MMM The Motorhomers' Magazine

The price is right

What is your current campervan worth? And are you getting a good deal on that potential purchase? Rachel Scholes looks at how you can assess the prices of secondhand ’vans…

If you are looking to sell your motorhome, setting an accurate value is always tricky, although it’s been made much easier by the internet. The same goes when buying a motorhome, as you’ll want to work out if the price of your intended purchase is fair – you won’t want to pay too much but a very low price is almost certainly indicative of a scam, so take care.

The problem is that there’s a vast variety of makes and models on sale each year – we list 812 different motorhomes and 461 campervans in our 2024 buyers’ guide! – and some will only sell in tiny numbers. In fact, with 12,179 new vehicles registered in 2023 (according to NCC data), that’s an average of each model selling just 10 units. Obviously, some popular models from mainstream brands will sell in greater volumes but, in contrast, Nissan sold 8,931 Qashqais in the month of March alone.

Then there are options and accessorie­s added at the time of sale, as well as afterwards, before we even consider condition. So, it is unlikely that there will be two secondhand ’vans available at the same time that are exactly the same.

So how do you value your own motorhome or campervan or one that you’re planning to buy? It’s time to do some research…

TIMES HAVE CHANGED

In a normal world, motorhome values generally follow a curve. In the first couple of years, values drop faster and then depreciati­on would normally even out or, perhaps, even virtually stop. Recently, though, prices of new ’vans have reached record highs. For example, a Bailey Autograph 81-6 was listed at £63,145 in 2020 but entered the 2024 season at £88,999, while an Auto-Trail Scout rose from £73,444 in 2019 to £100,454 this year. And we’re not picking on these manufactur­ers, or suggesting that they’re reaping the rewards – costs have skyrockete­d (chassis prices especially) and those increases have had to be passed on to customers. Many makers have had fewer vehicles to sell, too (squeezing profit margins) – annual UK motorhome registrati­ons peaked at 14,074 in 2021.

Demand is still strong and, since Covid, poor availabili­ty of base vehicles (especially the dominant Fiat Ducato) has seen it exceed supply. Meanwhile, increased new prices have seen the values of secondhand motorhomes harden. The biggest gains have been seen on vehicles aged between five and 10 years old, but almost all ages and models have seen significan­t gains in value. And, if the layout or style of your ’van is more desirable – campervans with washrooms, compact models with drop-down beds, and fixed single bed layouts are especially popular – then values will be even greater.

Recently, it hasn’t been rare to trade in a ’van and get back close to what you originally paid for it. That’s great news if you have a ’van to sell but, if you’re trading up to a newer model, the cost to change may have risen substantia­lly more than you’re expecting.

THE £50,000 QUESTION

Looking at the Motorhomes For Sale section of our website outandabou­tlive.co.uk the bulk of vehicles available are priced above £30,000, with only around 3% being under £20k. That does mean that your choice will be much more limited if your budget is restricted but, if you’ve got an older, low-cost motorhome or campervan to sell, you are competing with far fewer models. However, the bulk of website views are for motorhomes costing over £50k, so don’t fret if you are selling a more expensive model, there are still plenty of buyers out there.

In terms of accessorie­s, remember that a roof air-con unit costing £2,500 might add very little extra to a vehicle’s used value, while features such as roll-out awnings and reversing cameras have become expected by buyers, so it may just be the case that it’s harder to sell a ’van without these.

One option that can certainly add a premium on a pre-owned motorhome is an automatic gearbox.

Although now widely available on new models, used ’vans with an auto’ gearbox are relatively rare – and harder to find the older/cheaper you go. But, as so many of us now drive an automatic car, twopedal driving is sought after by an increasing number of campervan and motorhome buyers.

As your motorhome gets older, it is its condition that is (almost) everything, along with proof of its careful and regular maintenanc­e. Signs of water ingress will decimate a vehicle’s value (due to the cost of repairs) and, for some buyers (especially city dwellers), older diesel vehicles may become a no-no due to low emission zone requiremen­ts. It’s the ULEZ factor that has seen the popularity of Japanese petrol-engined campervans rise.

When buying, it’s always worth considerin­g that popular brands are likely to be easier to resell because buyers will know what they’re getting and may search the web for that make or model. Campervans that are registered as a ‘motor caravan’ and not a ‘van with windows’ will be worth more, too, as will those that have always been leisure vehicles (rather than converted from a tradesman’s workhorse some time later). And, before you commission that one-off build, do ask yourself if you’ll be able to find another buyer with similar tastes and needs…

If the brand you’re considerin­g is no longer trading, or there isn’t currently a UK agent importing it, you’ll need to consider spares availabili­ty and the likely impact on the vehicle’s value.

WEB WISE

The internet is a really valuable resource when buying or selling a motorhome. You can search our Motorhomes For Sale section on outandabou­tlive. co.uk which has thousands of used motorhomes for sale, from both private sellers and dealers. To get the most out of this database here are a few simple tips: 1 Filter by manufactur­er on the bar on the left.

2 Type in the model name and/or number, adding double quote marks (“) to the start and end of this to further help filter for your specific model.

Also, type the entire name of your motorhome and model year into a search engine and see what comes up. If that doesn’t bring up any useful results, then type in a more generic search, without the year or the model number, for example. Dealer websites and classified adverts don’t always display this informatio­n.

With older models, it gets more difficult, so you could elect to search by year only, entering ‘[reg year] motorhome’ into the search box. This will bring up a selection of motorhomes of the same age. You could then find a similar model to yours – same make but a different layout, different make and same layout, etc.

Also try different spellings as it’s not unusual to find models listed on the internet with the brand or range name spelt incorrectl­y!

OWNERS KNOW BEST

Find an owners’ club for your brand of motorhome. Many owners are happy to share informatio­n about the deals they’ve secured and any offers they may have had on their motorhome, which may help you set a realistic price for yours. You can find a list of clubs at outandabou­tlive.co.uk/motorhomes/clubs

IT’S GOOD TO TALK

Talk to motorhome dealers. Explain that you’re looking for a valuation for your current model, perhaps for insurance purposes. Dealers have access to trade price guides, although these only give an indication to help them value used motorhomes that they’re taking in part-exchange.

Dealers are experts and many, especially those who sell the brand of motorhome you own, will have a good idea of the market value of your model. Some dealers specialise in specific types, ages and brands of motorhome, so going to one that has several of the same type as your own ’van for sale is likely to produce better results.

If you have a motorhome from a small-scale producer (like many of the UK’s specialist campervan converters), then going back to the original manufactur­er may help – it is likely to know what a customer will pay for your secondhand model and it may even offer to buy it from you or to sell it for you.

You can find a current list of motorhome dealers on our website at outandabou­tlive.co.uk/motorhomes/ traders/motorhome-dealers or in the latest copy of Buying Your Perfect Motorhome – see motorhome. ma/bypm – which has a dealer directory and a new motorhome price guide sorted by layout, which could help massively in your search for the right ’van.

BUDGET BUYS

You might find a great buy to start your motorhomin­g adventures (and test whether you like the lifestyle) for under £20,000 but, at this end of the market, you’ll find DIY conversion­s, projects or older used vehicles. These can offer great value but extra checks are needed to make sure the motorhome is not a scam, unsafe or needing too much work. Damp is a common problem on older coachbuilt­s, and should be relatively easy to identify (spongy floors and a distinct smell), or take a damp meter with you. Ask for recent servicing and damp check certificat­es, check the ownership if buying privately (does the viewing address match the V5?) and, if the deal either seems too good to be true or you feel uneasy about anything, it’s best to walk away.

As an example of this price point, we featured a 1995 Swift Royale 610 SE in the April issue. Its 86hp diesel engine might be a bit slothful but its spacious rear lounge layout is perenniall­y popular.

SPEND A BIT MORE

If you’ve got between £20k and £50k to spend, our website lists over 700 used ’vans for sale (at time of writing), so there’s plenty of choice. In this price band, ages will vary – newer ’vans are likely to have been considered entry-level when first registered, while older models may be from prestige ranges.

We found a handful of models newer than 2020, but the bulk of the stock is from 2018 or older. You’ll see brands that are no longer in production, too, but may have been popular in their day, such as Autocruise and Lunar.

In contrast, we found a 2009 Elddis Autoquest 115 for £28,995. The new model starts from £62,889 and, although it has seen many significan­t changes over the years, the layout is still essentiall­y the same. It could be a virtually risk-free way to try out the motorhome life.

ALTERNATIV­ES TO BUYING NEW

If you’ve got between £50k and £100k for your dream ’van, not long ago you’d have only considered vehicles with the latest registrati­on plate. However, these days we have around 940 secondhand motorhomes and 227 used campervans in our Motorhomes For Sale section. You should be looking at relatively recent vehicles here with Euro VI engines and all the modern kit. Always compare the cost of a nearly new ’van with an unregister­ed example of the same model to see if the saving is worthwhile.

BIG BUCKS!

Yes, you can spend over £100,000 on a secondhand motorhome if you want something truly special. It’s particular­ly tricky to value motorhomes in this price category as, when new, they would have commonly been specified with tens of thousands of pounds worth of options. We found one new 2024 Carthago for example with £90k of extras added. Remember when comparing prices that luxury models rarely leave the factory without a long list of options, but it’s the options that you want that are important.

Lead times can be long on some high-end motorhomes but by buying used you can skip the waiting list and head straight off on your travels, with a good saving in the bank to spend on ferry crossings and diesel!