pmitic Posted February 1, 2007 Share Posted February 1, 2007 I am interested in both manufactuers and Concorde "Carver" 742 & carthago Opus 5.8 can anyone give me advice as I like them both. I have just returned from a trip to Germany to view, so would also appreciate advice from buying from there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted February 1, 2007 Share Posted February 1, 2007 You are talking about high end campers, which will be rare on UK roads. If you have already viewed was that at a show or a dealership and why did you not discuss export at time of visit? Export is straight forward, dealer will arrange temporary export insurance and plates - you arrange insurance your end, collect and register and pay VAT when you return..... I have ordered a much more humble Euramobil. My experience was, after visiting the Düsseldorf show I contacted 4 dealerships. 2 offered no discount and 2 offered 18%. I picked the Belgium dealer as they where nearer and spoke slightly better English. Making it way easier to negotiate and comprehend my long list of extras. Expecting to pick it up end of the month…. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michele Posted February 1, 2007 Share Posted February 1, 2007 judgemental, What does high end mean? please Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted February 1, 2007 Share Posted February 1, 2007 Concorde, Cathargo , Neisman + bischoff... all expensive top of the range German campers, unlikely to be spotted on local CCC site! easy to spend £100.000 plus on main models. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michele Posted February 1, 2007 Share Posted February 1, 2007 I have seen it the cathgo what ever in France at Le touquet big thing . looks nice don't know inside have not had the priveledge yet. Thanks for that I'l be keeping me money lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted February 1, 2007 Share Posted February 1, 2007 Have only seen one of these giant German rigs on a site at Lake Annercy 2 years ago. You now see quite a few of the American ones - but they are in a poorer class build wise. Saying that, there was whole hall at Düsseldorf dedicated to these Euro monsters! I did not even bother looking - just walked trough. I was a boy scout for God sake - and this is certainly not camping! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted February 1, 2007 Share Posted February 1, 2007 pmitic - 2007-02-01 8:51 PM I am interested in both manufactuers and Concorde "Carver" 742 & carthago Opus 5.8 can anyone give me advice as I like them both. I have just returned from a trip to Germany to view, so would also appreciate advice from buying from there. I suggest you delay purchase until after June 2007, when it should become possible to get fully comp insurance for the whole of your trip back from a UK insurer.Be aware that the temp insurance that comes with the German temp registration is, generally, pretty much what we should define as "Road Traffic Acts" insurance only.That is a lot of motorhome to risk with only third party insurance on your trip to UK. Further information if you search the forum under import insurance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted February 2, 2007 Share Posted February 2, 2007 pmitic: If you search the forum using keyword "carthago", you'll retrieve several threads, including a couple headed "Importing v. buying here - food for thought?", that might prove useful Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel E Posted February 2, 2007 Share Posted February 2, 2007 Two thoughts: First, on importing, go to FAQs at the top and you'll find out how to get my MMM Fact Sheet which will tell you all you need to know (and more) for a small contribution to my favourite charity. Secondly on 'high end' motorhomes (or decidedly 'upmarket' if you prefer the term). In Germany Neismann+Bischoff (owned by Hymer), Carthago and Concorde (the latter relatively small converters) and in France Esterel (owned by Rapido) and Le Voyageur (owned by Pilote) all produce such vehicles. They typically cost 50% to 100% more than a similar layout from a volume converter. Is it worth it? Only you can decide. You probably (but not certainly) get somewhat better build quality. On the other hand ALL the fixtures and fittings will be from exactly the same catalogue that the volume producers use - Thetford Loos, Truma boilers, Dometic fridge/freezers, Dometic Seitz windows, and so on. These 'daily use' items are just as likely to develop faults as their same model brethren in a low cost Joint or CI motorhome. All that is different is the walls, roof and furniture. Also the rate of depreciation which is normally (as a percentage of buying cost) significantly higher than a volume produced vehicle for the first few years - because the market for these upmarket vehicles is restricted for a while, since many potential buyers will prefer to spend their money on a new Hymer or Pilote than a used, 2 or 3 year old upmarket model at the same price. So definitely a much higher cost of ownership. Are they worth several £thousand a year extra? An intermediate solution of a high-end mid market model may be better and the options include the Hymer S Classe range, German built Frankia (owned by Pilote of France and with superb and flexible layouts and much better built than Pilotes), Mobilvetta A Class (owned by SEA Group of Italy). I mention these because they are all smaller volume producers relative to, say, Hymer's standard production, and thus quite rare on the roads, something that upmarket spenders tend to value. Personally, in your position, I'd look very hard at Frankia. Mel E ==== Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norma Posted February 2, 2007 Share Posted February 2, 2007 Even with the same fitting the build quality is SO much better. 'You get what you pay for'. We nearly went for a Concorde a few years ago. If they did a coachbuild low profile we would have definately bought one. But to drive everywhere in a bus was just too much to contend with. I understand that Southdowns sell them at the same price as Germany - well they used to... good luck. We've spent the day working with 5th wheelers that are just about as big and say they have no problem with the size on sites etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted February 2, 2007 Share Posted February 2, 2007 I notice there are a few postings relating to Carthago A-Class models on the MotorhomeFacts website in the "Motorhome Model Hints & Tips" forum. In December 2003, when the German magazine Pro-Mobil printed the results of an owners' satisfaction survey, the highest ranked make was Phoenix (206.4 points), followed by Carthago (188.4) and Concorde (184.2) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest a1eeyore1 Posted February 7, 2007 Share Posted February 7, 2007 I have had a Concorde Charisma 1 and I am now on my second, a Charisma 11. Both of these are the bigger brothers to the Carver you are interested in. Before buying the Charisma 1, I contemplated buying direct from the factory and also from the Belguim dealer. In both cases I was offered good deals but could not get right hand drive. I subsequently purchased both from Southdowns the only UK dealer. Before I bought the latest Charisma, I looked in depth at the Carthago. If I remember correctly this was on the Mercedes chassis with slightly narrower wheel base and the general concensus seemed to be that it was more prone to sway. The interior wood fittings on the Concorde seemed to me to be better consructed and generally the Concorde detail in places not imediately visiable was better. Probably the deciding factor was the Concorde had a flat floor throughout whereas the Carthago had a step midships. With the Concorde I was able to incorporate some design changes to the interior layout. Both motor homes had basically the same make of fridge cooker etc and it is with these items I have had problems. Perhaps for this reason I am glad I purchased from Uk dealer. Southdowns have been helpful in this respect and the family run business have recently moved to new larger premises which should improve their service even more. Happy to help with any further questions or information. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bil h Posted February 7, 2007 Share Posted February 7, 2007 We went to Southdowns two years ago, very helpfull but the weight at well over 4 tons and the length made too heavy (70 plus) I was unsure about the adjusting floor at the front end should there be a power failure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest a1eeyore1 Posted February 8, 2007 Share Posted February 8, 2007 Bill H is worried about the length and weight of the Concorde. The weight is really no problem with power steering and a good driving position in many ways it is better than a car. Obviously you have to remember the lenght but I have never experianced any problems and when you get on site you appreciate all that extra room! The "adjusting" floor is an electrically lifting and lowering cab floor so that it is flat with the main area when parked and lowered for driving. It is fitted on the Charisma 1 and it has a manual wind down in the event of a power failure. The Charima 11 has a fixed floor which is the same level throughout. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bil h Posted February 8, 2007 Share Posted February 8, 2007 I don't recall any comments at the time about a winder if the power fails but really the length was to long for my space, plus I'm well over 70 and restricted to 3500kg. Other than that lots of good space. I always believe in looking at the best first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clive Posted February 9, 2007 Share Posted February 9, 2007 Before you part with your cash its worth waiting for the big MH show in Dussledorf later this year as there are several other up market MH manufacturers who are well worth looking at. This is our plan. We love our Scout but also want a garage with adequate payload to take our two small motorbikes. A different interior layout would be a change. Perhaps we shall see some of you there?? First however we have to sell the house and downsize! Good luck in the quest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pmitic Posted February 9, 2007 Author Share Posted February 9, 2007 Thankyou for your input it was quite useful. As I am a resident of Spain I am looking for a Lhd and because there are no dealers of concorde or carthago in Spain is the reason for our trip to Germany. Also the cost from Germany is considerably cheaper than the UK. Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted February 9, 2007 Share Posted February 9, 2007 pmitic - 2007-02-09 11:59 AM Thankyou for your input it was quite useful. As I am a resident of Spain I am looking for a Lhd and because there are no dealers of concorde or carthago in Spain is the reason for our trip to Germany. Also the cost from Germany is considerably cheaper than the UK. Paul In that case, have a look at the post "Registration in Spain" below. It may prove instructive, or you may be able to help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest a1eeyore1 Posted February 9, 2007 Share Posted February 9, 2007 pmitic - 2007-02-09 11:59 AM Thankyou for your input it was quite useful. As I am a resident of Spain I am looking for a Lhd and because there are no dealers of concorde or carthago in Spain is the reason for our trip to Germany. Also the cost from Germany is considerably cheaper than the UK. Paul If you are looking for a good deal on Concorde I found Alpha Motorhomes in Belgium very good , better than Germany including the factory. Although if you speak to the factory and they have one completed but not due for immediate delivery they may let you have it at the right price. They offered me one on this basis. No good if you want to part ex though. Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest a1eeyore1 Posted February 9, 2007 Share Posted February 9, 2007 Clive - 2007-02-09 7:11 AM Before you part with your cash its worth waiting for the big MH show in Dussledorf later this year as there are several other up market MH manufacturers who are well worth looking at. This is our plan. We love our Scout but also want a garage with adequate payload to take our two small motorbikes. A different interior layout would be a change. Perhaps we shall see some of you there?? First however we have to sell the house and downsize! Good luck in the quest. Dont know if you are aware but a motor caravan becomes a "living van" if any goods are carried inside that are not essential for living eg motorbikes (but not push bikes). If the weight of the motorcaravan is between 3000 and 3500kg you need a class V11 test and over 3500 kg you need a goods vehicle test but perhaps more importantly.......every year!! Crazy or what. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted February 10, 2007 Share Posted February 10, 2007 DavidRun a forum search under living van. The reply is lengthy but, in short, says this interpretation need not be a concern. There is a conflict between the vehicle registration, and vehicle testing, regulations that, if over-zealously interpreted, could result in a motorhome deemed to be carrying "goods or burden" (i.e. property not immediately concerned with camping type activities), being classed as a living van.However, so far as we know, none have, and it seems a very remote possibility that any ever would be. Of course, if you turn up for the MoT test with the van laden with half your employer's (or your own) sample goods, or similar, you may just manage to change the status quo, but realistically, who takes fully laden vans for their MoT test? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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