Buying Advice on an Auto-trail 634 (1 Viewer)

[South59]

Hi everyone,

We are just moving from our caravan to a motor home and I am in the process of looking at this model after much research. We are experienced towers and in general know as much as you need about weights, payload, damp, layouts etc but of course there are a few differences when it comes to motor homes. I just wondered if anyone could give advice or had any experience of this van, In particular about van values and areas of damp in this model to look out for. The two questions are straight forward

1. 2015, dealer 634, 6000, miles, 3650kg , fully serviced both body and engine every year, sounds very clean , one owner. Window price £45995. After reading Jims ebook it asks you to know the real value of the van before you start but looking around the price varies at dealerships by about 2-£3000. Anybody have any experience about what can realistically be the offered to complete the sale?

2. In this particular model I will bring my own damp meter, any advice on where to check/look in this model would be of a great help.

Love the forum and the site, now a fully paid up member

Thanks

 

[ABZSteve]

That is a very good point sir but it certainly pays to read the fine details when the Autotrail 634 home page states:

Revised layout offers greater flexibility
With a desirable rear lounge layout, the Apache 634 is an estabilished favourite. Available in both Hi-Line and Lo-Line variants, couples and families alike will find this a roomy and attractive motrohome.

The family must have to cling to the bike rack

It is roomy
I as others have also noted, sellers are dangerous people so always arm yourself with the facts. I made it clear that when I weighed the van, it better be within the stated weights or it would be rejected. It was good

 

[Christoph]

There seem to be quite a few Autotrail (and others) build quality issues discussed on here. Might be worth you looking back at the various threads to identify what the common problems are to enable you to check them out first.

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[Wh05apk]

Andrew, we are 2 adults with a 40kg lab.

Out of interest, I thought dogs now had to be secured when travelling? Do they not need to be clipped to a seat belt?

 

[138go]

You can always join Autotrail Unhappy Owners Group on Facebook ..

 

[pelican]

Get him to stick it on eBay under 'garden water features'. It should get a good price..........

I have a 634 2009 which is bone dry even though you would think different from my avatar.
Absolutely delighted with all aspects of the van and having looked around decided not to change.
You must be very very unlucky to have so many problems maybe weight problem is to do with the waterlogging!

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[pelican]

I've been past one dealer quite a lot recently and they have hundreds of autotrails in stock

Wow Hundreds where?

 

[pelican]

You can always join Autotrail Unhappy Owners Group on Facebook ..

An old work colleague is now working in the motorhome business, We were discussing aftersales and came to the conclusion that most owners had too much time on their hands and this maybe why they complained so much.

 

[pelican]

That is a very good point sir but it certainly pays to read the fine details when the Autotrail 634 home page states:

Revised layout offers greater flexibility
With a desirable rear lounge layout, the Apache 634 is an estabilished favourite. Available in both Hi-Line and Lo-Line variants, couples and families alike will find this a roomy and attractive motrohome.

The family must have to cling to the bike rack

Perhaps they visit!

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[Blue Knight]

I have a 634 2009 which is bone dry even though you would think different from my avatar.
Absolutely delighted with all aspects of the van and having looked around decided not to change.
You must be very very unlucky to have so many problems maybe weight problem is to do with the waterlogging!

Nope, I have no problems with my Autotrail as I got rid of it within a few months of purchase - some poor unlucky sod has it now.

There are far too many problems these days for anyone to be able to defend the Autotrail brand. They remind me of the Vauxhalls of old in terms of quality and reliability.

 

[Blue Knight]

Andrew, we are 2 adults with a 40kg lab. Four berth does not have extra travel seating options so useless really but we didn't need that. No tow bar or bikes, 1 battery, 2 x 6kg gas bottle, 1 x 13kg included in MIRO. I used AT weight calculator and with a tow bar and rear steadies, payload was negative. How can that be legal? We have the media pack II, auto box and engine upgrade as the only options but I don't think they add much weight. I knew what I was up against and had the info on how to combat the payload issue. However, even at 3850kg, you need to be careful. We loved the layout and made it work for us, it's a great van especially now the wife and dog are asleep and I am sipping a tinny in Wharfedale. Happy days, hope that helped

That's a good honest write-up.

Like it

 

[Paul an Jane MK]

Bear in mind, my comment comes after having bought a brand new Autotrail on March 1st 2018 and sold it on June 12th

OMG three months - what could have been that bad and hope you got a full refund

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[Teuchter]

An old work colleague is now working in the motorhome business, We were discussing aftersales and came to the conclusion that most owners had too much time on their hands and this maybe why they complained so much.

As one "old Salt" to another - you know that is BS

Just a MoHo dealers excuse to ignore complaints IMO

 

[Blue Knight]

An old work colleague is now working in the motorhome business, We were discussing aftersales and came to the conclusion that most owners had too much time on their hands and this maybe why they complained so much.

Now that's funny - not!! What about the guy in a very recent forum thread who spent £58,000 on a new Autotrail Apache 634 and on its first annual hab check it achieved damp readings of 80% and 90% to both side panels and 100% to the garage and rear area.

Was he right to complain or is £58,000 an insignificant amount of money and he was just bored.

 

[Cheshirecat57]

OMG three months - what could have been that bad and hope you got a full refund

No
Wrong layout (my fault)
Sleeping wrong config ( my fault)
Horrible wallowy drive ( design fault)
Not enough payload,but AS advertised ( whos fault?)

Traded it in against different make,layout.....blew my brains out

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[138go]

An old work colleague is now working in the motorhome business, We were discussing aftersales and came to the conclusion that most owners had too much time on their hands and this maybe why they complained so much.

Probably buttering you up for a NEW Motorhome from him. Trouble is when you go back to complain what will he tell you.

 

[robnchris]

We are on our third Auto-trail and they have progressively got poorer in build quality, our current one is a 634 apache,The last one built in 2013, cheap fittings inside let it down but nothing that you (if you are so inclined) can't fix.
Ok I know you shouldn't have to but hey this is not a perfect world and the motorhome industry is one big con trick.

So having that information and also being aware of the total lack of quality control at Auto-trail I have been over our motorhome with a fine tooth comb and have now the motorhome which we want.
The job list is a long one but at least as I them myself I know they are done correctly.

If you have the necessary DIY skills I wouldn't hesitate to recommend the Apache 634, the "U" shape lounge is fantastic making the whole interior one big room, we have a dividing wall which is basically 3 sections of ply wood that slide into place behind the cab seats that seal off the cab, when the over-cab bed is pulled across the job is complete, no drafts from the cab and the cab windscreen never suffers from condensation.

Get the 634 up plated to 3850kg and you'll have a goodun.

 

[SpeedyDux]

Andrew, we are 2 adults with a 40kg lab. Four berth does not have extra travel seating options so useless really but we didn't need that. No tow bar or bikes, 1 battery, 2 x 6kg gas bottle, 1 x 13kg included in MIRO. I used AT weight calculator and with a tow bar and rear steadies, payload was negative. How can that be legal? We have the media pack II, auto box and engine upgrade as the only options but I don't think they add much weight. I knew what I was up against and had the info on how to combat the payload issue. However, even at 3850kg, you need to be careful. We loved the layout and made it work for us, it's a great van especially now the wife and dog are asleep and I am sipping a tinny in Wharfedale. Happy days, hope that helped

The auto box (ComfortMatic) adds 15kg*. Not insignificant when the payload seems a bit marginal.

(*According to my Rapido options list)

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[pelican]

Now that's funny - not!! What about the guy in a very recent forum thread who spent £58,000 on a new Autotrail Apache 634 and on its first annual hab check it achieved damp readings of 80% and 90% to both side panels and 100% to the garage and rear area.

Was he right to complain or is £58,000 an insignificant amount of money and he was just bored.

Of course he was right to complain its the trivial items that people make such a fuss about that we were talking about.
Was that in small areas or the whole panels

 

[pelican]

As one "old Salt" to another - you know that is BS

Just a MoHo dealers excuse to ignore complaints IMO

Don't start about never satisfied boat owners!

 

[pelican]

Probably buttering you up for a NEW Motorhome from him. Trouble is when you go back to complain what will he tell you.

No would never buy a foreign one wrong layouts!

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[robnchris]

There are a lot of Auto-trail knockers on this website, as an owner I can understand why but in my experience they are all much of a muchness, non worse than Swift.

We met a couple this summer that had a £250.000 Concorde and that had serious damp issues on the whole rear panel, apparently the whole back panel had been fitted without any sealant, this was found after it's second inspection which involved the owner driving it back to the factory.
So what chance do you stand with a £60k motorhome?

There should be a serious investigation into the whole motorhome/caravan industry at government level to sort this out, perhaps we as buyers stopped flocking to the motorhome shows and showrooms the builders might sit up and take notice.

As for water ingress problems I had a chat with the CEO of Auto-trail about this subject and he told me I didn't understand the difficulties they had in making a vehicle water tight because of how they were used.
I brought to his attention that I owned a 45ft yacht that sat out in the ocean, had sailed through some very stormy seas and we never had problems with water getting inside the cabins.
With todays laser profile cutting machines and high tech sealants and adhesives there was no excuse other that poor design and cheap shoddy labour.

 

[Blue Knight]

Of course he was right to complain its the trivial items that people make such a fuss about that we were talking about.
Was that in small areas or the whole panels

This is all I have:

EXTRACT: I've read a bit more into this rejection case and I was quite amazed to read the following damp readings which were recorded in the first hab check.

Left side of van: 80%
Right side of van: 90%
.....and damp in the garage.

Following the repair by the Autotrail factory the 2nd damp check was recorded as:

Left side of van: 45%
Right side of van: 65%
Garage: 45%

If those figures are not bad enough the HP company dispatched an independent vehicle engineer to the Autotrail Apache 634 who found the garage reading to be 99.9% damp and not 45% as per the hab check. EXTRACT ENDS

 

[Blue Knight]

There are a lot of Auto-trail knockers on this website, as an owner I can understand why but in my experience they are all much of a muchness, non worse than Swift.

We met a couple this summer that had a £250.000 Concorde and that had serious damp issues on the whole rear panel, apparently the whole back panel had been fitted without any sealant, this was found after it's second inspection which involved the owner driving it back to the factory.
So what chance do you stand with a £60k motorhome?

There should be a serious investigation into the whole motorhome/caravan industry at government level to sort this out, perhaps we as buyers stopped flocking to the motorhome shows and showrooms the builders might sit up and take notice.

As for water ingress problems I had a chat with the CEO of Auto-trail about this subject and he told me I didn't understand the difficulties they had in making a vehicle water tight because of how they were used.
I brought to his attention that I owned a 45ft yacht that sat out in the ocean, had sailed through some very stormy seas and we never had problems with water getting inside the cabins.
With todays laser profile cutting machines and high tech sealants and adhesives there was no excuse other that poor design and cheap shoddy labour.

I couldn't agree more especially the bit about the whole industry-thing being revamped.

That said, there seems to be some companies who are much worse than others and I think people are starting to see the light.

Autotrail are one of the nicest and freshest looking vans out there (externally, that is), but I just couldn't buy one in fear of becoming the next 'damp or rejection story' on the internet. It is not until you discover sites like the Autotrail Unhappy Owners Club where you then realise just how big a problem the company has with its quality control and shoddy workmanship.

They really do have to get their crap together or else I can see Autotrail having a very unfavourable future. At this very point in time I would certainly place Autotrail at the bottom of the quality pile for sure - (below any other British van converter).

I hope they do get themselves sorted as I would love nothing better than to buy British again, especially after the B-word happens.

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[ABZSteve]

Out of interest, I thought dogs now had to be secured when travelling? Do they not need to be clipped to a seat belt?

Secured by harness to back of seats

 

[138go]

No would never buy a foreign one wrong layouts!

Nothing wrong with foreign at least they screw them together rather than Prit Stick and Hope.

 

[Cheshirecat57]

Nothing wrong with foreign at least they screw them together rather than Prit Stick and Hope.

Well.....
British vans are built on the east coast, with profit in mind and screwed together by (possibly) Eastern Europeans on minimum wage

Whereas- foreign vans are built with profit in mind and screwed together by (probably) Eastern Europeans on minimum wage

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[Blue Knight]

Wow Hundreds where?

I would say that there are a few hundred still left for sale in the UK. If you tally the new and pre-registered Autotrail stock at my local dealer and add it to the Brownhills MY18 stock then you'll have about 75-80 vans.

(According to a different forum -allegedly), There's one dealer who was heard chatting with Autotrail the other day and it was said (by dealer) that he had far too much MY18 stock remaining to take the MY19 volumes that AT were expecting of him.

To the OP: Submit an offer of £49,500 for a new one.

 

[dusty100]

Hi All
Have just joined this forum and read post by SO. I have a 2014 150bhp 634 and been through all the issues with poor payload etc. Ours is now fitted with air-assisted rear suspension and up-rated tyres to suit. Now registered at 3850kg and have no trouble with taking all we require, including 2 e-bikes, BBQ etc. Happy to discuss our experience if you wish. In fact. we may be selling it soon as we would now like travel seats for grandchildren.......

 

[Northernraider]

Rear lounges are so last decade. ..front lounges are where it's at and still no beds to make up : p

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[tonyidle]

Rear lounges are so last decade. ..front lounges are where it's at and still no beds to make up : p View attachment 247134

Agree totally. Rear lounges lose the best seats in the van and the best view.