dicksob Posted July 31, 2016 Share Posted July 31, 2016 Given all the discussion on quality of base vehicle and conversions thought I'd give an update on my IH RL 630 which just had its 3 year vehicle and habitation service and mot last week. Van has done 23000 miles, is used all year round, 3 trips abroad and lots of weekends, mixture of Aires, stellplatz and sites, using all van facilities. It's a 3 litre comfortmatic, returned 25/27mpg consistently and is running better as the mileage rises. So how has it gone? The fiat side has been (surprisingly??) reliable! No breakdowns, only one warranty item, a side rubbing strip on the door came loose, and one recall for a fuel filter, so v impressive! Had 2 services, one from a Fiat Professional dealer, £442 (ouch!) and latest from Bennets of Leeds when it was in at IH, £288. Sailed through its mot with no advisories. Really delighted and it's fabulous to drive too. So what about the IH side? One of the great things about an IH is (if you are interested) you get to meet the person who will build your van, in my case Craig, who did a terrific job. Given this is our 4th we also know personally the guys on after sales, especially Jacko who looks after our van. The habitation service is v expensive though, £240, don't all shout at once!! They are very thorough though and there have never been any additional charges even for additional work done. It hasn't been faultless though. We have had 2 small water leaks in side windows, failing sealant, nothing serious. On the rear grp panel, where the rear door hinges were, the paint has bubbled twice (a known issue) now fixed by covering with reflectors! Apart from getting the sealant between the toilet and the shower tray replaced each year (just precaution as we shower in the van all the time) that's it, so we think superb! I know not everyone likes IH vans, can only say that we have got to know Ian and Nicola really well over the years, they are lovely people doing something they believe in, wish there were more uk builders like them. What next for us, well we have been looking at a hymer merc 540 mli and the carthago138, both same length as ours, but just can't make our mind up, the quality of our IH is going to be hard to match. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest pelmetman Posted July 31, 2016 Share Posted July 31, 2016 dicksob - 2016-07-31 8:40 PM It hasn't been faultless though. We have had 2 small water leaks in side windows, failing sealant, nothing serious. On the rear grp panel, where the rear door hinges were, the paint has bubbled twice (a known issue) now fixed by covering with reflectors! Apart from getting the sealant between the toilet and the shower tray replaced each year (just precaution as we shower in the van all the time) that's it, so we think superb! Sounds a bit like my FIL's snagging list on our Horace......26 years ago.....except it wasn't so long :D ....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted August 1, 2016 Share Posted August 1, 2016 dicksob - 2016-07-31 8:40 PM ...The habitation service is v expensive though, £240, don't all shout at once!!... I wouldn’t have thought that was exorbitant given current labour charges. For my 2015 Rapido I was quoted £200 for a ‘full’ habitation service that included Rapido’s mandatory watertightness check. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lennyhb Posted August 1, 2016 Share Posted August 1, 2016 I don't understand the UK obsession with habitation checks, I've never had one done perfectly capable of doing it myself never had any impact on warranty claims. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rayjsj Posted August 1, 2016 Share Posted August 1, 2016 Up in Scotland earlier this year I had a very classy IH Monopod caravan pull onto the pitch alongside me, looked like a modern version of an Airstream, only in moulded glassfibre or the front part of a bullet train. Why ? Didnt they make more ? Always very impressed with IH motorhomes, and the innovation with quality, Im sure if Ian Hartley had done the Autotrail V Line original range, he would have made a better job of it. (I have one !) A motohome to aspire to. And its British. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bolero boy Posted August 1, 2016 Share Posted August 1, 2016 nice vans, had a look (hard) at a FL variant, dont like his locker door design (personal thing) but there is a huge waste of space in the rear washroom....this could have been a real star element if the whole rear was used, but by plonking the shower in the middle and using the side space for cupboads, the result is a shower which requires a curtain in £60k van... the same design fault (imho) also dtracts frm the ease of use if the boot area... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted August 1, 2016 Share Posted August 1, 2016 lennyhb - 2016-08-01 12:06 PM I don't understand the UK obsession with habitation checks, I've never had one done perfectly capable of doing it myself never had any impact on warranty claims. Nowadays the norm outside the UK is for a motorhome to have a ‘watertightness’ warranty with a duration of several years. To maintain that warranty’s validity it is usually mandatory for a ‘damp test’ be carried out annually by a agent authorised by the motorhome’s manufacturer. But having a 'habitation service’ performed is (as far as I’m aware) never a mandatory requirement. Where UK-built motorhomes are concerned, the vehicle’s ‘conversion’ warranty may well make habitation servicing mandatory. This requirement is clearly stated in paragraph 1.6 of the Auto-Trail 2016 warranty terms and conditions that can be viewed here http://www.auto-trail.co.uk/warranty-terms I’ve never had a habitation service carried out on any of my motorhomes and, although I’m technically fairly handy, I know that there are certain tasks that I would expect to be performed as part of a habitation service that I don’t do - pressure-testing the gas system for example. There does seem to be a tendency within the UK motorhome dealership community to advise owners that a motorcaravan’s warranty (irrespective of what the warranty’s terms and conditions actually say) will be invalidated if habitation servicing is not carried out. All I can suggest to owners is that, if their motorhome’s warranty’s terms and conditions do not make habitation servicing mandatory and you don’t want it done, then challenge that advice. A dealer saying “We recommend that habitation servicing should be performed annually” is not the same as “You must have habitation servicing performed annually or your warranty will be invalidated.” Check what the warranty says and if there’s nothing about habitation servicing in it and a dealer continues to insist that it’s a mandatory requirement and you dion’t believe this is the case, ask the motorhome manufacturer to adjudicate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith T Posted August 1, 2016 Share Posted August 1, 2016 The only 'habitation' service I had regularly on my Burstner was for the first 3 years a damp check, and have had that periodically since (so far nothing has be shown abnormally). The first 3 years were to preserve the warranty on that part. I felt that mostly - other than a gas check periodically, which I cannot of course do myself , I know what works and doesn't work, and if there is something needing attention I wouldn't in any case wait for a supposed check to find out; I would know, and get it done immediately. There seems little in most habitation checks which would not show up in normal use, and provided the van is used regularly, and you do keep it well serviced and maintained, then the full check is largely unnecessary, and the cost is very high. I did get a quote from the local caravan service agent here recently for Gas and a Damp check, which would be around £100 - didn't enquire the full habitation check, so not sure how that would compare. Of course - as far as I understand anyway- the Habitation check is literally that, and anything found and subsequently done is added to the price! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david lloyd Posted August 4, 2016 Share Posted August 4, 2016 Derek Uzzell - 2016-08-01 6:25 PM lennyhb - 2016-08-01 12:06 PM I don't understand the UK obsession with habitation checks, I've never had one done perfectly capable of doing it myself never had any impact on warranty claims. Nowadays the norm outside the UK is for a motorhome to have a ‘watertightness’ warranty with a duration of several years. To maintain that warranty’s validity it is usually mandatory for a ‘damp test’ be carried out annually by a agent authorised by the motorhome’s manufacturer. But having a 'habitation service’ performed is (as far as I’m aware) never a mandatory requirement. Where UK-built motorhomes are concerned, the vehicle’s ‘conversion’ warranty may well make habitation servicing mandatory. This requirement is clearly stated in paragraph 1.6 of the Auto-Trail 2016 warranty terms and conditions that can be viewed here http://www.auto-trail.co.uk/warranty-terms I’ve never had a habitation service carried out on any of my motorhomes and, although I’m technically fairly handy, I know that there are certain tasks that I would expect to be performed as part of a habitation service that I don’t do - pressure-testing the gas system for example. There does seem to be a tendency within the UK motorhome dealership community to advise owners that a motorcaravan’s warranty (irrespective of what the warranty’s terms and conditions actually say) will be invalidated if habitation servicing is not carried out. All I can suggest to owners is that, if their motorhome’s warranty’s terms and conditions do not make habitation servicing mandatory and you don’t want it done, then challenge that advice. A dealer saying “We recommend that habitation servicing should be performed annually” is not the same as “You must have habitation servicing performed annually or your warranty will be invalidated.” Check what the warranty says and if there’s nothing about habitation servicing in it and a dealer continues to insist that it’s a mandatory requirement and you dion’t believe this is the case, ask the motorhome manufacturer to adjudicate. I have to confess to being one of the many who have had a habitation service carried out annually - particularly on our previous IH vans as it happens. The new Chausson has muddied the waters a little in that it was first registered new in July 2015 but the first owner didn't care for motorhoming (previously preferring boats) and sold the vehicle not long after. We purchased the van in December 2015 (at only 5 months old with 800 miles on the clock) but not from the original supplying dealer. The van comes with a 3 year RAC warranty but opinions on this and other forums are split as to whether these are of significant value when (if) it comes to a claim. The van would also have had a manufacturers warranty - including water ingress - but I'm not sure if that was transferable although I did send off a registration card I found in the instruction pack to Chausson registering it in my name. I suppose the only other consideration in terms of the value of having a validated, up to date, servicing log is the resale value. So I'm in a bit of a quandary. I certainly don't want to take it to a Chausson dealer that I didn't buy it from and is some distance away. The dealer I bought it from are quite reasonable and would certainly do any habitation or damp check but I was thinking of using a local, mobile, NCC approved workshop to do both the habitation and damp check and perhaps any other requirements in the future such as gas test or refrigerator service which wouldn't come under a 'standard' service. However, as I am quite able to,undertake routine checks and even minor repairs I wonder if it is worth my while doing as some of you do and campers out the habitation service myself - but - I don't have a comprehensive list of what the basic habitation service covers. Anyone point me to a service schedule so that I can decide if that is the route for me? David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dicksob Posted August 4, 2016 Author Share Posted August 4, 2016 David, if you can't get one from Mr Google, I could send you the one IH use if that would be helpful. Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will86 Posted August 4, 2016 Share Posted August 4, 2016 Dicksob. Your Quote "What next for us, well we have been looking at a hymer merc 540 mli and the carthago138, both same length as ours, but just can't make our mind up, the quality of our IH is going to be hard to match." I really don't understand why when you have a near perfect van that you should need to change it. ---------------------------- Regarding habitation checks, I'm quite capable of sorting most problems. The electrics and gas can be checked by any qualified engineer so I see no need to pay for another's time when my eyes are as good as theirs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randonneur Posted August 4, 2016 Share Posted August 4, 2016 david lloyd - 2016-08-04 11:22 AM Derek Uzzell - 2016-08-01 6:25 PM lennyhb - 2016-08-01 12:06 PM I don't understand the UK obsession with habitation checks, I've never had one done perfectly capable of doing it myself never had any impact on warranty claims. Nowadays the norm outside the UK is for a motorhome to have a ‘watertightness’ warranty with a duration of several years. To maintain that warranty’s validity it is usually mandatory for a ‘damp test’ be carried out annually by a agent authorised by the motorhome’s manufacturer. But having a 'habitation service’ performed is (as far as I’m aware) never a mandatory requirement. Where UK-built motorhomes are concerned, the vehicle’s ‘conversion’ warranty may well make habitation servicing mandatory. This requirement is clearly stated in paragraph 1.6 of the Auto-Trail 2016 warranty terms and conditions that can be viewed here http://www.auto-trail.co.uk/warranty-terms I’ve never had a habitation service carried out on any of my motorhomes and, although I’m technically fairly handy, I know that there are certain tasks that I would expect to be performed as part of a habitation service that I don’t do - pressure-testing the gas system for example. There does seem to be a tendency within the UK motorhome dealership community to advise owners that a motorcaravan’s warranty (irrespective of what the warranty’s terms and conditions actually say) will be invalidated if habitation servicing is not carried out. All I can suggest to owners is that, if their motorhome’s warranty’s terms and conditions do not make habitation servicing mandatory and you don’t want it done, then challenge that advice. A dealer saying “We recommend that habitation servicing should be performed annually” is not the same as “You must have habitation servicing performed annually or your warranty will be invalidated.” Check what the warranty says and if there’s nothing about habitation servicing in it and a dealer continues to insist that it’s a mandatory requirement and you dion’t believe this is the case, ask the motorhome manufacturer to adjudicate. I have to confess to being one of the many who have had a habitation service carried out annually - particularly on our previous IH vans as it happens. The new Chausson has muddied the waters a little in that it was first registered new in July 2015 but the first owner didn't care for motorhoming (previously preferring boats) and sold the vehicle not long after. We purchased the van in December 2015 (at only 5 months old with 800 miles on the clock) but not from the original supplying dealer. The van comes with a 3 year RAC warranty but opinions on this and other forums are split as to whether these are of significant value when (if) it comes to a claim. The van would also have had a manufacturers warranty - including water ingress - but I'm not sure if that was transferable although I did send off a registration card I found in the instruction pack to Chausson registering it in my name. I suppose the only other consideration in terms of the value of having a validated, up to date, servicing log is the resale value. So I'm in a bit of a quandary. I certainly don't want to take it to a Chausson dealer that I didn't buy it from and is some distance away. The dealer I bought it from are quite reasonable and would certainly do any habitation or damp check but I was thinking of using a local, mobile, NCC approved workshop to do both the habitation and damp check and perhaps any other requirements in the future such as gas test or refrigerator service which wouldn't come under a 'standard' service. However, as I am quite able to,undertake routine checks and even minor repairs I wonder if it is worth my while doing as some of you do and campers out the habitation service myself - but - I don't have a comprehensive list of what the basic habitation service covers. Anyone point me to a service schedule so that I can decide if that is the route for me? David Hi, You have a PM and an email. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david lloyd Posted August 4, 2016 Share Posted August 4, 2016 dicksob - 2016-08-04 2:33 PM David, if you can't get one from Mr Google, I could send you the one IH use if that would be helpful. Bill Thank you for the offer Bill - Martin (randonneur) has kindly sent me the sample form used by the approved workshop scheme - thank you to Martin. David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dicksob Posted August 4, 2016 Author Share Posted August 4, 2016 Hi Will86, yes understand completely where you are coming from. I guess like many we keep questioning ourselves on whether the compromises we have chosen are still the right ones. We have 2 expensive electric bikes so a garage would be great and the fixed bed would be nice, but could we put up with the smaller lounge? So looking to see if anything any better, if not be keeping what we've got, unless Ian brings out something new ....... Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david lloyd Posted August 5, 2016 Share Posted August 5, 2016 dicksob - 2016-08-04 10:21 PM Hi Will86, yes understand completely where you are coming from. I guess like many we keep questioning ourselves on whether the compromises we have chosen are still the right ones. We have 2 expensive electric bikes so a garage would be great and the fixed bed would be nice, but could we put up with the smaller lounge? So looking to see if anything any better, if not be keeping what we've got, unless Ian brings out something new ....... Bill Bill, I did ask him if he could replicate something like our Cgausson 717GA...................... Davud Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dicksob Posted August 6, 2016 Author Share Posted August 6, 2016 If he could refine the slide out model we would certainly think about it. For us the bed was just too bitty to make up, no where to store your duvalays, and would love to see a separate shower at the rear. Other than that it's fabulous. Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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