Disappointed with New Motorhome Quality Standards

[enark]

I have an interesting story on build quality... going up the motorway last year to the Lincoln show our front electric windscreen shutter gave a bang and dropped down to its emergency stop points.... gave us a hell of a fright... the motor still whirred when the switch was pressed but nothing happened... so contacted our sole dealership in Newark and said it needed repair, only to be told....
"Sorry Sir they are not a repair item we will have to order you in a whole new shutter/blind assembly".. "Oh OK i said but surely it might be something simple"... "No sorry Sir we don't repair that equipment.. I will have to order a complete unit from Germany... that we be approx £1600 to get for you.
So being really cheesed off at that and not willing to give in to that sheer exploitation I felt, I spent two days dismantling all the panels and surrounds to get at the unit and operating mechanism, and what did i find?

When the van was built and the electric roller mechanism was installed the ends had to be located in square brackets fixed to the side of the van.. they should be fixed/held in place by split pins... lo and behold some bright spark had neglected to fit the split pin in the motor end .. the mechanism had worked loose over time and it had dropped out with a bang creating the whole problem..
I replaced the missing 20p split pin, put everything back together and its worked perfectly ever since.
I have since always wondered if the dealership would have found and admitted this and only charged me for the 20p repair or just pulled it all out and charged me the £1600 for the new unit..

Well done you.

I too have carried out small low cost repairs that a dealer would certainly have made a meal of…and charged. Recently a failed auxilery belt on a car, dealer wanted £200 to recover, then £500 to replace, Euro Car parts sold be one for £20 which took an hour to fit.

The satisfaction is well worth it.

My view is its part of the motorhoming hobby - light maintenance and repairs.

Oil changes is another, i am never really convinced garages actually bother, but know when i do it, its done correctly….and saves a £100 +

 

[HugoBNB]

The most annoying creak we have is the one across the entirety of the front of the windscreen. Nipping the screws made a big difference, but it has stopped it. I think the only way I am going to sort it is to strip our the entire bit between the Mercedes dash and the front windscreen. This will involve removing the vertical windscreen blind. If there are any learned folk on here who have done this, I would welcome their comments.
Safe and happy travels.

I stripped out the top of the dashboard today. More loose screws, and two missing! The black plastic trim that bridges the Sprinter dashboard and runs under the Dometic blind, follows the same contours as the metal carcase below. The squeaks there were from the plastic rubbing against the metal when on uneven roads. So, I removed the securing screws and packed out the gap with sound absorption pads. Then, I cut more sound absorption into strips and placed it between the plastic and the metal where the securing screws are located before refixing them. Finally, before refitting the black plastic top dash and speaker grille, I put more sound absorption in there.i took it out for a run and, no noises from there, but there is still what now sounds like loose cables still rattling at the drivers side. That could have neen from when the dealer installed the alarm. This looks a bit more challenging to get into, so I am going do a bit more research into how it is put together. While I was on, I checked as many of the furniture fixings I could get at in the front habitation area. I was able to pinch up nearly all of them. Five of them have completely stripped the base they were drilled into. This was done during assembly for sure. I am going to revisit this and experiment using a cavity type fixing, along with adhesive, to gain better purchase into the PU that forms the floor sandwich. Onwards and upwards!

 

[stuartholmes]

There are many advantages to having a van conversion.

I oversaw my PCV being converted by a very professional builder, to my own design, every step of the way. Not a piece of ‘knock on’ edging anywhere, solid acrylic worktops, super thick insulation, etc.

We still love it four years later.

So is your converter still in business and do you want to give them a shout-out?

We're still enjoying our latest pvc but I'm collecting ideas for how I'd have preferred it but all the bespoke converter's I've looked at so far did not impress....

 

[Oldrat]

So is your converter still in business and do you want to give them a shout-out?

We're still enjoying our latest pvc but I'm collecting ideas for how I'd have preferred it but all the bespoke converter's I've looked at so far did not impress....

Sadly, he’s packed up, exhausted after the COVID boom.

Richard at Rhales conversions

 

[stuartholmes]

Our 2024 Hymer wasn't also quite as expected. Must have been at least 5 weekend trips after which I didn't find new fails. Starting from screws coming loose (10mm out!) up to bench seat seat belts of which one was completely unavailable and the other not usable before some warranty work. And the Smart Battery System oh my god. Dead on arrival. Now 3 months waiting for replacement and the latest ETA being 13 weeks from now.

Makes me think one or two years old used one might be closer to a buy & drive than a new one.

To be fair, from what I hear it's not that that different if you buy a house.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[stuartholmes]

Sadly, he’s packed up, exhausted after the COVID boom.

Richard at Rhales conversions

Thank you!! - but how sad he gave up.

My search goes on...

 

[Dotplus6]

There are many advantages to having a van conversion.

I oversaw my PCV being converted by a very professional builder, to my own design, every step of the way. Not a piece of ‘knock on’ edging anywhere, solid acrylic worktops, super thick insulation, etc.

We still love it four years later.

Was going to suggest he just do this. Atm I feel motorhomes are over priced bigtime. Would definitely consider buying a brand new Peugeot van & kitting the inside out myself - at the end of the day, what do you need? Somewhere to sleep, eat & cook. Though the vans are probably poorly built nowadays too. It’s a disposable world we live in - nothing is built to last anymore.

 

[Dotplus6]

To be fair, from what I hear it's not that that different if you buy a house.

 

[Dotplus6]

Recently been looking at new motorhomes, especially Auto trail excel range.
However, after popping to a dealer I was really shocked at the build quality.

We all know that these things aren't cheap, why should we accept shoddy build quality on something 65k +.
The fabric window surrounds had fallen off in the first one l looked at the glue had become detached from a crappy bit of wood which was used to attach the surround to the wall.on a brand-new van, checked another and the plastic sheet around the sunroof had also become detached...glue again on another crappy bit of wood.

Seats poppers on a bit of elastic to keep them upright were positioned so that seat fabric was constantly under stress..it will rip the seat material eventually.
Checked under the seat cushion to find cheap bits of wood screwed together to make the seat base.... really.....65k +

Cheap shelves on plastic clips in cupboards.... bits of trim with rough-cut edges.....it goes on.
4 mm thick shelves to hold what....a sock????

These are brand-new vans

Is it me, or do manufacturers just not care as long as they sell and people are left sorting shoddy workmanship.
Look long and hard when buying a new van.

I was really shocked and disappointed at what I found.

You’ve given me heart to continue finishing the renovation of my almost 30 year old van which everyone told me to scrap. Just passed MOT & now on the last lap to get the outside painted. Definitely consider buying a good low mileage van & getting it converted. My friend got a Peugeot done recently (22k miles & total cost was 38k (Inc base van). I wouldn’t spend anymore than that on a camper.

 

[yorkie boy]

Recently been looking at new motorhomes, especially Auto trail excel range.
However, after popping to a dealer I was really shocked at the build quality.

We all know that these things aren't cheap, why should we accept shoddy build quality on something 65k +.
The fabric window surrounds had fallen off in the first one l looked at the glue had become detached from a crappy bit of wood which was used to attach the surround to the wall.on a brand-new van, checked another and the plastic sheet around the sunroof had also become detached...glue again on another crappy bit of wood.

Seats poppers on a bit of elastic to keep them upright were positioned so that seat fabric was constantly under stress..it will rip the seat material eventually.
Checked under the seat cushion to find cheap bits of wood screwed together to make the seat base.... really.....65k +

Cheap shelves on plastic clips in cupboards.... bits of trim with rough-cut edges.....it goes on.
4 mm thick shelves to hold what....a sock????

These are brand-new vans

Is it me, or do manufacturers just not care as long as they sell and people are left sorting shoddy workmanship.
Look long and hard when buying a new van.

I was really shocked and disappointed at what I found.

I was the same looked at c72 i think one cupboard i opened the door hinge fell off thsts why i went with european build far superiour .

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[NR]

We had a new eura mobile 9m a class tag axle and we where very happy to trade it in for the morelo after two years of snags and cupboards opening going round corners because of cheap fittings, the workmanship was lacking in the finer details and was definitely falling apart after the 2 year mark.
A beautiful looking van though very sleek.
110k on the road.

The morelo is bulletproof in the construction of the furniture and quality of materials used, yet this still had snags which required trips to the dealers. 221k on the road.
I believe some manufacturers are better at a quality finished product, you do get what you pay for but even the top end you will get snags and annoyance at the motorhome.

Yep, Morelo, not bad at all, just looking in the plant lockers tells a story.

 

[Bobby dazzler]

Must admit this is one thing that's putting me of upgrading at the moment build quality. I look in vans and motorhomes and straight away I think oh dear it looks built to a price and a weight. All the cupboards and fixtures and fittings still work perfectly in my 25 year old hymer. The more I look at new motorhomes the more I think self build is the best option

 

[Charente16]

We bought a brand new Burstner in 2021. We were a bit naive and thought the Germans built good quality stuff, but alas no - cheap, fragile, poor build etc

We have a 2016 Burstner which apart from the 'floor' problem has been faultless and has now covered 60k, including some pretty bad roads in Greece and the Balkans. We have looked at the current Burstner line - up and have decided to keep ours as your comments sum - up our thoughts on their current offerings - cheap, fragile, poor build etc

 

[Pausim]

I was talking to a well respected independent motorhome repairer yesterday, his firm do warranty work for several brands. He commented on the deteriorating quality found on many motorhomes. He said there was a difference between the brands that remain in family ownership compared to the ones that have been swallowed up by equity funds. He was particularly lamenting the deterioration of some brands that had been seen as quality brands in the past. I guess he finds himself dealing with disappointed customers who thought they had made a quality purchase and are discovering that some brands are not what they used to be.

Edit. This firm do not sell motorhomes or caravans, they just do repairs and warranty work so have no particular bias.

 

[peterc10]

I was talking to a well respected independent motorhome repairer yesterday, his firm do warranty work for several brands. He commented on the deteriorating quality found on many motorhomes. He said there was a difference between the brands that remain in family ownership compared to the ones that have been swallowed up by equity funds. He was particularly lamenting the deterioration of some brands that had been seen as quality brands in the past. I guess he finds himself dealing with disappointed customers who thought they had made a quality purchase and are discovering that some brands are not what they used to be.

Edit. This firm do not sell motorhomes or caravans, they just do repairs and warranty work so have no particular bias.

Near Chichester?

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Pausim]

Near Chichester?

Yes.

 

[stuartholmes]

Yes.

On the South Coast?

 

[DJT]

On the South Coast?

Chris & Darren?
DJT

 

[Pausim]

On the South Coast?

No sea views.

 

[Northernraider]

We have a 2016 Burstner which apart from the 'floor' problem has been faultless and has now covered 60k, including some pretty bad roads in Greece and the Balkans. We have looked at the current Burstner line - up and have decided to keep ours as your comments sum - up our thoughts on their current offerings - cheap, fragile, poor build etc

I had a 2003 burstner argos tag axle . It was built like a tank . Brilliant build quality . I've seen a few post 2010 ones with serious issues.

Newest van I've owned has been 2008. I don't think I'd like anything newer.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}