Knaus - are they OK?

[MichaelT]

As you may have seen on another thread I am thinking of getting a knaus Sky ti and just wondered if anyone has any views on them. From what we can see they look to be solid with some good features but before we jump in would welcome any comments either about the van or dealers.

 

[Judge Mental]

Following on from judgementals remarks regarding payload, I noticed on the spec sheet that the motor appears to be 115 bhp and have always thought that this low bhp would not be enough power to pull a motorhome without slowing up on hills etc, am I not thinking straight or have I missed something?

Indeed...With any upgrade additions weight come of the payload

 

[MichaelT]

so your not interested in how they are built or if practical in use...

Of course but would prefer if someone who owned one or has had experience can comment not an off the cuff remark for someone who admits they know nothing about them.
I have had a fairly good look around and do not consider myself to be an expert in fact far from it hence I posed the question and have received some great advice especially regards to payload. All comments so far regarding a Knaus have been positive and any failures/warranty issues have been components that can happen to any van, fridge, oven etc. Most of the payloads seem to be similar in a van we can afford with the layout/features we want and Iam confident that Knaus are a well built van, we have ordered a Sky TI uprated to 3850kg with 150ps engine so hopefully all angles covered.

 

[BFM14]

we have a Knaus Sky TI for two years and have no complaints.

 

[Judge Mental]

Of course but would prefer if someone who owned one or has had experience can comment not an off the cuff remark for someone who admits they know nothing about them.
I have had a fairly good look around and do not consider myself to be an expert in fact far from it hence I posed the question and have received some great advice especially regards to payload. All comments so far regarding a Knaus have been positive and any failures/warranty issues have been components that can happen to any van, fridge, oven etc. Most of the payloads seem to be similar in a van we can afford with the layout/features we want and Iam confident that Knaus are a well built van, we have ordered a Sky TI uprated to 3850kg with 150ps engine so hopefully all angles covered.

That is a different scenario as all i was trying to point out for others benefit, as your mind seemed made up that these not practical @3500 as initially thought that was what you were restricted to.

In fact looking at website they do a lightweight range as well, this the biggest of the 4 Van I range but looks a great value A class at approx £46K

Broken Link Removed

what do you think @lennyhb

edit: digging further into german forums..not for me I'm afraid

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

 

[DuxDeluxe]

Of course but would prefer if someone who owned one or has had experience can comment not an off the cuff remark for someone who admits they know nothing about them.
I have had a fairly good look around and do not consider myself to be an expert in fact far from it hence I posed the question and have received some great advice especially regards to payload. All comments so far regarding a Knaus have been positive and any failures/warranty issues have been components that can happen to any van, fridge, oven etc. Most of the payloads seem to be similar in a van we can afford with the layout/features we want and Iam confident that Knaus are a well built van, we have ordered a Sky TI uprated to 3850kg with 150ps engine so hopefully all angles covered.

With that specification, you will have no issues - apart from the wait for delivery Enjoy it when it arrives

 

[MichaelT]

Must admit may seems a long way off and it was only looking at forums we were guided to our decision so thanks everyone.

 

[Kensmith314]

I have just come back from London in our Knaus Sky Ti. Before I set off I wanted to get the tyre pressures just right and so I weighed the whole thing and then the weight just on the rear axle. We were well within all the limits and have everything on board - bikes, awning, solar panel etc. I don't think you will find any problem with weight limits in the Knaus.
I did 416 miles altogether at 33.4 mpg.
The campsite was fantastic - Abbey Wood site - and was only £86 for 4 nights as opposed to the £400 we usually spend in hotels.
I think you will love your Knaus - the only difficulty with it is that most people pronounce it incorrectly, including the dealers.

 

[MichaelT]

An so is it a silent k as in naus or is it a definite Knaus? We thought it was a definite K so thought of calling it Kenneth lol

 

[Soozywoozy]

Kerrrrr naus

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

 

[drago35uk]

We have had 2 of them but I'm afraid we would not have another. Both these superior German vans both had severe damp problems. They were not old either. When we had them one was 2 years old and the other 4 years old.£2300 to sort out number 1 and just over £4000 to sort the other. Both were p/ exed rather than suffer the repair bills.

 

[etap]

Motorhomes are similar to cars all makes break down or have problems without exception, at the end of the day we buy what suits us and keep fingers crossed, of course there are always motorhomers who don't have problems but that's life.
Enjoy sure it will be fantastic.

 

[MichaelT]

We have had 2 of them but I'm afraid we would not have another. Both these superior German vans both had severe damp problems. They were not old either. When we had them one was 2 years old and the other 4 years old.£2300 to sort out number 1 and just over £4000 to sort the other. Both were p/ exed rather than suffer the repair bills.

I guess you are really unlucky twice to get a damp van. Were these new or second hand? On a new van you get a 5 year warranty so that is comforting, one thing that put us off Pilote was only a 2 year warranty on damp. I guess even the better quality vans suffer from damp and we all hope its not ours, we have had damp caravans in the past but all sorted under warranty.

Out of interest where was the damp, was it the same place in each van or different areas?

 

[Judge Mental]

We have had 2 of them but I'm afraid we would not have another. Both these superior German vans both had severe damp problems. They were not old either. When we had them one was 2 years old and the other 4 years old.£2300 to sort out number 1 and just over £4000 to sort the other. Both were p/ exed rather than suffer the repair bills.

My sympathies. Knaus caravans have a terrible reputation, motorhomes not trouble free either as you have discovered! Just have to dig around on motorhome forums..

What do you expect from a company bought out when they went under by Venture capitalists....... Its all about how they are built and what with..you are not buying a smart new kitchen

This for the benefit of members considering one

 

[MichaelT]

My sympathies. Knaus caravans have a terrible reputation, motorhomes not trouble free either as you have discovered! Just have to dig around on motorhome forums..

What do you expect from a company bought out when they went under by Venture capitalists....... Its all about how they are built and what with..you are not buying a smart new kitchen

This for the benefit of members considering one

I thought they were bought by Tabbert group and a million Gypsies cant be wrong surely?
Just googling damp knaus and only one thread from 2009 when the original company went bust and like all makes I expect you will always get the odd one damp unless its a british one then you can expect most to be damp.

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

 

[drago35uk]

The first had damp in the front and had complete new roof panels inside front to back under warranty. The second was in the rear but we were quoted but never had the repair done. We followed these vans with 2 bone dry Swifts. So as you can imagine all this superior Germany quality and never buy a soggy swift is all bo****ks as far as I'm concerned.

 

[Teuchter]

Came across this thread late - however as we own a Knaus (you do pronounce the K) I must make a few comments :-

Ours is a 2015 Sky TI 700 MEB with the 2.3 multijet 150 engine - MRO 2920 giving payload of 580 Kg - enough for us

We have only had it 7 months and so far done 6k miles with no problems at all and we love it

Plenty of power, comfortable, great layout, lots of cupboard space and kitchen work space

Oh and Knaus are owned by Tabbert (a very prestigious make) and are the most popular MoHo in Germany

PS - Of course nearly all MoHo owners tend to view their own vehicle (provided there is nothing wrong with it) with "rose tinted spectacles" and I guess I'm no different

 

[MichaelT]

Came across this thread late - however as we own a Knaus (you do pronounce the K) I must make a few comments :-

Ours is a 2015 Sky TI 700 MEB with the 2.3 multijet 150 engine - MRO 2920 giving payload of 580 Kg - enough for us

We have only had it 7 months and so far done 6k miles with no problems at all and we love it

Plenty of power, comfortable great layout, lots of cupboard space and kitchen work space

Oh and Knaus are owned by Tabbert (a very prestigious make) and are the most popular MoHo in Germany

PS - Of course nearly all MoHo owners tend to view their own vehicle (provided there is nothing wrong with it) with "rose tinted spectacles" and I guess I'm no different

Thanks for the positivity, we have ordered a Sky TI 700MX as we wanted the fixed island bed with the 150 engine and Auto box and as its the silver edition with lots of extras we have uprated to 3850kg to be safe. We thought the storage was great and actually has some kitchen worktop to use unlike most that you have to put the glass lid on the hob and sink to get any.

Just one question what do you do about a draining board as there is not one? In our caravan we have a removable one but it seems the Kernaus does not have anything?

 

[Teuchter]

Thanks for the positivity, we have ordered a Sky TI 700MX as we wanted the fixed island bed with the 150 engine and Auto box and as its the silver edition with lots of extras we have uprated to 3850kg to be safe. We thought the storage was great and actually has some kitchen worktop to use unlike most that you have to put the glass lid on the hob and sink to get any.

Just one question what do you do about a draining board as there is not one? In our caravan we have a removable one but it seems the Kernaus does not have anything?

We got a removeable one from the dealer (Southdowns) and sit it on the work surface when washing the dishes then dry it and stow it away when not in use

 

[Teuchter]

The first had damp in the front and had complete new roof panels inside front to back under warranty. The second was in the rear but we were quoted but never had the repair done. We followed these vans with 2 bone dry Swifts. So as you can imagine all this superior Germany quality and never buy a soggy swift is all bo****ks as far as I'm concerned.

Fair comment @drago35uk - what year were your Knaus MoHos? I have heard that the pre 2010 ones had a problem with damp but that since Tabbert owned them all the quality matters including any damp problems were put right.
Knaus are the most popular MoHo in Germany and that is taken from "Official Figures"

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

 

[DuxDeluxe]

Thanks for the positivity, we have ordered a Sky TI 700MX as we wanted the fixed island bed with the 150 engine and Auto box and as its the silver edition with lots of extras we have uprated to 3850kg to be safe. We thought the storage was great and actually has some kitchen worktop to use unlike most that you have to put the glass lid on the hob and sink to get any.

Just one question what do you do about a draining board as there is not one? In our caravan we have a removable one but it seems the Kernaus does not have anything?

I have a possible answer to that....... We had no drainer but I found this one on fleabay from a caravan supplier, it was designed for an Elddis caravan and fits perfectly.

 

[DuxDeluxe]

I thought they were bought by Tabbert group and a million Gypsies cant be wrong surely?
Just googling damp knaus and only one thread from 2009 when the original company went bust and like all makes I expect you will always get the odd one damp unless its a british one then you can expect most to be damp.

When considering the Pilote, I did two things - looked for "Pilote motorhome problems" and a similar search on the supplying dealer. Zero negative results on either so we went ahead despite the slightly limited damp warranty.

 

[MichaelT]

I have a possible answer to that....... We had no drainer but I found this one on fleabay from a caravan supplier, it was designed for an Elddis caravan and fits perfectly.

View attachment 84986

David, looks the same as we have in our caravan so may get teh same or saw another collapsible one today which I rather liked the look of, bit more expensive but in the scheme of things......
Broken Link Removed

 

[DuxDeluxe]

David, looks the same as we have in our caravan so may get teh same or saw another collapsible one today which I rather liked the look of, bit more expensive but in the scheme of things......
Broken Link Removed

You can come and have a measure and a look if passing this way...... It works really well as there are cut outs underneath so it slots on top of the sink rim without wobbling