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barryd

Hi All

My quest for my first MH is ongoing and the help from the site is great. I have come across a 1990 Swift Kontiki for sale on the site and I am going to have a look at it. It is a lot older than I was looking for but also a lot cheaper at £11500. Apparently the engine is a "retro£ engine and was fitted with a turbo just 10 years ago. The power steering was added around this time as well and replaced a year ago.

Should I be wary of after market additions such as the turbo and power steering. Also will I get the same fuel economy out of such a set as say a 1996 Kontiki which is what I was originally looking at?

Is there any other things to be aware of with an older model like this?

Regards
Barry

moblee

Hell barry,

Be careful barry, 18 years old Exclamation

I'm not 100% sure that its easy to get insurance on motorhomes twenty years & over,if i'm right you've only got about 20 months.
You must look out for the brakes,[/u]damp,delamination of floors etc,etc,etc.
Before anyone has a go we bought a 1990 kontki for our first m/home
& it nearly killed us Exclamation

.

My tuppence worth would be to go for something a bit newer which would give you a fairer test of motorhoming.

Up to you barry just trying to help.

loddy

Moblee
your the Grim Reaper today, why not say check it out and mark it on it's merits, one nearly killed us whats that all about? you can get killed riding a push bike.

chrisndeb

Hi Barry
Well I dont think insurance would be a problem I mean people insure 1960s VWs and you could get classic insurance. As said before go look inspect all over under carpets behind seats everywhere poss, not saying there would be any problems but I had a car once with a non standard engine and I found it a bit harder to get spares but NOT impossible and nowadays 1st thing your asked is reg or engine number and I dont know but suspect they wont be able to use these as its not standard. Good luck Chris

bandaid

I dont think its a problem with insurance either, I insured a 1993 without problems and nobody from the broker said anything about the age limits,( not that thats anything to go on.)

Non standard engines shouldnt prove a problem or the turbo if they were fitted properly and professionally, same goes for the power steering, and if its recently replaced properly again, its a benefit, as you wont end up with forearms like popeye.

Once more, I agree with being very picky, and I'd also buy a damp meter, they're about 15 quid from B&Q, and very useful to indicate damp bits.

Other types of vehicles dont hold their value like motorhomes, and really I 'd worry more about the condition and function of the vehicle and all the bits inside than the age,

Theres nothing wrong with a more mature vehicle, as long as its all working, you do have to bear in mind its 18 years old, and consequently, things will be more worn than a newer one, but whatevers in it must work properly, and if not make sure the repair or replacement of the broke bits are reflected in the price.

moblee

The one we bought loddy was a pile of c**p,how it got a mot i'll never know Exclamation

The brakes were barely legal you could drive up the road with the handbrake on,the floor was rotten & delaminated,the awning collapsed in france just missing me & janet we were underneath it at the time,the carver water heater leaked & we had a blowout at 65mph near poitiers Exclamation

This was also our first vehicle to try out m/homing as well just like barry.
Every vehicle is different,i just don't want him to make a mistake. Smile

loddy

I want to put things straight the engine is original and had a retro turbo fitted by TB turbos,
No problems with insurance or breakdown cover if your a arrival member

loddy

Moblee
Some of that could have been avoided, You cant blame the motorhome for a defective tyre and the handbrake only needs to achieve 16% braking so yes you can drive with it on (lots of vehicles) and if had put the awning up right that wouldn't have fallen down either'

Iv'e had holidays like that Laughing

Loddy

moblee

Alright loddy,
It only cost me £8 grand "you get what ya pay for"
I've got shot of it now,the kontiki i have now is a lot better,in fact
I was parked in front of you at p'boro.

Just take your time barry..

loddy

You didn't offer me any wine Sad