Ford 8 speed auto, any good comments

[killyken]

Looking at getting a new Motorhome, the ones I like all seem to be on ford. But keep seeing horror stories with the auto gearbox, I know you tend to hear more about the bad, but there does seem to be a lot of complaints. Currently have the Fiat 9 speed auto and it’s been great

 

[Just us on Tour]

Looking at getting a new Motorhome, the ones I like all seem to be on ford. But keep seeing horror stories with the auto gearbox, I know you tend to hear more about the bad, but there does seem to be a lot of complaints. Currently have the Fiat 9 speed auto and it’s been great

Great to hear you have been pleased with your Fiat 9 speed Auto . May I ask which engine you currently have . Is it a 140bhp, 160bhp or the 180 bhp ? The reason I ask is many people have had issues with the two latter power outputs when paired to the 9 speed auto .
Can’t help I am afraid regarding Ford. Bob Earnshaw( you tube ) was lent one and loved it !
May be worth watching his video.

 

[ontheroadagain]

There are plenty of horror stories regarding the Fiat automatic gearbox too. If I was buying a Ford I would be more worried about the “wet belt” than the gearbox but like all problems, you only tend to hear about the ones that go wrong which in reality is a small percentage. I would buy a Ford if the layout suited as I don’t think they are any worse than Fiat and most people say they are nicer to drive.

 

[killyken]

Great to hear you have been pleased with your Fiat 9 speed Auto . May I ask which engine you currently have . Is it a 140bhp, 160bhp or the 180 bhp ? The reason I ask is many people have had issues with the two latter power outputs when paired to the 9 speed auto .
Can’t help I am afraid regarding Ford. Bob Earnshaw( you tube ) was lent one and loved it !
May be worth watching his video.

It’s the 140bhp

 

[killyken]

There are plenty of horror stories regarding the Fiat automatic gearbox too. If I was buying a Ford I would be more worried about the “wet belt” than the gearbox but like all problems, you only tend to hear about the ones that go wrong which in reality is a small percentage. I would buy a Ford if the layout suited as I don’t think they are any worse than Fiat and most people say they are nicer to drive.

Yes probably didn’t explain myself well enough, it was the wet belt that was more of a concern

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[chatteris]

Looking at getting a new Motorhome, the ones I like all seem to be on ford. But keep seeing horror stories with the auto gearbox, I know you tend to hear more about the bad, but there does seem to be a lot of complaints. Currently have the Fiat 9 speed auto and it’s been great

my mate had a transit work van not sure of year but definately post 2018 and that was on over 140,000 miles with no issues with autobox

 

[Jonno1103]

Both the older 6 speed & new 8 speed box is solid & responsive. As it's a motorhome, use the correct oil & filter every year and you'll not have any wet belt issues. Drive it regualrly and you'll not have any injector issues.

We've had our Ford for over 5 years now and mechanically never had an issue.

 

[Loopyxlou]

We’ve got a 2025 Rollerteam Autoroller on a Ford 165bhp 8 speed automatic. Previously we had a 2020 Knaus live I 650meg on a Fiat 140bhp 2.3 9 speed automatic.
From a driving experience, they are like chalk and cheese.

The Ford is smooth, powerful and like driving a car. The chassis is much smoother and less prone to crashing. Cab is very well equipped with lots of driving aids (some annoying - how many coffee breaks does it need to tell me I need!) and apple car play. Full digital dash, electric handbrake, etc - all as standard. It bowls along at 70 if needed with little effort.

The Fiat was quite agricultural, engine quite guttural but smoothed out on the move ( maybe new 2.2 is smoother?), gearbox smooth. Suspension was quite hard and brittle, even after fitting VB semi air suspension. Whilst fast enough, it was more comfortable below 60.

Both motorhomes are 7m upgraded to 4.2t, only difference Knaus was an A-class.

Our 2025 Ford has a 6t train weight, even with the auto box.

The auto box on the Ford is half the price of the Fiat, as is the engine upgrade. Plus most of the Fiat extras are fitted as standard.

What’s not to like!

 

[Qwin]

Yes probably didn’t explain myself well enough, it was the wet belt that was more of a concern

The wet belt concerns are over rated.
Most of the issues are related to folks not using the correct grade of engine oil and the belt breaks up.
Had my wet belt changed at 98K miles and the oil pick up filter didn't have any crud from the belt in it, absolutely clean as a whistle. It had always been serviced by Ford and had the correct oil installed.
Other manufacturers are moving over to wet belts, they make sense.
I remember the fuss when they moved from chains to external toothed rubber cam belts, but they were eventually accepted as the norm.

 

[CazPaul]

The wet belt concerns are over rated.
Most of the issues are related to folks not using the correct grade of engine oil and the belt breaks up.
Had my wet belt changed at 98K miles and the oil pick up filter didn't have any crud from the belt in it, absolutely clean as a whistle. It had always been serviced by Ford and had the correct oil installed.
Other manufacturers are moving over to wet belts, they make sense.
I remember the fuss when they moved from chains to external toothed rubber cam belts, but they were eventually accepted as the norm.

Wouldnt it be better to go back to more chains?

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[Qwin]

Wouldnt it be better to go back to more chains?

Chains stretch/wear and eventually snap just the same so need changing periodically.
A friend has a 2016 Transit with chain rattle, the cheapest quote he's got for replacement is £1700, with several garages turning the work away and refusing to quote. Only 3 out of 8 gave a price for the job.

 

[CazPaul]

Chains stretch/wear and eventually snap just the same so need changing periodically.
A friend has a 2016 Transit with chain rattle, the cheapest quote he's got for replacement is £1700, with several garages turning the work away and refusing to quote. Only 3 out of 8 gave a price for the job.

Not all of them, ours has been on over 20 years with zero maintenance or cost to say they need changing periodically is very misleading, 300,000 miles for ours along with many others
They’re so much less bother and so much less cost, know 2 people with Ford wet belts serviced every year absolute nightmare.

 

[Qwin]

Not all of them, ours has been on over 20 years with zero maintenance or cost to say they need changing periodically is very misleading, 300,000 miles for ours along with many others
They’re so much less bother and so much less cost, know 2 people with Ford wet belts serviced every year absolute nightmare.

Serviced every year, I don't know what you mean?
There is no maintenance possible on wet belts, other than changing the engine oil at regular intervals, which is part of a service anyway.
Like I stated, my 2020 mk8 Transit belt was changed after 98k miles and it hadn't started to disintegrate. It cost less to change than my mates slightly older Mk8 Transit, which uses chains and rattled like hell, both done in the last 4 months. Its the urban myth that's misleading.
Jags, BMW, they all had chain issues. Your case is definitely the exception to the rule, as most and I mean most, need changing before 100k is reached, I've had to change a few chain sets myself. I know folks that have clocked up well over 200k on the original chain set (Saab 9000), but that's not the norm.
As for those that use the wrong oil, then complain about wet belts, I have no sympathy at all.

 

[Scottish Scrutineer]

Looking at getting a new Motorhome, the ones I like all seem to be on ford. But keep seeing horror stories with the auto gearbox, I know you tend to hear more about the bad, but there does seem to be a lot of complaints. Currently have the Fiat 9 speed auto and it’s been great

Yes probably didn’t explain myself well enough, it was the wet belt that was more of a concern

You certainly did not explain that you were concerned about the wet belt, all you mentioned was the gearboxes

As others have mentioned, with wet belts, ensure the oil is changed as per the schedule and that the correct oil is used. Then get the belt changed at the recommended interval (or a bit sooner), remember most motorhomes are far lower mileage than the commercial use that the base vehicle is designed for.