Guest Tracker Posted August 25, 2008 Share Posted August 25, 2008 I have not scoured the market, but a disturbing trend in the 'design' of the new Ducato / Boxer based coachbuilts that I have seen appears to be the fitting of that dreadful and useless head banger shelf above the cab seats and replacement of the invaluable overcab storage locker (that is so convenient for bedding when no fixed bed is present) by a big open empty space and a large skylight? So where is one supposed to store the bedding now, and how easily accessible is it and, more to the point, when the bedding is stored where it now has to go, where do you store the rest of the gear that used to be where the bedding is now stored! Another triumph of design form over function maybe? Another reason not to buy a Fiat / Peugeot for sure? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rowley Posted August 25, 2008 Share Posted August 25, 2008 Surely that is nothing to do with Fiat but the converter. In my opinion there is nothing wrong with Fiat's cab. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dshague Posted August 25, 2008 Share Posted August 25, 2008 don't have a problem with fiat cab our van as no parcel shelf .this is the best van i have ever driven and i have driven them all.tracker have you ever driven one . find i can drive this van 250 to 300 miles none stop ,get out of cab no back problems ,its very comfy and it will cruise on motorway all day up and down hills 80mph plus.yes i do brake the speed limit bad boy me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Tracker Posted August 25, 2008 Share Posted August 25, 2008 dshague - 2008-08-25 7:27 PM don't have a problem with fiat cab our van as no parcel shelf .this is the best van i have ever driven and i have driven them all.tracker have you ever driven one . find i can drive this van 250 to 300 miles none stop ,get out of cab no back problems ,its very comfy and it will cruise on motorway all day up and down hills 80mph plus.yes i do brake the speed limit bad boy me I can comfortably do all of these things in my older Ducato too! Plus I don't bang my head getting in and out of the cab, I can store my bedding in the overcab locker, it don't leak water onto the engine and it goes uphill backwards! That said, I do wish it were quieter, had a softer ride and cab air con! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dshague Posted August 25, 2008 Share Posted August 25, 2008 tracker you didn't say whether you have ever driven the new ducato. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rowley Posted August 25, 2008 Share Posted August 25, 2008 I don't bang my head, and she is quiet, in fact she is much quieter than my Doblo. And she is great going forwards! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted August 26, 2008 Share Posted August 26, 2008 As I understand it, the 'head bruising' storage-shelf comes from the Fiat parts-bin but it's completely up to the motorcaravan converter whether or not the shelf is fitted to the Boxer/Ducato/Relay chassis on which the motorhome is to be constructed. There does appear to be a trend to slope back the overcab-moulding ever more steeply on low-profile designs, which naturally restricts potential overcab storage space, but I can't see how Fiat can in any way be held to blame for that, nor why the company should be criticised for offering an optional useful storage shelf. Besides which there are plenty of current-model SEVEL-based low-profile designs that continue to have adequate overcab storage in high-level lockers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
breakaleg Posted August 26, 2008 Share Posted August 26, 2008 No problem head banging in my lancashire, and we do have bedding storage, three king size quilts (don't ask) and four pillows, not bad in alow profile pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
everhopeful Posted August 26, 2008 Share Posted August 26, 2008 I've one of these new fangled low-profile jobs that came without overcab storage. A big piece of wood now just sits on top of the cab where a bed would have gone, and the kitchen sink would now fit. I suspect these are deliberately omitted to stop people sleeping on what is only safe as a storage shelf. :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.