Keep Warm in your Used Motorhome

Keeping Used Motorhomes Warm

It is always a good idea to know how your heating system works, the British weather changes all the time and even summer nights can make you feel the chill.

A suitable heating system along with good insulation will keep you warm whatever time of year it is. Being correctly insulated will ensure that all of the heat created stays in your motorhome.

Good manufacturers include Truma and Alde and both work with gas and electric systems.

Snap Up Bargain Used Motorhomes Part 2

Knowing where to buy used motorhomes

In the same way you would buy a car or a house, buying a used motorhome is a huge commitment.  It is best to try out as many as you can from all makes and models to give you a good understanding a feel for the vehicles available.

Main dealers are good places to start, although they may be expensive, they will let you have a good look around without pressuring you too much.  This may be your first thought when looking for used motorhomes these aren't the only places to look.

Motorhomes Shows

Throughout the year there are several used motorhome shows to visit all over the country below is a few to look out for:

27th - 29th April 2012

The National Motorhome Show
East of England Showground, Peterborough, PE2 6XE

18th - 20th May 2012

The Southern Motorcaravan Show
Newbury Showground, Chieveley, Berkshire RG18 9QZ

17th - 17th June 2012

The Midsummer Motorhome and Caravan Show
Kelmarsh Hall, Northampton, NN6 9LY

13th - 15th July 2012

Northern Motorcaravan Show Cheshire Showground, Clay House Farm, Flittogate Lane
Tabley, Knutsford, Cheshire, WA16 0HJ

17th - 19th August 2012

The Western Motorhome Show Three Counties Showground, Malvern, Worcs WR13 6NW

21st  - 23rd September 2012

The Motorhome Show, Season FinaleLincolnshire Showground, Lincoln LN2 2NA

Private Sales

Like buying a secondhand car, you will always get a better deal buying private, but you do not get the same security as you would get from a dealer.  when buying from a private seller you will need to give the motorhome a thorough inspection, preferably from a specialist.

Buy from a dealer

Although it some instances it can be a little more expensive, there are many benefits from buying used motorhomes from dealers.  A dealer has a duty to inform you of any defects that they know of.  You should also look for dealers who offer a pre delivery inspection or PDI.  Motorhome Sales offer PDI as standard.

Another advantage is that even on used motorhomes you will be offered something in the way of a warranty. At Motorhome sales all of our used motorhomes for sale over £9995 receive an AutoDealer six month mechanical breakdown warranty. This is administered by MB & G Insurance Services Ltd, who are specialists in supplying our used motorhomes warranties.

Snap Up Bargain Used Motorhomes Part 1

Those with a keen eye for a bargain know exactly what to look for in a used motorhome, however it is not the same as buying a used car. Before purchasing used motorhomes it is a good idea to follow the next few steps.

Know your budget

Research the market and understand both scales of prices available from the cheapest to the most expensive to give you an idea of what used motorhomes go for in the market.  With this in mind you will be able to decide on your budget.  It is important to not stray from your budget.

Facilities, gadgets and layouts

Obviously your budget will restrict you to certain extras and fittings.  You should decide exactly what you are after and what your budget will ultimately allow.

The more extras you want the more you will pay.  There are many trade offs to consider too, sometimes you can get the extras and layout you want, within your budget at the expense of many more miles on the clock.  This also works the other way round, used motorhomes with less miles will cost more with fewer extras and facilities.

Choosing the right base

Well you've decided on your topping, now its time to choose your base.  Used motorhomes come on many different bases.  The most popular type is the turbo-diesel. A turbo-diesel is way ahead when it comes to enhanced torque and improved performance but this is at the expense of poor fuel economy.

With the price of petrol around the same as diesel it has proved to have had an effect on the petrol motorhome sales.  This does not mean you should rule them out completely. Petrol used motorhomes are cheaper to buy than diesels and run as well but quieter.

A little tip for a used motorhome bargain is to search for a model that is built on the Renault Master Base, these are quite rare but prove to be much cheaper.

Maintaining Used Motorhomes

It is essential to keep your lights in perfect condition whatever the time of year.

Although your used motorhome probably has less use in the winter months, there is always that time when you may need to use it.  It is in these darker nights and shorter days that you need your lights in tip top condition.

Light failure or light defects can be very dangerous, especially if your lights fail at night or they begin to flicker and imitate an indicator.

So for a few minutes of your time, regular checks can be made before most journeys, especially long distance trips.

Inspecting your lights

First and foremost make sure the engine is ticking over while you are testing the lights, check for dim lights or faulty bulbs.  Dim lights signal that the battery is not powering them correctly and this could be down to faulty or dirty battery terminals. If by checking the terminals they are clean and tightened correctly, your next task is to get a car electric specialist to test the battery and the alternator.

Using a second person in the motorhome check every light, including indicators and break lights.  Whilst checking the break lights and indicators make sure they both have equal brightness.  If you find that some lights are brighter than others this could be down to a faulty earth which can be easily fixed by cleaning the connection points.

On occasion you will see an indicator flashing faster than the other, this is usually due to a faulty or blown bulb.

Used Motorhomes are prone to electrical problems as they are usually left for long periods of time unused.

If you find actual damage to the light casings they must be fixed as soon as possible to prevent moisture entering the fixing, which will short out the lights.

It is a legal requirement to have all of your number plate lights working.  If you have two lights and only one works this would fail the MOT.

One area that would need a specialist is checking the headlights positioning.  Although many can be adjusted up and down automatically it is essential that they are pointing at the correct height and position to prevent danger to other drivers.

Always try these simple maintenance jobs before paying for a specialist to look at the used motorhome.

Is Now The Time To Buy Used Motorhomes?

With Autumn now well and truly upon us, if you are in the market to replace or purchase a used motorhome there is no better time of the year to shop around, look, test and purchase a used motorhome. At this time of the year potential buyers have more choice available to them and various models to chose from, as the market can slow down a little to a gentle pace and not the fast gallop we in the trade all know when full season is in swing, where a decisions needs to be made instantly or one can loose your ideal used motorhome to another happy buyer.

Our advice would still be to make your mind up as soon as possible when you spot the ideal used motorhome for you, because only too often we are told by customers that they had found just the right used motorhome only to lose it to another purchaser because they took a little too long to make the decision and agree a sale.

So now is the time to buy.
View our used motorhomes here