rmab Posted November 17, 2008 Share Posted November 17, 2008 Just reading threads about Fiat and Peugeot gearbox / reversing nightmare again, but I wondered if Merc chassis (s) are seen as top of the pile then who is building onto them? Most of the Mh I see are Ducatos. Thanks for any answers Rich Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike 202 Posted November 17, 2008 Share Posted November 17, 2008 MMM are kindly running this forum and therefor I suggest that you support them by buying a copy/copies of the MMM magazine. Because at the back is a buyers guide that lists all manufactureres, theis models and base vehicles. There are other mags of course but every bit of loyalty helps. PS Autosleeper build on Merc but watch the gross weight as some are 3800Kg and you need the correct licence to drive over 3500Kg gross weight. Some vehigles can of course be downrated to the 3500kg limit Good Luck Mike. (lol) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike 202 Posted November 17, 2008 Share Posted November 17, 2008 Sorry forgot, look at Ford Transit (my base vehicle) and Renault (my Friends) we are both happy with our choice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keithl Posted November 17, 2008 Share Posted November 17, 2008 Hi Rich, Autotrail used to build most sizes of MH on Mercs, we've got a 6.5m Cheyenne, but now only build their larger ones over something like 7.5m on them. It's a pity they stopped the smaller ones as it's a fantastic combination. I for one would not consider buying a F**t for a long time to come. Keith. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmab Posted November 17, 2008 Author Share Posted November 17, 2008 Hi Mike 202, I agree with you wholeheartedly, my subscription to MMM is only 2 issues in (as I am new to MH 'ing) and it is brilliant but so big I hadn't noticed those listings starting on page 273 in Octobers edition. Still with voracious advocates like you to fight their corner I am sure they will go from strength to strength!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clive Posted November 17, 2008 Share Posted November 17, 2008 Pilote, Hymer, Kentucky, Frankia for starters build models on Mercs. C. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmab Posted November 17, 2008 Author Share Posted November 17, 2008 Thanks Clive Having a look at the Marquis County Range of Overcab Coachbuilts too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clive Posted November 17, 2008 Share Posted November 17, 2008 If there was a Merc option for our next MH it would be my choice also. Ours is 11 years old and has been faultless. C. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ranger Posted November 18, 2008 Share Posted November 18, 2008 If you can't run to a Merc, rear wheel drive Transits are good, plus they have a "fore & aft" engine, Cheaper for repairs than transvers engined front wheel drive jobs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
libby Posted November 18, 2008 Share Posted November 18, 2008 Rapido in MAYENNE France build on a Merc chassis. Nothing is perfect but note how many complaints (few) on these forums. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted November 18, 2008 Share Posted November 18, 2008 Of the imports: Dethleffs, Esterel, Frankia, Le Voyager, Notin, Pilote, Rapido, Rimor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fred grant Posted November 18, 2008 Share Posted November 18, 2008 at the nec show we looked at devon, ih campers, and autosleepers mercs, us don buy foreign my luvvers. fred Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clive Posted November 18, 2008 Share Posted November 18, 2008 Who would you rather support then Fred? Un reversable volume base vehicles made in Italy or tutonioc base vehicles made in Germany?. The convertion is another but very similar arguement!. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hymer1942 Posted November 19, 2008 Share Posted November 19, 2008 No contest, German stuff does what is says on the box. And you nearly always get what you pay for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted November 19, 2008 Share Posted November 19, 2008 Clive, Is this faultless 11-year old Mercedes-based motorhome of yours a different one from your Autotrail Scout that had water-leaks through the windows and fuel-leaks from the motor? ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cookie Posted November 19, 2008 Share Posted November 19, 2008 We have a Geist Phantom on a 416 Sprinter. It's a brilliant vehicle, 3 years old now and no problems. The sprintshift is brilliant but I understand that they have stopped doing it on the new vehicles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clive Posted November 19, 2008 Share Posted November 19, 2008 Yes Derek but you exagurate. The water leaks from the windows turned out not to be the case. The water was getting in through the cable hole for the rear high level stop light and I spent a load of dosh for nothing. Windows were fine!. The fuel leak was that the fabric coated rubber injector spill off hoses became porous so started to smell. Replaced with a better quality hose. Sorted. Had the same problems with all our Vauxhalls and Land Rover. OEM hose has a life of 3 years. Does that put things in perspective. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niton Posted November 19, 2008 Share Posted November 19, 2008 The problem is if you look for a Motorhome on a chassis other than Fiat you will the your choice of layout is greatly reduced. Looking at the 2009 brochures of the popular constuctors it is clear that Fiat still have the largest share or the market. There is therefore no real choice as most likely the layout that you are most happy with will be on a Fiat with no alternative to choose from. This may change if the word gets round about the reverse judder and people stop buying Motorhomes on a Fiat base. Lets hope that happens so that in the end we end up with more choice, which is lacking at present. Peter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Archiesgrandad Posted November 19, 2008 Share Posted November 19, 2008 Most motorhomes are built on the Fiat chassis because they are unbelievably cheap. They have never been the best. Our six year old Rimor Sailer on the Mercedes 313 chassis is very good, but the payload is quite modest, we do have to be extremely careful what we put on board. AGD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keithl Posted November 19, 2008 Share Posted November 19, 2008 Hi Archiesgrandad, What is the Max Gross Weight (or GVW) of your 313? Our's is 3,800 kg as we have the camping car conversion, this gives us a payload of around 750 kg. If your GVW is only 3,500 kg it may be possible to replate to 3,800 kg by adding the camping car parts and applying for a new VIN plate. I'm sure I've seen links on here to a company who will do the paperwork for you for a small fee. And I agree with you, the Merc is an excellent chassis. Keith. PS There are 2 Autotrail's on Merc Chassis' for sale on eBay at the moment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Den Posted November 19, 2008 Share Posted November 19, 2008 As Brian stated Le Voyageur build on several chassis incl the 315 318 and the 518. You can virtually have any configuration built to your spec. Incl rear electric beds and over cab electric beds as well as or instead of. They do cost a bit, but they are built well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted November 20, 2008 Share Posted November 20, 2008 Clive, "Faultless" - having no fault : Irreproachable (eg. as in workmanship). This definition is from my standard Webster's Dictionary. Perhaps there's a special version for Autotrail/Mercedes motorhome owners? (I'm sure Mercedes motorhome owners must be issued with rose-coloured spectacles when they acquire their vehicles. Without beefed-up rear springs 'low payload' variants of the Sprinter's narrow-track chassis had notoriously roly-poly handling and the motorhome press never had a good word to say about the now-defunct Sprintshift gearbox.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hymer1942 Posted November 20, 2008 Share Posted November 20, 2008 My 650 S Class cetainly does not perform as you say, and if we were to run together you would struggle to keep up on even the most modest of inclines, as I said before you gets what you pay for and the difference in price in similar conversions A Class is in thr region of £8000. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cookie Posted November 20, 2008 Share Posted November 20, 2008 Re part of Dereks reply ( Motorhome press not having a good word to say about the sprintshift gearbox). If their driving is anything like their write ups I am not suprised that they cannot cope with a sprintshift.The reason sprintshifts have a bad name is that the majority of them are on delivery vans with drivers who thrash the life out of them. If they listened to the revs when changing gear I am sure the problems would not occur. I am not a doddery old woman who drives at 45 miles an hour all the time, but a not so doddery new middle aged woman ( new middle age is now 60 plus) who had been employed as a chauffeur most of her life, and thinks she knows what she is talking about where driving is concerned. As far as payload , our Geist has over a tonne, granted it is on a 416 so is plated at 4600kg. We very occasionally have it fully loaded and although fuel consumption drops a bit it sails along without hesitation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rupert123 Posted November 20, 2008 Share Posted November 20, 2008 Derek Uzzell - 2008-11-20 8:51 AM Clive, "Faultless" - having no fault : Irreproachable (eg. as in workmanship). This definition is from my standard Webster's Dictionary. Perhaps there's a special version for Autotrail/Mercedes motorhome owners? (I'm sure Mercedes motorhome owners must be issued with rose-coloured spectacles when they acquire their vehicles. Without beefed-up rear springs 'low payload' variants of the Sprinter's narrow-track chassis had notoriously roly-poly handling and the motorhome press never had a good word to say about the now-defunct Sprintshift gearbox.) Well said Derek. I have been tempted to say something like this for ages but as I am the PR guru for Swift and Fiat, according to some on here, it is difficult. Mercedes vans, like the car division have been living on a past reputation for years. The current Mercedes chasis like the engine is old fashioned lumpy and noisy compared with Ford or Fiat. Likewise the Hymer group who certainly used to make top quality m/h's but although still good are no longer worth the amounts of money they ask and are certainly not trouble free. Come on you lot just admit it, the converters do not just use the Fiat base because it is cheap it is also the best and when the problem with some versions is sorted out nearly all m/h,s will continue to be built on it until the opposition catch up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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