The importance of a HANDOVER - Tips on things to look for!

[596]

Ok everyone, I need your help, from your real life experiences could you please guide me in how to complete the perfect handover when buying my new van. I understand that in the fog of excitement it’s easy to miss things, I want to go prepared with my own list hopefully aided by you to ensure I don’t miss anything, it’s a 4hr drive to the dealer I don’t want to be going back.

Feel free to be honest with anything you were glad you asked or checked, things you wished you had asked or been shown, and lastly any nightmares and lessons I or others could learn.

Although I am buying new, handover could also relate to secondhand. THANKS!

 

[Southdowners]

I don’t think it’s down to you to ‘complete the perfect handover’ - that’s down to the person conducting the handover. Allow him/her to work through the procedure and ask questions as you proceed. Try not to interrupt the flow and ask questions relating to items not being discussed at the time... there will, hopefully, be a logical flow to the process.

We had a very long handover (with break for lunch) and found that the best way of retaining the information was to take notes. I went prepared with notebook and took notes which ran into pages... obviously bullet point lists.

The thing is that you’ll always have questions after the handover. These can be asked either in the phone or by email - no need to visit the dealership again.

 

[mitzimad]

video the vital bits on your phone controls and screens especially

 

[Allanm]

I don’t think there is a perfect handover for everyone and you need to guide it so you understand everything you are being told. With your experience in owning a van for ten years, you should have an idea of what you want to know and what you need to know.
At the very least, you need to be made aware of the base vehicles and converters warranties and how they work.
you should be taken around the van on the outside and everything to do with the use of the van should be explained to you. Likewise, inside, where all equipment should be shown and demonstrated, finally, you need to know where to look for further advice in the instruction and user manuals.
then ask if you don’t understand anything.

 

[mushy]

Make sure you spend time on your own after everything has been explained and check every little thing you can find. You will feel more confident to be scrupulous after the seller is not looking over you.

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[596]

I have never had a new van before and technology has changed since my older 2004 van was produced but I guess the systems are pretty much the same, in my instance the cab/chassis, electrical, gas, water, waste, controls for these e.g. heating/water e.t.c. I just think even with previous experience it’s a lot to take in, a note pad is certainly going to be useful!

I was just wondering what some people having experienced it would do better next time, I’m a believer of learning from mistakes, hopefully others, but I’m sure even if I go prepared I will forget something. I have the online manual but it’s a bit confusing as it covers a range of models so some items may be irrelevant as not fitted, I guess I just have to plough my way through, never had Alde heating with crash sensor for example, I understand this means you can have the heating on using gas while driving, can’t get my head round that but must be safe as I normally shut everything off when driving. Thanks again

 

[596]

How long does a handover take? someone mentioned a lunch break better take sandwiches then, it’s a 4 hr drive so going to be a long day!

There is so much gadgetry on the new van like electric air vents, wet heating, mood lighting, cruise control, air con, remote control via an app to work all this stuff from anywhere in the world, I really don’t see me understanding it all in a couple of hours Just driving it is a worth, it’s all the new controls and extra 1mtr or so length is going to take all my concentration and understanding the new sat nav and cameras. Starting to get a little nervous, may send the wife.

Maybe should book a local camp site for a night to go through things and try to bond with the beast, van not wife Could then pop back next day if not 100% happy or stuck with something

 

[Jimbohorlicks]

A friend has a 2 year old swift and his initial issues were understanding the control panel, which will be totally different than your older van, he could control the heating, lighting etc from his phone, so that's the area you may need to see demonstrated. Find out where the solar controller is and how the main control panel indicates the charge rates etc.

 

[BobtheBass]

I think booking a local camp site for the night and telling the dealer you will call back the next day for part two of the handover (questions and answers) is a great idea.

 

[mike mcglynn]

When we bought an arto from travel world they had a handover specialist who explained every detail and that was all he did and he was a very patient and thorough man .If only all the others were like that it would really make life easier.

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[Figaro]

I think your idea of a night on a nearby campsite is a good one, if not on the dealers premises.

 

[Southdowners]

How long does a handover take? someone mentioned a lunch break better take sandwiches then, it’s a 4 hr drive so going to be a long day!

There is so much gadgetry on the new van like electric air vents, wet heating, mood lighting, cruise control, air con, remote control via an app to work all this stuff from anywhere in the world, I really don’t see me understanding it all in a couple of hours Just driving it is a worth, it’s all the new controls and extra 1mtr or so length is going to take all my concentration and understanding the new sat nav and cameras. Starting to get a little nervous, may send the wife.

Maybe should book a local camp site for a night to go through things and try to bond with the beast, van not wife Could then pop back next day if not 100% happy or stuck with something

I don’t know how long a handover should take. Ours lasted pretty much all day but I imagine it varies a lot.

I’d say that the gadgetry you mention.... air vents, mood lighting, etc, etc are self evident. There’s not much to understand about switching something on or off and the air vents are just that... air vents. Try not to get too deep into the functioning of every little thing.

Can you arrange to say at the dealership overnight so that you can give everything a try?

With regard to the extra 1mt in length. I can’t imagine you’d even notice it.

 

[596]

A friend has a 2 year old swift and his initial issues were understanding the control panel, which will be totally different than your older van, he could control the heating, lighting etc from his phone, so that's the area you may need to see demonstrated. Find out where the solar controller is and how the main control panel indicates the charge rates etc.

That’s a good point, they have just launched version 2 school is the big touch screen controller I have, I watched videos on YouTube and it was a lot to take in, I couldn’t understand how it communicated as they don’t mention it, a bit of digging showed I had a pre paid SIM card in that lasts for 3 yrs, nobody can tell me what happens after that, I could be charged £100 a month for example, Swift referred me to Sargent who make it and they didn’t know, I asked if I could then put in my own SIM and they believed it was a sealed unit locked to the SIM, I still haven’t had an answer, so in effect I could be held hostage by a price they invent in 3yrs time or have no remote access if I don’t accept it, would I then also be charged the £95 a year for the tracker as well if I did pay for the SIM, they said nobody had ever asked that before, Oh Please! it’s not rocket science, some people may get a shock in 3yrs time, pay up every year or lose your remote control, I would rather have seen a SIM for life with cost built in. They said it was like sky TV, prices go up and if you don’t like it you cancel, so am I expected to lose a feature that was a buying point because they suddenly want to charge an as yet unknown annual fee, at least with sky I could choose someone else but I can’t change the controller easily, and by the way if you don’t pay for the SIM, your tracker that you also pay £95 a year for will not work as it uses the same SIM. And THAT is questions before I have even started the handover!

 

[JohnJan]

How long does a handover take? someone mentioned a lunch break better take sandwiches then, it’s a 4 hr drive so going to be a long day!

There is so much gadgetry on the new van like electric air vents, wet heating, mood lighting, cruise control, air con, remote control via an app to work all this stuff from anywhere in the world, I really don’t see me understanding it all in a couple of hours Just driving it is a worth, it’s all the new controls and extra 1mtr or so length is going to take all my concentration and understanding the new sat nav and cameras. Starting to get a little nervous, may send the wife.

Maybe should book a local camp site for a night to go through things and try to bond with the beast, van not wife Could then pop back next day if not 100% happy or stuck with something

I thinks that's a great idea. That's exactly what Wildax suggested to me, stay local and have a play with it all and if I was unclear to either phone for a clarification issue or pop back in the next day.
Worked for me!

 

[Allanm]

We bought our van locally but we still had a couple of questions I couldn’t find answers too in the manuals after I got home. A quick email to the dealer sorted that out.
i think it’s a great idea to try and stay somewhere locally for the first night in case any problems show up with its first use. Just make sure you use everything so you can become familiar with it.

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[Jimbohorlicks]

Unfortunately a lot of sales people don't know how the finer points of operating a motorhome work or some of the updates to the base vehicle. At my handover there was a designated hand over person, I think it was someone retired who they brought in on a job by job basis. He had a good all around knowledge of how the van worked but that was about all.
It is important to find out where the heating and boiler trip resets are for example, if you switch the heating or hot water off incorrectly they can trip out, press reset and alls well, but where do you find the reset buttons?

 

[Southdowners]

That’s a good point, they have just launched version 2 school is the big touch screen controller I have, I watched videos on YouTube and it was a lot to take in, I couldn’t understand how it communicated as they don’t mention it, a bit of digging showed I had a pre paid SIM card in that lasts for 3 yrs, nobody can tell me what happens after that, I could be charged £100 a month for example, Swift referred me to Sargent who make it and they didn’t know, I asked if I could then put in my own SIM and they believed it was a sealed unit locked to the SIM, I still haven’t had an answer, so in effect I could be held hostage by a price they invent in 3yrs time or have no remote access if I don’t accept it, would I then also be charged the £95 a year for the tracker as well if I did pay for the SIM, they said nobody had ever asked that before, Oh Please! it’s not rocket science, some people may get a shock in 3yrs time, pay up every year or lose your remote control, I would rather have seen a SIM for life with cost built in. They said it was like sky TV, prices go up and if you don’t like it you cancel, so am I expected to lose a feature that was a buying point because they suddenly want to charge an as yet unknown annual fee, at least with sky I could choose someone else but I can’t change the controller easily, and by the way if you don’t pay for the SIM, your tracker that you also pay £95 a year for will not work as it uses the same SIM. And THAT is questions before I have even started the handover!

I don’t imagine that any handover would go into what might or might not happen in three years time. I think it unreasonable to expect that it should. A handover is to explain how to use the onboard systems, not go into how the systems themselves operate. Why do you want to know how the control unit communicates... surely you just accept that it does? It’s like buying an iPad and asking the seller to explain exactly how it works.

With regard to the SIM - they have given you an answer. You may not like what they have said but they have given you answer. Technology changes incredibly quickly and things do become obsolete over time... I’d say that’s true of everything.

 

[Jim]

The Motorhome Book of Checklists is free to subscribers and has a couple of handover checklists within.

 

[Spriddler]

Just accept that you're not going to know/remember everything even if you have a check list and take copious notes; you don't need to know everything on the spot as I doubt you'll be going to the Moon for a week or two.
Nothing's perfect. You worry too much

 

[dryad]

the simcard thingamybob in 3 years time, i wouldn't get too hung up about that at the moment, you've bought the van, so put that on the back burner for now 'cos it'll be whatever it'll be and none of us can predict the future......it's the here and now that you need to know about isn't it..

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[BobtheBass]

At one handover for a new Chausson we were introduced to the member of staff we were to deal with and told it was his first day at work and as experienced motorhomes could we help him with his task! We knew far more about the van than he did but he was keen!

 

[SpeedyDux]

When we collected our new PVC at Highbridge we were allocated a timed slot for the handover. Then you pay at the sales office, and off you go looking for the nearest place to fill up with diesel.

Difficult to recall the handover because it all happened at such a rapid pace, but I think it was much too brief. I did ask the young lad some questions but still ended up with gaps in my understanding, struggling to take in and remember details of how things are supposed to work. When I got home I needed to take out the pack of manuals and read them carefully.

If you are buying a luxury A Class you probably get a completely different handover experience to ours, which left us underwhelmed on what should have been a day of joy and excitement, and feeling that the dealer only really cared about getting the money off us and the MH off the congested premises quickly to make room for the next one. A conveyor belt.

You can read more about it in the Dealer Review I have posted, including their cock-up over the Fiamma awning we had ordered and their attempt to fob us off with the wrong one.

 

[596]

I may suggest 2 days for handover as I like to know everything and how it works, have the pre read manual so that should help keep it within 2 days. There is NO WAY I will hear what I want to hear even in 8hrs!

 

[WynandJean]

How long does a handover take? someone mentioned a lunch break better take sandwiches then, it’s a 4 hr drive so going to be a long day!

There is so much gadgetry on the new van like electric air vents, wet heating, mood lighting, cruise control, air con, remote control via an app to work all this stuff from anywhere in the world, I really don’t see me understanding it all in a couple of hours Just driving it is a worth, it’s all the new controls and extra 1mtr or so length is going to take all my concentration and understanding the new sat nav and cameras. Starting to get a little nervous, may send the wife.

Maybe should book a local camp site for a night to go through things and try to bond with the beast, van not wife Could then pop back next day if not 100% happy or stuck with something

Yes , when I collected our new van I hadn't realised how long the handover would take and I had to request a break for lunch.

Wyn

 

[Pilgrim]

I feel the best idea on buying something so expensive and complicated is to go to a local site for a couple of nights.
You wont take in everything on the handover and things might not work even after the pre purchase check.
Worth building a retationship with your dealer as they can help with future problems.
Bought my new MH from Hayes Leisure 90 miles from my home.
Went to a site about 10 miles away for 2 nights no problems but got the chance to learn how the machine works so putting the handover into practice. No immediate problems so then went to get alarm fitted by Vanbitz.
Guarantee on MH 2 years so have since had a few minor problems which Hayes have been excellent in sorting out. Have been back a couple of times for a small problems I wanted sorted immediately not waiting for the yearly check.
Think the golden rules are be onside with the dealer, get to know them and be friendly, this is started before putting down the deposit. Have a local shakdown stop after buying it. Check everything on the shakedown stop to ensure that everything is ok and you understand how it all works, after a year still finding things out.

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[BishBosh]

When we were looking and nearly decided on a new Frankia from SMC. They offer an excellent service in that after handing over the motorhome they put you up in a local high quality site for the night so you can get to know the van overnight, if you find any problems or are unsure of anything you can go back the next day to get it resolved. Brilliant idea.
With this in mind when we go to collect ours we will be staying in it locally for the night hopefully no issues before heading back home too. We are collecting from 150 miles away.

edit to say...
Pilgrim beat me to it.

 

[Simon Select]

Every van we sell, new or used gets our handover package. We provide a bottle of gas, mains hook up lead and other bits ranging from blue chem, down to a fire extinguisher and bog roll for free.
We also put everyone up for 2 nights at Cornish Farm.
The reason we do this means, we can jump on any issues and also if a customer cannot remember how something works then we can show them again and again.
If we don't give you a mains hook lead or gas then I cannot show you your fridge running on mains, working properly or you hob/ grill not lighting. This means I have not done my job correctly!

 

[596]

It’s like buying an iPad and asking the seller to explain exactly how it works.

With regard to the SIM - they have given you an answer. You may not like what they have said but they have given you answer. Technology changes incredibly quickly and things do become obsolete over time... I’d say that’s true of everything.

On the contrary its like buying an iPad and finding a SIM card locked in it that only works for 3yrs, the Sim card being non removable and locked to that iPAD, after 3yrs you have no idea what they want to charge you to keep using it and you can't replace or put your own in, would you buy something like that? And if not what is the difference with my control being unusable after 3 yrs, it seems that some people don't read the finer points, it took me quite a while to even find the controller had a SIM card in never mind that it may be locked to the device and sealed, and no idea what it would cost after 3 yrs to keep it going!

Watch any youtube video of Swift Command and tell me where they explain this? Sargent and Swift have their own videos on there, neither explain.

 

[tonyidle]

I've always avoided hand-overs. IMO it's much easier to get the van home then spend an enjoyable day finding out what you don't know. Then, if necessary (and so far I haven't needed to do so), contact the dealer with a few relevant questions. A formal hand-over takes most time explaining things that, as an experienced caravan / motorhome owner, you'll already be familiar with. And I have a short attention span and I'm easily bored.

 

[tonyidle]

On the contrary its like buying an iPad and finding a SIM card locked in it that only works for 3yrs, the Sim card being non removable and locked to that iPAD, after 3yrs you have no idea what they want to charge you to keep using it and you can't replace or put your own in, would you buy something like that? And if not what is the difference with my control being unusable after 3 yrs, it seems that some people don't read the finer points, it took me quite a while to even find the controller had a SIM card in never mind that it may be locked to the device and sealed, and no idea what it would cost after 3 yrs to keep it going!

Watch any youtube video of Swift Command and tell me where they explain this? Sargent and Swift have their own videos on there, neither explain.

I'm with you on this. The very least you should be told at the time of purchase is that it's time-limited and it is completely reasonable to expect them to know what happens when it expires. This isn't a case of technology moving on.