Welcome freedom Seekers. Buying a used motorhome? You’d better read this, or you could end up making the same mistakes we did.
This is one of those posts where we could lie, bend the truth, and pretend life is perfect now we’ve got our motorhome. At least, that’s how we imagined it would be, and we presume you probably think your life will be packed with stress-free adventures, open roads, and the smell of cow shit.
Well… we’re here to tell you the truth because that’s what we do here. No pretending, no Instagram filters, just the good, the bad, and the slightly expensive. We’re honest, relatable, and probably just as naive as you.
Not that we’re judging… but if you’re thinking about buying a motorhome, here’s what you should really expect. We keep saying “you”, but truth be told… we’re really talking to our past selves. We just have a feeling you might end up making the same mistakes we did. 😉
The Honeymoon Doesn't Last Forever
Picture the scene…
You’ve spent months looking for your dream motorhome and years dreaming about owning one. The hard work has finally paid off, and you’re ready to hand over a terrifying amount of money for what’s supposed to be your ticket to freedom.
That was us…
We’d done the research, watched more YouTube videos than we’d care to admit, and convinced ourselves roughly 349 times that we’d found “the one.“
But every single time, we’d find a reason not to pick up the phone.
We needed a bigger budget.
The interior looked outdated.
It’d had more than one owner.
It was too far away.
…and that seller? Definitely looked dodgy.
Looking back, we were worrying about all the wrong things.
We’d spent ages zooming in on photos, convincing ourselves the mileage was too high or talking ourselves out of one because the cupboards looked a bit outdated . Meanwhile, the things that actually ended up costing us money weren’t even mentioned in the advert.
The truth is, our budget was never going to buy the perfect motorhome we’d built up in our heads.
Eventually, we stopped chasing perfection and started being realistic.
We didn’t compromise on the make.
We didn’t compromise on the model.
We didn’t compromise on the layout.
We compromised on our expectations.
Once we’d accepted that, buying a motorhome suddenly became a lot easier.
We realised we weren’t buying a showroom model. We were buying a 2012 motorhome that had already lived a life before we came along. It was always going to have the odd scratch, the odd repair, and probably a few surprises waiting for us that we didn’t know about yet.
And trust us… it did.
It’s not until you head off on that first adventure that you realise the price you paid for the motorhome was just the entry fee.
After that, every little problem seems to come with its own invoice.
Before you know it, you’re buying sealant you’ve never heard of, replacing things you didn’t even know existed, wondering if the water tank’s about to bankrupt you, buying a new satellite TV thingy, and fixing all the other bits and bobs that looked absolutely fine when you handed over your money.
Somehow, you’ve spent another “few hundred quid… and you haven’t even gone anywhere yet.
Nobody tells you that part….🤔
The Biggest Problems Are Usually Hiding in Plain Sight.
Bull$hi! Nothing’s ever “hiding in plain sight.” If it was, we’d have seen it.
We had every intention of turning into interrogators when we went to view it, firing questions left, right and centre. But despite our best efforts, our excitement somehow got the better of us.
Let’s be honest… who’s actually going to climb up on the roof? Crawl underneath the motorhome to inspect an empty water tank? Or switch the TV on and sit there watching an episode of The Inbetweeners just to make sure the aerial works?
Nobody.
That’s exactly how things get missed. 😳
So... What Advice Can We Give You?
Well, we don’t see why we should give you any advice. It’s not like you were there when we needed you? But… seeing as you’ve stuck with us this far, we suppose it’s only fair we share a little.
Don't Let Your Emotions Do the Buying
Sounds simple, but don’t let your emotions make the decisions for you. Excitement is hard to control, but take your time. When the right one comes along, you’ll know.
Stick to the God Damn Budget
Your expectations aren’t always going to meet your budget. You’re going to have to compromise somewhere, so don’t let your vision empty your bank account.
Stick to the god damn budget.
It's ok not to know.
It’s ok not to know. There really is no shame in asking questions. Visit showrooms and use, and abuse the sales guys, They think you’re going to buy something, so they’ll answer all your questions.
JUST ASK.
Trust... But Keep Your Guard Up
You have to trust people a little, but don’t be naive. Trust is earned.
Ask yourself… are they paying you, or are you paying them? Who’s got more to gain?
Be wary of motives. The reason they’re selling can tell you a lot.
Viewing day is your last chance... don't waste it.
Your viewing day is your time. Don’t let anyone rush you.
If you get this part wrong, you could end up with an expensive piece of scrap metal.
Remember, private sellers don’t offer warranties, so once you’ve handed over the money… it’s your problem.
Hands & Knees, Ladders & Torches.
It sounds silly. It feels a bit embarrassing. And that’s because it is.
Check everywhere. Don’t be ashamed to look in places that might seem a bit odd. Climb the ladder. Get down on your hands and knees. Open every cupboard. Turn everything on.
Looking back, we wish we’d checked a lot more than we did.
So please… learn from our mistakes.
Take a Coffee Break. Don't Feel Pressured Into Making a Decision.
Lastly, tell them you’re off for a coffee… or that you’ve got another motorhome to look at and you’ll let them know within the next couple of hours.
Why?
Because once you’ve left, the excitement starts to wear off and common sense slowly starts making an appearance again. It’ll give you time to think, chat things through, and decide whether it’s actually the right motorhome, or whether you’ve just fallen in love with the idea of owning one.
It’ll also help when it comes to knocking a bit off the price. After all, you’ve just been to look at another motorhome around the corner that was a better deal…
Whether that’s true or not… well… we’ll let you decide. 😉
Enjoy the process. This is your moment, your dream... enjoy it.
This was our journey. Yours will be completely different because no two motorhome sales are ever the same. If there’s one thing we’d like you to take away from this post, it’s simply to enjoy the process. This is your moment, your dream… enjoy it.
There will always be problems. Some big, some small. Some expensive, some you can fix yourself. Motorhomes are homes on wheels, things break, things wear out, and things inevitably need replacing. Just know you’re not alone… we’ve all been there.
We’re incredibly grateful to be in this position, and we absolutely love our little Atlas. We also love sharing our journey with you. So, if you’re reading this and have the same worries or concerns, drop us a comment below, we’d genuinely love to hear from you. Or, if you’d rather chat privately, use the contact form.
Good luck… you’ve got this. 💪
1 comment
Absolutely loved this article from start to finish. Can’t wait for the next episode x