150bhp v 130bhp. Is it worth paying 4k more. (1 Viewer)

[Parrot Face]

I've seen two Fiat based motorhomes that are identical. One has a 150bhp engine and is £4000 more than the 130bhp. Is it worth the extra and would it be possible to ask for the 130bhp to be upgraded? My previous motorhomes have been 150bhp so would I notice a great difference downgrading.

 

[Richard n Ann]

Ours is 130bhp and has plenty of power. You never need to change down on the motorway for hills and it would probably do 100mph if you floored it

Certainly not worth paying 4k more for 20bhp.

 

[Silver-Fox]

Or you could get the higher bhp one for the same price as the lower bhp one

 

[Hettie's Crew]

We’ve had a 2011 130 and now have 2014 150. The 150 does slightly more mpg, about two, even though it’s a heavier vehicle and goes up hills/slow inclines better.
We didn’t choose a 150, it just happened to be that, not sure I would have paid another four grand for the slight benefits.

 

[Theonlysue]

The engine wont be working as hard on the 150. Less revs, better fuel consumption.
I've got the 163bhp. Wish i ordered the 190 (@mojo)
That would go uphill and down dale all day long lol

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[jezport]

Depends on the size and weight of the motorhome

 

[BobtheBass]

The 150 usually costs no more than £1500 extra. Could the 150 you have seen had an auto gearbox as well?

 

[Clarky]

Why £4k price increase????

Usual price increase from 130-150bhp is nearer £900 on a new vehicle. There must be lots of other differences to add £4k, Comfortmatic perhaps which might add another £2k.
The 150bhp lump has a different turbo and I doubt it can be retro fitted.

Richard.

 

[Clarky]

Ha.ha!
@BobtheBass beat me to it.

 

[Enword]

Apart from the engines, are they like for like ?

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[Parrot Face]

The 150 usually costs no more than £1500 extra. Could the 150 you have seen had an auto gearbox as well?

Yes just noticed it is automatic. So does that justify the increased amount?

 

[Carolyn and Kev]

Ours is a 130 BHP and we pull a tow car without any issues at all. I do believe that you can get a remap to 150 bhp for the small price of £340 though if it were needed? There must be other bits and pieces added to make a difference of 4k as someone has already stated

 

[Lenny HB]

Yes just noticed it is automatic. So does that justify the increased amount?

If the spec is the same apart from the 150 & auto still too much as difference new would be around £3k or less depending on the converter.
But having had a 130 & two 150's I wouldn't have a 130 again. The 130 is fine on normal road but allful on mountain road, let the revs get too low on hairpins and turbo boost drops and it practicly stalls. The 150 is far better with the variable vane turbo.

 

[Richard n Ann]

The 130 is fine on normal road but allful on mountain road, let the revs get too low on hairpins and turbo boost drops and it practicly stalls. The 150 is far better with the variable vane turbo.

The 130 sounds terrible. Just thought, my comments above are for our 130 Ford puma engine in the Peugeot Boxer, which is great

 

[mikebeaches]

We're on our third 130 Fiat Ducato-based MH.

All have been fine. Current one has comfortmatic auto gearbox, which is great.

We've been over tons of mountain passes in the Alps and elsewhere. But we are only a 3,500kg pvc.

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[robnchris]

Hell no it's not worth the extra 4k, buy the 130bhp like we did then after it's done 5000 miles get a remap for around £450, it made a fantastic difference to the performance of our motorhome and also made it an easier and much more pleasant vehicle to drive.

 

[Lenny HB]

The 130 sounds terrible. Just thought, my comments above are for our 130 Ford puma engine in the Peugeot Boxer, which is great

Not really that bad just a pain on 1 in 6 hairpin bends, general driving it's fine butt once you have had the 150 you wouldn't want to go back. And we like mountains.

 

[Parrot Face]

Hell no it's not worth the extra 4k, buy the 130bhp like we did then after it's done 5000 miles get a remap for around £450, it made a fantastic difference to the performance of our motorhome and also made it an easier and much more pleasant vehicle to drive.

That's interesting but why do you wait until 5000 miles, also does remapping affect warranties.

 

[robnchris]

That's interesting but why do you wait until 5000 miles, also does remapping affect warranties.

I talking 5000 miles from for a new engine, giving it time to loosen up, parts wear in etc.

Our motorhome is an Autotrail Apache, bought new in 2013, when new it was very sluggish, gave 21mpg and was dreadful up hills, the A30 was a nightmare.
After having the remap we now get an average 27-29mpg driving at national speed limits, the A30 is bot a problem anymore, as said the vehicle is just so much more easier to drive.
As warranties go, how will they know if it's been remapped, they wouldn't go into that part of the ECU for any services, we've had warranty work carried out with no problems.

 

[Lenny HB]

I talking 5000 miles from for a new engine, giving it time to loosen up, parts wear in etc.

Still a bit soon not considered run in until 15000.

As warranties go, how will they know if it's been remapped, they wouldn't go into that part of the ECU for any services, we've had warranty work carried out with no problems.

If the engine blows they will iinterogate the ECU & anyalise oil amongst other checks.
With engines at £7k - £8k not worth the risk IMO.

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[Larrynwin]

I would always go for the 150 and comfortmatic, great to drive although a real automatic would be better.
How’s about the 150 and get it re mapped if possible?

 

[robnchris]

Still a bit soon not considered run in until 15000.

If the engine blows they will iinterogate the ECU & anyalise oil amongst other checks.
With engines at £7k - £8k not worth the risk IMO.

Hence me saying 5000 miles to loosen up the engine and not "run in"

You pays your money and takes your chance, we have covered over 40.000 miles now without any worries, engine has oil and filter changed twice a year, (just my OCD).
Yes in the worst case scenario the engine could explode, clutch drop out etc etc, it no doubt has happened but I would suggest it is a very rare occurrence in a normally driven vehicle with average mileage.

 

[DDJC]

Last year we drove a 2016 130hp Fiat on a manual round Italy. Think it had done about 25,000 miles
We have now got a new 2018 150hp Fiat with comfortmatic box.
The total price increase for the engine and the auto box was about about £3800. Separately, the 150hp was £1500 and the comfortmatic £2300.

Last weekend I drove the new bus up to Yorkshire towing a 900kg car on an A frame. Despite not being run in, the new bus was far quicker pulling away and far more economical on derv. Top speed is somewhat irrelevant as you are limited with a toad!

I drove it without a toad to Belgium and it was noticeably more responsive than the 130 manual.

The gear change speed of the comfortmatic was for me, about the same as driving a manual. I would say comfortmatic and 150hp together is nearly worth £4000. I would not pay £4000 for an upgrade. Look for a different make.

 

[Christoph]

Just ordered a Burstner with the 150bhp upgrade. Cost was £1400. £4k does seem a lot

 

[canopus]

The engine wont be working as hard on the 150. Less revs, better fuel consumption.
I've got the 163bhp. Wish i ordered the 190 (@mojo)
That would go uphill and down dale all day long lol

Dont say you weren't warned, just saying.

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[Lenny HB]

The total price increase for the engine and the auto box was about about £3800. Separately, the 150hp was £1500 and the comfortmatic £2300.

Different converters charge different amounts for our Hymer it was €1200 for the 150 & €2200 for Comfort with the exchange rate at the time of 1.18 came out at £3200 less our 20% discount so cost us £2560.
On a s/h van wouldn't want to pay much more than £2k extra.

 

[MikeD]

I had a 3650kg 130bhp motorhome. We changed it to a 3500kg 150bhp PVC.

In my opinion whilst the extra power is welcome it is also higher geared.

I thought the 130bhp was a nicer engine in that it hardly ever needed to change down at our usual 55/60mph cruise.

The 150bhp almost always does.

So now unless I cruise at 65/70mph I expect a change to 5th or even maybe 4th on every reasonable gradient.

 

[Oldbob]

Last year we drove a 2016 130hp Fiat on a manual round Italy. Think it had do

Last weekend I drove the new bus up to Yorkshire towing a 900kg car on an A frame. Despite not being run in, the new bus was far quicker pulling away and far more economical on derv. Top speed is somewhat irrelevant as you are limited with a toad!

I drove it without a toad to Belgium and it was noticeably more responsive than the 130 manual.

Does the toad make a difference then ?

Think I had better hoppit! !

 

[Lenny HB]

In my opinion whilst the extra power is welcome it is also higher geared.

I thought the 130bhp was a nicer engine in that it hardly ever needed to change down at our usual 55/60mph cruise.

Probably because it is a PVC and has the standard van gearbox/diff, on chassis for coachbuilts conversions Fiat fit a lower ratio differential.