morrison1105 Posted July 30, 2006 Share Posted July 30, 2006 Am embarking on the purchase of a Nuevo and would welcome views of current owners before commiting myself to an expensive motorhome. Your comments would be much appreciated, please. Thank you. John Morrison. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peteS Posted July 30, 2006 Share Posted July 30, 2006 Hi John it obviously depends on your needs, these may not be the same as mine but here goes. Purchased ours May 2006 problems so far nil. Things that need to be looked at and are a pain in the proverbial as follows. Slide out worktop under fridge, does what it says on the tin all the time. Left hand bend slides out, RH bend slides in. I have taped mine up so that it now stays where it is, we don't use it anyway. Toilet roll holder, if you forget to move roll before showering gets wet. Stupid pace to put it on rear wall needs to be on wall by cooker so it is covered up by shower curtain. Bed: Looks easy to put up and basically it is but backrest cushions have a habit of not sliding into place properly and can be awkward to place properly. I have screwed pull up tapes to the back of mine to make them easier to get at. As above: When you lift bed locker (if you have not used the press studs which again can be awkward to use) rear cush can drop down the gap, tapes work here again. That's about it like I said nothing serious just a bit of a pain at times. There are just the 2 of us and this is our first MH and so far very happy with it. Getting about 31 mpg had a towbar and easylifter fitted and cab air con being fitted next week. If you have any specific questions ask away, hope the above is of some help. Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terrytraveller Posted July 30, 2006 Share Posted July 30, 2006 Hi John, I looked at Neuvo's before changing from an Autocruise Starfire to Autocruise Stargazer which is two foot longer. I thought the Neuvo very nice but, was alarmed to notice no chassis extender fitted underneath the kitchen floor at the end of the camper. The kitchen end gets all the weight of the cooker, fridge and the people using it. Floor delamination by stress is a real concern these days. If you like the Neuvo than have a look at the Autocruise Starfire. Regards Terry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest starspirit Posted July 30, 2006 Share Posted July 30, 2006 I had a Nuevo before the Starspirit and I loved it. Well made and strong and durable if not quite up to the Talisman of old standard. But then what is? Autosleepers customer support is very good as well - or it always used to be pre take over and staff changes and I don't know about now. Compact van but all there with a good lounge, loo, kitchen and a very comfortable and wide bed. However the bed does sort of cut the van in half when made up so we went for the end bed/lounge layout of the Starspirit and learnt to live with the extra van length. A couple of tapered rubber door wedges cut down to suitable size cured the sliding worktop easily and cheaply but you might want to seal around the fridge for winter use as it gets flippin draughty. If you buy one it will be easy to resell as they are always in demand, but if you do get it wrong and need to change early you WILL lose a few thousand pounds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted July 31, 2006 Share Posted July 31, 2006 Morrison1105: I expect you are aware that the Peugeot chassis on which Nuevo is currently built is now obsolescent. Magazine reports (including French reports on sample motorhomes) indicate that the new SEVEL chassis is a big leap forward. I've no idea when (or even if) Auto-Sleepers will get round to building a Neuvo-equivalent on the new chassis but, if you opt for the present version, it's likely to have an impact on its resale value. (On the other hand you may be able to get one cheap!) Nuevo comes with the 2.0HDi motor as standard, but it's generally advised that the optional 2.2HDi powerplant is the better choice. Inadequate ventilation in the overcab sleeping-area of Nuevo ES has been criticised on this forum in the past. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Miller Posted July 31, 2006 Share Posted July 31, 2006 I have a three year old Nuevo which i purchased last year.Only the dog and i onboard so we do not lack for space although i feel two substantially built folk would find it a little limiting. No problems with either the base or conversion.Some silly cost cutting like the white plastic taps on the external end of the waste/water tanks.These become brittle after what seems short exposure to sunlight.My kindly dealer gave me 5 spares to keep me quiet. Check the famous 'strip' which covers the roof moulding to the over cab join.I saw several of these in a dealer's display recently that were already starting to loosen and leaving a channel for water/muck. But all in all i am very pleased with the vehicle. A visit to the AS website will show that the Nuevo now has a twin called Eton and based on the new 2ltr Transit.In view of Derek's thoughts this might well be an option worth considering. NM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted July 31, 2006 Share Posted July 31, 2006 The Auto-Sleepers website data for the Eton are incorrect. All A-S Transit-based models are RWD and thus all have the good old lengthways 2.4 litre motor. The Eton has the lowest power output 90PS version. The 2.0 litre Transit motor comes in 100PS or 125PS variants but is only available in transverse format on FWD chassis. (I suspect that A-S has done a rough job copying Nuevo data to Eton web-page.) Unfortunately the present Transit (and hence the Eton) is also obsolescent. The only plus point Auto-Sleepers-wise is that it's been reported that the 'body fixing points' on current and New Transit chassis are identical. This implies that A-S could graft the present Eton body on to a New Transit chassis with little or no modifications being needed. I've also read that New Transit will be no more expensive than the present one, but that hasn't stopped some motorhome converters already advertising price rises for forthcoming models built on the revised Ford chassis. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
morrison1105 Posted July 31, 2006 Author Share Posted July 31, 2006 Thank you PeteS, Terrytraveller, Starspirit, Derek Uzzeel and Nick Miller. My wife and I are extremely grateful to you all for your comments and we now need to re-think what we were about to do. We automatically went for Auto-sleeper, having had the Harmony panel van for ten years, which gave us so much pleasure and no major problems. In our retirement we thought of spending our childrens' inheritance (with their blessings) on something with a little more comfort in our riper years. Although we would have liked to go for a coach-built we are limited by access onto our drive. The dimensions of the Nuevo appeared just right, but I feel it is time to put our thinking caps on again. We really appreciate all of your comments and the trouble you have taken to help us. John Morrison Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted July 31, 2006 Share Posted July 31, 2006 [QUOTE]morrison1105 - 2006-07-31 3:39 PM Thank you PeteS, Terrytraveller, Starspirit, Derek Uzzeel and Nick Miller. My wife and I are extremely grateful to you all for your comments and we now need to re-think what we were about to do. We automatically went for Auto-sleeper, having had the Harmony panel van for ten years, which gave us so much pleasure and no major problems. In our retirement we thought of spending our childrens' inheritance (with their blessings) on something with a little more comfort in our riper years. Although we would have liked to go for a coach-built we are limited by access onto our drive. The dimensions of the Nuevo appeared just right, but I feel it is time to put our thinking caps on again. We really appreciate all of your comments and the trouble you have taken to help us. John Morrison[/QUOTE] JohnI'm sure it will have been clear, but in case it wasn't, the above comments re obsolescence apply equally to all current (i.e. 2006) motorhomes, whether Ford Transit, Peugeot Boxer, Citroen Jumper, Fiat Ducato, Mercedes Sprinter, VW LT or Iveco Daily. The only one that won't change shape in 2007 is the Renault Master, and even that gets new engines.Probably best to await the motorhome shows, and spend the intervening period sorting out your priorities for bed washroom and seating arrangements etc, so that you can hit the ground running when the 2007 models are finally announced in UK. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest starspirit Posted July 31, 2006 Share Posted July 31, 2006 To put it in perspective, it will probably be a year before any UK coachbuilts appear on the new Sevel chassis and even longer before the supply is sufficient to disrupt the price of the current model. So now might be a good time to buy a Nuevo - which like Talisman and Executive - will always be in demand because they are a damned good 'van - even more so if you can bargain hard with no p/x. Look at the prices that older Talbot Express based Auto Sleeper vans still command compared to lesser models for supporting evidence. Apart from that you don't know how long health wealth and Gordon Brown will allow you to enjoy your hobby so get out there and enjoy while you can. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted July 31, 2006 Share Posted July 31, 2006 [QUOTE]starspirit - 2006-07-31 10:05 PM To put it in perspective, it will probably be a year before any UK coachbuilts appear on the new Sevel chassis and even longer before the supply is sufficient to disrupt the price of the current model...........[/QUOTE] Maybe, but the new, European (that is to say left hand drive) 2007 models from the major manufacturers are already being previewed on the new chassis, and that is before any of them get their formal launch at the Dusseldorf show. All these vehicles now tend to have Europe wide warrantys, which means that any Continentals visiting UK next summer should be able to get spares from the maker's UK service centres. That makes me think the RHD UK versions won't lag that far behind. I do hope the UK manufacturers aren't doing the usual UK thing, and just sitting back and waiting instead of getting on with new model development. That way went most of our road transport manufacturing capacity! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
morrison1105 Posted August 1, 2006 Author Share Posted August 1, 2006 Many thanks, Brian and Starspirit, and again to all you other wonderful motorhome owners for your help and guidance. Having spoken to a number of suppliers they do confirm that plans are afoot to upgrade vehicle chassis, which has rather put the brakes on the manufacture of motorhomes at this time. However, I am about to visit a number of local suppliers in the hope of finding a suitable vehicle in their current stock. John Morrison Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
graham Posted August 1, 2006 Share Posted August 1, 2006 We bought a Nuevo as a replacement for a Compass Calypso 2 years ago and have been very pleased. We sorted the slide out shelf with stick on plastic clear pads from a diy store and used also to quieten some rattling doors. We prefer vans of around 5.5 m because they fit our drive, you can get them in a car park, they fit on minor roads, cheaper ferry costs. We like 2 sofas as we can sprawl out and you can have 2 singles or a double. The Autocruise fits the same criteria but is a bit wider and the washroom a bit fancy for our taste so we went for the AS but I am sure either would meet your needs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Madge Posted August 1, 2006 Share Posted August 1, 2006 [QUOTE]Brian Kirby - 2006-07-31 11:08 PM [QUOTE]I do hope the UK manufacturers aren't doing the usual UK thing, and just sitting back and waiting instead of getting on with new model development. That way went most of our road transport manufacturing capacity![/QUOTE] Brian, I was chatting to Timberland Motorhomes today and they hope to take delivery late Oct early Nov. They are lucky and have the Renault Master to continue production on if there is a big delay. Don Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
morrison1105 Posted August 2, 2006 Author Share Posted August 2, 2006 Thanks for your helpful information,Graham. Like you I am very conscious of vehicle size when using narrow roads and car parks. Am going to have another look at the Nuevo and possibly take a look at the Talisman and Executive. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted August 2, 2006 Share Posted August 2, 2006 John: If you can live with the extra length of A-S's Executive or Talisman (18' 10" as opposed to Nuevo's 17' 9" and, I might add, with a hefty step up in price), then you might want to consider Auto-Trail's Tracker at 19' 2" that would also offer the option of Fiat's 2.3 litre motor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest starspirit Posted August 2, 2006 Share Posted August 2, 2006 I had Talismans (Talismen?) and Executives for many years and due to the curvy slippery body which narrows top and bottom they are a lot less hassle on narrow roads with overhanging trees than their size would suggest. A bit longer in car parks though which can require some ingenuity sometimes. Storage and living space inside is not quite so good as the Nuevo but still very comfortable for two. The two single beds in whatever version were OK and left the aisle clear at night or with one huge double you are left with not a lot of footspace. My perception is that the Nuevo bathroom is easier to use although overall there is little to choose in practicalities plus of course the Nuevo is less expensive both new and s/h. The old 2.5 d and td were agricultural and we always preferred the 2.0 petrol with the lower fuel consuption of about 5 mpg more than offset by the lower price and quieter smoother driving experience. In my view the 2.0 hdi is perfectly adequate but I imagine the 2.2 hdi would be fun and the 2.8 a real flyer in a straight line - and I like fast cars!. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted August 3, 2006 Share Posted August 3, 2006 Starspirit: Have you actually driven an A-S Executive, Nuevo or Talisman powered by the 2.0HDi motor? John: Based on A-S's data, a potential negative of the Nievo design is its small (38L) waste-water tank. This may be irrelevant as far as you are concerned if you are accustomed to panel-van designs and campsite stays, but I found the same size tank on my Herald intolerable when using the vehicle for 'off-site' living. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest starspirit Posted August 3, 2006 Share Posted August 3, 2006 Yes Derek as mentioned earlier I have owned a 2.0hdi Nueveo and my starspirit is also 2.0hdi. Your point being? I forgot about the small water tanks. These can be a real pain when wild camping but I do understand that newer Nuevo's have a larger fresh water tank? One can carefully empty a watse tank in any convenient roadside or carpark drain without leaving any puddles so that is less of an issue than getting fresh water. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted August 3, 2006 Share Posted August 3, 2006 My original statement "Nuevo comes with the 2.0HDi motor as standard, but it's generally advised that the optional 2.2HDi powerplant is the better choice" was just a repetition on what most magazine test reports say. But I've never driven any Auto-Sleeper with the smaller motor so I can't speak from personal experience. As you have not only owned a Nuevo with the 2.0HDi motor but your Auto-Cruise also has this engine then, obviously, you've got first hand experience and your comments must carry more weight then my 2nd-hand comments. If you'd said initially that your Nuevo had the small motor I would probably not bothered to mention it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest starspirit Posted August 4, 2006 Share Posted August 4, 2006 I reckon that most motoring journalists tend to be a) obsessed with speed and b) often stuck for things to say. In the real world I would have liked a more powerful engine but I do not consider that the gain is worth the financial pain as the lower powered versions are still capable of being just about as fast as the size and road holding will allow - unless going uphill that is! Apart from that when buying used overall condition and price is far more important than engine size to me. Perhaps I am just a tight fisted old codger? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
graham Posted August 4, 2006 Share Posted August 4, 2006 Just a comment on water tanks. Ours has a 77 litre tank (van 2 years old). I believe the early ones had small tanks and not sure about the ES version but the standard one is now ok. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted August 5, 2006 Share Posted August 5, 2006 graham: Is 77 litres the capacity of your Nuevo's fresh-water or waste-water tank, please? I notice that Auto-Sleepers's website continues to show Nuevo tank sizes as 71 litres (fresh) and 38 litres (waste), but these data may not be current. An A-S rep once told me that they were considering marketing the Orian brand in New Zealand and had needed to revise the UK specification. Apparently regulations for new motorhomes sold in NZ demand that the capacity of the vehicle's waste-water tank be at least equal to that of the fresh-water one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
graham Posted August 5, 2006 Share Posted August 5, 2006 The fresh tank may be 71 and not 77 (hard to remember numbers in older age) but it is enough. I don't know about the size of the waste tank. We normally use sites and I find it far easier to leave the drain tap open and drain into a wheely waste container. It saves moving the vehicle if you aren't going and saves having to line it up with a waste drain. Emptying once a day does for us but we do use site showers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chas Posted August 5, 2006 Share Posted August 5, 2006 Thats exactly what we do, and one extra advantage is you do not get the smell from the waste tank coming up the piework, which belive me in hot climes is terrible. chas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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