Sold Motorhome and calling it a day (1 Viewer)

[Peskyrabbitt]

We have just sold our Laika and ended our short lived motorhome life style, We both sat down and discussed this and we were both tired and stressed and had enough. Every motorhome we have owned has had problem after problem and the Laika was the final straw, I know it comes with the territory repairs etc on older vehicles , but read enough on here to know its not just the old ones. AMC , Lower Dicker, Hailsham didn't help matters with the Laika but that,s our own fault for not checking the motorhome properly before purchase, They supplied hab check/ damp check etc but not worth paper its written on, we went on there supposedly good reputation and supposedly good reviews.
Fridge didn,t work, We ripped that out and replaced with new, I found damp in rear toilet shower wall, we fixed that also, believe me if it wasn,t so far to return the motorhome would have done it. Its a shame because we loved the Laika and the only winner is the new owner after we repaired everything. I am not saying we wont buy another one but if we do it will be a while, and when the bubble bursts with stupid prices, give it 6 months to a year and there will be loads for sale at a lot lower prices.
I wont be on as much due to not having mh anymore but would like to thank everyone who has welcomed us and helped us when we needed it.
Happy touring and stay safe.

 

[Speve]

Good luck with whatever you do

 

[Peskyrabbitt]

Good luck with whatever you do

Thank you, going to relax, well say relax bought a new push bike so going to get out on it and clear my head.

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[Linda and Steph]

We’re feeling the same way at the moment, we’re in the middle of a big fight with Elddis and Marquis over warranty repairs. Elddis won’t pay because the 3rd year check was carried out 2 weeks too late due to Marquis being closed because of Covid lockdown.

 

[Peskyrabbitt]

We’re feeling the same way at the moment, we’re in the middle of a big fight with Elddis and Marquis over warranty repairs. Elddis won’t pay because the 3rd year check was carried out 2 weeks too late due to Marquis being closed because of Covid lockdown.

I feel your pain, the only blessing we have is that we fixed all our repairs ourselves to keep costs down and managed to sell for a good profit. hence treated myself to a new bike.

 

[Lenny HB]

All the best.

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[Peskyrabbitt]

I forgot to mention, I may have a few things for sale soon in classifieds, so keep an eye out, Off the top of my head I have a 6kg full bottle of propane if anyone wants it and is in the area then pm me with an offer.

 

[DaveFromBarrow]

I'm currently working through my list of tweaks and upgrades and it does seem to be an ongoing process. I'm actually still enjoying this aspect of MH'ing but feel your pain. I do wonder about prices. An alternative view is that having been forced to re-evaluate many people might decide it's for them.

d

 

[nicholsong]

We have just sold our Laika and ended our short lived motorhome life style, We both sat down and discussed this and we were both tired and stressed and had enough. Every motorhome we have owned has had problem after problem and the Laika was the final straw, I know it comes with the territory repairs etc on older vehicles , but read enough on here to know its not just the old ones. AMC , Lower Dicker, Hailsham didn't help matters with the Laika but that,s our own fault for not checking the motorhome properly before purchase, They supplied hab check/ damp check etc but not worth paper its written on, we went on there supposedly good reputation and supposedly good reviews.
Fridge didn,t work, We ripped that out and replaced with new, I found damp in rear toilet shower wall, we fixed that also, believe me if it wasn,t so far to return the motorhome would have done it. Its a shame because we loved the Laika and the only winner is the new owner after we repaired everything. I am not saying we wont buy another one but if we do it will be a while, and when the bubble bursts with stupid prices, give it 6 months to a year and there will be loads for sale at a lot lower prices.
I wont be on as much due to not having mh anymore but would like to thank everyone who has welcomed us and helped us when we needed it.
Happy touring and stay safe.

I am sorry to hear that you have had so many problems with faults and feel you want to leave the activity alone, at least for a while.

Just to 'balance the books' for any new readers, I bought our N&B Arto at 6 years old and in our 12 years of ownership we have only had 3 faults

Oil pressure transmitter, but that was in Germany and had it been our home garage I would have asked for an air hose to be tried first.

Then at 15 years old a new radiator, but I reckon that is par for the course for any vehicle that age.

Tap microswitch - got new one 5 miles away, fitted it in the CP.

Of course odd plastic bits - UVR or clumsy handling of fridge.

I reckon that is good for 18 year MH - but it is a N&B


Good cycling with your new bike.

Geoff

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[mikebeaches]

Best of luck!

 

[chrisgreen]

i give up motorhoming over 2 years ago, no regrets.

 

[uzsnowdrop]

We have just sold our Laika and ended our short lived motorhome life style, We both sat down and discussed this and we were both tired and stressed and had enough. Every motorhome we have owned has had problem after problem and the Laika was the final straw, I know it comes with the territory repairs etc on older vehicles , but read enough on here to know its not just the old ones. AMC , Lower Dicker, Hailsham didn't help matters with the Laika but that,s our own fault for not checking the motorhome properly before purchase, They supplied hab check/ damp check etc but not worth paper its written on, we went on there supposedly good reputation and supposedly good reviews.
Fridge didn,t work, We ripped that out and replaced with new, I found damp in rear toilet shower wall, we fixed that also, believe me if it wasn,t so far to return the motorhome would have done it. Its a shame because we loved the Laika and the only winner is the new owner after we repaired everything. I am not saying we wont buy another one but if we do it will be a while, and when the bubble bursts with stupid prices, give it 6 months to a year and there will be loads for sale at a lot lower prices.
I wont be on as much due to not having mh anymore but would like to thank everyone who has welcomed us and helped us when we needed it.
Happy touring and stay safe.

Whatever you
do, enjoy it.
Its lousy and stressful when you get bad service or below standard goods, so many good reviews for AMC but I paid 500 for a Webasto service there and the heater still didn’t work … to be fair , the original wiring had been done shoddily by someone else. At a different ‘specialist.’
The difference between the motorhome industry and the car industry is stark. There are too many tales of £40, 000 plus vehicles being purchased that have ‘issues’
It is not helped by great firms like St John’s Cross closing down (ceased trading, ) and it does seem like many companies are cashing in on the current craze for motorhomes/vanlife.
Putting beds, boilers , toilets , cupboards, batteries, plumbing , electrics in a big plastic box on the back of a delivery van chassis and bouncing it around on crappy roads was never really going to go well . I always smile when people say to me “that must be a cheap way to holiday“ I just smile smugly but actually think ‘oh my god if only you knew!’
sounds like you’ve made a strong decision, I hope your next travels are stress free !
we are on our 4th van , now settled with a non brand PVC, but I know one day I know there’ll be a ‘ enough is enough’ moment.
Good luck , Get a nice estate car or small van and Airbnb!!

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[Folkranger]

Best of luck with your choices. Just for potential buyers reading this we've had 4 motorhomes over 15 years and not had a problem. But ours have ranged from 6 years old when bought to brand new.

 

[AG 2602]

First Motorhome we purchased in 2019 loved it so upgraded to an A Class in six months we’ve had nothing but problems! We bought from a dealer 200 miles away which was a big mistake! To be fair to the dealer they have paid for work to be carried out locally but we still have issues so it looks like I will be making the long journey back to them.
Biggest gripe I have is that the handover was during COVID and was not as thorough as it should have been! Basically the van couldn’t have been checked by the dealer before they handed us the keys!

 

[dash300]

It's to be expected up to a point. You are buying with many of the fittings of the average home and then subjecting it to the rigours of bouncing it around on the the road in all weathers. Now being new to the Motorhome scene I have great empathy with the OP. As a long time boat owner try adding a bit of salt water into the mix and the conspiracy is complete, that makes not just the domestic systems fail but the complex Navigation Aids as well.
Oh! and of couse not forgetting a stripped gearbox after crossing an unmarked crab pot string returning from Alderney!

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[gus-lopez]

so many good reviews for AMC but I paid 500 for a Webasto service

Really? For a service? An eberspacher ,which is basically the same is around £180+vat for a service.

 

[Garfields]

Have fun whatever you decide to do

I think it will be a couple of years before things settle down price wise
I think a fair few of the folk who have bought their vans recently will be itching to do foreign trips next summer assuming covid has settled down
Ferry's could be expensive 2020? ( have ours booked already)
Sadly there will be a few who find it's just not for them and unfortunately some that have been sold a pig in a poke
I'm also sure there will some that will wonder why they didn't buy one sooner,

 

[Peskyrabbitt]

Thanks to all who replied and wished us well, its very much appreciated. as stated earlier, age was not the factor regarding the Laika, it was the blatant lies of AMC who just filled in paperwork and said all was okay when it was not. they just wanted rid of of the Laika without having to spend any money on it. The Laika was a very impressive mh inside and out and underneath was spotless ( alko chassis ) for a 2003 that is impressive, We just felt the stress of it all was out weighing the enjoyment, and given the current climate decided to sell up, Maybe in a year or 2 will try again, and would definitely purchase another European mh over British any day, Chalk and cheese as they say.
PS and that is speaking from experience being a former Autotrail owner.

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[chaser]

Had three vans, first one 3 grand , second 18 thousand, third one £3000 not had a problem with any of them.

 

[pampam]

Pesky rabbit:- i feel your pain,we packed in 10 years ago one january
after numerous problems (expensive ones) and bad service, our autotrail arapaho, went bananas with the electric step,all night,in out in out,by morning we went to walk into bridlington,and the van wouldnt lock,hubby went ape! ………Oh Please!!this is supposed to be relaxing ,
we returned and sold back to dealers that very same day(big loss)
i was very sad and would love another,but he wants long haul,cruises,and leger coach trips to war /military breaks
must admit at the time it was a bit of a relief, but i just love motorhomes ,
good luck with whatever you do,cheers pampam

 

[uzsnowdrop]

Really? For a service? An eberspacher ,which is basically the same is around £180+vat for a service.

Yep, there was some extra time spent trying to fix the electrics , which they didnt.

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[Gaston aires]

It can happen. Our friends and ex funsters, Jez and Lynn had three bad vans one after another. They have gone over to the dark side and now tuggers not chuggers.
Phil

 

[nicholsong]

A lot of problems listed.

See my post #9 above.

Am I lucky or just chose better?

Geoff

 

[uzsnowdrop]

It can happen. Our friends and ex funsters, Jez and Lynn had three bad vans one after another. They have gone over to the dark side and now tuggers not chuggers.
Phil

We did have some sortable issues with our first 2 , but we actually had good service from Marquis Hailsham Sussex.
Being local made it easier.
That said , We’ve had new cars and none of them ever had to go for repairs in the first year and no ‘hab check’ nonsense

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[Wagonagain]

Its a shame that you are giving up, best of luck with whatever you do.
As a newbie to MH but previously having caravans I can only speak for the one I have which is my first MH apart from some personal adaptations and a few minor defects when I bought it I am pleased with it. I did however buy it private and it must be one of the few that are genuinely described.
Dealers are always going to try and maximise profit by either not carrying out things or forgetting to tell you something or another.
I genuinely wish you luck with what ever you do but I can understand why you have chosen to sell up.

Good luck

 

[dash300]

We did have some sortable issues with our first 2 , but we actually had good service from Marquis Hailsham Sussex.
Being local made it easier.
That said , We’ve had new cars and none of them ever had to go for repairs in the first year and no ‘hab check’ nonsense

Had a Bmw 5 Series form new, everything fine until out of warranty then the 'go wrong chip' fired up most unrelia le care I have ever owned. I traded it in for a new Volvo and subsequently was told by the Volvo dealer on collection of my new car that the trader brought it back to them!

 

[Snoopy]

It's is meant to be enjoyable, relieve stress, so good luck on your path, to brighter days

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[STEVE4SONN]

We have just sold our Laika and ended our short lived motorhome life style, We both sat down and discussed this and we were both tired and stressed and had enough. Every motorhome we have owned has had problem after problem and the Laika was the final straw, I know it comes with the territory repairs etc on older vehicles , but read enough on here to know its not just the old ones. AMC , Lower Dicker, Hailsham didn't help matters with the Laika but that,s our own fault for not checking the motorhome properly before purchase, They supplied hab check/ damp check etc but not worth paper its written on, we went on there supposedly good reputation and supposedly good reviews.
Fridge didn,t work, We ripped that out and replaced with new, I found damp in rear toilet shower wall, we fixed that also, believe me if it wasn,t so far to return the motorhome would have done it. Its a shame because we loved the Laika and the only winner is the new owner after we repaired everything. I am not saying we wont buy another one but if we do it will be a while, and when the bubble bursts with stupid prices, give it 6 months to a year and there will be loads for sale at a lot lower prices.
I wont be on as much due to not having mh anymore but would like to thank everyone who has welcomed us and helped us when we needed it.
Happy touring and stay safe.

That is so sad.. the world is closing down in regards travel and the UK has so much to offer.. if you have solved many of your issues on you M/H why not keep hold of it and enjoy.
Anyway all the best on no matter what you decide to do stay safe and be HAPPY..
I am just begining my travel log by converting a sprinter van.. so if there are any issues I will only have myself to blame..

Regards
Steve n Sonia

 

[Jim]

I'll wager that a year down the line; every time you see a van, you'll regret your decision. I hope that s not true in your case but it is for many. Best of luck.

 

[pelican]

I feel your pain, the only blessing we have is that we fixed all our repairs ourselves to keep costs down and managed to sell for a good profit. hence treated myself to a new bike.

Wow sounds like a good out with a profit also sounds like excellent timing

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