Why oh why did we look at a new Wildax Elara?

[carolyn]

One thing I would ask for before tempting yourself further is ask them to weight a new one with all the pre-installed kit on, full water, some fuel (if they can tell you accurately how much that would be useful) but NO people on board and let you have the individual axle weights, that way you can see if, even upgrading, will give you enough allowance on the rear axle as I suspect it won't.

We have asked because I agree, if we had to start paying to upgrade the suspension then it would be madness. Whether we will get a reply who knows! We asked another company when we looked at the VW Sprinter 6.8 metre van in another range and got a load of waffle so that made us wait and we ended up not buying and no regrets.
The other thing putting us off is the lounge, we actually love the comfort and layout, and are used to putting a table up each time as we have a U shaped lounge. The big but is that in the evenings you'd be surrounded by the cab windows with no sign of any nice Remis blinds on the horizon and no one like Taylormade make good external screens yet. We think it might well feel chilly and certainly would feel rather spartan which after all that money would be a pity, not cosy like our IH630RL.
I'm glad I posted, as usual there have been some useful tips.

 

[Langtoftlad]

Remis blinds are usually an [expensive] option available on Wildax - but whether they're available for the Merc yet, I've no idea.

As for weight upgrade - why not call SVTech for some advice as to possibilities ?

 

[carolyn]

Remis blinds are usually an [expensive] option available on Wildax - but whether they're available for the Merc yet, I've no idea.

As for weight upgrade - why not call SVTech for some advice as to possibilities ?

The Remis blinds nor any other company are not yet made for the new Mercedes Sprinter, Wildax are committed to retrofit them according to MMM on all Elaras, we are waiting to hear back as Oliver from Melksham hadn't seen the article so didn't know if this meant that they would be retrofitted free once available or what. They come at the moment with some sort of blinds but Its not clear whether they are internal or external but I can't imagine they are very good as they're a temporary fix!

Good idea about SV tech, thanks.

 

[Langtoftlad]

As I said, I bought the optional Remis - but the van came with a set of silvered insulated internal blinds. Can't comment on them as I've never had them out of the packet.
Although I bought an external silver screen, I'm finding I rarely use it compared to the Remis...

 

[Northernraider]

Apart from the bed it's very compact I don't think even as a solo I could live with that.
Shower compartment looks really small and apart from the cab seats not much lounge space.
It woukd be a no from me I think

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[carolyn]

As I said, I bought the optional Remis - but the van came with a set of silvered insulated internal blinds. Can't comment on them as I've never had them out of the packet.
Although I bought an external silver screen, I'm finding I rarely use it compared to the Remis...

We have the Remis blinds on our IH so like you wouldn’t want to be without them. Think we will wait until Remis do them. We have external silver screens as well for our current van but they don’t make them yet for the new Merc so another reason not to be too hasty. Let some others iron out the teething problems!

 

[Stretto Boy]

Wow! I really like the look of this. It is expensive for a PVC but if it is as good as it looks I think it is a fair price. I shall bear this in mind for when we come to change in three or four years time.

 

[carolyn]

Apart from the bed it's very compact I don't think even as a solo I could live with that.
Shower compartment looks really small and apart from the cab seats not much lounge space.
It woukd be a no from me I think

We have a PVC so are used to a small space, the bathroom looks great to us, we are of course small and perfectly formed!

 

[Koppersbeat]

Just back from the show in Romsey.

The Elara is very classy !! Oliver confirmed that the Remis blinds will be retrofitted on the demonstrator vans and all new vans will have them.
So I can only assume they will be included in the price.The bathroom is a good size and it has the bigger fridge/ freezer.Mine is tiny in the Pulsar.

Wildax is happy,within reason,to alter or add to fitments in their range of vans.

 

[Kingham]

Wildax have confirmed that the Elara can be up-plated to 3850kg without modification, which isn’t sufficient for me. The maximum up-plate is 4000kg with a suspension modification, which is still 500kg lower than my Boxer.

They didn’t provide any information on the axle loading.

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[carolyn]

Wildax have confirmed that the Elara can be up-plated to 3850kg without modification, which isn’t sufficient for me. The maximum up-plate is 4000kg with a suspension modification, which is still 500kg lower than my Boxer.

They didn’t provide any information on the axle loading.

Funnily enough Nick has just heard back as well! We think that might be enough for us but are going to now have a ponder. Our Fiat is like your Boxer. It's difficult to see how you could load it other than having just about everything in the rear and we would want a tow bar for our electric bikes.
He also didn't provide info on the cost of the suspension modification!

He doesn't know when the cab blinds will be available either.
The other thing we noticed was that there was no splashback at all for the cooker and whilst I don't do much frying I might occasionally and that would soon damage the upholstery.

 

[Kingham]

I’ve taken @Minxy Girl ’s advice and given myself a slap around the face with a wet fish ...... Not enough payload for me

 

[LozJune]

Could you remove the oven and instal a smaller Webasto fridge to get more payload, and anything else to make the van lighter?

 

[DJT]

Original post 2years old

 

[LozJune]

Yeah! I noticed!
I like the Mercedes so was looking at the WildaX and also the Hymer/ ML-T 540, but I initially loved the Chausson 630 layout! on the Ford (2 x drop down single beds) wash room at the back etc. but the lounge seating look cheap and thrown together plus I have seen many bad reports on Chausson vans? Windows falling out and not being fixed, damp and water ingress, basically people having problems with Chausson - not very good at honouring warranty etc? So I’m very confused

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[Brains]

Hymers are well built, they don't rot and (normally) don't leak.
Hymer tend not to waste money on gimmicks.
Watch the driving licence, as the MLT's are available as 3.5, 4.1, or 4.6t.
I suspect at 3.5t the payload may be on the low side

WildAx are very good, but it's a PVC, so not a direct comparison.
Same length as the Hymer, but less space inside
Also watch the payload.

If you are looking at a Ford based Chausson, personally I'd be looking at a traditional horse drawn gypsy caravan as a comparison

 

[LozJune]

Yeah! I noticed! I was looking at the WildaX and the Hymer/ ML-T 540, and really like the Chausson 530

 

[carolyn]

We never did get one by the way. The payload issue was just too great. Even up plating to 3850 gave you very little and then to start paying extra to uprate the rear suspension and you could still only up plate it to to 4000 whereas with the Fiats on the heavy chassis it’s a paper exercise to up plate to 4250kg.

We are now on our second IH630RD, we do have to make up the bed but no regrets and more room to “live” in.