Becky Posted March 21, 2008 Share Posted March 21, 2008 I have spent several months wondering whether I would or wouldn't take the plunge and get a van. Sometimes I would think that the money would buy a lot of time in Travel Lodges, and the car would be cheaper to run. Then I would prefer the freedom of my own accommodation. But I had looked at loads of vans, all much of a muchness, and none that I liked particularly cheap. Until today! I went across to Premier Motorhomes, after first visiting the big agency in North Portsmouth, (Southern Counties Motorhomes, something like that). I had with me my son and grandson who at 3 years old just loved climbing over the exhibits. We saw a nice Laika, and a very tidy Hymer with 120000 miles on the clock, the former £30000, the latter £20000. Nice and would have suited my requirements But nothing to push me into buying. So to Chichester, where I saw several new vans that were really nice. But I then found a 6-year old Dethleffs Globetrotter Esprit I5030B with 17500 miles on the clock and a layout that I hadn't seen before. The A-class drop-down bed, and a long settee berth, with a worktop and table opposite. More floor space for dogs and children. Nice bathroom and end kitchen. So I bought!! Now, does anyone have experience of this type of motorhome? Any pitfalls or problems I should look out for? It is on a Fiat base, but old enough to hopefully be before the present gearbox problems. Any other advice or things I should be aware of? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted March 21, 2008 Share Posted March 21, 2008 Hi, and welcome to the forum! has the van enough forward facing belted seats for all your family? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Becky Posted March 21, 2008 Author Share Posted March 21, 2008 Yes we checked. 3 seat belts on nice comfy chairs. But son and family will probably use their tent when I'm along, 'cause grandson does get going early! And when it is just me & Bessie Spaniel, well one belt will be enough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hymer C 9. Posted March 21, 2008 Share Posted March 21, 2008 Well done Becky on taking the plunge and buying your motorhome, I hope you have many happy holidays in it, wellcome to the forum and just ask away at any questions you may have. Carol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brambles Posted March 21, 2008 Share Posted March 21, 2008 Becky, Just looked up the details for your model, actually I think I found the advert for the one you bought. Fantastic layout, only negative is when travelling two children cannot sit together on back to amuse each other, but big plus side is passenger in back has two large windows either side for panoramic view along with front windows, and is lovely whenever you park/camp up as you get clear views in 3 directions. Kitchen and door at rear, perfect for keeping cooking smells away from sitting area. It is the layout we have, and is brilliant. Making up beds, easy, drop down the cab and settee is relatively easy, no mucking about with different shaped cushions etc. Only thing I would checkout is.. Has it had a new cambelt fitted as it is now 6 years old. Mileage for belt is not a problem at 17k, but age is. If it has not been done then push dealer into doing it, or paying for fiat dealer to do it, as no doubt he will have told you it was fullty serviced. Also check tyres have been replaced or not and have no signs of side wall cracking. Probably best to get a tyre fitting centre to check them and if they say you need new tyres then I would have words with dealer again. It is generally recommended tyres are changed when 6 years old due to age, especially on a camper van as they do take a lot of stress. Above all, enjoy the Motorhome, it is a brilliant model and you will have loads of fun and adventures in it and best way to learn about it is to get out there on the road to pastures new. Jon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BGD Posted March 22, 2008 Share Posted March 22, 2008 Hi Becky - Don't worry, be happy. Don't matter what you've bought, just enjoy it. Start planning your fit trip down here to the sunshine of southern Europe. Sure, things will go wrong, bits will fall off etc..........our MH is 16 years old, and part of the fun is wonderingwhether it'll make it to wherever we are headed. But so far, it's always chugged to our destination, albeit in a stately (slow!) mannner. I'd echo the tyre advice above though.....chek out the manufacture date code on the sidewalls of your tyres, and if 6 year or more old, get them changed even if there's a lot of tread left on them. :-D :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted March 22, 2008 Share Posted March 22, 2008 Becky: It's probable that your Dethleffs motorhome is fitted with Fiat's 2.8litre motor and 5-speed gearbox. Over the years there have been sporadic reports of people experiencing heavy wear or total failure of 5th gear on this engine/gearbox combination. Sometimes there had been advance warning where selection of 5th-gear became difficult and/or the gear-lever jumped out of 5th gear, but in many cases the failures were sudden and unexpected. Many different explanations were offered as to why the failures occurred, but nothing certain was ever established. It was generally believed that the gearboxes of 2004-onwards 2.8litre-engined Ducatos differed from those of earlier models: whatever the case, there seem to have been no complaints of 5th-gear problems on 2004-2006 vehicles. The standard 5th gear ratio is very high with this gearbox and (except when going downhill or with a strong following wind!) is probably best not selected much below 50mph. In fact, use of 5th gear at low engine revs and the resultant vibration and transmission-strain this caused was one of the reasons Fiat put forward for the failures. (The well-known Blame The Driver Tactic.) The big step-up between 4th and 5th ratios can be a nuisance if the motorhome is large and heavy, but there is a 'fix' (about £300 I think) that lowers 5th gear ratio significantly. Assuming your motorhome's gear-selection is currently working OK, there's absolutely no means of predicting the likelihood of 5th gear problems in future and there's no good reason to assume they will occur. (I hesitated over mentioning the 5th gear thing in case it was considered alarmist. However, as you asked about things you should be aware of, it's worth being aware of this one.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Becky Posted March 22, 2008 Author Share Posted March 22, 2008 Thank you Derek. This is the information I need. And to be aware to the state of tyres and cam belt. Info I can discuss with the dealer. Regards Becky Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patricia Posted March 22, 2008 Share Posted March 22, 2008 Hi Becky We had a few discussions earlier in the week - glad to see you have taken the plunge and hope to see you out with the New Companions sometime. I would endorse the comments about the timing chain (just about to have mine done to avoid a very expensive repair) and also the tyres. I tried to change 4 tyres in 2006 but could only get 2 at the time. The fitter and several male aquaintances insisted the back two were perfect and did not need changing. In May 2007 I had a blow out in the rush hour on the M25 - not a happy experience - not due to one of the old tyres but one of the new ones (picked up a load of nails). I ordered 3 new tyres from a garage in Boulogne but when he took the back ones off although the tread looked perfect he showed me the cracked rubber in between - another incident waiting to happen. These special tyres are over £120 each so make sure the dealer changes them and refits those marked for a camping car (Michelin). I could not find your exact model on the internet but I assume it is quite large, perhaps 6m or so? You have not mentioned whether you had a test drive, but I hope you did. Remember these vehicles are really intended for men (or reasonably tall women) to drive and at 5ft 2 and shrinking rapidly there are some things I find difficult e.g. even reaching down to the handbrake, particularly on a very steep incline, and keeping the clutch fully depressed (you cannot partly depress as you might in a car). Good luck and happy travelling. Patricia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Becky Posted March 22, 2008 Author Share Posted March 22, 2008 Hi, thank you for the advice. I copied the details from the invoice, but they are wrong. The model (from the original brochure) is a Dethleffs Globetrotter Esprit I 5830B The layout is what attracted me. Very convenient for me when on my own, and yet plenty of floor space when my son comes with me; room for a small boy and two dogs! It is 6 metres long in the main body, with a ladder and bike rack making it 13cm or so longer. I have so far left a deposit, and will drive it before paying over the balance. They said it had a flat battery at the time, and I had to get home anyway. They were quite busy and I have time later next week to really check things over. I will get the gas bottles and power hook-up included, which I understand comprises a starter pack I won't have to buy. They are fitting a TV aerial for me instead of the starter pack. I am now curious about the system that obviates the need for chemicals in the loos. Something I need to know more about. Seems to be a good thing to have fitted. There is so much I have to learn. Will be reading the threads avidly until I pick the van up, in about three to four weeks. I am away on holiday in the meantime, so it has had to be delayed. :-D :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted March 22, 2008 Share Posted March 22, 2008 The toilet system is SOG http://www.soguk.co.uk/ Why don't you get a "vehicle inspection" before you commit, should cost approx £120 well worth it for the peace of mind if not particularly mechanically minded - like me*-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maggyd Posted March 22, 2008 Share Posted March 22, 2008 Patricia - 2008-03-22 10:35 AM Hi Becky We had a few discussions earlier in the week - glad to see you have taken the plunge and hope to see you out with the New Companions sometime. I would endorse the comments about the timing chain (just about to have mine done to avoid a very expensive repair) and also the tyres. I tried to change 4 tyres in 2006 but could only get 2 at the time. The fitter and several male aquaintances insisted the back two were perfect and did not need changing. In May 2007 I had a blow out in the rush hour on the M25 - not a happy experience - not due to one of the old tyres but one of the new ones (picked up a load of nails). I ordered 3 new tyres from a garage in Boulogne but when he took the back ones off although the tread looked perfect he showed me the cracked rubber in between - another incident waiting to happen. These special tyres are over £120 each so make sure the dealer changes them and refits those marked for a camping car (Michelin). I could not find your exact model on the internet but I assume it is quite large, perhaps 6m or so? You have not mentioned whether you had a test drive, but I hope you did. Remember these vehicles are really intended for men (or reasonably tall women) to drive and at 5ft 2 and shrinking rapidly there are some things I find difficult e.g. even reaching down to the handbrake, particularly on a very steep incline, and keeping the clutch fully depressed (you cannot partly depress as you might in a car). Good luck and happy travelling. Patricia Patricia take a look at the Cobra handbrake extension my OH is very pleased with his, Ive never driven our MH as he says it is too big for me BUT I am going to have a go as I worry that if I did have to drive it I would be thrown in at the deepend I would rather drive it while he is sat beside me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patricia Posted March 22, 2008 Share Posted March 22, 2008 Maggyd Thanks for the tip about the Cobra - I will certainly investigate. I know we were going to buy a VW once and at the last minute I sat in the driver's seat and it was just impossible to reach. The dealer, who really wanted the sale, said nothing could be done about it so we went for a Pugeot instead. Even the Fiat we later bought had to have the clutch adjusted so that I could reach it. My late husband had a joking name for me which I expect you can guess (don't want my post pulled!). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patricia Posted March 22, 2008 Share Posted March 22, 2008 I forgot to say that you are wise to try driving in your own time. The first time I had to drive it we had just landed at Portsmouth so it was straight on to the motorway at night in the fog and driving rain! Baptism by fire spring to mind! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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