The sector motorhomes It has experienced a significant boom in recent years. More and more users discover the advantages of this way of traveling and decide to bet on the acquisition of one of these vehicles. Sometimes the first option is buying a second-hand or second-hand motorhome. If this is your case, we leave you a series of tips that will help you in that process.
Age and mileage
When buying a second-hand motorhome we will have to check the date of first registration of the vehicle and the kilometers it has traveled. Logically, depending on the budget we have, we can access more or less new models or with more or less mileage. Although it is an important aspect, we must not forget that motorhomes are based on an industrial vehicle, with mechanical elements widely prepared to cover a large number of kilometers.
A good option are those of vehicles from rental fleets. Specialized rental companies renew their fleet regularly and, taking into account that they are vehicles with excellent maintenance, we can access vehicles with fewer years and, therefore, with more up-to-date interior and exterior finishes.
In Spain or abroad?
A few years ago, the Spanish second-hand motorhome market was scarce, while other European markets, with high vehicle turnover, were more attractive, both from the point of view of supply and price.
Currently, the offer is increasing in our country and, in most cases, Buying our vehicle outside of Spain is no longer such a great advantage like before. In addition, aspects such as import taxes and other bureaucratic issues, such as approvals, ITV, etc. must be taken into account, as well as trips to the country of origin to review the model, negotiations in another language, etc. And another very important topic: the guarantee. Buying outside of Spain is a very important handicap since, according to European law, the guarantee is granted only by the one who issues the sales invoice, that is, neither Fiat, Ford, etc., nor Carado, Defthless or the corresponding brand. And, as a general rule, many foreign sales companies do not offer any type of guarantee, so we would be quite unprotected. In the case of companies specialized in second-hand sales in Spain, such as Autocaravan Express, it is they who offer the guarantee for that vehicle
In short, unless we look for a very specific model or find a bargain (watch out! You also have to be very careful with some unbelievable offers) the truth is that buying abroad may not have as many advantages as we thought.
Companies vs. individuals
The growth of the market has made it move more and more and there are many individuals who put their vehicles on sale, sometimes to access other models that better adapt to their new needs. However, selling through private individuals carries some shortcomings and risks versus buying from specialized companies.
The most important of them all is, again, the a. When acquiring it through a company, you make sure you have a guarantee (usually 1 year) against possible vehicle breakdowns. However, when buying from individuals, the legislation only covers the so-called "hidden vice", which are those damages that are difficult to perceive with the naked eye but that, once the purchase is closed, make the vehicle do not meet the required requirements and that, if they had been known by the buyer, they would not have purchased it or would have paid a lower price for the.
In addition to the guarantee itself, buying from a specialized company offers us other advantages, from technical advice before, during and after the purchase, until accessories o workshop assistance.
Motorhome status
Before deciding on the purchase of a second-hand motorhome, we will have to carefully analyze the state of it. What aspects should we look at?
- Interior: from the state of the upholstery to that of the furniture, through the operation of the windows, darkening, skylights, fridge, kitchen fires, water pump, taps, heating, beds, etc. We will also look at possible humidities, as they can lead to bigger problems.
- Body exterior:: chafing on the body, bumps, condition of the bumper, exterior mirrors, lights, basses, in addition to other elements, such as bicycle racks, roof rack or awning (if any).
- Spring Suspension: correct operation of the engine, brakes, electronic elements, air conditioning and the good condition of the wheels.
Motorhome type
Finally, another important aspect before launching into the purchase of a motorhome, be it second-hand, second-hand or, even new, is the type of model -nasturtium, profiled, integral, large volume- that best suits our needs.
For this, we will have to do a Exhaustive analysis, thinking about how many people are going to travel (to define the places to travel and sleep), what type of trips we want to make (sporadic, long routes, seasons ...), if we need a large garage or not, or how we need the space to be inside.
Another tip, if you are not sure what type of motorhome to buy, is that first try the different models through the rental. This will allow you to experience first-hand the characteristics of each of them and know which one best suits what you are looking for.
En Express motorhome we have different models for rentas well as some of second hand for sale. Contact us and we will solve all your doubts!
