Do all Auto Trails leak? (1 Viewer)

[Jaymacgee]

Hi

We are looking for our first motorhome and a 2008-ish Autotrail Apache 700SE suits us perfectly in terms of accommodation / facilities / price. First one we viewed had a bad bit of damp and this forum suggests all Auto trails suffer from water ingress. Has anyone on here had an Auto Trail that didn't leak? Thanks.

 

[Jim]

I've owned a couple of AutoTrails neither leaked

 

[The Wino]

I think all makes of m/h suffer from damp if you are unlucky the same as you could buy a merc car and get a lemon its just the odds. Ours is transit based you would have thought from some of the posts on here we are lucky its not been nicked but as the insurers have no loading on transits it can't be that bad !

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[MC 55 FUN]

It's a guaranteed fact that not all Autotrails leak or have excessive, irreparable damp, as illustrated above.

 

[Jaymacgee]

Feeling reassured!

 

[MC 55 FUN]

Feeling reassured!

One essential piece of kit to take with you when viewing a potential purchase is a damp meter, these are readily available from e-bay etc.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Chris]

Ours is coming up to 5 years old and I am not aware of any leaks.

 

[MikeD]

My 2012 Autotrail failed both the 3rd year (Repaired by Autotrail dealer under warranty) and 4th year damp checks due to leaks.

Got fed up with this so bought a PVC - that had two leaks as well.

 

[Richard n Ann]

Got fed up with this so bought a PVC - that had two leaks as well.

Was it an Autotrail?

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[MikeD]

Was it an Autotrail?

Nope - IH

 

[mushy]

We have a Kontiki which have a reputation to leak allegedly. I never took any notice of the crap posted about them because you only hear of the ones that do go wrong and not the hundreds that don't. Look at the old paperwork with your prospective purchase, particularly the hab test and make a decision on that.

 

[PhilandMena]

Our is now over 6 years old and has always been kept outside and exposed to some horrendous weather including very long, heavy rain and has never leaked. Modern sealants used on recent motorhomes are very, very, good. However, once in a blue moon the odd one slips through due to factory assembly errors and as you know, nothing travels faster or further than bad news.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Dorset Diver]

Our 2009 leaked like a sieve and rotted .

 

[Mr Ed]

Not ALL Autotrails leak.

 

[Jaymacgee]

Perhaps my question should have been do Autotrails leak more than other makes?

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[John Stanton]

We had Auto Trails for seven years without any sign of damp (or other real) issues - served us very well indeed. We switched to a brand new Hymer which leaked within 18 months - apparently water features are fitted to random Hymers at the factory these days

It's a fact of life that there are good and bad examples across most if not all brands.

 

[Jaymacgee]

Thanks everyone. A damp meter and patience are what I need, I think!

 

[MC 55 FUN]

Thanks everyone. A damp meter and patience are what I need, I think!

Just take your time physically looking at as many as you can & spend plenty of time researching online, you have an adequate budget to achieve your needs, and as previously stated, an adequate payload is vital.

There are hundreds of suitable Moho's out there for you - finding them isn't tricky, finding the right one may be !

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[nicholsong]

On the general question of leaks, of course in any converter's range the Coachbuilt(C Class) have an inherent disadvantage for leaks over the A class because of the join between original cab and the habitation area.

One other factor to take into account is the basic construction of the walls and roof. A comparison should be made between those with timber frames within the walls and those constructed without. It is not that one may leak more but the consequences of a leak and its repair are greater where timber is involved.

I am fortunate in having a MH which is built with a double aluminium cladding on foam, with no timber because the walls are the structure. Even if a leak did occur there is nothing to rot or decay, unless the moisture gets to the furniture/floor.

Ours is a Niesmann+Bischoff, who I think were the first, or one of, to use this. Hymer have in the last couple of years also employed it.

Geoff

 

[zac]

Our Previous Autotrail Delaware which was new when i purchased it in November 2014, failed it first habitation check with over 90% damp in back garage. It then failed the 2nd check 3months later as the other side was leaking. It did however pass the 2nd year habitation so not all doom and gloom.... Probably be ok to the new owners now that i have sorted all the issues on it before i p/x back to the dealers.

 

[Larrynwin]

Beware if you buy one in Wales , could be leeks

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[jdk62]

No more than Hymers.....

 

[RowleyBirkinQC]

We had a 2006 Tracker, never leaked and sailed through multiple habitation checks until we part exchanged it last year.

 

[Richard n Ann]

Weren't they called 'Watertrail' and also there's the 'Swift Konleaky'

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[f6c]

Had one leaked from day one

 

[John Stanton]

... and don't forget the H20ymer ...

 

[Blue Knight]

The problem with our last van (Autotrail, 66-plate) is that the roof had so many ridges, lips and high edges that the water could never escape when it was parked on a flat surface. Our new continental van has a flat one-piece roof so it's better for countering water ingress problems IMO.

Cheers,

Andrew

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Lenny HB]

Weren't they called 'Watertrail' and also there's the 'Swift Konleaky'

And Leaky Lunars. These vans don't get their nick names without reason.

 

[PP Bear]

My AT Dakota is 10 years old, I've had it nearly 6 years and dry as a bone. No leaks at all

 

[RitaG]

We have a 2015 Autotrail Navajo and never had any problems with damp.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}