Motorhome prices!
Discussion
I have started to look at Motorhomes with a view To possibly purchasing at the end of the year.
Does it make any difference to pricing with regards time of year, i.e is there slower times for sales?
I am afraid it would appear that our max would be £15k and for that it would need to be a 4 birth. Other than that I havn't got a clue what is what but I am spending an extraordinary amount of time reading the posts on this section. Where else can I read and gain info from? I have scrolled through all 35 pages of topics on this forum looking at anything that sounds vaguely motorome related.
Lastly, this website : http://motorhomes.caravansforsale.co.uk/motorhomes...
Surely those prices are not correct? They seem far too cheap, is it just a spam site, what am I missing?
Thanks
Does it make any difference to pricing with regards time of year, i.e is there slower times for sales?
I am afraid it would appear that our max would be £15k and for that it would need to be a 4 birth. Other than that I havn't got a clue what is what but I am spending an extraordinary amount of time reading the posts on this section. Where else can I read and gain info from? I have scrolled through all 35 pages of topics on this forum looking at anything that sounds vaguely motorome related.
Lastly, this website : http://motorhomes.caravansforsale.co.uk/motorhomes...
Surely those prices are not correct? They seem far too cheap, is it just a spam site, what am I missing?
Thanks
eric twinge said:
I have started to look at Motorhomes with a view To possibly purchasing at the end of the year.
Does it make any difference to pricing with regards time of year, i.e is there slower times for sales?
I am afraid it would appear that our max would be £15k and for that it would need to be a 4 birth. Other than that I havn't got a clue what is what but I am spending an extraordinary amount of time reading the posts on this section. Where else can I read and gain info from? I have scrolled through all 35 pages of topics on this forum looking at anything that sounds vaguely motorome related.
Lastly, this website : http://motorhomes.caravansforsale.co.uk/motorhomes...
Surely those prices are not correct? They seem far too cheap, is it just a spam site, what am I missing?
Thanks
Looks pretty dodgy to me.Does it make any difference to pricing with regards time of year, i.e is there slower times for sales?
I am afraid it would appear that our max would be £15k and for that it would need to be a 4 birth. Other than that I havn't got a clue what is what but I am spending an extraordinary amount of time reading the posts on this section. Where else can I read and gain info from? I have scrolled through all 35 pages of topics on this forum looking at anything that sounds vaguely motorome related.
Lastly, this website : http://motorhomes.caravansforsale.co.uk/motorhomes...
Surely those prices are not correct? They seem far too cheap, is it just a spam site, what am I missing?
Thanks
Do seem a little in the cheap side to me.
Firstly, £15k isn't that much money but with a careful search you'll be able to find something which fits the bill.
I'm not so up on any seasonal changes in prices but I'd certainly say it'll be quieter for someone trying to shift a van in the winter, so there may well be deals to be done. It'll either be classic supply and demand or dependent on the desire of the seller to get rid.
Personally, having made a massive mistake first time around by buying a cheap Italian van, I would recommend seeking yourself out an old Hymer. Yes, they might look old fashioned and sometimes a bit of a museum piece, but they're incredibly solid and reliable machines. We've just picked up a 2001 a-class, ok so about £10k over your budget, but I'm fully persuaded of the solidity of these old rigs that I'd have no problem seeking out something older and within your budget and you'll likely have less problem (particularly with damp) than you may do with something a bit more modern but less well built.
Also, if you're new to motorhoming, see about borrowing one or going to a show or showroom before you take the plunge. I was 99% sure on our ideal layout before I bought my first one and didn't do any of the testing. I ended up regretting it massively since it's not until you spend time in one that you really know what you want out of it or what layout might work best. Even just sitting in a load in the showroom is better than not doing it at all.
In terms of retail sales of cheaper machines, Nagsheadwarrior always recommends Motorlands up in Preston and from what I've seen of the kind of stock which he sends up there on a trade basis, I'd say that might be a good place to start if you don't want to go private.
HTH and good luck with the search.
Firstly, £15k isn't that much money but with a careful search you'll be able to find something which fits the bill.
I'm not so up on any seasonal changes in prices but I'd certainly say it'll be quieter for someone trying to shift a van in the winter, so there may well be deals to be done. It'll either be classic supply and demand or dependent on the desire of the seller to get rid.
Personally, having made a massive mistake first time around by buying a cheap Italian van, I would recommend seeking yourself out an old Hymer. Yes, they might look old fashioned and sometimes a bit of a museum piece, but they're incredibly solid and reliable machines. We've just picked up a 2001 a-class, ok so about £10k over your budget, but I'm fully persuaded of the solidity of these old rigs that I'd have no problem seeking out something older and within your budget and you'll likely have less problem (particularly with damp) than you may do with something a bit more modern but less well built.
Also, if you're new to motorhoming, see about borrowing one or going to a show or showroom before you take the plunge. I was 99% sure on our ideal layout before I bought my first one and didn't do any of the testing. I ended up regretting it massively since it's not until you spend time in one that you really know what you want out of it or what layout might work best. Even just sitting in a load in the showroom is better than not doing it at all.
In terms of retail sales of cheaper machines, Nagsheadwarrior always recommends Motorlands up in Preston and from what I've seen of the kind of stock which he sends up there on a trade basis, I'd say that might be a good place to start if you don't want to go private.
HTH and good luck with the search.
Spuffington said:
Do seem a little in the cheap side to me.
Firstly, £15k isn't that much money but with a careful search you'll be able to find something which fits the bill.
I'm not so up on any seasonal changes in prices but I'd certainly say it'll be quieter for someone trying to shift a van in the winter, so there may well be deals to be done. It'll either be classic supply and demand or dependent on the desire of the seller to get rid.
Personally, having made a massive mistake first time around by buying a cheap Italian van, I would recommend seeking yourself out an old Hymer. Yes, they might look old fashioned and sometimes a bit of a museum piece, but they're incredibly solid and reliable machines. We've just picked up a 2001 a-class, ok so about £10k over your budget, but I'm fully persuaded of the solidity of these old rigs that I'd have no problem seeking out something older and within your budget and you'll likely have less problem (particularly with damp) than you may do with something a bit more modern but less well built.
Also, if you're new to motorhoming, see about borrowing one or going to a show or showroom before you take the plunge. I was 99% sure on our ideal layout before I bought my first one and didn't do any of the testing. I ended up regretting it massively since it's not until you spend time in one that you really know what you want out of it or what layout might work best. Even just sitting in a load in the showroom is better than not doing it at all.
In terms of retail sales of cheaper machines, Nagsheadwarrior always recommends Motorlands up in Preston and from what I've seen of the kind of stock which he sends up there on a trade basis, I'd say that might be a good place to start if you don't want to go private.
HTH and good luck with the search.
Many thanks for your responses, I've read your posts spuffington and they have been very useful. I must admit I do like the look of the older hymers, but the layout has to work for us, especially with two young daughters, one of which isn't as mobile as others due to disability. We have some friends who have a motorhome who have kindly offered to let us borrow it for the weekend to see how we get on.Firstly, £15k isn't that much money but with a careful search you'll be able to find something which fits the bill.
I'm not so up on any seasonal changes in prices but I'd certainly say it'll be quieter for someone trying to shift a van in the winter, so there may well be deals to be done. It'll either be classic supply and demand or dependent on the desire of the seller to get rid.
Personally, having made a massive mistake first time around by buying a cheap Italian van, I would recommend seeking yourself out an old Hymer. Yes, they might look old fashioned and sometimes a bit of a museum piece, but they're incredibly solid and reliable machines. We've just picked up a 2001 a-class, ok so about £10k over your budget, but I'm fully persuaded of the solidity of these old rigs that I'd have no problem seeking out something older and within your budget and you'll likely have less problem (particularly with damp) than you may do with something a bit more modern but less well built.
Also, if you're new to motorhoming, see about borrowing one or going to a show or showroom before you take the plunge. I was 99% sure on our ideal layout before I bought my first one and didn't do any of the testing. I ended up regretting it massively since it's not until you spend time in one that you really know what you want out of it or what layout might work best. Even just sitting in a load in the showroom is better than not doing it at all.
In terms of retail sales of cheaper machines, Nagsheadwarrior always recommends Motorlands up in Preston and from what I've seen of the kind of stock which he sends up there on a trade basis, I'd say that might be a good place to start if you don't want to go private.
HTH and good luck with the search.
We do tenting as much we can but it is a right faff isn't it, but the kids utterly adore it. As a family when I was younger we had a Commer camper van, and I will always remember being picked up from school by mum and dad and going straight to the new forest for the weekend. That is what I want my two girls to remember.
Thanks for your help and I hope not to pester you all too much!
You may find looking overseas towards Germany, Denmark and The Netherlands could give you a better deal but also more choice.
Try looking on suchen.mobile.de for motorhomes. That's where I found my 1992 RMB Mercedes.
I paid £15,000 for mine. Not only could I ever have found one of these in the UK (they're rare and were made to order), but nothing available in the UK for that money can touch it on quality. Come to think of it, not much anywhere can touch it for quality.
The £ is strong right now. It's easy to import and flights are cheap.
I bought mine in November a few years ago and am sure I could get that back if I were wishing to sell now in the UK.
As you mention a fondness for Hymer, I found more of them in Germany and The Netherlands. Do have a look for RMB, though, as they're even better built than Hymer. But, as you said, layout is the key.
Good luck with your search.
Try looking on suchen.mobile.de for motorhomes. That's where I found my 1992 RMB Mercedes.
I paid £15,000 for mine. Not only could I ever have found one of these in the UK (they're rare and were made to order), but nothing available in the UK for that money can touch it on quality. Come to think of it, not much anywhere can touch it for quality.
The £ is strong right now. It's easy to import and flights are cheap.
I bought mine in November a few years ago and am sure I could get that back if I were wishing to sell now in the UK.
As you mention a fondness for Hymer, I found more of them in Germany and The Netherlands. Do have a look for RMB, though, as they're even better built than Hymer. But, as you said, layout is the key.
Good luck with your search.
Some good advice there from SimesJH.........specifically, the Pound is v strong at the moment. Also from the pics I've seen, his RMB is very nice indeed.
I had a look around at German ones before finding mine, courtesy of NHW at Travelworld, but would've potentially bought over there.
I pretty much live in Frankfurt most weeks, so I am happy to help out with translation if you need it, although I'd rarely have time to suss one out in person. But if you need any help with emails or so, drop me a PM, my German is both coloquially and professionally fluent.
I had a look around at German ones before finding mine, courtesy of NHW at Travelworld, but would've potentially bought over there.
I pretty much live in Frankfurt most weeks, so I am happy to help out with translation if you need it, although I'd rarely have time to suss one out in person. But if you need any help with emails or so, drop me a PM, my German is both coloquially and professionally fluent.
Edited by Spuffington on Friday 19th June 11:17
Layout is everything. We saw hundreds of different vans before we purchased ours and I was adamant I didn't want to make up any beds every night. So we have a fixed high double over the garage at the rear and another double that drops from the ceiling over the lounge. I'm very happy.
(German TEC RoTec BTW)
(German TEC RoTec BTW)
We have two kids. Tried putting them in a double bed together but they just messed about so we have to put them in a bed each. No problem for us as we got a 6 berth (3x doubles). Point is that if you go for a 4 berth with 2x doubles then you might regret not going for three separate beds.
As others have said layout is king. We settled on rear seating area that converts to double bed rather than fixed bed so we could send the kids back there out of the way whilst we prepared meals in the centre section. It has proven itself to absolutely be the correct choice for us.
As others have said layout is king. We settled on rear seating area that converts to double bed rather than fixed bed so we could send the kids back there out of the way whilst we prepared meals in the centre section. It has proven itself to absolutely be the correct choice for us.
Many thanks all, I saw a Hymer advert on YouTube that had a rear lounge that converted into a bed, along with the pull down bed and lounge bed up front. I think that layout would suit us as my youngest would probably not be able to get up,the ladder of her own accord.
However another thing to think about is where to put it, as we could not park it outside our house, so storage needs to be near by. A weekend spent in Weymouth has just confirmed what I thought, the ability to just roam around looking for campsites to stay in does appeal. I will try to update this thread as I go along.
However another thing to think about is where to put it, as we could not park it outside our house, so storage needs to be near by. A weekend spent in Weymouth has just confirmed what I thought, the ability to just roam around looking for campsites to stay in does appeal. I will try to update this thread as I go along.
we have a Chausson flash 09 with an overhead double, rear bunks and a diner double, the layout is great for us as the kids can go to bed in the bunks in the back and we can stay up when we want to. with the bunks our less able son is fine in the bottom. They are built to a price however and things like the cupboard door handles tend to go pop, but other than that we have had it 6 years and being a transit has been very reliable.
they might be a bit over budget but i dont think you would lose much on one.
the flash 03 is a slightly older version
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2007-CHAUSSON-FLASH-03-m...
they might be a bit over budget but i dont think you would lose much on one.
the flash 03 is a slightly older version
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2007-CHAUSSON-FLASH-03-m...
So I have been looking around and a few have caught my eye.
I am quite keen on the older Hymers. This one popped up down the road from us. Does this seem a decent price? What are your thoughts? It is a bit cheaper than originally planned but if after a year we were not getting on with the motorhome scene then possibly I could move it on for not a lot less than I paid for it.
What are the differences of the 534,544,564,700?
This is down the road:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Hymer-534-Motorhome-/221...
Then looking on autotrader I see some more Hymers, all around the same price, any thoughts on these?
http://motorhomes.autotrader.co.uk/used-motorhomes...
http://motorhomes.autotrader.co.uk/used-motorhomes...
http://motorhomes.autotrader.co.uk/used-motorhomes...
Thanks for your help
I am quite keen on the older Hymers. This one popped up down the road from us. Does this seem a decent price? What are your thoughts? It is a bit cheaper than originally planned but if after a year we were not getting on with the motorhome scene then possibly I could move it on for not a lot less than I paid for it.
What are the differences of the 534,544,564,700?
This is down the road:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Hymer-534-Motorhome-/221...
Then looking on autotrader I see some more Hymers, all around the same price, any thoughts on these?
http://motorhomes.autotrader.co.uk/used-motorhomes...
http://motorhomes.autotrader.co.uk/used-motorhomes...
http://motorhomes.autotrader.co.uk/used-motorhomes...
Thanks for your help
Like you, also been looking.
As it's our first venture into motor homing we don't really have much of a clue about what we really need and although it's waaaay under budget eventually ended up with a 27ft Ford Mallard Sprinter RV.
It's clean and tidy, got all the toys you need and although a bit thirsty that's more than covered by the purchase cost.
Maybe this winter when we have a better idea of what we need Ducky (yes it's got a name) will go in for an interior refit that will make it like brand new.
Meanwhile it goes like a train and sounds great ( 460ci big block v8 petrol)
Here he is
Oh, it needs a new fabric to the awning, can anyone recommend a company near Basingstoke to do the work.
As it's our first venture into motor homing we don't really have much of a clue about what we really need and although it's waaaay under budget eventually ended up with a 27ft Ford Mallard Sprinter RV.
It's clean and tidy, got all the toys you need and although a bit thirsty that's more than covered by the purchase cost.
Maybe this winter when we have a better idea of what we need Ducky (yes it's got a name) will go in for an interior refit that will make it like brand new.
Meanwhile it goes like a train and sounds great ( 460ci big block v8 petrol)
Here he is
Oh, it needs a new fabric to the awning, can anyone recommend a company near Basingstoke to do the work.
Edited by Xpuffin on Tuesday 7th July 07:55
eric twinge said:
bump for anyone that has any thoughts on these vans.
Cheers
Sorry for not responding on this.Cheers
Personally, I think it's difficult to make any assumptions based on just the adverts. Best thing I would suggest is to go and view at lot, or at least as many as you reasonably can, to get a feel for both what layout works for you and also then how well these things hide their age (or not). The problem is, they will vary in terms of how they've been looked after and what condition they're in. Photos only tell half the story and it's important to nose around - by seeing a good few you will have a feel for what is right for that age and what is not.
There is something of a renaissance for old Hymers and I can also tell from ours (relatively young in comparison at only 14yrs old!) that they are solid old buses. But they are still relatively complex and, as I've been finding out over the weekend just gone, problems can appear from both van and habitation side at any time. You need to give whatever van you want to buy a thorough going over and would suggest that this can only been done by a Technician who is used to doing this and has a very good checklist, since it's easy to forget even simple things in the excitement of buying.
My big mistake when I bought my first van was not getting a Hab Check (and Damp test) done prior to buying. Would've saved me a lot of hassle and money, had I have done so. Worth the few hundred quid and the vendor should not have anything against it being done if there is nothing majorly wrong with it.
HTH
Again, difficult to say.
Your needs, your budget, your best layout. They all count.
My advice is to rent one. That's what we did. In fact, we rented two. Firstly, a nearly new Swift. That convinced us that a motorhome was more than just a whim but we didn't like the Swift at all. The second we hired, after a lot of thought post-Swift, was an old Hymer S670 from Pete at Hire a Hymer near Milton Keynes.
Not only were we sold on one within 30 seconds of getting inside, but we had a whole weekend of evaluation and to further refine what we really wanted in terms of layout, etc. The quality of an older Hymer was far, far better than the nearly-mew Swift.
As it transpired, I bought a lesser-known RMB. The quality of these things has to be seen to be believed and the layout was perfect for us. If it wasn't for the two hire motorhomes, I doubt we would have had such a succcessful first purchase.
Anyway, Peter's a nice chap and always happy to help. He has a wide range of older Hymers and is happy to talk about them. He let us have a look round one of his S700's as well. Take one out for a few days and have a think about what you like and don't like. You'll find thoughts turning into opinions rather quickly and it could save you a lot of money should you, like us, make the right purchase first time.
Your needs, your budget, your best layout. They all count.
My advice is to rent one. That's what we did. In fact, we rented two. Firstly, a nearly new Swift. That convinced us that a motorhome was more than just a whim but we didn't like the Swift at all. The second we hired, after a lot of thought post-Swift, was an old Hymer S670 from Pete at Hire a Hymer near Milton Keynes.
Not only were we sold on one within 30 seconds of getting inside, but we had a whole weekend of evaluation and to further refine what we really wanted in terms of layout, etc. The quality of an older Hymer was far, far better than the nearly-mew Swift.
As it transpired, I bought a lesser-known RMB. The quality of these things has to be seen to be believed and the layout was perfect for us. If it wasn't for the two hire motorhomes, I doubt we would have had such a succcessful first purchase.
Anyway, Peter's a nice chap and always happy to help. He has a wide range of older Hymers and is happy to talk about them. He let us have a look round one of his S700's as well. Take one out for a few days and have a think about what you like and don't like. You'll find thoughts turning into opinions rather quickly and it could save you a lot of money should you, like us, make the right purchase first time.
thanks both for your input. I think hiring a couple is certainly the way to go, so a trip to see Hire a Hymer is in order. I sat in a couple of vans at the weekend (not hymers) and don't know if the layout would work.
I do find it odd that some vans are 4 berth but only have two seatbelts. Seems rather strange to me.
I do find it odd that some vans are 4 berth but only have two seatbelts. Seems rather strange to me.
bigdavy said:
Hi Eric, please keep updating with your thoughts. We're also considering one and tbh haven't a clue where to start so any input is welcome.
Completely, agree Eric. please keep this thread running with your thoughts, experiments and hopefully ultimate purchase.bigdavy - I know it's baffling but a lot of the advice here still counts. Get yourself over to as many showrooms and shows as you can and just sit in them. Generally dealers won't mind, since everyone knows you've got to work out what is right for you. Sit in them, hire them, work out a list of priorities.
Everyone is different, which is why there are so many different layouts.
For us, we thought we needed a garage and fixed beds, but actually what we needed was comfortable living space. What we really needed (and which most people do) is lots of payload. My personal feeling is to steer clear of sub-3.5t units since there's very little payload. I'm lucky I have a pre-97 license though, so no additional qualification necessary and having >1t of payload takes the angst out of packing. Ok, so speed limits are slightly lower, but most vans cruise nicely at sub-60mph anyway, so no great shakes.
Go and try a load and see how you get on. We're also here to help!
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