Going To View Van Tomorrow - advice sought

It's 2000 Low mileage, and just have some concern as my first van.

I have some ideas e.g.:

1. check front Cross member, suspension mountings.
2. crawl underneath and check for corrosion and exhaust.
3. check vehicle code against V5C, not sure where the code is though?
4. will be demonstrated to me and hope to drive it a little way. Will go through as much habitation as possible.
5. garage sale and seems reputable outfit. Comes with 3mnth guarantee.
6. been quoted £375 (incl. £56 for reovery) fir ins. from SAGA against 3yr NCB (older driver 70 soon!). Advice on any other insurer welcome?
7. anyone a view on under spraying with that gunky stuff to prevent corrosion or should I spread engine oil all over?
8. shows as untaxed on DVLC mot check site so that's strange?

Thanks if you have time to add a little advice.

The garage will do all the registration for you and should check there is no money owed on it.. All you have to do is pay for it and tax and insure it. It will show as untaxed due to the new regulations.
I think you could get cheaper insurance.
You must go for a drive in it and drive it yourself.
3 month guarantee  sounds very fair.
I know nothing about the mechanical side of vans but someone on here will have some advice.
Hope all goes well tomorrow

i use stavelyhead in wales for insurance.i am 75 and they are very fair with me. george.

Wouldn't harm to get a full HPI check done. This not only shows outstanding finance, but may also highlight an insurance damaged/repaired marker if it's had a shunt.

Send A Granny Abroad (or Sex And Games for the Aged if you prefer) are not necessarily the cheapest out there for the over 50's. Shop around.

Agree, get your own vehicle check done (hpi or equivalent - various available online, I've used RAC before).

Using old engine oil on the underside should be a no no, from an environmental point of view. Also the smell - we once had an old series III landrover which sprayed oil out the back, all over the front and underside of the caravan we were towing. Never really got rid of the smell!

Usually if you buy from a garage they will have done an HPI check. Ask when you get there. And if you fall in love with it make a low offer. You'll be surprised how much the dealers will drop their prices by.

If you're looking at the vehicle, and you like it, and you have a smartphone, then:

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] is the one I always use before even thinking about parting with any money.

The initial check, of make/model/year/type is free, the 'Classic' check with stolen/repaired database check is only £1.99 and the 'Gold' history check is only £9.99.
You can pay with a card there and then and see the results.
I think that it's great value, and threw up an insurance write off when I was considering a particular motorhome.

Funnily enough, I shopped around for insurance and SAGA were the cheapest, less that £200 fully comp on a £50K van isn't bad?

Only advice I can think of is have you got a damp meter, worth checking in the obvious places if possible.

groundhog wrote:Funnily enough, I shopped around for insurance and SAGA were the cheapest, less that £200 fully comp on a £50K van isn't bad?

Only advice I can think of is have you got a damp meter, worth checking in the obvious places if possible.

They obviously can be sometimes, but don't just assume that because they are over 50's specialists that they are necessarily going to be the best deal in town, they weren't for me nor were they for my mother when she was after insurance.

They weren't for us for our van, and they certainly weren't when SWMBO asked for a quote for her car a couple of weeks ago, when they were more than TWICE the price of the best quote.