FIAT.....getting a little bit fed up. (1 Viewer)

Dec 18, 2011
745
507
Hull
Funster No
19,200
MH
Autotrail 634
Exp
Since 2006
Ive been waiting 6 weeks to have my recall sorted and now the power steering pump has failed.Couldnt even get it looked at for 3 weeks!The van hasn’t even done 4000 miles yet.Although I really like my van,an Autotrail Apache 634,I have no confidence in the fiat bit at all.My last van,a budget level Tribute was on a Ford Transit chassis and it was faultless.What is the real reason Autotrail no longer give us a choice of base vehicle?When the time does come to change my first priority will be not to have a fiat,but that severely limits my options.Am I alone on this one or does anyone else feel this Way?
 

Lenny HB

LIFE MEMBER
Oct 18, 2007
52,684
147,586
On the coast in West Sussex
Funster No
658
MH
Hymer B678 DL
Exp
Since 2008 & many years tugging
On our third Ducato never had anything fail on them. The current one had the clip on the intercooler pipe replaced last week on the recall, 15min job done while I waited.
 
OP
OP
Camper634
Dec 18, 2011
745
507
Hull
Funster No
19,200
MH
Autotrail 634
Exp
Since 2006
that's reassuring I was beginning to despair .Maybe my local dealer is the problem.

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dave newell

Free Member
Oct 31, 2008
3,262
4,369
Telford, Shropshire
Funster No
4,733
MH
Home converted PVC
Exp
26yrs
My current motorhome is an ex delivery van with 210,000 miles on it, Fiat Ducato 2.3 120BHP and still going strong.

All manufacturers have their problems:
Ford 1 litre Ecoboost engine is now considered as disposable, head gasket failure will result in a warped block and they can't be rebuilt, most Fords using this engine are prone to coolant hose failure leading to head gasket failure.
Ford Puma 2.2 litre diesel engine, as used in Transit, Land Rover, Peugeot Boxer and a few others. Prone to oil pump problems usually resulting in a destroyed engine, also prone to over injecting and burning a piston out, also prone to filling the sump with diesel during regen of DPF.
Mercedes Sprinter engines, prone to injectors siezing in the head along with heater plugs siezing in the head, V6 sprinters prone to turbo failure.
Renault/Vauxhall/Nissan diesel engines prone to timing belt failure often leading to bent con rods, injecotrs and heater plugs siezing in the head along with several other regular issues.

All manufacturers have their problems.
D.
 

Basildog

LIFE MEMBER
Feb 21, 2018
2,201
3,576
Funster No
52,506
I would find another garage !
We have had Iveco in the past and they have proper commercial workshops open 24 hours, diagnosed our gearbox problem at 10.Oclock at night and fixed by lunchtime the following day as didn't have the part !
I think a lot of the so called Fiat professional garages just play at being commercial.
 
Oct 1, 2007
7,063
13,963
Kirby cross further from londin
Funster No
504
MH
Between Motor homes
Exp
since 08
Dont forget Skoda Dave they have that Badge problem,
But thats about all

Skoda Fabia 5 yr old 1.2 dsg no 3 cylinder failure at 30000 miles
£800 repair and sold
same engine in polos seats & Audi

Could of spent more via Skoda eg new head cam chain
And manifold :groan:
 

mikebeaches

LIFE MEMBER
Feb 22, 2010
5,346
8,469
Bristol
Funster No
10,377
MH
Rapido V68 Van Conversion
Exp
Since 2009
We're on our third Ducato-based van - a Euro 3; Euro 4 and Euro 5+ - thankfully, no serious Fiat issues with any of them.
 
Feb 9, 2008
4,086
5,902
SW Scotland
Funster No
1,453
MH
LP Coachbuilt
Exp
Since 2008 after caravanning for 20 years
After initial problems with our Fiat X250, mainly the gearbox, we have completed 60k miles over 10 years largely trouble free. Have recently fitted new EGR, alternator and AC compressor. No show stoppers, even the EGR was only an intermittent fault.

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Jul 12, 2013
3,849
5,225
The City of Henlow
Funster No
26,906
MH
Adria Supreme
Exp
Since 1980
There are an awful lot of Fiats on the road, and were they proving to have unreliability problems, the word would go around quite quickly. While there can be problems with any vehicle or component, I believe that overall they are a good, economical vehicle and a sound base for motorhomes.
It is worth sticking it out, especially while you are within a warranty period.
 
Aug 26, 2008
4,721
24,575
B&NES
Funster No
3,823
MH
Van Conversion
Exp
since 2007
Fiat has about 85% of the base vehicle market for MH converters. Fiat Camper designers provide what the converters want.

I wasn't too chuffed about buying a Fiat but there aren't that many alternatives on offer if you want a PVC with a fixed bed.

Only 2 recalls so far ... :rolleyes:
 

dave newell

Free Member
Oct 31, 2008
3,262
4,369
Telford, Shropshire
Funster No
4,733
MH
Home converted PVC
Exp
26yrs
Dont forget Skoda Dave they have that Badge problem,
But thats about all
Don't think I have enough lifetime left to list all the common faults in different brands Geo, I have just remembered a couple more though:
Range rover often need body off chassis to do any major work.
Mercedes, bmw, Renault and a few others are prone to water ingress drowning ecus which are often floor mounted under seats.
Vauxhall cars are prone to wiring chafing through on the gearbox.

The list is endless.

D.

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Sep 12, 2016
2,262
5,012
Chesterfield England Tellus 3
Funster No
45,091
MH
Lunar Roadstar 800
Exp
6 years
The problem is not that it's a Fiat

the problem is the garage / service centre

Find a different one

Just had our Ducato serviced £180 including MOT and as Maxine is almost 11 no recalls to worry about
 
Jan 19, 2014
9,319
24,570
Derbyshire
Funster No
29,757
MH
Elddis Accordo 105
Exp
since 2014
Any Jap car common faults? I think they're generally better.

Our Sevel van has got the Peugeot badge on it, Ford engine and PSA oil pump. All the best components cherry picked :rolleyes:
 
OP
OP
Camper634
Dec 18, 2011
745
507
Hull
Funster No
19,200
MH
Autotrail 634
Exp
Since 2006
Thanks for all the above comments.It has made me feel a lot better now.I think the advice about the dealer is spot on.Should be picking up the van today,although they did promise it yesterday,and didn’t even have the courtesy to ring and tell me,again,as they had promised.My other local dealer is NE van and truck who seem to deal mainly with bigger commercial vehicles,so it looks as though I will be contacting them in the future.I was getting a bit paranoid about the Fiat,so thanks for making me see reason.

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PeteH

Free Member
Nov 22, 2007
6,853
9,029
East Riding of Yorkshire
Funster No
900
MH
Rapido, 999M.
Exp
18+yrs plus 25+Towing
The only think I know about NE van and truck. Is that when I had the R-V and being American sourcing parts was not that easy. NE V&T, the young guy in their parts dept, went through almost every Bin they had to find me a compatible Windscreen wiper, so I could get an MOT!.

P.S. Pete, Black and White. SWMBO, Red and White. Fun, Fun ,Fun on Derby day!.
 

Candapack

Free Member
Oct 16, 2014
711
2,639
Fife, Scotland
Funster No
33,848
MH
Coachbuilt
Exp
Since 2013
I would find another garage !
We have had Iveco in the past and they have proper commercial workshops open 24 hours, diagnosed our gearbox problem at 10.Oclock at night and fixed by lunchtime the following day as didn't have the part !
I think a lot of the so called Fiat professional garages just play at being commercial.
Yes, ours deals with Iveco and Mercedes as well as Fiat. I was gobsmacked to discover they work 24/7, but of course commercial trucks have to be kept on the road.
 

Steve N Tracy

LIFE MEMBER
Jun 1, 2015
1,222
3,705
Southampton
Funster No
36,661
MH
A Class
Exp
4 Years
Dont forget Skoda Dave they have that Badge problem,
But thats about all
I did a spell as after sales manager for a Skoda dealership sufficient to say they are not without their faults.

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Last edited:

magicsurfbus

Free Member
Oct 11, 2010
4,673
10,127
NW England
Funster No
14,057
MH
Bessacarr Coachbuilt
Exp
Since 1997
We're coming up for 3 months since the initial EGR pipe check, nothing is fixed yet, and we're not far off having to postpone our holiday if it's not sorted soon. Fortunately all we've booked is the ferry.

However, the garage are doing what they can, and I have no complaints about them. The problem is in the supply chain.

We had a 2005 Ducato based MH for 11 years and the only issues we had were a wheel bearing going way too soon, and a jubilee clip popping on the turbo hose.
 
Jan 11, 2010
2,743
9,476
Chester
Funster No
9,901
MH
Auto-trail
Exp
Well that`s our 13th year & still loving it.
Main dealers can often be the problem in warranty work, we had an ECU problem with our Fiat Ducato, they had the veichle for a total of 4 weeks over 3 different occasions, the last time they had it for a week and I when I went to pick it up they hadn`t solved the problem, in fact the vehicle hadn`t even been looked at.

The guy who services our family cars said he would look at it, 2 days problem sorted and he`s not a commercial garage.
 
Sep 28, 2015
1,992
2,554
Kingston upon Hull, East Yorkshire.
Funster No
38,946
MH
Hymer B544
Exp
2001 Caravans 2011 Motorhomes
My other local dealer is NE van and truck who seem to deal mainly with bigger commercial vehicles,so it looks as though I will be contacting them in the future
We’ve used North East Truck and Van for the last couple of years and found them to be great, wouldn’t entertain Jordan’s after I found out they send ‘the large stuff’ to The Hull Van Centre for anything that requires lifting.
At NE T&V our 2016 service (year two) cost £129 and the 2017 (year three) was £280 including a new fuel filter and mot. I requested a brake fluid change but they tested it and said no need this year, saving us more money.

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Geo

Trader - Funster
Jul 29, 2007
11,757
14,563
Mansfield,Notts
Funster No
35
MH
Autotrail Tracker FB
Exp
45 +years with breaks
Has anyone noticed a recurring pattern here
BUY NEW at your peril
Why do people pay thousands of £££s to be test pilots for the Motor Industry
Experience in the trade repairing all makes, tells me, never buy newer than 3 years old then someone else has had the grief and expense
How many times have you heard
Its only 2 years old done xxxx miles, it cost me hundreds and hundreds of pounds
Got it fixed and sold it :doh:

Thank You Ta very much iv'e had thousands of happy miles at others expense :rofl::rofl::rofl:
Have I never had trouble Yes course I have I've had wipers spit brakes and tyres wear out, even a battery or two go up the swanny:doh:
 
Jun 25, 2013
1,850
4,425
Funster No
26,668
Exp
Old wild camper in transit
Has anyone noticed a recurring pattern here
BUY NEW at your peril
Why do people pay thousands of £££s to be test pilots for the Motor Industry
Experience in the trade repairing all makes, tells me, never buy newer than 3 years old then someone else has had the grief and expense
How many times have you heard
Its only 2 years old done xxxx miles, it cost me hundreds and hundreds of pounds
Got it fixed and sold it :doh:

Thank You Ta very much iv'e had thousands of happy miles at others expense :rofl::rofl::rofl:
Have I never had trouble Yes course I have I've had wipers spit brakes and tyres wear out, even a battery or two go up the swanny:doh:
Someone got to buy new for you to purchase second hand ? So why say ‘ buy new at your peril ‘
 

Geo

Trader - Funster
Jul 29, 2007
11,757
14,563
Mansfield,Notts
Funster No
35
MH
Autotrail Tracker FB
Exp
45 +years with breaks
Oh there is more than enough of the Buy New brigade to keep me supplied
They dont believe a word I say, Some even question what I say :doh:
One born every minute :Eeek:
525,600 a year

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ABZSteve

Free Member
Banned
Jan 8, 2014
1,524
1,657
Aberdeen
Funster No
29,617
MH
2018, Apache 634 150 Auto
Exp
Since 2015
Where's the "twat" smiley? One if them born every minute :rolleyes::D2
 
Jun 25, 2013
1,850
4,425
Funster No
26,668
Exp
Old wild camper in transit
Oh there is more than enough of the Buy New brigade to keep me supplied
They dont believe a word I say, Some even question what I say :doh:
One born every minute :Eeek:
525,600 a year
I have had 2 transits , over the years brand new, ok security problems but over come them easy enough . No probs , one recall , you are welcomed to my 11 plate one 129k , a bit rusty now but a good workhorse !

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ABZSteve

Free Member
Banned
Jan 8, 2014
1,524
1,657
Aberdeen
Funster No
29,617
MH
2018, Apache 634 150 Auto
Exp
Since 2015
Playground response, only thing that was missing was na na na na na. OK to disrespect the choices of others and effectively call them idiots, oh ma heid.
 

magicsurfbus

Free Member
Oct 11, 2010
4,673
10,127
NW England
Funster No
14,057
MH
Bessacarr Coachbuilt
Exp
Since 1997
Experience in the trade repairing all makes, tells me, never buy newer than 3 years old then someone else has had the grief and expense..

Everybody has experience that works to their advantage sometimes and either saves or earns them money - yours is with vehicles. We've bought new and second hand vehicles and none have been a burden maintenance-wise for us yet. It's why the new ones have warranties.
 

Geo

Trader - Funster
Jul 29, 2007
11,757
14,563
Mansfield,Notts
Funster No
35
MH
Autotrail Tracker FB
Exp
45 +years with breaks
Playground response, only thing that was missing was na na na na na. OK to disrespect the choices of others and effectively call them idiots, oh ma heid.
I dont think I used any derrogative or personal comments in any of my posts,

"May he be shamed who thinks badly of it :groan:
To quote your signature:doh:
ps See Mine

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