Auto-Trail Switching from Underslung LPG to Bottles

ianthelawyer

ianthelawyer

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I have a new Expedition 67 on order from Auto-Trail. However, dealership has just been notified that due to a shortage of underslung LPG tanks they are fitting a gas locker for two 4.5kg bottles (butane) instead. Dealer says that space in locker would not be enough for a Gaslow system (34cm). Any suggestions anyone as intend to travel to Europe and therefore Calor not going to work and will be expensive?
 
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With all due respect, that’s not really my problem. I signed up to, and paid a deposit for, something i’m not going to get. What really annoys me is that I appear to have no say in the matter - I’ve simply been presented with an option that is of little value to me.

Feel free to call it “jumping up and down” if it floats your boat but paying in excess of 42 grand for something that won’t do what I need certainly doesn’t float mine. Given the choice, i’d rather wait a few months and actually finish up with what I ordered than accept a shoddy compromise. Unfortunately, that is not on offer.

Consumer’s rights are there for a reason and I certainly intend to exercise mine.
 
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Kannon Fodda sums up the situation well. Auto Trail won't supply tank and won't give a discount. Dealers are offering a couple of butane cylinders without charge. There would be a right to reject under Consumer Rights Act 2015 but then you would have no van and, given the very competitive pricing, a new or different van will cost more. It's a seller's market.
Perhaps an e-mail to scott.stephens@auto-trail.co.uk asking what alternatives there are to this unsatisfactory situation may prompt them to re-think - retro fit at later date, raising bench for Gaslow system, money off?
No one is blaming Auto Trail for genuine supply difficulties (and will be sympathetic) and no one wants a delay to delivery, however, there has to be a better workaround.

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ianthelawyer said:
Kannon Fodda sums up the situation well. Auto Trail won't supply tank and won't give a discount. Dealers are offering a couple of butane cylinders without charge. There would be a right to reject under Consumer Rights Act 2015 but then you would have no van and, given the very competitive pricing, a new or different van will cost more. It's a seller's market.
Perhaps an e-mail to scott.stephens@auto-trail.co.uk asking what alternatives there are to this unsatisfactory situation may prompt them to re-think - retro fit at later date, raising bench for Gaslow system, money off?
No one is blaming Auto Trail for genuine supply difficulties (and will be sympathetic) and no one wants a delay to delivery, however, there has to be a better workaround.
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Hi Ian,
Things are moving on, just received this in an Email from the dealership

"Hi Mr D*****

We have been sent an e-mail from Auto-Trail and they are giving a £200 price reduction on all Expeditions.

Regards

Andy"
 
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So now they've accepted the precedent of a price reduction - all you have to do is negotiate a reasonable amount [not a paltry £200] to cover the cost of having an external tank fitted later.
 
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£200 not enough tell them all the issues with what they are fitting instead and that you will have to fit an aftermarket underslung tank(Which are available), tell them not to bother with fitting their proposed system at all and that if they source the fitting company for the original spec underslung tank and pay the bill then that’s fair all round.
 
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CazPaul said:
£200 not enough tell them all the issues with what they are fitting instead and that you will have to fit an aftermarket underslung tank(Which are available), tell them not to bother with fitting their proposed system at all and that if they source the fitting company for the original spec underslung tank and pay the bill then that’s fair all round.
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I know you’re right, but they do tend to have the opinion that they are doing you a favour selling it to you in the first place. I think it’s in a dealerships dna
 
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LiamD said:
With all due respect, that’s not really my problem. I signed up to, and paid a deposit for, something i’m not going to get. What really annoys me is that I appear to have no say in the matter - I’ve simply been presented with an option that is of little value to me.

Feel free to call it “jumping up and down” if it floats your boat but paying in excess of 42 grand for something that won’t do what I need certainly doesn’t float mine. Given the choice, i’d rather wait a few months and actually finish up with what I ordered than accept a shoddy compromise. Unfortunately, that is not on offer.

Consumer’s rights are there for a reason and I certainly intend to exercise mine.
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Good choice - cancel the order and look for something else. If enough people with common sense do the same then the manufacturer will soon get the message.

I get the distinct impression from reading the various posts above that the manufacturer, including its dealer network, does not give a $h!t about its customers.
 
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Blue Knight said:
Good choice - cancel the order and look for something else. If enough people with common sense do the same then the manufacturer will soon get the message.

I get the distinct impression from reading the various posts above that the manufacturer, including its dealer network, does not give a $h!t about its customers.
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That will not worry the dealer or manufacturer at all. In the present seller's market they will be able to easily sell it to somebody else and probably at a higher price. And the OP will probably have to wait even longer for an alternative and pay more for it in the end.

Cutting your own nose off as they say. So swallow your pride and negotiate as much as you can off and get the tank retro fitted would be my suggestion.
 
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Also factor in loss of storage space because a gas locker has got to be made somewhere in the van.
 
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Just received an e-mail from the dealer saying that they have received an e-mail from Auto-Trail re the £200 discount. Does anyone know when this e-mail was sent? My guess is that an underslung tank is £800-£1000 to fit. I also guess that Auto-Trail have pared down the cost to the bare minimum and with price rises are very tight on budget.
 
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ianthelawyer said:
Just received an e-mail from the dealer saying that they have received an e-mail from Auto-Trail re the £200 discount. Does anyone know when this e-mail was sent? My guess is that an underslung tank is £800-£1000 to fit. I also guess that Auto-Trail have pared down the cost to the bare minimum and with price rises are very tight on budget.
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My underslung tank was about £850 five years ago.

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ianthelawyer said:
Just received an e-mail from the dealer saying that they have received an e-mail from Auto-Trail re the £200 discount. Does anyone know when this e-mail was sent? My guess is that an underslung tank is £800-£1000 to fit. I also guess that Auto-Trail have pared down the cost to the bare minimum and with price rises are very tight on budget.
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You'll also need to ask the dealer if the addition of an aftermarket LPG installation would void any part of the Autotrail warranty.
 
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peterc10 said:
That will not worry the dealer or manufacturer at all. In the present seller's market they will be able to easily sell it to somebody else and probably at a higher price. And the OP will probably have to wait even longer for an alternative and pay more for it in the end.

Cutting your own nose off as they say. So swallow your pride and negotiate as much as you can off and get the tank retro fitted would be my suggestion.
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I think you're probably right. Thanks.
 
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ianthelawyer said:
Very good point. Thanks.
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You know the drill! Reserve all your rights and remedies when you take delivery. Then at a later date issue a claim in the small claims track against the dealer for damages for breach of contract. The damages would be the cost of getting an underslung LPG tank fitted with all pipework, and any internal repairs after removal of the temporary gas locker. You may have to give credit for the £200 price reduction but that's debatable.

Good luck.
 
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SpeedyDux said:
You know the drill! Reserve all your rights and remedies when you take delivery. Then at a later date issue a claim in the small claims track against the dealer for damages for breach of contract. The damages would be the cost of getting an underslung LPG tank fitted with all pipework, and any internal repairs after removal of the temporary gas locker. You may have to give credit for the £200 price reduction but that's debatable.

Good luck.
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I know very well although try to keep HMCS out of my private life.

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Perhaps they could point you in the direction of an after market supplier where the tanks could be fitted at the figure quoted?, Or more likely not!!!
Mike
 
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We had a gasit 25 litre underslung tank, with remote gauge and switch, adapted so we could still use a bottle if required £1200. Just to give you an idea of cost in September 2019
 
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ianthelawyer said:
Any suggestions anyone as intend to travel to Europe and therefore Calor not going to work and will be expensive?
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I have a lot of sympathy with the consumer rights points of view.

But, if you have the choice of a gas locker or no 'van, have you considered Safefill gas bottles.

We use two of them. They can be re-filled at fuel stations. The LPG does not freeze in winter and the bottles are much lighter than Calor.
 
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John H. said:
I have a lot of sympathy with the consumer rights points of view.

But, if you have the choice of a gas locker or no 'van, have you considered Safefill gas bottles.

We use two of them. They can be re-filled at fuel stations. The LPG does not freeze in winter and the bottles are much lighter than Calor.
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One of the issues (apart from Auto Trail not supplying what they promised) is that the gas locker is too small to fit a couple of Gaslow 6kgs. this may be the same for the Safefill. Any thoughts on having two X 2.7 kg (9 useable litres) Gaslows? Gas usage in spring/autumn likely to be pretty low, about 1.5 - 2 litres a day, summer very little and winter mainly EHU. Would refill LPG whenever topping up with diesel (assuming can find the stuff).
 
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We have one 18Kg Gaslow bottle which lasts about 4 days in the middle of winter with heating on much of the day as well as very low at night if temperature is going below 5 deg. Even when the guage says empty I have never put in more than 14 litres of LPG. It will last anything up to a month in summer/decent weather.

It is absolutely no problem anywhere on the continent, and should we go away for more than 4 nights in UK winter I just check on lpg.eu to see where the nearest lpg is to where we're staying. Only once in 15 years have I actually had to leave a meet site to refill before the end of the planned stay.

When I put the system in I thought I'd probably have a second bottle added later, but I haven't needed to.
 
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ianthelawyer said:
the gas locker is too small to fit a couple of Gaslow 6kgs. this may be the same for the Safefill.
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Probably so. All of the Safefill bottles appear to be the same diameter. Just the height changes for the different size bottles.
 
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Basildog said:
Most of the tanks are actually saying preorder for end of June delivery ⚠️Some cylinders we have ordered are now end of the year if we are lucky ⚠️
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I don't think 3 saying preorder out of 16 equates most.

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