# my first test drive



## brenh2002 (Jul 30, 2009)

hi all, ive just had my first test drive and inspection of a 700 series hobby ,2003 model , before I did the 200 plus mile trip to view it , the seller did inform me of the few faults there were with the van ,only some small cosmetic faults ,easily rectifiable, but on inspection I found things I wasn't too happy with, the first on test drive being the clutch. it wasn't exactly slipping, but the pedal had no play at the top of the pedal, I thought it strange, its do 46k, so feel it may be time to change now rather than get caught abroad with it. the motor home was parked on a steep drive on arrival with chocks under the wheel , it was really steep so never thought much about it, but wasn't holding too well on the test drive . I must say apart from these issues it was a lovelly drive, very responsive and the owner said he thought it had been chipped ,although no paperwork to prove. Cosmetic wise ,there were a few chips here and there as to be expected age related ,and a few places where it had been caught ,one on the rear wheel arch, and the front bumper needed a repaint because of scratches, I recon around 400 for the bit of paint ,maybe less this included the silver plastic grill which wasn't damaged ,he stated the paint had flaked of ,he hand painted it ,it looked crap, so would have it done. internally very good , you may wash or change the curtains, no forgetting he had been away for a week in it ,so hadn't the time to wash it, all it required was a wash and a real good polish, there was also no evidence of a cam belt change. So how much do you lads recon for ,,,,NO1 a cambelt change,, NO2 a clutch NO3 the handbrake sorting, and the valet. it also needed a rear set of tyres I know the price of them, also how much would you chip him on price , he wanted 21k.... cheers


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## daffodil (Aug 7, 2014)

Hi ,you stated the owner thought it had been chipped but no paperwork to prove (worrying), there are more sophisticated and more experianced posters on here who hopefully can enlighten you more.I would check with the proposed insurance co what proof they would require as to the chipping, and would it affect the premium and by how much, also you havent stated how many owners and is there any service history , which will ultimately affect the price. Good luck in your purchase, but I would wait for some of the more esteemed members opinions if you are at all worried


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## wakk44 (Jun 15, 2006)

I think if you use a reliable independent garage approximately £1k should cover the mechanical repairs.Don't even consider a main dealership as it will be considerably more.

As for the purchase price it depends on how much you want the van really,if you go in too low you may lose the sale.On a £21k m/home that I really wanted I would offer £19k,haggle a bit and see where you finish up,ideally somewhere around the £20k mark.

There are other factors such as how desperate he is to sell and whether there are other interested buyers,you may have to get nearer his asking price if you are really keen on the van,good luck.


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## hogan (Oct 31, 2006)

http://www.motorhomefacts.com/ftopic-104500-days0-orderasc-30.html

Third post down may help with cam belt costs


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## brenh2002 (Jul 30, 2009)

the reason he mentioned the chipping was because it was so powerful, he didn't actually know if it had been. he is the second owner, I felt they were playing good cop bad cop, she didn't want to sell he did to up-grade. having made more enquiries I have been estimated at 400 clutch fitted 300 cam belt kit fitted, average decent quality set of rear tyres 550 that about covers the mechanicals with 150 for budget on rear brakes, also forgot to mention top skylight cover needs replacing 300 to buy, not leaking ,just cracked. cheers for now also where would I purchase a front bull bar , secondhand


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## shingi (Apr 18, 2008)

If it was me I would be comparing the MH that you've seen against others that are for sale or have already been sold on line, which will give you some kind of starting point. 46K is not an excessive mileage and sounds reasonable for the year, and unless its been abused I would think a clutch change an unlikely requirement. 

Another factor is how much much of a DIY'er you are yourself, as a neglected 750 can be very expensive to put right even at a more modest private garage. The handbrakes, operating on all four rear wheels, is a factor which often crops up with owners as to their somewhat ineffectiveness, but I promise you that it can easily be rectified in the hands of someone who knows what they're doing.

On your inspection, if you can yourself see things that need doing or require attention, or you get the impression that it's a bit scruffy in places, there will probably be more problems eleswhere that you can't see. Also perhaps go look at others for sale so that you've got something to compare it with. Some pointers for starters !!


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## wakk44 (Jun 15, 2006)

There are different types of re mapping,ranging from maximum power to maximum economy and anywhere in between.There has been several well documented cases on here(me included)of clutch failure after a re map.

If you do buy the van then for peace of mind it would be advisable to spend a bit more and get a professional re map,that's what I would do anyway especially if you have a new clutch fitted.


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## philoaks (Sep 2, 2008)

> also where would I purchase a front bull bar , secondhand


Front bull bars were outlawed in 2007 due to concerns about safety should you hit a pedestrian/cyclist. Whilst that wouldn't "legally" stop you fitting one to a 2003 van the safety aspect is something you may want to consider.

I would think you'd be lucky to find a second hand one and, strictly speaking, it would be illegal for someone to make one up for you (even though it would be fitted to a pre 2007 van).

Article here


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## listerdiesel (Aug 3, 2012)

Offer him £19k, he should know about the clutch and handbrake already. If he won't play ball, walk away, the market will be full of stuff at the end of the season and at the start of next as people look at upgrading.

Mileage is OK, cambelt not due yet anyway? but worth changing for peace of mind. EDIT - if original then DOES need changing!

Tyres shouldn't be £550, we've just got four new 225/75R16C 10 ply for under £400 by looking around, check Camskill for tyres, they are pretty competitive.

Clutch definitely needs looking at, you need 3/4" play on most clutches and take up point should be well down towards the floor. Not a huge job and plenty of independents can do that, subject to being able to handle the size of the vehicle.

Peter


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## daffodil (Aug 7, 2014)

Is the weight of a bull bar not a consideration on that model? just a thought


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## brenh2002 (Jul 30, 2009)

im led to believe the clutch is a hydraulic operation system ,if si ,is there any adjustment on the slave cylinder rod? some say offer 19k? do you think this is a fair price for this age van ,should it in normal terms be more ,or less


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## coppo (May 27, 2009)

listerdiesel said:


> Offer him £19k, he should know about the clutch and handbrake already. If he won't play ball, walk away, the market will be full of stuff at the end of the season and at the start of next as people look at upgrading.
> 
> Mileage is OK, cambelt not due yet anyway? but worth changing for peace of mind.
> 
> ...


Surely cambelt must be due Peter, 11 years old, irrespective of mileage.

Paul.


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## listerdiesel (Aug 3, 2012)

coppo said:


> Surely cambelt must be due Peter, 11 years old, irrespective of mileage.
> Paul.


Yep, didn't pick the age up at the time, sorry!

Peter


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## 747 (Oct 2, 2009)

If it is a private sale then you MUST take a damp meter and check it out for dampness.

The Clutch and the Cam belt are straightforward, easily fixed problems and you can work out the cost in advance. A serious damp problem can cost thousands to rectify.

Did the owner show you all the paperwork he had. has the van been serviced regularly, have you seen the old MOT's, how many habitation checks has it had and when was the last one?

If the owner cannot provide those sort of things, walk away as you have no comeback when buying privately. There are plenty of vans out there and they do not sell fast usually. Take your time, get it right.


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## wakk44 (Jun 15, 2006)

Very good point about a damp check,repairs can be expensive as it is labour intensive.I would make that a priority as a repair bill for damp could potentially be greater than the mechanical repair bill you have budgeted for.


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