Tauranga motorhome viewed 37,000 times - still hasn't sold

Graham Flett is yet to sell the Hino housebus that's been viewed 37,000 times. Photo / Andrew Warner

Graham Flett reckons his motorhome is a decent runner, so you would think that one of the 37,560 people who have viewed it would have bought it by now.

But that is not the case.

Perhaps it's the rust. Perhaps it's the cobwebs. Perhaps it's the lichen growing around the windows and up over the roof.

In any case, the 1982 Hino Rainbow still hasn't sold despite being the most-viewed Bay of Plenty vehicle listed on Trade Me for 2016.

"Jeez, is that right?" Mr Flett said, when told how many people had viewed his vehicle online. "They've been ringing from all over the country, even the South Island."

A dozen or so people had even visited in person. But none of them had coughed up the $13,000 asking price.

"When they're ringing from quite a distance then I tell them what the story is," Mr Flett said. "Because of the rust."

Mr Flett, 77, bought the old Hino in Rotorua about six years ago and toured around the Bay until retirement and cataracts frustrated his wanderlust. He has been living in it for four years. It was parked at a Papamoa campground when the Bay of Plenty Times visited yesterday.

Mr Flett said the vehicle "needed a bit of TLC", and suited a person looking for a permanent living space.

Did it have any sentimental value?

"No."

Where would he live when he managed to sell it?

"I'm going to get a caravan. Something that's not so rust-sensitive."

Trade Me spokesman Logan Mudge said Mr Flett's motorhome was one of the 10 most-viewed vehicles in New Zealand last year.

The top listing was a written-off Lamborghini Huracan in Auckland which sold for $165,800 after being viewed more than 208,000 times.

One of his favourite listings was a 1958 Studebaker with a paltry 74 miles on the clock in Canterbury.

"Apparently a groom imported this before his wedding," Mr Mudge said. "The wedding didn't happen, the jilted groom never drove the car and it clocked up just 119km."

1982 Hino Rainbow

$13,000 or near offer
223,000km
7m long
3 berths
shower/toilet
gas hot water
240v /12v / gas fridge
solar power charger
2 burner and grill stove
As is, where is