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Hello to you all, but it really wants to make us cry.

3086 Views 14 Replies 11 Participants Last post by  Pudsey_Bear
Hello to you all and thank you for having us. Bob and Sally have been lurking for months, prior to joining as full members.
Firstly I want to thank all members that have posted on the forums that we have learnt from over the months we have been waiting for our own van to be made. The tips and tricks that have been posted over the years on the site have been a real help and inspiration to us and given us much to look forward to. I have met a few of you at shows and always been made to feel welcome.
Why you ask it makes us want to cry, well after suffering a very long 7 months waiting for our Autotrail to arrive and having a totally disinterested, unhelpful, and untrustworthy dealer experience in the meantime, the van eventually arrived at the dealers in the wrong spec, even after being assured that it was all on track and correct. After being what was only could be described as an attempt to bully us into accepting the van as it was ( they had our deposit ), we took the decision to reject the van after taking into account the months of not returned phone calls, lies being told to us, and the total lack of concern that the van was wrong.( the story of the dealers and Autotrails failings is too long to type ).
After a couple of weeks of feeling like all our dreams were now never going to happen as I had taken early retirement to coincide with the vans arrival, I did a global internet search on a 696G and there was one in a spec close to what we had wanted, 8K cheaper than we were going to pay originally. Rang ordered and delivered within a week and so happy all back on track, so we thought.
Apart from the large Remis rooflights flyscreen going ping and losing all its tension whilst we were sitting in the van out on the drive and one of the lockers opening and leaving the hinge behind as the screws pulled out we were very happy, after all they are minor, repairable items I hope.
What makes us weep, is that we haven't actually been anywhere in the van, two weekends away cancelled as in the 22 days we have had the van 10 of them the van has been unusable as a motorhome, as it can not hold its water inside due to the failure of two webasto dual top heaters. To be fair the installers, a very well know company to MHF, are not to blame and have been distraught about the matter. It is hopefully going to be resolved in the next few days.
Still enough of our problems, we are itching to get off over the channel and head for the continent. Its just a shame that our initial experiences with motorhomeing has been fairly negative at first, even after what is to us a very high financial outlay, not just in the purchase price of the van, but in the cost of all the myriad of things you have to buy to equip the thing with.
We hope to meet some of you on our travels, that is if we can get it off the drive.

Bob and Sally

SHADO HQ Gloucester
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hi welcome
look on bright side saved 8k and your issues can be rectified good luck with retirement
Awwwwwwwwwwwww I hope you get off the drive real soon!!!!! Sorry to hear about all your problems, but fingers and toes crossed they will be resolved then you can be off.
At least you still have a positive attitude which is to be commended after all you have endured.
Happy travelling soon hopefully :D :D :D :D
G
Wow! Don't forget however, it can surely only get better from now on!

Tco
Welcome Bob and Sally and 696G. Is that 'G' for Gloucester or Garage BTW? :lol: May I respectfully suggest a shakedown weekend somewhere not far from home (but not your drive!) before venturing continental. You never know but another Heki might just be waiting to pioing.

Am lookin' out at ours on the drive in the twilight glistening like an oversize silver and white laundry van. Spent all day up on the step ladder cleaning the roof and flanks. Washed down the fridge after last wwekends escape bid by a pint of milk. Loaded the Motordome on board plus vino, Puppypen, Bike, vino, table and chairs, more vino, Remoska, dog food, vino - oh and gin. Tomorrow I may throw a few clothes on board and carefully store away some more vino.

Then it's orf we go.

By the time we get back we might be grandparents and I can be an official Grumpy SDA.

SDA
Bob and Sally,
Greetings, hope it all works out for you both, when it leaves the drive,
have FUN,
Norman
Hi Bob & Sally :)

Every cloud has a silver lining so the saying goes, in your case this seems true, even though you are experiencing minor problems at this moment.

Imagine the original dealers response to such problems had you gone ahead with that purchase!

You have saved money and seem to have a dealer willing to act quickly to put things right.

These problems will soon be a distant memory when you get out and about in your new motorhome :)

MHS...Rob :D
Go for it Bob & Sally, as advised in earlier post try it out for a weekend proper. Good luck.
Thank you all for your kind words, yes indeed I did get my deposit back fairly quickly suprisingly, mind you the dealer did know what I did in my last job and was willing to get out of the deal I suppose so he had a new van in stock to sell.
You are quite right in pointing out that I have minor problems at the moment, blinds and hinges and the two cancelled weekends were going to test the van to its limit. Better break it now than in northern Finland we thought. Problems are only a problem when you have to rely on a uncertain outcome, like many things in life we have to rely on others and put our trust in others to fix them. I would not consider doing open heart surgery myself ( apart from on my first dealership ) or indeed try and fix a brand new Webasto dual top.
The things that I have picked up on this site have made our choice of additions to the van easier. We have Katherin Sat dish, choice of two heating systems with or without electric, Gaslow, advanced power chargers, battery to battery charger, auto polarity changer, 1700w inverter, Real time power reserve monitor, 2kw generator, Strikeback alarm with pager, full led lighting and more.
Just in process of fitting extra spot and fog lamps for those misty alpine hills.
Lots more to buy, but all with the knowledge that you lot have tested and recommended the kit.
Once again thank you

Bob and Sally
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AutoMax said:
Thank you all for your kind words, yes indeed I did get my deposit back fairly quickly suprisingly, mind you the dealer did know what I did in my last job and was willing to get out of the deal I suppose so he had a new van in stock to sell.
You are quite right in pointing out that I have minor problems at the moment, blinds and hinges and the two cancelled weekends were going to test the van to its limit. Better break it now than in northern Finland we thought. Problems are only a problem when you have to rely on a uncertain outcome, like many things in life we have to rely on others and put our trust in others to fix them. I would not consider doing open heart surgery myself ( apart from on my first dealership ) or indeed try and fix a brand new Webasto dual top.
The things that I have picked up on this site have made our choice of additions to the van easier. We have Katherin Sat dish, choice of two heating systems with or without electric, Gaslow, advanced power chargers, battery to battery charger, auto polarity changer, 1700w inverter, Real time power reserve monitor, 2kw generator, Strikeback alarm with pager, full led lighting and more.
Just in process of fitting extra spot and fog lamps for those misty alpine hills.
Lots more to buy, but all with the knowledge that you lot have tested and recommended the kit.
Once again thank you

Bob and Sally
Excellent post! :D Many positives in there, that's the best approach :D

MHS...Rob :D
Hi Bob and Sally

I'm so glad you decided to reject the van. Too often I feel that motorhomers are bullied into accepting bad service from dealers.

The little niggles you're having must be frustrating, but once they're settled and you're on your way, the pain and anguish you're feeling will fade.

Happy travels :D

Gerald



Should be soon a happy story to tell and I am left wondering who the dealers were. Not that I want them purely to poke fun at them and ruin their business :roll: but so we can all make some constructive criticism to help them learn how to be a proper motorhome dealer. :D

I would also like to know the sort of job you had as it sounds as though you may be able to contribute enormously with advice when other members get into a spot. At the moemtn we are only using hit men and kneecappers but would like to move on to more legal methods of redress.

I do wish you safe and happy journeys in your new ventures and the fun starts now as all the bad bits are behind you. Well done for sticking up for your corner. :wav:
Pusser said:
At the moemtn we are only using hit men and kneecappers but would like to move on to more legal methods of redress.
I wondered why motorhome dealers were often short in the rear appurtenances and of a nervy disposition. Now I understand. 8O

SDA
Sorry, about your dealings with a lousy dealer, I can sympathise with you on that one, at least you didn't lose any of your hard earned money.

Hope you enjoy the new one, and don't get any more problems.


Don't forget to fit relays on those extra lamps.

Kev.

:black:
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