Just Bought a Motorhome! (1 Viewer)

[Sulli_Clan]

Decided to get a motorhome a few weeks back, and we have looked at a few of varying quality.
Saw one on Fleebay that didn't get any bids (we figure because it was a rubbish ad), contacted them, viewed and all was good so we managed to get a real good deal.
It's a LHD Fiat Ducato Granduco, 1999 model, 5 berth - picked it up after work last night, and we go to Dover today after packing it, to get on the ferry.
First time we've ever had a MH, first time driving LHD apart from last night, which was easy - it's going to be an adventure, particularly for the kids who are 2, 5 and 7!!
There will be many questions fom us probably during the next week, when we can't work out various aspects of the MH, but hopefully that's part of the fun.....

 

[DuxDeluxe]

Welcome on board and all the best for your trip......

 

[Stephen & Jeannie]

Hiding ?

Location = "ghost town"....Why ? :Cool:

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[Sulli_Clan]

Location = "ghost town"....Why ? :Cool:

Specials....

 

[artona]

Specials....

Ah constable country

Take care over the water and have a great time

stew

 

[tonywolst]

:welcomefunster:Hi and Welcome

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[hilldweller]

Decided to get a motorhome a few weeks back.

That's the spirit.

We get folk on here "we've been researching MHs for 17 years now, can you help us, we don't know which one to buy, is FIAT good ?"

Not only that "Dover...ferry".

Another change from "We've just picked up our MH, we're not sure about it yet, how do you use the toilet and where can we go not more than 250 yards from home with hook up ?"

We don't need to wish you luck, The Right Stuff, just go enjoy La Belle France.

 

[hilldweller]

Specials....

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1WhhSBgd3KI[/ame]

 

[lorger]

Hi and welcome i liek your spirit just pick it up and go i thought we were mad buying ours 6days before ferry but you beat that.

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[Wildman]

Hi and welcome to the site, going straight abroad without taking time to get to know the van is fraught with problems. I do wish you welll you are a braver man than I. I do hope you have breakdown recovery insurance.
most people have a local trip or two or even camp on the drive for a few days to make sure you have everything you need and learn where all the switches are, how to empty the cassette etc before having to cope abroad.
I trust you have all of the requirements for travelling in France to save you getting fined.
Triangle
flourecent vests one for each person accessable from the cab
first aid kit
replacement bulb kit
spare glasses if you wear them
speed stickers (3 off) for the rear of the van if you are over 3.5t
health insurance not required by law but could cost a fortune if you don't have it.
Spare wheel (not often supplied)
overseas touring insurance to include replacement windscreen.
Axel weights are also an issue thes days as they are being checked more often and you will not be allowed to continue if you are overweight.
board with red diagonal lines fitted to outside of bikes if you carry them on a bikerack.
and lastly sufficient payload to bring back loads of beer and wine, you could always leave one of the kids behind.

 

[Gran & Rog]

welcome and good luck

 

[FULLMOON]

Specials....

TOO MUCH TOO YOUNG

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[wizzer59]

Hi and :welcomefunster::welcomefunster::thumb:

 

[staging lady]

HI and welcome! Most motorhomers are very willing to help if you are on site, so just go and enjoy. We got our first van off fleabay too and our first trip out to Stratford was a steep learning curve but helped by many funsters. Remember, Paul, Nikki,Mark,Tina Glen? You all helped us get the thing working!
Enjoy!
Lucille

 

[toledo]

hi

:thumb: hi and walcome to the fun :thumb:

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[johnp10]

Hi and welcome.
No messing about, just do it...love it!

 

[simsy56]

That's what i like, someone with spirit! See it, buy it, on the ferry with it. Good 'on ya!
Much better than dithering around, what if? what if?

Good luck!

Craig

 

[Sulli_Clan]

Well we did it. Broke down 1 mile from the house.......

Managed to sort it though as it was just me not realising the fuel guage being on the first indicator from empty with it being a diesel means trouble, got to petrol station after conking out 6 or 7 mtimes, filled up and all good - phew oh:
Got to ferry, went to the Vendee, camped rough for 4 nights and 5 nights on sites, had the best time ever - kids loved it, met some nice people who thought we were mental not checking things out first before leaving - had to explain that that's part of the fun.

Couple of problems with the MH we found, hot water heater does not seem to work, although we are not sure if we're doing things right. It has a Truma heater that works fine, and also a hot water heater that has a switch panel with a red light and 3 settings: 50, off and 70. Apparently if you switch it on, to either 50 or 70 (according to the manual) the light will only come on if there's a problem, which it hasn't. But we haven't managed to get any hot water - don't know if it works off the 12v, hook up, gas or solar panel???? I think we tried all combinations, but not sure, I think we'll have it looked at unless anyone else can shed some light? There is also a removable panel outside over what I think is the water heater/boiler vent - should this be off for boiler to work?

A couple of locks broke when we were away, and also a couple of bullet hinges so I will be getting some more now we're back.

Also, the fridge is intermittent on gas, but works fine on 12v when we're driving and hook up - I think it needs a service.

We're still not sure what all the electrics and indicators on the panel mean, but managed to get by sorting out waste, water etc.

All in all a great time had by all, and we are hooked.

I would appreciate any recommendations as to good servicing places for the above in Coventry or Midlands, and any tips that might help me.

Cheers :thumb:

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[Hollyberry]

Glad to hear you all had a good time.

I could not get water heater to work on our Hymer (when we bought it OH, being technically minded, listened to all the technical stuff) It was def. something I did wrong--but never found out what!

If you are now back in the UK maybe you could go to one of the Fun meets as there'd be dozens of people who'd be able to tell you what's what and how it works.

I've just been to look at another van but too big for me on my own so back to the small ads :Sad:

 

[lunarman]

Well we did it. Broke down 1 mile from the house.......

There is also a removable panel outside over what I think is the water heater/boiler vent - should this be off for boiler to work?

If the cover looks like this then the boiler will not work on gas unless it is removed

Lunarman

 

[Sulli_Clan]

If the cover looks like this then the boiler will not work on gas unless it is removed

Lunarman

Hi
Thanks, yes it is like that. Can you explain the process for getting it working on gas then, I can give it a go now on the drive - how long does it take, what else apart from the gas needs to be on etc?
Cheers :thumb:

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[lunarman]

do you have a control that looks like this?

Make sure the gas and 12v are on.

Turn the inner black knob to the desired temp and turn the outer grey ring so that the little nib is pointing to the flame.

A green light should appear in the black knob if the gas doesn't light it will go red. Wait 30 secs and try again to bleed any air out of the system

lunarman

 

[ninjayorkies]

Well we did it. Broke down 1 mile from the house.......

Managed to sort it though as it was just me not realising the fuel guage being on the first indicator from empty with it being a diesel means trouble, got to petrol station after conking out 6 or 7 mtimes, filled up and all good - phew oh:
Got to ferry, went to the Vendee, camped rough for 4 nights and 5 nights on sites, had the best time ever - kids loved it, met some nice people who thought we were mental not checking things out first before leaving - had to explain that that's part of the fun.

Couple of problems with the MH we found, hot water heater does not seem to work, although we are not sure if we're doing things right. It has a Truma heater that works fine, and also a hot water heater that has a switch panel with a red light and 3 settings: 50, off and 70. Apparently if you switch it on, to either 50 or 70 (according to the manual) the light will only come on if there's a problem, which it hasn't. But we haven't managed to get any hot water - don't know if it works off the 12v, hook up, gas or solar panel???? I think we tried all combinations, but not sure, I think we'll have it looked at unless anyone else can shed some light? There is also a removable panel outside over what I think is the water heater/boiler vent - should this be off for boiler to work?

A couple of locks broke when we were away, and also a couple of bullet hinges so I will be getting some more now we're back.

Also, the fridge is intermittent on gas, but works fine on 12v when we're driving and hook up - I think it needs a service.

We're still not sure what all the electrics and indicators on the panel mean, but managed to get by sorting out waste, water etc.

All in all a great time had by all, and we are hooked.

I would appreciate any recommendations as to good servicing places for the above in Coventry or Midlands, and any tips that might help me.

Cheers :thumb:

I had this guy out to my van (water heater not working, leaking shower, leaking sinks etc) he's based in Rugby but I can't recommend him highly enough and he does all appliance servicing too (came out to me in Hinckley)
John Neal tel: 07747 864983.
Any garage services I'd give Woodside Motors in Rugby a try as they replaced my cambelt very reasonably and several friends have used them for servicing etc.

And :thumb: for just going for it

 

[sedge]

Hiya, all the best Motorhome Funsters seem to live in the Coventry area, don't they? You have joined the elite ...... LOL

You have two mobile habitation servicers and one mobile 'engine etc' servicer at your disposal in the Nuneaton area; at least 2 are trade members here if not all 3 - all give a discount to Funsters.

These are either

Ash (Steve) http://www.motorhomecaravanserve.co.uk/ or

Mark (Central Leisure Services) http://www.central-leisure-services.co.uk/

for the innards and

Alan (Direct Motorhome Services) http://www.directmotorhomeservices.co.uk/

for the vehicle part of your pride and joy.

No doubt there are others who other people will recommend.

We have personally used 2 of these since we bought our beastie 2 years ago and have been 110% happy with, the third our daughter will be using next Wednesday before a purchase and who all come highly recommended by many other members of this forum in any case.

I'd like to add that as complete M/H novices ourselves, though experienced caravanners/tent campers, we picked Bessie up on 3rd August 2009, Pete fitted a Gaslow system on the following Wednesday (would have been the Tuesday except the gas locker door wasn't wide enough to get the bigger bottles we'd bought in, so they went back to Loughborough and got swapped for the smaller ones!) then we packed the van and went off to France for 2 and a half weeks the following Sunday night (9th Aug). Never had a cassette toilet before, nor a water heater. Nor a 3-way fridge. Nor on-board water and waste tanks.

You learn stuff quickly on the hoof, don't you?

Enjoy .......

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[Ralph-n-Bev]

Hiya and welcome to Fun,
just seen this and think you were very brave going abroad for the first trip , with a new to you van bought of Ebay .
Especially with little ones onboard. I wouldnt have dared do it , even if it was from a dealership and i had full service history.
Thats with 3 kids at 15 and 17 .

Unless maybe if Ralph was a mechanic, and Id had every gas appliance serviced .
Maybe ive no sense of adventure:Blush:

Im glad all went well for you and you had a fab time in France and your all safe and sound. There will be no stopping you now.
Now your back you will be able to sort out all your niggles with the van. Your sure to get all the advice you need on here thats for sure.
:thumb:

 

[Gran & Rog]

hope all goes well for you