Servicing and Habitation Check (1 Viewer)

Oct 11, 2016
1,308
2,168
Bognor Regis
Funster No
45,542
MH
Bailey Adamo 69-4
Exp
6 years
We have just bought our first motor home, an Auto Trail Tracker EKS. It is just over 3 years old and has only covered 15,350 miles and is in great condition.
The dealer has offered us a 3 year service plan which includes 3 services (2 minor,1 major), 3 habitation checks and 3 MOT's. The cost is £1849 ( also payable monthly). Initially I thought that this was quite pricey but having looked around at the the cost of habitation checks etc I'm not so sure. Having looked at what the previous owner had spent this seems to be in keeping.
Just curious about what anybody else thinks.
 
Nov 12, 2015
2,876
4,937
Colchester
Funster No
40,159
MH
Dethleffs Esprit I7150 EB
Exp
Since 2016
What if the dealer goes bust?

We have a service plan for our car cost £99 but its a VW plan so can use it at any dealer. Would want the same for a MH especially if you have to travel to get to the dealer.
 
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MC 55 FUN

Free Member
Feb 18, 2016
3,432
6,347
Rural South West Wales.
Funster No
41,707
MH
2015 Majestic 195
Exp
Since 20th Feb' 2016
Quick calculation based on NCC prices local to us :

3 M.O.T.'s = £150 ( assumes cost free 1st time pass )
2 Minor services = £150 ( oil & filter & quick fiddle )
1 Major service = £200 ( oil & filter & longer fiddle )
3 Hab' checks = £450

Total = £950 :)

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tonka

LIFE MEMBER
Jul 2, 2008
10,776
21,396
Cannock, Staffs
Funster No
3,141
MH
A class Burstner 800
Exp
Since 2000
Habitation check, done at your own home by NCC approved and Autotrail recognised £100-130 ish each..

No need for annual service ( unless you really want to) as Fiat claim almost 25,000 miles between services. At 3 years old your already out of Fiat warranty.. Get a price off Fiat as to how much these services will cost and also from an independant garage.. Nearly £2k is a lot of cash..
 
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TerryL

LIFE MEMBER
Mar 5, 2010
6,136
8,112
North East
Funster No
10,511
MH
Low Profile
Exp
2009
We have just bought our first motor home, an Auto Trail Tracker EKS. It is just over 3 years old and has only covered 15,350 miles and is in great condition.
The dealer has offered us a 3 year service plan which includes 3 services (2 minor,1 major), 3 habitation checks and 3 MOT's. The cost is £1849 ( also payable monthly). Initially I thought that this was quite pricey but having looked around at the the cost of habitation checks etc I'm not so sure. Having looked at what the previous owner had spent this seems to be in keeping.
Just curious about what anybody else thinks.

Dealers are always looking to get a little bit more and as a newbie you're an ideal target. But dealers prices are always at the top end of the price range and as mentioned above, now you're out of the Fiat warranty there's no need to use them (if there ever was!) It's too much money, never mind the other caveats. When the hab checks/services are due you'll get much better deals by asking/checking on here - that's what you pays your membership fees for!
 
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hilldweller

LIFE MEMBER
Dec 5, 2008
605
36,106
Macclesfield
Funster No
5,089
MH
Zilch Mk1
Exp
From Aug 2007
Quick calculation based on NCC prices local to us :

3 M.O.T.'s = £150 ( assumes cost free 1st time pass )
2 Minor services = £150 ( oil & filter & quick fiddle )
1 Major service = £200 ( oil & filter & longer fiddle )
3 Hab' checks = £450

Total = £950 :)

Fan belt ?

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Khizzie

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Jul 26, 2014
3,794
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Le Repaire,Thiviers,France
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32,561
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Autocriuse stargazer
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since 2002
As I only do about 5000 miles per year I have hab service every other year and same for base unit service .but do have oil change every year ..I for one would not consider paying that kind of money for services that in my opinion are not really necessary...Roy
 
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Sep 28, 2015
1,985
2,545
Kingston upon Hull, East Yorkshire.
Funster No
38,946
MH
Hymer B544
Exp
2001 Caravans 2011 Motorhomes
We had a service plan offered on our, then, one year old Hymer from Lowdhams at £1890 for three years which I initially signed up for, then cancelled when I asked further, in detail, what I actually got.
The 'service plan' is a check over with no actual servicing unless something is found. This then will have a price worked out which will be extra, on top of what you paid for the plan.
So the annual servicing that Truma, Dometic etc say should be carried out, isn't.
I now go to my local NCC AWS for the habitation check/service for £140. He sorted my fridge and never even mentioned it until I commented at a later visit that it worked better now.
I get the vehicle service done at my local Fiat Professional commercial garage for £130. They also have the huge vehicle lifts needed to get underneath. My nearest Fiat car dealer doesn't have the lifts for large vehicles.
£810 for three years
My Hymer had the two, first year, services done at Lowdhams before I bought it, but the only evidence of the vehicle service is a plain white label stuck on the cross member under the bonnet saying serviced by LLW, written in pen.
It's a must to trust where you send it, or do it yourself to be sure. I could do most of what needs doing but I know prospective future buyers will like to service evidence.
I did the Alko chassis lubrication, which is also not included on the 'service plan'
 
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Nov 23, 2015
67
50
cleethorpes
Funster No
40,370
MH
IH630RL
Exp
10 years
make sure you keep up with habitation check every year for the ten year water ingress ,miss one and you loose it , its got to be registered on autotrails website.
 
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OP
OP
Bognor Saint
Oct 11, 2016
1,308
2,168
Bognor Regis
Funster No
45,542
MH
Bailey Adamo 69-4
Exp
6 years
Hi terryb

Thanks for that. I presume that the previous owner has registered it?

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Feb 15, 2016
638
1,066
Essex
Funster No
41,677
MH
Coachbuilt
Exp
Since April 2016
We have been given a price of £227 from the dealer we bought our (new) van from which we thought was rather expensive. When we picked it up, they said we had to have the habitation check done there for the first 2 years to protect the warranty. Have other people found this?
 
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adonisito

Free Member
Oct 8, 2016
218
224
bognor regis
Funster No
45,494
MH
Burstner Aviano 675G
Exp
10 years
Since you appear to be in Bognor, try AJ Parker for the servicing and MOT ( industrial state opposite Tesco) he does motorhomes including mine. As for the hab check, buy a damp meter, in my experience you're paying for a bloke to grease the locks, check the gas hose, stick a multimeter across the leisure battery etc. Most of this is simple DIY if you don't mind doing it.

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Khizzie

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Jul 26, 2014
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Le Repaire,Thiviers,France
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32,561
MH
Autocriuse stargazer
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since 2002
T
Since you appear to be in Bognor, try AJ Parker for the servicing and MOT ( industrial state opposite Tesco) he does motorhomes including mine. As for the hab check, buy a damp meter, in my experience you're paying for a bloke to grease the locks, check the gas hose, stick a multimeter across the leisure battery etc. Most of this is simple DIY if you don't mind doing it.
THats great Peter til you come to sell it and no documents showing hab checks puts people off .
 
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adonisito

Free Member
Oct 8, 2016
218
224
bognor regis
Funster No
45,494
MH
Burstner Aviano 675G
Exp
10 years
Some people sure, you're right. Although nobody asked for this when we sold out last van even though I had it done on an annual basis.
 
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May 21, 2008
4,234
7,202
Oxford
Funster No
2,767
MH
WildAx Constellation
Exp
Since 2008
Since you appear to be in Bognor, try AJ Parker for the servicing and MOT ( industrial state opposite Tesco) he does motorhomes including mine. As for the hab check, buy a damp meter, in my experience you're paying for a bloke to grease the locks, check the gas hose, stick a multimeter across the leisure battery etc. Most of this is simple DIY if you don't mind doing it.

My habitation check done by a properly gas qualified expert was documented, 4 pages long, including the figures for the gas pressure, tests on the fridge (which he serviced), hot water and heating operation, battery examination and top up (most hab checkers don't bother with this), charging system, damp check everywhere. I could not have done this, and was more than happy to pay £155 for this, and I am happy to drive 70 miles for this as there is no one local to me that I would trust to do it..

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May 21, 2008
4,234
7,202
Oxford
Funster No
2,767
MH
WildAx Constellation
Exp
Since 2008
It isn't just about being able to produce documents when you sell your van. I want to know that my systems are working well and are safe.
 
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Jul 29, 2013
9,044
17,930
Salisbury
Funster No
27,215
MH
Hymer B678DL A class
Exp
since 2011
IMO it's very important to have habitation done by an approved fitter as gas checks are vital you don't want to end up killing yourself cos it's not burning correctly, lots of lives lost every year through carbon monoxide poisoning as you can't smell it.
 
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injebreck99

Free Member
Dec 5, 2011
1,706
1,795
norfolk
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19,123
MH
Low profile C Class
Exp
Since 1997
Since my regular service place retired recently, I had a mobile service engineer do my habitation check at my home, very thorough (I watched), £85 all in.

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Sep 28, 2015
1,985
2,545
Kingston upon Hull, East Yorkshire.
Funster No
38,946
MH
Hymer B544
Exp
2001 Caravans 2011 Motorhomes
We have been given a price of £227 from the dealer we bought our (new) van from which we thought was rather expensive. When we picked it up, they said we had to have the habitation check done there for the first 2 years to protect the warranty. Have other people found this?
When we purchased from Lowdhams, I asked and they said it can be done anywhere, so long as it's done by an NCC AWS. This was for the remaining Hymer warranty and their three year used warranty.
I don't think any maker/supplier can insist you have it serviced by them since the law changed several years ago. The 6 year Hymer water ingress warranty is not servicing, so they can insist a damp check is done by them to comply with this part of the warranty.
Ours now has two damp checks a year due to having the Hymer one done until the warranty expires, plus the AWS damp check.
The Hymer damp check at Lowdhams is £135 and my full habitation service, including damp check is £140 at the independent AWS.
I think some of these extended damp warranties are a way of trying to make you get it serviced by them.
Remember, in my case, they are not servicing a Hymer, they are servicing/checking a Truma, Alde, Dometic, Alko, Fiat or what ever product is used in it.
If your fridge is faulty, it's Dometic or whoever made it, not the motorhome maker that the claim goes to.
 
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