Anyone else had their new motorhome delayed because of Alko chassis issues ? (1 Viewer)

[Russ M]

Hi
Dont want this post to turn into a Brexit debate please.
Does anyone know why some new Motorhomes are being delayed and not being shipped to the UK from Europe ?

We have been waiting a very long time for our new Dethleffs . We fully expected some kind of delay due to Brexit amd covid etc.

Our dealer was given a build slot for January and we were told it would be built and shipped to the dealer by March .

It seems it was built as planned and has been ready to ship for a number of weeks , but Dethleffs have told the dealer that the export is held up because of “paperwork “ problems with the Alko chassis ?
We cannot get any more information on what this issue may be , and we cannot get any more info from Dethleffs about when the problem may be resolved, nor when our motorhome will actually be delivered to the dealer .

If we could get some information from Dethleffs or the dealer about what the actual problem is , and when it may be resolved , we would understand and accept further delays , but the frustration is the complete lack of information from Dethleffs .

Anyone on this forum know what the issue is with Alko chassis and perhaps have any info on when the import issues may be resolved ?

As I said at the start , I’m just looking for some information , so please dont turn this post into a Brexit debate . Thankyou .

 

[PaulandChrissy]

Hi
I had the same problem purchasing a 3D printer from Czechia . It was all down to the slowness of the British tax offices processing VAT and import tax registrations. Your van probably has even more complexity with chassis documentation etc. The relevant departments over here are just swamped with paperwork trying to keep up. Things will improve in time, but at the moment everyone is struggling. Not much help , I know, but I think that’s the main issue. Plus of course COVID.

Good Luck PaulandChrissy

 

[denisejoe]

Could it be covid has affected production it’s not only affecting us

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[PaulandChrissy]

I’m surprised Dethleff have not been more forthcoming. I have always found them to be very helpful. Have you emailed them directly.

 

[jessthedog]

Why dont you try and see if the DethleffsOwnersClubUK could help in finding out any info for you.
I think they have good contacts with Dethleffs

 

[Minxy]

Could it be covid has affected production it’s not only affecting us

According to the OP it was produced in January so that doesn't seem to be the issue, I suspect it's to do with getting the paperwork 'ducks in a row' correctly that's causing the problem.

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[Russ M]

Thanks for all the replies
To clarify - the Motorhome is built , but apparently it’s stuck with some kind of paperwork issue regarding the Alko chassis.
I’ve emailed Dethleffs direct and have had no reply.
my dealer is equally frustrated at the lack of information from Dethleffs
So it’s not a Covid issue as the Motorhome is built. It’s clearly some kind of Brexit export issue , which I could live with if I had some kind of info about what’s going on and how long it will take. But I have neither. Oh well , just need to wait and try to be patient.
thanks again all.

 

[Lazyboy]

I would suggest that the problem is Dethleffs and not AlKo paperwork. How many other vans have been delivered to the UK on Alko chassis? Burstner, Rapido, Pilote, Le Voyageur, Hymer etc. I am sure that there is not a multitude of different chassis made for each manufacturer by Alko. Especially when I have been told by a Dethleffs dealer that some vehicles destined for the UK have been cancelled completely. Allegedly their home market is very bouyant (like ours) and maybe it is easier to sell LHD into their home market rather than bother with export paperwork. Just a thought. Might be worth asking your dealer again.

 

[Ditcha]

Thanks for all the replies
To clarify - the Motorhome is built , but apparently it’s stuck with some kind of paperwork issue regarding the Alko chassis.
I’ve emailed Dethleffs direct and have had no reply.
my dealer is equally frustrated at the lack of information from Dethleffs
So it’s not a Covid issue as the Motorhome is built. It’s clearly some kind of Brexit export issue , which I could live with if I had some kind of info about what’s going on and how long it will take. But I have neither. Oh well , just need to wait and try to be patient.
thanks again all.

It with be worth the wait cracking vans Dethleffs

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[Russ M]

I would suggest that the problem is Dethleffs and not AlKo paperwork. How many other vans have been delivered to the UK on Alko chassis? Burstner, Rapido, Pilote, Le Voyageur, Hymer etc. I am sure that there is not a multitude of different chassis made for each manufacturer by Alko. Especially when I have been told by a Dethleffs dealer that some vehicles destined for the UK have been cancelled completely. Allegedly their home market is very bouyant (like ours) and maybe it is easier to sell LHD into their home market rather than bother with export paperwork. Just a thought. Might be worth asking your dealer again.

Do you know for sure that other brand new builds on an alko chassis have been delivered to the Uk from Europe since jan 1st ?
I dont doubt you but my dealer says he is having major delays with all other brands that are on alko chassis aswell .
If you were able to point me to a van that has come into the Uk on an alko chassis since Brexit I could ask my dealer to go back to Dethleffs with this “evidence “ . That would be really helpful. Many thanks.

 

[pappajohn]

Email the CEO of Dethleffs and request information or you will assume the van has been redirected for sale in the home market and you will cancel your order.

Won't make a bit of difference but it'll make you feel better.

 

[Russ M]

Email the CEO of Dethleffs and request information or you will assume the van has been redirected for sale in the home market and you will cancel your order.

Won't make a bit of difference but it'll make you feel better.

Don’t want to tempt fate doing that he may take me up on the offer and we end up without a Motorhome Nice idea though

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[Minxy]

Why not ring another dealer and ask them generally about a couple of Dethleffs models, one on a standard chassis and one on an Alko chassis and see if they suggest there are delays for the latter rather than the former?

 

[marchie]

Don’t want to tempt fate doing that he may take me up on the offer and we end up without a Motorhome Nice idea though

'Dear Herr X,

I must have got your company name wrong, as I lose the will to live, waiting for the eventual delivery of my motorhome. I thought I had bought a Dethleffs; it seems the Coroner will record 'Death, left motorhomeless' ...
Yours etc

Steve

 

[Guffy60]

is it affecting other hymer brands such as Sunlight, Carado etc, when they have common chassis.

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[marchie]

is it affecting other hymer brands such as Sunlight, Carado etc, when they have common chassis.

I believe it is. We tried to get a Sunlight T66 Lowdhams Special, and were told that there were no more deliveries expected before 2022, and that, if we wanted to order a new van from the factory, delivery was unlikely before 2023. We were told that FIAT were some 16,500 chassis short of meeting the pre COVID Order Book, and, although production had resumed, the need to socially distance employees meant that it was roughly 1/2 paced production, hence everything shuffling back down the queue with 'new order production' starting in 2023.

Steve

 

[Russ M]

Slightly different issue for me.
my Motorhome is built but stuck at the “border “ with Brexit paperwork issues apparently.
it’s not in a backlog of new build waiting to hit the production line.

 

[Lenny HB]

is it affecting other hymer brands such as Sunlight, Carado etc, when they have common chassis.

They use a Fiat chassis.

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[AXO66]

.

 

[Pausim]

By the time your motorhome enters the UK it will probably have 3 Certificates of Conformity and 3 plates. Fiat, Al-Ko and Dethleffs. Plenty of room for things to show up a conflict of information that might confuse the import system.

 

[Russ M]

By the time your motorhome enters the UK it will probably have 3 Certificates of Conformity and 3 plates. Fiat, Al-Ko and Dethleffs. Plenty of room for things to show up a conflict of information that might confuse the import system.

I think this is probably the issue - although it hasn’t even left Germany yet.

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[eurajohn]

By the time your motorhome enters the UK it will probably have 3 Certificates of Conformity and 3 plates. Fiat, Al-Ko and Dethleffs. Plenty of room for things to show up a conflict of information that might confuse the import system.

Not any more all EU produced vans have a single document covering the whole vehicle produced and issued by the converter, separate CoC's were phased out a while ago.
Likely to have separate VIN plates though

 

[Pausim]

Not any more all EU produced vans have a single document covering the whole vehicle produced and issued by the converter, separate CoC's were phased out a while ago.
Likely to have separate VIN plates though

My 2019 Carthago came with all three, perhaps the new September 2019 regs changed this. However would it need Al-Ko paperwork if this were the case?

 

[bigtwin]

Time to raise the issue of reciprocity?

Ian

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[dunnah01]

The UK no longer recognise CE marking and all products need UKCA marking. The declaration and certificates of conformance will probably need to be evaluated by a UK body prior to UKCA marking. This may be where things are getting bottlenecked

 

[Jim]

Speaking to makers and dealers my understanding is the issues with new vehicles are entirely COVID 19 Related. The regular van and chassis have simply not been made in anything like the numbers required to supply the enormous delivery/works van market... let alone the comparativley tiny RV market.

 

[Russ M]

Speaking to makers and dealers my understanding is the issues with new vehicles are entirely COVID 19 Related. The regular van and chassis have simply not been made in anything like the numbers required to supply the enormous delivery/works van market... let alone the comparativley tiny RV market.

I’m sire the issue your raise is correct , but it’s not related to my motorhome. It was actually built back in February and is just sat somewhere waiting for “paperwork” to be sorted in respect of the Alko chassis import .
can’t seem to get any answers from Dethleffs about what the actual issue is, what they are doing about it and how long it will take ......

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[Scotsblood]

Friends waited almost four months last year for a Bailey after 'issues' with the CoC's and import certificates for chassis cab and alko add on being amalgamated into the one converter declaration delayed the DVLA recognition and therefore registration.
They were told is was all due to the 2019 regulation changes and the forthcoming introduction of the UKCA mark needing parts of regulations implementing at different times.

 

[Guffy60]

They use a Fiat chassis.

Sunlights use the same as Dethleffs being a subsidiary of them, chassis same. It’s who provides the chassis extension for the longer vans, like ours which is 7.4 metres. The extension is not Fiat, the main chassis is.

 

[marchie]

Sunlights use the same as Dethleffs being a subsidiary of them, chassis same. It’s who provides the chassis extension for the longer vans, like ours which is 7.4 metres. The extension is not Fiat, the main chassis is.

Sunlight are now independent of Dethleffs. They've 'left home and bought their own place', though apparently without help from the corporate equivalent of 'The Bank of Mum & Dad'

Steve