Buying a motorhome and enjoying all the freedom and flexibility that RV travel offers is a dream goal for many. But purchasing a brand-new motorhome can sometimes be just a little out of reach. Once you start researching motorhomes for sale and looking at the motorhome accessories you also want, the cost can soon start to add up! Bigger motorhomes and campervans in particular can demand a large chunk of your savings.
Buying a second-hand motorhome is certainly a more economical alternative. But this option can be daunting for other reasons. A motorhome is a big investment and buying second-hand means more wear and tear and potential issues that are not always obvious.
When you’re looking for the right motorhome for you, chances are you want something that is yours, and yours alone – without anyone else’s scuff marks on the bumper bar or coffee stains on the dinette lounge. You also want to trust that it is roadworthy without any expensive engine issues waiting down the track!
Fortunately, there is a middle ground. A refurbished motorhome, such as one of KEA’s ex-rental campervans, gives you a near-new vehicle that looks just as slick as when it first rolled off the production line, is built to last, and fits a little more neatly into your budget.
In this blog, we’ll take a look at why a refurbished motorhome could be right for you. We’ll also give you a little insight into the refurbishment process.
There is a long list of great reasons why it’s beneficial to consider ex-rental campervans for sale rather than buying new. Let’s take a look:
One of the top reasons for buying a refurbished motorhome or campervan is around price. You’ll save money with the initial purchase which means more money in your kitty for actual travelling expenses such as fuel, campgrounds and holiday parks. It also leaves more money to splurge on your wish list of motorhome accessories – perhaps a diesel heater for winter sojourns or extra solar panels to keep you powered up for longer. And while you’ll be saving on your initial investment, you can trust that you’re still receiving excellent value for money.
The second reason that buying a refurbished ex-rental motorhome makes great sense is because rental campervans and motorhomes are built tough to withstand constant usage. That’s great news for the longevity of your motorhome. You’ll have the peace of mind in knowing it’s got plenty of travel years left. And if you continue with a good schedule of maintenance and servicing, your motorhome is likely to provide good resale value down the track.
Neil Macpherson, Production Manager for RV Sales Centre Australia explains that their fleet of KEA ex-rental motorhomes are built for rental life. “That’s quite a tough life, with high levels of utilisation,” Macpherson explains. “Everything we do – from purchasing parts to the design of the vehicle – is done with a rental focus. At the end of the day, we want our motorhomes out on the road being used and enjoyed. And we pay more for quality components to achieve that.”
Another top reason that potential RV buyers are looking for KEA ex-rental campervans for sale, is down to quality control. Macpherson says his team are highly experienced tradespeople and have many years in the motorhome industry as well as other high-tech manufacturing sectors.
“We have a healthy mix of young and mature workers on the floor with some who have come from Boeing and Toyota – they are really good at what they do,” he says. “We also have a rigorous training program that each new team member goes through when they start.”
That means that when you drive away in one of KEA’s refurbished motorhomes, you can trust that it has been maintained and cared for by the best of the best throughout its life.
Melbourne’s RV Sales Centre is Australia’s outlet for refurbished motorhomes and campervans that have been part of the company’s trusted rental fleet.
RV Sales Centre regularly ‘retires’ rental vehicles to ensure regular supply to the sales yard, as well as to dealers around the country.
The motorhomes and campervans are sourced through the company’s three rental brands – Maui, Britz, and Mighty – and come in a variety of shapes and sizes to suit all budgets and travel styles. These range from two-berth Toyota HiAce-based campervans up to four and six-berth motorhomes.
Macpherson says the range of ex-rental motorhomes for sale is a moveable feast, with a wide variety of styles, vehicle age, and kilometres on the clock. “It’s a combination of customer demand and regular rotation of rental vans to the sales yard,” he says. “It’s always changing as all of a sudden people might want a campervan conversion, then it might be larger motorhomes, so we are constantly reviewing that as a fleet and with our dealers,” he says.
“Typically, the motorhomes we take out of the rental fleet and refurbish for sale are between 12 months to five years old.”
And don’t worry – your motorhome won’t look like a rental when you drive it off the yard. All rental branding is removed, and the new motorhomes are sold under the well-known KEA moniker.
Before motorhomes are presented to potential buyers, they undergo a rigorous makeover. It takes a minimum of two weeks to prepare a motorhome or campervan for sale as the team goes over each motorhome meticulously, both inside and out.
Because each motorhome is different and has different levels of wear and tear, the level of work required for each can vary considerably.
Here is a common process to give you an idea of how we approach each motorhome refurbishment:
When a motorhome first comes off the fleet, the team gives it a thorough paint and panel inspection. This is to plan what needs to happen to bring it up to a level that meets sales standards.
“Stone chips on the bonnet, for example, are acceptable for a rental vehicle but not for motorhomes for sale. In this case, we would have that bonnet stripped back, undercoated, and repaired back to a state of being near new,” says Macpherson.
The RV Sales Centre team also goes through the motorhomes and campervans internally with a fine-tooth comb. This is to identify any parts that may be worn, broken, or missing. They are then replaced or repaired to a very high standard.
“We open and shut all doors, cupboards, drawers, hatches and lockers to make sure they all work as they should,” Macpherson says. “If a cooktop or benchtop is damaged, for instance, we will replace those.”
Once the motorhome or campervan has been given its interior and exterior makeover and all repairs and replacements are sorted, it’s time for a deep clean!
Every nook and cranny is cleaned to the highest standard by a professional detailer to make the vehicles look and smell beautiful once again. Just like new!
Obviously, engine performance is a priority for customers. They want to know that when they drive their KEA ex-rental campervan off the yard that the engine is ready for years of adventure! Macpherson says each motorhome is given a rigorous check by the on-site mechanic as part of the comprehensive refurbishment process.
We have refurbished KEA ex-rental campervans for sale within each of our branches and certified dealers across Australia.
Each KEA dealership will have different refurbished motorhomes for sale, so it can be a good idea to view what's currently available across the KEA range online.
Common refurbished motorhomes that are available include:
From replacing worn or damaged parts to a deep clean and engine check, when you buy a KEA ex-rental campervan you’re not just buying ‘second-hand’.
You can trust that, not only has the motorhome been well cared for throughout its life, but it has also had every inch checked and refurbished. Take the first step toward owning the motorhome of your dreams – without the hefty price tag! Talk to one of our friendly team at your local KEA branch today.