which motor home to buy

[buck111]

Can anyone help.I am looking to buy a swift sundance 530, ace capri or bessacarr 410.I would like a 2007 or 2008 model.On reading about these there seems to be a problem on the swift and the ace with the electric steps rusting and coming off.I viewed an ace 2007 and using this info i looked straight underneath.The floor was very springy as though the floor was delaminating. Is a rotten floor the reason the steps fall off or is it poor fixing.Also are the shower trays prone for cracking round the plug hole. I also read that they are prone to leaking round the windows.I am looking at these models as i am limited to a 20ft motor home for storage purposeses.on a couple of viewings on a swift and the ace, I was told the leisure battery was flat so the step would not come out which makes me a little suspicious.It really is a minefield out there.Can anyone give me any advice as the best one to get. :-(

[johnnerontheroad]

The only advise I would give is don't buy British.

[david lloyd]

The advice I would give is buy british.

David

[Guest JudgeMental]

johnnerontheroad - 2013-10-03 6:40 PM

 

The only advise I would give is don't buy British.

 

Ditto! :-D

[Guest pelmetman]

You've done your homework.......although I wouldn't let steps and shower trays put me off a van.........damp would.

 

Delamination of the floor above the step is not uncommon.

 

I repaired ours this year, the problem I found was the coach bolts that secure the step are counter sunk, and over time the wear and tear of people using the step eventually separates the ply *-)................although ours did last 22 years before it happened...........and the fix was straight forward enough if a bit of a struggle for a fat bloke :$............Shower trays can also be repaired in situ nowdays ;-)..............

[lennyhb]

johnnerontheroad - 2013-10-03 6:40 PM

 

The only advise I would give is don't buy British.

 

Seconded, unless you have money to throw away.

[flicka]

Hi Buck & welcome to the forum.

The Swift Sundance 530, Ace Capri & Bessacarr 410 are all the same model coming out of the Swift factory @ Cottingham. The difference being the external graphics, upholstery & wooden furniture colours.

The Ace was considered the lowest level, followed by the Swift & then the Bessacarr, (which usually had some of the extra's options fitted as standard. There are also "Dealer specials" which again had various options fitted as standard. (mainly on the Swift model, i.e. Brownhill's "Suntor" amongst others)

Possible other UK models were the Autocruise Starfire, Elldis Autoquest 115, again there are "Dealer specials" available. (e.g. Lifestyle, Sunstyle)

 

Have a look at the Swift-Talk forum, where there are many threads regarding the damp floors / step problems on the Swift range for 07, 08 &09.

 

http://www.swift-talk.co.uk/forum & scroll down to the "Motorhome general" & "Motorhome technical" sections.

[kelly58]

We owned an Ace Airstream 680 FB would I own another Swift built motor home ? " NO " We have also owned an Autosleeper Nuevo II EK  would we buy another Auto sleeper ? " Yes " . We currently own an Auto-Trail Tracker RS which I feel the build quality to be on parr with the Auto sleeper . You may wonder why we did not buy another Auto sleeper model ! We really like the layout of the Tracker .We have owned it for 6 months had 6 trips to France with 80 days away its now done 7500 miles and from fill to fill averaged 31.4 mpg. Our 1st motorhome was a Compass Suntor 115 and for the money was a nice entry level motorhome.

[buck111]

Thanks for the tips. I am now thinking of getting a panal van conversion.Any tips

[johnnerontheroad]

buck111 - 2013-10-05 3:31 PM

 

Thanks for the tips. I am now thinking of getting a panal van conversion.Any tips

 

Only one Don't buy British

[Sundowner]

buck111 - 2013-10-05 3:31 PM

 

Thanks for the tips. I am now thinking of getting a panal van conversion.Any tips

Have a close look at ADRIA Twin range of panel van conversions. Good Luck

[Guest JudgeMental]

Sundowner - 2013-10-05 3:44 PM

 

buck111 - 2013-10-05 3:31 PM

 

Thanks for the tips. I am now thinking of getting a panal van conversion.Any tips

Have a close look at ADRIA Twin range of panel van conversions. Good Luck

 

Wise move by the way to look at vans......Others to look at (see I'm not biased!) are the Possl/Globecar vans.. And for real class La Strada

[goldi]

Afternoon folks,

 

 

See mine for sale on out & about website.

 

norm

[david lloyd]

buck111 - 2013-10-05 3:31 PM

 

Thanks for the tips. I am now thinking of getting a panal van conversion.Any tips

 

Just forget all the "mine's better than yours" rubbish to begin with and try to focus on what it is you want from the van.

 

Try putting together a list of 'Must haves' ' Should haves' and 'Could haves' which will really help when you come to look at the wide variety on offer.

 

For instance, it may be more important for you to have twin single beds than a high transverse double bed or you may want to make sure that there is electric and gas water/heating system rather than just gas.

 

Once you have your list try to stick to it and, most importantly, when you start to view try everything - beds, bathroom, the kitchen, imagine where you would put things and how you would use the particular layout on offer.

 

Good luck,

David

[snowie]

buck111 - 2013-10-05 3:31 PM

 

Thanks for the tips. I am now thinking of getting a panel van conversion.Any tips

 

welcome buck111;

If you are looking for a mainstream PVC, then be very aware that the width of a PVC dictates the overall spaciousness of the van, whatever the layout.

If you are looking at low volume converters, that produce "standard" layouts, then my question would be WHY? stick with mainstream.

Look for ingenuity; or consider your own layout and spec,

god luck;

alan b

[Guest pelmetman]

Which motor home to buy?..........................now there's a conundrum :D................

 

I often think that people don't know enough about what a motorhome/camper is for before they spend their lump sum *-)..................and with out doubt the standard route is to spend a fortune on something that they later realise didn't suite 8-)..........

 

Why people buy before they've tried it is beyond me (lol)...............

 

At least tuggers have come up through the ranks >:-)

[PCC]

That was quite a rapid change of heart considering the difference in nature between coachbuilts and PVCs.

 

If I was in your situation I would make a list of those features that I must have; those that I would quite like; and anything that I would want to avoid. I would then go to the NEC and take some time looking at the different types of motorhome and pretending I was using them: even to the extent of going into the shower room and having an imaginery shower!

 

I would probably try and hire something similar before I parted with any money.

 

There are lots of nearly new motorhomes for sale proving that many purchasers discover that what they have bought is not quite what they wanted.

[lennyhb]

Sounds like you are not sure what you want I strongly advise you to hire a couple of vans to avoid making a costly mistake.

 

Although we had been lugging caravans around for over 20 years we still hired a couple of Motorhomes before taking the plunge, we found out what we could & could not live with and it saved a lot of grief.

[buck111]

I know exactly what i want having had a panal van albeit a home build in which we toured spain france and portugal for nine months.I then went over to a caravan but felt more comfortable in a camper.so that is why i am looking to return to a motorhome.I just dont want my hard earned savings wasted on something that will be in a garage being repaired all the time.I am now looking at the eldiss 115 as the reviews seem to give it a good right up,not mentioning damp or delaminating floors.anyone know anything different?

[johnnerontheroad]

Just Google elddis+damp and start to read.

 

Dave

[johnnerontheroad]

ups

[Guest JudgeMental]

A couple of members have alluded to concentrating on your type of usage, what time of year you want to go away..how far you travel, your main interests, are you a family or just a couple etc..etc... .

 

If your thing is winter camping in the uk and no interest in Europe, maybe a more roomier CB a better idea as long as prepared for the inherent risks and limitations that go with it, and you have identified what can be wrong with CB already. We are mainly fair weather campers and follow the sun, so a van makes absoloute sense for us as they do for more and more people.....but we are not you! :-D

[flicka]

Hi Buck - I've sent you a PM

[Brian Kirby]

buck111 - 2013-10-06 6:08 PM...........................I just dont want my hard earned savings wasted on something that will be in a garage being repaired all the time.I am now looking at the eldiss 115 as the reviews seem to give it a good right up,not mentioning damp or delaminating floors.anyone know anything different?

The reviews, at lease those in magazines, will prove of little help beyond illustrating the layout and showing the cosmetics. They will seldom highlight shortcomings, unless the manufacturer has already noted them and has a "fix" in the pipeline. This is mainly because the manufacturers jealously guard their marketing positions, and tend to withdraw access to their products from fierce critics. They have also been known to withdraw advertising, which make a big dent in the income of the mag, so the whole truth, warts and all, is a bit of a rare commodity.

 

Leakage is also something a mag is unlikely to discover, since their tests are generally brief and of new vans, and leakage is something that becomes problematic several years on. All vans can leak, but some are more prone to leakage than others. Unfortunately, those you have been researching don't have the strongest reputations for remaining leak free, but this is based on vans of 4 or so years plus age. New ones may be substantially better, but may also exceed your budget. My suggestion would be to look among those vans with a generally trouble free reputation, gained over a number of years.

 

PVCs should be better, but can be let down by poor workmanship in installing windows, rooflights, of other cut-outs through the bodywork. Coachbuilts have more joints, so present a higher risk. A Class vans are, it seems somewhere between, because there is no need to graft the coachbuilt body to a van cab.

 

Of the UK made vans, Autotrail seem to have earned a good reputation for their construction quality, as have Autosleepers. Not to say the others are bad, but their reputations in this respect seem more patchy. Of the commonly available imports, most of the German made vans, especially from the Hymer group stable, seem fairly reliable, as does Rapido from France. Italian vans seem a bit more of a mixed bag, with the exception of Laika (which is in any case Hymer group). Groupe Trigano (Challenger/Chausson mainly) seem to survive fairly well, providing you don't buy one that is more than 5 or so years old.

 

But most of all, look at reputations, and reports of repeated problems on older vans, and choose accordingly.

[Symbol Owner]

And -- I am surprised that no-one has said this yet -- if you are in the market for a 'van of 2007-2010 on a Fiat (Ducato), Peugeot (Boxer), or citroen (Relay) base then do ensure that the neccessary 'fixes' have been done on the Clutch/gearbox regarding the 'Judder' issue.

Regards,

 

Colin.