AUTOTRAIL ADVICE. Forums

sennen523

Hi everyone and a happy new year,
I have just retired and new to motorhoming. I have ordered a 2007 Autotrail Cheyenne 696 low bed. low-line with the new Fiat 130.Delivery should be in April!!
Has anyone got any advice or experiences with Autotrail with regard to delivery, faults etc, and things i should look out for?

Thanks.

DJP · Last edited by DJP on Sat Dec 30, 2006 10:10 pm; edited 1 time in total

Hi
Wecome to MHF forum and the world of Autotrail ownership.

Autotrail are no worse or better than most other mainline manufacturers. They all have or have had faults.
I think Autotrail is at the better end of the range (at a reasonable price) That's why I have one!. Autotrail are some what a victim of their own success with sales reaching new peaks every year, with that something has to give. Either late delivery or nagging faults or both.
I hope I have not put you off. When you get it and any faults are fixed you will enjoy it. Why don't you consider joining the Autotrail owners club? They hold many many informal rallies throughout the country. One of the rallies includes a factory visit too. Look at the website for more info. Rally calendar for 2007 not yet available on the website but is in print to members. I think we have selected over 20 rallies for next year including one to France.
MHF also hold exellent rallies. Again info on home page in Rally Informal meets section.
Web site for owners club click here

sennen523

Hi DJP,
Thanks for your post. We have spent some considerable time in looking at motorhomes and layouts and information from experienced owners is invaluable.
I have approached the AUTOTRAIL OWNERS CLUB but cannot become a member until the delivery, which is already late.
Is there any specific items I need to check, unique to Autotrail, when I collect from the dealer? eg, Apparently, a spare wheel is not standard now.
Regards,

Al.

DJP

Hi
There is a Motorhome handover checklist on this forum here

desertsong

Hi Sennan,

We have an Autotrail Cheyenne 840. Delivery was two months overdue, no reason given, no apology or explanation. Just too bad really that we picked something that was very popular. I keep getting told that this vehicle could have been sold several times over. When id did arrive, there were lots of niggling faults, interior doors wouldn't close properly, leisure battery wouldn't charge, therefore reversing camera didn't work properly, Freeview didn't work either, etc, etc. The heating couldn't ignite because of lack of power in the battery. Although new, the batteries were duff. They were replaced with other new ones which were just as duff and then replaced with more new ones, which seem to fine. We took delivery of it in May but didn't get it all rectified until two weeks ago. See Cabby's posting re "vehicle rejection".

The story is too long to relate here, but now it is resolved, the vehicle itself is fine. I love the vehicle when it works properly. It is now a fine vehicle, but it should have been when it first arrived. There is a difference between teething poblems and serious aggravation.

Having said all that, it doesn't mean that your experience would be the same. You might have no problems whatsoever. Autotrails are fine vehicles, I think in fact, probably the better end or even the best of the British crop. I cannot think of any British vehicle that I would rather have. There might be a couple of German, French and Italian ones though, but at a much higher price than my 840.

Hope all goes well for you, keep calm, keep smiling politely, any problems talk to the dealer and clearly explain everything. Also, keep a diary of everything, you never know when you need it.
regards
desertsong

zulurita

Hi sennen 523,
Our first Auto-Trail was late in arriving and had quite a few faults that were rectified by the dealer but what is annoying is the repeated returns to the dealer to have this done with the time and expense of diesel.
So our 2nd Auto-Trail although new was bought from the dealer at a show so we thoroughly looked over the vehicle before we did the deal.
Now on our 3rd Auto Trail the 660 we again ordered at a show but this time with a different dealer and again new but was to be delivered as a stock item and in fact after the Shepton Mallet show in the Jan we had a phone call to say it was in about a week later so had it before the end of Jan 2004. That way we did avoid the long delays as was apparent even then.
Personally I don't think I would order and wait because they seem to be so busy and so the personal orders seem to have more problems than those bought new from stock at the dealers. At least that has been our experience. At least with our current mh we have had very little problems with the habitation side. Needing new batteries are common fault, if you ask them to check the batteries they say they are ok and then when you go to use the mh on say a rally without electric, find the batteries are duff! It's little things like that, that irritate and could be avoided if the dealers REALLY cared about the customer.
All in all though, I consider the Auto Trail mh to be well made, well insulated with high spec and value for money. We have viewed many, many continental ones but always come back to the Auto Trail when we were thinking of changing. However other manufacturers are also improving all the time so we always keep an open mind when it comes to changing the motorhome. We love our present motorhome and have so far not seen anything else we like, for now........ Wink

I'm sure you will love yours when you eventually get it, BUT do check over the motorhome first thoroughly, making sure all works, check all fittings, fixtures etc, stay overnight at dealers to try everything, fridge, overn. heating. water heater, shower etc.

Most of all ENJOY your new mh and have fun.

davebl

I think you have made a good choice, the 696 is a great MH. Id have a 696G but bought a Dakota as it was available nearly new. I ahve been very pleased with it.

Autotrail are well built and personaly I havnt had any real problems. There have been some minor niggles but nothing that cant be sorted relativly easily.

My view is that with any MH there will be small issues that need to be owner resolved, clearly any item or fitting that is majorly defective should be promptly resolved by the dealer or manufacturer. Problems will always crop up what ever the product, The speed and manner which problems are resolved are the true indicator of any vendor. Id be interested to hear how you get on.

Best regards and good luck,

trevorf

Don't be put off by tails of woe about Autotrails. We have had no bother with ours. We consider it well built and good value for money compared to other British makes.

Also think that no other manufacturer has an interior as good looking as Autotrails, but I suppose that is a matter of personal opinion.

Trevor

Raine

hi, we have a cheyenne autotrail 696g high bed, had it for 15 months, nearly new, we previously had a scout, which is in the top band of autotrail vans, cheyenne (middle) we really like them, but don't think the quality is as good as it was, which i think is a shame, and also strange, seeing as how they have so much competition these days,
enjoy, an happy new year