September 30, 2017
Whether you’re a first time buyer or experienced, whether you’re looking for a brand new motorhome or a used model, the buying process can be time consuming and complicated.
There are, though, plenty of resources out there that can help you – be it online, in print or even in person.
Here, we run through some of the best.
Speak to owners – friends, neighbours
It’s good to talk, as a famous 1980s advert used to say. Nowadays, talking all seems to be on social media (sorry, showing our age).
There are, though, real people out there and among them motorhome owners. Some of them might even be close to home.
Do friends own a motorhome or go on motorhome holidays? Is there a motorhome parked on someone’s drive nearby?
If so, have a chat – pop round to see the friend, or start up a conversation with the neighbour. From them you can get a sense of what they like and dislike about their motorhome, what they know of other makes and even if there are any local dealers they might recommend.
It would probably be unwise to buy a motorhome just because a neighbour recommends it but it’s a start – it perhaps helps narrow the field down a little and helps inform
Use forums
The internet does, of course, have its uses!
Speaking to people nearby is great, but it might only be one or two people. Using online forums allows you to gauge the opinion of dozens, or even hundreds of owners.
You don’t even need to get involved in the conversation, you can just read through threads of interest – What’s the best motorhome for a family of four; what do you think of the new Chausson…
And you can of course post your own questions, or get involved in threads. However, don’t join a new forum and straight away pile in with loads of questions, nobody likes that sort of behaviour!
A couple of great forums are:
Use online reviews
Online reviews are an invaluable resource – there are sites giving free, impartial advice, you should take this advice.
There are reviews for both new motorhomes, motorhomes not even in the showrooms yet, as well as older, used models.
A couple of examples are Practical Motorhomes and Outandaboutlive – you can find loads more as well just by putting motorhome review into Google.
You can use reviews to narrow the field to a few contenders, and then googling a specific model or two will bring up a wealth more information from forums, reviews and even YouTube videos.
Go to a motorhome show
Motorhome shows are a great day out, they are also a great chance to speak to experts, owners and get a real feel for models.
For the buyer, there are often many models on display – under one roof, you can set foot in plenty of motorhomes and get a feel for them.
There is also so much more on offer. Talks, shops selling accessories, sessions on driving motorhomes, cooking advice and sessions designed to inspire the kids – after all, part of the joy of motorhomes is getting out there and discovering nature.
Find a motorhome show near you and pop along – there’s a good chance we’ll be there so please do come by our stall to say hello!
Speak to a dealer
Rip of the cliched picture of the pushy dealer, most motorhome dealers are cut from a different cloth. We know that a motorhome is a major purchase, a real investment and so you’re not going to come along and idly part with fifty thousand pounds.
Motorhome dealers offer advice, give you the chance to set foot in vehicles and also go for a test drive. Develop a good relationship with a dealer and they can also look out for models for you, letting you know when something that might be of interest comes into stock.
Emm-Bee is a leading UK family-run motorhome dealership based in Bury, Greater Manchester.
As well as stocking the latest models from leading makes such as Burstner, Chausson, Bailey, Hymer and Laika, we also have an unrivalled stock of used motorhomes for sale.
We pride ourselves on customer satisfaction and offering unmatched levels of service – we have been in business for 2https://www.emm-bee.co.uk/new-motorhomes/bailey/5 years and have flourished on word-of-mouth recommendations.
Please have a look round the site to check our range of used motorhomes and do get in touch with any queries, or just to pick our brains.