Would you buy a European motorhome after a hard Brexit? (1 Viewer)

Stretto Boy

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Nov 6, 2016
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Let me say at the outset that, although the “B” word appears in the title, I intend this to be a motorhome thread not a Brexit one. Please don’t use it to argue the rights or wrongs of Brexit, for the Belly Locker is the correct home for that, and I don’t want @Jim
sending me to Coventry. Although, as a Coventrian, a free trip home is not entirely unwelcome!

It is reported that Merkel and Macron now oppose the transitional arrangement that the U.K. government has proposed. This raises the real possibility of us leaving without a deal and of tariffs being imposed on the import of continental motorhomes. This would probably be at the rate of 10% , being the rate applicable to imports from non-EU countries. The import tariff is also subject to VAT, meaning that the effective tax rate is 12%. On a typical new van price of £60,000 this adds £7,200 to the price.

My question is, how many of you would be prepared to accept such a price increase and still buy a continental motorhome rather than a British one? For the purposes only of this exercise, I would assume that (a) there are no additional price increases arising from a further fall in the value of Sterling (b) continental manufacturers don’t absorb part of the tariff themselves and (c) British manufacturers don’t take the opportunity to put their own prices up. I appreciate that some or all of these assumptions may prove to be false.

What I am really interested in is how much buyers of European motorhomes love them so much that they would be prepared to pay such a large additional premium. Please don’t stray beyond this and argue the merits or otherwise of Brexit or I’ll be in trouble!

So, Euro van lovers, how deep is your love for them?
 
Jun 30, 2011
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Depends, would it still mean they are the same price as a uk built one? for better quality too?

I would probably design my own and get it built in uk, LHD though, which is what we are now doing.

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Feb 21, 2016
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Don’t care where it’s built,may as well be on the moon. I’ve had German cars that are good,but paid a premium for them.
I have a motorhome on a Fiat base with a French hab (rapido).
We live in a global economy. In ten years time I expect to be driving an electric car built in..............doesn’t matter.
The likelihood is that the car will be made in some far off land,but the Moho is more likely to be made in GB,Germany or France. Whether they will still be affordable for us in GB is another subject entirely.
 
Oct 2, 2008
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I didnt buy one before "Brexit" (there is no hard or soft) so would be unlikely to after . I did a lot of looking and dont see the superiority of continental over British pound for pound . But the marketing seems to be better . JMHO
 
May 23, 2008
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The European motorhome manufacturers have a very strong market in the UK .As our market contributes so much to the EU I think they would probably think long and hard before charging us exorbitant prices. After owning 5 German motorhomes my choice would never be a UK built van again. My present van is European built but I wouldn't use this brand again.

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Feb 27, 2011
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I only buy on quality/features/price. I loved my Eura, my Hymer was ok. If post Brexit I was in the Market for a MH (I self build these days) I would still look at German Mh's first but the price would have some impact. I would probably buy a cheaper German rather than buy British. I do like to buy british wherever possible except in the case of Motorhomes.

I am not going into another Brexit debate so will leave that as my only comment.
 

Lenny HB

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Only ever had German Motorhomes, always imported myself can't see that changing. Certainly would buy a damp British one, been there done that with caravans.
German van loose so little money compared to Brit built oned that will easily compensate if there is any price increase.
 

John Stanton

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We wouldn't have another from the German manufacturer that built the last brand new heap of junk we had even if they reduced their prices by 12% and gave us free beer for life :(

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Cal54

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I agree entirely with @Smith and Sharp. It doesn't matter if it was built in Timbuktu as long as it was the 'right' van for me,

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May 7, 2016
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Presumably this 12% would also apply to the imported base vehicles and components of the UK manufactured motorhomes so it seems unlikely that the price differential will be as great as 12%. I suspect other factors already mentioned, such as exchange rates will also have an impact. On balance I don't think my buying habits would change.
 
May 7, 2016
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A second thought. Now that Hymer have purchased a UK manufacturer perhaps it will be possible to buy a motorhome with European attributes without importing it.
 
Jan 19, 2014
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The price increases on European vans would add demand and therefore value to British vans, so they would increase in price too. I would still buy British or consider self build when the time comes, but our Elddis is very good and I can see it lasting a good few years yet.

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Jan 11, 2010
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Well that`s our 13th year & still loving it.
Design and quality is what we want from a motorhome so wherever it is made doesn`t really matter.
One thing why would any manufacturer allow tariffs on their products to increase the price, all that would do is turn custom away, the cost to a lot of people is the starting block for buying.
 
Apr 12, 2010
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There is a lot of hypothesis here. In reality, all manufacturers need to be competitive and if not they will fail the test.
If its good enough it will sell. I have not seen much in the way of price increases due to the falling £ it has been absorbed to remain competitive.
Phil
 
Jul 5, 2013
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If British motorhomes were as good no-one would need to buy a continental van.
But.....................
Good point

Lots of Brits buy European made motorhomes (we have had 2). Few, if any, Europeans appear to buy British mohos. I have only ever seen 1 European registered British made van and that was owned by an ex-pat.
 
Jun 17, 2012
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With market forces in play (which I know sod all about !) sales of say Hymers, to the UK, would fall, would Hymer reduce their prices to offset the tariff thereby more or less keeping prices to what they are now?
Or would the likes of BMW, Mercedes, Audi etc. be willing to lose out on the UK market?
I don't think so, but then I know sod all about market forces.......:sneaky:

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Gellyneck

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More than toes wet now!
Don't think the figure of 12% is totally correct as VAT (@ current 20%) would be payable on the full vehicle cost and all associated costs of importing to UK.
So -
Vehicle - £60,000
Delivery - £1,000
Duty (10%) - £6,100
VAT (20%) - £13,420
Total -£80,250

If the vehicle cost includes current source country VAT this would be reduced by the local VAT rate as it would not be payable at source on export. Believe current rates are France 20%, Germany 19% and Italy 22%.
 
Feb 9, 2008
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Well ! I think buying a motorhome after a hard Brexit might depend on the freedoms or restrictions placed on UK passport holders who want to visit one or more E.U. countries in their motorhome. Worst case scenario could end up with a 'you're no longer welcome to visit' and owning a motorhome becomes less attractive.. I do hope i'm wrong. As for purchasing Motorhomes, modern UK built motorhomes are very well built so why pay an extra 10% for a european one. In saying that, at the end of the day it will be down to buyer preference.
 
D

Deleted member 29692

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I wouldn't have a British motorhome if the converter was going to pay me to take it off their hands.

It doesn't matter to me how much more expensive European models may or may not be they are the only ones I would ever consider.
 

WildHorse

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Hi Phil & Mena, you dont need to worry about brexit fear mongering, see below.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights

Article 13

1. Everyone has the right to freedom of movement and residence within the borders of each state.
2. Everyone has the right to leave any country, including his own, and to return to his country.

A friend of ours is an auto electrician and works on contract with a couple of motorhome dealers, so he gets to see the build of motorhomes close up and personal. They are all constructed in the same way wherever they are made, with manufacturing cost constraints.
The overall structure gains its strength form all its integral parts coming together to form the whole thing, so you weaken a small part and you risk stressing the whole.
Cables are laid in walls and floors with no thought on how these may be accessed should a fault occur in the future. So as far as buying is concerned whatever you buy from wherever it will all be pretty much the same under the skin.
I know modern materials are good, but have you ever thought how they squeeze all that gear into one of these and manage to keep the weight to an absolute minimum, giving massive payloads on the newer vehicles, something has to give.
Modern composite materials are good, strong and lite and dont require steel, or at least very little steel, but i am old school, i like steel and welded joints and nuts and bolts. On the older vehicles at least you would be left with some steel after a fire (God Forbid Such a Thing Ofcourse) :D

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