Showgoer

31 Buying At A Show SHOWGOER.CO.UK Send your motorhome buying questions to MMM . To make sure you get the right advice, please include as much detail as possible on your speci c question  Budget  Desired layout  Size restrictions  Contact details or where you live  Any other relevant information  Rachel Stothert, MMM Buying Advice, Warners Group Publications, West Street, Bourne, Lincs PE10 9PH  rachels@warnersgroup.co.uk NEED ADVICE? 5 CAN YOU DRIVE IT? Check your driving licence. If you passed your test before 1 January 1997, are under the age of 70 and have a C1 category on your licence, you will be able to drive motorhomes up to 7.5 tonnes, unless you have a restricted licence due to health concerns. If you are approaching 70 years of age and currently have the C1 entitlement, then, when you celebrate your seventieth birthday, you need to reapply to keep the C1 entitlement, which involves a undergoing a medical, with the process being repeated every three years. If you only have the B category licence then you’re limited to a motorhome weighing no more than 3.5 tonnes. 6 TRY IT ALL OUT When you’ve found a motorhome or campervan that suits, try everything out. Sit in the driver’s seat and make sure it adjusts to suit you. Sit on all the seats. Try the beds for comfort, size and access, and, if they need to be made up, then do so and then convert them back into seats. Manoeuvre around the washroom as if you were using it. Open all the cupboards and try to imagine where you would put everything – storage, especially in multi-berth ’vans, can be limited. Test everything and anything and get the salesman to demonstrate anything you’re not sure about. You often can’t test drive motorhomes at the shows, but you can insist on a test drive back at the dealership. 7 SHOP LOCAL Dealers from across the country will be at shows, so you may find the right motorhome but discover it’s being sold by a dealer hundreds of miles from your home. If so, consider the cost and inconvenience of getting to and from the dealer for servicing and warranty work. If it’s a problem, ask the dealer if it’s willing to work with an approved workshop closer to you for service and warranty work. 8 GET A DEAL As with any purchase, new or used, haggle for a discount, better trade-in value or accessory packs thrown in. If you are a first timer it might be handy to get the dealer to include a gas bottle, hook-up lead and other essentials. But don’t be unrealistic about how far you can haggle. Some dealers will offer special packs if you sign the deal at the show, but make sure you’re buying the motorhome you want rather than being tempted by what looks like a good deal. 9 ASK ABOUT THE DETAILS Most used vehicles come with six months to a year’s warranty, and the terms can be restrictive, so make sure you know the details. Will a service be needed to fulfill the terms of the warranty and where will the service need to take place (franchised base vehicle dealer, dealer you bought the motorhome from, etc)? Some aftermarket warranties (and some new motorhomes) come with limited breakdown cover, but this often is only for specific things on the base vehicle, so you are likely to need a comprehensive, motorhome- specific breakdown policy, too. The dealer is likely to want a deposit, and this is not normally refundable. The amount will vary depending on the motorhome and the dealer. NCC-approved dealers adhere to a code of practice, so ask if it is an approved dealer and buy from one if the deal is right. Find out more at approveddealerships.co.uk 10 RELAX Once you’ve done the deal, don’t buy lots of expensive extras you may never use. Wait until you have your new motorhome and use it for a couple of trips before you decide to accessorise. THEMOTORHOMERS’MAGAZINE Looking for more essential buying information? Buying Your First Caravan and Buying Your First Motorhome are not to be missed. Download now on www.pocketmags.com and search by magazine name or visit outandaboutlive.co.uk and head to the ‘reader offers’ section of our store.