Brownhills Motorhomes

[PaulRowell]

In August 2020 I bought an Elddis Evolution 120 from Brownhills. At the first annual check up some of the edge panels at the rear were noticed to be beginning to detach from the main body panel so this was sorted out under warranty. At the two year service it was noticed that the trim that goes along the side of the motorhome and around the wheel arch had detached completely - I had noticed when I had cleaned the motorhome that the sealant had cracked but assumed that Brownhills would sort it when they did the check up. After waiting all day for the service to be finished you can imagine my surprise when I checked the vehicle over to find the wheel arch hanging off. I returned to the service desk to ask them what they could do only to be told that there was nothing they could do and that it wouldn't be covered by the warranty and that Brownhills wouldn't cover it either.

Do I have any rights under consumer law to make a claim against Brownhills?

I guess I was expecting the response "It shouldn't detach after just 2 years and less than 7000 miles Mr Rowell, don't worry we will sort it"

 

[zac]

I suspect it will be down to what the warranty is on the actual vehicle and if the yearly checks have been kept up and logged, if the vehicle is not new ie 2nd hand and out of warranty then it will be what you agreed with the dealer at the time of purchase.
Its not clear if this is a new vehicle or 2nd hand.

 

[PaulRowell]

I bought it new from Brownhills. I was naively expecting them to stand behind the products that they sell.

 

[zac]

Sorry just looked online and they do a 2 year warranty on fiat based vehicles and 10 year water ingress so it would need to be inside the 2 years for the dealer to sort, they won't fix it for free if outside the warranty that I do know.

 

[PaulRowell]

Just checked my paperwork, it says 3 years Habitation, 10 year Water and Body Integrity Warranty (Elddis) and a 3 year Mechanical Warranty (Peugeot). What I don't know is whether the bit that has come away counts as a failure of Body Integrity.

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[zac]

Just checked my paperwork, it says 3 years Habitation, 10 year Water and Body Integrity Warranty (Elddis) and a 3 year Mechanical Warranty (Peugeot). What I don't know is whether the bit that has come away counts as a failure of Body Integrity.

Is that 3 years that they will provide a free Habitation check or 3 Years warranty on the Habitation area? if the latter then it should be covered but they would know that so i am thinking they have given you 3 years worth of free habitation checks like they normally do with new vehicles.

 

[PaulRowell]

May be a picture might help

 

[zac]

That i would say would definitely allow water to come in so i would argue it should be covered under the water ingress 10 year warranty. I can't for the life of me think why they are saying otherwise, i would suggest there is more to this as there must be a reason why they are saying its not covered. That needs to be sorted asap or covered to stop water coming in until its sorted, i wouldn't use it like that. I have only just gotten mine back after being sorted with water coming in from the wheel arch (different make/model) but same location.

 

[zac]

If they are refusing then Citizens advice call and then start logging all contact with them and follow the process to take them to court, I had an issue a few years ago where the dealer was refusing to sort out a noisy electric over cab bed, this resulted in me doing exactly that and after the 3rd and final letter they sorted it.

 

[Jimbohorlicks]

They won't do anything because there is no sign of damp in the area.
Best to buy a tube of sikaflex and run a bead around the inner edge of the wheel arch and stick it back. Once in position run a bead of sealant around the joint.
If you leave it you will get some damp.

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[zac]

They won't do anything because there is no sign of damp in the area.
Best to buy a tube of sikaflex and run a bead around the inner edge of the wheel arch and stick it back. Once in position run a bead of sealant around the joint.
If you leave it you will get some damp.

I wouldn't be doing that if he does have a 3 year warranty as that is most definitely covered, thats not safe to drive as it could fly off at speed.

 

[PaulRowell]

The plot thickens, I rang Elddis and explained the issue and after consulting they came back and said if there is a crack in the trim then it is not covered but if the sealant has failed then it is. As there is no crack whatsoever (I suspect if there was a crack they would say that there had been some sort of impact damage which I would agree is a fair point) I have gone back to Brownhills to have another try.

A slight digression but whilst talking to Elddis they checked my service record and because the first annual check up wasn't done within 3 months of the delivery date they were querying whether it would be allowed. Yet it was Brownhills that forced me to go over the 3 months because of their backlog due to COVID and who had assured me that there was an agreement with the manufacturer that this would be ok. Elddis say they allowed 6 months in 2020 but only 3 months in 2021.

 

[zac]

lets hope they sort it

 

[Wildbill]

Once you do find out that thay are in the wrong a nice damning review will do the job
Bill

 

[PaulRowell]

Well it has taken five+ months to get it sorted but Brownhills and Elddis finally agreed that it was covered by the warranty and providing I keep to the schedule of services and habitation checks then the warranty is reinstated! Thanks to all who replied encouraging me to see this through.

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[DT]

Brownhills on my avoid list then.

 

[Jim]

That's nice to hear that you got it sorted. Years ago Brownhills used to have a terrible reputation which in recent years they have redeemed. It's amazing that they risk this hard earned reputation for a screw and a bit of sealant.

 

[TheAleMan]

Brownhills on my avoid list then.

Always been on mine

 

[Silver-Fox]

That's nice to hear that you got it sorted. Years ago Brownhills used to have a terrible reputation which in recent years they have redeemed. It's amazing that they risk this hard earned reputation for a screw and a bit of sealant.

I inquired about some body clips I needed.

The parts lady looked for them whilst I was on the phone, sent a picture to confirm what she had was correct.

I ordered them and paid.

Arrived a couple of days later.
So I had a good experience with them

 

[Jimbohorlicks]

It must be an hour at the best to fasten the wheel arch back and reseal it properly. What's an after sales reputation really worth to these organisations? must have cost them a couple of potential customers.

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[PaulRowell]

Yes, I just couldn't believe it when it first happened - I for one won't buy another MH from them. To be fair they eventually made a good job of it and actually replaced the whole wheel arch but the hassle I had to go though has left a sour taste in my mouth. As you say the cost to their reputation surely must be worth more than the cost of the repair.

Funny you should mention a screw and sealant... I pointed out that when manufactured one of the screws in the window stay had never been installed - there was no hole. Brownhills wouldn't even sort that out. "Sorry, Mr Rowell, it is too long since you first purchased the MH" It took me less than 5 minutes to drill the hole and fix the screw!

 

[gus-lopez]

Funny you should mention a screw and sealant... I pointed out that when manufactured one of the screws in the window stay had never been installed - there was no hole. Brownhills wouldn't even sort that out. "Sorry, Mr Rowell, it is too long since you first purchased the MH" It took me less than 5 minutes to drill the hole and fix the screw!

Small claims court would concentrate there mind to better service.

 

[pampam]

Years ago i had to restrain my sons from driving a manitou thru their showroom window,
as we were having a long winded dispute over a broken down comfortmatic ,nearly gave me and the auld fella heart failure (not the manitou threat ,the abysmal long winded ,lack of communication ,and shocking aftersales service) ….its 11 years ago tho

 

[Barryh]

In 2003 we decided we wanted to buy a motorhome. Never camped or caravanned and knew absolutely nowt. We went to the Peterborough show where we encountered Browhills and their little compound where the privileged could sit down and have a brew. For some reason we were treated with barely disguised contempt and certainly didn’t qualify for the compound. Thankfully we came across Hayes Leisure and Martin Storey and subsequently bought a new Pilote from them. Wouldn’t touch Brownhills with a barge pole.

 

[rosalan]

As a satisfied Brownhills customer, I can only speak as I find. I bought second-hand, with few expectations of good service but over several weaknesses that one may expect in a used vehicle, Brownhills more than excelled themselves. Phone calls from overseas promptly resolving a couple of problems, extending my warranty to almost 28 months during Covid and fitting many extra items pre delivery as they should be. Their after sales service has also been the best.

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[pampam]

I bought 4 motorhomes from brownhills ,lee the salesman was excellent ,always got us a good deal,the trouble was when the comfortmatic gearbox seized up,and they didnt know what to do with it,with hinsight i should have had it recovered to our local fiat commercial garage,who would have been able to sort it ,instead brownhills didnt know what to do with it and three months later the engine was still on the service bays floor,
we part exed and bought brand new
six months later a brownhills salesman phoned to ask why we had parted with cheyanne his customers were sat in front of his desk,he couldnt get his phone down quick enough when i started to tell him about the gearbox;
would i buy from them again? Yep but i know now ………mechanical fault go to garage
habitation fault ……dealership
nice restaurant,overnight stop,with swimming pool

 

[Jim]

In 2003 we decided we wanted to buy a motorhome. Never camped or caravanned and knew absolutely nowt. We went to the Peterborough show where we encountered Browhills and their little compound where the privileged could sit down and have a brew. For some reason we were treated with barely disguised contempt and certainly didn’t qualify for the compound. Thankfully we came across Hayes Leisure and Martin Storey and subsequently bought a new Pilote from them. Wouldn’t touch Brownhills with a barge pole.

Back in 2003 that was a different company

 

[Jim]

Let's judge Brownhills on their service today rather than bring up horror stories from decades ago. That's just not fair.

 

[eddie]

I think Brownhills are a great example of ‘sorting themselves out’

Social media used to full of horror stories, but in truth I don’t recall anything genuinely bad about them for ages

I am sure that there will be peoples usual unrealistic complaints and moans about them, as with any dealer, “They didn’t tell me I would get power out of the sockets unless I’m on hook up’ “Wildcamping in Scotland over Christmas my 85 amp leisure battery went flat after five days” “Not fit for purpose” etc

After MHF St George’s day weekend I called in to Brownhills to get some LPG and a nose around, and thought that a lot of dealers could learn a thing or two from Brownhills to be honest. clean tidy well laid out, helpful courteous staff, would have no issues buying from them now to be honest

 

[eddie]

Let's judge Brownhills on their service today rather than bring up horror stories from decades ago. That's just not fair.

I agree where is the incentive to listen, learn and improve if you’ll still be judged on things that happened years, decades ago?

They should be judged on how they conduct themselves in 2023 not twenty years ago