grahamw Posted September 14, 2013 Share Posted September 14, 2013 JudgeMental - 2013-09-13 5:40 PM Have you examined one in detail? No thanks..more overpriced british vans is the last thing we need..no wonder we cant compete!lol When I can get a perfectly well engineered van from germany from £30K why would I entertain or even give the time of day to a van costing well over £20.000 MORE..Unlike cars its still a Fiat commercial van! *-) Just as there are budget (but not so basic) coachbuilt motorhomes there also expensive ones. It's accepted that coachbuilt motorhomes can vary widely in price and hence their quality and sophistication. I believe the same is very true of the van conversion market where we are seeing a widening of the quality and sophistication and hence prices. If you haven't looked how can your opinion be an informed one? I have looked closely at vans originating in Germany and feel informed enough to agree with your general comments completely about their value for money but that doesn't mean they are at this moment what I would buy. Value for money is a very subjective thing and is dependent on what people perceive they want from a motorhome which will vary widely. Just because a van is not to your liking because of its layout or price doesn't automatically mean that it's poor value for money. There are many things I often like in life that offer good value for money but I often don't like the price. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted September 14, 2013 Share Posted September 14, 2013 Ha ha ha looked closely have you......they are certainly a lot better insulated then a vantage for instance. just look at the threads with pictures over on MHF and the paper thin insulation. Mike I drove third party for years as im sure you have. when we got this van as an example we spent a week touring around .....I worked in risk assessment so not risk averse....You have a few choice. get the dealer to deliver to port for you (about 500 euro, but you then don't need the temp export plates and 3rd party approx 250 euro). borrow the dealers trade plates and post back (have done this) Or get fully comp insurance which is available form one of two sources one being a dutch insurer...It really is not a big deal driving 4 hrs from Germany or not much more than 1.5hr from Belgian dealers. but there are options Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted September 14, 2013 Share Posted September 14, 2013 Mike this may help, but way out of date which is a shame http://www.europebycamper.com/p/import-guide_04.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike88 Posted September 14, 2013 Share Posted September 14, 2013 JudgeMental - 2013-09-14 3:22 PM Mike this may help, but way out of date which is a shame http://www.europebycamper.com/p/import-guide_04.html Thanks Eddie. Very interesting. I must confess to becoming increasingly cautious in my advancing years so, even though I have driven third party in the very distant past, I would no longer contemplete it. However, there are alternatives as you indicate. Another point to note from that document is that if you are purchasing your final van (ie. giving up motorhoming after this purchase) in left hand drive form you will receive a low price when you come to sell in the UK unless you are buying from another dealer in Europe. Selling privately in the UK is obviously the best option in such a circumstance. If I was buying another van I would almost certainly buy from a dealer in Europe exchange rates permitting especially as virtually all my mileage is in countries that drive on the right and the value for money seems exceptionally good. The other issue is what happens when things go wrong under warranty. Presumably the parts, as well as the vehicle, are covered by a european wide warranty so if something goes wrong with a Truma for example this can be fixed here free of charge. A friend of mine bought a coachbuilt from Belgium where the "caravan" door warped and he had to make a few trips to the dealer to get it fixed under warranty. This was a nuisance and expense but no such issues would arise with a panel van. Another reason for converting to the dark side methinks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted September 14, 2013 Share Posted September 14, 2013 Mike while i'm all up for a bit of banter thread beginning to drift :-D I had a few issues with my Belgian CB, all it meant, when going on holiday I would drop in on way and a overnight halt as worse.. belgian beer and mussels superb! considering I had saved 15K even if I had to make a unscheduled trip being in S/E I would be happy to euro warranty 2 years, my take, if anything is going to go wrong 2 years good enough, the 3rd year is not a manufacturer's anyway but the importer, so what's that really worth I dont know... I would not comfortably entertain a CB from Germany for the reasons you gave, and only bought from german dealer because its a panel van. I could have sold my CB here if I had waited till summer so dont worry about that aspect. you can always advertise it europe wide through mobile .de (I didnt) but still had a few inquiries from Germans looking for a euramobil..but dealer PX offered what I was looking for anyway so that was easier If your looking at any of the vans on this thread there is a very good dealer in Belgium with as keen prices as germany, I had a PX quote before christmas and it was slightly better than germany maybe another import thread? ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grahamw Posted September 14, 2013 Share Posted September 14, 2013 JudgeMental - 2013-09-14 12:55 PM Ha ha ha looked closely have you......they are certainly a lot better insulated then a vantage for instance. just look at the threads with pictures over on MHF and the paper thin insulation. I thought we were discussing the merits of Auto-Trails new V Line 600 motorhome and not the the Vantage Sol that I currently own. Where has that come from and for what reason? If you want to compare the new Auto-Trail van conversion with my current Vantage Sol then the Auto-Trail's insulation is vastly superior being grade 3. It will be vastly superior to many current van conversions from both home and abroad. That's progress and part of the debate I'm expounding that justifies a higher price. Come on Judgemental lets have a rational discussion and not turn it into a meaningless childish assault on van conversions that individuals happen to currently own. The balls in your court. Graham Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted September 14, 2013 Share Posted September 14, 2013 £20,000 worth of insulation!.must be amazing!(not) lets agree to disagree shall we, before another thread descends into BS..want top quality look at La Strada / westfalia *-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grahamw Posted September 15, 2013 Share Posted September 15, 2013 JudgeMental - 2013-09-14 10:34 PM £20,000 worth of insulation!.must be amazing!(not) lets agree to disagree shall we, before another thread descends into BS..want top quality look at La Strada / westfalia *-) Not what I've said at all Judgemental but I'll leave it there for the sake of other thread followers who must be getting a little weary like me. Being open-minded is a useful skill in contributing constructively to any forum. Discussions can develop in amazingly fruitful ways. Try it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted September 15, 2013 Share Posted September 15, 2013 grahamw - 2013-09-15 6:48 AM JudgeMental - 2013-09-14 10:34 PM £20,000 worth of insulation!.must be amazing!(not) lets agree to disagree shall we, before another thread descends into BS..want top quality look at La Strada / westfalia *-) Not what I've said at all Judgemental but I'll leave it there for the sake of other thread followers who must be getting a little weary like me. Being open-minded is a useful skill in contributing constructively to any forum. Discussions can develop in amazingly fruitful ways. Try it. Me? try being open minded? you arrogant numpty. I think its you who needs to lift your horizons, take the blinkers off and look further than the end of your nose....enough OK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted September 15, 2013 Share Posted September 15, 2013 Here is a review of three french bed vans from Karmann, Possl, and Rapido from the Dusseldorf show. I don't know how to link to the article as when I try it just defaults to Home page. but just look at "tests" on top bar.(it works!) seems like they are all starting to copy Possl..but were as not as successfully IMO. the others more expensive also..the rapido has been around for a while and fails miserably, as bed laugahbly narrow with bathroom squeezed in beside it aka coachbuilt style. Anyway, a few pictures tells the story of a thousand words..have a look if interested :-D shame about the Karmann as Belgium dealer conveniently near Calais and good to deal with. if you dont use auto translation. just copy link into google translate http://www.promobil.de/test/vergleichstest-campingbusse-mit-laengsbett-drei-fuer-zwei-6504758.html Few new vans on karmann site including a rear lounge layout on a 636 chassis http://www.karmann-mobil.de/News.php Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted September 15, 2013 Share Posted September 15, 2013 In fact the karmann Dexter 650 hightop with rear lounge has a drop down bed and copies an earlier La Strada model. bed not electric like the Possl..I wonder with these new generation of hightop vans the payloads probably compromised. (It dont work for me as no rear garage) http://www.karmann-mobil.de/Dexter-650.php Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chausson le mor Posted September 15, 2013 Share Posted September 15, 2013 Visited Highbridge caravans last week looked at the Campereve PVC imported by Highbridge from France. The compact Neovan model is based on MWB Fiat 5.41m long but sleeps 4 with a pull down roof bed. Van was extremely well put together and had many storage cupboards. very well thought out but expensive at £48995. According to Highbridge they are the sole UK importer of this range. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted September 15, 2013 Share Posted September 15, 2013 Chausson le mor - 2013-09-15 1:38 PM Visited Highbridge caravans last week looked at the Campereve PVC imported by Highbridge from France. The compact Neovan model is based on MWB Fiat 5.41m long but sleeps 4 with a pull down roof bed. Van was extremely well put together and had many storage cupboards. very well thought out but expensive at £48995. According to Highbridge they are the sole UK importer of this range. That stretch of English Channel most expensive anywhere! drive a van on and magically the price increases by 30%! Be interesting to see prices in France. I see they do a similar rear garage as la Strada..will investigate....4 in a 5.4 metre van ...will have to be midgets or close friends! :-S Edit: here you go... http://www.campereve.fr/van_campereve_specificites.php OK....price comparison: they change the price from euro to pound, so automatically at a 19% disadvantage, and that before you negotiate a discount. Easy money eh.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted January 21, 2014 Share Posted January 21, 2014 A few new vans around.......this one courtesy of Brian Kirbys, it may appeal to some, single longitudinal beds, and 6 meter length....Possl, D Line, P Relax (where they get these names from God knows!) there are now a choice of 11 vans from Possl/Globecar, as well as the H line models including the Concord's http://www.poessl-mobile.de/modelle/p2-relax/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted January 21, 2014 Share Posted January 21, 2014 Chausson le mor - 2013-09-15 1:38 PM Visited Highbridge caravans last week looked at the Campereve PVC imported by Highbridge from France. The compact Neovan model is based on MWB Fiat 5.41m long but sleeps 4 with a pull down roof bed. Van was extremely well put together and had many storage cupboards. very well thought out but expensive at £48995. According to Highbridge they are the sole UK importer of this range. Neovan list price, OTR, 115Hp, 2.0 litre, €52,200, in Le Monde du Camping Car November 2013. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted February 8, 2014 Share Posted February 8, 2014 here is a uk brochure on new P2 http://www.globecar.de/download/kunde/2014/folder/Internet_Prospekt_Relax_G2_engl.pdf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lennyhb Posted February 8, 2014 Share Posted February 8, 2014 Brian Kirby - 2014-01-21 6:24 PM Chausson le mor - 2013-09-15 1:38 PM Visited Highbridge caravans last week looked at the Campereve PVC imported by Highbridge from France. The compact Neovan model is based on MWB Fiat 5.41m long but sleeps 4 with a pull down roof bed. Van was extremely well put together and had many storage cupboards. very well thought out but expensive at £48995. According to Highbridge they are the sole UK importer of this range. Neovan list price, OTR, 115Hp, 2.0 litre, €52,200, in Le Monde du Camping Car November 2013. Thats under 44k before haggling a discount so should be able to save getting on for 10k importing yourself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derek500 Posted May 11, 2014 Share Posted May 11, 2014 JudgeMental - 2014-02-08 12:24 PM here is a uk brochure on new P2 http://www.globecar.de/download/kunde/2014/folder/Internet_Prospekt_Relax_G2_engl.pdf Elite are bringing a G2 to Newbury next weekend (along with a Campscout). We're popping along to have a look. If we like the Globecars it will be a part exchange/private sale and a RHD UK/LHD import decision to make. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted May 11, 2014 Share Posted May 11, 2014 You should look over on the Globecar/Possl dedicated forum..its a bit slow, but a few active members on there. A few seem very pleased with the P2 after upsizing from VW campers. All I know is you can save 1000's importing yourself, prices here daft.... http://globecar.forumatic.com/index.php?sid=7e29ac8ae4baca6aa5add52da1456a49 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted August 27, 2014 Share Posted August 27, 2014 Many new euro vans around for 2015 on face lift Fiat...details will follow. a bit surprised that it is still Euro 5 and not Euro 6 Looks like the good old US of A, also have panel van campers from none other then Winnebago. Its a badged as a Ram. 3.6 V6 Petrol engine. someone was talking about running a petrol camper recently for congestion zone, don't think they would like the fuel figures revealed in one video. (15-17 on motorway, and that from a salesmen!) Typical American van even has electric awning, bed looks far from comfortable. http://winnebagotouring.com/products/2015/travato/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0vhWZatIj2g Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terry1956 Posted August 27, 2014 Share Posted August 27, 2014 anyone who pays a vast amount of money on a van with a sink in it is just plain mad. I have had panel vans and undertook a 12000 mile trip around Europe in it. I was 15 years younger then and at night trying to sleep across the rear it was more like being a can of beans on a supermarket shelf, ok for a few nights but b.... awful after. space was a nightmare, looks ok from the start, but like all these things they get smaller over time. best bit was I could cover the miles. then I had an a class hymer. yes big, slow and a lot harder to park. but the bed worked, the space was great, and so what if it was slower. now days, if I want to travel fast its car and hotels. to hell with sleeping in a delivery van no matter what they call it. michael Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Had Enough Posted August 27, 2014 Share Posted August 27, 2014 terry1956 - 2014-08-27 3:39 PM anyone who pays a vast amount of money on a van with a sink in it is just plain mad. And anyone who thinks that clear-thinking people who've been motorhoming for years aren't capable of making the right decision on which kind of motorhome is best for them is more than a bit mad himself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pepe63xnotuse Posted August 27, 2014 Share Posted August 27, 2014 terry1956 - 2014-08-27 3:39 PM anyone who pays a vast amount of money on a van with a sink in it is just plain mad. I have had panel vans and undertook a 12000 mile trip around Europe in it. I was 15 years younger then and at night trying to sleep across the rear it was more like being a can of beans on a supermarket shelf, ok for a few nights but b.... awful after. space was a nightmare, looks ok from the start, but like all these things they get smaller over time. best bit was I could cover the miles. then I had an a class hymer. yes big, slow and a lot harder to park. but the bed worked, the space was great, and so what if it was slower. now days, if I want to travel fast its car and hotels. to hell with sleeping in a delivery van no matter what they call it. michael Out of interest Terry, what "panel van" base vehicle did you "sleep across" 15 years ago?(...I could only just sleep across our '03 Duetto / Transit..and that was slightly "scrunched up"..) But what ever it was, it couldn't have been that bad an experience, if you undertook a "12000 mile around Europe" trip in it.... ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terry1956 Posted August 27, 2014 Share Posted August 27, 2014 it was a transit, and to get some space I had to take out the fitted bed and rear liner to get some more space. and had the bed sort of set up at an angle. as stated it worked for a time. as to people not knowing their own minds. in a lot of cases they don't know anything about motor homing and lots of ch-- on forums and make lots of mistakes. all these panel van conversations are just that cons. delivery vans are made to cover tens of thousands of miles in a short life span. not to stand around on drive ways un used.there is no space in them to talk of. and you can save thousands if you must drive a van by just sticking a mattress in and calling it a camper. one would be better off with a tent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pepe63xnotuse Posted August 27, 2014 Share Posted August 27, 2014 terry1956 - 2014-08-27 7:28 PM a) all these panel van conversations are just that cons. b) delivery vans are made to cover tens of thousands of miles in a short life span.not to stand around on drive ways un used.... a) Really?...in what way? b) So...exactly what base vehicles do you think are used underneath coach-builts that are left sitting on the drive' then?.. :-S Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.