timofleeds Posted June 11, 2007 Share Posted June 11, 2007 Hi, I have just got back from Germany with my new Roller Team, I dealt with Brinkman Caravans in Braunschweig, they were very, very good to deal with and nothing seemed to be too much trouble. They have one or two English speakers who will help with translation and they had somebody take us to get the temporary insurance and export plates. Our hand over took around two and a half hours with a technician and a translator and they insisted on showing us everything and how to operate everything which was followed up with their own checklist that we had to sign. They had all the instruction books in English and those that did not have an English copy they had translated and printed out for us. There was a small hiccup when we saw there was no TV in the van but after declining to have one sent in the post we were offered a better spec one from the onsite accessory shop. We were not asked to pay until we were happy with the van ( we had not paid a deposit and had done the whole deal over the internet). We camped about 30km away first night so we could return to the dealers if anything was faulty but we did not find any faults so proceeded to Calais next day ( 450miles) a long drive but felt really good in the new van. We stopped at the aire on the front in Calais and endured a thunder and lightening storm all through the night so had a good test for any leaks. We paid 7euros for 24 hours but were told by the guy collecting the money that many people did not pay and if this continued they were thinking of stopping the facility as it was heavily subsidised already. It would be a shame to see this great facility go so anybody who does not pay up should have a think about it before using the site. We had a good crossing the next day and travelled up to Leeds via london and after seeing a post last week about travelling through central London this is the way we went with no problem at all, it was Sunday though so lighter traffic than normal. We arrived back in Leeds after a hectic trip but well worth the effort and would definatley reccomend self importing as a way to get a better spec van for less money or a newer van than you could at home. Regards Tim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted June 11, 2007 Share Posted June 11, 2007 well done! - let us know how you get on registering camper... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted June 11, 2007 Share Posted June 11, 2007 Re that Calais aire. We used it two years ago, in late October, and didn't pay. No-one came to ask for the payment, as announced at the entrance, so we wasted a lot of time on the afternoon of our arrival, and on the morning of our departure, trying to find the mythic man to pay at the adjacent Municipal campsite reception office. The campsite was a scruffy tip, although nominally open. The office seemed permanently closed, with the resident member of staff "on site" both times we went looking for him. For various reasons we strongly suspected he was engaged in "nooky" in one of the nearby caravans! The state of the site, and the aire, gave us the impression the nooky was his full time occupation, with insufficient time left for his site duties, or for collecting money from users of the aire, cleaning, general maintenance, opening the toilets, etc. By 10pm the aire was full, so quite a few times 7 Euros went missing that evening!Maybe they sacked him and now have a new guy, or maybe the nooky caravan left and he's had to go back to his day job! Whichever, if Calais council finds it is overly subsidising that aire, I think it needs to look more to its own resources that the honesty of motorhomers! There, I'm glad I got that off my chest. Won't stop them closing it though, though I must say I'd never go back. I thought it untidy, badly maintained, insecure, noisy, and patronised by totally inconsiderate motorhomers: in short, without any redeeming features at all, even at zero charge! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enrico Posted June 11, 2007 Share Posted June 11, 2007 Tim Is it a RHD or LHD and did it save you a lot of money compared to the UK? Would you also have the website address for me please. I`m pleased you appear to like the vehicle.Good Luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timofleeds Posted June 11, 2007 Author Share Posted June 11, 2007 Hi Enrico, it is a left hand drive model, as regards saving money I dont excactly know as this model is not available in the UK. I have paid around 36000 euros plus VAT at 17%. I think it is great value for money and the effort required to self import is not massive. www.brinkmann-caravan.de Regards Tim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timofleeds Posted June 19, 2007 Author Share Posted June 19, 2007 Hi, everybody here is an update. I have now registered my new van in the UK. I did not have to have the van inspected and the local DVLA filled in all the forms with me at the counter. I received my tax disc two days later and all is now legal. I am however in the process of having the headlights changed £84.17 + VAT each from Fiat main dealer (parts only) I will have a go at fitting them myself, it does not look too difficult. I am lending my speedo unit to Superdials in Leeds so they can make a new MPH speedo and I will have that in place by next week I hope. I have looked at the rear fog lights and everything is in place on the offside but still needs wiring up, which I think is only a matter of swaping the connector plugs over, then I only have to decide where to go!! Regards Tim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Newell Posted June 19, 2007 Share Posted June 19, 2007 Hi Tim, congrats on getting the camper registered so easily. Just a small point but while the dash is disconnected it is a good idea to NOT turn on the ignition. It doesn't always happen but sometimes the electronics don't like it and the entire system shuts down so rule of thumb is not to turn on the ignition while anything like dash or engine electronics are disconnected. D. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timofleeds Posted June 19, 2007 Author Share Posted June 19, 2007 Hi Dave, many thanks for the info. Tim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted June 19, 2007 Share Posted June 19, 2007 Well done again! But it just goes to show again what an inconsistent bunch the DVLA are - the whole thing is still a post code lottery. are these overlays accurate? complete cluster replacement and reprogramming of ECU (Ford) cost less then £300. Considering savings made importing hardly expensive Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted June 19, 2007 Share Posted June 19, 2007 JudgeMental - 2007-06-19 10:50 AM ...... are these overlays accurate? complete cluster replacement and reprogramming of ECU (Ford) cost less then £300. ....... EddieDo you have any details of what was, actually, done? Changing the instrument cluster I understand, but why the re-programming of the ECU? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted June 19, 2007 Share Posted June 19, 2007 Yes, I stood there and watched the chap do it. laptop program goes through a very long set of parameters that they can change. From what I remember they can enable disable things like speed restrictions (mine was not governed) auto door locking - things like that. but there is a lot to take in... Can't really remember what he changed exactly. it was really just to check everything was OK - But really to change centre cluster ( where the trip computer is) to MPH from KPH I think.... my doubts regards overlay change only - is that ECU still "thinks" in KPH? - may be completely of track.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timofleeds Posted June 19, 2007 Author Share Posted June 19, 2007 Hi, I have seen one of the new dash panels, which is what they are, rather than an overlay and it looks excactly like the original however my speedo has different icons on it for things like ESP and anti skid regulator so Superdials are making one to match my speedo. As for the ECU part my Fiat has an on board computer with which I can change all the settings using this so need for it to be done by Superdials. Regards Tim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted June 19, 2007 Share Posted June 19, 2007 Thanks chaps. I did wonder if they were changing Km to miles. Do you know if this affected the odometer as well as the trips? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timofleeds Posted June 19, 2007 Author Share Posted June 19, 2007 Hi Brian, the onboard computer alters both the trip and the odometer. Regards Tim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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