Unsure after viewing today (1 Viewer)

[CarlandMandy]

Went to view a MH which we thought was a real possibility, but have come away feeling a bit confused and would be grateful for any thoughts. It is a burstner harmony, just over 6 months old and on with a dealer. Dealer was excellent, let us spend ages going over it, answered our questions, no pressure at all, very helpful.

We found a few things wrong that individually aren't too bad, but added up are concerning us that maybe the van hasn't been looked after that well in it's short life, but not sure if we are being too picky.

Lots of scuffs on the inside of the wardrobe door where drawers have been pulled out and caught the door.
Deeper scratch on laminate shelf in bathroom.
Fridge door was shut but freezer compartment had 1" of water on it's floor where it had defrosted and been left wet.
Fridge top shelf has had it's plastic rubbed off.
Electric drop down bed wouldn't stop half way down when we tried to stop it - kept drifting down at slower speed, then wouldn't stay up when we put it back up.
Garage had a few scuffs inside.
Spashes that looked as if either tea or muddy water perhaps around inside of the fuse box cabinet at floor level.
When we lifted the under floor storage compartment lid up, the edge of the lid underneath had dried water marks the whole way round and the same around the top floor level edge of the compartment (burstner double floor). Mentioned it to dealer who got a damp meter and showed us it was 6-9 around the edge in places, but zero a couple of inches further away on the floor. It looked to us as though water had sat around the edge of the storage space, maybe a floor spill?

So we came away to scratch heads, head saying don't rule it out, heart feeling a bit deflated. Suppose we were expecting a nearly new van to look a bit more looked after. The dealer would fix the bed and replace the fridge shelf, scuffs would have to go down as use, but the water marks and damp around the floor storage area surprised us. It's under warranty but we feel uncertain how concerned we should be. It hasn't had it's first official warranty hab check yet, that would be done by us in 2022. Dealer said they would do a pre sale one and we felt generally as though they would be good to buy from.

Any thoughts?

 

[CarlandMandy]

Thank you so much everyone for your advice and thoughts - really helped us see things clearly. I think initially there is a risk of thinking well it looks shiny online, we've driven all this way - it must surely be the one and then trying to shove a square peg into a round hole as it were. We will continue our search, more confident thanks to you all of waiting for one to come up that has been well looked after, and that we will know when it is right

 

[Jackd]

When spending, what to most of us, is an awful lot of money, you want everything to be just right. You should be chuffed and proud of your bloody expensive purchase.
The very fact that you’re asking the question here, gives you your answer.
As mentioned already, you’ll know when you see the right one. Follow your instincts.

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[Trevor Wbm]

Thank you so much everyone for your advice and thoughts - really helped us see things clearly. I think initially there is a risk of thinking well it looks shiny online, we've driven all this way - it must surely be the one and then trying to shove a square peg into a round hole as it were. We will continue our search, more confident thanks to you all of waiting for one to come up that has been well looked after, and that we will know when it is right

Given how international travel is opening up, if you can bear to wait I reckon there'll be a lot of choice next Spring.

 

[pxh38257]

Burstner is a very good make, and with it being second hand you have to accept there will be marks etc which may or may not just clean of with a damp cloth. Personally I would re visit it and ask to have a look at the motorhome‘s log book and manuals to see if it has a company name on or a individuals. If possible note the previous owners address and very quickly contact them. Don’t be shocked to find the dealer has added many £1000s to the price the previous owner received for the MoHo.
Many of the dealers pick up motorhome s from the BCA at Nottingham where you do get ex rentals and newish private reprocessed motorhome’s.
Good luck with your searching it took me 20 months to find what we were looking for and in true fashion 2 came along at the same time 200 miles away from us and each other.

 

[jollyrodger]

Agree to most of the above
If in doubt leave it out

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[Clipgate]

I have one adage; If in doubt leave it out.

 

[Shrimp]

it may not be a rental, the first owner may have lived full time in it. They age very quickly if lived in rather than a few weeks here and there

I don’t think living in a van ages it prematurely, I know of one van that was lived in and was fine, our van has been lived in for 11 years and ok there are a few marks but at 20 years old I think it would be odd if it was still pristine!

 

[BouncyBoatFolk]

I don’t think living in a van ages it prematurely, I know of one van that was lived in and was fine, our van has been lived in for 11 years and ok there are a few marks but at 20 years old I think it would be odd if it was still pristine!

I think you have to speak as you find, I have a twenty year old kitchen that still looks as good as when it was fitted,, but I look after it meticulously. In the same time span I know of a couple of people who are now on their 3rd kitchen, and that one still looks worse than ours, not everyone has such respect for their own property, having an easy come easy go laissez faire attitude, I would have concerns about buying such a complicated and maintenance heavy bit of kit like a motorhome from such people.
Mike

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[bobandjanie]

We spent more time in our last 3 motorhomes more than a house, the last two were sold for more than we paid for them, they was both in good condition, spending all the time away from UK winters helps alot.

We sold our last van privately, and they spent ages looking over it and he couldn't believe the condition it was like new underneath, and we lived in it for for most of the year for 4 years.

Our home is an apartment in Spain, this was by choice after looking at loads of villas and being country folk in the UK and no near neighbour's.
But this was purchased because it was to be rented, so the location had to be right, and for us it's perfect we get back in after our last rental after 26th, and to be honest when our cleaner does her final clean we walk in and you wouldn't know anyone had been in there, it's been fully booked since the 4th June, normally we take bookings from 1st May, but we do our best with who we rent to, and have return guests that makes life easier. Bob.

 

[SpeedyDux]

You see some right tatty old sheds on wheels at the outdoor shows and wonder why dealers didn't prep them. Hoping to snare mugs?

I wouldn't put any faith in dealer promises to fix minor or cosmetic faults scratches cracks stains etc after sale. If it was cheap and easy to do then they should have done the work already.

 

[VXman]

Ours is 6 months old and has now done 4500 miles and will be a lot more before we get home in December.

I like to think we are careful but odd scuffs and scratches are inevitable if you are going to live in it and use it on an everyday basis. I use ours to enjoy travelling not to constantly polish.

So I guess it depends on what level the scuffs/ marks are at.


As regards the garage. We'll, we are constantly getting a motor bike, 2 cycles, chairs, tables, BBQ, etc in and out on a regular basis. I defy anyone to not leave some scuffs and scratches with this kind of 'normal' everyday use.

Having said all that...there will be some mollycoddled, hardly used 6month to 2 years ones out there. Keep looking if you want perfect.

When I was looking I was amazed at the number of 2/3 year-old models with only a few thousand on the clock.

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[TheBig1]

Several years ago now, I spoke with a representative of Bailey caravans about poor build quality. What he said has stuck with me ever since. "These vehicles are designed as holiday accommodation a few weeks per year. Using them full time is outside the scope of any warranty as they are not designed for that"

The same is still true and if you mention full timing in the motorhome or caravan when making a warranty claim, it will be declined. The lightweight construction of the interiors in particular is not designed for constant use. The fixtures and fittings and the plywood furniture can very rapidly age

 

[BouncyBoatFolk]

Several years ago now, I spoke with a representative of Bailey caravans about poor build quality. What he said has stuck with me ever since. "These vehicles are designed as holiday accommodation a few weeks per year. Using them full time is outside the scope of any warranty as they are not designed for that"

The same is still true and if you mention full timing in the motorhome or caravan when making a warranty claim, it will be declined. The lightweight construction of the interiors in particular is not designed for constant use. The fixtures and fittings and the plywood furniture can very rapidly age

I also heard similar in as much as M/homes interiors are designed for a lifetime of approximately 50 outings, like a reckless cat using up it's lives, we're putting a bite on our quota .
Mike

 

[Kozikot]

Personally I'd rather see it before any Dealer's had it a week to Clean, Polish, Paint, Underseal and Botch,but I have been in the trade for over 37 yrs...

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[Dutch 68]

We spent more time in our last 3 motorhomes more than a house, the last two were sold for more than we paid for them, they was both in good condition, spending all the time away from UK winters helps alot.

We sold our last van privately, and they spent ages looking over it and he couldn't believe the condition it was like new underneath, and we lived in it for for most of the year for 4 years.

Our home is an apartment in Spain, this was by choice after looking at loads of villas and being country folk in the UK and no near neighbour's.
But this was purchased because it was to be rented, so the location had to be right, and for us it's perfect we get back in after our last rental after 26th, and to be honest when our cleaner does her final clean we walk in and you wouldn't know anyone had been in there, it's been fully booked since the 4th June, normally we take bookings from 1st May, but we do our best with who we rent to, and have return guests that makes life easier. Bob.

Do you use an agent for the rental and the cleaning please? Do you have a maintenance person on standby? Sounds difficult managing a property from afar?

 

[bobandjanie]

Do you use an agent for the rental and the cleaning please? Do you have a maintenance person on standby? Sounds difficult managing a property from afar?

No agents been there done that with two agents, we had a lovely couple for two years him Spanish she English, but they moved down to guardamar, we now have a single lady meet and greet and cleaning who is very good, we are friends with the laundry so she just drops off and picks up, hopefully be back again next year, do all our own bookings, we have someone who can fix things, and if he can't he knows a man that can. Bob.

 

[Dutch 68]

No agents been there done that with two agents, we had a lovely couple for two years him Spanish she English, but they moved down to guardamar, we now have a single lady meet and greet and cleaning who is very good, we are friends with the laundry so she just drops off and picks up, hopefully be back again next year, do all our own bookings, we have someone who can fix things, and if he can't he knows a man that can. Bob.

Thanks for that, we hope to follow suit, I suppose you have to be lucky to find a trustworthy caretaker, in this day and age with social media reviews you can’t afford things not to be a hundred %, it takes time to build a good reputation but only seconds to loose that status. What area are you in?

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[bobandjanie]

Thanks for that, we hope to follow suit, I suppose you have to be lucky to find a trustworthy caretaker, in this day and age with social media reviews you can’t afford things not to be a hundred %, it takes time to build a good reputation but only seconds to loose that status. What area are you in?

Yes, always a gamble and you have to do your homework, after looking at loads of villas, decided that the apartment was a better option for us, location/ low maintenance and lock up and leave, we are off again tomorrow in the camper.

We are in Javea Costa Blanca north. Bob https://lasdunasjavea.com/

 

[cyberyacht]

We had good "minders" for the place that we had in Gran Alacant. Does give you peace of mind when you aren't there.

 

[VXman]

Even the mileage screams ex rental.

First used my new one in April. It's now got 7500 miles on it. It 's not rental just used!

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[The Wino]

First used my new one in April. It's now got 7500 miles on it. It 's not rental just used!

We've done 3000 miles in just over two weeks before down through France to the med along the south coast then over to the Basque country and up from there. We like to travel I think mileage is little indication of how much its been used or cared for. A really low mileage would put me off I don't think mechanical things like sitting not being used.