Why Are Vans So Expensive In The Uk? (1 Viewer)

[gus-lopez]

what abut Ireland

And Cyprus Australia New Zealand and japan

India, Malta also..

Bahamas japan nearly all the Caribbean islands

That list keeps on getting bigger,
Malaysia, Brunei, Singapore

Yes , but apart from The UK & Ireland ,all the others involve shipping costs . So that's end of selling there unless the cost in country of sale justifies it ?
Whereas Left hand drive you have the whole of Europe to sell to & they also command a premium. Even in the UK a lhdrive car , 10 years old can command 3 x the price of a comparable rhd one.
There are dealers , mainly in the Midlands, that have sold lhd vehicles & nothing else as long as I've been driving , & that's over 40 years.
Some of the newer dealers selling lhd who've got in over the last few years are actually asking MORE for some lhd's than you actually pay here !!

 

[vwalan]

Cripes!

I never realised my superbly built, Hymer 660S with its shower/toilet room, u shape rear lounge, water heater, central heating with blower option, air cooling system, one piece grp roof, PUAL wall construction and six berths was a "crap conversion"!

JJ

usually have poor kitchen facilities . plus the chassis on many rust very badly . even more so if hymer do a chassis extension . seen loads that have required extensive chassis repairs . plus the heating water system isnt what its cracked up to be . see how many faults get mentioned on this forum . also for the money shame they dont fit a compressor fridge .

 

[philw111]

since when as australia been in europe

You obviously didn't watch Eurovision - Australia is now officially in Europe

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[vwalan]

actually you find in aus and newzealand they tend to use alot more jap cars and m,homes . they have lots we never see here. after all its only a short ferry to get them in and both being rh drive gives the japs a good market.
and no i didnt watch eurovision , dont think i have since i was a small kid . never hardly listen to modern music at all.

 

[JJ]

usually have poor kitchen facilities . plus the chassis on many rust very badly . even more so if hymer do a chassis extension . seen loads that have required extensive chassis repairs . plus the heating water system isnt what its cracked up to be . see how many faults get mentioned on this forum . also for the money shame they dont fit a compressor fridge .

This post is not true.

I have not seen ANY owners of Hymer 660 S built on the 410 chassis with the 5 cylinder engine list faults on Fun

Indeed... I strongly suspect Mr vwalan does not know which Hymer I have...

Chassis extension?

Chassis rust?

JJ

 

[WAG2CRU]

Cripes!

I never realised my superbly built, Hymer 660S with its shower/toilet room, u shape rear lounge, water heater, central heating with blower option, air cooling system, one piece grp roof, PUAL wall construction and six berths was a "crap conversion"!

JJ

Apparently If it leaks and squeaks its ok but, no oven & grill it has to be crap

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[Paddywack]

But what about warranty cover if you import a van from Europe?

EEC - all warranties pan-European so a uk agent would have to sort it for you, you may find you are low down on their priority customer list though!

 

[2657]

How many on here in business or self employed would charge at a 'fair' rate rather than the market rate when there is more than enough custom at the market rate.

Capitalism, the market economy and the laws of supply and demand at work!

 

[GWAYGWAY]

Back to the 610 chausson, I found a model in Germany that was a Platinum which is further up the model scale and not available her for the same in Euro as the Flash bog standard model in pounds here, how would Lowdhams and others explain that one. When I asked at my local dealer they stated a price of list PLUS delivery and pdi which added £2000 to the list price, Theyalso said because it was the Motorhome of the year it would be sold at full priceor even a premium saying as so many were wanted they would be able to sell as many as they can get from the Factory and there would be no more. If that is the common attitude it reinforces my views of the UK. I must admit that I would prefer a RHD model but I would soon get used to a LHD model. We are all mugs in the UK I have bought things from the USA through ther agents in UK and the price of those was $ changed to £ same as the euro. The reason they said was importing was so expensive, but VAT was plonked on top so where was the difference, the item were import tax free with end user certificates. Another item I end up buying myself, almost cheaper to fly over and ship it back myself in some cases.

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[Peter JohnsCross MH]

Not that we sell continental vans now but when we did there was no difference in the dealers discount, we dont make a massive profit on new vans as such whether UK or Continental.

Accessories in Europe however appear to be more expensive than in the UK for some reason

Peter

 

[vwalan]

This post is not true.

I have not seen ANY owners of Hymer 660 S built on the 410 chassis with the 5 cylinder engine list faults on Fun

Indeed... I strongly suspect Mr vwalan does not know which Hymer I have...

Chassis extension?

Chassis rust?

JJ

it was a general comment about hymers ,
and of course i know which model you have , been around campers long enough.
but german kitchens need alot to be desired.

 

[JJ]

german kitchens need alot to be desired.

...and what about the rusty chassis and the poor water heater or have you stepped back from those?

Oh, and by the way, my fridge works brilliantly in any of the three modes.

I am still not aware about all the complaints on Fun about this type of Hymer.

I am sorry but your general comment(s) about Hymers don't fit my experiences of them.

And to refer to the OP... I would have no hesitation in buying from abroad and saving money.

JJ

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[WAG2CRU]

usually have poor kitchen facilities . plus the chassis on many rust very badly . even more so if hymer do a chassis extension . seen loads that have required extensive chassis repairs . plus the heating water system isnt what its cracked up to be . see how many faults get mentioned on this forum . also for the money shame they dont fit a compressor fridge .

Please point me in the direction of all the Hymer faults you claim to be mentioned on this forum. As far as I can tell, at best, your comments are spurious and misleading.

 

[Judge Mental]

it was a general comment about hymers ,
and of course i know which model you have , been around campers long enough.
but german kitchens need alot to be desired.

different strokes for different folks? Not everyone feels the need to replicate a domestic kitchen in a vehicle that is in most cases used on holiday in good weather where most cooking takes place outside. I left Spain a few weeks ago when temps reached over 40 deg...what good an oven then? If I want a roast chicken Ill go buy one!

as for a reason for not importing that take the biscuit as can be retrofitted in most cases...

 

[Judge Mental]

Please point me in the direction of all the Hymer faults you claim to be mentioned on this forum. As far as I can tell, at best, your comments are spurious and misleading.

and obviously UK installed Truma systems work faultlessly!!!

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[vwalan]

Please point me in the direction of all the Hymer faults you claim to be mentioned on this forum. As far as I can tell, at best, your comments are spurious and misleading.

truma have faults with the heating quite often . three way fridges tend to stop working in hot climates 36c and above . the assistors do play up on the front beds .
i personally prefer compressor fridges . instantaneous water heaters and catalytic heaters for the room heater .
just heat the water you need at the time.
on some hymers they use a chassis extension . on the merc chassis . they rust terribly.
i know many remove the front bed as its a very heavy set up.
plus the kitchen is lacking work space .
ideal if just going on a two weeks holiday . if long terming it becomes a bit tiring , lack of draining boards etc .
i very often travel with hymer owners so this kitchen lacking things crops up regularly.
yes they manage .
but for the money its lacking things .

 

[MR. FUSION]

...and what about the rusty chassis and the poor water heater or have you stepped back from those?

Oh, and by the way, my fridge works brilliantly in any of the three modes.

I am still not aware about all the complaints on Fun about this type of Hymer.

I am sorry but your general comment(s) about Hymers don't fit my experiences of them.

And to refer to the OP... I would have no hesitation in buying from abroad and saving money.

JJ

OMG freeloading rust

 

[Forestboy]

thats because the factory has to convert them to rhd . if you want lhd then buy abroad.
but if buying a motor caeravan abroad watch out they have some crap conversions . no grill no oven . etc . some do . choice is yours .

usually have poor kitchen facilities . plus the chassis on many rust very badly . even more so if hymer do a chassis extension . seen loads that have required extensive chassis repairs . plus the heating water system isnt what its cracked up to be . see how many faults get mentioned on this forum . also for the money shame they dont fit a compressor fridge .

it was a general comment about hymers ,
and of course i know which model you have , been around campers long enough.
but german kitchens need alot to be desired.

Strange comments.
My crappy german built 14 year old Hymer has just completed another 6 week 4000 mile trip around Europe and didnt miss a beat.
In 4 years we've done well over 50000 miles in it, the 3 way fridge is brilliant if anything too good. The oven is used all the time as we prefer to cook our own food to eating out. We also regularly cook and entertain up to 6. Insulation is second to none survived plenty of weeks in the Alps at temps below minus 20 with no EHU. Likewise spent many many weeks in temps in the high 30s.
Would we buy another yes in a flash, although apparently we've been lucky and got the odd good one.
Would we buy abroad yes in a flash.
Why the hell pay 20k more than you need to.

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[JJ]

"Geordie Billy and Irene" (Hymer 660), "Irish John and Ann" (Hymer 550), "Scottish Colin and Margret" (Hymer 660), Roberto Comdon, Founder of the Classic Hymer Club of Portugal, (Hymer 550) are just a few of the Hymer folk I hang out with, year in and year out, and they have never complained about their heaters or fridges or rusty chassis or kitchens to me.

What they have all said though is how they love their old Hymers, and how well they are put together, and how few mechanical problems they have had with them.

True, after sleeping in my drop down bed for 7 years (@125/130 kilos) I had to replace a gas strut but after nearly 30 years, I would not call this a design or build quality fault!!!!


JJ

 

[tofo]

ok ireland but since when as australia , new zealand ,japan been in europe .
thats why uk as lots of jap imports like the mazda bongo. europe doesnt want them . even america doesnt want them .

they need to make rhd for these countries
so tooling for just one country
wouldnt happen without greater profit drive

myself its because britons dont generally
haggle
most accept the label price and go thats the price Ethel do we want it the man said

few will travel abroad for a better price
for the same thing

 

[Jim]

@vwalan Hymer has a vast range of products and you can't just generalise like that. Yes some have small kitchens, others are massive, some have a tiny living area others are as big as they come.

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[Forestboy]

[QUOTE="JJ,

True, after sleeping in my drop down bed for 7 years (@125/130 kilos) I had to replace a gas strut but after nearly 30 years, I would not call this a design or build quality fault!!!!


JJ [/QUOTE]

Oh shit I forgot that we had to do ours after 12 years dont sleep on it but boy does it carry some weight.
Obviously selective memory on my part.
Perhaps its not as good as I thought.

 

[WAG2CRU]

i know many remove the front bed as its a very heavy set up.
.

Ah so robustness is a negative in your world!

I believe that the front bed is so unpopular with Hymer owners that, Hymer have now designed a model with it as a main feature, its called the Duo Mobile.

Personally, without the weight of the front bed set up, I would have to find another way of getting enough weight over the front wheels.

 

[GWAYGWAY]

I was trying to make a joke... Did I fail??? Again???

YES

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[Judge Mental]

I'm spec'ing up A class vans at the moment the Hymer front beds approx 80kg I believe? pointless if not going to use it..so dont have it!lol

But not many vans around @ 6 meters with 2 large easy to use double beds (I'm looking at longer vans) and will have the drop down for when kids join us....

Better then scrambling around making beds out of multiple bits of tables and cushions, that block access to kitchens etc..... this common with many UK vans, where you have to be joined at the hip, and go to bed & get up the same time...seriously?

 

[MR. FUSION]

Better then scrambling around making beds out of multiple bits of tables and cushions,

In UK vans that is called foreplay

 

[gus-lopez]

As I've said before, everything in the UK is expensive .

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[MR. FUSION]

There are no difference in the tax involved other than the VAT and that is calculated on the selling price, almost the same rate throughout the EEC just in the UK it is more because the selling price is a damn sight more so the VAT is 20% of the increased price.
I am still looking at a chausson 610 and the price in Euro is the same figure again of the price in £ I really think that we ARE BEING RIPPED OFF by the dealers who must be making a LOT more profit but I should think that the dealers abroad are making a fair share themselves but there is a LOT MORE competition, as there are a much bigger geographic areas where you can go a shop around, unlike here where you are stuck with a few dealers in a pricing cartel.

Can you tell me where you are looking at your 610 and is it RHD OR LHD ???? I am in the market !!!

 

[TheWM]

watch out they have some crap conversions . no grill no oven

That made me laugh

Why do most of us English have an obsession with an oven in a MH? In over 25 years of camping I've never had a roast dinner. How do our continental cousins manage to survive?

 

[vwalan]

they cook out side . we make bread do loads of cooking in the oven . mind we are away 6 months at a time. cooking outside is great for campsites . we dont use them so cooking inside helps us getr left alone by the guardia in spain . but dont worry they use all sorts of after market ovens as well.
in many of our trips we are so far away from villages etc without baking bread there wouldnt be any.

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