Neil bom Posted April 19, 2013 Share Posted April 19, 2013 I am thinking of buying an Elegance .Could anybody give me any advice about the running costs,disadvantages of a larger vehicle or any other practical advice. Many thanks. Neil and Pam. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tugga Posted April 19, 2013 Share Posted April 19, 2013 The Burstner Elegence is a lovely motorhome. If we had the room, I could happily live with one too. The only disadvantage that I think is relevant is that not all UK sites will accept a 9m motorhome, their max seems to be 8m. Not sure about European sites, I am sure that others on here will have advice about them. I think it might be more difficult to wild camp with one too, but again I am sure others will let you know definitely. Hope this helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted April 19, 2013 Share Posted April 19, 2013 you dont say if new or used.....if used make sure its professionally inspected for DAMP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil bom Posted April 20, 2013 Author Share Posted April 20, 2013 Many thanks for your advice Cheryl . Neil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hughman Posted April 20, 2013 Share Posted April 20, 2013 We've had one for 18 months. It's very comfortable as long as you don't mind climbing over someone to get into bed, which sits over the enormous garage. Ours is 8.2m long and we've not yet been turned away from a site. It'll bash along at 65 - 70 apart from motorway inclines. MPG - high teens to early 20's depending on speed and terrain. Ours struggled to get up Mt Ventoux - had to stop for a breather halfway up, but made it ok and didn't crash coming down the other side :-D BUT, over 3.5 tonnes is a curse in Europe, specially Austria - just cost me E300 to do the return trip across Austria with their ripoff GoBox system.Tolls higher elsewhere as well due to weight and/or number of axles. Finally, as Eddie says, get it checked for damp. We were going to sell ours here and the deal fell through due to unknown damp. We're selling in Germany instead, where the dealer wasn't so worried about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil bom Posted April 20, 2013 Author Share Posted April 20, 2013 Thanks very much for your help.how old is yours and would you buy another one ?or would you buy a brand new one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hughman Posted April 20, 2013 Share Posted April 20, 2013 Ours is 2003 with over 100k km on the clock, so not in the first flush of youth :-( It had probably had quite a hard life before we got it so it's showing its age now. I wouldn't get another one now, because of the weight and problems that brings in Europe, but if you don't mind that, they're fine. I met a couple of people in Britain who were full-timing in theirs and very happy with it. New is expensive, but you'd be ok for damp for a few years at least. Good hunting Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted April 21, 2013 Share Posted April 21, 2013 The shortest and cheapest new Burstner Elegance 800G (in RHD format) is 8.12m long and approaches a £90k asking-price for the 'basic' specification. Potential disadvantages of a motorhome this size/weight should be self-evident. Parking will be more challenging than with a smaller vehicle; manoevring will be trickier due to the wide turning-circle resulting from the long wheelbase; fuel consumption (and insurance) costs will be expensive, etc. I note that the standard motor for the Elegance 800G appears to be Fiat's 2.3litre 130bhp unit, but you'd be wise to opt for the 3.0litre powerplant for any of the Elegance models. There will also be UK driving-licence implications as a "C1" entitlement will be needed. All A-class motorhomes have windscreens that are far from cheap to replace and it would be sensible to check the cost with a Burstner dealership and to confirm that your insurance will cover it. Personally, in this sort of price-bracket, I'd be looking at Carthago, Hymer, Le Voyageur or Niesmann+Bischoff, not Burstner. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trooper Posted April 21, 2013 Share Posted April 21, 2013 We have a burstner elegance I 685' since 07,it's only6.8 long,it suits us a treat, good payload,4 travel seats and Berth,3L 25 mpg 4000 KGs,done around 34000 miles wouldn't dream of selling. S H Eligances come in many lengths.and layouts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DWC66 Posted April 22, 2013 Share Posted April 22, 2013 Hi We have a Burstner Elegance 821g 2011. It's 8.87 (29') so very long. 3 litre engine which when we went to France averaged about 24 mpg, which we thought wasn't bad as we were loaded up for our holiday so also had half a tank of water. It's really is a beautiful van and very well made. The furniture(cupboards) is very robust.. not marking with the slightest knock, unlike some other vans that we have had in the past. My husband is always asked if he's a lorry driver as the van is so big...but he isn't. Would we have another? Yes :-D Janice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil bom Posted April 22, 2013 Author Share Posted April 22, 2013 Thanks for that Janice .After going to Peterbough at the weekend I think our mind is made up .its a Burstner for us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracker Posted April 22, 2013 Share Posted April 22, 2013 JudgeMental - 2013-04-19 11:42 PM you don't say if new or used.....if used make sure its professionally inspected for DAMP Legendary German build quality rearing it's ugly head again eh - and at that sort of price - ouch! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noodles Posted April 23, 2013 Share Posted April 23, 2013 My brother has a Burstner Elegance his was just over a year old when he bought it for £73k (a bargain)with 3000 miles on the clock. When we go away together it is his motorhome that everyone wants to look at. There are probably only a couple of downsides it has, for me anyway, is a small kitchen and the small oven which is at eye level which can IMO be a bit dangerous when taking something hot out of the oven. We did remove the big table to see how the MH would be without it and use a collapsible table but it just didn't look right. There have only been 2 incidences when we were refused entry into a campsite due to size our MH is 8.73m and the Elegance is 9.2m And yes salesmen are dishonest because we once overheard a salesman at a show tell some potential buyers that the Burstner Elegance averages 35 mpg my brother averages 24 mpg as do we. Overall a lovely fantastic MH would have loved one put it was out of our price range and we wouldn't have been able to it get on the drive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mirage Posted April 23, 2013 Share Posted April 23, 2013 My only experience of the above motorhome was the smell of a burning clutch after a salesman had finished reversing it on a forecourt, but then it was a salesman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted April 23, 2013 Share Posted April 23, 2013 Tracker - 2013-04-22 9:45 PM JudgeMental - 2013-04-19 11:42 PM you don't say if new or used.....if used make sure its professionally inspected for DAMP Legendary German build quality rearing it's ugly head again eh - and at that sort of price - ouch! Shut it you egit......That goes for any coach built, not only overpriced, overweight rubbish like yours. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crinklystarfish Posted April 24, 2013 Share Posted April 24, 2013 Big. Very big. That may not be a problem but do not understimate how restrictive a big one can be. Also, I personally harbour some doubts about torsional stress in larger 'vans, especially Integrals; more especially it they see use on less than billiard table smooth surfaces. Type 'burstner creases' into the New World Order's search engine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crinklystarfish Posted April 24, 2013 Share Posted April 24, 2013 And then 'Torsion free subframe' if you want to get into it. Some may, and then may wish they hadn't. Basically coachbuilt 'vans start to try to twist themselves to bits from day one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted April 24, 2013 Share Posted April 24, 2013 crinklystarfish - 2013-04-24 9:22 AM Big. Very big. That may not be a problem but do not understimate how restrictive a big one can be. Also, I personally harbour some doubts about torsional stress in larger 'vans, especially Integrals; more especially it they see use on less than billiard table smooth surfaces. Type 'burstner creases' into the New World Order's search engine. Now that you have said it I remember issues re creasing with these vehicles...so googled and blimey loads of evidence. At that length I'm not surprised to be honest.... Stress fractures csn also be an issue with CB. Found this lamentable thread re autotrail, you know the quality UK vans with 12 month warranty :-D http://www.motorhomefacts.com/forum-printtopic-1-85199-0-0-asc-viewresult-1.html Plus a cautionary tale re burstner with owner being told your fault for driving to fast over speed bumps! On UK campsite forum.. i wonder how many shopping for a van bother using google search for information... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted April 24, 2013 Share Posted April 24, 2013 Personal view, for which I shall be unpopular with some. Motorhomes of this size and weight need to be on a sub-structure designed from the outset for such loads. Mercedes or Iveco, for some versions MAN, would be more appropriate. Think about Carthago, Hymer, Le Voyager, Concorde etc. They will cost you more, but are likely to give better service, with less trouble, over a longer period. IMO, anything with a MAM significantly exceeding 4.0 tonnes, that is Ducato based, is getting into the danger zone. These are front wheel drive vehicles that are likely to struggle for traction in difficult conditions, they are then stretched with a lightweight chassis extension that incorporates a non-Fiat - and in a number of cases two - rear axle that has been known to complicate servicing, and they only gain their added weight carrying capacity by consuming a portion of their GTW allocation for day-to-day running. Simply put, they are being used full time in a way that their original design did not contemplate, except as an occasional possibility. They "get away with it" because most motorhomes are cosseted, and travel minimal mileages compared the the commercial vehicles on which they are based. They represent a cheap way to achieving an expensive vehicle so, if you can afford it, buy something built for the job, and if you can't, downscale your ambitions until they fit what you are prepared to pay - otherwise keep your fingers crossed! :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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