RV MAIL
I have no recourse – buyer beware – but how can this be allowed to happen ? Luckily , I was not hurt . The seller told me he had the van built in Victoria because of the reputation of the builder . It got weighed , in my view , at the the completion of the basic build , and then he added a full stove , fridge , air-con and more .
I lost my business , my house , everything , in the GFC and was just recovering from it when this happened . The van was $ 11,000 and my car was written off . I was actually on my way to a weighbridge because I was suspicious that the stated weight was not correct .
Bad New South Wales roads also contributed to the accident . Going uphill , I got to the top at about 60km / h , then there was a steepish downslope , a sharp left-hand bend , and broken road started the van swaying . I am told the van popped off the towball , spun 360 degrees , picked up my car and threw both into a fence . Tall , thick grass saved me .
The seller was a retired truck driver who knew the van weighed more than 990kg . After the accident , he told me he had it weighed every year and it was never more than two tonnes !
Hans Bruitzman
His car was a write-off too .
Hans ' caravan after the accident .
Note : Hans and I have corresponded separately about this issue and he specifically asked that I publish his letter and pictures as a warning to other second-hand caravan buyers to not take the weight of the caravan for granted . As we can see here , it ’ s all too easy for a caravan owner to load it up with aftermarket gear without accounting for the added weight , which in the long-run ( or , indeed , the short-run ) will ultimately spell disaster .
In my view , the conduct of the seller appears particularly egregious since he apparently knew the van weighed more than he let you believe . Sadly , there is no recourse under Australian Consumer Law , and any other remedies available to you would probably cost more in legal fees to pursue than what the caravan cost .
I hope that you are able to find a satisfactory resolution to this , Hans . It is just horrible that this has happened . Sometimes , one just needs to be grateful to have escaped an accident unharmed , and I think this may be one of those occasions . All the best . – Ed
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