Change from the Burstner to an Autosleeper (2 Viewers)

Monty don

Free Member
Oct 15, 2016
371
408
Milton Keynes
Funster No
45,602
MH
a class
Exp
Since 2000
Loved the Burstner Elegance but its to big to get every where.

So about to change to an Auto Sleeper Malvern on the 2019 Merc Sprinter 7 speed auto

Anyone got any feed back on the Auto Sleeper MH in general. Good bad and ugly

Common issues!

Cheers
GB
 

BishBosh

Free Member
Sep 1, 2019
138
268
Funster No
63,727
MH
None
Exp
Upgrades!!! of course
We had one 3 years ago. Lovely van. Thought I was buying the best....All I can say is just make sure you live near to your supplying dealer as my experience with it was not good.
The driving of it was fine and the layout pretty good too. Just had too many build issues that were hard to get sorted. Good luck with your purchase I just hope mine was a bad un! This is a pic of the one we had...
T277.ithmb.jpg


T277.ithmb.jpg
 
OP
OP
Monty don

Monty don

Free Member
Oct 15, 2016
371
408
Milton Keynes
Funster No
45,602
MH
a class
Exp
Since 2000
Interesting
Its all a bit of a lottery by the looks of it
Hopefully see some more reviews on Auto Sleeper in general
Like I say good bad or ugly!
GB

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

Mr Mousy

Funster
LIFE MEMBER
Sep 9, 2013
619
3,105
Llanelli
Funster No
28,022
MH
Hymer S840
Exp
First moho 11/2013, second 11/2014 current from 09/2019.
We had an Autosleeper, great to drive (Mercedes auto). The habitation side of it was like a caravan - old fashioned and not particularly well built. Kept it one year then bought a German van.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
Nov 3, 2013
3,170
9,373
Portugal
Funster No
28,868
MH
Fiat Ducato Auto Wildax
Exp
C/van since '73 .M/h.2009
Hi.
Had a new AS Broadway EK 2010'ish...... Went within 6 months.... If you leave their yard,turn right, not far up on the right,is an Electicity sub station,there is a small path/scramble that will lead you up to an old disused railway line.Spent some times here,walking about with the growler.
Tea Bag
 
Jan 11, 2010
2,746
9,565
Chester
Funster No
9,901
MH
Auto-trail
Exp
Well that`s our 13th year & still loving it.
Our experience of the Auto Sleeper was we went on a prebooked appointment to see one at a main dealer, walking out to the motorhome his phone rang, he gave us the keys pointing to the vehicle why he took the call.
Amazed at his attitude we walked to the motorhome unlocked the door and got our second surprise, the door would only open about 1/3rd of it's travel, we thought that's odd as the salesman had told us that they had been inside the van this morning to check all was ok.
Not wanting to force it we had a little chat whilst the salesman continued his conversation and decided if this was a brand new motorhome straight from the factory after passing it's final all ok tests and then the dealership had been inside to give it their seal of approval then this standard of quality control didn't meet our requirements so we gave the keys back to the salesman and walked off, he was still on the phone.
Appalling service and way to treat new customers.
 

BishBosh

Free Member
Sep 1, 2019
138
268
Funster No
63,727
MH
None
Exp
Upgrades!!! of course
Took me 3 years, another narrow boat and several hire vans to go back to motorhoming after my Auto Sleeper. ?
 

Theonlysue

LIFE MEMBER
Sep 14, 2009
6,104
7,383
Essex
Funster No
8,456
MH
As Executive 50th an
Exp
Not long enough!
Was very unhappy in my malvern.
Drove great but froze inside in winter even with a sheet totally cutting off the cab area.
And hurt my back for a week trying to lift up the corner bed with the bedding on.
Went to manufacturer to try and sort out bed, but not any better. Met other malvern owners with same bed problem.
In comparison, the hymer corner bed was much easier to raise.
Water still frozen even with tank heating and winter pack.
Glad to see the back of it.
Lacking wall lockers along length of bed.
Only had two along the top.
Huge difference in build quality between german and English mh, and you'll notice it.
 
Apr 30, 2015
263
717
Uk
Funster No
36,126
MH
A/S Clubman
Sorry must agree with the above gave up after 7 months lost £11,000 expensive mistake, build quality appalling, shot down on a/s site as buyers remorse dead right,look very closely . Also as above now back on German vans, changing at the moment as need larger but no regrets on build quality . Will give one example steady legs bolted to wooden floor flexing it as you walk around . Ex Malvern owner
3DA8ACC1-AAAD-4851-B9AE-7666D8F81ADD.jpeg

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

Allanm

Free Member
Jun 30, 2013
5,431
9,192
Cotes d'armor, France
Funster No
26,730
MH
Burstner Harmony TI 736 G
Exp
Since 1987
We bought a new AS Broadway FB in 2013. It was a nice van and we kept it for 3 years clocking up 21000 miles or so, it also had a lots of silly faults, similar to other owners experiences, but as it was our first new van, we came to think it was normal with a motorhome.

So, we had the following problems, most of which occurred in its first year (and most of which I was able to fix myself) .......

First trip out, all the bathroom fittings fell off the bathroom walls.
I had to reseat one of the headlights as it hadn’t been fitted properly.
All the seam sealing strips inside the van started curling up after a year. Replaced by AS, but they curled up again later ( and again with its new owner)
The heated towel rail in the bathroom fell apart regularly.
The towel holder fell off the bathroom door and had to be replaced “ properly)
The bathroom door handle seized.
Lots of cupboard door handles started sticking.
The shelf under the bathroom sink started swelling due to water damage ( edges not sealed)
A deep crease appeared in the bodywork between the two fridge vents ( repaired by AS who collected the van and delivered it back 2 weeks later)
The rear mudflaps fouled the wheel arch trim causing it to come loose ( both sides)
The hab door interior step flooded when it rained. There are vents either side of the step moulding letting water in. Fixed by putting hinged flaps over the vents.
The electric elements in the Truma heater packed up after 2 years.
The fresh water pump pressure valve needed constant adjustment
The kitchen waste pipe fell apart twice, in two different joints, flooding the floor both times.
Both locks on one of the outside lockers seized up.
The onboard lpg tank sender was very inaccurate and I found out later Autosleeper regularly fitted them at the wrong angle.
After our last trip around the South of France and Provence, including some very rough roads, the front of the van above the cab started creaking every time we went round a corner.
I didn’t like the Peugeot ( Ford) engine. It was noisy when cold, sounding like serious pinking till it warmed up.

I’m sure there were other faults, but on a good note, there was no damp and it was comfortable.

Compare that to our one year old Burstner, where we have had zero faults since we bought it ( apart from a weeping drive shaft seal, fixed in a day by Fiat)

I wouldn’t buy another Autosleeper, based on my experience. We looked at new ones last year but weren’t happy with any we looked at.

Have I put you off? I hope so.
 
Last edited:

Theonlysue

LIFE MEMBER
Sep 14, 2009
6,104
7,383
Essex
Funster No
8,456
MH
As Executive 50th an
Exp
Not long enough!
Oh and a different key for every lock on the malvern.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
Oct 7, 2013
5,894
36,905
South Wales
Funster No
28,463
MH
Swift Escape Compact
Exp
Since 1988
When I retired I fulfilled my ambition of owning an Autosleeper, a Ravenna.

We kept it for eighteen months and in that time we had five separate gas leaks on the system. Eventually we simply didn’t trust it and traded it in at a loss.

From the comments above things don’t seem to have improved much.
 
Jan 26, 2017
3,473
11,736
Mid Suffolk.
Funster No
47,068
MH
Autosleeper Inca
Exp
Eight Years and 28,000 Miles.
There's an awful lot of 'Ugly' and not a lot of 'good' so far!
We've owned a fifteen year old Inca for three years and 16,000 miles it's been 100% spot on.

Wouldn't change it for anything currently available.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

Join us or log in to post a reply.

To join in you must be a member of MotorhomeFun

Join MotorhomeFun

Join us, it quick and easy!

Log in

Already a member? Log in here.

Latest journal entries

Funsters who are viewing this thread

Back
Top