When someone has owned an Auto-Sleeper motorhome they’re rarely likely to look back – when it comes the time to change or upgrade the leisure vehicle, therefore, they invariably buy Auto-Sleeper again.
If you’re in the market for buying a top-quality, pre-loved motorhome, therefore, you might want to take more than a second look at any Auto-Sleeper for sale.
Why buy a used Auto-Sleeper?
Auto-Sleepers are famed for their quality, luxury and level of finish. The design and craftsmanship that goes into every model to emerge from the factory in the Cotswolds ensures a level of comfort that is second to none among British-built motorhomes.
So, an Auto-Sleeper is built to last. Even when the first owner decides its time to renew or upgrade, therefore, there is still likely to be plenty of life left in the original model.
As a buyers’ guide published by Out and About Live points out, motorhomes tend to hold their price much better than an average car – and an Auto-Sleeper holds its price better than an average motorhome. But all vehicles inevitably depreciate in value over time. That means you may be able to make appreciable savings on the price of a used Auto-Sleeper compared with one that is brand new.
Where to buy a used Auto-Sleeper
Private sale
You might see an Auto-Sleeper for sale when it’s advertised in a magazine or online listing site.
As you might have discovered when attempting to buy any vehicle through such a private sale, however, the transaction can be fraught with frustration and danger. You need something of an expert eye to check that the vehicle is everything it’s cracked up to be, you have to negotiate a fair price with the vendor, and it’s your responsibility to check that the vendor has title to the motorhome and that it is not subject to any outstanding finance.
You need to check the service history – to ensure that servicing and maintenance has been carried out by approved dealers – and it is down to you to check that everything is clean and has been well cared for.
Most worrying of all when buying through a private sale, perhaps, comes if anything goes wrong with the motorhome you have just bought. You have no come-back if the motorhome is bought “as seen”.
Dealers
You are in much safer hands, of course, if you buy a used Auto-Sleeper from a reputable dealer.
Owners of Auto-Sleepers tend to be loyal to the dealer from which they first bought the motorhome. They rely on the same specialist dealer for the servicing and maintenance of the motorhome and go there for the subsequent fitting of any extras or accessories.
When it comes time to renew or upgrade the vehicle, they are also likely to ask that dealer to handle its sale. So, the majority of Auto-Sleepers you see for sale are likely to be in the hands of specialist dealers. They are likely to prove your most active market.
When buying from such a dealer, you may be assured that the motorhome has been thoroughly inspected and serviced, you have a full range of warranty options, and you have a contact through whom any post-sale snags or concerns may be resolved.
