What to do?

[NJA]

We purchased our Knaus back in March, on the day we collected it We were so excited, I drove a mile and a half and filled it with diesel, whilst on the forecourt a freak gust of wind ripped the front skylight/ sunroof off and smashed it on the floor.
I phoned the dealer and to be fair to them they immediately accepted that it was their issue. My guess is that it hadn't been closed properly when valeted.
They told me they would, get and fit the part and deliver my MH to me as soon as it was fixed. A few days later they called and told me there were no parts in the UK and the factory couldn't supply for 12 weeks because of Brexit. As there wasn't much we could do about it I agreed to wait.
In mid June 12 weeks came and went. No part and no likelihood of a part before the end of July. They offered a temporary fix of a perspex sheet, which I agreed to.
That was two weeks ago, still nothing.
We want the MH, they have had my 42k since the start of March and I am pretty p****d off. I have paid for insurance, storage and even a tank of fuel, but have nothing to show for it.
What should I do, I have tried to find the part, but to no avail.
Any suggestions welcomed.

 

[tonyidle]

A part needed for my Heki 3 (roof frame) took over four months. Not what you want to hear I know but if you can make the van useable without it I'd do so.

 

[Mrsambulancekidd]

That is shockingly bad service despite delays for any reason, the next excuse will be covid.
I hope you get it sorted to your satisfaction soon.
If it was me, once fixed properly I would want some money back to at least cover losses AND a new warranty for what it's worth.
I would also go through the MH with a fine tooth comb, damp metre, the lot, I would open and close every cupboard, door, check the cooker, heating, water....everything in any way possible and make them sweat.

 

[Brains]

My guess is the parts may not be available for many months, possibly not even this year.

That is not the dealers fault, and there is nothing they can do about it.

If the dealer can supply and fit a perspex sheet that is waterproof, then at least you can use the van for the rest of the summer.
As and when the parts arrive, it can be booked in at your convenience

It may also be worth considering getting a Knauss Dealer near Calais involved.
I see there is one near Bruges, only about 1hr from Calais
It may be a lot quicker and easier to go there rather than wait for a part to arrive in the UK .
This also may be considerably cheaper for your dealer.

Many EU and US companies are now not selling to the UK due to the added paperwork and taxes.
(and items getting returned because the pen used to fill in the form was blue not black etc)

Until such time as what is known as a 'Consolidator' companies are set up who receive EU goods for the UK and ship across one container at a time (and people are prepared to pay the eyewatering fees) then I don't see this problem being resolved. Consolidator companies already exist, many in the UK, mostly to ship items to Africa and the Caribbean, we have to recognise that we are now a country lumped in with them.

 

[Robert Clark]

Surely it’s the drivers responsibility to check the vehicle over before driving on UK roads ?

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[Brains]

Surely it’s the drivers responsibility to check the vehicle over before driving on UK roads ?

It is, but if the dealership have accepted responsibility, then I'd not quibble.

You could equally argue that the dealer should provide the vehicle in working condition to drive off their forecourt, which in this case it was not.
Imagine say something major mechanical had happened within the first mile, then of course the dealer would be responsible, even if the new owner could potentially have seen the issue if they had known what to look for.

 

[Robert Clark]

It is, but if the dealership have accepted responsibility,

People seem to love blaming other people for their own shortcomings

 

[Neil S]

Not sure what size of roof light your after but there are many available in different sizes on EBay
Dometic/ Seitz / Heki

 

[Nanniemate]

Ask the dealer to take one off a demo model .......worth a try

 

[RubyOptics]

We purchased our Knaus back in March, on the day we collected it We were so excited, I drove a mile and a half and filled it with diesel, whilst on the forecourt a freak gust of wind ripped the front skylight/ sunroof off and smashed it on the floor.
I phoned the dealer and to be fair to them they immediately accepted that it was their issue. My guess is that it hadn't been closed properly when valeted.
They told me they would, get and fit the part and deliver my MH to me as soon as it was fixed. A few days later they called and told me there were no parts in the UK and the factory couldn't supply for 12 weeks because of Brexit. As there wasn't much we could do about it I agreed to wait.
In mid June 12 weeks came and went. No part and no likelihood of a part before the end of July. They offered a temporary fix of a perspex sheet, which I agreed to.
That was two weeks ago, still nothing.
We want the MH, they have had my 42k since the start of March and I am pretty p****d off. I have paid for insurance, storage and even a tank of fuel, but have nothing to show for it.
What should I do, I have tried to find the part, but to no avail.
Any suggestions welcomed.

Do you have a part number? I'm in Poland and have a very good dealer who is an authorised Knauss dealer just up the road from me. If you have the number, let me know and I'll see if he would be able to sort anything out for you.

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[Brains]

Ask the dealer to take one off a demo model .......worth a try

Certainly worth a try.

Ours was the dealers demo model.
It did a summer of trade shows before we bought it as the first owners but with 5k miles on the clock.

This is the reason why our water pump and our loo cassette, are both several years older than our van.
Our wing mirrors are off an older model, and why all the gubbins that drive the TV and satellite dish are all newer than the van.
(Along with a few other anomalies)

 

[Eggs]

Do you have a part number? I'm in Poland and have a very good dealer who is an authorised Knauss dealer just up the road from me. If you have the number, let me know and I'll see if he would be able to sort anything out for you.

That's a great offer, top work.

 

[Ninjabob]

People seem to love blaming other people for their own shortcomings

A tad harsh. The poster does say this is the day of pickup of a new to him Motorhome. The excitement and nerves in driving it would come into play as would unfamiliarity with sounds created by travelling in it for the first time. Dealer has been quick to admit responsibility so that is enough for me. I don't recall checking every locker and window catch before driving off the dealer's forecourt when I took delivery of mine - how irresponsible of me

 

[pelican]

Ask the dealer to take one off a demo model .......worth a try

Demand he does it

 

[Eggs]

Demand he does it

If I was a dealer and someone came in demanding things they would be on a hiding nothing, if someone came to me calm and pleasant I'd consider taking one off another vehicle if I had one.

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[gus-lopez]

I think if he said no I'd be taking one off myself.

 

[Robert Clark]

A tad harsh.

Probably why I’m not a motorhome dealer

 

[pelican]

If I was a dealer and someone came in demanding things they would be on a hiding nothing, if someone came to me calm and pleasant I'd consider taking one off another vehicle if I had one.

I would demand it diplomatically

 

[IanFraser]

Th

People seem to love blaming other people for their own shortcomings

Thats as may be but I’d still be pretty pissed off at Moho dealer not having secured skylight before I drove off in a £42k van. As for OP, if you’ve got legal cover on your insurance policy give them a call and ask for their advice re all your options then choose the one that suits you.

 

[Robert Clark]

Th

Thats as may be but I’d still be pretty pissed off at Moho dealer not having secured skylight before I drove off in a £42k van. As for OP, if you’ve got legal cover on your insurance policy give them a call and ask for their advice re all your options then choose the one that suits you.

I think the OP has been extremely lucky in a number of ways.

Firstly that the sky light didn’t fly off whilst he was driving at speed and hurt or even kill another road user. I’m sure that the police would have taken a very dim view to him not checking the vehicle before driving off.

Secondly that the dealer has agreed to provide a free replacement sky light and has carried out a temporary repair in the meantime.

I wondering why the OP can’t simply use the vehicle ‘as is’ whilst waiting for the replacement part to arrive?

I apologise if anyone thinks that my comments were harsh, however I think that the OP has been extremely lucky, that a potentially serious incident has been avoided and that someone else is picking up the bill.

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[Chris Summers]

Who’s the dealer? Social media can be good or bad so name and shame

 

[PrettyandFluffy]

Take them to the Small Claims Court - you file the papers online. We have done this twice in our lifetime and both times had the situation sorted within 24 hours.

 

[Boris7]

I had a similar issue last year, a gust of wind took one of my roof lights and I bought a replacement via the manufacturer, had a second issue with another roof light and this time sorted it myself with the advise of CazPaul I went here https://www.leisureshopdirect.com/ but another option is https://www.practicalmotorhome.com/advice/motorhome-salvage-spares

Once you find the part either get the dealer to buy it or buy it yourself and have them fit it, they should be doing this for you since they accepted responsibility but you need to get the van on the road or you’ve just wasted your money.

I do a walk through and check everything before setting off, it’s a faff but worth it.

 

[Neil S]

I had a similar issue last year, a gust of wind took one of my roof lights and I bought a replacement via the manufacturer, had a second issue with another roof light and this time sorted it myself with the advise of CazPaul I went here https://www.leisureshopdirect.com/ but another option is https://www.practicalmotorhome.com/advice/motorhome-salvage-spares

Once you find the part either get the dealer to buy it or buy it yourself and have them fit it, they should be doing this for you since they accepted responsibility but you need to get the van on the road or you’ve just wasted your money.

I do a walk through and check everything before setting off, it’s a faff but worth it.

Exactly my thoughts
On EBAY there are plenty of the most common sized roof lights available
400 x 400s and 700 x 400 and others
Heki / Seitz /Dometic all for delivery within a few days .
I’d be sourcing my own irrespective of the price , hand the bill to the dealer and get them to fit it .

 

[Boris7]

I think you need to get down the dealers with a camera and tape measure, find the manufacturer/ model / size and get on google.

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[minesapint]

It is, but if the dealership have accepted responsibility, then I'd not quibble.

You could equally argue that the dealer should provide the vehicle in working condition to drive off their forecourt, which in this case it was not.
Imagine say something major mechanical had happened within the first mile, then of course the dealer would be responsible, even if the new owner could potentially have seen the issue if they had known what to look for.

We had a similar thing happen to us, our new to us 2017 Burstner, the front hatch just blew off when driving at about 40mph. Up to this point we had never ever opened the hatch as we had not been away since getting the van a few weeks earlier. The dealer in Lincoln luckily had one in stock and despatched it the same day as a warranty item. I fitted it the next day and have since covered many miles with the new hatch, which does have a different construction to the original. I has a white surround which has the hinges in it, and the clear set into it. The original was all clear plastic and it broke behind the hinges. It seems this is a design change driven by possible failure.

 

[minesapint]

My guess is the parts may not be available for many months, possibly not even this year.

That is not the dealers fault, and there is nothing they can do about it.

If the dealer can supply and fit a perspex sheet that is waterproof, then at least you can use the van for the rest of the summer.
As and when the parts arrive, it can be booked in at your convenience

It may also be worth considering getting a Knauss Dealer near Calais involved.
I see there is one near Bruges, only about 1hr from Calais
It may be a lot quicker and easier to go there rather than wait for a part to arrive in the UK .
This also may be considerably cheaper for your dealer.

Many EU and US companies are now not selling to the UK due to the added paperwork and taxes.
(and items getting returned because the pen used to fill in the form was blue not black etc)

Until such time as what is known as a 'Consolidator' companies are set up who receive EU goods for the UK and ship across one container at a time (and people are prepared to pay the eyewatering fees) then I don't see this problem being resolved. Consolidator companies already exist, many in the UK, mostly to ship items to Africa and the Caribbean, we have to recognise that we are now a country lumped in with them.

We were so lucky when our hatch blew off that the dealer in Lincoln had one in stock.
It seems the EU are being the EU, and making problems with ridiculous paperwork etc.

 

[Headrush]

After my skylight blew off earlier this year it took one week short of three months to get a new one. Still not fitted it yet as my temporary repair with perspex and a section of tarpaulin roped over has been doing very well so far. Currently in heavy rain up near Okehampton, no leaks. I suspect the new skylight will probably be fitted towards the end of the year now.

 

[Chris Summers]

Who’s the dealer that’s causing the issue? At least it will help other know in case they are looking to purchase

 

[Littlewheels]

Who’s the dealer? Social media can be good or bad so name and shame

Who’s the dealer that’s causing the issue? At least it will help other know in case they are looking to purchase

I really feel this is a one sided story and persecuting the Dealer is not the answer and pushing someone ruin someones reputation isn’t nice.

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