Pre-Loved Pointers: Buying a Used Minibus
Buying a used minibus can make a lot of sense. Buying unwisely can cause a great deal of hassle but here are some tips to help you make an ideal purchase.
Buying a used minibus is much like buying any used vehicle and the following tips apply in every instance.
1. In buying from a dealer, you pay more but you benefit from warranty protection, Dealers must also provide an HPI check; if buying privately, arrange your own check. This will reveal any previous insurance claims, outstanding hire purchase or the vehicle’s having been stolen or written off.
2. A minibus with a service history is always a better buy. Look for a dealer’s service record, or one from a reputable servicing firm at least.
3. If the vehicle has had MOT tests, examine its previous certificates and check that the mileages tally.
4. Examine the minibus’s bodywork carefully. Impact damage will be evident especially at the vehicle’s extremities. Look for ill-fitting panels, welded repairs and mismatched areas of paint.
5. Scrutinise the tyres. Strange wear patterns suggest suspension damage, while cracked sidewalls show that the tyres are ageing. Look for lumps and/or cuts in the tyre carcasses and remember that three millimetres of tread or less spells imminent replacement.
6. Look under the bonnet. Some dirt is acceptable but if the engine has rust, coolant stains and thick black oil in the sump, the service record is probably an on-paper fantasy.
7. Find the minibus’s VIN plate and check that the number tallies with that in the documentation.
8. Look carefully at the driver’s seat and controls. Shiny pedals, wear on the steering wheel, a worn driver’s seat and sloppy door furniture suggests that the mileage is astronomically high. Be rightly suspicious if the seat, carpet, pedal rubbers and speedometer appear unduly immaculate!
9. Remember to budget for insurance costs, running costs and the cost of any necessary repairs.
10. Check that older models comply with current safety and seatbelt regulations.
11. If a wheelchair lift is fitted, ensure it meets BS1609, has a safe working load of 300kg and meets Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations (1998).
12. Never buy a minibus without a rigorous test drive. This should be over a distance that lets the engine and transmission warm thoroughly. Include traffic driving and a spell on a motorway, or at least on a dual carriageway. Ensure that the minibus performs as expected, with no untoward noises or emissions (check for the latter in the rear view mirror, especially when accelerating). Remember to try the brakes, clutch, gearbox and steering in a realistic manner.
Above all, be aware of this. You may be examining a minibus made by Ford, Fiat, Mercedes Benz, LDV or whoever. The secret of buying a used minibus, especially from a private seller (against whom you have very little comeback) is quite simple. Remember that you aren’t looking at the only Fiat, Ford, etc, minibus in the country – there are many others. This means that if you are in any doubt at all, you can vote with your feet by walking away.
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