daviddwight Posted September 29, 2015 Share Posted September 29, 2015 We had an Excel 09 for nearly three years changed it at 18000 miles bought a Tracker 12 reg, only problem with the Excel was the fridge which AT changed, the Tracker superb, well built no problems. As a previous post said possibly a previous owner who did not look after it. We have seen 1 and 2 year old motorhomes that have never been cleaned outside since new by the look of them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daviddwight Posted September 29, 2015 Share Posted September 29, 2015 We had an Excel 09 for nearly three years changed it at 180miles bought a Tracker 12 reg, only problem with the Excel was the fridge which AT changed, the Tracker superb, well built no problems. As a previous post said possibly a previous owner who did not look after it. We have seen 1 and 2 year old motorhomes that have never been cleaned outside since new by the look of them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brock Posted September 29, 2015 Share Posted September 29, 2015 Oh Dave, you could be a journalist or PR guru for the way you cut out my other comments about why my current van is better than the last one. From reading commercial vehicle magazines, I suspect the entire industry is fed up with the need to reduce emissions with the EU/Governments being unable to say with any confidence what is the solution. I have some sympathy with the VW approach because it is no less dishonest than the EU saying diesel is good, petrol is worse - and then changing their minds. Personally, I'd make public transport more accessible, ban the use of buggies for kids that are just at the right height for the kids to inhale neat exhaust gases, and invest in alternative fuels. Strange how we ban smoking in cars with children yet we can let the kids inhale exhaust gases without forcing parents to put them in prams which are higher and slightly easier on the lungs. Red warning lights will be a welcome relief from all the beeps I get in my van. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bulletguy Posted September 29, 2015 Share Posted September 29, 2015 Brock - 2015-09-29 5:26 PM Personally, I'd make public transport more accessible, ban the use of buggies for kids that are just at the right height for the kids to inhale neat exhaust gases, and invest in alternative fuels. Strange how we ban smoking in cars with children yet we can let the kids inhale exhaust gases without forcing parents to put them in prams which are higher and slightly easier on the lungs. Ooooooooooh......you really have opened up a can of worms on that one now!!! :D :D Personally i'd ban the School Run and stop the mothers cluttering up the roads with their 4x4's. The chaos caused by the school in the village where i live is horrendous and you avoid using the road between 8am - 9am and again at 3pm. Causes no end of trouble with enraged motorists trying to get round them and i can't see anything being done until there's a fatality. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracker Posted September 29, 2015 Share Posted September 29, 2015 Bulletguy - 2015-09-29 6:57 PM Ooooooooooh......you really have opened up a can of worms on that one now!!! :D :D Personally I would allow (but not force) all CL and CS site owners to make their sites available to anyone not just particular club members and I would make all towns let their otherwise empty overnight carparks be used for motorhome overnight parking (parking NOT camping) for under a fiver. No need for facilities that would only be abused by some as we are all allegedly self contained. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shirles Posted February 15, 2016 Share Posted February 15, 2016 When we bought our Delaware in 2012 we first visited all the shows and was surprised to flimsy materials ina lot of the German made coachbuilt vans which persuaded us to buy an autotrail.Four years on that choice has been vindicated despite the poor New Zealand roads and why the locally made hire vans are built like brick sh*thouses. Autotrail are seen as a premium brand out here and the kiwis just love them despite there being lots of German vans on sale here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rayjsj Posted February 15, 2016 Share Posted February 15, 2016 I have just bought my second Autotrail, and agree that prior to 2006 they were more sturdily built (I'm talking internal furniture here) BUT, and it's a big but, over 3500kg motorhomes are having less and less sales appeal , us grandfather's rights folk, are becoming less and less, and younger folk have restrictions on their licenses, SO, newer vans have to be available at under 3500kg ( IMHO a stupidly low limit that encourages overloading...but that's the EU for you). And the sacrifice seems to be quality of internal furniture, reduced to photo-veneer covered plywood held together with plastic clips, No real carpentry at all, and in places very flimsy and cheap looking. I agree that we have to get away from wanting Cherry wood etc., it isnt , and it looks naff. I would prefer high quality light moulded plastic, stronger, less susceptible to damp. And once tooled up cheaper to produce. MDF and plywood interiors with photo-veneer have had their day (yesterday !). And as for the photo veneer discs that cover the screw heads.......who ever signed that off, needs shooting. What ever happened to concealed screwing and with high quality adhesives.....glueing. Any time served carpenter would have a fit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
breakaleg Posted February 15, 2016 Share Posted February 15, 2016 We have noticed the difference over the years, our first coachbuilt was an auto-sleeper clubman circa 1996. good well built van, next was an Auto-sleeper Lancashire, that was cheaply built flimsy van circa 2006. next we bought a Elddis sunseeker 115 and it is far more robustly built circa 2015. of course, only time will tell how it lasts. Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goldi Posted February 15, 2016 Share Posted February 15, 2016 Morning folks, When tightening up the screws on the doors etc which have tendency to do on this and the previous van I put a touch of glue on the thread. norm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daviddwight Posted February 15, 2016 Share Posted February 15, 2016 A good point that a spot of glue on replacing a screw is something I do, a motorhome bounces and jolts along roads that in some cases ae like corrugated iron, now wonder screw fall out. In normal conditions screws go into wood that is mostly stationary, stable on the floor or fixed to a wall. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shirles Posted February 16, 2016 Share Posted February 16, 2016 Here in NZ you can drive vehicles up to 6000kg so most vanners here believe bigger is better.The majority of hire vans out here are over 3500kg and lots of them panel vans at around 7m length. Because they are built stronger and usually sold off at 200,000 kms they do command high resale values. I do think restrictions on weight in Europe are hindering families who want a van under 3500kg.And with vehicles getting heavier where does the industry go? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rayjsj Posted February 16, 2016 Share Posted February 16, 2016 Much more sensible Shirles, 3500kg is a stupidly low limit. I lose my Grandfather's rights in June this year, (I'm 70 then), upto then I can drive upto 7.5 tonnes, after that I can re-apply for a C1E, but I will have to pass a medical, and then re-pass it every 3 years.And after having heart surgery,I decided to bite the bullet and downsize to an Auto trail panel van at 3500kg.not too bad for just the two of us. But for a family ?? Just begging to be overloaded. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wills Wagon Posted February 22, 2016 Share Posted February 22, 2016 AutoTrail use quality solid veneered plywood which we find very durable. We have had five Autotrails all under 3500Kg and the quality of the furniture, fittings and furnishings has got better each time. That is why they now offer a five year warranty. The only complaint I would level against our van is the crap satellite navigation system. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rayjsj Posted February 23, 2016 Share Posted February 23, 2016 I'm sorry Will, but unless your Tracker was made on a different production line from my 2012 Frontier Savannah , then it doesn't have REAL wood veneer, it is only photo-veneer, ie a photograph of real wood, I know this because the photo-veneer around our cooker hob separated from the plywood with the heat, and was a swine to re-attach. I am not knocking Autotrail specifically, as all makers are caught in the Catch-22 situation of quality versus weight, with the stupidly low 3500kg limit on car license holders (post 1997 or over 70). Definition of wood veneer is Very thin slices of real (usually hard type) wood, bonded to face a cheaper (lighter)type of wood. Photo-veneer is not solid veneer. Ps I have just bought another Autotrail. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted February 23, 2016 Share Posted February 23, 2016 When I took a break in working in the aerospace industry I was working for a furniture manufacturers. One day a lady from the wages section asked me "What is 'cutting catafoil' that Tommy is always doing?", she was astounded to find that the desk she was sitting at was not solid wood, in this case it was furniture built for use in schools, it had solid beech edges and heavy duty photo veneer (catafoil) over a 650kg/m3 chipboard core. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muswell Posted February 23, 2016 Share Posted February 23, 2016 The quality versus weight problem arises because the manufacturers want to sell big motorhomes because people want to buy big motorhomes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rayjsj Posted February 23, 2016 Share Posted February 23, 2016 Muswell - 2016-02-23 8:44 AM The quality versus weight problem arises because the manufacturers want to sell big motorhomes because people want to buy big motorhomes. Those folk usually have families who need the space and require payload for their belongings, not possible in motor homes with 3500kg weight limits. Hence my dislike of the 3500kg limit . It's too low. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muswell Posted February 23, 2016 Share Posted February 23, 2016 If you need more than 3500kg then take the test. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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