Vanmaster,s offer for Bentley owners (1 Viewer)

May 23, 2008
2,480
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I have today received a continuous warranty offer from Vanmaster for my Bentley motorhome. If I pay them for 4 years habitation services in advance at a cost of £795, yes £795, they will continue the warranty set up by Bentley before they ceased trading. They are offering me a 10% discount if I pay quickly, good on them. The email they sent wasn't wearing a highwayman's mask so it is genuine. I know things are tough but at that price I find it an insult. What if they to go bust in a year and have my money in advance, I don,t think so. The annual habitation service is the best money spinner ever and even at £135 per year it is robbery. I know the dealers have costs but three of my customers are dealers and they just love habitation services, I wonder why.
 
Oct 12, 2011
398
484
West Sussex
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18,461
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Since 2011 therefore I'm not a newbie anymore
I think that's quite good! I have been told my Burstner habitation check will be around £250 I would have paid for a 3-5 year fixed price when bought the van but no luck they only do annual price, I bet the annual check cost will undoubtably go up over the years.

Seriously though i bought a 5 year servicing contract with Honda when I bought my new car.


Next year is my last year and I recon I have saved around £200 -300 over the 5 years.

Understand the concern about Vanmaster going bust, but a bit of damp is going to cos you some money to repair!!

I know it sounds a lot, and is a lot to find on one go, but do not discount it
 

Peter JohnsCross MH

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1995
I know the dealers have costs but three of my customers are dealers and they just love habitation services, I wonder why.


Yes I love them thats why with every van I sell, I give the first and next four years after absolutely FREE:thumb:

Peter

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Teasy2007

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Sep 26, 2007
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I have today received a continuous warranty offer from Vanmaster for my Bentley motorhome. If I pay them for 4 years habitation services in advance at a cost of £795, yes £795, they will continue the warranty set up by Bentley before they ceased trading. They are offering me a 10% discount if I pay quickly, good on them. The email they sent wasn't wearing a highwayman's mask so it is genuine. I know things are tough but at that price I find it an insult. What if they to go bust in a year and have my money in advance, I don,t think so. The annual habitation service is the best money spinner ever and even at £135 per year it is robbery. I know the dealers have costs but three of my customers are dealers and they just love habitation services, I wonder why.

Why do you need an annual habitation check??

We had to have them on our previous Motorhomes simply because it was part of the warranty. Now we don't have a warranty.

Our Bentley was booked in for its first habitation check in July, Richard Bentley rang me and asked if they could delay until after shutdown because they were so busy and had to get Motorhomes off the production line. I trusted him and agreed, a couple of weeks later they were shut!!!

IF we have one done it will be at our local dealer, not Wigan and certainly not £795!

Ginny
 

atlantisbird

Free Member
Mar 26, 2012
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since 2012 in own van
Why do you need an annual habitation check??

We had to have them on our previous Motorhomes simply because it was part of the warranty. Now we don't have a warranty.

Our Bentley was booked in for its first habitation check in July, Richard Bentley rang me and asked if they could delay until after shutdown because they were so busy and had to get Motorhomes off the production line. I trusted him and agreed, a couple of weeks later they were shut!!!

IF we have one done it will be at our local dealer, not Wigan and certainly not £795!

Ginny

I made the mistake of believing the directors of Bentley too.
One could always ask the Bentley Owners Club (with one's nose in the air) if the Hon Sec could negotiate a discount of £790.00 then it might be worth considering Ginny.
The email we received should have been written by a Yorkshireman like Mike then it may have been understandable. What are we supposed to get for our money. Coupons?
Atlantisbird
Harry

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jhorsf

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May 15, 2009
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They really are taking the pi$$ I would have thought to keep customers happy they would have sent you a letter saying they would honour what you have already paid for.I did read they were going to use the ex directors experience to help with the new company that would put me off giving them another penny as everything he touches turns to liquid (ation)
 

Teasy2007

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Sep 26, 2007
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They really are taking the pi$$ I would have thought to keep customers happy they would have sent you a letter saying they would honour what you have already paid for.I did read they were going to use the ex directors experience to help with the new company that would put me off giving them another penny as everything he touches turns to liquid (ation)

When autocruise went bust, Marquis gave us a 3 year warranty for free on our Starburst, it's a shame Fullers and Vanmaster aren't as honorable.

Ginny
 

jhorsf

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When autocruise went bust, Marquis gave us a 3 year warranty for free on our Starburst, it's a shame Fullers and Vanmaster aren't as honorable.

Ginny



It is a great shame as I am sure that very fact would have given a signal of commitment to any potential new owner,the quality of the product has never been in doubt I am sure

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Mar 22, 2011
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Since Feb 2013….2nd Van
Vanmaster

It is a great shame as I am sure that very fact would have given a signal of commitment to any potential new owner,the quality of the product has never been in doubt I am sure

Not a great way to re-start a business. (as someone looking to buy, my alarm bells are already ringing, and I find my self saying...Treat with caution). The MH buying consumer circle is quite a small knowledgeable one and well joined up. I do think this is lost on the big companies. They must think that we as "punters" don't share information. Dealers and manufacturers need to wake up.
 

TheBig1

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the majority of warranties are just simple insurance policies... what vanmaster are doing is getting you to prepay the premium as well as the annual habitation check

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darklord

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Apr 28, 2011
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Tell them that you would love to be able to loan them some money for three years, but unfortunatly you are currently assisting Tesco and Esso, but if in the future, you do fancy sending them some money and hoping THEY dont go bust, you'll le tem know....now plase stop sending begging letters.
 

Techno

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It amazes me that people pay a dealer to prove a manufacturer did or did not build it correctly
:roflmto:
 
D

DM14742

Deleted User
The Guy that did my last habitation check caused a leak on my Gaslow system & managed to set off the Dry powder Fire Extinguisher covering the whole interior, needless to say I sacked him. I won't mention any names but don't use a certain mobile engineer in the Wakefield area that has a name not dissimilar to the carry on films. A very apt name if you ask me.:Angry:

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Techno

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The use of the word /title engineer is very often misused and abused and set to impress, like a dustbin man calling himself a refuse disposal & recycling engineer :ROFLMAO:

Being a competent person with a reputation is far more real.
 
Last edited:
D

DM14742

Deleted User
I think that unless you are really confident in the Person / Company carrying out Habitation work I would have a healthy sceptisism about them. I think the motto "If its not broke don't fix it " applies, tinkering about can cause all sorts of problems.
 

atlantisbird

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Mar 26, 2012
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since 2012 in own van
The story of our worthless Bentley warrantee

We had a leaky pipe problem with our new Bentley after the first week and after a visit and discussion with the Bentley directors we agreed to have it repaired on the condition that after it was fixed we would have a written guarantee which states we have a yearly free damp check and free services for the life of ownership. We decided that accepting this rather than getting involved with solicitors and spending a year getting our money back was the other option and we are really glad we accepted.
The amazing fact here is that my wife said what happens to this warrantee if you go bust or you sell the business to Richard and Gordon Bentley.
Good job we decided to take that option at least we did not loose the price of the motorhome and even after a superb professional "guaranteed" repair the people who we were dealing with must have had some idea of the state of the company's finances, we feel lucky.
I for one think that the new company have spent so much buying the old company they need a cash injection.
We bought the Bentley because we liked it more than any other we had seen and we still like it and although the company went bust it is a really well put together machine with quality furnishing and finish.
We are happy with it.
We have no warrantee except for the base vehicle which will be enough.
Atlantisbird.

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jhorsf

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It just goes to show even when you get it in writing it aint worth jack
 
OP
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wiljoy
May 23, 2008
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Since posting my Vanmaster article I have talked to many Bentley owners who received the same offer for warranty. ALL I talked to were disgusted and felt Vanmaster were trying to cash in on the Bentley takeover. As far all of them are concerned Vanmaster have carried out one of there worst PR exercises. Besides insulting over 100 owners they have made sure they will not be future customers. I for one will NEVER purchase a motorhome from Vanmaster no matter how good they are.
 

jhorsf

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They could so easily have sent out a letter explaining that they would try to sort out any problems you have and gone the other way getting excellent publicity gaining your confidence instead someone has made a real mess of things

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