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Auto-Sleepers Broadway EL Duo Peugeot X250


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Does anyone have any experience of or thoughts about this model please - good, bad or ugly!!

 

And yes - I did once (or twice!) say that I wouldn't touch an X250 with a bargepole but we were offered a super deal on a 10 reg 130ps used one at Newbury and we are tempted as it is allegedly one with the revised gearbox and is Euro 4!!

 

Thanks.

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No comments on the conversion apart from we were sat in one at Newbury and very nice it was indeed. However I can comment on the chassis though having owned several vans in the last few years:

 

2005 second generation Peugeot based AS Symbol (120bhp),

2007 Transit based Hobby (120bhp)

2011 Fiat X250 Timberland Euro 4 120bhp with Euro 5 dash.

 

My comments on the Transit and X250 (I’ll leave out the 2005 van):

 

Best build quality – Transit. Transit feels better put together and the plastics look and feel better quality. Even Fiats new dash looks and feels tacky compared to the Transit.

 

Best engine – Unusually the Transit. On paper the Fiat should win (PVC against coachbuilt) but no the Transit would sit in top gear (5th) all day and delivered its power in a lazier fashion. The Fiat will go if needed but it has to be revved with major use of the gears. Transit was better on hills, again Fiat needs the use of the gears. I also find there is an annoying flat spot when you are doing about 60 and want to overtake. I bought a Torque module at Newbury and first impressions are good, but I will wait and see.

 

Best MPG – At the moment the Transit (29 mpg over 8000 miles). Fiat is doing 27 mpg BUT only has 1000 miles on the clock so I expect better as it runs in. Also we do tend to trundle on faster in the Fiat due to better road holding (PVC against coachbuilt).

 

Best Dealer – FORD

 

Transit – The crankshaft pulley broke at 6000 miles. Pulley is a metal inner and outer sandwiching a rubber core and the outer ring pulled away from the rubber sandwich. Fixed within two days by Ford with no issues.

 

Fiat – Water ingress in engine compartment. The van came without the windscreen scuttle drain hose. Rather than drive 250 miles back to the dealer I thought I would just nip in the local Fiat dealer. They are bound to be helpful aren’t they after all I have bought a new Fiat. Well they couldn’t care less and put every obstacle in my way. They claimed it was a misbuild and I should take it back to whoever PDI’d it. After a fight they took pictures and contacted Fiat only to be told that Fiat would only deal with the people who had PDI’d the van. In the end it was easier to just buy a drain hose!! I also had the scuttle to windscreen leaks which again Fiat did not want to know about so I had to ‘fix’ it myself.

 

 

Conclusion:

 

Would I buy an X250. Well yes if the conversion I wanted was on an X250. If the conversion was on either a Transit or X250 then NO the Transit would win.

 

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Hello Campers,

 

I would like to add to the last post regarding the crankshaft pulley design on the transit. It is a shocking piece of engineering! The rubber joint between the hub and the pulley ring breaks and if you are lucky just rattles around a bit. More often than not though, it partially shears and causes the pulley ring to flap around eccentrically which mills away a ring shaped hole in the cam cover. This results in sudden loss of oil and in the worst cases damage to the cam chain, tensioners and guides.

 

One of my customers has had this happen twice and has faced bills of £600 and £1400 for rectification work because it happened outside of the warranty period.

 

I think you will agree that having the problem occur at 6000 miles is shocking enough even if it was covered by warranty but if you had to pay that kind of money later on you would not be so pleased with the Ford.

 

I just wanted to make folks aware that it's not only Fiat that get things wrong.

 

Richard; Don't be confused, all X250's were Euro 4 until last year when the Euro 5 vehicles started to appear. The gearbox should be the later, modified version if it was built after April 2009 if I recall correctly, so make sure the one you are looking at has a build date in the latter part of 2009 or better still 2010. You can pm me with the chassis number if you like and I will check it for you.

 

Regards,

 

Nick

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I've got a Broadway EK rather than the EL and am pretty pleased with it. Build quality good everything worked first time and when the electric step failed the whole unit was replaced without quibble. Replaced the beige carpets with somewhat darker ones! Very good van. And it goes backward up hills!
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The build quality of our Autosleeper is excellent our 1st motorhome was on a x250 5 speed Peugeot excellent motor , our 2nd was a x 250 6 speed Fiat and as they say FIAT fix it again tomorro would never have another Fiat  , our current Autosleeper is on a x250 Peugeot 6 speed and is a dream to drive just done 2000+ miles in France total av mpg 30.5 cannot grumble at that.
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Thanks folks - I too have always regarded Auto-sleepers very highly having had several Executives / Talismans (Talismen plural?) and a Nuevo over the years.

 

Test drive tomorrow - watch this space.

 

Not a lot of confidence in the dealer but without proof or a bad experience I will mention no names!

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Been pondering purchasing one of these too.

 

Has the one you've seen got the chest of drawers and table sited between the settees?

Friends of ours say that option is brilliant as you don't need to keep getting the freestanding table out

(and I believe there's a smaller coffee table at the front?)

 

One other thing I've noticed with the latest A/S's though, is that they seem to be doing away with external lockers. Worth a check, surely.

 

Hope all goes well.

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Yes - it is the Duo which has the folding table which can also be found in some Swifts amongst others - not that I fancy any Swift / Fiat product!

 

I understand that you can get the table / drawer unit from either Swift or A/S which opens up the possibility of converting and rear 'U' shaped lounged van into a table less version.

 

It does have the external locker but I have not seen inside it yet to determine it's usefulness - or not!

 

There is a smaller table that sits twixt front seats but I really can't see much purpose for it at this stage?

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Tracker - 2012-05-24 9:10 PM

There is a smaller table that sits twixt front seats but I really can't see much purpose for it at this stage?

 

Agree; given that you've got a permanent place for your cups on the rear unit.

However, could be useful for perusing this website on your laptop.

 

I've just dug out the MMM review from Dec.'10, although it was really on an '11 model.

 

The only thing the reviewer didn't like was the gas locker location.

And he would have liked more washroom storage space.

 

Don't think either of them would be deal breakers, but worth checking out while your at it. :-)

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The test drive was good and as everyone says they do drive beautifully forwards - and backwards. I still found reverse a tad on the high side on the 2.3 130 bhp motor but slipping the clutch to reverse very slowly uphill round a corner was judder and odour free. Cab air con is as great in a van as it is in a car these days - especially when it's warm outside and I can't see us buying a van without it now - especially for summer sorties southwards.

 

Lots of nice touches and it does feel better made than many others but some bizarre design touches we thought, like the drop down cocktail cabinets in each corner when a simple cupboard would have been more practical, the severe restrictions of under seat locker space by the gas locker one side and the boiler and battery on t'other, lack of storage or shelving in the loo, general lack of kitchen worktop and cupboard space, limited storage space in the poorly designed overcab locker (but it least it has locker and not a pointless (in our view!) bloody great overhead window with a blind that rattles!).

 

It could do with more external access underfloor locker space but as the gas locker takes 3 x 6kg Calor maybe a gas tank underfloor would solve two issues as with the van having gas (and electric for those who use sites!) water and space heating I imagine it gallops through gas when it's cold?

 

Otherwise the layout seem to work well for us and the camper chassis is most definitely a better ride than the standard Sevel commercial chassis although not quite as good as the Alko we think?

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