Spending More Than Caravans Worth, Have You?

[satanet]

Hi Everyone. Im new !

 

Have you ever had a caravan that you have spent in excess of its value to keep it going.

 

I have bought an Elddis Gulfstream 1993, which needs a new rubber suspension axle to the tune of £500 plus fitting. It has a slight damp issue at the back, but nothing major, but does have a motor mover and it cost me £1200. The seller stitched me up like a kipper but that's another story.

 

Iv also had to buy

2 new wheels £75. 00

2 new tyres £99. 00

New Alko Jockey wheel £30. 00

New carpet £40. 00

Service £100

 

So in total it will have cost me £2144 approx. Am I mad or are other people doing this. .

 

 

[iDriver]

"Worth" is a very subjective term and one that is specific to the individual.

 

If you like the 'van, you are going to continue using it rather than letting it sit on a drive of in storage for years on end as some do then it must be worth it to you.

 

Now if you are talking about its monitory value, that's a whole different question and the answer will in most cases be no. Take a brand new top of the range current model twin axle costing £24k as an example. Go and pay for it and drive it 5 miles down the road to another dealer and see what they offer you for it. I guarantee that it will be 'worth' less to the 2nd dealer than the £24k you paid and by some margin because he has to sell it on at a profit. However, you must have believed it was worth £24k otherwise you wouldn't have paid it.

[BFM]

If you are happy with what you spent and it means you can keep enjoying your holidays what's the issue? At that price point bits are going to cost almost as much as the van.

[screenman]

A 2014 Audi S8 will only have dropped £40,000 if you tried to sell it back now.

[Stevan]

With an older van there is also the issue of the time and effort to find a suitable replacement as well as monetory cost.

[Upyonder]

Soon as you buy anything new you lose the VAT value of it. If you want it and are happy with it don't let worrying about how much you paid, spoil your ownership. Think how much we all lose in car purchases. ....... Necessary evil.

Edited April 25, 2015 by Upyonder

[Lefthand Down]

Better on the devil you know. ..............

[Upyonder]

Better on the devil you know. ..............

No thanks. ..

 

Have it on good authority, he's on borrowed time. ....

Edited April 25, 2015 by Upyonder

[satanet]

Thanks for your replies.

 

General thought seems to be Im not barmy. It is worth it to me and as Upyonder says, it will ruin my ownership if I keep pondering the cost. Good way to look at it.

 

If I can just get it to last a few more years, I will be happy

[T00ts]

I'm in the same sort of position but will carry on because it's not a caravan any more it's my friend.

[The 2 Tops]

If you are happy with what you spent and it means you can keep enjoying your holidays what's the issue? At that price point bits are going to cost almost as much as the van.

This is the main point. By the time you have finished, you may well have a van that is more reliable than a new/nearly new one - just look at the string of problems new van owners are reporting, and our 2012 van is no exception - and still a lot less in cost than a newish one. And, as hobbyists, do we really measure time in terms of cost when we are doing something for pleasure?

 

When we bought our first van, an old Elddis with gas lighting, I spent ages renovating it. After 12 months, a couple of holidays and still with quite a bit of work to do we happened to visit our local dealership's new model show. They offered me more in trade-in than I was expecting to get when it was finished, so we did the deal. But we have never forgotten how we enjoyed ourselves with that old first van.