# Pre Purchase Inspection



## Hazy-thoughts (Apr 24, 2008)

Hi, We are finally almost ready to purchase a motorhome, I have my eye on a couple, and wondered is there a service available whereby you can have an inspection carried out by a professional to check for any problems either mechanically or with the habitational side of things. I know the AA offer this service for  normal cars but is it possible to get a second opinion on a motorhome  
With this being the first motorhome we have purchased, and with us looking to fulltime for a while at least, it is important to get it as right as we possibly can.

Many thanks in anticipation of your replies


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## Deleted member 775 (Apr 24, 2008)

i would have thought that the aa or rac will give an opinion on mechanical condition, but the seller i assume if it is bought through a dealer will do a gas and electrical test also. i know the guy i bought my 26 year old Bedford from insisted he check all systems before i took delivery of it and also full praise to him after having it for a month or two i found a prob with the heater he took the van  back repaired the heater and did not charge me a penny for the work, the van only cost £2000 so i suppose i was lucky i bought from a small local dealer that you can trust .


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## Hazy-thoughts (Apr 24, 2008)

Thanks Mandrake, I guess you have a little extra security with a dealer, but One of the vans I am looking at would be purchasing from a private individual, and this is obviously where my concern comes in.


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## sammclouis (Apr 24, 2008)

i bought mine privately and iv been lucky there have been no major problems...we did have a prob with the turbo and truma but all sorted now...still i think i was mad not to get it checked out professionally before hand!!
sammclouis


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## AndyC (Apr 24, 2008)

These are the ones I know about: www.ukmotorhomes.net/motorhome_specialist_services.shtml

AndyC


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## Deleted member 775 (Apr 24, 2008)

Hazy-thoughts said:


> Thanks Mandrake, I guess you have a little extra security with a dealer, but One of the vans I am looking at would be purchasing from a private individual, and this is obviously where my concern comes in.


you can still have aa rac check a private sale, also ask the seller if he will be prepared to have a gas check done i think any local corgi qualified person will do it then if they say no beware. after all you dont want gas leaks!! another tip is buy a carbon monoxide detector very important . but all in all trust your instincts if it looks well looked after then ok.


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## AndyC (Apr 24, 2008)

It's also well worth getting an Hpi check done - specially for a private sale, see: www.hpicheck.com

Or at least the RAC Vehicle Check, same thing as the Hpi check but not quite as comprehensive - only a fiver: www.rac.co.uk/web/vehiclechecks/status_checks/

AndyC


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## t&s (Apr 24, 2008)

*caution trust no one*

private sale get it checked you have no comeback if you dont 
if a dealer sale at least you have some comeback 
otherwise may be you could see if a dealer will act as intermeditary and check it out for you
but this would possibly come with a heavy fee from him 
when you get your van use it and enjoy it as often as you can afford
good luck


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## Deleted member 775 (Apr 24, 2008)

the main thing i would insist in is especially if it is diesel is a new cambelt, as some cambelts can run into a couple of hundred pounds + to change at a garage. when i got my petrol beddy i was quoted between £100 to £150  and they are so easy to do, in fact it took me 30 mins to change myself. ok i was a mechanic for a long time.


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## Hazy-thoughts (Apr 25, 2008)

Thaks guys, you never fail to come up trumps, cheers 
Cam belt I have on my list of thing to check out, and I will almost certainly get some form of hpi check done, cant afford to spend this amount of money and get it wrong.
I hadnt thought of the Corgi registered  gadgy to check the system out though, I spose they are not too dissimilar to what they are used to dealing with.

Thanks for replies and tips, as many more as you can think of will be appreciated. We have been planning all of this for what seems like a hundred years, but as it gets frighteningly close now there seems a miriad of things to consider.


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## tresrikay (Apr 25, 2008)

Hazy-thoughts said:


> Thaks guys, you never fail to come up trumps, cheers
> Cam belt I have on my list of thing to check out, and I will almost certainly get some form of hpi check done, cant afford to spend this amount of money and get it wrong.
> I hadnt thought of the Corgi registered  gadgy to check the system out though, I spose they are not too dissimilar to what they are used to dealing with.
> 
> Thanks for replies and tips, as many more as you can think of will be appreciated. We have been planning all of this for what seems like a hundred years, but as it gets frighteningly close now there seems a miriad of things to consider.



I was considering setting myself up as a M/H pre sale inspector, but did not think there would be enough custom to make a living, as you would need to take a corgi course etc.  I used to fit out Narrow boats, then we used to use a marine surveyor ££££££££££££££££,,,,,,, and I do believe an opening exists for such a service, I am getting nearer retirement and maybe then I could do it to suppliment the gruel from the workhouse. We have a mobile M/H and caravan service chap here in Macc, I suppose thats the sort of person that could do it. Look in yellow pages or Thompsons.


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## Deleted member 775 (Apr 25, 2008)

tresrikay said:


> I was considering setting myself up as a M/H pre sale inspector, but did not think there would be enough custom to make a living, as you would need to take a corgi course etc.  I used to fit out Narrow boats, then we used to use a marine surveyor ££££££££££££££££,,,,,,, and I do believe an opening exists for such a service, I am getting nearer retirement and maybe then I could do it to suppliment the gruel from the workhouse. We have a mobile M/H and caravan service chap here in Macc, I suppose thats the sort of person that could do it. Look in yellow pages or Thompsons.


 the only trouble with inspecting or even just helping a mate out by agreeing to check any type of motor out is no matter how good you maybe you can allways end up buying a lemon or whatever you want to call them. the guy i used to work for when i was a mechanic used to sell second hand cars, and we have ended up with some horrors  and we were supposed to be experts .


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