What to do with a campervan MOT fail- help please!

[barleycorn 10]

In my experience, as an ex-personal injury lawyer, you would be unable to use your insurance to claim vehicle damage if your MOT has expired. This might not mean that your vehicle would be seized for not having an MOT, but it would certainly make it unlikely that your policy would indemnify you where your vehicle isn't roadworthy.

Only if you were driving to somewhere other than a testing station or in the event of an accident en route to a testing station where the accident was a result of any defect with the vehicle. If it was stolen, broken into etc, while sat outside your house but with no MOT they would have no grounds for refusing a claim.

However, this is a bit beside the point as I need to get rid of my van ASAP, mainly because I'm soon to not live here any more and can't drive it anywhere. I got a quote for £150 for scrap. Surely the conversion inside is worth that though? I'll try ebay.

That's probably your best bet.

 

jb

[geared 320]

Gumtree is free as well, don't forget Gumtree

[UglyBob23 10]

It's got to be worth sorting out the welding and then getting a decent price for it - now is the time people are looking to buy campers too. Try the guys down this alley in Malin bridge; I had a lot of welding done on my old camper here. Decent work at a very reasonable price.

 

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@53.400331,-1.511667,3a,30y,78.74h,74.08t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sMWfIMsbG0aODP_BpEIjFuw!2e0

[ubergamer 10]

Thanks. The reason the van is in the garage in the first place is that I told him to just do the work so I can sell her, but we're getting into mega amounts and I just can't afford that kind of outlay at the moment. Particularly with the roof and not knowing how bad it is until they start cutting it away. The welding guy at the garage has said if it wasn't a camper conversion it'd be well beyond economical repair. I just feel it's too much of a risk to take when I'm scraping every penny at the moment renovating a house. She's also a Merc, not a Dub, so there's no guarantee I'd get anything like my money back by doing the work.

 

I'm very sentimental about my vehicles. If this was happening with my Beetle, I'd chuck money at her to keep her going, but I'm beginning to think I impulse bought something and bit off more than I could chew and just need rid. Having said all of this, the van hasn't been delivered back to me with the MOT fail yet, so I haven't actually seen the list of what needs doing. Maybe I'll report back when I do.

 

---------- Post added 04-03-2015 at 21:37 ----------

 

It's got to be worth sorting out the welding and then getting a decent price for it - now is the time people are looking to buy campers too. Try the guys down this alley in Malin bridge; I had a lot of welding done on my old camper here. Decent work at a very reasonable price.

 

To update, I don't even have the van back yet but listed on gumtree provisionally and got an offer of £1000. Now I am not at all clued up about this stuff, but if I got the £800 ish worth of welding and windscreen fitting done, I would sell her for, what, £2k? Unless I'm miles out this seems like around an even break? Obviously if you ignore the fact I paid £3k for her!

[suggz 10]

Hi

 

I have a problem I'm unsure what to do about. I have a Mercedes Vito Campervan conversion which I bought last year with a full MOT and no advisories. Being far too trusting I bought her and had a fab summer, driving her all over with no problems.

 

She's been sat over the winter and as expected, needed a new battery when I came to start her again. The new battery became a new starter motor also and now she has just failed her MOT and basically needs a lot of welding which I just can't afford to do. So I now have a van with no MOT and I don't know what is best to do.

 

I understand that scrap metal prices are pretty rubbish at the moment, so I don't particularly want to scrap her. However I've just paid out to get her back moving again and could do with getting some of my money back (I paid 3 grand for her a year ago so I'm feeling quite pained by this). I need the van off the road as the MOT ran out on 20th Feb, but what is the most sensible way of getting rid? Am I really going to be able to sell a van in need of loads of welding on ebay? And am I going to be able to do this quickly? Any advice would be much appreciated. I'm literally in the middle of moving house and could do without all of this to be honest!

 

Thanks in advance!

 

I honestly don’t know how it works your end. In Scotland you can take it to school and the kids ( under supervision ) Learn welding etc. Good for the school , even better for you free repairs.

[ubergamer 10]

I honestly don’t know how it works your end. In Scotland you can take it to school and the kids ( under supervision ) Learn welding etc. Good for the school , even better for you free repairs.

 

I have genuinely never heard of this (why would I, I guess), though I'm having a similar set up happen with my wisdom teeth on Friday! I shall definitely have a Google!

[suggz 10]

I have genuinely never heard of this (why would I, I guess), though I'm having a similar set up happen with my wisdom teeth on Friday! I shall definitely have a Google!

 

In Scotland many schools, collages etc have courses on a wide range of things. Kids, young adults learning a trade need things to work with. The same as learning to cut hair. The let the public get a free hair cut. Maybe England should use this. It is beneficial for both.

 

---------- Post added 04-03-2015 at 22:50 ----------

 

I can not believe England do NOT support this!

Edited March 4, 2015 by suggz

[ubergamer 10]

One would think! Though the English education system isn't known for its logic. At college level though, you're right, they must practice on something! I do think with my van it might be time to cut my losses and learn my lesson not to trust a clearly dodgy MOT cert.

[suggz 10]

Just to make this clear. If a mess up happens the teachers step in and fix it! Everyone is a winner. The kids learn and you get FREE work done.

 

---------- Post added 04-03-2015 at 23:00 ----------

 

One would think! Though the English education system isn't known for its logic. At college level though, you're right, they must practice on something! I do think with my van it might be time to cut my losses and learn my lesson not to trust a clearly dodgy MOT cert.

 

Ok what about this. I will take it away for free! All the hassle of picking it up etc. PM Me .

 

---------- Post added 04-03-2015 at 23:04 ----------

 

The Truth, I will have a mot in an afternoon.

[RootsBooster 24]

Hi

 

I have a problem I'm unsure what to do about. I have a Mercedes Vito Campervan conversion which I bought last year with a full MOT and no advisories. Being far too trusting I bought her and had a fab summer, driving her all over with no problems.

 

She's been sat over the winter and as expected, needed a new battery when I came to start her again. The new battery became a new starter motor also and now she has just failed her MOT and basically needs a lot of welding which I just can't afford to do. So I now have a van with no MOT and I don't know what is best to do.

 

I understand that scrap metal prices are pretty rubbish at the moment, so I don't particularly want to scrap her. However I've just paid out to get her back moving again and could do with getting some of my money back (I paid 3 grand for her a year ago so I'm feeling quite pained by this). I need the van off the road as the MOT ran out on 20th Feb, but what is the most sensible way of getting rid? Am I really going to be able to sell a van in need of loads of welding on ebay? And am I going to be able to do this quickly? Any advice would be much appreciated. I'm literally in the middle of moving house and could do without all of this to be honest!

 

Thanks in advance!

If you're selling the awning seperate, I might have a friend who is interested

[ubergamer 10]

Just to make this clear. If a mess up happens the teachers step in and fix it! Everyone is a winner. The kids learn and you get FREE work done.

 

---------- Post added 04-03-2015 at 23:00 ----------

 

 

Ok what about this. I will take it away for free! All the hassle of picking it up etc. PM Me .

 

---------- Post added 04-03-2015 at 23:04 ----------

 

The Truth, I will have a mot in an afternoon.

 

Sorry, what?

 

---------- Post added 04-03-2015 at 23:09 ----------

 

If you're selling the awning seperate, I might have a friend who is interested

 

In the awning or the van?

[suggz 10]

ubergamer >>> I will pickup the expense of sending a pickup truck to remove your scrap. You have no MOT, So it is scrap. I will not charge you to remove it for you. After I remove it I will have a MOT that very same day on it. Be smart and think about it!!

 

---------- Post added 04-03-2015 at 23:17 ----------

 

What I am saying is this. Get it fixed and get your money back.