Advice on buying a motorhome private

[TeamRienza]

Sure this is a great opportunity to get rid of your fossil fueled, gas guzzling, stinky, smokey scooter and get yourself a nice eco friendly bicycle with electric power. You know, something like the one on the other thread. Michelle will thank you for it, especially if you get one of those comfy little trailers for her to relax in! No problems about axle weights, overhangs and rusty scooter wheels then!

Davy

 

[runnach]

Did you have a beer can sandwich there Terry?

Yup, Newcastle Broon Ale

 

[runnach]

Haad ya wisht man nowt wrang wi the way wor folk taalk doon here.

Jim, I asked a Costco assistant directions for the special offer on a 5 pack of snicker bars, WHOOOAAAA stop I says, as she started removing her knickers

 

[Rolyan57]

I bought my Motohome privately in 2020.
If you were to ask me if I would do it again that way, I would yes, and I trust the SELLER more than the Garage I used to do various work on it!
I would buy from the same seller again no problem. I use a different garage now.

Yeah, everyone’s experience is different. It’s all about knowledge, how risk averse one is, financial situation and probably most important, past experiences.

For every person I’ve heard of that’s had a good private sale, there’s another who’s been badly ripped off and lost loads of money. Same with dealers, for every great experience there’s a really bad one.

At the end of the day all one can do is try to do everything to reduce the risk of it going wrong; I think it’s certainly happened here and is a good example of how to buy privately.

 

[runnach]

Our first venture into this life style was purchasing a 1980 VW T25, by pure coincidence, the seller had attended my evening class course at Edinburghs Telford College. I thought, I know the guy to a degree, we bought the wedge.

Long story short, the lad was not completely true, stuff wrong with it that you don’t find out till after you have parted with your cash. I was raging, why are there so many dishonest people around?

Now here’s the rub, the seller was a self employed driving instructor. For over two year, I had my groups booking this chit for instruction, when the seller arrived for his booking, my lads would say, don’t know what you are talking about.

What goes around comes around!!

 

[HurricaneSmith]

I remember many of your adventures, but strangely the one that sticks in my memory was Christmas Day, when water went everywhere.

As always, the forum came to the rescue when no dealers/garages were open, and the solution was to squeeze empty ball point pens into the pipework. It worked.

Many congratulations on your van, and all the new memories you will create together.

 

[barryd]

I remember many of your adventures, but strangely the one that sticks in my memory was Christmas Day, when water went everywhere.

As always, the forum came to the rescue when no dealers/garages were open, and the solution was to squeeze empty ball point pens into the pipework. It worked.

Many congratulations on your van, and all the new memories you will create together.

Oh yes that was epic! That was the good thing about having a van from the last century. Stuff was easy to fix with ball point pen tops and rubber tape. For those that don't remember on Christmas day parked on Flamborough head the hot water boiler literally exploded under the seat Michelle was sat on. Water everywhere. I think either myself or actually it might have been my neighbour had some time previously replaced a dodgy pressure valve outside with a bolt. This was the result eventually. We bypassed the piping and plugged up the terminal end pipe with a Bic biro top.

I think secretly many of the blokes online that day were glad of the distraction.

 

[barryd]

Well that didn't go so well. Despite me testing the Lloyds banking app two days ago to make sure I could hit the call option to authorise a payment over £25k and actually testing it. Today when sat with the seller the option was gone. Despite half an hour on the phone to Lloyds no joy and Michelle transferred her share to me with no way of transferring it from anywhere else without her laptop which we didn't have. So much for being prepared for every eventually.

So I could only transfer £25k and the seller whilst he gave me the keys wasn't keen to take to the garage to leave over the weekend in case there was a problem. So I'll now transfer the balance over the weekend and pick it up 7am Monday morning to take to the garage half a mile away! Grrrr.

 

[trevskoda]

Well that didn't go so well. Despite me testing the Lloyds banking app two days ago to make sure I could hit the call option to authorise a payment over £25k and actually testing it. Today when sat with the seller the option was gone. Despite half an hour on the phone to Lloyds no joy and Michelle transferred her share to me with no way of transferring it from anywhere else without her laptop which we didn't have. So much for being prepared for every eventually.

So I could only transfer £25k and the seller whilst he gave me the keys wasn't keen to take to the garage to leave over the weekend in case there was a problem. So I'll now transfer the balance over the weekend and pick it up 7am Monday morning to take to the garage half a mile away! Grrrr.

Just lift the lumpy mattress & pay the chap with good old cash.

 

[barryd]

Just lift the lumpy mattress & pay the chap with good old cash.

I can't remember what cash looks like Trev. Had Michelle brought her laptop she could have transferred out of another account of hers (no phone app) and paid the balance but she didn't. She says its my fault for insisting she transfer her share to me so it was all coming from one account but she should have anticipated I would bugger it up and planned ahead and brought her own laptop!!

 

[mark61]

Millennials and their apps.

Probably would have worked in a browser.

 

[Nabsim]

I couldn't do it when I bought the house, bank said no way as well. I thought it was £20k limit with Natwest but it may have been £25. I ended up sending repeatedly for days until done lol

 

[barryd]

Millennials and their apps.

Probably would have worked in a browser.

I hate apps as well but thanks for calling me a Millennial! I wish!

No it wouldnt. Thats what I would have preferred to do but Lloyds two days ago when I tested it all and called them said you have to use the app and the call function for amounts over £25k. You cannot do it on a browser / laptop. Today that option was gone. I even updated the app on their suggestion, still the same. Then they said it might be site maintenance and to try later. So that was the end of that.

Its ok. The only issue now is ill have to get up at 6am on Monday morning which is the middle of the night to be there for 7am which is the only time I can pick it up Monday and then wait for the garage to open at 8am.

Now just imagine if this van had been 300 miles away like the others that have popped up seem to be.

 

[Tezza33]

I am sure the transfer could have been done using Linux, or the cash delivered in an old Skoda

or even one of the old banking apps, Emma, Dreamworld, Benson for beds

 

[trevskoda]

I am sure the transfer could have been done using Linux, or the cash delivered in an old Skoda

or even one of the old banking apps, Emma, Dreamworld, Benson for beds

Dont you get me started, always payed for everything in cash after getting shafted by a garage i worked for with a 1303 yellow beetle, punted on and broke even, only time in my life i payed by tic, never again, cash cash cash every time, makes folks eyes lite up and a good deal can be had.

 

[barryd]

Dont you get me started, always payed for everything in cash after getting shafted by a garage i worked for with a 1303 yellow beetle, punted on and broke even, only time in my life i payed by tic, never again, cash cash cash every time, makes folks eyes lite up and a good deal can be had.

Kev said I should pay cash. I havent said how much it was but more than my first house in 1993. If I thought I had been stressed today I would have been even worse carrying a suitcase of money around.

Ill pay the balance in the morning and hope its still there on Monday morning.

 

[Pudsey Bear]

Aye you’ll be aww excited Barry picking up yer new van.
Getting everything sorted oot, wondering will everything be ok.
Thinkin of aw the gid times we had in the auld van.
But ye ken yer daen the right thing, and ye wil huv years of fun in the new yin.

The hard part is partin wi aw that cash by simply touchin a screen, and then it aw leaves yer bank.
Enjoy the drive home, it’s a great feeling, just enjoy this new van, ye deserve it.

It's Michelle I feel sorry for, she might have a new van but she still has the old Barry.

 

[Pudsey Bear]

Unless your'e a bit thick and tell the world cash is fine, we only ever bought one with a bank involved, nightmare.

 

[barryd]

Unless your'e a bit thick and tell the world cash is fine, we only ever bought one with a bank involved, nightmare.

Which we found out yesterday. I was about to tax it but I dont have the green slip which is still inside the van and the seller cant give me it as I have the keys!

 

[Pudsey Bear]

Up until about 4 years ago I was on Pension Credit and we were not allowed to have more than 10k in the bank so had to work with cash, it's amazing that even the sellers were worried about it, I was happy to go to the bank with them.