Cheap camper queries

[Martin2020]

Hello all, this is my first question on here! I am considering purchasing my first campervan. I have done lots of research on here, other forums, youtube etc. I am (in a modest way) competent when it comes to DIY in the home and building. Based on our needs/planned usage we have decided to consider a very cheap, cheerful (hopefully not tearful), large 6 berth 1990 campervan - costing approximately 4.5k. It would be used by me, wife, friends and dog a few times a year and be garaged in a large tall garage. I have thoroughly inspected it inside and out/test driven and am happy with it engine wise based on my car maintenance background and the 12 month MOT and MOT history/servicing. I have used a damp meter throughout dozens of places in the interior and the main concern is the 38% damp readings on the roof in various places and a few 15% readings in the cupboards and near windows. In places, the ridged carpet on the ceiling was cold and damp to touch (not quite dripping!). The van has been sat idle outdoors for 3 years and is immaculate inside with everything original. I have ventured onto the roof and there is a large rectangular black patch of Silkaflex measuring 6ft x 4ft. I have spoke with a few reputable camper and caravan repairers who have said that whilst this is obviously not an ideal situation or an ideal way for the former keeper to have done their repair, it is not necessarily an "end of the world" problem and they are regularly fixing far worse on campervans ten times the cost. My opinion is that the worse case scenario is I get 3 months of fun this year and then it goes into storage and I spend the autumn and winter fixing/investigating it all myself and facing the fun learning curve along the way (now that my 4 years of DIY on the house project is over) and emerging in the summer of 2021 with an all singing all dancing van and a new hobby and skills and the worse case scenario is that it gets scrapped or sold again to somebody that wants to take it on.

Any help, views, guidance, is appreciated. Would you guys be comfortable getting involved with something like this or would you run a mile?!

 

[NorthernSands]

There are several threads on here about repairing damp, which would prove useful. Perhaps also leave a oil radiator in there for a while to try and dry it out before use.

What is it?

Oh, and welcome!

 

[68c]

At that price you have little to loose, many folk on this site with new vans will loose that in depreciation very quickly. It sounds like it could be used as is to give you an idea of if you like motorhoming and what how the layout works for you.

You are very lucky to have a garage large enough to take your van, many people have carried out extensive repairs outside. I suggest you park it outside in good weather with doors and windows open to help dry it out, park inside with doors and windows shut when it rains with a de-humidifier running.

There is a two part EDPM rubber solution you can paint on the roof to seal it, although most likely there will be leaks around the various roof windows, TV aerial, chimneys etc. A fillet of sealant will cure that at the moment. For a proper job in the winter you can remove them, replace any rotten wood and refit.

Plenty of threads on major repairs on the site, enjoy for the summer and have fun in the garage in the winter.

 

[Jimbohorlicks]

For 4.5k, if you get 2 years of fun out of it, where's the issue. If the roof has a black patch on it, is it mould black? If that's the case it's probably not sikaflex but ordinary silicone. There are some rubberised paints you can use to "waterproof" the roof, but never used any myself so cannot recommend any. 38% damp can be fixed if not gone too far IMO. Some new vans have more than 38% damp after a few months. As you are a Diyer, you can get stuck in and sort out any issues as they arise. Main thing is mot and rust, if your happy you can run the van for 2 years or more, you won't have lost anything but gained invaluable knowledge, had cheap hols with the family, what more could you want.
BTW, welcome to fun.
Ps
A 6 berth van will be over 3.5t, just make sure your licence covers you to drive it.

 

[Captain Yoghurtpot]

Sounds like an interesting project and not a fortune to start.
Although the van is a 1990 year , and in those days seat belts were possibly not used for travelling passengers in the rear, for the sake of safety today, I would recommend all passengers to be using either a forward facing or rear facing seat belt, and not a sideways on lap belt.
A six berth van does not necessarily equate to 6 travelling seat belts, and if any children are travelling using either a booster seat or if younger, a full car seat, they will need to be in either a forward or rear facing full inertia seat belt, and not a lap belt.
It may be possible, however, to retrofit enertia belts or rear facing lap belts if you have forward or rear facing seating, but not on side facing seating.
Just my thoughts, and welcome to motorhome fun.
You won't regret joining......
It's infectious!
Cheers
Iain

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[AndyPK]

Welcome from damp and wet Ciren!
For the price you’ve quoted, go for it and enjoy......and take heed of good advice to be found on the Fun Forum!

 

[Martin2020]

Thanks for advice everyone. It's an old elddis

 

[Minxy]

Check what it weighs compared to the VIN plate so you know what payload you have and what the existing axle loadings are as this could restrict who and what you can take away with you. Also check the rear suspension as it may be 'flat' and need sorting otherwise you could have a very bumpy and uncomfortable journey.

As for the damp, the fact that the interior ceiling has damp patches in various areas could point to there being quite a bit more hidden within the roof that you can't see/feel. The problem is that the roof structure is timber and water can travel along the 'beams' a long way from where it enters and thus the timber can get damp and rot in lots of places, so don't think that it can just be dried out and be okay, if it can you would be very lucky indeed (I'm assuming that the walls were okay) but go into it expecting to do a full re-roof which, to be perfectly honest, would be a big job and not cheap. This is of course assuming you can find out where the water has been getting in and stop it so it doesn't get any worse.

It may be that MH repairers have seen worse but the cost could well make it not economical to repair so best to look at the value of other MHs of a similar age without known issues to get the true value before you buy it.

Its not something I'd take on but I've done plenty of stuff in the past that others would run a mile from ... just make sure you have your eyes wide open and view it as if you are advising a third party as to whether it is worth the expense and hassle of sorting it out or whether getting one that doesn't need this doing, even if it costs a bit more, is a better option.

 

[Minxy]

Forgot to say, is it an Elddis Autoquest 400 by any chance?