Anyone Sold A Motorhome Within Six Months Of Buying It?

[LongTimeCaravaner]

I have just applied to be a member of the motorhome chat to ask this question but then thought I might bet a better reply on here from someone who has come back to caravanning:

 

We have caravanned for forty years and frequently toured abroad but never Spain in the winter and this is under consideration for next year. Hubby suddenly came up with the idea that he wondered if it would be better in a motorhome.

 

Our current outfit is less than three years old so we don't want to sell it because we want to stay with caravanning but we wondered about buying a second hand motorhome and selling it after the Spanish trip. How much would we lose?

 

Has anyone on here done that and how much did it cost you for the short time you had it? Obviously anyone who part exchanged it at the end of the time would have got a better price but has anyone just sold it? Talking to a Dutch woman on site the other day, she had hired a motorhome for three months for E10,000 which made it an extremely expensive holiday.

[shipbroker]

Talking to a couple of Americans in Scotland recently, they come over to Europe every year. .In UK they buy a M/H and tour for two months and then sell it on,not necessarily to original dealer. ..they reckon they lose about £2/3000 on deal which is cheaper than they could hire one for. .....don't know how much they cost to hire myself.

 

geoff

[Black Grouse]

Buying a new one and then selling, you'd probably lose big time but buying sensibly used would cut that loss right down.

 

Apart from the initial hit when new, motorhomes seem to depreciate quite slowly.

[LongTimeCaravaner]

Talking to a couple of Americans in Scotland recently, they come over to Europe every year. .In UK they buy a M/H and tour for two months and then sell it on,not necessarily to original dealer. . . they reckon they lose about £2/3000 on deal which is cheaper than they could hire one for. . . .. . don't know how much they cost to hire myself.

 

geoff

 

And they would be in a hurry to sell whereas as Odd days says we could keep it until the spring [we wouldn't be back until then anyway] and wouldn't be in a rush.

Our daughter hired a motorhome for three weeks for her honeymoon a few years ago and said it would have been cheaper to have a luxury holiday in the Bahamas which is why I am thinking buy and sell.

 

If you could afford to keep the van to the following spring you would loose very little. Ikonic campers have some cheaper ones in sometimes and they seem to have a good name. Might be worth a look.

[Jaydug]

Not for a minute would I consider buying a motor caravan whilst keeping my car and caravan. In addition to the probable loss on reselling the caravan, there's the additional cost of a completely new motor insurance policy for the motorvan. Then also the likely new MOT before you could resell it. If I didn't want to take my caravan with me, I would look at long term rental of an apartment or house.

[Guest]

I have just applied to be a member of the motorhome chat to ask this question but then thought I might bet a better reply on here from someone who has come back to caravanning:

 

We have caravanned for forty years and frequently toured abroad but never Spain in the winter and this is under consideration for next year. Hubby suddenly came up with the idea that he wondered if it would be better in a motorhome.

 

Our current outfit is less than three years old so we don't want to sell it because we want to stay with caravanning but we wondered about buying a second hand motorhome and selling it after the Spanish trip. How much would we lose?

 

Has anyone on here done that and how much did it cost you for the short time you had it? Obviously anyone who part exchanged it at the end of the time would have got a better price but has anyone just sold it? Talking to a Dutch woman on site the other day, she had hired a motorhome for three months for E10,000 which made it an extremely expensive holiday.

 

Not sure if this helps,

 

I have on odd occasions bought and sold caravans as a side hobby.

 

If you buy private at the end of season then sell at the start of season you can if your good at bartering make a profit.

 

So I would say buy private, a vehicle around 5 years old. You will be surprised at how many people who have been given a very low PX figure just want a grand more than the dealers low offer, you cant lose if you can find these sellers.

[Pebble]

Did the opposite to the OP - bought a brand new Delta Ti in 2013, sold it six months later (lost £6k) and bought a 6 year old motorhome. Sold the motorhome in 2016, almost got back what we paid for it in 2014 and went out and bought another brand new Delta Ti.

[Steamdrivenandy]

As others have said, buying a new motorhome will lose you £10,000 to £20,000 in very short order. Buying used privately should ensure a low initial price and selling privately the best return. As said, used motorhomes tend to hold their value.

 

We purchased a new Adria Coral Compact for £35k in 2008 and sold it privately in 2010 for £29k. A large local dealer had offered me just £25k. The identical model, of the same year, but with more mileage, was recently advertised by a dealer for £29,000. That's six years on and changing hands for roughly the same money.

[tom_1989]

I think it all comes down to how good you are at negotiating and not being too fussy what you buy to just get the best deal available, also I would be looking to do a private deal.

[Hairyspinner]

Someone we know used to go down to Spain with his motorhome, now decided to change to a caravan & rather than tow it to Spain has booked an apartment for his Winter break & drive down in his car. He says you can get very good rental deals at that time of year. Could suit your needs.

[LongTimeCaravaner]

Thank you everyone. I think we have decided that it would be too risky on getting our money back. We do like our own quarters and moving around so I think we will go back to the idea of taking the caravan. It was only a spur of the moment idea.

[Jaydug]

I don't think you need worry too much about the weather for travelling to Spain during the winter. For quite a lot of years I've towed my caravan out in November and back at the end of February. Driving through France at that time of year can often be wet, cold and miserable, but bad weather has never delayed me on the western route. An alternative to the drive through France is to use the sailing route from Portsmouth to Santander or Bilbao. From there the distance to any destination in Spain is much less than some of your other European tours. The main roads through Spain are well maintained and at the first mention of snow in a forecast, gritters and snow-ploughs are deployed at every junction. I've often seen snow on the surrounding hills but never have I been delayed by it.

 

I recommend it. Much better than putting up with a UK winter.

[ian16527]

Hire costs for a motorhome are aprrox £150 / night high season, and about £70/night low season. Plus if you take abroad, extra cost are applied,and damage deposit is hefty.

 

I read a book recently about a couple who bought an old Hymer, and toured for a couple of years then resold it without any difficulty. (Marie and the Campervan of Doom)

[chrisn7]

I was collecting my van after its service only last week, and a quote of £1000 per week was given out on the phone - albeit for a brand new MH.

[LongTimeCaravaner]

I don't think you need worry too much about the weather for travelling to Spain during the winter. For quite a lot of years I've towed my caravan out in November and back at the end of February. Driving through France at that time of year can often be wet, cold and miserable, but bad weather has never delayed me on the western route. An alternative to the drive through France is to use the sailing route from Portsmouth to Santander or Bilbao. From there the distance to any destination in Spain is much less than some of your other European tours. The main roads through Spain are well maintained and at the first mention of snow in a forecast, gritters and snow-ploughs are deployed at every junction. I've often seen snow on the surrounding hills but never have I been delayed by it.

 

I recommend it. Much better than putting up with a UK winter.

I am trying hard to persuade him John. I have got from a definite no to looking at the options so I think I am there. He has promised to read your blog.

[moorgate]

Jenny, if you would like to try out motorhoming - and it sounds as though you would - may I throw another option into the pot. Fly to New Zealand in the British winter and rent a Motorhome there. It is the most spectacular country and I guarantee you will have more memorable adventures there than a winter in Spain with pensioners. Good luck whatever you decide.

[klyne]

Jenny it's not impossible to do what you are thinking and if you were to buy wisely you might not lose a lot of money. Someone I know in Australia did a tour here and in Europe and purchased a small motorhome from a dealer on the understanding that it would be sold back to the dealer at the end of the trip. It seems from what you say that you are not thinking about swapping a caravan for a motorhome so as others have said why not stick with the caravan. If you are going to be in Spain for months you might well appreciate the fact that you have a car with you. To be comfortable in a motorhome for several months it would need to be of a reasonable size so not always so easy to take off site. For a fraction of the cost a return ticket on one of the long ferry crossings would be much better and you can maintain what you are used to. This may sound strange from someone who has swapped to a motorhome but I don't think it works if you sit on the fence, it should be either, or.

 

David

[Steamdrivenandy]

David has a point.

 

Your VIP is 5. 8m long inside and to get a motorhome with similar size accommodation, which you'd probably want for a seasonal trip, you'd be talking about at least 7. 5m in length. That's not enormous, but possibly too large for pleasant daily touring outings and awkward to park or use on minor/urban roads.

[Jaydug]

Fly to New Zealand in the British winter and rent a Motorhome there.

 

Just one drawback. I'd much rather be towing my caravan than sitting on a plane for 24 hours.

[moorgate]

But you sit on a ferry across the Bay of Biscay for 24 hours !

[Jaydug]

But you sit on a ferry across the Bay of Biscay for 24 hours !

 

That's true! But I take a shower and go to bed when I want to. I take a walk out on deck when I want to. I go to the restaurant or down to the shops. I can even go to the cinema. But with all that - I'm always glad to get off. ..

[moorgate]

Jay, Sincerely, you do darn well. Good wishes.

[LongTimeCaravaner]

Jenny, if you would like to try out motorhoming - and it sounds as though you would - may I throw another option into the pot. Fly to New Zealand in the British winter and rent a Motorhome there. It is the most spectacular country and I guarantee you will have more memorable adventures there than a winter in Spain with pensioners. Good luck whatever you decide.

 

Thank you for the idea but quite honestly we don't have the sort of money to do that kind of trip.

I don't think you need worry too much about the weather for travelling to Spain during the winter. For quite a lot of years I've towed my caravan out in November and back at the end of February. Driving through France at that time of year can often be wet, cold and miserable, but bad weather has never delayed me on the western route. An alternative to the drive through France is to use the sailing route from Portsmouth to Santander or Bilbao. From there the distance to any destination in Spain is much less than some of your other European tours. The main roads through Spain are well maintained and at the first mention of snow in a forecast, gritters and snow-ploughs are deployed at every junction. I've often seen snow on the surrounding hills but never have I been delayed by it.

 

I recommend it. Much better than putting up with a UK winter.

 

In the depth of the night. ...thinking. ..scheming. ..I thought yes but we would be going early January!

[Glen and Les]

 

In the depth of the night. . . .thinking. . . scheming. . . I thought yes but we would be going early January!

Hi Jenny,

 

People we know (two couples) went down to Spain early Jan this year for the first time. They travelled through snow (roads ok) to get down to the Costa del Sol. The weather wasn't brilliant at first, but gradually warmed up. I wasn't so sure they would enjoy it, but they were away for 2 months and loved it so much they went off again a couple of weeks ago - this time just over the border to Bay of Roses area. I would like to do a winter trip, but I know I'd be homesick after 3/4 weeks. Good Luck with your scheming, sorry, planning! 😂

 

Glen.

[moorgate]

Jenny, it's only money!

 

Two flights UK to New Zealand will be about £1600 return. Ferries UK to Spain for Car +caravan + cabins will be not far short of £1000 return.

 

The imponderable is still your original plan of what you would lose by buying then selling a Motorhome, compared with hiring a Motorhome in UK, Spain, or NZ. We are all just guessing.

 

I just know that wild horses wouldn't get me to an OAP winter refugee camp in Spain! Much less a long stay rally! But I would go back to NZ like a shot.

 

Let us know how it goes please.