In the case of purchasing in a private sale through an advert in the press or the specialized motorhome magazines you need to take special precautions. Make sure all of the paperwork is in order, ask to see the complete service history, registration papers, any work undertaken in fact everything pertaining to the vehicle. If you find there has been work done on the engine or any of the mechanical side then it may give you an idea as to the general condition of the vehicle. Check out as much of the service history as possible and have your mechanic tale a good look over the vehicle with you.
You also need to have a look at the VIN number and any other serial numbers that appear on the documents. It is of utmost importance that these match the numbers on the vehicle itself.
Take your time when checking over any motorhome. Let the seller know that you will need to take your time in looking over the vehicle. Take a mechanic with you and have them look over the mechanical side of the vehicle whilst you check over the living ares and the overall condition. The mechanic should be especially wary of the braking system, the batteries and the house batteries. The batteries should hold enough charge to start the vehicle first time. Battery replacement can be extremely expensive and should be taken into account at the time of negotiating a price.
When looking over the living space don’t let anything pass you by. First of all be on the look out for obvious structural defects. Test for damp which will appear as patches in the corners of the ceiling or at the back of the lockers . If you do find damp patches then it may mean that the motorhome has a leaky roof which will be extremely costly to repair. Then have a look at the flooring and especially the carpets in the bathroom and kitchen areas. Check for damp or moldy areas here. If you find them then it could mean that there are leaks in the water system. This is less obvious but can be more serious as any leaks in under the floor will no doubt be causing the wooden underfloor structure to rot.
Inspect the toilet making sure that it still holds water, this way you will not get the smell of the black water tank rising up into the vehicle.
You need to try out all of the electro-domestic items such as the microwave oven, stove, the air conditioning, the heating system (in all rooms) and the gas lines. Switch on and off every single switch and button making sure you look at every light bulb both inside and outside the vehicle. Open and close every door, cupboard and and locker on the inside and outside the motorhome.
Whilst you are checking over the vehicle you need to be making notes. Your notes should contain a list of absolutely everything that isn’t working or that needs attention. Estimate the price of any repairs that need undertaking and anything that needs replacing or adding. You will use this when negotiating your final price.
