Looking for a new van? Pull your finger out

Jim

Jim

Ringleader
Joined
Jul 19, 2007
Posts
37,800
Likes collected
139,762
Location
Sutton on Sea, UK
Funster No
1
MH
Adria Panel Van.
Exp
Since 1988
I've been talking to some dealers, and the shortage of new vans is at crisis point. One dealer who would normally sell 100 vans this quarter, has a quota of just 19 new vans coming in for the rest of the year! If you want a new van, get your order in now. If you leave it a few months, you will be looking at 2023 delivery times.
 
Jim said:
I've been talking to some dealers, and the shortage of new vans is at crisis point. One dealer who would normally sell 100 vans this quarter, has a quota of just 19 new vans coming in for the rest of the year! If you want a new van, get your order in now. If you leave it a few months, you will be looking at 2023 delivery times.
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True story!
 
Figaro said:
Did they say if it was due to increased demand or lower production numbers ?
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Lower production. The makers have no base vehicles to build vans with. Fiat and others have stopped or been at reduced capacity since last March

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The shortage of FIAT chassis must be crippling for the MH manufacturers and converters.
 
bobnick said:
Used values will be going up then. So basically if you are swapping you are buying on the same market. New to the market and you will have to pay more in the foreseeable future.
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But depending on what happens after there could be continued demand or quite a few secondhand coming on the market just as production increases. If that happens resale values could fall anyone buying new at the peak will lose the most people upgrading will lose a bigger than average proportion of the upgrade cost. I think it's like the house you live in buy it because you want to use it not as an investment.
 
Used prices for our van seem to be about 6k more than we paid from a dealer a year and a half ago.

Whilst I am pleased we got it when we did, it is fairly irrelevant as we got it to use and enjoy. If value was relevant once we got it, we would have invested in precious metals. :-)

More people buying them can only be a good thing, more investment longer term in the industry and more facilities eventually, just need to get past the short term overcrowding. We will only have to have crap weather all summer for staycations to become undesirable next year.

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Once I have bought something the cost becomes irrelevant as I buy to use and enjoy not to constantly calculate the resale value.

Although nice to know that it does have a resale value that isn't anything I lose sleep over.
 
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There will probably be a fair few coming on the market when the new owners experience the new reality of Motorhoming when the starting gate is lifted , and they all try having their staycations at once . ? :(
 
The Wino said:
But depending on what happens after there could be continued demand or quite a few secondhand coming on the market just as production increases. If that happens resale values could fall anyone buying new at the peak will lose the most people upgrading will lose a bigger than average proportion of the upgrade cost. I think it's like the house you live in buy it because you want to use it not as an investment
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Jim said:
I've been talking to some dealers, and the shortage of new vans is at crisis point. One dealer who would normally sell 100 vans this quarter, has a quota of just 19 new vans coming in for the rest of the year! If you want a new van, get your order in now. If you leave it a few months, you will be looking at 2023 delivery times.
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Yep, fully concur there Jim. The dealer network in some areas seems to be in a right pickle.

I didn't quite believe the '2023' comment until I phoned around a bit today and sure enough if you don't order soon then you'll miss out on the 2022 season completely.
 
The problems are going to start when they all try going out with their new vans , and if they can get to Portugal or so far Valencia sites are going to be at a premium , Scotland going to look like its snowed again :)
 
Jim said:
I've been talking to some dealers, and the shortage of new vans is at crisis point. One dealer who would normally sell 100 vans this quarter, has a quota of just 19 new vans coming in for the rest of the year! If you want a new van, get your order in now. If you leave it a few months, you will be looking at 2023 delivery times.
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Well that would be a good time to buy, you may even get a PDI and a van delivered with no obvious faults missed, as the dealer’s will have sufficient time to prep your new van correctly. 😂
 
Looking a bit iffy this MoHoming lark innit. What with no stock anywhere, nowhere to park it, nowhere to go in it as sites are full. Europe closed.

I am now getting a bit jittery.

Thinking some of the organised Classic Car Tours are looking good at the mo......................................oh, and maybe a week or so on a narrow boat or similar but i suppose they will be booked up also.
OR
Could go to Dubai for a few weeks..........oh, we are still there and can't get out, bugger.

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As mentioned in another thread our MH's delivery date has been put back until late July 2021 from an original planned date of May 2021 due to issues with the electronic parking brake on Mercedes Sprinters, which is now sorted. We placed our deposit down in September 2020.

I had a long chat with a senior employee at our dealers yesterday and he informed me how the system works...cutting a long story short they have already ordered their 2022 chassis and will be looking at their 2023 ones very soon. From these chassis orders there is a cut off date for them to spec up said chassis based on their own or customer requirements ready for their planned build date in 2022. There is no capacity for any more in 2021 from our manufacturer and I believe this is the case with many others.

The Fait chassis issue is even more stark. I was informed that customers expecting delivery in April/May this year are now looking at November/December assuming no more delays from Fiat. This is the situation with one, albeit very large, manufacturer, but apparently this is an issue right across the board as the leisure vehicle market in Europe has gone crazy.
 
tacr2man said:
Scotland going to look like its snowed again :)
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Not surprising when just about every motorhome/campervan magazine features 'come and tour Scotland...' - even the mag that comes out with this site has done the same :yawn:.
 
On the other hand I see many unsold new MHs languishing on dealers forecourt with paltry discounts. SMC in Newark still has three 2019 Globecar campervans (£1,695.- off WOW!) and nine 2020 models with no discount and this is not an isolated case.

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beachwomble said:
On the other hand I see many unsold new MHs languishing on dealers forecourt with paltry discounts. SMC in Newark still has three 2019 Globecar campervans (£1,695.- off WOW!) and nine 2020 models with no discount and this is not an isolated case.
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Think it shows they know what's coming, ie a surge in demand.
 
bobnick said:
Think it shows they know what's coming, ie a surge in demand.
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Especially when interest rates are low. If I had a reasonable amount of money invested in new motorhomes and it was a choice between discounting now by say 5% or selling at near enough full price in 3 months time and no new stock available to replace them I know which I'd choose.
Annoying for anyone who wants a discount but why would you give one if you could sell anyway it would be bonkers.
 
bobnick said:
Looking a bit iffy this MoHoming lark innit. What with no stock anywhere, nowhere to park it, nowhere to go in it as sites are full. Europe closed.

I am now getting a bit jittery.
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That's our thought too. We're really not sure if we'll buy another new van this year or just sell up and give it a year or two for things to settle.
 
Blue Knight said:
That's our thought too. We're really not sure if we'll buy another new van this year or just sell up and give it a year or two for things to settle.
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What happened to the narrowboat you were buying ? If my memory serves me correct you had put a deposit down in anticipation of sailing off into the sunset.
 
A friend bought an almost new VW California last year but unfortunately his wife wasn't as keen on it as him.
He sold it this week for £8k more than he paid for it. He had a dozen calls within an hour of the advert going live and thinks that even with an 8k profit, he may have under sold it!
Terry

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