It’s an exciting time!
I know a lot of you beginners reading this will collect a new motorhome soon. You might be waiting on a new van that you ordered a year or more ago, or maybe you’ve just bought a nearly new or really old one. You might buy from a dealer or privately. New or old; that “We’re getting a Motorhome” excitement will be the same.
Some say that the excitement levels when collecting a new (to them) van are up there with the birth of a grandchild or even their wedding day! I couldn’t comment! However, I can say, getting a new van; whether it’s your first or your fifth, nearly new or ancient, is very exciting and the anticipation is painful.
If this is your first motorhome, you might also be nervous about driving such a large expensive thing. Nerves, excitement and anticipation can be a brutal intoxicating cocktail, one you drink in right at the time you need your wits about you.
When collecting, you’ll have a lot to go through and you’ll need to be methodical or you will forget things.
Ideally, there will be two of you when you collect. Nine times out of ten there will be, because you’ll likely need a lift to pick the van up. With two of you listening to the handover, you stand a much better chance of remembering all you’ve been told.
Some people have that second person record the whole handover process on a phone. This is not a bad idea, though a few have said they felt awkward doing so.
Just say something like, “My wife is going to record this handover, as I know that two minutes down the road we’ll have forgotten everything you have told us.”Don’t worry, they are used to it, and anyway, they won’t object because you haven’t paid them yet.
That’s right, get the handover done before you part with your money, because if anything is wrong, if you haven’t paid yet, they are much more likely to put it right much quicker. If you are recording the handover, use the opportunity to get some promises on record. You might say casually for the tape “And you won’t forget those new tyres will be fitted free as soon as they are in”
True story​
Someone ordered a new motorhome from a dealer. They arrived to collect. The salesperson met them. “Come into the office, let’s get all the paperwork sorted and then Dave will get this vehicle handed over to you.”
The paperwork took an age, coffee and chat while they taxed the van, sorted out receipts, guarantees, transferred their cash, more coffee and chat, etc.
Eventually they went outside to meet Dave, who was sorry to tell them that one of their workers had damaged the rear end of their new motorhome.
But not to worry, they accept responsibility and would fix it free, but they would probably have to wait a month or two for materials from Germany and as part of the bodywork was rubbing a rear tyre, they couldn’t take it away!
Who the owner was at the time of the accident will never be known. But the lesson is obvious: get the handover before you part with the cash, or at least give the motorhome a good once over to ensure it’s the right van and it’s undamaged.
WHEN COLLECTING YOU NEED A CHECKLIST
When a pilot walks around his aircraft before take-off, or sits in the cockpit for pre-flight checks, he uses a checklist. Even though he knows the checks off by heart. A list makes your checks methodical and you are much less likely to be distracted and miss something.
So, to help you while you are collecting your van, we have made a checklist that will work on your phone. It will keep you on track and no matter what your excitement levels, it will ensure you miss nothing. As a bonus, as soon as you’re finished it will send you a pdf file of that list and your checks and comments.
Getting that new van should be one of your better days and it will be, as long as you examine what you are buying. Best of luck. Bookmark that checklist now. mhfun.co/collection_checklist