A cautious intro (1 Viewer)

[Deleted member 22420]

Hi
This probably not the most enthusiastic “intro” you’ll have read – but here goes.

Ex caravanners, now both retired with 30 years towing van's all over Europe and an RV in the US.

Been thinking about an MH for a few years - mainly due to the years taking their toll on my ability to tow long distances (anything over 250 miles per day has become tiring). We were also attracted to the speed of setting-up on arrival (getting water, awning erection and so on).

So at the Caravan and MH show at Broadlands, Hants we took the plunge over Easter. Do we regret it? Well the jury is still out. To be fair our MH (a 2007 Autocruise Wentworth) has been plagued with problems and this has tainted matters. In fact we’ve only had about 10 days real use of it at campsites. I'll not bore you with the all the problems but these include: damp in external lockers (cause found but yet to be fully resolved), gas fridge emits burnt odour into van (unable to find cause), water ingress on top of cylinder block (X250 common problem apparently) and pump shuts off when tank is still ¼ full (probes too short) etc.

The dealer has been quite supportive, but the pace at which things get resolved leaves quite a bit to be desired!

So - will we stay with it? Don't know. Off to Spain (Benicassim) for two months at the end of August - so we'll see how things go. We certainly miss the flexibility of having a car available at remote sites (but we knew this before buying). And yes - we could tow a small car - but having given up towing for reasons given, I'm not going down that route.

So we'll await the next few months, in the meantime the Jag sits in the garage waiting a possible towing hitch to click into place!

 

[Phill D]

Welcome and good luck with resolving your problems.. and have a great trip to spain.:thumb:

 

[Jim]

Hi cruisecontrol, hope you get your van sorted soon. Welcome to the fun:thumb:

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[Xabia]

Hi cruise control - smell from fridge in the van - been there, done that. Simple to fix, is almost certainly caused by soot build up in the chimney above the jet. Sorted mine by covering the unlit jet with a cloth, agitating the baffle which hangs from the top of the chimney flue and then removing the soot which fell from the flue.

Result - no more exhaust smells.

Mike

 

[Deleted member 22420]

Hi Mike

Well the dealer says he's cleaned the flu - but I'll certanly try your suggestion. Nothing like doing it yourself than trust others. The flu gases exhaust up through to the a roof vent rather than the single side grill. It's biggish fridge with a separate freezer.

Thanks anyway - really helpful

 

[slobadoberbob]

welcome from us also

Welcome from us also.

Only owned one caravan and for that matter one european motorhome... for the rest of the time we have owned RV's (American motor homes) as you have used them in the USA you will be aware of what I am talking about.

There are a lot of RV's in the UK these days, not so many when we started on the road of RV's 25 years ago. These days they are common place in the UK... in fact yesterday I had a brake calliper seize up and I had to be recovered on the way to the Malvern show.. recovered and repaired and back on my drive all in less that 36 hours that included sourcing the part (in the UK) getting shipped over night and fitted by a Renault main dealer. I regret to say not always the case with european motor homes.

It is sad to say I often read of people with issues with various makes of european type motor homes, and the problems they have resolving them with the dealer or the makers. It is a shame a person new to owning motor homes has the kind of issues you have.. it does not help to advance the interest.

Like others I hope you resolve the issues and you get some useful enjoyment from your purchase. But would I go back to tugging? no way.... I think I will stay with the RV's... more of everything.. and yes they do less to the gallon.. but in comfort and style... plus on the whole do not go wrong as often and seem a lot easier to repair and get parts for.

I hope your trip to Spain is good. We are off to France / Spain in September... we head down and somehow most trips we do not leave France as we find new places to see all the time.

This is a good site mostly... a good place to share a problem, and get a lot of knowledgeable information. There is always someone that has had to deal with it ...so it is worth asking or expressing your views or to request info.

Hope to read some more of your posts in the future.

Bob

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[Reallyretired]

Hope you get it all sorted soon.

I don't know what you're doing in Spain but one of the things a trailer caravan wins hands down against a motorhome with is staying long term on a site as many do for months in the winter. Of course you may be touring for 2 months for all I know, but if you are staying put you may get a very unfavourable veiw of motorcaravaning.

Its a matter of horses for courses and staying for a long time in one place will not show you the advantages of motorhomes. You don't use them the same as trailer caravans, a two week trip in a trailer caravan may involve only staying at one place, whereas a motorhome may stay at 5-10 different places in a couple of weeks. Our stops are usually one night if its just on the way and two if we want to look round, may be longer if it's an especially nice place.:thumb:

 

[f6c]

welcome

Welcome aboard