How to make your MH last forever !!

[diesel_gypsy]

I’m interested to know what people do to make your motorhomes last a long time, also what’s the longest you have kept one for?

 

[Figaro]

Look after it carefully, drive it carefully and have regular servicing.

 

[joe and sue]

Bought ours 6 years ago at 14 years old, now 20 years and still going strong,
Paid a good price for one of it's age, but still going well, with regular cleaning, servicing and maintenance.
Drive it properly and it will last.
Most MH's are based on commercial vehicles which are built for a hard working life.
Joe

 

[diesel_gypsy]

There is an OCD part of me that enjoys REALLY looking after my vehicles For example doing things like smearing waterproof grease around the old metal brake lines; a very experienced mechanic friend of mine absolutely swears by doing this to stop them corroding over time. With MH's I always wander what people do with all the different seals, cupboards, windows, poorly fitted screws in the roof etc etc.

 

[diesel_gypsy]

*wonder

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[CazPaul]

Polly shit.

 

[hilldweller]

also what’s the longest you have kept one for?

Ten years.

Damp is the killer, fixing the FIAT base is easy enough.

 

[Figaro]

For example doing things like smearing waterproof grease around the old metal brake lines

At my last mot the tester told me the brake lines were not corroded, but the plastic coating on them had deterioration in places.
He suggested greasing them, then I read it's an advisory on future MOT's. "Brake lines not available for inspection due to grease covering"
So I left them.
Have you had a problem ?

 

[diesel_gypsy]

Other than regularly cleaning and waxing and using small smear of silicone lubricant on rubber seals i'm a bit lost for MH care, years and years ago I had a great book (haynes I think) called "how to make your car last", is there a MH equivalent? I would buy that

 

[diesel_gypsy]

At my last mot the tester told me the brake lines were not corroded, but the plastic coating on them had deterioration in places.
He suggested greasing them, then I read it's an advisory on future MOT's. "Brake lines not available for inspection due to grease covering"
So I left them.
Have you had a problem ?

Hiya Figaro, no I have not ever had any specific problems, I am just curious to what others do, in preperation for my next MH which I intend to keep for as long as possible

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[busbuddy]

Don't let kids in it, the fittings are not child proof ?

 

[CazPaul]

At my last mot the tester told me the brake lines were not corroded, but the plastic coating on them had deterioration in places.
He suggested greasing them, then I read it's an advisory on future MOT's. "Brake lines not available for inspection due to grease covering"
So I left them.
Have you had a problem ?

Had that advisory on a car I recently bought, grease all over cant inspect

 

[maison]

diesel_gypsy

How about.......

There are plenty of other books listed under “Motorhome Manual”.

I have no direct knowledge of the book but you can always read
the synopsis to decide if it is suitable.

 

[jongood]

I’m interested to know what people do to make your motorhomes last a long time, also what’s the longest you have kept one for?

Buy one with no structural wood in it.

 

[Brains]

My 'K' reg (1972) VW 'Hippy Bus' (Devon conversion) that I bought for £400 in 1983 and sold for £600 in 1988 was still on the road in 2017 and is currently SORN'ed

The original owner was the Brighton VW dealer, he had the underside and the interior of all the panels sprayed with WaxOyl when it was brand new.
Hence a 50+ year life.

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[Coolcats]

CSP Fluid, you can use it on brake discs to stop corrosion when in storage its great stuff

 

[peterc10]

The main precaution to take is to buy a reasonably well built one. We all have our different opinions as to which makes fall within that category. Only time will tell whether those opinions were right or not.

After that the two important things that kill a motorhome is damp in the body and rust in the chassis. Both are very difficult and expensive to cure. Nearly all the mechanical stuff and internal fittings can be repaired or changed, but there will come a time when doing so will cost more than the vehicle is worth. After that it becomes a labour of love.

 

[hymerman]

Buy an old Hymer

 

[Lenny HB]

Longest I've kept one that was the first one nearly 6 years from new, last one just under 3 years, current one is exactly 3 years old and it will probably have to last us at least another 3.
I do maintenance on it as and when needed but don't go over the top. It's a commercial chassis the Fiat & Al-Ko parts are galvanized so it should last for years.
More of a concern is the internal modern lightweight construction that is more of a challenge to keep in good nick.

 

[Jaws]

I’m interested to know what people do to make your motorhomes last a long time, also what’s the longest you have kept one for?

Oddly, I change motorhomes when I am bored with them
When all the jobs and mods are done it might as well be a delivery van for all the appeal it has..
Fortunately, after about 6 years or so I am still finding stuff to fiddle with in our current one
So as long as there is something to play with / fix, I will keep a van

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[The Wino]

Oddly, I change motorhomes when I am bored with them
When all the jobs and mods are done it might as well be a delivery van for all the appeal it has..
Fortunately, after about 6 years or so I am still finding stuff to fiddle with in our current one
So as long as there is something to play with / fix, I will keep a van

I think a lot of people change just like you when they are bored of them but most make up a different excuse.

 

[maison]

We have changed fairly regularly.

Like most people it took us three attempts to find our “right” Motorhome. Then we sold it to finance the purchase of our French home. After five years we returned to motorhoming by buying an old one. After 18 months we traded up to a new one. We then decided to “downsize” to a PVC to make travel/parking easier before accepting that it was a bit too cramped for two adults and a big dog. We currently own a so called compact coachbuilt which is perfect for us..........




......until the next time!

 

[ryan_flea]

Just pump loads of money into it, like I do because the missis wants it aesthetically pleasing. Not really sure she thinks there is anything else to worry about ????

 

[diesel_gypsy]

A friend of mine bought a brand new premium MH (no need to say brand), the first thing he did to it was remove all the windows and then re-fit them using far more sealant than they use in the factory! I never saw the original sealant but apparently it was a very minimal amount.

 

[Scotch mist]

CSP Fluid, you can use it on brake discs to stop corrosion when in storage its great stuff

I googled it & can’t seem to find it SO what is CSP fluid ?

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[Coolcats]

I googled it & can’t seem to find it SO what is CSP fluid ?

I use a Carcoon to store a vehicle and a product they sell is CSP fluid. It is a great anti corrosion fluid

this is a review from there site

This protective fluid is amazing - based on a natural oil - lanolin - so it doesn't evaporate like WD40 type stuff, staying on the metal and actually holding back any form of corrosion. I'm a motorcyclist with a couple of cherished BMW bikes kept in storage in the UK and by using sparing amounts of the CSP fluid on engine casings, frame components, cable-ends and rubber components, I haven't detected any corrosion appearing on either steel or aluminium surfaces for about three years, with rubber items maintained in smooth pliable condition, on bikes kept in the drizzly, cloudy, windy, miserable Yorkshire weather. Much better value than the similar ACF-50 protection fluid. My only regret is that Carcoon can't ship the aerosol cans of CSP out of the UK for the dreaded Health & Safety reasons, 'cos i spend a lot of time in sunny Spain. An excellent product that "does EXACTLY what it says on the tin" - and more !

 

[Scotch mist]

Looks like CSP fluid is not cheap at £27.50 a can delivered when ACF-50 is £14 a can delivered on eBay

 

[rottytara2004]

When one says spray discs etc. Do you have to take wheels etc apart in order to get coverage. Maybe a stupid question to some but I am blonde!

CSP Fluid, you can use it on brake discs to stop corrosion when in storage its great stuff

 

[Coolcats]

When one says spray discs etc. Do you have to take wheels etc apart in order to get coverage. Maybe a stupid question to some but I am blonde!

As it is a spray I just spray through the spokes of the alloy wheels and then just behind the wheel at the disc and other parts I wish to protect.

 

[Coolcats]

Looks like CSP fluid is not cheap at £27.50 a can delivered when ACF-50 is £14 a can delivered on eBay

They are different products as you can see from the description you pay your money and take your choice. I tend not to buy in price but what I feel does the best protection. I find a can last a few years as I tend to only use it once a year. The product itself is only £19.99

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