Anthea Posted November 8, 2017 Share Posted November 8, 2017 Afternoon people We’re considering buying a 2009 (but registered in dec2008) Swift Kontiki. It’s low mileage, in good condition and seems quite keenly priced. However I have concerns about a few things and wonder if the forum members can comment on them to enable me to decide if it really is the van for us, whether we should either forget the idea completely or look for a smaller alternative. Apologies in advance if the answers are considered by the assembled company to be obvious but, in the words of Manuel “we know nothing!” We will mostly be using it on long trips across Europe, including to and from Greece next spring. My first question is, as it’s over 8.5m long how easy will it be to wild camp and / or find campsites across Europe which cater for larger vans? Any personal experiences / anecdotes welcomed! Secondly, its MTPLM is 5000 kg which is great for us as, being of a certain age, we already have the appropriate category on our driving licences and plan to put a scooter in the garage, but how easy is it to sell the heavier weight vans on when the time comes? Thirdly, is it’s age an issue? Although it seems to have been only lightly used, can we expect lots of age related failures to feature quite soon? We’ve just had a similar experience with a boat and are keen to avoid going down that particular route again. Anything else we should consider / inspect before making a decision?? Many thanks in advance! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted November 8, 2017 Share Posted November 8, 2017 Make sure you get a proper, thorough, damp inspection before you commit to buying, and make sure that the floor throughout the van is sound. Some are merely skinned on the underside with ply and, if that hasn't been well protected against damp and/or the van has been kept/stored over winter on bare ground, grass etc., rot is a potential problem and will be costly to repair. Make sure you get a full service history, and check that all servicing has been carried out to schedule. Check the dates on the tyres; it may still be on the originals which, by now, whatever the state of the tread, will need replacing due to age. You have referred to low mileage. If the mileage is significantly less than 55,000 (about 6,000 per year average) I'd think a trip to a Fiat Professional workshop for a thorough mechanical check (especially brakes - wheels off and thoroughly checked including condition of linings/pads) would be a worthwhile investment, with purchase dependent on a satisfactory outcome. Things, but especially braking systems, deteriorate due to rusting while vehicles stand around. Make sure you drive it before buying. Make sure you see items such as oven and hob, fridge (on all three energy sources), and heater, all demonstrated and working. On what is now a nine year old vehicle you must expect some things to fail. Water pump, taps and shower fittings, for example: not really possible to forecast what. The KonTiki was pretty popular over several years so there is a good likelihood folk on here will have had one at some time, and may be able to say whether there are known weaknesses. Just be sure to keep a reserve fund to cater for the unexpected. Size? You shouldn't have too much trouble on campsites, if out of season. Wild camping acceptability varies with country: you'll need other people's direct experiences to guide you. Good luck with your buy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grumblewagon Posted November 8, 2017 Share Posted November 8, 2017 All sound advice.. be sure that the cam belt has been changed on time and that the brakes are serviced and ESPECIALLY - check for damp and de-lamination on the walls and floor.. Check the bedding - mattresses can go 'soggy' and lose support. You might like to make some upgrades such as fitting LED lights. I try to avoid 'Professional workshops' and main dealers, but then I'm lucky to have a local garage that is top class. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest pelmetman Posted November 8, 2017 Share Posted November 8, 2017 Anthea - 2017-11-08 6:01 PM Thirdly, is it’s age an issue? Although it seems to have been only lightly used, can we expect lots of age related failures to feature quite soon? Nope......It's usually a lack of use issue ;-) ........ So if its been sat around for ages then you can expect things not to work :-| ........ Although with newer more complicated vans there are more things to go wrong :D ....... As you'll discover by being on this forum (lol) ............ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laimeduck Posted November 8, 2017 Share Posted November 8, 2017 pelmetman - 2017-11-08 7:59 PMAnthea - 2017-11-08 6:01 PM Thirdly, is it’s age an issue? Although it seems to have been only lightly used, can we expect lots of age related failures to feature quite soon? Nope......It's usually a lack of use issue ;-) ........So if its been sat around for ages then you can expect things not to work :-| ........Although with newer more complicated vans there are more things to go wrong :D .......As you'll discover by being on this forum (lol) ............ Ah... you're not wrong there Dave! KISS principle I think? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bop Posted November 9, 2017 Share Posted November 9, 2017 When a brand gets a nickname of Kon-Leaky or Leaky Tikis for water ingress issues then I would take Brian's advice regarding damp checks very seriously indeed. The quality of Swift Motorhomes seem to be getting worse these days not better. Tread carefully with this one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted November 9, 2017 Share Posted November 9, 2017 Grumblewagon - 2017-11-08 7:47 PM ...be sure that the cam belt has been changed on time... The 2009 Kon-Tiki brochure is available on-line and indicates that all of the longer (8.67-metre) models were fitted as standard with the Ducato 3.0litre motor that has a timing-chain not a timing-belt. These long Kon-Tikis were built on an AL-KO chassis with tandem rear-axles that (normally) require regular greasing. Failure to carry out this maintenace task can result in major and very expensive problems. It may not be possible to confirm that this maintenance has been performed over the years, but it’s something to keep in mind. It needs to be acknowledged that a motorhome this long, with a wide turning circle, will be less manoeuvrable than a shorter vehicle. I park my 6.5-metre-long motorhome alongside my garage at home - I probably could park a 7-metre vehicle there, but I definitely could not park an 8.67-metre Kon-Tiki as I coudn’t manoeuvre it on to my property. There will be places and campsites abroad where parking the Kon-Tiki won’t be practicable, but that’s a downside of owning such a long motorhome. (The upside, of course, is all that interior space.) It should be anticipated that - due to UK driving-licence regulations - motorhomes with a MTPLM over 3500kg will become increasingly less attractive to buyers, but I doubt if that’s going to matter greatly where really big, heavy motorhomes are concerned. As now, there will be buyers with the necessary driving-licence entitlements who want the interior space and payload of a ‘biggie’ motorhome and will accept the limitations that come with the vehicle’s dimensions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StuartO Posted November 9, 2017 Share Posted November 9, 2017 The insurance provided by Nationwidewith its Flex Plus Account limits the breakdown cover to a MH with a maximum length of 8 meteres, so this one would be excluded. Other breakdown insurers might also exclude based on length or weight, so you should check with your cover. Camping & Caravanning Club also use 8 metres as the cut off for normal pitches and you have the make a special request (depending on availability of oversize pitches) and you would be charged extra for a larger pirch if they can accommodate you. You might also encounter higher charges for ferries - but not Eurotunnel, which charges a flat rate for motorhomes, regardless of length. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Agaric Posted November 9, 2017 Share Posted November 9, 2017 Many a road we have travelled on in France has weight limits of 3500kg, including some areas where we've parked up. Some aires also have 7mtr restrictions on there bays, many an aire we have stayed on a length much greater than 7mtrs would have been nigh on impossible to park. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StuartO Posted November 9, 2017 Share Posted November 9, 2017 Good point, there are lots of places in France (and Portugal) where parking space for motorhomes is too short for a MH over 8 metres, although there are also lots of pplaces where it wouldn't be a problem - which is why the All the Aires book makes a special effort to comment when larger MHs would struggle or be too big. There are so many towns and villages in France now which apply 3.5 ton limits (often blocking the route to a campsite) that you need to think about being small enough to pretend to be under 3.5 tons without attracting attention, even if you are slightly over, as we are. If your new MH is rated at 5 tons you might struggle to be able to do this. And if you have tag axles, you will of course pay through the nose for motorway tolls because you would be Class 4, the same as an HGV! That makes motorways much more expensive that Class 2. The extra space and amenity you get from extra length comes at a price! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robbo Posted November 9, 2017 Share Posted November 9, 2017 There are quite a few campsites where tag-axles are disallowed. This rule was mainly aimed at caravans where tight manoeuvring on the pitch would rip-up the grass and sub-soil. It's unlikely that a MH would have such an effect, but the rule is applied to both caravans and MH's. Perhaps other contributors with tag-axles would like to comment. :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted November 9, 2017 Share Posted November 9, 2017 Received wisdom is that the “No twin-axle vehicles” rule applied on some French campsites is to prohibit (or restrict) groups of ‘travellers’ from using the site, as travellers have tended to own twin-axle Fendt/Hobby caravans. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anthea Posted November 9, 2017 Author Share Posted November 9, 2017 Many thanks for all that really useful information. Lots of food for thought. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted November 9, 2017 Share Posted November 9, 2017 There’s a relevant short Practical Motorhome article here https://www.practicalmotorhome.com/advice/30497-used-van-buyers-guide-swift-kon-tiki-2007-onwards For owners’ advice, you might consider joining “Swift Talk” https://www.swift-talk.co.uk/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Archiesgrandad Posted November 9, 2017 Share Posted November 9, 2017 We have owned motorhomes from a 6 metre Hymer to an 11 metre RV, with others in between. My advice would be to consider very carefully why and whether you actually need anything so big. You will find that there are many more places that you can reach in a van of around 6 metres. Travelling will be quicker and easier and less expensive, and the folk on here will tell you of the epic journeys, fantastic holidays and simple joy of just wandering about in their van, most of which are a lot smaller than the one you are considering. Until you have started your adventure it is unlikely that you will really know everything you need and how you will actually end up using the van. Think about what might be the smallest van that would take you on your adventure, and don't assume that that you will need all the gear on the market. If you really need a very big van my advice would be to include an American RV on your list of considerations, because they have their own good points, and are much more versatile and have much better traction. AGD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anthea Posted November 10, 2017 Author Share Posted November 10, 2017 I understand the benefits of travelling with a smaller van for all the reasons listed by Archiesgrandad, and getting one of the smaller, lighter models initially seemed sensible. However, after doing a bit of research before starting to look, we noticed that vans with lower MTPLM are already nearly at weight even before any personal belongings, bedding, not to mention humans, have been added. (I wonder if this contrbutes to the reduced build quality we’ve noticed when looking at newer vans as presumably they need to use lighter materials so people can take more stuff, however that’s probably a discussion for another thread!) As I previously commented, we would like to take a scooter with us in order to have an alternate method of transport whilst parked on a site so it’s easier to explore the locale and do shopping etc, but don’t really want to tow a trailer behind a van. For this reason I have suggested several times to hubby that buying a caravan would be a better option so we can use the car once on site, instead of needing to take a scooter. However he’s not at all keen on that idea, and I suspect that towing a caravan across Europe may also present its own manoeuvrability and access issues, along with other disadvantages I haven’t thought of yet. Or we could not get any sort of van and do what we usually do on our European trips, as the £ not spent on a van will buy lots of nights in pretty little guesthouses along the route........?? Although the reason for considering it in the first place was the convenience of not having to unpack /pack every day ??????? Brain now gone into meltdown ?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weldted Posted November 10, 2017 Share Posted November 10, 2017 One thing not mentioned but is up to the individual is running costs? Tag axle vans have heavier running costs if that's the size of van you need great? But a shorter van with perhaps a scooter rack etc. We have a 7.4 mtr Elddis Aspire 255 last van was a Beesacar E765 rated at 4250kg. Having the extra storage was great but over the 4 years we owned it we found we carried a lot of those must have or that will be handy extras that took up space and weight that really we could manage fine without. We have up rated ours to 3850 which gives up to 550 kg payload less the permantly fitted extras. We spend upto six months at a time travelling around Europe 2 adults 1 dog and manage fine. But whatever suits!, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derek pringle Posted November 10, 2017 Share Posted November 10, 2017 Anthea - 2017-11-10 8:04 AM I understand the benefits of travelling with a smaller van for all the reasons listed by Archiesgrandad, and getting one of the smaller, lighter models initially seemed sensible. However, after doing a bit of research before starting to look, we noticed that vans with lower MTPLM are already nearly at weight even before any personal belongings, bedding, not to mention humans, have been added. (I wonder if this contrbutes to the reduced build quality we’ve noticed when looking at newer vans as presumably they need to use lighter materials so people can take more stuff, however that’s probably a discussion for another thread!) As I previously commented, we would like to take a scooter with us in order to have an alternate method of transport whilst parked on a site so it’s easier to explore the locale and do shopping etc, but don’t really want to tow a trailer behind a van. For this reason I have suggested several times to hubby that buying a caravan would be a better option so we can use the car once on site, instead of needing to take a scooter. However he’s not at all keen on that idea, and I suspect that towing a caravan across Europe may also present its own manoeuvrability and access issues, along with other disadvantages I haven’t thought of yet. Or we could not get any sort of van and do what we usually do on our European trips, as the £ not spent on a van will buy lots of nights in pretty little guesthouses along the route........?? Although the reason for considering it in the first place was the convenience of not having to unpack /pack every day ??????? Brain now gone into meltdown ?? hi, Personally I would only entertain a vehicle as you describe if I intended full-timing. A shorter lighter van would imo suffice for extended holidays. Fitting Air Suspension can increase payload for instance. good luck with whatever you decide derek Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted November 10, 2017 Share Posted November 10, 2017 Anthea - 2017-11-10 8:04 AM I understand the benefits of travelling with a smaller van for all the reasons listed by Archiesgrandad, and getting one of the smaller, lighter models initially seemed sensible. However, after doing a bit of research before starting to look, we noticed that vans with lower MTPLM are already nearly at weight even before any personal belongings, bedding, not to mention humans, have been added. (I wonder if this contrbutes to the reduced build quality we’ve noticed when looking at newer vans as presumably they need to use lighter materials so people can take more stuff, however that’s probably a discussion for another thread!) As I previously commented, we would like to take a scooter with us in order to have an alternate method of transport whilst parked on a site so it’s easier to explore the locale and do shopping etc, but don’t really want to tow a trailer behind a van. For this reason I have suggested several times to hubby that buying a caravan would be a better option so we can use the car once on site, instead of needing to take a scooter. However he’s not at all keen on that idea, and I suspect that towing a caravan across Europe may also present its own manoeuvrability and access issues, along with other disadvantages I haven’t thought of yet. Or we could not get any sort of van and do what we usually do on our European trips, as the £ not spent on a van will buy lots of nights in pretty little guesthouses along the route........?? Although the reason for considering it in the first place was the convenience of not having to unpack /pack every day ??????? Brain now gone into meltdown ?? But how long are you intending to travel for in any one trip? I'm not going to pretend that our experience will translate for you, but we have had a pattern over the past 11 years of travelling spring and autumn (so that we miss the peak summer holiday period) for between 8 and 12 weeks at a stretch. In this time we have made our way into, and around, the greater part of central and southern Europe and, until 2013 when we bought ore present van, we had 6.0 metre vans. We are now in the process of reverting to another 6.0 metre vans. These shorter vans, based on a 3,500kg mam chassis, have had ample payload for these relatively long trips. If one subtracts the MIRO from the MAM, the target figure, IMO, of min 500kg, is readily realisable at this overall length. I would also add that weight is no guide to quality, either of assembly or of materials. Everything in a motorhome is, of necessity, a compromise. It is where one places the priorities, and whether one has correctly selected those priorities, that counts. Just my opinion, of course. :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will86 Posted November 10, 2017 Share Posted November 10, 2017 Anthea, One thing is almost certain, whatever space one has the user will tend to fill it. Our previous 6.5 Rapdo' s use was to travel with no extras at all, the payload was minimal but we wanted for nothing, two comfortable beds and suitable food. We did have an awning which was very useful in both sun and minimal rain. Our living space was the most important so with 2 double beds it was perfect. Our objectives were to experience the people and the scenery. The trappings of home use were unimportant. It worked for us. Will Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anthea Posted November 10, 2017 Author Share Posted November 10, 2017 Brian We have a yacht based in Greece which we will be sailing during May and June, September and October. The intention is to use the van to get to and from it each time plus an extra trip in March to carry out work on it. Taking our time over each trip, stopping spontaneously in places we like, instead of what we’ve hitherto been doing, driving as far as possible every day just to get there and needing to get to the next guesthouse because it’s already booked. We’d be using it in the summer and winter for short trips in the UK with various grandchildren. Anthea Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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