Will Posted November 23, 2008 Share Posted November 23, 2008 I am considering returning to motorhoming after 8 years with a caravan. The outfit I am looking at is the Bessacarr E435, anybody got thoughts on this motorhome? Also any comments about the dealership at DISCOVER near York. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike 202 Posted November 23, 2008 Share Posted November 23, 2008 Will welcome to the forum, If you are looking at a new or nearly new Bessacar based on the new Fiat X250 then may I suggest that you look on this forum under Fiat problems. There is a major issue with regard to these base vehicles reversing and juddering plus wrecking gearboxes and clutches. It is very unlikely that any dealer will give you the depth of information contained in the forum about these vehicles to allow you to make an informed decision. Anyway good luck in your search and remember there is alway help on any matter from the forum members. Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will Posted November 23, 2008 Author Share Posted November 23, 2008 Thanks Mike, I am aware of the probs with reversing the Fiat. One dealer has told me it only occurs when you reverse uphill for about half a mile!!! I dont believe him! I'll continue to monitor the forum. Will Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Tracker Posted November 23, 2008 Share Posted November 23, 2008 Welcome to the madhouse Bill! The E435 type of layout is flexible and convenient (for us anyway) and it works well. Fortunately almost every UK based converter makes or has made vans with this layout so there should be a good choice available. Against that are dealer, Swift and Fiat issues. Swift/Bessacarr/Ace have anecdotally appalling attitude towards customer after care as well as often poor quality control and build quality - which has now also spread like a disease to Autocruise, once a beacon of customer care. I have no personal experience of the Swift Group (apart from Autocruise) as I have never had a Swift - nor am I likely to! Fiat also have an appalling attitude to customer care as well as a dubious transmission in the X250 base vehicle. I would not buy one! Some dealers are very good, some are reasonable with prodding, and some have an appalling attitude to customer care - ask on here for an opinion if you have a dealer in mind! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike 202 Posted November 23, 2008 Share Posted November 23, 2008 Agree with Tracker, had a Swift Bolero Mar/08 which fell apart around me so I traded it in after 8 weeks. Yes the cost hurt but now I have peace of mind. There is a recent thread on the Bolero especially about the habitation door, suggest you look it up to get several points of view. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V6Jim Posted November 24, 2008 Share Posted November 24, 2008 Jumping to Bessies defence, I had one for a year or so and it was a super van! It had an excellent layout and the build quality was just fine. It was based on the older Fiat chassis, had the 2.0L engine and was a wee sweetie! I even rented it out for a while with few reliability problems. We did have to buy a few replacement parts through Swift using Discover Carlisle - No problem! I can only recommend it thoroughly! Jimmy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian G. Posted November 26, 2008 Share Posted November 26, 2008 Hi Will We have had the E435 (one of the last on the old chassie) for two years and have not had any problems with it. Maybe we have been lucky but this is our second swift motorhome plus a few caravans and have never had problems. We find the layout suits us as my better half likes to do things at the table and I love to lie on the setee. Brian G Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikemoss Posted November 27, 2008 Share Posted November 27, 2008 Tracker - 2008-11-23 4:31 PM Swift/Bessacarr/Ace have anecdotally appalling attitude towards customer after care as well as often poor quality control and build quality - which has now also spread like a disease to Autocruise, once a beacon of customer care. I have no personal experience of the Swift Group (apart from Autocruise) as I have never had a Swift - nor am I likely to! More than a little unfair, Tracker, particularly as you've never owned a Swift. I've had three of their caravans - all fine - and now a 10-year-old Bessacarr motorhome which remains in great condition and a source of continuing pleasure to Mrs M and me. In terms of customer service, Swift are without the slightest doubt way ahead of the rest in the industry, British or European. Not sure if they have a presence on here, but if you visit either www.motorhomefacts.com or www.motorhomefun.com you'll see how quickly they respond to queries, and how rapidly they sort things out any niggles that owners have. My only experience of their customer service was a safety recall for upgrading the rear seatbelts which was handled superbly well, not only at no cost ot me (which was expected) but with all expenses also covered including an overnight stay and lunch. They've also found a handbook and brochure for my particular model and I would have absolutely no hestitation whatsoever in buying another Swift-group product. I can't speak for current quality control, but our 10-year-old is built like the proverbial brick outhouse - very solid, very well finished, very well designed and very comfortable (unlike our previous continental MH). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyStothert Posted November 27, 2008 Share Posted November 27, 2008 I find it difficult to believe that anyone can be thinking of buying a new motorhome based on a Fiat chassis at this present moment in time. Fiat and Peugeot have admitted that there in an inherent defect which shows up in all the 6 speed models, and that a new gearbox is due to be on the production line in January. The way of getting around the problem seems to be to order one in February with a few oddball options which ensures the manufacturer can't just pull one from the existing pile of defective ones in stock, and they have to obtain a fresh one from Fiat. But to buy one now is like going into a shop and deliberately picking something obviously broken. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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