Would you buy a Motorhome without seeing it ?

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Tony50

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I understand Swift is not having a Stand at the Nec. in February 2022, instead I understand they are having a Online Virtual Event for Motorhomes , we would not buy a Motorhome this way , how on earth can you see the design / build quality , even looking down to seeing access to services etc.
What do others Members think ?
 
I have, and am happy, I had a 2 week cool off
Same with my car,

More and more going that way now, but obvs wont suit many for good reasons

CAZOO yeah you can :rofl:
 
Done it in the past when I bought a new caravan from Germany but that was only 8k. I think I want to see what I'm getting when spending many times that amount.

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Tony50 said:
I understand Swift is not having a Stand at the Nec. in February 2022, instead I understand they are having a Online Virtual Event for Motorhomes , we would not buy a Motorhome this way , how on earth can you see the design / build quality , even looking down to seeing access to services etc.
What do others Members think ?
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Second hand cars are going the same way not.
 
That reminds me years ago going to see a 2nd hand motorhome at a dealers. Right model, layout, price, looked clean and well cared for - but the smell!:sick: Dealer had obviously tried to clear/ cover it up but goodness knows why it was so bad. Walked away very quickly
 
No No No GIF
 
No, and definitely not from a private seller. Far too many scams on eBay and Autotrader operated by 'cuckoo' sellers who put photos from elsewhere in their advert.

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I wouldnt on such an expensive item and certainly not a Swift the build quality varies too much, You might get a good one, you might not.
 
I did seen the van i wanted on the internet rang the dealer (Travel World) did a bit of haggling paid money up front went down and picked it up that was 2017 still got it.
 
No way, would definitely have to see it in the flesh, there’s so many variables for me that viewing online couldn’t tell/show you.
 
A no from me.

sonar said:
Second hand cars are going the same way not.
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My mate delivers new cars for Mercedes. Before the covid pandemic they delivered between 4 & 500 new mercs /week from Devon to anywhere in the UK. All bought/leased/etc over the internet ,all delivered by being driven to the customer. Amazed me how times changed. Years ago if it had 10 miles on the clock people would walk away as not considered new. Now the delivery driver is putting 500 miles on it & no one's bothered ? 🤷‍♂️ Most of the stuff is high 5 figures & plenty in to 6.
& no they rarely get any returned.

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I suspect the ability to look in a new motorhome to check build quality is a red herring. It's not the one you are going to get. But, far more than something like a car, it's the ability to actually physically size the thing up. The absolute newbie might not know enough to really check , but most really do want and need to have a hands on play - wc and shower use test, can you get to the oven, are those cupboards really big enough and so on (if I were to buy again I'd be poking around on practicality a lot more than I did with the current van, even though I'm very happy with the current one). For vehicles bought through the show there is no test drive, so online marketing is no different.

But for someone like Swift who will sell mostly through a dealer network, the costs of exhibiting, with the covid restrictions and punishment the endless stream of tyre kickers clambering over their exhibits must be a detterent, especially in the last year when they probably sold everything they made with the publicised shortages of base vehicles.
 
IH also absent from February’s show. But their reason was simply that they don’t have any vans to sell, so no point hiring NEC floor space at £60k. Planning to return in Nov show though, which is great news
 
Kannon Fodda said:
I suspect the ability to look in a new motorhome to check build quality is a red herring. It's not the one you are going to get. But, far more than something like a car, it's the ability to actually physically size the thing up. The absolute newbie might not know enough to really check , but most really do want and need to have a hands on play - wc and shower use test, can you get to the oven, are those cupboards really big enough and so on (if I were to buy again I'd be poking around on practicality a lot more than I did with the current van, even though I'm very happy with the current one). For vehicles bought through the show there is no test drive, so online marketing is no different.

But for someone like Swift who will sell mostly through a dealer network, the costs of exhibiting, with the covid restrictions and punishment the endless stream of tyre kickers clambering over their exhibits must be a detterent, especially in the last year when they probably sold everything they made with the publicised shortages of base vehicles.
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Totally agree, trying out things in a (possible van, is a must) :clap:
 
Tony50 said:
I understand Swift is not having a Stand at the Nec. in February 2022, instead I understand they are having a Online Virtual Event for Motorhomes , we would not buy a Motorhome this way , how on earth can you see the design / build quality , even looking down to seeing access to services etc.
What do others Members think ?
Click to expand...
They can't supply you with a motorhome so not much point in spending many thousands attending a show then telling any potential buyers they've got nothing to sell you.

They might not even have any motorhomes to take to a show if everything is sold before it's built , would you be happy if you found out your brand new motorhome had been used as a show model with hundreds of people tramping round it

Once the pandemic is over things will go back to normal

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I don't think they want you to buy without seeing it. They have been getting excellent results from their own marketing and virtual exhibitions that they feel they don't need to spend all that money on a show. You can see good representations of the vans online before you visit their premises. Hymer are doing the same. Many of the big dealers are also binning the showground. .

In the days when the only way to see motorhomes was the exchange and mart or adverts in MMM, the show was king. There was a waiting list for traders to get places at shows. As for campers, they couldn't fit them all in, and when they did some were so far away from the showground they needed busses to get them in. Times change, makers do not need to be exhibiting as much. This is why you are much more likely to buy a candle or some garden furniture at a show these days rather than a motorhome. The trade are finding out that they can build an audience without the show.
 
Just forked out 55K for a brand new one we hadnt seen
The dealer forked out 40K for ours he hadnt seen.
Both of us knew what we were buying and they are making their money and I am saving mine.

To be fair, I just changed from a Roller Team 690 to a 685. Its just a different set up, slightly less high, slightly longer and updated bits and bobs.

I ve just seen a second hand one, same spec as ours, on sale on ebay for 65K so I reckon it was quite a good decision made in less than 10 minutes on the phone.
 
gus-lopez said:
A no from me.


My mate delivers new cars for Mercedes. Before the covid pandemic they delivered between 4 & 500 new mercs /week from Devon to anywhere in the UK. All bought/leased/etc over the internet ,all delivered by being driven to the customer. Amazed me how times changed. Years ago if it had 10 miles on the clock people would walk away as not considered new. Now the delivery driver is putting 500 miles on it & no one's bothered ? 🤷‍♂️ Most of the stuff is high 5 figures & plenty in to 6.
& no they rarely get any returned.
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We would never buy a vehicle without sitting in it and driving it , forgetting about the trim , colour , and other options , as for Merc. cars long been overrated and over here, but that's just my personal opinion , I do though like the Merc. based Motorhomes ,but are they really worth the Premium you have to pay to buy one .
 
Jim said:
I don't think they want you to buy without seeing it. They have been getting excellent results from their own marketing and virtual exhibitions that they feel they don't need to spend all that money on a show. You can see good representations of the vans online before you visit their premises. Hymer are doing the same. Many of the big dealers are also binning the showground. .

In the days when the only way to see motorhomes was the exchange and mart or adverts in MMM, the show was king. There was a waiting list for traders to get places at shows. As for campers, they couldn't fit them all in, and when they did some were so far away from the showground they needed busses to get them in. Times change, makers do not need to be exhibiting as much. This is why you are much more likely to buy a candle or some garden furniture at a show these days rather than a motorhome. The trade are finding out that they can build an audience without the show.
Click to expand...
Sorry, but good luck to people who buy online or similar , that's just me , I like to sleep at night without worrying about have I bought right online or on the phone , and also I want to sleep on a comfortable bed not when I get a Motorhome I find the mattress is uncomfortable as one example.
 
No way

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