Frankia

[gooner260268]

Hi

 

I have purchased a coach built Frankia A 840 BD. It is due for delivery in June. Does anybody else own a Frankia and if so what is your experience of it.

 

Thanks

 

Keith

[Frankkia]

Welcome to the Frankia owners club.

 

We have had 3 - the 1st for 3 years - the second for 2 years and the third for just under 2 years. Our new one arrives any day now for collection on 1st June.

 

What do we think of them. Well as we are awaiting our 4th it will be obvious that we rate them pretty highly. We have tried the rest and consider we now have the best. We kept our 1st one for three years, although we prefer to change more regularly, because try as we might we couldn't find any thing we preferred to it.

 

Frankias may be a bit more expensive but the build quality is worth it. The layouts are well thought out and extremely practical. We have found the staff at Frankia to be good too. when we called at the factory in Germany with a small problem - nothing was too much trouble.

 

We hope you have many happy travels in your new 'van - you have got a good un.

 

[Clive]

I sent an email to Frankia (using their web site) and never got a reply.

Perhaps you can help.

We are looking at replacing our near 10 year old Autotrail Merc Scout.

The replacement needs to be A class, have a garage to take two small motorcycles, have twin rear wheels and rear wheel drive and lots of room inside and spare weight capacity. We do not want a diesel heater prefering a low 12 volt demand regime so that we can be totally supported using solar panels. Oh yes an aluminium roof is also required as well as a good kitchen with a full oven, grill and 4 burner hob.

Permanent double bed.

 

Thinking Iveco 6 tonne base vehicle or a Merc.

 

Do (or can) Frankia produce anything like this?

 

 

[Frankkia]

Hi Clive

 

I think that most of your requirements would be covered by the I8400 BD. That is the merc based 8.4m with the rear bed over the garage. It has a fibre glass roof but if you opt for the ladder and rack you get alloy "checker plate" walk ways on the roof. The 'van has a good payload and you can opt for either a single garage (full width of van by full width of bed) or the double garage (same space but with a divider wall and two o/s doors).

 

The kitchen of this "luxury class" (frankia description) has a full oven with rotisserie, grill and 4 burner hob also a double sink and good food storage.

 

Heating is a choice - you can have the Eberspacher if you want but you can also have the Alde wet system and the one we have which is the Truma with both gas end electric for both water and heating.

 

If you are feeling really flush you could go for the "Royal class" on the Iveco for even more payload - with that you could even put a small car in the back.

 

I suggest you contact Ian Hilton at Cranham Motorcaravans for a brochure and a chat about what is available: Cranham Old Gailey Park, Southend Arterial Road, Upminster, Essex, RM14 1TJ 01277 222555.

 

If you want any other info I will help if I can.

 

Cheers

[Mel E]

Bernie,

 

A bit off subject, but I've always been fascinated by why some people change their motorhomes every 2 or 3 years. And you're one of them!! It's obviously not through disatisfaction with what you have. So please - do you mind telling me why you change so often - it must cost you a mint in depreciation alone, not to mention the hassle of 'bedding in' a new 'van and getting all the extras we each seem to need to personalise it.

 

Answer by PM if you'd prefer to keep it private (or this thread 'on subject').

 

Mel E

====

[Thai Bry]

Clive

We've just taken delivery of a brand new Hymer BStarline 700 on a Merc 416 Chasis. Twin rear wheels.

It's an Auto model.Still too new to be disappointed in, it's our third Hymer model, so we are hymer converts.

Good build quality and all that stuff.

Large rear bed with a massive garage,seperate kitchen area, then lounge area at the front.

Both electric and gas Trauma heating.

This might be another option for you.

Best of luck anyway.

 

Thai

[Thai Bry]

Clive

We've just taken delivery of a brand new Hymer BStarline 700 on a Merc 416 Chasis. Twin rear wheels.

It's an Auto model.Still too new to be disappointed in, it's our third Hymer model, so we are hymer converts.

Good build quality and all that stuff.

Large rear bed with a massive garage,seperate kitchen area, then lounge area at the front.

Both electric and gas Trauma heating.

This might be another option for you.

Best of luck anyway.

 

Thai

[empress]

We have had a 6.5m Frankia on a Merc and were delighted with it. We had no problems and Spinney were always very helpful and pleasant to deal with.

 

When we wanted to change to a new Frankia, unfortunately they did not have a new model which suited us, mainly because they were now too long for our drive. Being three of us, we needed separate beds and our Frankia had solved this problem by having very comfortable adult size rear bunk beds, plus the usual A-Class drop-down bed. Unfortunately, it was getting a little difficult for the top bunk occupier to get up and down, especially during the night watches - hence the need to look for a model with single beds. Frankia single bed models were too long.

 

We wish you well with your new Frankia and hope you will be as happy with it as we were with ours.

 

Empress

 

 

[gooner260268]

Thanks for the info.

 

I hope we get the same pleasure as you decribe - I cannot compare to other motorhomes as this is our first.

 

Regards

 

Keith