Regrettable Introduction to Motorhome Ownership (1 Viewer)

Nov 6, 2013
3,201
227,223
East Sussex
Funster No
28,906
MH
Hymer B574DL
Exp
Since 2011 (tugger for 20 before that)
Ah! Must be jolly old G Cross, where when we arrived to collect a new m/h none of the extras which we paid for had been fitted and the manager offered to refund us for them at TRADE PRICE not what we paid!:madder:
That's the one. After disconnecting my inverter without my permission they now refuse to respond to any emails on the subject. They will lose far more than me in the long run.
 

Bart

Free Member
Jun 4, 2016
3,188
1,396
Northern Ireland
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43,436
MH
Boxer L4H2 van build
Exp
Since 2016
Ah! Must be jolly old G Cross, where when we arrived to collect a new m/h none of the extras which we paid for had been fitted and the manager offered to refund us for them at TRADE PRICE not what we paid!:madder:
Lol what was he smoking. ....

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Gazza333

LIFE MEMBER
Sep 8, 2013
592
244
Staffordshire
Funster No
27,976
MH
Rollerteam 695
Exp
2004
Hi. Sorry I haven't read all the thread so if this has been covered I apologise. I'd get the work done , I'd pay for a new habitation check I'd get any check done that would make me feel 100 % confident

I'd then take them to the small claims court for the full cost of all these checks plus a couple of grand for lost value to the motorhomefun. Only costs about £50 so you don't have much to lose
 
Nov 18, 2011
11,856
42,474
Planet Earth
Funster No
18,938
MH
A van
Exp
Over 25 year's
I don't know whether you wish to persue this any further, I would and have used the online service https://www.gov.uk/make-money-claim-online. It will cost £35 to submit the claim online and that will be refunded if you win.

On a number of occasions, used in business disputes, I found that the defendant didn't bother to attend court in which case I was awarded full compensation.
Used it a few times my shelf very effective
Bill
 
D

deleted-member02

Deleted User
But who is at fault ?

The garage who sold the vehicle or the nearby garage who allegedly didn't perform the service ?

Has the OP contacted both ?

Surely one or other of the businesses would be very unhappy with the situation, unless they are in cahoots ?
Note that this is a first posting and no formal action has been taken...
I think 'naming and shaming' would be completely inappropriate at this time.

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PP Bear

LIFE MEMBER
Apr 5, 2013
7,735
28,130
Kent, UK
Funster No
25,395
MH
Auto Trail Dakota SE
Exp
2012
Hi and welcome, it's nice to have you onboard.

I don't think you should name and shame at all, what I do think is that you tell us all about the wonderful, amazing dealership you delt with, so that we may all rejoice and hurry down there and spend our money too.

It wouldn't be bad publicity, you'd be doing them a favour by spreading the word on their services and allowing your fellow Funsters the opportunity to call in whenever they were close by :)

Now, who were they please :)
 
Apr 9, 2014
1,304
6,591
Lincs
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30,922
MH
Coachbuilt
Exp
2012
I do not see the issue with naming the dealer, others on here may have also had dealings with them, but at the moment who knows. I do not like Travelworld, but others I know think Travelworld are fantastic and provide terrific service. Marquis mentioned in this thread friend just bought a van in Northampton, nothing but praise for them.

You learn from your mistakes, I learnt to check all paperwork, get promises in writing and to not rush or put yourself under pressure when collecting a van simple to say but harder in practice.
 

Dee 123

Free Member
Jul 6, 2014
72
22
Funster No
32,284
Hi All,
At the beginning of this year, having recently retired and my wife about to retire, we decided to put a good chunk of our hard earned savings into a motorhome. It would have to be pre-owned as our savings do not stretch to a new one.
After viewing many, we found one at a local motorhome dealer just outside Hereford. It was bigger and more expensive than we had originally budgeted for but it was very tidy so we took the plunge.
The agreed deal included a service with a cambelt change undertaken by a nearby garage together with the associated copy invoice plus a copy of the recent habitation certificate to be made available at the time of collection of the vehicle.
Upon collection, neither of these two documents was available but we took the vehicle after receiving assurances that they would be available within a matter of days.
After almost a month of repeated phone calls chasing these documents, nothing materialised so on the advice of the C.A.B., I returned the vehicle within 30 days due to breach of contract under the Consumer Rights Act, requesting a full refund. This resulted in an altercation with the dealer.
Within days, these documents suddenly materialised so we felt there was no longer any justification for rejecting the vehicle which was subsequently collected together with a copy invoice and a habitation certificate.
Later, close scrutiny of the copy invoice raised our suspicions. Our local mechanic confirmed that the cambelt had not been changed nor had the fuel filter – both these items appear on the copy invoice as being replaced. The invoice was a fake.
If I wanted to pursue this matter through the courts then, according to the C.A.B., we would have to stop using the vehicle until the judicial process had run its course otherwise we would be deemed to have accepted the vehicle. Also, we would need a report by an expert witness to substantiate our claim as local garage reports are not admissible in court and the AA are not allowed to get their hands dirty.
So, our options were:
1. To leave our motorhome parked on the drive for the foreseeable future and engage an expert witness at a cost of just under £500 with no guarantee that any costs would be awarded in our favour should we win, or
2. Get the work done by my local garage for £350 and have use of the vehicle.
We chose the latter.
The bounder (language considerably moderated) who sold us the vehicle knows the system well and gets away with it – probably not for the first time and almost certainly not the last. Is there such a thing as an honest second-hand vehicle dealer?
Now the work has been done and I’ve hopefully made prospective buyers aware that there are dishonest dealers out there, we can start to enjoy our acquisition and also MotorhomeFun.
Leo.

Name and shame him.

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Feb 22, 2011
9,633
19,802
Newcastle under Lyme
Funster No
15,397
MH
Hymer B544 A Class
Exp
Since 2015
duped by the dealer who has for years claimed to change the cambelt upon purchase. When we bought the vehicle from them just a few years later I could find no evidence that it had been replaced so I subsequently had it done myself.

Dave, what evidence would there be ? Not doubting but just interested to know how you could tell
 

Dave and Ginny

Free Member
Jan 31, 2013
1,569
1,582
Nottingham
Funster No
24,505
MH
Hymer Starline 680
Exp
Since 2011, previously a tugger
I
Dave, what evidence would there be ? Not doubting but just interested to know how you could tell

A lacking in paperwork or any signs that the cover or associated parts had ever seen a spanner. My suspicions were later confirmed by the garage that fitted me a new one.
 
Jan 18, 2016
682
723
North Wales
Funster No
41,372
MH
Adria Coral 670SLS
Exp
A long time
To be honest, it would probably be better to put this bad experience behind you and get on with enjoying yourself in your motorhome.
It is with experience that being an Engineer all my life I could pick faults with almost anything bought by me but some thinks you put up with.
What you have experienced is really bad, I have heard of this sort of thing before on MHF i.e. paying for work that has not been carried out especially cam belt changes when buying second hand.
We bought our first MH second hand and I had to spend hours bringing it up to my standard, fortunately I knew about the cam belt and we had it changed a 5 years old along with a full service/habitation check, best to have these things done anyway!!
Good luck for the future, enjoy and next time..................beware. :WelcomeFlag:

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Trout bum

Free Member
Sep 7, 2016
567
584
Ayr
Funster No
45,007
MH
Adria Matrix M670SL
Exp
2006
Sorry to hear about your dilema name and shame them so others can't suffer the way you have had to and hopefully it will put them out of business there just cheats low and down scum sorry but that's what they are
 

pappajohn

LIFE MEMBER
Aug 26, 2007
43,203
48,795
Dark side of the moon
Funster No
172
Exp
Since 2005
But as we all know (or should anyway) there can be a world of difference between winning the case and collecting the cash.
But then you can, at a cost, escalate it to the high court and get the bailiffs in.
You WILL get your money and they pay the costs.

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May 8, 2016
1,685
78,504
silver coast, portugal
Funster No
42,972
MH
C Class: Low profile
Exp
Boatie for 20 years
Welcome. I am sorry that you have had such a dreadful experience

If you subscribe, you will get access to resources, and I have put up guidance relevant to such issues there. It can be found at http://www.motorhomefun.co.uk/forum/resources/buying-a-new-motorhome.190/

The trading standards office try to deflect complainants via the CAB on the basis that the local authority part fund them. CAB merely act as a gateway in the process, but are not the arbiter where crimes have been committed. Do not be deterred by calls handlers and receptionists who are instructed to obstruct callers, and persevere.

In your particular circumstances, I would simply issue a claim for the remedial works via the Money Claim Online Service, offered by HM Courts and Tribunal Service. https://www.moneyclaim.gov.uk/web/mcol/welcome. It is a simple civil claim, and you are required only to prove your claim on the balance of probabilities. In other words, you do not have to prove the claim beyond reasonable doubt, which is the burden of proof required in criminal cases such as a trading standards offence.

The AA offer a legal service that should help you (if you are members) and it may be worth checking your household insurance policy to see if it covers the legal costs of a consumer dispute of this nature - they often do

I am a lawyer, but you really don't need legal skills to deal with this if you want a resolution, the vast majority of claims that I handle (currently 81% running average over 12 months) get settled almost the moment a summons hits the doormat. It is an amazingly simple process, costs very little and can be handled by the public perfectly easily.

As for naming and shaming, we have been down this route before, and I think it would be far more effective to publish the outcome after (as opposed to before) any legal action.
 
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haganap

LIFE MEMBER
Dec 5, 2007
12,710
25,964
planet earth
Funster No
974
MH
Carthago C Tourer
Exp
I'm an oldbie MH number 9
What would I have done?
Well probably taken the van without the paperwork because of the excitement.

Then. . Driven it to my own garage who is old school and honest and asked him to check it over abs change the belt. .

Then.
Had a good look over it for any damp issues potential issues and fixed them.

Then tell the dealer of my findings and if there wasn't a contribution from him.. named and shamed the dealer and most of all not spend another penny or wasted anymore time with him at all.
Every ounce of effort you put in to this is an unseen cost to you and you will keep throwing costhe at it.

Name Shame move on and enjoy your motor home
 

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