Buy From E-Bay ?

[shooter]

Hello everyone, checked out the site GREAT! and have joined. Looking to buy a C15 and have been offered a "second chance" offer on one on e-bay. item no.,150150873125 . To the un-informed it looks a bargain so would really appreciate any of you experts out there giving it a look before i commit myself. Looking forward to owning and taking part. Thanks all.

[Pauline]

shooter said:

Hello everyone, checked out the site GREAT! and have joined. Looking to buy a C15 and have been offered a "second chance" offer on one on e-bay. item no.,150150873125 . To the un-informed it looks a bargain so would really appreciate any of you experts out there giving it a look before i commit myself. Looking forward to owning and taking part. Thanks all.

Hi Shooter and welcome to the forum

Can't really comment much on the Romahome. Did they say why the original bidder pulled out?

Also, I'm no expert but it says 'semi-automatic', surely it's either automatic or manual? But like I say I'm no expert!!

Hopefully someone else will know more.

Hope you find the van of your dreams

[shooter]

Hi.,Pauline, Thanks for the welcome and reply ! It is a Manual (added later) no idea about

other bidder, Hopefully someone will look at it and offer advice/comment , but

hey your the First ! Thanks for taking the trouble.

[Graham]

Hello Shooter

Welcome to the forum, I've had a look at the Ebay listing and as you say it looks like a bargain, the table in one of the pictures is not the original table. It looks as if a modification has been made because the original Romahome table would have been a freestanding long narrow one with two folding legs, it looks like someone has put the wider removable single leg table in there but that's not a problem, probably an improvement.

My advice would be to go and have a look at it without committing yourself, have a good look round, have a run in it and if everything seems ok and the people selling it seem genuine then go for it. These Romahomes are normally so well loved that people take care of them anyway.

Hope that helps, best of luck, let us know how you get on.

Regards
Graham

[Pauline]

Hadn't spotted that about the table - it's like one of those 'spot the difference' quizzes isn't it!!

Like Graham says most Romahomes are really well loved and you should be able to tell from the seller if they are genuine.

Double check the log book too, make sure they are the true owner and don't be put off with any excuses if their name isn't on it.

It's sadly a sign of the times that you must be suspicious first and trusting later

Good luck

[shooter]

Hi.,Graham, Thanks for the welcome, reply and your comments, which proved my point. I

dont know enough to have noticed "the table" ! I really became concerned when

i read about "body changes" on this site ! scary stuff ! I would love to go and see

it but its quite a distance so i thought "Make some enquiries first" and it seems i

came to the right place. Thanks very much and when and where i get one you will

know, i will be at the very next meet! All the best Shooter

[martinw]

Hi Shooter, and welcome.

I have just looked on ebay and the van "looks" very good for the money, if that is what you are paying for it £2,050.

It is the same year as mine and the body panels look better than mine and I would want a lot more money for it (not selling tho)

Two things to look out for other than general rust underneath is,

1 - the bulk head under the bonnet this can rust and be a problem to fix but it can be done.

2 - There is a cross member underneath just aft of the rear wheels that joins the sort of chassis, each side, from front to back, you will know if you are looking at the right one if you can see the spare wheel securing bolt going through the center of it. It rots away at each end where it is welded to the chassis, it gets all the spray from the rear wheels and has no protection, I have seen two other vans where this has been a bad point. On mine I had to cut out the whole cross member and replace it with 2x2 inch box section. These, as far as I know, are the main points to look for apart from general wear and tear.
The van you are looking at looks good inside and out so these point may be OK.

If you want to know anything else just ask.

Martin

P.S. 124000 miles is nothing if it has been looked after

[shooter]

Hi Martinw, and thanks very much. I have really got to do the 500mile round trip and see the

roma ! Now thanks to you all i feel better equiped/informed and hopefully less

likely to buy a "lemon". I dont expect like new for the price and i dont mind a bit of

work/tlc etc., but cant afford a total lemon! Thanks a lot guys/gals, hopefully i will

be a proud owner at the w/end. Shooter

[martinw]

Best of luck Shooter, keep us informed

[rvdmikej]

For what it's worth, I bought from Ebay one year ago and got a bargain. I think you do need to view the goods first though.

Mike

[jayjay]

I didn't get such a bargain with my ebay Bedford Rascal Romahome. It seemed ok at the time, but broke down on the way home, overheating probs. £300 later for new thermostat/ choke cable/cambelt/ full service and fuel pump (yet to come), I'm a bit wiser. Don't buy unless you've seen it and test driven it first, I'd say. If it's too far away to go and see it before you bid, wait for one to come up which is a bit nearer. It's definately buyer beware out there.

Having said that, I got what I wanted, it's just cost a bit more than I expected, and I can't wait to go off for a rally in it when all the work is completed.