DurhamSpartan
Free Member
My last 2 caravans have been newly bought Elddis’. Around this time last year as a ‘valued customer’ I was invited to a factory open day. As I was contemplating a change to a motorhome I went along. On the edge of the main event some dealers had their ‘specials’ on display, one being Vehicles 4 Leisure. I looked at the Prestige 175, based on the Autoquest 175, but with many extras and in my opinion nicer internal fabrics etc. At this point I spoke to the V4L owner Garry Kemshell and said I liked the motorhome but would be concerned about buying a vehicle from a dealer in North Wales. He assured me that he had arrangements with many approved Elddis Service Centres who would deal with any warranty needs. I went to the NEC show and after looking at numerous motorhomes ordered one from V4L for delivery in March.
Delivery was agreed for 13th March – all well and good so far but this was to be the start of our problems.
When collecting the motorhome it had a flat leisure battery. It was kept overnight by V4L to ensure there was no problem other than a faulty battery. V4L’s conclusion after us having an unscheduled overnight stay in a hotel was that there was no problem with anything other than the battery, which they replaced. The battery again discharged within days of getting the motorhome back to the north east. V4L asked us to take the motorhome to an approved repairer around 25 miles from where we store it. The problem was identified as faulty water tank heater/s as the vehicle has a winter pack added. V4L then asked us to take the motorhome back to the Elddis factory so that they could rectify the problem. After a week of repair and testing the motorhome was returned and Elddis told all was well. This was clearly not the case as only 1 heater element had been replaced. I contacted the factory when our battery again went flat and I was asked to crawl under the motorhome and disconnect the leads to the heater which had not been replaced. After another visit to the factory the second heater was replaced and a switch was also installed so that the heaters do not operate unless I switched them on. So to get this matter fixed it took 4 attempts!
Badly fitted door to under bed storage – This was meant to be replaced however it transpired that it had instead been ‘refitted’, it then dropped off one of its hinges. This was replaced but it took 2 attempts!
Main Seating/Bed units – these continually ‘jumped up’ if no one was sitting on them. Initially the position of the gas struts were ‘adjusted’, but it made no difference. Elddis then acknowledged that when they inspected other similar motorhomes on the factory site most had the same problem. They concluded that as the seat mattresses had changed that year, they were lighter and therefore less powerful gas struts needed to be fitted. This was done and to date the problem has not re-occurred. But again it took 2 attempts to resolve this problem!
2 high level cupboard doors were catching on adjacent furniture. It was agreed that these would be ‘adjusted’. This was done but on our next outing one of the doors dropped off its hinges. It was then said by Elddis that because of their construction the doors cannot be adjusted and the only solution was to replace them. This was done when we took the motorhome back to the factory yet again, another repair that takes 2 attempts!
The water level indicator gauge is not working correctly. It was indicating half full when it was overflowing and also half full when in fact it was empty. Initially the system was allegedly recalibrated. This did not have any effect. I returned the motorhome once again and was told the system was again recalibrated and a new control panel was fitted. While we were away for a few days last week it still did not work, once again showing only half full when it was in fact overflowing. So this fault is going to take at least 3 attempts to rectify!
The above are by all means not the only issues, other matters such as a split head rest cover, malfunctioning microwave, ill-fitting furniture etc. have been replaced and or repaired at the first attempt.
To date I have clocked up over 700 miles in my motorhome and car (as my wife has to drive along to the factory to bring me back home) in an effort to get a motorhome that actually works as it should. I have approached both Elddis and V4L asking for compensation for my mileage etc. but both have firmly refused.
I write the above as words of warning to anyone thinking of buying such a vehicle or dealing with V4L.
Delivery was agreed for 13th March – all well and good so far but this was to be the start of our problems.
When collecting the motorhome it had a flat leisure battery. It was kept overnight by V4L to ensure there was no problem other than a faulty battery. V4L’s conclusion after us having an unscheduled overnight stay in a hotel was that there was no problem with anything other than the battery, which they replaced. The battery again discharged within days of getting the motorhome back to the north east. V4L asked us to take the motorhome to an approved repairer around 25 miles from where we store it. The problem was identified as faulty water tank heater/s as the vehicle has a winter pack added. V4L then asked us to take the motorhome back to the Elddis factory so that they could rectify the problem. After a week of repair and testing the motorhome was returned and Elddis told all was well. This was clearly not the case as only 1 heater element had been replaced. I contacted the factory when our battery again went flat and I was asked to crawl under the motorhome and disconnect the leads to the heater which had not been replaced. After another visit to the factory the second heater was replaced and a switch was also installed so that the heaters do not operate unless I switched them on. So to get this matter fixed it took 4 attempts!
Badly fitted door to under bed storage – This was meant to be replaced however it transpired that it had instead been ‘refitted’, it then dropped off one of its hinges. This was replaced but it took 2 attempts!
Main Seating/Bed units – these continually ‘jumped up’ if no one was sitting on them. Initially the position of the gas struts were ‘adjusted’, but it made no difference. Elddis then acknowledged that when they inspected other similar motorhomes on the factory site most had the same problem. They concluded that as the seat mattresses had changed that year, they were lighter and therefore less powerful gas struts needed to be fitted. This was done and to date the problem has not re-occurred. But again it took 2 attempts to resolve this problem!
2 high level cupboard doors were catching on adjacent furniture. It was agreed that these would be ‘adjusted’. This was done but on our next outing one of the doors dropped off its hinges. It was then said by Elddis that because of their construction the doors cannot be adjusted and the only solution was to replace them. This was done when we took the motorhome back to the factory yet again, another repair that takes 2 attempts!
The water level indicator gauge is not working correctly. It was indicating half full when it was overflowing and also half full when in fact it was empty. Initially the system was allegedly recalibrated. This did not have any effect. I returned the motorhome once again and was told the system was again recalibrated and a new control panel was fitted. While we were away for a few days last week it still did not work, once again showing only half full when it was in fact overflowing. So this fault is going to take at least 3 attempts to rectify!
The above are by all means not the only issues, other matters such as a split head rest cover, malfunctioning microwave, ill-fitting furniture etc. have been replaced and or repaired at the first attempt.
To date I have clocked up over 700 miles in my motorhome and car (as my wife has to drive along to the factory to bring me back home) in an effort to get a motorhome that actually works as it should. I have approached both Elddis and V4L asking for compensation for my mileage etc. but both have firmly refused.
I write the above as words of warning to anyone thinking of buying such a vehicle or dealing with V4L.