New Motorhome, Old problems! (1 Viewer)

OddSocks

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Hmmmm!!

I have a very unlucky streak! lol I have to laugh about it or else I would find myself curled up under a bush in the garden crying uncontrollably! lol :cry:

Every car, or motor vehicle I purchase goes wrong. It happens very time. For the last 25 years it has been the same.

So any way! We are all full of excitement here as we have just (Yesterday) purchased a motor-home. It is a fabulous van, I think, we love it. It is a bit old and slow and clunky, but it has character, a fabulous vibe, and just feels like home. Warm and friendly! :)

What did we get? It is a 1990 Mercedes 208 D Autotrail Apache! It has an after market turbo fitted, solar panels, new 3 ring gas hob (fitted in 2010), 3 way fridge, a side awning, a remote reversing camera looking out through the back window. It is all double glazed. The blackout blinds and fly nets over the windows are all in great shape. Internal it is in superb condition, it has really been looked after. Only 74,000 miles on the clock. All genuine, I have the last 7 years of MOT papers and there was not even a single advisory on one of them!

So, we get up all excited this morning to go for a drive. Does it start? Does the glow plug light come on on the dash? :shout: WHAT!!!

So I call out a mechanic. The glow plug control unit has blown. :shout::cry::shout::cry:

I spoke to the dealer we purchased it from, and to be fair he has been nothing but professional and very helpful. He seems genuinely embarrassed there there has been a problem. He is going to order a new unit and have it sent to me here to save me driving all the way back up there to have it looked at. I will fit it. I am very technical, so I have no problem with this, it is a very simple fix. But friends - **** *** * **** * ****** ****** ***** (And that is only the start of what I was thinking this morning lol!! :Eeek:

So yeah! Damn shame that our camping experience has started out like this, but as they say - it can only get better! lol

So, after all that, my question is this - does anyone else here have a van like mine, and is this a common problem?
 
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Wildman

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I doubt it will make any difference to the ability of those engines to start, unless you are very unlucky.
 

Mastercamper

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Dec 7, 2013
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Hmmmm!!

I have a very unlucky streak! lol I have to laugh about it or else I would find myself curled up under a bush in the garden crying uncontrollably! lol :cry:

Every car, or motor vehicle I purchase goes wrong. It happens very time. For the last 25 years it has been the same.

So any way! We are all full of excitement here as we have just (Yesterday) purchased a motor-home. It is a fabulous van, I think, we love it. It is a bit old and slow and clunky, but it has character, a fabulous vibe, and just feels like home. Warm and friendly! :)

What did we get? It is a 1990 Mercedes 208 D Autotrail Apache! It has an after market turbo fitted, solar panels, new 3 ring gas hob (fitted in 2010), 3 way fridge, a side awning, a remote reversing camera looking out through the back window. It is all double glazed. The blackout blinds and fly nets over the windows are all in great shape. Internal it is in superb condition, it has really been looked after. Only 74,000 miles on the clock. All genuine, I have the last 7 years of MOT papers and there was not even a single advisory on one of them!

So, we get up all excited this morning to go for a drive. Does it start? Does the glow plug light come on on the dash? :shout: WHAT!!!

So I call out a mechanic. The glow plug control unit has blown. :shout::cry::shout::cry:

I spoke to the dealer we purchased it from, and to be fair he has been nothing but professional and very helpful. He seems genuinely embarrassed there there has been a problem. He is going to order a new unit and have it sent to me here to save me driving all the way back up there to have it looked at. I will fit it. I am very technical, so I have no problem with this, it is a very simple fix. But friends - **** *** * **** * ****** ****** ***** (And that is only the start of what I was thinking this morning lol!! :Eeek:

So yeah! Damn shame that our camping experience has started out like this, but as they say - it can only get better! lol

So, after all that, my question is this - does anyone else here have a van like mine, [HI]and is this a common problem?[/[/HI]QUOTE]

My last one,(the current one) broke down on the test drive. It was repaired by the dealer. I drove half way home to Northumberland and all drive disappeared. The dealer sent out a recovery vehicle at 01.00 hours and took me back to South Cheshire. I camped (freeloading Tosser that I obviously am) on a layby outside dealers. They duly fixed it next day and I then drove home.
It`s been brilliant ever since.
Moral obviously is make sure your vehicle knows that you won`t stand any nonsense with it!
Hope that you enjoy all the potential adventures that lie ahead, and do tell us about them.
Good luck.

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OddSocks

OddSocks

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I doubt it will make any difference to the ability of those engines to start, unless you are very unlucky.

LOL I told you am I very unlucky!!!!

The motor would not start for love nor money. Testing the glowplug controller we saw power going in, but not coming out again! We bypassed the controller and it started like a dream.

So I have a work around until the new part arrives. It involves a bit of wire, tape cable ties and touching the live for the count of 5 then rushing round to the drivers seat to start her up. It works, but I look forward to the new part coming in the post! lol
 

ryanita

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Apr 12, 2014
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LOL I told you am I very unlucky!!!!

The motor would not start for love nor money. Testing the glowplug controller we saw power going in, but not coming out again! We bypassed the controller and it started like a dream.

So I have a work around until the new part arrives. It involves a bit of wire, tape cable ties and touching the live for the count of 5 then rushing round to the drivers seat to start her up. It works, but I look forward to the new part coming in the post! lol

Lol ::bigsmile: Broken Link Removedhopefully the new part coming soon
 

Techno

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Sounds like a nice van despite initial problem :thumb:

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Jun 17, 2012
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LOL I told you am I very unlucky!!!!

The motor would not start for love nor money. Testing the glowplug controller we saw power going in, but not coming out again! We bypassed the controller and it started like a dream.

So I have a work around until the new part arrives. [HI]It involves a bit of wire, tape cable ties and touching the live for the count of 5 then rushing round to the drivers seat to start her up.[/HI] It works, but I look forward to the new part coming in the post! lol


Good old fashioned kind of "hot wiring". I love it!
Exactly the type of thing I would do, failing that if no wire, drop of LYNX deodorant in the air intake:thumb:
 
Sep 3, 2013
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I've found that the 410D engine (yours must be the 2.9 as well) really doesn't like starting if the glow plug light hasn't extinguished first.

Credit to you, old boy. You're savvy enough to create a work-around. :thumb:
 

funflair

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Teething problems, best get them out the way straight up and then get on enjoying it.

We picked our Flair up used and it was sat on the sellers drive with Alde heating keeping it nice and warm, when we got about 60 miles down the road in the snow the heating would not work as the pump had decided that was the right time to pack up.

Enjoy

Martin

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OddSocks

OddSocks

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Dealer said that the part will be here on Wednesday, with some luck!
Ours isactually the 2.3 L version. The OM601 engine apparently. I spoke to the local Mercedes commercials dealership. They had all the info by looking up the chassis number.

Still in love with this van though. Touch wood - we will get our problems over and done with now and then just get on with all the fun! Fingers crossed! :)
 

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