Sheila and Brian’s story: ‘I got what I wanted: the dog and the motorhome!’

Selling their car allowed Sheila, Brian, and their rescue dog Bruce, to make the most of the British summertime in their dream campervan.  

Fed up with the airport experience of most foreign holidays, Sheila turned to Brian one day while they were dogsitting for a family member. She told him she was ready for them to adopt a dog, get a campervan, and have adventures around the UK. 

Although they are, in their own words, ‘mature’, she felt that as retirees who enjoyed walking and had some disposable income, they could give a dog a really good life, and have new experiences together.

It took them a while to find a dog to rehome, but as soon as Brian saw Bruce’s scruffy face, he was in love. For the first six months, they focused on getting Bruce settled in their house and treated by the vet so he was fully healthy and ready to go on staycations all around the country.

Looking at their finances, Brian and Sheila decided that the only way to get the comfortable campervan, complete with bathroom, that they were set on was to sell their four year-old Kia Sportage. With just 8,000 miles on the clock, it still felt nearly-new, so to sell it was a wrench, as Brian in particular was very attached to the car.

A big fan of new cars with ‘all the latest bells and whistles’, Brian had really enjoyed driving his Kia and wouldn’t have sold it quite so soon – but ultimately, the dream of taking Bruce around the country on holidays wasn’t one they wanted to put on hold. Brian got in touch with a number of different car selling sites, and he says that, ‘all the way through, Motorway came up with the best price’. He even checked with the dealers who originally sold him the Sportage, and they couldn’t match an offer to Motorway’s valuation. 

Brian took the wheel with profiling the Kia on Motorway’s online platform, and enjoyed how easy it was to do on the app. As Sheila pointed out, ‘he’s not frightened of a bit of technology’! He additionally got helpful guidance for removing his personalised numberplates, something he’d never sorted on his own before. Appreciating Motorway’s clear communication throughout the sale process, the pair waited with anticipation, before seeing to their delight that they had achieved their goal price.

The final step was the home collection, which went smoothly for Sheila and Brian. The dealer’s representative carried out his inspection quickly, with a professionalism that the couple particularly appreciated. Customer service is important to them, and they felt respected by the dealer, who waited until they saw payment in their bank account before leaving with their Kia.

These days, Sheila, Brian, and Bruce go on weeklong trips around the country in their campervan, which Bruce apparently loves sleeping in, from spring through to autumn. They’ve been to Rye on the South coast, the Isle of Wight, the Brecon Beacons, and the Basingstoke canal. Top of the list for 2024 are Scotland and Norfolk!

Curious to see where your car’s value could take you? Check what you could get on Motorway today.