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When does the base vehicle warranty start?


webpax

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Hi

 

I'm in the process of importing a new Mercedes based Hymer from Germany. I'm curious to know when the base vehicle warranty starts (or if it has already started!).

 

The CoC for the base vehicle is dated 30.11.18, the CoC for the ALKO chassis is dated 05.02.2019. The CoC for the Hymer conversion is dated 30.04.19.

 

I'm aware the van has been in a dealer showroom for a few months because I've been watching it on mobile.de and took the plunge when the price was reduced. So it's not a great surprise the conversion was completed 6 months ago.

 

However the base vehicle CoC date of 30.11.18 is making me wonder if that is when the base vehicle warranty (i.e the Mercedes warranty) might commence and hence may already be nearly a year spent?

 

I hope perhaps someone might have encountered this situation before?

 

Thanks

 

 

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The warranty is, in effect, the property of the manufacturer. They set the conditions, and they decide what goes. The only way to get a definitive answer on a Mercedes warranty is from the horse's mouth: Mercedes.

 

It is usually expected in the UK that a vehicle warranty commences on the date that the vehicle is first registered. However, if you are going to drive the vehicle from Germany, it will be registered in Germany in order to obtain the necessary export plates and insurance.

 

As it was supplied for German registration, it may need to be transferred from the German warranty database to a UK warranty database. That is unlikely to be possible until the vehicle has a UK registration number, so it may be that Mercedes would determine that the German temporary registration would trigger the warranty commencement date, or that the eventual UK registration would be applied.

 

But, as above, the only way to be certain will be to speak to Mercedes' UK warranty department, either directly (if they will talk to mere end users!), or through whichever UK Mercedes commercial dealership you intend taking the van to for servicing and/or warranty issues.

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Many thanks for such prompt responses. I will speak to the dealer when I collect but will also check with my local Mercedes Commercial dealer and see what they say.

 

I'll update here when I find out as it may then be useful to others.

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Do not make things more complicated as they are. 2 years warranty in belgium of the base vehicle. No matter it stand for years somewhere. That is common in the RV sector. And it stands for years in the UK- Rain. Seeing most dealer shelters.
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webpax - 2019-10-09 5:43 PM

 

Hi

 

I'm in the process of importing a new Mercedes based Hymer from Germany.

 

Hans - 2019-10-09 8:44 PM

 

In case you have questions on your AL-Ko chassis. I Am your Man. Hope you have the AL-KO original air Suspension Fitted in that class of mobile on all axles.

 

But will a Mercedes based Hymer have an Al-Ko chassis? I thought they would be built on the full Mercedes chassis?

 

Keith.

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Keithl - 2019-10-09 8:50 PM

 

webpax - 2019-10-09 5:43 PM

 

Hi

 

I'm in the process of importing a new Mercedes based Hymer from Germany.

 

Hans - 2019-10-09 8:44 PM

 

In case you have questions on your AL-Ko chassis. I Am your Man. Hope you have the AL-KO original air Suspension Fitted in that class of mobile on all axles.

 

But will a Mercedes based Hymer have an Al-Ko chassis? I thought they would be built on the full Mercedes chassis?

 

Keith.

 

I've got a CoC for the vehicle from Al-Ko so presume it must be.

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Hans - 2019-10-09 8:44 PM

 

In case you have questions on your AL-Ko chassis. I Am your Man. Hope you have the AL-KO original air Suspension Fitted in that class of mobile on all axles.

 

Thanks Hans. My budget does not extend to air suspension at the moment, maybe a future upgrade!

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webpax - 2019-10-10 7:55 AM

 

Keithl - 2019-10-09 8:50 PM

 

webpax - 2019-10-09 5:43 PM

 

Hi

 

I'm in the process of importing a new Mercedes based Hymer from Germany.

 

Hans - 2019-10-09 8:44 PM

 

In case you have questions on your AL-Ko chassis. I Am your Man. Hope you have the AL-KO original air Suspension Fitted in that class of mobile on all axles.

 

But will a Mercedes based Hymer have an Al-Ko chassis? I thought they would be built on the full Mercedes chassis?

 

Keith.

 

I've got a CoC for the vehicle from Al-Ko so presume it must be.

 

Is your new Hymer on the new Mercedes Front Wheel Drive platform by any chance?

 

I have just seen the video of the Hymer SLC Chassis and it shows a solid rear axle replacing independent rear suspension so this would be my assumption?

 

Keith.

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webpax - 2019-10-10 7:55 AM

 

I've got a CoC for the vehicle from Al-Ko so presume it must be.

 

There was some debate recently whether the SLC chassis fitted to the (Mercedes) Hymer models on the new FWD Sprinter is Al-Ko manufactured - the conclusion was, I believe, that it is.

 

Accordingly, for these models there should be an Al-Ko issued CoC.

 

(crossed with Keith's post).

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Keithl - 2019-10-10 8:27 AM

 

Is your new Hymer on the new Mercedes Front Wheel Drive platform by any chance?

 

I have just seen the video of the Hymer SLC Chassis and it shows a solid rear axle replacing independent rear suspension so this would be my assumption?

 

Keith.

 

I think even the front-wheel drive Sprinter comes as standard with a (non-independent) live rear axle.

 

The SLC chassis appears to use the traditional Al-Ko torsion bar system, which is, of course, independent suspension.

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Keithl - 2019-10-10 8:27 AM

 

webpax - 2019-10-10 7:55 AM

 

Keithl - 2019-10-09 8:50 PM

 

webpax - 2019-10-09 5:43 PM

 

Hi

 

I'm in the process of importing a new Mercedes based Hymer from Germany.

 

Hans - 2019-10-09 8:44 PM

 

In case you have questions on your AL-Ko chassis. I Am your Man. Hope you have the AL-KO original air Suspension Fitted in that class of mobile on all axles.

 

But will a Mercedes based Hymer have an Al-Ko chassis? I thought they would be built on the full Mercedes chassis?

 

Keith.

 

I've got a CoC for the vehicle from Al-Ko so presume it must be.

 

Is your new Hymer on the new Mercedes Front Wheel Drive platform by any chance?

 

I have just seen the video of the Hymer SLC Chassis and it shows a solid rear axle replacing independent rear suspension so this would be my assumption?

 

Keith.

 

Yes Keith it is Mercedes Front Wheel Drive.

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A motorhome’s base-vehicle warranty should normally start when the motorhome is sold ‘first retail’, not when it is first registered. So the warranty of a new motorhome bought in Germany should commence when the first retail buyer has paid for it and accepted delivery of it.

 

When I bought a Hobby motorhome in Germany in 2005, it was (temporarily) German-registered on the same day that I took delivery, so (in my case) the warranty start-date and registration-date were in fact the same.

 

There have been instances where the start of a motorhome’s base-vehicle warranty has been recorded on the base-vehicle manufacturer’s database as the date when the base-vehicle was transferred to the motorhome converter, and the retail buyer would be wise to check if that has happened ASAP after taking delivery.

 

I also recall being told of a brand-new motorhome (Mercedes-based as it happens) developing a fault on the trip from the dealership to the buyer’s home after delivery had taken place and problems arising because the warranty start-date had yet to be recorded on the Mercedes database - but that was a long time ago.

 

(It is perhaps stating the obvious, but the warranty terms and conditions for a motorhome purchased outshide the UK will be those relating to the country in which the motorhome was bought. For example, when I imported my 2005 Transit-based Hobby motorhome the Ford warranty had a 2-year duration, whereas UK-purchased Transits had a 3-year warranty.)

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Brian You can shift a car or RV whit a transit plate in Eu member states. Whitout any REG.. Just plate and insurance. like garages do to shift.You can even go on holiday to bulgaria whit motorhome and stay there whit your kids as long as you want to start a new live there. I met a family who did it. Much cheaper.
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An AL-KO chassis became available for RWD Sprinters some years ago, with the chassis having either a single rear axle or a tag-axle configuration. However, where motorhomes are concerned, converters showed little interest and (as far as I’m aware) only models made by the Pilots Group were built on the RWD Sprinter AL-KO chassis.
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Keithl - 2019-10-10 12:52 PM

 

webpax - 2019-10-10 11:51 AM

 

Yes Keith it is Mercedes Front Wheel Drive.

 

Thanks Webpax.

 

You are the first person I know to get a new FWD so I'd be interested in your comments when you do get it.

 

Keith.

 

Thanks I'll let you know Keith. However as my last van was on a 14 year old Fiat Ducato I think the Merc is going to feel amazing regardless!

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Derek Uzzell - 2019-10-10 4:28 PM

 

A motorhome’s base-vehicle warranty should normally start when the motorhome is sold ‘first retail’, not when it is first registered. So the warranty of a new motorhome bought in Germany should commence when the first retail buyer has paid for it and accepted delivery of it.

 

When I bought a Hobby motorhome in Germany in 2005, it was (temporarily) German-registered on the same day that I took delivery, so (in my case) the warranty start-date and registration-date were in fact the same.

Thanks Derek, that's what I was hoping would happen in my case.

 

(It is perhaps stating the obvious, but the warranty terms and conditions for a motorhome purchased outshide the UK will be those relating to the country in which the motorhome was bought. For example, when I imported my 2005 Transit-based Hobby motorhome the Ford warranty had a 2-year duration, whereas UK-purchased Transits had a 3-year warranty.)

 

Yes I believe this may be the case with Mercedes - 2-year warranty for me whereas UK-purchased Sprinters have a 3-year warranty.

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Robinhood - 2019-10-11 8:11 AM

 

Derek Uzzell - 2019-10-11 7:21 AM

 

..........(as far as I’m aware) only models made by the Pilots Group were built on the RWD Sprinter AL-KO chassis.

 

 

...the only one I was aware of was the Adria Polaris.......

 

This 2010 article refers to the tag-axle version and, at that time, the chassis was only offered to the Pilote Group for Pilote, Le Voyageur and Frankia models.

 

https://www.lemondeducampingcar.fr/actualite/infos/chssis-mercedes-al-ko/57264

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Hans - 2019-10-11 8:05 PM

 

Some from our club are reading whit me some posts on OAL. They do not understand what a TAG axle means on the rear.

 

It is slang for a 'Tandem' axle. ie two rear axles one placed closely behind the other.

 

Keith.

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