New Member MH build problems Forums

kfitz

Hi everybody, have been looking through comments for the last few weeks and worried about the problems on new motorhomes, should I buy new or would a trusty 5 year old be a better buy.

Do you have any surveys on line to give a rating on a make and model, like a best buy top 10 for small medium and large MH, I have seen the specification one, however, most are one off views.

Is part of the problem that the rear habitation unit is "Glued" to the base chassis????

A great site, look forward to your views and reading further problems.

kfitz

GerryD

Hi,
This is one of those impossible questions. There is no evidence to show that the quality of new Motorhomes is any worse now that it has ever been. It is more a case that communication has got better and therefore you will find more people have the opportunity to voice their issues to a wider audience.
Just remember, that trusty five year old was once a new motorhome and was either somebody's pride and joy and has been well looked after, or it has been abused since new. The problem then is that the pride and joy may have been used extensively and the abused vehicle may have had little use. You then have to decide which is the better buy?
Best advice is find the motorhome that you feel is right for you and fits your pocket. If it is your first then the chances are that you will change it within a short period of time as the layout that you fell in love with may not be as practical as you thought. The second one will stay with you for a long time.
Good luck,
Gerry

Rapide561

Hi

A very open ended question.

You could by a used one - maybe privately and no doubt at a price less than you would pay at a dealer. If the layout is then wrong for your requirements, you could sell the van on, probably with only a small loss if any.

Buy a new one and get it wrong and you could have a large hole in your bank balance.

My gut feeling would be go for a nearly new one, but I do not know your circumstances, budget etc.

Russell

Broom

Hi Kfitz

What I would recommend you to do is, visit dealers and shows and make a list of motorhomes both new and secondhand which meet your requirements.

Then put your list to the forum for comment.

I for one are not as yet convinced which is the best, new or secondhand, what I would say do not spend more than you can afford

Best Regards
Broom

geraldandannie · Moderator

hilldweller

Suenliam

Hi kfitz. Unfortunately the rating on makes and models is not as easy as it looks Sad

. One man's meat etc. You might find a make and model that never has and never will have any technical problems and is from a most accommodating dealer. However, if the layout is wrong for your needs and likes the rating is irrelevant.

As has been said - if it feels right, and you can afford it (without too much debt Wink

) then go for it what ever the lable on the front says. You can always get a second hand one checked out by an independent technical person if you do not feel confident in doing it yourself.

Sue

yorksbill

As others have pointed out, there are pros and cons with new and used. But one option is to buy a van which has been used as a van and then converted to a MH. In that way you get a vehicle which is not new, but the habitation part is brand new. A bit of a half way house.

This is the route we took 2 years ago. We bought from