First trip away and a few niggles (1 Viewer)

Allanm

Free Member
Jun 30, 2013
5,431
9,191
Cotes d'armor, France
Funster No
26,730
MH
Burstner Harmony TI 736 G
Exp
Since 1987
We are on the last few days of our first proper trip away in our new Broadway FB and, disappointedly, we have a few niggles / faults that have come up.
I guess I expected everything to work perfectly, but, luckily, nothing major has stopped working.
First up was the bathroom door not staying shut. I had to disassemble and lubricate the mechanism.
Next, the waste water tank sensor has a mind of its own. It likes to tell is its full, just after I have emptied it! Generally, though, it just tells be it's 3/4 full. I have disconnected it to stop the alarm going off.
Every time we park up, I can hear a relay chattering from the main control panel. No idea what this is but nothing else seems to be malfunctioning
The button on one of the overhead lockers stuck in. Another disassemble and lubricate job
All the holders in the bathroom have fallen off at one time or another. Reassembled using thread lock
The Truma control panel told me there was an error (89) and stopped working for half a day. It seems ok again now. Nothing in the user manual mentions error codes or how to fix them
The fit of the base if the sink cupboard was not lined up properly. This annoyed me every time I looked at it so I refixed it properly
The water pump kept chattering when I turned the tap off and despite a call to Autosleeper and the dealer before we went away, neither could offer a fix. After researching similar problems on line, I bought a Surge Damper ( £24 ) that has cured it. Why isn't this fitted as a matter of course?
The front seats are very stiff to swivel, a lubrication and adjustment job for when I get home
Most of the press studs have fallen off the backs of the two side sofas. Luckily I found a tool in a local Carrefour to fix them
All the tape over the wall seams is lifting up

And, I recently noticed, before we went away, the bonnet alignment is not too good and one of the headlights was loose and jumping about when driving. I bolted the headlamp back in place but the bonnet alignment needs sorting sometime

I know most of these are minor and they are easily fixed, but on a van at this price, I think everything should be thoroughly checked before it leaves the factory and retailer.

Now, you may think I am not happy with the van, but really, minor niggles aside, we have had a great holiday in it. It drives great, is very comfortable and suits us perfectly. It's also a great looking van and has drawn many admiring glances and lengthy Franglais conversations

I guess the dealer will fix everything that is wrong, and then the van will be 100% perfect

Allan
 

Ridgeway

LIFE MEMBER
Mar 10, 2012
3,626
6,055
Lausanne
Funster No
20,102
MH
NiBi Arto 85E
Exp
Since 2012
Every trip we come back with a list, small stuff really and usually self inflicted. I would almost be disappointed if I had nothing to do on the van::bigsmile:

I'd just go through them one by one. Is it new ? or second hand from a dealer where you'd have some support ?

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
May 21, 2008
4,247
7,264
Oxford
Funster No
2,767
MH
WildAx Constellation
Exp
Since 2008
We are on the last few days of our first proper trip away in our new Broadway FB and, disappointedly, we have a few niggles / faults that have come up.
I guess I expected everything to work perfectly, but, luckily, nothing major has stopped working.
First up was the bathroom door not staying shut. I had to disassemble and lubricate the mechanism.
Next, the waste water tank sensor has a mind of its own. It likes to tell is its full, just after I have emptied it! Generally, though, it just tells be it's 3/4 full. I have disconnected it to stop the alarm going off.
Every time we park up, I can hear a relay chattering from the main control panel. No idea what this is but nothing else seems to be malfunctioning
The button on one of the overhead lockers stuck in. Another disassemble and lubricate job
All the holders in the bathroom have fallen off at one time or another. Reassembled using thread lock
The Truma control panel told me there was an error (89) and stopped working for half a day. It seems ok again now. Nothing in the user manual mentions error codes or how to fix them
The fit of the base if the sink cupboard was not lined up properly. This annoyed me every time I looked at it so I refixed it properly
The water pump kept chattering when I turned the tap off and despite a call to Autosleeper and the dealer before we went away, neither could offer a fix. After researching similar problems on line, I bought a Surge Damper ( £24 ) that has cured it. Why isn't this fitted as a matter of course?
The front seats are very stiff to swivel, a lubrication and adjustment job for when I get home
Most of the press studs have fallen off the backs of the two side sofas. Luckily I found a tool in a local Carrefour to fix them
All the tape over the wall seams is lifting up

And, I recently noticed, before we went away, the bonnet alignment is not too good and one of the headlights was loose and jumping about when driving. I bolted the headlamp back in place but the bonnet alignment needs sorting sometime

I know most of these are minor and they are easily fixed, but on a van at this price, I think everything should be thoroughly checked before it leaves the factory and retailer.

Now, you may think I am not happy with the van, but really, minor niggles aside, we have had a great holiday in it. It drives great, is very comfortable and suits us perfectly. It's also a great looking van and has drawn many admiring glances and lengthy Franglais conversations

I guess the dealer will fix everything that is wrong, and then the van will be 100% perfect

Allan

If this is a new van, then that's disgraceful, and also surprising - I thought Autosleepers were better than that.

Catherine
 
OP
OP
Allanm

Allanm

Free Member
Jun 30, 2013
5,431
9,191
Cotes d'armor, France
Funster No
26,730
MH
Burstner Harmony TI 736 G
Exp
Since 1987
Yes, it's a new van, and while I don't mind a bit of mobile fettling, there are people out there that buy a new van with the expectation that everything will work properly from day one and don't have the skills to fix stuff on the go.
We bought a new VW ( car) a few years ago, kept it for 5 years and it only ever went back to the dealer for servicing
I guess there is a lot more to potentially go wrong with a motorhome especially if you are living in it for weeks at a time, but the things that have fallen off/ packed up etc are basic things that should never cause any issues
Anyway, I will take it back to the dealer when we get home to get the waste tank and bonnet sorted.
Going by some other people's experiences on here, we didn't fare too badly

On a lighter note, I got to practice a bit more French when we found a stray dog and flagged down the local Gendarmes. Luckily the owners turned up eventually but it brightened up an otherwise rainy day in Wissant
Allan
 
Mar 22, 2011
477
406
NE Wales
Funster No
15,756
MH
Chausson Best of 10
Exp
Since Feb 2013….2nd Van
Name the dealer please? Not after a witch hunt, but would be interested in which dealership carried out the famed "PDI" before handing it to you?

I have an AS van conversion, the build quality on ours is generally pretty good. Hope you get this rectified...I think you're very calm.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
Last edited:
OP
OP
Allanm

Allanm

Free Member
Jun 30, 2013
5,431
9,191
Cotes d'armor, France
Funster No
26,730
MH
Burstner Harmony TI 736 G
Exp
Since 1987
Name the dealer please? Not after a witch hunt, but would be interested in which dealership carried out the famed "PDI" before handing it to you?

I have an AS van conversion, the build quality on ours is generally pretty good. Hope you get this rectified...I think you're very calm.

The van was almost perfect when we picked it up, apart from the cupboard, but I didn't notice till we had the van a couple of weeks.
I have mentioned the dealer in earlier posts, but to be honest, I don't think they are to blame, I'm just a little disappointed in Autosleepers level of quality. There are a few things in the van that don't seem we'll thought out, like the fridge door opening onto to bed frame, the door above the microwave doesn't open fully because of the beading covering the ceiling joins and the curtain around the bed, when its fastened back, stops the bathroom door opening fully
But, to put it in perspective, we did look at hundreds of used and new vans, and I can't think of one that didn't have some operational quirk!
As for being calm? Well, I'm sitting in the van in a free Aire, dinners cooking and there's very cold beer in the fridge!
Allan
 
Last edited:

icantremember

LIFE MEMBER
Sep 2, 2010
8,318
17,527
Near to Watton in Norfolk
Funster No
13,512
MH
Hymer T-SL668
Exp
since 2005
The van was almost perfect when we picked it up, apart from the cupboard, but I didn't notice till we had the van a couple of weeks.
I have mentioned the dealer in earlier posts, but to be honest, I don't think they are to blame, I'm just a little disappointed in Autosleepers level of quality. There are a few things in the van that don't seem we'll thought out, like the fridge door opening onto to bed frame, the door above the microwave doesn't open fully because of the beading covering the ceiling joins and the curtain around the bed, when its fastened back, stops the bathroom door opening fully
But, to put it in perspective, we did look at hundreds of used and new vans, and I can't think of one that didn't have some operational quirk!
As for being calm? Well, I'm sitting in the van in a free Aire, dinners cooking and[HI] there's very cold beer in the fridge![/HI]
Allan

It's no good in the fridge, get it out and down your throat:thumb:
 
OP
OP
Allanm

Allanm

Free Member
Jun 30, 2013
5,431
9,191
Cotes d'armor, France
Funster No
26,730
MH
Burstner Harmony TI 736 G
Exp
Since 1987
Ah, I will do soon, we have to drop my Daughter off at the Eurostar terminal at 8pm here then try and find somewhere to bed down for the night. Fridge is on the extra cold setting!
Allan

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

RicknSue

Free Member
Jun 3, 2015
17
15
Galmpton, UK
Funster No
36,682
MH
A Class
Exp
10 years
We have a Broadway FB too, bought it last June and have suffered just about all your defects too! Several trips back to the dealer have put them right but I agree it's very annoying. Just returned from a proper 2 week trip to France and it behaved ok apart from the wood at the end of the bed pulled away from the side panel. Rather than another trip back to the dealer we've put some brackets inside to stop this happening again! It's only held together with one very short screw. Also put a hinge on cupboard above microwave to keep it open whilst using it! Towel rail still drops off despite megastrong glue and screw! We also got ours uprated to 3800 kgs as the payload was ridiculously low. After a trip to the weighbridge before we set off we were exactly on 3800 kgs - no bikes though in lieu of full tanks and full fridge and full drinks cabinet. Next time we will do it differently as bikes would have been very handy! Also upgraded solar panel to 100w as the 30w supplied was a waste of time.
Hope this helps!
RicknSue
 

RicknSue

Free Member
Jun 3, 2015
17
15
Galmpton, UK
Funster No
36,682
MH
A Class
Exp
10 years
By the way we love our van! Haven't seen a better one yet ..... Well maybe one with an island bed? ..... Musn't look around at any more!!
 
OP
OP
Allanm

Allanm

Free Member
Jun 30, 2013
5,431
9,191
Cotes d'armor, France
Funster No
26,730
MH
Burstner Harmony TI 736 G
Exp
Since 1987
I fitted similar brackets to the panel at the end of the bed too. Don't fasten the panel too tightly against the frame, it will creak! Also, the dividing panel under the bed will come loose, thin screws fastened to the outer wall tend to work free.
We also had one of the passenger side front outer locker locks seize up. I had to take it apart to clean and grease it, it works fine now.
I noticed the fridge doesn't cool all that well in very hot weather ( a common problem, not just Autosleepers) so have just fitted a thermostatically operated dual fan unit in the top vent. Fridge is now much better in the heat and on a lower setting.
The only other problems we have had are that a couple of windows started to mist up inside ( Dometic say it isn't a fault and can be expected as acrylic is porous to water molecules!) and the side of the fridge door is cracking. My dealer is onto Thetford about it.
Like you, I haven't seen a van I like better. They all seem to have their faults and idiosyncrasies, even the very top range £120k+ vans have worrying problems.
If I was honest, I would like a bit more room in the bathroom and more storage. Easier main table storage and a swan neck post for the small table, which is what we use most. I might look into modifying it in the future.
We also updated the solar panel ( I added an 80watt panel) and now have 3 leisure batteries supplying power.
Allan

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

RicknSue

Free Member
Jun 3, 2015
17
15
Galmpton, UK
Funster No
36,682
MH
A Class
Exp
10 years
The latest model has the big table on the side of fridge as you go in on the right, much better idea! Thanks for the tips re further modifications!
 
OP
OP
Allanm

Allanm

Free Member
Jun 30, 2013
5,431
9,191
Cotes d'armor, France
Funster No
26,730
MH
Burstner Harmony TI 736 G
Exp
Since 1987
The latest model has the big table on the side of fridge as you go in on the right, much better idea! Thanks for the tips re further modifications!
I think the Cotswold had the table there as well as the pre production Broadway FB, don't know why they hid it under the bed in mine, it's a pain to get out!
 
Apr 17, 2010
87
29
Basingstoke
Funster No
11,110
MH
hi top
Exp
17yrs
I'm amazed to hear all your problems on a new van, but it makes me so grateful for my 18 year old Duetto. I don't have warning buzzers to go wrong, everything may be basic but the cupboards still shut, the toilet still works, the pump still pumps with the aid of a bit of sucking after a long winter. My only problem is the fridge which is taking about 20mins to light up. I was reluctant at paying to have that serviced but now I'm thinking I have it easy.
I do have rust. But I can live with that except when I'm parked up next to a shiny new van. Ha ha

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
Last edited:

Join us or log in to post a reply.

To join in you must be a member of MotorhomeFun

Join MotorhomeFun

Join us, it quick and easy!

Log in

Already a member? Log in here.

Latest journal entries

Funsters who are viewing this thread

Back
Top