Buy a Burstner A class with 'mild' damp? (1 Viewer)

[Bre]

Hello again helpful MHFunsters,

After my previous threads, the wife and I are looking at Burstners, both here and on mobile.de.

I have come across 2 A class with 'mild' damp problems, photos attached.

I do repair work for a living, so I am not adverse to taking on a small project. I am adverse to spending months and £1000's on a project.

So do any of you have an opinion, or even better, experience, on the extent of the work as shown in the problems?

Besides 'run away', which I am happy for you to say.

Let the yelling begin.

And thank you ahead of time for your time.

 

[Langtoftlad]

I'll be interested in what the 'experts' say but I'm in the run camp...
Damp in different locations?
How do you know it's "mild"?

 

[hilldweller]

I have come across 2 A class with 'mild' damp problems, photos attached.

I do repair work for a living

Then you should know, that like icebergs, what you see is a fraction of the problem.

As long as they are very cheap you might take a gamble.

"Mild damp", that's like saying "you've only got mild lung cancer".

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[Bre]

Here is a motorhome with BIG damp problems https://www.sweeney-kincaid.com/Sal...odal=True&index=1&manual=1&auto=0&from=search

 

[hilldweller]

Not that a person can tell much from a photo

Definitely and a damp meter can only tell you it's damp. You don't find the truth 'till you rip holes in it and stab the frame with a screwdriver.

One picture looks like the mild damp may be lifting the rubber seal, that does not seem mild to me.

 

[Bre]

Yes, there seems to be a well-priced A532 with no mention of problems and 90,000 miles, although I don't much like the 'quiff' we may go for something like that.

I'll be interested in what the 'experts' say but I'm in the run camp...
Damp in different locations?
How do you know it's "mild"?

The 'mild' is from the dealers, which is why I put it in semi-quotes, and that is why I am asking the experts as well.
We will probably leave them and keep looking, but if someone came along and said 'it's no big deal' then I would go for it.
I should say, if someone said they had a similar problem and it was a relatively easy fix.
Not that a person can tell much from a photo, but as I know nothing, I ask those who may know something.
Especially as I have heard that one of the advantages of an A class is that they leak less. And yet.....

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[Bre]

If any of you were buying from Germany, would you hire someone to go and check it out independently of the dealer?

 

[Boringfrog]

The 'mild' is from the dealers

Run away.........

 

[Langtoftlad]

If any of you were buying from Germany, would you hire someone to go and check it out independently of the dealer?

Bundesvan gets good feedback on here [no personal experience].
Link Removed

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[MillieMoocher]

The 'mild' is from the dealers, which is why I put it in semi-quotes, and that is why I am asking the experts as well.
.

The question in my mind is that if the damp is “mild” (and therefore presumably an easy fix), why hasn’t the dealer done it which would enable him to sell the van for much more? If he can’t fix it economically (which is what I’d also presume) there might be a lot more to it than meets the eye.

I think there’s plenty of dry vans out there so I’d probably keep looking, even if the damp van was very cheap.

But you might be handy like @Wildbill who is a van fixing God

 

[funflair]

Well for starters the price has to be right, as in very cheap.

The first two pictures look like damp low down on the wall either side of the door frame so is it just the sealant on the frame?

The next three pictures look like it from the side window seals, easy enough job to fix.

The last pic I don't know where it is?

The thing that would worry me is that by looking at the green under the window frames it looks like it has been like this for a long time, I don't know the structure of a Burstner but if there is any wood there it will be rotten and a little bit of repair work could well become a major job.

The other worry would be if the owner has left it with wet patches and done nothing about it what else have they neglected?

Martin

 

[Bre]

Well for starters the price has to be right, as in very cheap.

The first two pictures look like damp low down on the wall either side of the door frame so is it just the sealant on the frame?

The next three pictures look like it from the side window seals, easy enough job to fix.

The last pic I don't know where it is?

The thing that would worry me is that by looking at the green under the window frames it looks like it has been like this for a long time, I don't know the structure of a Burstner but if there is any wood there it will be rotten and a little bit of repair work could well become a major job.

The other worry would be if the owner has left it with wet patches and done nothing about it what else have they neglected?

Martin

Hi, the first 2 pictures are from a 2000 Burstner i532 for £13,500 before any negotiating with 85000 miles.
The second set are from a 2004 i591 with 40,000 miles for £17,000.
I agree, why would the dealer not repair?
The 2004 is a RHD model, which is not going to be popular in Europe, so with the damp, it may not be worth his while. Or mine.

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[Boringfrog]

Hi, the first 2 pictures are from a 2000 Burstner i532 for £13,500 before any negotiating with 85000 miles.
The second set are from a 2004 i591 with 40,000 miles for £17,000.
I agree, why would the dealer not repair?
The 2004 is a RHD model, which is not going to be popular in Europe, so with the damp, it may not be worth his while. Or mine.

I didn't think dealers did repairs, you're lucky if they valet the vans at the dealers I've looked at. The 2000 model will be the pre facelift version and could have gearbox problems. The 2004 might have the later engine/gearbox which would be preferable.

 

[funflair]

Hi, the first 2 pictures are from a 2000 Burstner i532 for £13,500 before any negotiating with 85000 miles.
The second set are from a 2004 i591 with 40,000 miles for £17,000.
I agree, why would the dealer not repair?
The 2004 is a RHD model, which is not going to be popular in Europe, so with the damp, it may not be worth his while. Or mine.

Well at least its not all on the same van the second one RHD will take some shifting for sure so if you fancied it it should be cheap cheap, the first one looks to have been neglected for a long time.

Martin

 

[Lenny HB]

The one labelled A Class #2 looks like in two different areas if so RUN.

The 1st & 2nd pics of the one labelled A Class looks like it's had a replacement windscreen that has been fitted badly so probably neads refitting, if the 3rd pic is in a diffent area RUN, if near the screen could be worth a punt.

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[Chris]

I wouldn’t buy a German van.

Lots seem to have “mild” damp problems.

At least British vans have proper damp.

 

[Bre]

The one labelled A Class #2 looks like in two different areas if so RUN.

The 1st & 2nd pics of the one labelled A Class looks like it's had a replacement windscreen that has been fitted badly so probably neads refitting, if the 3rd pic is in a diffent area RUN, if near the screen could be worth a punt.

The A class #2 is the same door, showing each side of it. In that one, the year 2000, the fridge only works on electric, from what I have read on this site that does not appear to be too big a problem.
The 2004 question you asked about the photo location, I have asked the dealer, and he has just come back and says "The last photo is on the left side under the shelf on the windshield
added. I have the posts with one Moisture meter tested, currently this is dry. It's just a little ugly."

 

[Bre]

Thanks for all the replies so far

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[Bre]

The question in my mind is that if the damp is “mild” (and therefore presumably an easy fix), why hasn’t the dealer done it which would enable him to sell the van for much more? If he can’t fix it economically (which is what I’d also presume) there might be a lot more to it than meets the eye.

I think there’s plenty of dry vans out there so I’d probably keep looking, even if the damp van was very cheap.

But you might be handy like @Wildbill who is a van fixing God

I wish I was an anything fixing god.

 

[CazPaul]

If any of you were buying from Germany, would you hire someone to go and check it out independently of the dealer?

Can you not go and check it out yourself?
Bundesvan will check the van out for you for £200 although expenses would be added on that, ring them, they may be in that area of Germany anyway over the next few weeks so that would keep costs down a bit.

 

[andyman]

The stains on the trim around the windscreen could be from condensation. If i dont fit the silver screens the fabric soaks up water like a sponge, my 2009 Burstner has slight water marks.

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[Boringfrog]

The stains on the trim around the windscreen could be from condensation. If i dont fit the silver screens the fabric soaks up water like a sponge, my 2009 Burstner has slight water marks.

Slight or mild?

 

[Bre]

The stains on the trim around the windscreen could be from condensation. If i dont fit the silver screens the fabric soaks up water like a sponge, my 2009 Burstner has slight water marks.

Thanks for that, as it appears under all three of the front windows I was wondering if it could be condensation, the chance of 3 replacement glasses being needed and put in wrong....
The dealer says he could clean it up as it is dry now, but he wants to be open about the possible problems.
That may be true. Or.....
Here are cab photos he just sent

 

[Bre]

Can you not go and check it out yourself?
Bundesvan will check the van out for you for £200 although expenses would be added on that, ring them, they may be in that area of Germany anyway over the next few weeks so that would keep costs down a bit.

I could, and will go over, hopefully sooner than later.
But as I know little about damp problems, I thought that having a full check could well be money well spent. Like this forum. I could belong to a free one, but the quality of replies here is very good.
Money well spent.

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[deleted-member02]

Thanks for that, as it appears under all three of the front windows I was wondering if it could be condensation, the chance of 3 replacement glasses being needed and put in wrong....
The dealer says he could clean it up as it is dry now, but he wants to be open about the possible problems.
That may be true. Or.....
Here are cab photos he just sent

Over 200,000 motorhomes registered in the UK, why would someone choose to buy this one

 

[Lenny HB]

Thanks for that, as it appears under all three of the front windows I was wondering if it could be condensation, the chance of 3 replacement glasses being needed and put in wrong....
The dealer says he could clean it up as it is dry now, but he wants to be open about the possible problems.
That may be true. Or.....
Here are cab photos he just sent

To be sure it would need the dash taking out and the panels stripping out there is bound to be some rotten timber behind there a fairly major job.

 

[Bre]

To be sure it would need the dash taking out and the panels stripping out there is bound to be some rotten timber behind there a fairly major job.

That's what it looks like to me with the new dash photos.
If he came back with a stupid lower price it would be tempting, if I verified it was now dry. Which means going over or finding someone to do that for me over there.

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[jockaneezer]

Run Forrest, run !

 

[old-mo]

As long as they threw a few pairs of these in.... I might take a gamble...

 

[deleted-member02]

Is the 2004 van an ‘Elegance’?
If so, £17,000 is remarkably cheap and would suggest that the van has much more than cosmetic issues...
What does a tidy, average mileage 2004 Elegance retail for, I’m guessing around £25k???
No one discounts that much without good reason...



https://www.caravansforsale.co.uk/m...-i591-3-berth-2006-motorhomes-for-sale/683802