Barcobird Posted November 7, 2015 Share Posted November 7, 2015 Hi, As part of our ongoing quest to decide on the right motorhome we visited the show at the NEC last month. After a year or more of deliberations we have now decided that the Pilote G741C is the home for us. This is the model with rear island bed that has electric motors to move the bed up and down etc. The model we looked at was next years 2016, it seems obvious now but we should have asked Pilote what the difference was between the new model and one from say 2015 or 2014, the reason being I don' t really want to buy a brand new one. Would anyone know the answer? Also present or past owners of Pilote, have you had any issues or what are your general impressions. Thanks in advance. (?) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lennyhb Posted November 7, 2015 Share Posted November 7, 2015 If you don't want to buy new due to cost and deprecation, buy a new one in Germany it will cost less than a used one in the UK, and you will have a shiny new van. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randonneur Posted November 7, 2015 Share Posted November 7, 2015 We have just sold our 2007 Pilote Explorateur which we had for 4.1/2 years. The best van we had, excellent quality and never an ounce of trouble. Ours was LH drive as we bought it in France when we lived there. The only reason for selling was that we wanted to downsize. We would recommend Pilote to anyone, obviously there will always be someone who has had problems as with any make. We went to the factory at Angers and were welcomed with open arms although we were the only English, the rest of the visitors were French. You can book a factory visit on the Pilote website, they have 2 factories and you just have to pick which one you want to visit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barcobird Posted November 7, 2015 Author Share Posted November 7, 2015 lennyhb - 2015-11-07 7:11 PM If you don't want to buy new due to cost and deprecation, buy a new one in Germany it will cost less than a used one in the UK, and you will have a shiny new van. It was my intention to buy in Germany because I need a left hand drive, I would rather someone else take the "knock on depreciation" . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barcobird Posted November 7, 2015 Author Share Posted November 7, 2015 Randonneur - 2015-11-07 7:13 PM We have just sold our 2007 Pilote Explorateur which we had for 4.1/2 years. The best van we had, excellent quality and never an ounce of trouble. Ours was LH drive as we bought it in France when we lived there. The only reason for selling was that we wanted to downsize. We would recommend Pilote to anyone, obviously there will always be someone who has had problems as with any make. We went to the factory at Angers and were welcomed with open arms although we were the only English, the rest of the visitors were French. You can book a factory visit on the Pilote website, they have 2 factories and you just have to pick which one you want to visit. All sounds good to me, I am sure they would be happy to take our order while on a visit as well (lol) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randonneur Posted November 7, 2015 Share Posted November 7, 2015 Barcobird - 2015-11-07 7:26 PM Randonneur - 2015-11-07 7:13 PM We have just sold our 2007 Pilote Explorateur which we had for 4.1/2 years. The best van we had, excellent quality and never an ounce of trouble. Ours was LH drive as we bought it in France when we lived there. The only reason for selling was that we wanted to downsize. We would recommend Pilote to anyone, obviously there will always be someone who has had problems as with any make. We went to the factory at Angers and were welcomed with open arms although we were the only English, the rest of the visitors were French. You can book a factory visit on the Pilote website, they have 2 factories and you just have to pick which one you want to visit. All sounds good to me, I am sure they would be happy to take our order while on a visit as well (lol) I wouldn't have thought that you could buy straight from the factory. I notice there are no Pilote dealers in Portugal but plenty in Spain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barcobird Posted November 7, 2015 Author Share Posted November 7, 2015 I wouldn't have thought that you could buy straight from the factory. I notice there are no Pilote dealers in Portugal but plenty in Spain. Definitely not, it would upset a lot of dealers! Everything in Portugal on wheels is very expensive. Best place is Germany, not sure about France as Pilote is obviously French. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randonneur Posted November 8, 2015 Share Posted November 8, 2015 Try these: www.horizonbordeaux.com We bought our first van from them and I think they are Pilote dealers, good company to deal with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barcobird Posted November 8, 2015 Author Share Posted November 8, 2015 Randonneur - 2015-11-08 9:57 AM Try these: www.horizonbordeaux.com We bought our first van from them and I think they are Pilote dealers, good company to deal with. Thanks...I had a look at the website on going on their picture they must me Pilote dealers, unfortunately they don't appear to give a lot of information other than their workshop? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randonneur Posted November 8, 2015 Share Posted November 8, 2015 Just had a look at their website, only 1 new Pilote in the Neuf section, none in the Occasion section but they always have about 100 new models in their showroom as it is quite a big Company, they have another outlet in northern France. This is another good Company who have lots of outlets in France and are Pilote dealers: http://www.tpl.fr/ I found the G741C on their French brochure, G usually means 'A' class or Integral in France. The best thing to do is email Pilote and ask which dealer is going to stock this model or who can order it. The Agent for Pilote in the UK is Martin Storey and he helped us to get the Certificate of Conformity when we re-registered our French vehicle in the UK. His mobile number is 07896 679825, he may be able to help. His email address is: mstorey@pilote.fr Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barcobird Posted November 8, 2015 Author Share Posted November 8, 2015 Thanks Randonneur, youre an absolute mine of information. Did you find the prices in France similar to Germany or did you buy in France because of location and more options? Did Martin Storey not object to you buying in France as he is the UK delaer? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted November 8, 2015 Share Posted November 8, 2015 The Galaxy 741C model was introduced for Pilote’s 2015 collection. A ‘collection’ equates to a ‘model year’ and new models will generally become available on (Continental) dealers’ forecourts from about August of the year prior to a collection’s. So one might find a 741C built in the 2nd half of 2014 or the 1st half of 2015, but both vehicles will have the 2015-collection features and specification. Similarly, dealers will have had Pilote 2016-collection motorhomes delivered to them from August/September of this year. As the 741C was new for the 2015-collection (and there have been no changes to the Ducato base-vehicle since the X290 version was introduced in 2014) it’s unlikely that a 2016-collection 741C will be much different from its predecessor – upholstery choice/minor trim changes perhaps, but nothing significant. The 741C model is available in three ‘trim’ levels, on 3500kg, 3700kg or 4500kg Al-Ko chassis and with a 130bhp or 150bhp 2.3litre motor or a 180bhp 3.0litre motor. This is a large high-spec motorhome and, in 3500kg format, payload will be far from generous. It would definitely be wise to opt for the 150bhp powerplant and a good idea to select at least the 3700kg chassis. Obtaining insurance will be a potential problem with buying a vehicle in France (as will vehicle registration there) unless one has a French address. Last year I discussed with a French dealer the purchase and exportation to the UK of a new motorhome and it seemed that all the UK buyers they had provided with new motorhomes in the past had driven them away unregistered and uninsured. Temporary registration and 3rd-party insurance can be obtained if the vehicle is purchased in Germany and, if it’s planned to drive the motorhome from the ‘foreign’ dealership rather than have it transported, buying from Germany would be the safer bet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barcobird Posted November 8, 2015 Author Share Posted November 8, 2015 Thank you Derek Uzzell, I now know it's possible to buy this model from 2014 onwards. I did notice the payload was only just over 400 kilo mark which is a bit tight especially when I want to put a scooter in the back! Upgrading to 3700 presumably affects the license and I would have a problem when reaching 70? How can you drive away without insurance and registration? That seems like madness to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randonneur Posted November 8, 2015 Share Posted November 8, 2015 Barcobird - 2015-11-08 3:17 PM Thanks Randonneur, youre an absolute mine of information. Did you find the prices in France similar to Germany or did you buy in France because of location and more options? Did Martin Storey not object to you buying in France as he is the UK delaer? We lived in France for 14 years during which we bought a Rapido, a Laika and more recently the Pilote. We did pay more than we wanted to for the Pilote but the price was correct it was just that we didn't want to spend that amount of money, but hey ho it was what we wanted. Martin Storey came into the equation when we came back to the UK to live and we needed the Certificate of Conformity as part of the UK registration. In actual fact when we contacted him he was visiting the Pilote factory on one of his regular visits. Don't know what the new prices are like as we have always bought secondhand in France. We have never thought about buying in Germany as we wanted the backup of a local dealership. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted November 9, 2015 Share Posted November 9, 2015 Barcobird - 2015-11-08 6:43 PM Thank you Derek Uzzell, I now know it's possible to buy this model from 2014 onwards. I did notice the payload was only just over 400 kilo mark which is a bit tight especially when I want to put a scooter in the back! Upgrading to 3700 presumably affects the license and I would have a problem when reaching 70? How can you drive away without insurance and registration? That seems like madness to me. The French list prices and stated payload for 2016-collection Pilote Galaxy G741C models (as published in the October 2015 issue of “Camping-Car” magazinei) are as follows: G741C Essential - €67900 - 460kg G741C Sensation - €72900 - 420kg G741C Emotion - €76900 - 400kg These figures relate to ‘basic’ models with 3500kg chassis, 130bhp 2.3litre motor and manual transmission. Prices/payload published in the October 2014 magazine (that included a 2-page review of a 741C Emotion) were G741C Essential - €67500 - 460kg G741C Sensation - €72500 - 420kg G741C Emotion - €76500 - 400kg The €500 increase for 2016 may well relate to an uprated specification as driver/passenger airbags now appear to be standard for Galaxy models but were a cost-option for 2015. This 2015 UK price/options list may be of interest as it gives an idea of the differences between the Essential, Sensation and Emotion trim levels. http://www.pilote.co.uk/2015%20PRICE%20LIST.pdf Plainly choosing an ‘over 3500kg’ motorhome would - for a UK driver - have C1 driving-licence-entitlement implications at age 70, as it would have for French drivers who mostly have just the B entitlement. But I believe you’d be hard pushed to operate a 3500kg 741C Emotion legally (especially as you plan to carry a scooter) unless you had a basic-specification version and minimised the amount of fresh-water carried. I can’t say if Pilote’s German price/specification list differs from its French one, but my experience is that German dealers are more geared up to selling motorhomes to UK buyers than French ones and (I suspect) more amenable to significantly discounting prices. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barcobird Posted November 9, 2015 Author Share Posted November 9, 2015 Randonneur - 2015-11-08 7:25 PM. Martin Storey came into the equation when we came back to the UK to live and we needed the Certificate of Conformity as part of the UK registration. If you buy a motorhome that has been manufactured in Europe surely it comes with a European certificate of conformity which should be acceptable in any European country. My intention is to purchase a left hooker in Germany or France and then register it in the UK. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randonneur Posted November 9, 2015 Share Posted November 9, 2015 Barcobird - 2015-11-09 9:29 PM Randonneur - 2015-11-08 7:25 PM. If you buy a motorhome that has been manufactured in Europe surely it comes with a European certificate of conformity which should be acceptable in any European country. My intention is to purchase a left hooker in Germany or France and then register it in the UK. Ours was a 2007 motorhome which we bought in 2011 and did not come with the COC, we had to ask for one from Pilote, difficult when French isn't your first language but Martin sorted it out for us with Pilote, in 2007 the information wasn't on computer and they had to go to the archives. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted November 10, 2015 Share Posted November 10, 2015 Barcobird - 2015-11-09 9:29 PM My intention is to purchase a left hooker in Germany or France and then register it in the UK. You may well have done this already, but if not it might be worth exploring what would be involved in making an LHD G741C compliant with UK-registration requirements and what the likely cost would be. It’s possible that the headlamps have a ‘twiddle feature’ that could be used to provide a UK-acceptable dipped-beam pattern and replacing the kmh-only speedometer face with an mph/kmh one should be straightforwardl. Not sure about the rear fog-light as that looks like it’s a swanky LED-type - though I guess a cheapo supplementary fog-light could be added if necessary. Martin Storey might be able to say http://www.pilote-motorhome.uk/concessionnaire/pilote-group-agent-uk/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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