Why the MOT history matters on a motorhome
Motorhomes often spend long periods parked, which brings its own problems: tyres that age before they wear out, brakes that seize, and corrosion underneath. The MOT history is where those show up. Look for advisories about tyres, brakes, corrosion and suspension, and check whether they appear again at the next test.
Any problem category that turns up on two or more separate test days within three years goes on the watch list. On a vehicle that may sit for months at a time, it is a quick way to see whether problems were fixed or just carried forward. Our guide to reading an MOT history explains each result.
The free check also shows the tax status, any outstanding safety recall, whether the vehicle is marked for export and the date the latest logbook was issued.
Mileage on campervans and motorhomes
Low mileage is common on motorhomes, and a low figure is not suspicious on its own. A reading that goes down is. The report flags any drop of more than 100 miles between tests. Very low use can bring its own issues, so ask how often it has been driven and where it has been stored.
We show the average miles a year, compared with the UK average for cars of about 7,000 miles. For a leisure vehicle, treat that as a rough guide. Check the date codes on the tyres as well as the tread, because on a vehicle that covers few miles, tyres can need replacing because of age long before they wear out.
Ask where it has been stored. A motorhome kept on a driveway and used every few months will usually be in better shape than one left standing for years.
What the free check cannot see
The free check covers the vehicle records, so it cannot tell you about the living area. Damp, the gas and electrical systems and the water system all need checking separately, ideally with a habitation check by a qualified engineer. Ask the seller for any service records for the habitation side.
Our yearly tax estimate is designed for cars, and motorhomes can be taxed differently, so confirm the rate in GOV.UK's vehicle tax rate tables. The clean air zone verdict also uses car standards, so check a motorhome with GOV.UK's clean air zone checker. For finance, write-off and stolen checks, the full history check returns results where our data supplier holds a record for the vehicle.
If you buy privately, you have fewer legal rights than when you buy from a dealer. Our guide to buying privately or from a dealer explains the difference.