Buying privately (1 Viewer)

[hogger]

Hello all, it's me, the pest again needing your wise words of wisdom.
I have a bit of a dilemma going on with our first purchase of a motorhome.
We have looked at a Hymer Exis T 588 at a dealer. £ 49,995. It is a 14 plate with 19k miles. The dealer has offered to discount an awning by 50% as the MH does not have this. They have also offered to discount a set of tyres as I asked for a new set. I don't know what age the tyres on it are but assume they could be original and therefore 6yrs old.
I am also going to ask that the warranty is extended to 1yr from 6mths. I may also ask for discount on a safefill gas bottle and I am going to push for as many other extras I can think of.
I am happy with the dealer response so far.

The problem. I have just spotted this on autotrader and by all accounts looks like a better van. It is one yr younger with less mileage. It has recently had it's 5yr cam belt exchange along with guide and tensioner £666. It also has, according to the owner, had a recent habitation check £330.
The seller has been very good at communication.

Broken Link Removed

I am still worried about being scammed. I am supposed to be going to see this MH tomorrow. I could fob off the dealer until Friday but is it worth the risk for a saving of 3k?



The private sale one looks like it's in better condition, with an awning and very good mechanically and cosmetically.

phew...sorry about the length of post
TIA

 

[Nanniemate]

Could take a chance tell the dealer that your going to see another one with some details so he is confident your not just trying it on
£3000 in your pocket is better than in his..........good luck

 

[funflair]

Go see the private one and you will get a feeling wether they are honest sellers or out to rob you, I think you want to go for the private one but just want a bit of moral support

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[AndyPK]

The photos certainly look good......but then, they should! You would not get any warranty with the private sale, I assume, so you would need to be pretty confident about it’s condition......

 

[Ditcha]

If the private one has history etc go for it and offer him £45k and save £5k.

 

[Boringfrog]

Private seller open to offers too, so long as they're not daft offers.

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[AndyPK]

What is your gut feeling, Steven?

 

[Boringfrog]

The private one says auto gearbox in the advert, does that make a difference?

 

[EuroTrotters]

First Motorhome we bought. Dealer price £45,000. We bought a better one privately for £29,000. Traded it in 4 years later to a dealer for £28,500.

When I drove to check it out first time, from Manchester to Worcester. I actually recognised the man selling it. Yes, all that way. He used to drive up from Worcester to Chelford to trade at Chelford car boot.

But I still checked out who he was, asked neighbours how long he had lived there etc.

Motorhome was on finance. I returned a week later with two bankers drafts, one for him, the other for the finance company. We put the finance company check in the postbox together.

Last Motorhome we bought. I purchased from Australians who were in Sydney. The motorhome was in Granada, Spain.

Checked passports, verified address, paid deposit by FX trader in Australian dollars. Paid balance a couple of days after we drove from UK to Spain to collect.

Just do your homework. Verify everything inc photo ID and make sure you HPI it.

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[tribalbrit]

Ask for the registration number, do mot and tax check see if mileage adds up etc. If it's genuine he should tell you registration, could also do hpi check if you feel the need.

 

[hogger]

Could take a chance tell the dealer that your going to see another one with some details so he is confident your not just trying it on
£3000 in your pocket is better than in his..........good luck

I'll try that one too

 

[hogger]

Go see the private one and you will get a feeling wether they are honest sellers or out to rob you, I think you want to go for the private one but just want a bit of moral support

Yes It looks the better van if genuine. I have my checklist ready

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[hogger]

The photos certainly look good......but then, they should! You would not get any warranty with the private sale, I assume, so you would need to be pretty confident about it’s condition......

According to the seller it's immaculate inside and out

 

[hogger]

What is your gut feeling, Steven?

Really don't know. I emailed him an hour ago to ask if we could speak on the phone tonight but no reply as yet. Been good communication so far and very detailed information. Supposed to go see it tomorrow so I'd judge then

 

[hogger]

Ask for the registration number, do mot and tax check see if mileage adds up etc. If it's genuine he should tell you registration, could also do hpi check if you feel the need.

Yes will be doing all that, cheers. Would be doing an HPI for definite

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[hogger]

If the private one has history etc go for it and offer him £45k and save £5k.

Yes I'll be going for the haggle

 

[TheBig1]

be very careful of a dealer only offering 6 months warranty and makes it sound like he is doing you a favour fitting tyres he should fit anyway. Plenty of vans come up for sale privately all the time, priced at little more than a trader will give them as a part exchange. Do your research, check any mot history for an indication if its not been looked after and a HPI check to make sure there is no hidden history or finance

 

[hogger]

The private one says auto gearbox in the advert, does that make a difference?

Yes makes all the difference. Looking forward to an auto

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[hogger]

First Motorhome we bought. Dealer price £45,000. We bought a better one privately for £29,000. Traded it in 4 years later to a dealer for £28,500.

When I drove to check it out first time, from Manchester to Worcester. I actually recognised the man selling it. Yes, all that way. He used to drive up from Worcester to Chelford to trade at Chelford car boot.

But I still checked out who he was, asked neighbours how long he had lived there etc.

Motorhome was on finance. I returned a week later with two bankers drafts, one for him, the other for the finance company. We put the finance company check in the postbox together.

Last Motorhome we bought. I purchased from Australians who were in Sydney. The motorhome was in Granada, Spain.

Checked passports, verified address, paid deposit by FX trader in Australian dollars. Paid balance a couple of days after we drove from UK to Spain to collect.

Just do your homework. Verify everything inc photo ID and make sure you HPI it.

Yep will be asking to see passport and driving license and HPI check. cheers

 

[hogger]

be very careful of a dealer only offering 6 months warranty and makes it sound like he is doing you a favour fitting tyres he should fit anyway. Plenty of vans come up for sale privately all the time, priced at little more than a trader will give them as a part exchange. Do your research, check any mot history for an indication if its not been looked after and a HPI check to make sure there is no hidden history or finance

That's a point. I've already had the thought, why only 6mths warranty on a vehicle that's costing 50k? that' the kind of warranty you'd get on a car for a few thousand quid.
I already have a suspicion that the awning he's offering at 50% discount will probably not cost much more than the £500 we're still to pay.
I don't know the age of the tyres but I thought I'd try it on anyhow as they could well be six yrs old. He said he would discount these too. I will be telling him I don't want cheapo's fitted.

It's a blood nightmare isn't it......trying not to get ripped off!!!

 

[AG 2602]

Looks like a tidy van I’d personally have no problem with buying privately. In fact I think if they have had it for a while then they would probably give you a better hand over.
Like others have said do all the background checks first.

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[hogger]

Looks like a tidy van I’d personally have no problem with buying privately. In fact I think if they have had it for a while then they would probably give you a better hand over.
Like others have said do all the background checks first.

Yes he just replied and said no problem for me to call. I will indeed be doing all the checks. They have owned it since new

 

[CazPaul]

Private sale if it's good, don't fall for the half price awning and discount tyres one, they should put tyres on if the current ones 7ish years old anyway.

 

[nicholsong]

Tyres are dated on the tyre wall by month and year.

5. Manufacturing Date Code

Displayed as a string of numbers and letters which looks something like DOTXXXXXXXX1017 is information about when your tyre was manufactured. The last four numbers relate to the date of manufacture, so you can identify the age of your tyre. In this example, the date code is 1017 which would mean that the tyre was manufactured in the 10th week of 2017.

Geoff

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[Rapphil]

looks nice van. Bit “flowery” descriptions for a private seller sounds more professional seller, dig for reasons for selling and history .

 

[hogger]

Tyres are dated on the tyre wall by month and year.

5. Manufacturing Date Code

Displayed as a string of numbers and letters which looks something like DOTXXXXXXXX1017 is information about when your tyre was manufactured. The last four numbers relate to the date of manufacture, so you can identify the age of your tyre. In this example, the date code is 1017 which would mean that the tyre was manufactured in the 10th week of 2017.

Geoff

Yes I know about the date code being a biker. Tyre age is VERY important only having two on the road

 

[hogger]

looks nice van. Bit “flowery” descriptions for a private seller sounds more professional seller, dig for reasons for selling and history .

I just spoke to him on the phone and got the reg number so will do the HPI tonight. I will be asking for passport and driving license tomorrow

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[simsy56]

I would buy the private one. Just check it out.

Craig

 

[Northernraider]

I'd always buy private unless i was buying brand new ... wouldn't pay the extra mark up a dealer asks.
Most private sellers are genuine and just trying to avoid the low trade in.prices the same dealers offer them.

Buy private and sell private thats my way ...and ive made money on practicaly every vehicle ive owned as a result

All 700+ of them

 

[hogger]

I'd always buy private unless i was buying brand new ... wouldn't pay the extra mark up a dealer asks.
Most private sellers are genuine and just trying to avoid the low trade in.prices the same dealers offer them.

Buy private and sell private thats my way ...and ive made money on practicaly every vehicle ive owned as a result

All 700+ of them

Yes, just spoke to him and he sounded completely genuine. Very knowledgeable about the van and extremely helpful. I was on the phone with him for an hour. To go and see it tomorrow where he said he would show me how everything works.