Motorhome come , motorhome go ! (1 Viewer)

[kaspian]

After much deliberation including taking advice from this site we went ahead (after searching the whole country for the specific model ) and bought a 2008 Elddis Firestorm from a well known dealer. We also took the extra 2 year warranty on top of the remaining manufacturers warranty for peace of mind. We had a couple of nights to try out our new motorhome on the way home and were bowled over by the cameraderie shown on site and on the road by fellow motorhome owners. Everything went well and we embarked on a fortnight of upgrades including towbar,full alarm, safe,full underside rustproofing,extra 240 v sockets , 240v inverter etc etc etc. All was going well until I mentioned to a local dealer (while purchasing more extras) , an area of wallboard that was surface pimpling in the bed box. Local dealer checked it out and found major damp. I then paid for a full written damp check and they also found damp along both sides and rear at floor level around wheel arch and around the lower habitation door . We were devastated. Supplying dealer had said pimpling was glue under wallboard surface when asked before purchase and anyway we were told the van had been checked twice for damp ie on trade in to give a trade in value to previous owner and before sale to us at service inspection and proof was held on computer if we ever required it for warranty. We loved the van and begged supplying dealer for written proof of damp checks done only weeks before to claim on the manufacturers warranty as we really wanted to keep the van and local dealer was willing to do the remedial work to save returning it but after 2 weeks they could not provide us with written proof so eventually with great sadness we had no option but to reject the van and returned it for refund. Is this a record? Motorhome owners for only a month.Some things are just not meant to be ! Motorhomes are not always fun.......

 

[peter marshall]

A very bad start, but dont let it stop you buying another there will be one to suit you so keep the faith. Pete

 

[Blisters]

Yet another british van with build quality issue'soh:

Sorry to hear of your horror story, for you it must be gutting, I really feel your pain, you obviously loved the van, and as it was only a year old it shouldn't have had any problem, But yet again it turned out to be a piece of british trash.

Why oh why can't the britsh build something worth having, I love looking at the british vans, they look so chintzy, lots of lovely looking design nic nacs, but underneath there pants

it seem all to common for people to complimenting the Germany vans for their build quality, Hymer, Eura Mobil, nishmann n bischcoff, Burstner, etc even if they arn't chintzy.

So if the Germanys can build them why can't we ?

Our German van is 5 years old, and as no quality issues and never as since we've owned it, it saddens me to be british

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[GJH]

Sorry to hear about your problems but don't be put off British vans completely.

Our (first) van is also an Elddis - 2003/4 Autoquest 100 - and we haven't had any build quality problems.

Graham

 

[trevosky]

our heart goes out to you ,on buying our first coachbuilt some 13 years ago a 10 year old autohomes merlin ,found out roof leaked , replaced roof with help from freinds ,no more problems. here i am 13 years later still got no money but got a 20 year old hymer ,not a straight panel on it as the old boy who i bought it off could not cope with no power steering but due to the german build qaulity dry as a bone.go for german

 

[Jaws]

So sorry to hear of your woes..
I am a Brit and usually proud of it but I am blowed if I would buy a brit built van
My previous unit was a 20 year old Hobby ( German decent ) and the present is a somewhat newer Miller ( Italian / French ) also very well put together

If I could have found the layout we wanted in a German van that would have been the preference,, as others have said they really are darned good bits of kit !

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[kaspian]

Thanks for the kind thoughts guys . I can understand that we may have bought a rogue unit but as an engineer I could see why , on examining the underside of the motorhome how damp had entered, penetrating an untreated edge of the side walls extending along both sides and rear of the van just below floor level . Maybe something all owners should check for. What really got me was how a supposed major dealer chain 'missed' all the signs of damp if the van was indeed checked at all (twice !!). Their reaction and the way we were dealt with has left a very bitter taste. It only took minutes with a damp meter to confirm my fears at another dealer. Damp to that extent does not take hold in 2 weeks unless I had parked it in the sea! Sad thing is that van is probably back on their forecourt this week awaiting its next new owner so if you are tempted please question why the previous owner only had the van for 1 month in total! It may save you more heartache!

 

[hilldweller]

After much deliberation including taking advice from this site we went ahead (after searching the whole country for the specific model ) and bought a 2008 Elddis Firestorm from a well known dealer. We also took the extra 2 year warranty on top of the remaining manufacturers warranty for peace of mind. We had a couple of nights to try out our new motorhome on the way home and were bowled over by the cameraderie shown on site and on the road by fellow motorhome owners. Everything went well and we embarked on a fortnight of upgrades including towbar,full alarm, safe,full underside rustproofing,extra 240 v sockets , 240v inverter etc etc etc. All was going well until I mentioned to a local dealer (while purchasing more extras) , an area of wallboard that was surface pimpling in the bed box. Local dealer checked it out and found major damp. I then paid for a full written damp check and they also found damp along both sides and rear at floor level around wheel arch and around the lower habitation door . We were devastated. Supplying dealer had said pimpling was glue under wallboard surface when asked before purchase and anyway we were told the van had been checked twice for damp ie on trade in to give a trade in value to previous owner and before sale to us at service inspection and proof was held on computer if we ever required it for warranty. We loved the van and begged supplying dealer for written proof of damp checks done only weeks before to claim on the manufacturers warranty as we really wanted to keep the van and local dealer was willing to do the remedial work to save returning it but after 2 weeks they could not provide us with written proof so eventually with great sadness we had no option but to reject the van and returned it for refund. Is this a record? Motorhome owners for only a month.Some things are just not meant to be ! Motorhomes are not always fun.......

Now all you have to do is find the ENTER key - the big one on the right and we'll be able to read your messages like this: ( Service provided FOC, terms and conditions apply )

After much deliberation including taking advice from this site we went ahead (after searching the whole country for the specific model ) and bought a 2008 Elddis Firestorm from a well known dealer. We also took the extra 2 year warranty on top of the remaining manufacturers warranty for peace of mind.

We had a couple of nights to try out our new motorhome on the way home and were bowled over by the cameraderie shown on site and on the road by fellow motorhome owners. Everything went well and we embarked on a fortnight of upgrades including towbar,full alarm, safe,full underside rustproofing,extra 240 v sockets , 240v inverter etc etc etc.

All was going well until I mentioned to a local dealer (while purchasing more extras) , an area of wallboard that was surface pimpling in the bed box. Local dealer checked it out and found major damp. I then paid for a full written damp check and they also found damp along both sides and rear at floor level around wheel arch and around the lower habitation door .

We were devastated. Supplying dealer had said pimpling was glue under wallboard surface when asked before purchase and anyway we were told the van had been checked twice for damp ie on trade in to give a trade in value to previous owner and before sale to us at service inspection and proof was held on computer if we ever required it for warranty.

We loved the van and begged supplying dealer for written proof of damp checks done only weeks before to claim on the manufacturers warranty as we really wanted to keep the van and local dealer was willing to do the remedial work to save returning it but after 2 weeks they could not provide us with written proof so eventually with great sadness we had no option but to reject the van and returned it for refund.

Is this a record? Motorhome owners for only a month.Some things are just not meant to be ! Motorhomes are not always fun.......

 

[Blisters]

Kaspain, as others have said, I wouldn't let this put you off buying another van,

Motorhoming is such good fun, the meets with the funsters are generally pritty good, and touring Europe, well thats something else, most of Europe is motorhome friendly, quiet roads, great places to see, cultures to enjoy, and friends to be made, the Aire/Stalplatz systems' are great and make M/H really quite cheap

We have only been motorhomeing for 3 years, and have loved every minute of it, unfortunitly due to a house move we are selling our current van to fund the move and a new business venture, but am sure it won't be long before we buy again to rejoin the fun

Digressing a little, having meet Hilldweller at Morecomb, i'm sure he means well, he's really quite a nice guy, although not quite sure why he as rewritten your post as this is something that we don't usually do on this site,oh: on facts Yes but not on fun (thats why I like fun, because as a dyslexic person my english is not always the best,)

hope you do buy again, and hope the next one will be aok, im sure it would be, you'll make sure of that

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[hilldweller]

Digressing a little, having meet Hilldweller at Morecomb, i'm sure he means well, he's really quite a nice guy, although not quite sure why he as rewritten your post as this is something that we don't usually do on this site,oh: on facts Yes but not on fun (thats why I like fun, because as a dyslexic person my english is not always the best,)

Quite simple I could not read that wall of text without discomfort. Why not make it readable and more folk will read it. So I made it readable for myself and made it available to everyone. It's a public service. Just trying to be helpful. And, against my better judgement, it was FOC.

 

[Peter JohnsCross MH]

Hi sorry to hear of your problems but not all motor home distributors are like that.

We take a pride in the vans we sell and hopefully do the job properly and end up with happy customers.

Good luck, dont let this experience put you off.


Peter

 

[Terry]

Hi kaspian, Firestorm are Brownhills specific models loaded with a few extras :thumb:
Now you said you did a lot of research before buying :Sad: How come you missed all the warnings about buying from B/FOOLS
Sorry to hear of your whoes but do not let it put you off :thumb: and next time make sure the van is right before paying out for all those extras Did they pay up / refund on them or is that loss acceptable ?
terry

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[scran]

well am getting a bit nervous now as am picking van up from brownhills next week although will be asking them to put in writing damp checks been done any idea what else to do

 

[Terry]

well am getting a bit nervous now as am picking van up from brownhills next week although will be asking them to put in writing damp checks been done any idea what else to do

Hi Scran buy your own damp meter CHECK everything works as it should and examine everything to make sure it is all OK Do not let them rush you and get all there promises in writing :thumb:
Remember there is nothing said that cannot be written :thumb:
terry

 

[ehuplad]

Hi kaspian, Firestorm are Brownhills specific models loaded with a few extras :thumb:

terry

Firestorm is a discover branded motorhome.

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[Terry]

Firestorm is a discover branded motorhome.

I may be wrong oh: but pretty certain they were made by Elldis for B/H -- perhaps Discover took over in the wake of all B/H troubles ?
terry

 

[Toffs-G]

So sorry to hear of your experience, similar happened to me with our first motorhome but now have another and loving it.

As some have said here, keep the faith

Good luck
Gary

 

[wiljoy]

Sorry to hear of your problems but you were lucky enough to receive a refund. Don't let this put you off as motorhoming is a truly addictive pastime.
In my 25 + years and 10 motorhomes if anyone asks if I like motorhomes my reply is always the same and is based on my own experiences, they are still rubbish based on their £35 - 50,000 price tag.
During my years I have had every possible problem including rejection and even now this motorhome has cost over £5500 under warranty. Let me add that at the time of purchase the vehicle had an insurance warranty not from the manufacturer. These are a total waste of space and no matter what the claim is they find a clause to stop paying.
My dealer has picked up payment for every claim. The so called insurer, in my opinion, is a fully legal bandit.
These warranty policies should be outlawed, I will never accept one again, this applies to so called extended warranty also.
Wiljoy:thumb:

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[kaspian]

Just to clear up a few comments, Firestorms are actually a Barrons own branded Elddis model and are now owned by Discover.

Mr Hilldweller, I know you probably mean well but you sure know how to KICK someone when they are down. Ever thought of being a motorhome dealer general manager?

Last time I received such critical comment I was still at school, 40-odd years ago!

Constant nitpicking over spelling ,layout and punctuation will make people LESS likely to contribute for fear of ridicule leading to there being only a small core of the old guard contributing regularly which is surely very boring .

I thought this site was meant to be FUN?

No, I am not being over sensitive!

I stand corrected!

All I ever intended was to convey my thanks for help in the past and warn against funsters possibly being taken in by the motorhome when it no doubt reappears on the forecourt .

I now know where the enter key is !


Yes , I am Joking ! After all this is meant to be fun! P.S. it does make it easier to read with hindsight.

 

[Peter JohnsCross MH]

Mr Hilldweller, I know you probably mean well but you sure know how to KICK someone when they are down. Ever thought of being a motorhome dealer general manager?
.

Hi Kaspian,

Brian is normally very nice and helpfull, I am sure he didnt intend to disparage in any way.

As the Motorhome dealers general managers, my one is female, called Gill and is very nice to everybody, doesnt stand for any nonsense but extremely fair.

Peter

 

[sedge]

I had to laugh really reading this thread.

See we met some lovely (English) people recently in France, they had a Hymer. They'd previously owned one happily and so went for another. We got to comparing.

There is no doubt about it, their interior had a more luxurious feel than ours. It was a cherry finish which I like, it's warm without being too dark. Much nicer curtain material, flyscreens in cassettes, voiles on all the windows (I hate 'nets' - she wasn't keen either, had them permanently pulled back! - but did point out to me the absolutely essential voile-pulling rod, kindly fitted to each curtain by mfr. We both agreed it stopped your hands getting dirty from the curtains when the maid hasn't washed them ....... therefore utterly priceless)

Van shorter, therefore felt more cramped immediately upon entering. I hadn't realised that one prior to entering it. Bathroom - and shower - much smaller on theirs. Ditto their rear kitchen. No oven. We have an extra hob (elec) a full oven and a microwave. Their drainer is just a tray - ours is also removable but is shaped so it drains straight into the sink. We had more plug sockers and a 12v socket in the habitation area. radios about the same but we have separately controlled rear speakers. They paid £23,000 more for theirs 2 years ago than we paid for ours this July.

They had over 20 items (apart from little things you just get the screwdriver out for yourself - OK even that shouldn't happen but they do and we just tighten the screw or whatever) that needed rectifying from new. It took the dealer 15 months to sort it and left a bad taste.

Where had they purchased it? - Brownhills!

We said we weren't happy with one thing when we went to pick it up, then went on holiday for a month a few days later. When we came back, end of the first week in Sept, we said we'd ring the dealer on Monday.

The following day we received a letter from Swift. They were sorry to hear of the prob from the dealer, as they understood this did not prevent our use of vehicle meanwhile (it hasn't and doesn't) - van booked in for w/c 30 Nov. If not, please let us know. That's fine TY. Take it back to dealer to go back to them from 30th. But if you can please come to factory to retrieve it, so we can discuss with you and show you etc etc and make 200% certain you're happy blah blah.

And we haven't had to lift a blooming finger or even draw a breath, since our original discussion with the dealer on handover at the beginning of August - so far.

Now I'm not going to name names until this is all sorted.

But you bet your sweet bippy - after spending my whole working life in a service scenario - I'm bloody impressed so far!!!! Just keep it up, lads & lasses - and I'll very happily shout your names from the rooftops in December!!!!!

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[Blisters]

Hi Kaspian

Please don't condem hilldweller, as I originally said and as peter as seconded, brian really is ok

my original reply was a nejerk reaction and I maybe should have thought about who was posting it, I can't denie that on reading it, it doesn't read well but i do believe that Brian ment well, of course only he can answer that

What I can say is that this shows how easy the written word can be misconstruded, of course in writting there is no real way of putting expression into it, there are of course the smiley's to help but even they can be misconstrudeoh:

So What about yourself, I think a great deal of support as been showed to you, and of course you have know had the opertunity to reflect and hopefully accept that you had a lucky escape, so in away your back to square one

will you chance it again or is that it, will you maybe go back to tugging or you could hire, be interesting to read your thoughts

Graham

 

[kaspian]

Hi Blisters, rest assured we have not given up on the motorhome route and having returned the damp-mobile the 200 miles to dealer ,are convinced it is way to go for us as it did drive very well.

We bought from a large dealership hoping for peace of mind. It was not their fault that the 'home was damp at 17 months old after all, but ,after our experience of their damp checks (or the lack of ) and subsequent horrendous treatment from them which I will not on air on this forum, we are wary to say the least.

At least when we finally wrote to senior management action was taken swiftly, some extra expenses were also reimbursed and an apology for our treatment given.

Having tugged various vans over 25 years we do not consider ourselves green when it comes to buying but when you do ask all the right questions and are given 'plausible' answers what can you do? A £140 Protimeter or equivalent to check for damp may be the best 'insurance' you may ever invest in!

As someone has already said -Do NOT leave the dealership without signed headed papers confirming condition / damp checks /service etc.

We really wanted that 'home and were willing to overlook and repair ourselves all the faults found (as we had!) over the first couple of weeks of ownership including the initial damp but after dealer stalling with paper proof to claim Elddis warranty and us getting the full damp check done there was just too much for us ever to be happy with it long term . As you say it was a lucky escape!

We take heart from the sentiments displayed on this forum and were impressed by the cammeraderie shown out out on the road and also on the Boroughbridge C and CC site . We really do need to stand together to fight bad service and products.

Taking a look under various makes of motorhome does however make one wonder how they get away with it given the amount of raw untreated wood on show ,exposed to the elements and road spray just waiting to absorb water creating damp and rot !

As Arnie says 'We'll be back !':thumb:

 

[haganap]

I had to laugh really reading this thread.

See we met some lovely (English) people recently in France, they had a Hymer. They'd previously owned one happily and so went for another. We got to comparing.

There is no doubt about it, their interior had a more luxurious feel than ours. It was a cherry finish which I like, it's warm without being too dark. Much nicer curtain material, flyscreens in cassettes, voiles on all the windows (I hate 'nets' - she wasn't keen either, had them permanently pulled back! - but did point out to me the absolutely essential voile-pulling rod, kindly fitted to each curtain by mfr. We both agreed it stopped your hands getting dirty from the curtains when the maid hasn't washed them ....... therefore utterly priceless)

Van shorter, therefore felt more cramped immediately upon entering. I hadn't realised that one prior to entering it. Bathroom - and shower - much smaller on theirs. Ditto their rear kitchen. No oven. We have an extra hob (elec) a full oven and a microwave. Their drainer is just a tray - ours is also removable but is shaped so it drains straight into the sink. We had more plug sockers and a 12v socket in the habitation area. radios about the same but we have separately controlled rear speakers. They paid £23,000 more for theirs 2 years ago than we paid for ours this July.

They had over 20 items (apart from little things you just get the screwdriver out for yourself - OK even that shouldn't happen but they do and we just tighten the screw or whatever) that needed rectifying from new. It took the dealer 15 months to sort it and left a bad taste.

Where had they purchased it? - Brownhills!

We said we weren't happy with one thing when we went to pick it up, then went on holiday for a month a few days later. When we came back, end of the first week in Sept, we said we'd ring the dealer on Monday.

The following day we received a letter from Swift. They were sorry to hear of the prob from the dealer, as they understood this did not prevent our use of vehicle meanwhile (it hasn't and doesn't) - van booked in for w/c 30 Nov. If not, please let us know. That's fine TY. Take it back to dealer to go back to them from 30th. But if you can please come to factory to retrieve it, so we can discuss with you and show you etc etc and make 200% certain you're happy blah blah.

And we haven't had to lift a blooming finger or even draw a breath, since our original discussion with the dealer on handover at the beginning of August - so far.

Now I'm not going to name names until this is all sorted.

But you bet your sweet bippy - after spending my whole working life in a service scenario - I'm bloody impressed so far!!!! Just keep it up, lads & lasses - and I'll very happily shout your names from the rooftops in December!!!!!

Sedge, nice post and I think your right about dealers sorting problems before they become problems, However. When spending lots of our hard earned dosh on Motorhomes, the fact remains there are way too many problems on them for the money spent. These vechiles should be coming out of the showroom with out problems, with better build quality and without the issues Kaspian has had to deal with.

Better PDI is needed and far better inspection prior to leaving the factory is required. :thumb:

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