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instructadude

I have read a number of these forum threads and seem to be maybe missing the point.

The threads start off like this....

We were looking for a nice mh within our budget of say 10-12k, after looking around for a while we decided that we didnt like anything so we upped the budget to 25-30k and we then found a nice one,

Well surely if you can just up your budget by 250% then you will always be able to find a nice one, its like looking in an estate agents window saying I cant find anice house for 200k but then when we upped the budget to 500k we found loads of nice properties.

Surely the knack and the skill is finding that elusive gem for 10-12k , the one that has been cossetted since birth by an elderly couple with no kids or pets and has been serviced religiously, and now they want to retire from it and want it to go to a nice couple who will treat it like they have.

Am I being naive or just willing to put a bit of legwork in

hilldweller

I don't immediately recall any threads like that on here ??

However it is *&^^%$ obvious that if you double your budget you've a good chance ( not guaranteed ) of getting a seriously better vehicle.

OTOH, like say BMW 700s, you can get bigger older MHs built to seriously high standards for surprisingly low prices. Think quality not age. You may in fuel and repairs of course.

vardy

I don't think the decision to 'up' the price is usually taken lightly. Certainly not in my case. I am presently looking to the future - 2 years time, when I will likely swap the Harmony.

I'm not so flush with money, but did have the 20-30K to spend. However, due to trashings of my business vehicles over a lengthy period, I could not get private insurance anywhere in the country (or offshore for that matter) Laughing

I finally found a company who allowed me a vehicle up to insured value 12K - I paid 13K. Then I went on the learning curve afterwards that these lucky people have obviously experienced prior to buying, without my price constraints.

The drawbacks with the cheaper vehicle were:

- Obsolete and hard to source parts
- Refusal at many repair garages
- No provision for adaptations. (Energy/media/mechanics etc)
- Slower and no up to date safety braking or turbo stuff.
- Many components both habitat/base although cared for, were
for my liking too worn.
- No one to travel with me to 'vet' private purchase.

Doubling my money would have knocked out a few of these problems, certainly the first couple. I'm pretty sure the posts are due to the 'penny dropping' on first look around. Just like going for an older car. - Once you see it, it sinks in how much dosh and work it's gonna be!!

However, I am besotted with the old beast. Even if rather skint since purchase. - Helena

StAubyns

I must admit to having 2 budgets when we were looking.

1 we wanted to stick to, and tried to do so, the second as a last resort.

We went to the last resort, and have no regrets in doing so. we got the van we wanted.

There was 5k difference between the 2 budgets.

Geoff

Broom

Hi Greg

When you find one can you let me know.

Best Regards
Broom

Suenliam

When our hi-top decided to be an MOT failure (totallyexpected!) we wanted a replacement and the only thing we could not afford was a new one bought in this country............then we went to the Glasgow show. Came away with a new Autohomes paid with cash Shocked

. It only need a reassessment of our financial priorities.

If you know what you are looking for and have experience of different layouts, (and a bit of negotiating skills) then certainly in our case the money was so well spent that we traded in after 4 years with very little loss of capital and bought another much more expensive one.

If we had not see the ideal layout (and price as it turned out) we would have stuck with our original budget of 12 -14K and probably been very happy.

It's not missing the point - it's spending the right amount of money for the right vehicle and both "rights" change according to circumstances.

Sue

Olly650

We spent £7k less than our budget! Laughing

Found the right motorhome, with the perfect layout and features, for a lot less money than we'd originally reckoned we'd have to spend. It's a couple of years older than I really hoped for (it's a 2003 model), but the condition was so good that we'd have been stupid to miss out on it. Very happy with our choice, too Cool