When should I buy a Fiat-based Motorhome?????????????? Forums

teemyob

Reeventu Wrote

"But to buy a Mercedes at a premium price will not guarantee total satisfaction just maybe a better feeling of satisfaction?"

I can agree and disagree, I paid a No premium in this instance for Mercedes and it has given me satisfaction.

* It has never broken down
* Should it do so, I have a much better chance of getting it fixed anywhere in the world
* It has superior Rear Wheel Drive for traction and towing
* It is a far superior product to anything else on the European Motorhome market.

Despite what I say about the Superb Sprinter, I am not a Mad Mercedes Fan. I have had bad experiences with Mercedes vehicles in the past including five FWD Vito's and an S-Class Saloon. However, all the Sprinters we have owned have been excellent.

My Brother purchased a Brand New Motorhome on the Fiat X/250 chassis last year. It was in the garage more than he had it. Water Ingress, Clutch Judder, Windcreen Wiper Faults, ECU Failure and weeks waiting for a Starter Motor as have a few others on here. He has since taken it back to the dealer and changed it.

Brand new motorhomes cost an awful lot of money. Grossly unfair how these customers get treated.

It is your choice!.

Trev.

reeventu

rowley

I have now had 3 motorhomes on Sevel bases. Peugeot Boxer (1999) Fiat Scudo (2004) and now Fiat Ducato X250 (2007)
Boxer --No faults except the 2 Vin plates differed. Brownhills were no help. Garage in Mansfield did not want to know. Garage in Chesterfield took it very seriously and the Service Manager came to the house to sort it out.
Scudo-- absolutely no faults at all.
Ducato-- Just the aggravating scuttle. Drives really well.

I also have a Fiat Doblo, super runabout. Been ok, but headlight flasher now faulty.

From a PVC point of view the Ducato makes a better conversion than the Sprinter due to it's track, width and squarer shape.

Shark

If my Merc experience was anything to go by, I daresay I must have cost the manufacturer a few potential sales, as I passed on our experiences to others. A few years ago, many of the franchised dealerships were notoriously dreadful and Mercedes had to sack a good number of them and replace them with its own. The decades-long teutonic build quality reputation was going down the pan if they didn't do something. I suffered from a plethora of electrical component failures, one which left the car totally immobilsed and the French Merc dealership frantically swapping components from stock cars to try and locate the fault. They couldn't, so my new Merc was unceremoniously dragged onto a trailer (as the back wheels were locked) and we were all taken back to the UK. There were a few grins from people at the ferry docks, looking at the sad, new Merc on the back of a breakdown truck. So, I certainly wouldn't have faith that a Merc would be fixed anywhere in the world. Our nearest neighbour (the French) couldn't do it - and they insisted upon their two hour lunch and closure at 5pm for the three days they failed to find the fault.

So, what some of us are saying here is that in recent years Mercs have had their fair share of problems too. Many of them have been acknowledeged as down to overly complicated electricals, often associated with components beyond Merc's control (typically Siemens). These same ECUs (ECMs as Merc call them) are shared by the likes of BMW and Audi, hence the not-so-rare sight of up-market vehicles on the back of breakdown trucks.

And going back to the comparison between base price of Fiat and Merc, assuming we agree that there might be a few grand in it, once discounts are applied, that difference seems to mightily jump once the chassis turns into a motorhome. Yes, it could be that the converter takes the view that if he's building on a Merc, he should go the extra mile with the fixtures and fittings and build an all-round better vehicle. But, when the end user is faced with a near ten grand difference for the same six metre panel van conversion (in my case, as an example), the oft-advised 'go for the Merc chassis' is not as straightforward as it might first appear.

Shaun

teemyob

reeventu

Greggy

Just to add to this, there are so many variables here - what you can afford, how long you intend to keep it, is there a dealer nearby and other considerations.

I think it's hard to make an accurate assessment as so many people think their van is the bees knees but they've only had it a wee while and don't intend keeping it for long, so how can you judge a van if you change them more often than some folk change their socks? If you're going to trade it or sell it before the warranty expires surely all that matters is if it's okay during your ownership?

Almost everything is built on Fiat so the choice is limited. If you buy a certain van of course your going to sing it's praises, some folk don't like to admit what they chose turns out to be flawed or a pig in the poke.

I've been keeping a good eye on light commercials recently and when I get the chance, asking drivers for their opinions - another mixed bag of course, one man's meat etc.

From what I see so far, Mercedes? not so sure, there's a lot of rusty commercial sprinters, and I know, they have a hard life. Plenty Renault Masters, not seen any rusty and plenty Fords quite a few with rust. I don't see so many VW T5's, usually independent tradesmen and they won't rust so easily as they are totally galvanised. I know I'm not comparing like with like but it's got to be a fairly good indicator of what's tough and what's not.

For now I'll just hang on to my old VW and enjoy the hunt.

Cheers,

Greg.