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Quote: Originally posted by bigbrood on 04/3/2012

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Dazzer did you buy your caravan from a main bailey dealer. Do you think it's possible for this dealer to offer the extra warranty?

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Hi,

The oxford / swindon / reading caravan company (all the same company) have a policy they offer that is underwritten by MB&G but badged as their own. Other dealers may offer their own warranty, some of which will just be covered by themselves (this is typical of a company offering 6 months). I also have the benefit of the next 2 yrs bailey ingress warranty as well as the van had a full service history so we are transfering this for £25. Most dealers wil offer extra warranties so just haggle........tell them you have seen the same van elsewhere with more warranty, etc. These days I would expect 12 months as a minimum......plus whatever you can haggle. Just check the small print and make sure this isn't a small claim limit on water ingress claims, a good policy will cover up to the purchase price of the van.

Quote: Originally posted by bigbrood on 04/3/2012

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Hmm not getting a good feeling about this chap with the Elddis. Hubby sent him the questions regarding servicing etc. he said the caravan has not been serviced because he hasnt used it enough to warrant it! Surely if you buy a caravan brand new your going to keep up with the services because you'll want the peace of mind of a warranty? I don't know something doesn't sit right with me. I said this to hubby & he's got moody with me & said stop jumping to conclusions. I can't help it, 11k is a lot of money & if I wanted a van that hasn't been serviced I would just pay 7/8k & buy an older model!

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Personally I wouldn't spend 11k on a private sale where the owner hasn't had it serviced, especially as its only 2 years old. While this doesn't mean there is anything wrong with it what it will mean is you have no warranty should a problem develope in the next 4 years. Most vans around 2010 will have come with a 6 yrs ingress warranty, and 3 yrs warranty on the other parts, and this will have been transferable to the new owner for a small fee. However if they have not complied with the service schedule then the warranty is void and you won't be able to transfer it.

If is up for the market price I would stay clear and wait for one closer to home, if its up cheap you have to wonder why ? At the very least i would pay for an independant inspection from a local appproved workshop engineer before parting with that sort of cash.

Quote: Originally posted by bigbrood on 04/3/2012

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Yea my perfect van is out there somewhere. I've got all confused now from looking at so many! The 1 I thought was an hr away is in fact way up north again. He said he could meet us half way but alarm bells rang again. Jeez I don't trust anyone lol.

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I know the feeling. Our second van was a private sale Bailey GT60. They wanted cash, seller then checked 10k of £20 notes with a machine to check they werent fakes. The couple had obviously fallen out of over selling the van as you cut could the atmosphere with a knife. They lived at a different address to the CRIS (had just moved they said so we had to check ID to match previous address etc). The van was stored in the now defunct Discover Chorley and when we went to tow it away we asked the seller the best way to the motorway and he said he didnt know!! We worried all the way home, seller had took the battery and not told us (we should have checked) but it was all ok in the end.

Our current van we bought off Preloved, seller very helpful, again a 6 hr round trip but it was worth it as an identical van was bid up to £9600 on ebay today and we paid over 1k less in December and ours has a mover on. We spent ages going through the van, checking the paperwork and got ourselves a real bargain.

I dont envy you looking, it nearly drove me demented. I spent hours on ebay, free ads sites and just couldnt settle til we found one. Must admit havent looked at any since although OH looks for the same yr and model just so he can convince himself we had a good buy (well thats what he tells me). He said today, just think we could sell it and make a nice profit. I just gave him a look that stopped him in his tracks.

Good luck with the search, go with your gut instinct. Walk away from any van without full service history. We had the excuse the van hadnt been used enough to warrant a service loads when we were looking and like you say it makes no sense.

Quote: Originally posted by savanne1 on 04/3/2012

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Quote: Originally posted by bigbrood on 04/3/2012

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Yea my perfect van is out there somewhere. I've got all confused now from looking at so many! The 1 I thought was an hr away is in fact way up north again. He said he could meet us half way but alarm bells rang again. Jeez I don't trust anyone lol.

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I know the feeling. Our second van was a private sale Bailey GT60. They wanted cash, seller then checked 10k of £20 notes with a machine to check they werent fakes. The couple had obviously fallen out of over selling the van as you cut could the atmosphere with a knife. They lived at a different address to the CRIS (had just moved they said so we had to check ID to match previous address etc). The van was stored in the now defunct Discover Chorley and when we went to tow it away we asked the seller the best way to the motorway and he said he didnt know!! We worried all the way home, seller had took the battery and not told us (we should have checked) but it was all ok in the end.

Our current van we bought off Preloved, seller very helpful, again a 6 hr round trip but it was worth it as an identical van was bid up to £9600 on ebay today and we paid over 1k less in December and ours has a mover on. We spent ages going through the van, checking the paperwork and got ourselves a real bargain.

I dont envy you looking, it nearly drove me demented. I spent hours on ebay, free ads sites and just couldnt settle til we found one. Must admit havent looked at any since although OH looks for the same yr and model just so he can convince himself we had a good buy (well thats what he tells me). He said today, just think we could sell it and make a nice profit. I just gave him a look that stopped him in his tracks.

Good luck with the search, go with your gut instinct. Walk away from any van without full service history. We had the excuse the van hadnt been used enough to warrant a service loads when we were looking and like you say it makes no sense.

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If its a hoax you have lost £400 which may be more than the loss of a day off work!!

Many a time problems arise with our purchases because of how we buy.

Phil

Wouldn't touch this.  I can't believe the risks people will go to save a few quid buying privately.

I hope it works out but............

Just a thought......What you could say to the chap is that you will put the deposit into an escrow account at the sellers Bank. That is held in the joint names of you and your seller and is only released to the seller, by the Bank, once he has performed certain conditions. e.g delivered the van, you have inspected it to be satisfied that it does accord with his description, he produces his CRiS documents  etc etc. If the seller knows that he can deliver his side of the bargain then he knows that he will get his money released, so should be willing to turn up with the van. What you say to the Bank is that when he pays in a cheque from you for the balance (which shows that you are happy with the deal) then the deposit can be released; if such a cheque is not paid in within, say seven days, (giving the seller enough time to arrive with the van) then the bank returns the deposit to you.

If he is unwilling to deal in this manner then you should, IMO, just assume that all is not as it seems and either walk away or take a gamble.

Phil