND TAXED IT FOR US.
HE COLLECTED US FROM THE STATION AND GAVE US AN HOUR WITH IT TO MAKE SURE WE WERE HAPPY WITH THE PURCHASE.
IT WAS AROUND HALF THE PRICE OF OTHERS GENERALLY.
EBAY IS SUPERB BUT KEEP YOUR WITS ABOUT YOU.
HAPPY HUNTING
DON.:thumb:

Unfortunately for every genuine seller like that there will be 100 crooks. Such tales almost restores my faith in human being. Almost.
 
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