Buy a second hand motor home: 10 tips

When you decide to buy a second hand motor home, either to a private owner or to an authorized dealer, you must take into consideration some details to make sure that the motor home is in perfect condition and that it will not cause you any problems in a close future.

Getting a motor home allows the owner to travel anywhere he wants with total independence. You can plan a summer holiday in a camping in Benidorm, a week of snow in a camping site in the Pyrenees or getaways for the weekends or long weekends all around the Spanish territory.

In conclusion, it is not a cheap purchase and it is suppose to last for a long time.

Search for the motor home adapted to your necessities and budget
Before starting any purchase, you have to think what use you are going to give to the motor home, your space or size necessities and the budget you have. With all these things in mind, it will be easier to find the perfect vehicle for you.

Check the second hand motor home documentation in advanced
As you will have to do when purchasing any second hand vehicle, you must pay special attention in checking that all the paperwork is in order before buying: the log book, the fact sheet or the insurance for the motor home.

Motor home experts advise you to check on the registration date and the kilometers; it could give you a good idea on the use that that motor home has had.

Check on the condition of the tyres and the engine.
It does not matter if you are an expert or you do not know much about engines, it is very important to examine the condition of the engine of the motor home (or take it to a garage to have it done) before purchasing it. Ask for the maintenance book to check on the oil changes or the general services.

It is also very important to drive the motor home for a few kilometers, if possible, to check on the pedals condition, if it brakes properly, if it is difficult to change gears... anything that can help you to get an idea on the general state of the motor home. Do the same with the tyres; check on its maintenance, if all four have been change together or if they vibrate more than normal.

Pay attention on the exterior
As it normally happens when you buy something, the second hand motor home will first of all 'get in your eyes', so you better pay attention on the small exterior details that can show you if the vehicle is been well looked after or not.

Check on the bumpers, if there are any dents on the body, but, mainly check on the underside of the motor home, because there you will see if the previous owner took good care of it, if that was not the case, it could finally cause you a lot of troubles.

General state of the motor home interior
Apart from a vehicle, a motor home is a 'house', a place where you will spend a lot of time, so it is essential that you check on simple things like if the shower works or if there is a wardrobe not closing properly, anything that can be an expense after wards, you can ask the seller to repair it or you can try to get a reduction on the price.

Try all the extra features
The most expensive and the most difficult thing to change if it brakes is the toldo, so you better check it before buying. Unfold it and look for dampness, for any tear or if you find it hard to fold it again.

Do the same with any interior or exterior feature. Examine the roof and the bicycle racks, if the motor home has them. Pay special attention on the interior anchor points.

Proper functioning of the electrical appliances
It may seem evident, but sometimes we forget to check on the proper functioning of the electrical appliances before purchasing a motor home. Everything should work at A 12v and 220; put special attention in the refrigerator, the interior lights or any other appliance that you find in the motor home, because you are paying for those too.

Dampness
If you find dampness in the wardrobes or on the ceiling, bad sign, that means that the previous owner did not take good care of the vehicle or that it may have an isolation problem which will make complicated to enjoy the motor home in the future.

Roof
Many of the future dampness and filtration problems will come from the roof. If you can check it from the top, look for anything that may look strange: too much silicone, it is bend, any crack, etc.

Consult forums and second hand motor home websites
It may be simple, but normally in the second hand motor home user's forums you can find lists with the different models and makes where they explain what problems these motor homes can have or they give you exact details that can help you check on the vehicle real state before buying it.

Camping Villamar
Campsite in Benidorm
http://campingvillamar.com/en/index.php

Tips to choose a campsite for the Easter holidays

One of the favourite options for the Easter holidays is to spend some days camping, but, what guideline should we follow to choose the right campsite?

Easter holidays are one of the periods of the year that camping lovers prefer for camping. The weather around this time is normally quite nice, the days last longer and the previous holidays finished long time ago. It is the perfect time to get your tent or caravan out and spend some pleasant days with your family or friends in any place of our country.


Tips to choose a campsite
Type of campsite
The first thing you have to think of is what kind of holidays you wish to have.

If you want to find a campsite to enjoy the nature relaxation, the best place to go will be a camp in the mountains. There are loads of them in the main geographic areas like nature parks or reserves, etc. We can find an example of this kind of campsite in the High Pyrenees area where you can enjoy nature in its purest splendor.

If you wish to enjoy the mountain but also have an adrenaline injection then the best thing to do is to find a campsite with a large selection of adventure sports, even better if they offer ground and aquatic sports. We can find some examples of this type of campsite in the Picos de Europa Mountains.

On the other hand, if you prefer beach tourism, then the best option is to look for a campsite close to the coast. To be farsighted, just in case the weather is not as good as we expected, the best thing to do is to find a campsite that is as close to the beach as it is to a town. So, if the weather changes we can always plan some activities in town. You can find a perfect example of this kind of campsite in the wide offer that you have in camping in Benidorm.

Campsite location
Logically we will be looking for a camp that is close to what we are interest in.

Apart from that, as long as it is possible and it does not interfere in our holiday plans, it is convenient that the campsite is placed near a town.

It is even more important if it is a holiday with children. Being close to a town insures that we have access to some services that may be necessary in this case, such as medical emergencies, chemists, etc. and to some leisure activities such as cinemas, shopping centers, etc.

Another important characteristic is to make sure that the camping place has a good transport communication. It is better if it has a close access to a motorway or a main road and some good roads around so we will be able to visit all those interesting points that we have chosen in the area.

Types of accommodation
Nowadays, nearly all the campsites have a wide kind of accommodation. Although that we can classified them in plots, bungalows and mobile homes you can always choose into a big variety in any of them.

If we refer to plots, normally we classified them for their size and the kind of accommodation you can put in them: tents, caravans, motor homes, etc. Bungalows and mobile homes are classified by the model which depends on the material they are made of and the amount of people they can sleep in.


Quality and quantity on the basic facilities
Another important point to choose a campsite, apart from the kind of accommodation available, is its basic facilities. We have to consider the quantity but more importantly the quality.

It is advisable to view the camping plan so we can evaluate if it has enough communal facilities to give a good service in the case of being fully occupied. Check that there are enough toilet blocks, sinks, etc. and the size of them as well as if there is a laundry service. It is not only important to check on the amount of these facilities, we have to consider the state on them, check if they are well looked after, if they are clean daily and if they are fully equipped or they just have the basic.

In conclusion, to choose a good campsite to spend our Easter holidays is not difficult, but we have to consider some basic tips so we can assure we get the holidays we dream off.

Villasol
Camping Benidorm
http://www.camping-villasol.com