How to make money from selling your Motorhome

Liz Hughes 15th Mar 2018 No Comments

Reading Time: 6 minutes

Whatever your reason for selling your Motorhome, it’s important to make as much money as possible. Putting your Motorhome up for sale without proper research could mean you miss out on a lot of cash. At MoneyMagpie, we’ve teamed up with We Buy Any MotorCaravan to provide you with a complete guide to making money from selling your Motorhome.

Step one: Prepare your Motorhome to be sold
Step two: Where should you advertise your Motorhome?
Step three: How much should you charge?
Step four: How do you confirm the sale?

Step One: Prepare your Motorhome to be sold

To maximise the amount of money you can make from your Motorhome, there are a few things you’ll need to organise before taking it to be sold. From organising paperwork to touching up your Motorhome, these small tasks can make a big difference when it’s time to sell your Motorhome.

Collect evidence of paperwork

You are likely to make more money from your Motorhome if you are able to show that it has been well looked after. One of the most important pieces of paperwork is an MOT certificate. If you need to get it renewed, do it. You will be able to make more money from a Motorhome with a 12 month MOT rather than a Motorhome without one.

In addition to this, if you are able to provide a stamped service history book, this will also help to show you have taken care of your vehicle. A well maintained Motorhome with a documented service history should be able to produce a higher price. Also be sure to present your vehicle registration document which has the details of the registered keeper.

If you can show evidence of a Motorhome habitation service, you could be in for a big bonus. A habitation service is essentially a Motorhomes equivalent to an MOT for the aspects of your Motorhome that are used for living such as water and electricity.

Fix wear and tear

Minor visible damage to a Motorhome, such as dents or scratches, reduces the value. However, they can be easily replaced. The inside of your Motorhome is just as important as the outside when it comes to repairing any visible damage. The cost of the work will be far less than the potential loss of value when you are trying to sell a clearly damaged vehicle.

Check for damp and water damage

Larger Motorhomes that feature indoor plumbing for kitchen sinks, showers or toilets have on-board water tank or tanks are all culpable to leaks. You will know you have a water leak if you spot any mould, mildew, rust or rotted wood. The quicker you spot a possible leak, the quicker you can address it. Make sure your Motorhome is relatively dried out before making any significant repairs.

Touch up the paintwork

Over time, the external paintwork of your Motorhome can deteriorate. Treating your Motorhome to be resistant to stains, fading and oxidisation is a wise move if you want a gleaming vehicle. There is a whole range of automotive touch up paint you can use to achieve this effect. Paint pens, brush cap bottles and spray cans are all effective.

Replace tyres if necessary

To determine if your tyres need replacing, inspect them for cracks. Cracks less than 1/32-inch deep are okay, but if the cracks are more than 2/32-inch deep, the tyre needs to be replaced. Tyre professionals recommend replacing the tyres on a Motorhome every 6 years.

Cleanliness and general presentation

By presenting the Motorhome in the best possible light you will give yourself the best chance of making a sale. Start by cleaning windows and wheels with good quality vehicle shampoo and polish. Clear out any rubbish and don’t forget to empty the fridge. Inspect carpets, curtains and upholstery and wash and vacuum anything that isn’t clean. If you want the job done right then hire a professional valet to help your Motorhome appear spotless to any prospective buyer.

Think of adding elements that spruce up the general presentation of your Motorhome. Put fresh flowers on the table, hang brightly coloured towels in the bathroom or even perhaps leave some freshly baked bread and coffee on the kitchen counter to create a real home from home feeling.

Step Two: Where should you advertise your Motorhome?

Local Area

Selling your Motorhome locally may not generate maximum revenue but it may be relatively inexpensive compared to other methods. Parking your Motorhome next to a busy road with a “For Sale” sign can be an effective way of flogging it. Putting an advert in a local newspaper could also drum up some interest from local buyers.

Online

There are a number of channels online to choose from to advertise your motor home sale. Here are a few of the main ones:

Classifieds

Classified websites provide a good platform for you to sell your Motorhome to prospective buyers. From Gumtree to Craigslist to the Caravan and Motor home Club classified section, there are plenty of options available. But just be aware of scammers as there are plenty of them around.

Online auctions

eBay Motors is an online marketplace for buying and selling vehicles and accessories. There are several services and tools to help you buy and sell your motor home and the listing formats are like those on eBay.

Motorhome dealer

To make the sale quick and relatively painless, many people will sell direct to a Motorhome dealer. When you sell your Motorhome to a dealer you are sure of a guaranteed sale. You might be looking at less money than you would get if you were selling privately, but a dealer will take all the hassle out of speaking and dealing with private buyers. You’ll also avoid dealing with those who contact you and can’t really afford your Motorhome – so it can be a massive time saver.

How to place an advert

Above all else, when you’re placing an advert to sell your Motorhome, make sure you are honest and open about its condition. Otherwise you will have lots of wasted test drives and meetings that don’t lead to a sale. Taking the first step will place you a better position for a sale. There are other things to consider though when placing an effective ad online.

Use high quality photos

Make sure that you take your photos using a quality digital camera. If you don’t own one, it may be worth borrowing one off a friend who does. Take as many photos as possible, you can always edit them afterwards. Choose the best 10-15 photos, with an even split between photos from inside and outside the vehicle.

Provide an accurate description

Look at ads other people have written about the same brand, year and model and copy what applies to yours. Keep the ad simple and use lists rather than wordy descriptions. Ensure the ad is also accurate and grammatically correct.

Step 3: How much should you charge?

Ideally you want to set the price above what you want to accept, which leaves room for customers to haggle. If you can’t settle on a price for your Motorhome, there is a resource you can use to help:

Free online quotation websites

One tactic is to try out the many sell my Motorhome valuation tools available online, gathering a number of quotes as you go along. If you compare enough you might get some idea of what might be offered for your Motorhome.

Step 4: How do you confirm the sale?

Be polite and courteous

One of the most important factors when trying to close a sale is your tone of voice, especially over the phone. Be open and honest about your Motorhome when a potential buyer initially contacts you; offer the buyer to come and see the Motorhome at their earliest convenience, closing a deal is much easier in person than it is over the phone.

Think about the lowest offer you will accept

It’s likely that a potential buyer will try to haggle a lower price than the one which has been advertised. Before you meet, have a round figure in mind for what you will be happy to accept for the Motorhome. If they offer lower, you can try to push them up or wait out for another buyer with a higher offer.

Find out how you can make and save money with a caravan.

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How to make money from selling your Motorhome