How many times is too many? (1 Viewer)

[Blaydon]

Hi there,
We decided to buy Self Leveling for our Motorhome. We did our homework and chose the HPC system, to be fitted by LNB trailers in Bristol. They are quite a long way away from us but their reputation seemed good. We took the van over to them and after a day and a half we drove away feeling very smug. On our way home we stopped and played with our new toy. We noticed that the rear jacks were not straight. When we got home, we found the mounting brackets were bent, clearly not strong enough for the job. We took the vehicle back to LNB Trailers and after a week we picked it up and all seemed OK.
However, after about a year, the system started to 'Drop' on one side. We took it back to LNB Trailers.
To cut a long story short - we ended up with two new Jacks, fitted at different times, a new mother board, a new display panel, a new pump assembly, as well as corrections to the mountings at the back of the vehicle and on the off side front. In total we returned six times over about a year, taking two days for each visit, though it the vehicle was in their workshop for about a day for each visit.
In total we spent about £650 on fuel, let alone the time, frustration, meals out and loss of earnings.

We think the system is now sorted, and after pushing, we now have an extended warranty - two years for all new components from the day they were fitted. Communication from the CEO was first apologetic and then dismissive.
So my question is, 'How many visits to get repairs, corrections and new components is just too many?'.
Do you think we should just walk away and hope the system is OK?
Should we be able to claim for fuel costs for all the trips over to Bristol?
Should we consider going down the legal route for compensation or should we just get on with life and try to forget about it?


I should say they system is fantastic - when its working, and I would not be without self leveling in the future. I can't say if our problems were down to the manufacturer, or the installer, or a combination of both. I would like to hear other's point of view as I just get angry when I think of what to do.

All replies gratefully received.

 

[David and Sally]

I’d suggest you have no chance of compensation. They fixed the faults as they are required to do. That is the problem with motorhoming, often the suppliers are hours away.

 

[VXman]

I don't know the law on this but I imagine you would have had to reject the product in the initial stages/months. They have fixed it for you and given an extended warranty so I feel they have done their bit.

Re compensation - it would purely be good will on their part. You chose to use a supplier which was a distance away.

 

[Littlewheels]

I just get angry when I think of what to do.

I note you are now happy with the system and based on the quote above, l think you answered your own question.

 

[DavidG58]

Personally I think you sadly should just ‘be grateful’ that its all fixed and working

It’s good to know you still like the system

I do have some sympathy for the installers who have probably lost money on your job, but it’s down to them to sort things with the manufacturer who should be supplying better fittings, unless of course they have tried to save money buying their own brackets

Move on and enjoy it , something else will break soon to distract you

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[Blaydon]

Personally I think you sadly should just ‘be grateful’ that its all fixed and working

It’s good to know you still like the system

I do have some sympathy for the installers who have probably lost money on your job, but it’s down to them to sort things with the manufacturer who should be supplying better fittings, unless of course they have tried to save money buying their own brackets

Move on and enjoy it , something else will break soon to distract you

Hi,
The mounting brackets were made by LNB. The plates were far too thin originally and just bent when the load was placed on them. The OSF jack was mounted directly onto the chassis, but due to the fitting, it was at an angle. On the sixth visit, they took off the jack and fitted a spacer so the jack could run true.

 

[DavidG58]

Hi,
The mounting brackets were made by LNB. The plates were far too thin originally and just bent when the load was placed on them. The OSF jack was mounted directly onto the chassis, but due to the fitting, it was at an angle. On the sixth visit, they took off the jack and fitted a spacer so the jack could run true.

I now have much less sympathy for the installers , but even more think you have actually dodged one , at least it is all working , you could have been left with an unuseable system

 

[Fdhadi]

My self levelling system consists of 2 x plastic ramps and a Truma App on my phone.
I seem to remember paying about £30 for the ramps about 20 yrs ago, they have never let me down (no pun intended) and have taken them with me each time we’ve changed the Motorhome.

They don’t need any expensive servicing and I’ve never had to take them back. They probably weigh about 10kgs.

 

[AndyPK]

I seem to remember paying about £30 for the ramps about 20 yrs ago, they have never let me down (no pun intended) and have taken them with me each time we’ve changed the Motorhome.

They don’t need any expensive servicing and I’ve never had to take them back. They probably weigh about 10kgs.

Ah - but you get wet using them if it’s raining!!!

 

[acropolis22]

My self levelling system consists of 2 x plastic ramps and a Truma App on my phone.
I seem to remember paying about £30 for the ramps about 20 yrs ago, they have never let me down (no pun intended) and have taken them with me each time we’ve changed the Motorhome.

They don’t need any expensive servicing and I’ve never had to take them back. They probably weigh about 10kgs.

You have an app for plastic ramps!!!!! What does it do?

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[lorger]

You have an app for plastic ramps!!!!! What does it do?

If you open the app and once you’ve entered your dimensions which you only do once, you then lay on a flat surface like the table. Press start and as you drive up the ramps a ball moves around until it’s level and makes a noise too.

 

[AndyPK]

If you’re laying on a flat surface like a table, how do you drive onto the ramps…….??

 

[pelican]

There is an app for that as well!

 

[Captain Yoghurtpot]

I think it is meant that the PHONE is placed onto a flat surface, thus acting as a sort of audible spirit level.

 

[Burgo]

Ah - but you get wet using them if it’s raining!!!

I don't...
... Mrs. B. does, however.

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[Jim]

Compensation is something you can discuss with them. Time at the workshop was considerable, However, IMO, how far you have to travel to return to the workshop shouldn’t really come into the equation. You chose a business a long way from home, but that was your choice.

 

[Fdhadi]

Ah - but you get wet using them if it’s raining!!!

No Andy, my lovely assistant is the one who gets wet

 

[Folkranger]

Compensation is something you can discuss with them. Time at the workshop was considerable, However, IMO, how far you have to travel to return to the workshop shouldn’t really come into the equation. You chose a business a long way from home, but that was your choice.

So true however I have some sympathy with Blaydon If his name means he is from the North East. I myself have bought 3 of our four motorhomes well away from home and I dread any faults with our self levelling which will mean a long trip to Travelworld. Saying that, I agree that distance is not the fault of the supplier.

 

[Blaydon]

So true however I have some sympathy with Blaydon If his name means he is from the North East. I myself have bought 3 of our four motorhomes well away from home and I dread any faults with our self levelling which will mean a long trip to Travelworld. Saying that, I agree that distance is not the fault of the supplier.

Hi folks,
Blaydon does reflect my origins but now live in South East. I recognize that we chose a supplier a long way from home but - foolishly - thought we would need to visit once to get the original installation done and perhaps one more visit for routine checking after a few years. Hence the title for the thread - How many is too many?
Had the problems all been due to component failure, I would have every sympathy with the installer - though I am sure they claim from the manufacturer for faulty parts - but many of the problems have been down to installation mistakes.
I guess we can always learn from others. What I would say is I would never go to LNB trailers and would not recommend them to anyone. They do have one or two very good people working for them, but overall the service has been shocking.

Thanks to everyone for your thoughts.

 

[Blaydon]

Oh one more thing - I have got a long version of what happened, written as a 'Bedtime story'. I did it just for fun and if anyone wants to read it, just send me a message and I will drop it to you

Cheers
D

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[pelican]

Compensation is something you can discuss with them. Time at the workshop was considerable, However, IMO, how far you have to travel to return to the workshop shouldn’t really come into the equation. You chose a business a long way from home, but that was your choice.

Maybe cost of trips to dealer for repairs is something people should negotiate prior to purchasing.

 

[Rapido925M]

While we choose where to buy, retailers choose where to sell.
I have been involved in getting warranty work done by a dealership 300 miles away. I asked for travel expenses (and considered other out of pocket costs) and they refused. So I asked them to collect the MH at their earliest opportunity, ensuring that no extra mileage was added to it, in line with the Consumer Protection Act.

After a few days I informed them that the vehicle could be delivered to a different dealer in the same group in return for travel expenses. This was quickly accepted.

Gordon

 

[ceejayt]

The above exactly why I chose to buy direct from a manufacturer. I lost count of the times I had to give up two days and drive my N and B to Hymer Blackpool (thankfully that dealer has gone) to try and get the same fault repaired - water sloshing around in the double floor.

Whilst all the bits for any motorhome come from a guzillion different places, the manufacturer undertakes to fits whatever is wrong without quibbling. They just get on with it.

A dealer is responsible for fixing your vehicle but always has to negotiate with a manufacturer to agree warranty and get parts making the whole process incredibly difficult as many threads on here attest