MEMBER FORUM

If you plan to motorhome in the UK the Chairman of Autotrail Owners Club, David Wort, has invited any of our members to make contact and attend one or more of their rallies.  Details of their rally dates and locations can be found on their website: www.atocuk.com. 

 

The Managing Director of Auto-trail UK invites any of our members, if visiting the UK, to tour their manufacturing factory in Grimsby, Yorkshire. Google Autotrail UK factory tour to find out when factory tours take place and make a booking. Some interesting videos pop up when you do this Google search too. 

Here's an interesting article about Autotrail UK expanding their manufacturing facilities to cope with future demand. 

Click on on this link. 

http://humberbusiness.com/news/auto-trail-academy-will-future-proof-motorhome-manufacturing/story-2972-detail/story

 

 

Our "sister" organisation in the UK has suggested that we share website links. There's is www.atocuk.com. They have a membership of over 2000 and are very active, running several big rallies in the UK and Europe. If you are planning a motorhome tour around the UK the ATOCUK may be a useful contact to make.

We have just brought a new Autotrail RB Tracker, and was wondering if any members had had any issues with the company.

Hi Paul

Haven't dealt with Taranaki but we bought our motorhome new in 2016 from Ashburton RV which is the same company. Absolutely nothing bad to say about them, great friendly service including fixing a couple of small defects since without any quibble. Mike

Hi Paul, we also have dealt with Ashburton RV and reiterate Mike & Chris’ comments. I believe that Taranaki RV operate under the same ethos. 

Ok thanks unfortunatly we are having issues with them 

A huge thankyou to Allan King of Nationwide RV, Ashburton for giving up half his Sunday to personally fix some teething problems with our new Delaware. Follow up service at its best.  Many thanks Allan for being there when we needed you.

Hi Tim and Sheryl, You are welcome and we are sorry you had this issue, Thanks for your time

We have also benefitted from Allan's assistance when most needed in helping us with problems experienced with our Comanche. Allan King and Ashburton RV's after sales service and advice have been greatly appreciated and Allans producted knowledge is second to none. Thank you Allan & team.

 

Ray & Caroline Robinson.

We will be visiting the UK this northern summer and considering hiring a motorhome for about 4 weeks. Any reccommendations for hire companies? Has anyone done a private hire arranged through the UK Autotrail Club and if so did it work out ok?

Mike

We rented a van (similar bedroom layout to a Delaware, but smaller with different (more compact) living space) from JustGo. The guy there was from Auckland and was easy to deal with. Had the van for 10 days (in 2011 mind) and no problems. Have a look at https://www.justgo.uk.com/4-berth-fixed-rear-double-bed-motorhome-hire.html 

Hi Mike

We have now lived full time in Europe for two years, including six months in the UK.

 I recommend that you must join the Caravan and Motorhome Club as you will save the membership value in about four nights!

The club owns about 200 camps, plus about 2000 affiliated privately owned mini camps called CLs ( certified listings) which are exclusive to club members and limited to about five caravans or motorhomes plus five tents.  CLs are usually in farm yards or large private gardens with minimal facilities but normally powered.  Often owned by club members.’

The club camps are the among the best in Europe and cost about £20-25 per night.  CLs about £14-16 pn.  

The club camps generally hold about 30-80 vans, and pitches are clearly defined unlike NZ.  Booking ahead is essential over the summer.

There are some methods of freedom camping such as pubs that welcome motorhomers, but not so common?

While the club was mainly about caravans when it was founded 110 years ago it is now recognising that the membership is rapidly swinging towards motorhomes.  

Enjoy your touring

John

Hi all 
I am not sure if you folk know but SmartRV has a full service centre in Auckland and Christchurch. They offer a full range of services including annual servicing (for motorhomes up to ten meters), WOFs and COFs, sales and fittings of motorhome appliances and accessories, and much more, both inside and out.
They told me the over $700,000 worth of parts in their warehouses. Many of the parts that Auto Trail use they carry. They said they have coachbuilders, auto electricians as well as mechanics.
They have all the fiat diagnostics and computers needed for servicing.

They are great people and their quality is second to none.

I Have just recieved part from Taranaki RV. John in the parts department is very professional. A hassle free company I would recommend them.

Totally agree regarding Taranaki RV.  After winning a voucher at last year's Kaponga rally and redeeming it was effortless, I thought they deserved my business.  So when I needed to order parts from the UK they organised it for me and I've since been up twice (from Wellington) to have work done, they are very knowledgeable, helpful and lovely to deal with, I also highly recommend Taranaki RV.

Another keen supporter. We have been driving down from Auckland for the past six years with our Cherokee whenever attention has been required. They have always been a pleasure to deal with and workmanship excellent.

We are pleased with the Service received from Dan Monk The Managing Director and all his Support Staff, We found they all conducted themselves in a very Professional manner for the purchase of our new Autotrail Motorhome.

Les & Annette Gibson.

 

Last week we took ownership of our 2018 Delaware from Dan Monk and his team at Auckland Motorhomes. A special thanks to Dan, Treena, and Tony for their great service.  It has always been a pleasure to deal with such a professional team and we look forward to their continued support with our new Motorhome.

Roland & Gloria McQuoid

Hi  Roland and Gloria

like you we bought a new Autotrail FB Tracker from Auckland Motorhomes- in March -but sadly our experience has been quite the opposite.

We have had many problems from Faulty Fridge faulty fittings and so on

Most recently we have had to take the Motorhome up for a 2 day stay there fixing the fridge , several LED lights and electronic step 

They seemed very busy and were not “on their metal” getting the jobs done 

We are really upset to have do many things going wrong with a new product.

Worst of all is the appalling manner of Dan Monk

We feel deeply hurt by events and are looking for a way forward

any ideas?

regards

Bill and Julie Ridley

Hi Bill and Julie

Don’t be disheartened by the faults, frankly this is totally normal.  These issues are not Autotrails fault in so much as they use the same handful of equipment suppliers as every other manufacturer.  There are only one or two sources of all the parts that make up a Motorhome

Almost every owner of a new van has something go wrong, regardless of the brand.

The fridge issue for example is a Dometic issue, not an AT issue.

Regarding Auck MH, well yes I have seen that before there.  It is poor management that they are that way, but unfortunately they have a bit of a captive market until someone else sets up as an opposing AT dealer, so here is your chance Silverdale?

We purchased our Comanche in Wales and even though I kept emailing them as we travelled from Auckland to Wales advising them of our eta, nothing had been done to prep our van!  The sales team never came to meet us while we waited for two afternoons!  We could say “car dealers the world” over but prefer not too?

Enjoy your MH, it is a good brand, but not the best, they cost twice as much and still have faulty fridges and steps.

JohnM

Lake Garda 

Yes AMH are busy and some of their people are abrupt, however they do provide the best warrantee in NZ , they have sorted all our teething issues, plus I have read equally bad reviews on National RV who purchase from dealers in UK and not Autotrail direct. They also are busy and thus pushed time wise.

MHs are a complex collection of parts and all brands seem to have the same issues, one must just enjoy the life style . It is great 👍. Also Fiat have recalls at the moment on some Ducato units but the local fiat agents sort . 

 

A lot lot of the issues are with sub suppliers , hence affect all brands . Overall autotraildesigns are better than most if not all for how newzealanders use their Motorhomes. Ie longer theme on road than Europe and UK. 

More space , load carrying and storage in AT than most.

Hi Bill and Julie,

dealing with Auckland Motorhomes has been the worst experience. Yes the attitude of Monk leaves a lot to be desired. But unfortunately the management of Autotrail UK were shielded at Waipu from any adverse comments about the treatment owners have recieved. 

Best of luck the attitude will only get worse.

It is well known that Dan can be grumpy and caustic at times, it is Tony who is the gem of the business, I always deal with him, he seems to be unendingly patient, helpful and a good buffer “ business wise” against Dan. But I have found that Dan does have good product knowledge... he’s lost some good staff at times although there seems to be stability there at the moment. Dan gets very stressed fairly easily.. I have had a few issues with my van but overall great Motorhomes and constantly improving. 

Thank you all for your comments yes we now realise that the multiple fix it thing is quite common - hopefully not too many or any more still to come The las straw was the electronic step failing - timing could not have been much worse - it happened just after we left toco e home to Taurangs— yes two people were stand outs for good service Tony and a new customer service person - Penny Anyhow thanks for you encouragement we will persevere regards Bill and Julie

You could try Taranaki RV Centre.  They import Autotrails new and are well versed in their fit-out.  They also offer excellent after sales service - including self imports.  Great customer service.

 

They are a "one stop shop" for import clearance, COF/Rego, gas/electrical/self containment modifications and certification.  Their contact  details are:

 

Simon Barkley 
Workshop/Sales Enquiries 
Ph: 06 758 0984 ext 4 
Email: sales@taranakirv.co.nz

I've taken advantage of my NZMCA discount to buy a number of items from Noel Leeming, typically getting a nice, but usually moderate discount, even on sale items. Today, we decided to buy a Panasonic stick blender - it's 600w rating was ok for our small inverter to handle. The list price at Briscoes was $199 - generously reduced to $99 for their Anzac weekend super sale. Checking the same item at Noel Leeming, it had the same $99 list price. It was a tad more than I really wanted to spend, but I asked what they could do for NZMCA members, and flashed my card. Member price was $31!!! Unbelieveable, but I didn't argue. Just thought you'd all like to know :-)

Hi

 

Reading through the NZMCA member benefits the website mentions a 15% discount for WOF at VTNZ... nowhere that I can see does it mention COF, is it just an oversight, is it the same discount?

 

Regards

Mike

I believe it is also 15% for COF.  We got ours on 11/12/15 and paid $115.20

Just got a COF for our Delaware S this morning at VTNZ Warkworth at a cost of  $150.30 !!!!!!!! Queried the ammount which included NZMCA discount and was told it was correct. Anyone else been charged this ammount?

No, I got a COF at VTNZ Seaview Wellington on 14 July 2017, also for a Delaware, and it was $125.10

Just sorted out the issue. VTNZ have standard branches and Premium A & B branches. Standard branches charge $120.87 + GST = $130.00 Less NZMCA discount which appears to be only 10% brings the cost down to $125.10

Moral of the story = shop at a standard branch only. Premium branches A & B are listed on the VTNZ webstite.

Did you check if it can be changed to WOF. Our Imala was on a COF but when i enquired at VTNZ they said it can be on a WOF it just depends on weight. The WOF lasts longer and is only around $50. The change over is simple and free.

VTNZ Taupo and Putaruru charge about $115 including GST and NZMCA discount. 

VTNZ Warkworth $183 with discount on a Comanche type 6. VTNZ Hawera $120 with discount same vehicle 6 months latter. VTNZ Pukekohe $160

VTNZ Rangiora $125.10 this afternoon with NZMCA discount

VTNZ Mt Wellington $126 with NZMCA discount. Plus they are also open on Sat and Sundays

Greetings to all from the UK, just to say thanks for the work that has gone in to this site. We recently purchased a 2013 Apache and have learnt a lot from your forum. As you know there is an owners club website in UK but it does not have a forum or anything like the technical content of yours.

Brilliant.

 

YOUTUBE

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NIsdJU8QcV0

 

 

Great Video Les

 

Very informative for a new Fiat Ducato driver... many thanks.

Currently we use a standard CPAP through an inverter when off power which uses about 20% of our 464 Ahr battery storage. In summer we can replace this with our solar system but during the rest of the year it is a different story so after 2 nights with some TV viewing we need to go on power.  Has anyone had experience using any of the small battery run machines and can give us advice before we go ahead and purchase?  We are considering a Transcend unit at present but at about $1550 for a unit and battery we would like to be sure that we are doing the right thing.

Excuse my ignorance but whats a CPAP machine.

 A Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) machine is used by persons diagnosed with Obstructive Sleep Apnoea to assist with breathing during sleep because typically they either stop breathing for short periods or are not sleeping deeply enough.  My wife's health is amazingly so much better since the diagnosis was made and she sleeps with her CPAP.  The 230v machine is on free loan through the DHB Sleep Clinic as a basic supply item and patients are monitored through these clinics.   

Having seen an advert in the Motorcaravanner from Breathing and Medical we have now purchased a Transcend Fixed Pressure Mini CPAP and have found that it is really good.  Compact and light weight, its best feature is low power usage. Our battery only reduces by about 5 - 6% overnight  compared to 20% with the Ikon model provided by the local DHB.  It is a little noisier but not enough to bother us. There are also options for rechargeable battery usage which we may look at later.  Nick Bishop at Breathing and Medical is very helpful to deal with. 

 Thanks for the recommendation, I have also purchased one of these units, along with the battery pack, and humidifier ( this part I am using at home with 240v supply) 

 

 

hi just wondering if anybody has shipped their motorhome to Australia for a few months touring if what sort of cost and hassle is involved,or is it better to rent one in Australia or maybe exchange

thanks in advance

Copy of Fiat Ducato Repair Manual - models from 2006-2017 (up to and including Euro 5 engines). Awaiting link to the downloadable document (large, 230MB)

That will be a truly great asset, I've been google-ing for sometime but only found bits and pieces from older manuals and not very relevent. Regards IanG

 

After many months of waiting (and having moved to NZ only 5 months ago) the new Delaware is ready for pickup next weekend and I can't wait.

I have had a good mooch around the forum here to refresh my memory on a few things before I pick it up... so thank you all for that.

 

I can't wait to get it --- bit scary driving 8m for the first time but I'm hoping it wont be too tricky (any tips received with thanks!)

 

Elliot

 

Hi Elliot

 

Welcome to NZ, and the AT Users Forum.

 

My only advice is not to be nervous about driving a large vehicle.  There is no need to be.

 

You see there is a simple rule, the back of the van follows the front of the van.  So as driver you look out the front window just as you do in you car, and the rest takes care of itself.

 

I Drive our 9 metre (inc tow bar etc) Comanche into the tightest of spaces without any concerns for its size. And we have a car on the back, so we are about 13.5 metres long.  The rear overhang swinging thing is over rated, it has never been an issue.  The Comanche is actually worse than others because a tandem back axle pivots on the front of the pair, so a Comanche’s tail can swing very wide.  But we have been all over the Lake District’s narrow lanes, tiny French mountain villages, etc with no problems.  

 

Of of course I watch the rear when turning but only a quick glance, more to check the car is still there, not to the point of stresssing over it.

 

They are very easy to drive.  Enjoy it.

 

JohnM

San Sebastián 

Elliot.

Know the feeling, we pick up our Comanche tomorrow, have driven  Ducato before and they are very easy to drive ...... but that was only 7m long. John M's words are comforting.

Hi Elliott, congratulations on your new Delaware....great choice.  We are now on our second Delaware and have had marvellous times getting into many of the magnificent remote locations with few problems at all.  They drive beautifully and have the power to pull you up many of those glorious mountain roads as well as being a comfortable size to negotiate the switchback corners. Two things only I suggest you are aware of....front wheel drives are less easy to extract from soggy ground (we always choose our spots with that in mind and carry a couple of mats to place under the front drive wheels) and second....there is quite a long overhang at the back so caution is needed to avoid grounding (we have installed tow bars on both our Delawares that not only hold the bike rack but also provides solid protection for the rear skirt).  Have heaps of fun and enjoy the ride you will get from your new MH.

Hi

 

As a person who used to drive large trucks and tour coaches I would agree with JohnM but also offer the same advice that I gave my wife... and unlike most advice offered by spouses it was accepted gracefully!!

 

Be careful when you pull into the curb if there is much camber on the road and there are poles, shop verandahs, bus stop signs etc... you will lean against them and make very expensive noises. And when you pull out from a park with obstacles fairly close on the nearside remember that when the front goes one way initially the rear goes the other with the potential for equally expensive noises.

 

The final bit of advice, if you do not usually use your mirrors for reversing and I mean totally use your mirrors then practice and practice some more until it becomes second nature.

 

Enjoy, Mike

You guys were right... it's not scary at all :)

I have discovered one thing, however, in my first day of ownership --- I regret having the rear corner steadies fitted at the factory as they things scrape when I drive onto my drive (it has the smallest of lips on it) 

I might get them taken off !

My front decal bonnet badge fell off aswell on the boat on the way over here , so I need to get a replacement (it was magically stuck on with double sided tape, and only one piece) :jokers at Autotrail.

 

So far , so good!

 

Well done, pleased for you 

 

But think twice about removing the rear steadies, they make a huge difference, they stop the van rocking as you move about.  Are you sure they are wound up, ours have never scraped?

 

JohnM

Salamamca

Good Luck Elloit with yor pick up...

I have never used Granny Legs, they just add about 20 kg on the back of your Delaware ok on a Comanche with the tag axle

Les

Hi again folks, yes its definately the steadies that catch , I'll stick a couple of planks down to life the wheels when i drive onto the drive, that should sort it out.

 

A few other observations:

 

The cupboards rattle when I drive, I'll have to deploy some window seal foam strips on them I fear!

The build quality on the kitchen main cupboard isnt great, large gaps on the fitting and the cupboard rattles...

The water filler cap (whale sliding fitting) is lockable but the dealer hasnt supplied me with a key, so as it is locked I can't fill the bloody water filler !

Not impressed with the leisure battery retention system (aka a nylon strap) ... which seems cheap and nasty to me when it should be a proper clamp.

Autotrail bonnet decal is missing having fallen off on the boat on the way over...

 

So far thats my snag list (at first glance)

 

 

Granny Legs, try em before you knock em!  Essential.  Our Comanche rocks without the legs down.  As the saying goes over here....”if she’s a rockin, don’t come knocking”

 

Elliot, the water cap is usually keyed the same as the habitation door and lockers, try that key.  The cap takes a couple of goes to learn when it is locked vs unlocked.

 

JohnM

Hi Elliot,

I still say through your Granny Legs away, exta weight on the rear of the Delaware but John OK on Comanche.

with regards to rattles, check tyre pressures, I use 60lbs Front and 72 lbs Rear 

 

Les

One of the biggest sources of noise for us was the glass stove cover plate rattling against the top of the stove - a drying up cloth laid across before lowering the glass cover made a huge difference. Nylon straps for batteries are very common, but usually the leisure batteries on Autotrails are held down with a metal plate between them, bolted and clamping them to the floor. Has it changed?

We picked up our Comanche on Thursday and it has Nylon straps holding down the leisure batteries so I guess they have changed.

Thanks, yes looks like they have changed them.

E&L - has yours got the Whale sliding cover to the water and shower  inlets/outlets ... if so which key fits your water inlet? I've checked again with mine and I have the ignition key and the two others, one round and one square, both for the lockers and boot , but neither fit the water cover!!

I'm really not happy with the cupboard fitting , the door is simply not fitted properly and its not level.

I've been back in touch with the dealer in the UK.

How's the Comanche?

 

This is the cupboard door, its not well fitted at all, not impressed for a pretty expensive motorhome...

Get in touch with a good locksmith as they should be able to pick that lock and then make a key to fit.

There are adjustments on the door hinges which you could try adjusting to bring the door into level

I shouldnt have to be picking the lock on a new vehicle really, I'll see what the dealer has to say...

The problem with the door is that the bottom is level, the top is not ... the door looks to be trimmed too short on the upper end to me... frankly, rubbish Quality Control

Elliot ours does have the Whale sliding cover to the water inlet/outlet and we were given 2 keys that fit the lock as shown below, they may be pretty standard for these Whale outlets and any RV dealer may have them or Auckland Motorhomes may have them.  The round cupboard shown in your photo is the same on ours, I think that it will be an easy fix by adjusting the hinges. We are loving the Comanche, there are a few niggles and a few items feel a bit flimsy but quite pleased overall with the quality. Time will tell if it is a Monday or Friday build.

Thanks for the photo , yes the dealer has confirmed this a seperate key and that I should have had two ... they are missing so they will order and send.

They have also agreed to replace my bonnet badge, re the doors they have said that this is a warranty issue and as the vehicle is in NZ , there is no warranty !

 

I guess this is a sign of things to come should anything go awry...

 

That said I do have emails from them previously where they have agreed to resolve matters once it comes here so we shall see!

 

Shame the Whale cap is yet another key to carry around!

Hi all, everything is now sorted with the van... I'm chuffed with it and looking forward to the trip up north this coming weekend (weather looks good too!)

Dealer in the UK has agreed to ship over the missing bits and pieces and a tweak on the hinges has sorted out my mis-aligned door... so its all good.

 

Have to say van looks mint and now we have out stuff in I can't want to go!

With the apparent banning of diesel vehicles in Europe what is the likelyhood of this happening in New Zealand in the near future. My wife & I were seriously considering buying a 2005,  Autotrail 635, Mercedes 2.7L  for use in europe and then bringing over here but are concerned that the market could bomb and we are left with a liemon. 

 

All advice is welcome. 

 

Helen & Mike 

The current opposition is to cars, not heavy vehicles.  The cut off dates are 2040 for the UK, which may have included trucks but we won’t know until the technology works.

In practice the batteries are some distance away from powering heavy transport, but obviously they are working on it.

Diesel car sales are falling in the UK already.

I don’t see any sign of RV sales waning here, quite the contrary.

Would I worry about it from an RV perspective, no!

Just my view of course.

 

As an aside, the UK power companies said for the UK to go all electric vehicles they needed another two nuclear power plants or 20,000 windmills, unlikely by 2040.

 

JohnM

italy

The current opposition is to cars, not heavy vehicles.  The cut off dates are 2040 for the UK, which may have included trucks but we won’t know until the technology works.

In practice the batteries are some distance away from powering heavy transport, but obviously they are working on it.

Diesel car sales are falling in the UK already.

I don’t see any sign of RV sales waning here, quite the contrary.

Would I worry about it from an RV perspective, no!

Just my view of course.

 

As an aside, the UK power companies said for the UK to go all electric vehicles they needed another two nuclear power plants or 20,000 windmills, unlikely by 2040.

 

JohnM

italy

Hi , you may find that the motor home is to old to be acceptable by NZTA.

Most vehicles from 2007 onwards will be Euro4 compliant which is the minimum standard for importation into NZ.

Thank you for the advice will be very careful in our choice

While not important to those buying today, I found this latest info in a Spainish newspaper.

 

The UK and France have banned diesel car and VAN sales from 2040, with all diesel cars and vans to off the road TEN years later. This later part about the ten year period has been missing from previous announcements that I have read.

Germany ban starts 2030

Norway ban starts 2025 

Spain is in process to ban from 2040

Most EU countries expected to ban from 2040.

The obvious anomaly is why has the EU not imposed a blanket policy, that may yet follow?

I guess a definition of VAN is required, perhaps under 3.5 Tonnes?

Regarding Norway, they are already big EV purchasers, they are Tesla’s 3rd largest market, with a Tesla Shop on every corner and cars about as common as Corollas in Auckland!

Just for your info.

JohnM

Marbella

For those of you who haven't already done this, a simple strap with a buckle can be purchased from Mitre 10 or Bunnings for around $10 is a really easy way to sort out those annoying push-button taps when filling up with fresh water.

 

Hi we are about to put a deposit on a Van at RnRv Silverdale and just want to know if this is a good dealer to go with.

Thanks

Members may wish to load the following app to their phones.

 

A collegue comment "I have been having great success with an app called "Gaspy"
finding diesel for a $1.21/l"

https://www.facebook.com/gaspyapp/

Chris Gaelic

09:34 PM   11-Nov-17

Auckland

Just a little more incentive to those who maybe can't be bothered, or don't feel comfortable in sorting out the problem of water getting into the engine bay.

 

We've owned our Delaware for 4.5 years, and in the last year, the following repairs are all likely to have been the result of water damage:

 

Replace faulty map sensor: $1,251
Replace glow plugs (corroded into the engine block): $1,438
Replace control unit for the airbags: $895
Replace engine control module: $4,435
Total: $6,684

 

It took over 3 years before the water ingress started creating problems for us. So, if you're thinking that this might not apply to you...

Hi Les,

We had a similar problem a few weeks ago with our 2013 Tracker FB. We got a fuel injector warning light and took it to Italian Auto Centre in AKLD. Water was getting into the engine through the troughs that sit below the windscreen. The drains that take the water away down the side of the engine were blocked with leaves and the water was building up and dripping through to the engine and landing on top of the fuel injector connection.

 

We park our van at the side of the house under some trees and these troughs are often full of leaves, my solution is to turn the hose on full and blast them out with a strong jet of water. So, I was probably making it worse.

There is a bit of corrosion on the engine block which the mechanics have treated, the injectors seem OK but who knows what damaged has been done. We were lucky as they didn't have to touch anything except new clips and sealant around the bottom of the windscreen - at a few hundred dollars.

 

This morning I was making a tarpaulin that covers the windscreen and engine cover - in future I will vacuum out any leaves. I would recommend other members have a look and see if there are any signs of corrosion and make sure the drain pipes are clear

regards

Jack

Our 2017 Autotrail Imala 730 with the new wiper scuttle design was leaking water onto the engine also.  Had an injector alarm occur and FIAT's 'Truck Assist' roadside service suggested it was caused by water ingress but was under the impression the new scuttle fixed most issues.  When I compared with other Fiat Ducato's I realised the scuttle was distorted near the middle allowing a reasonable gap to the windscreen.  I used tape around the scuttle/windscreen as a temporary measure which eliminated the problem.  I took it to the service agents in Launceston, Tas (Toyota) and they agreed the scuttle plastic was distorted and will replace under warranty which is scheduled for next week.  Due to moisture inside the windscreen on frosty mornings I decided to buy an external windscreen solar blanket which also covers the bonnet vents and stops any water entering while parked up too. Pic attached.  Regards IanG

Nice looking cover where did you buy it from?

Its called a NRF external thermal blind which I purchased from SolarScreen (http://www.solarscreen.com.au/) based in Carina, Queensland.  Very happy with it, easy to use simple to fit and made in Italy by NRF (http://www.nrfcamper.it/eng/products/index).  It has elastic band which slips over top corner of door and another which clips near the door handle plus a velcro fitting around the mirror, fits like a glove.

Certainly stops the sun from heating the cabin.  Internally our MH has the Remis blind system which is great in blocking light but has no thermal characteristics.  Nicely diverts water from the windscreen/scuttle area too.  Regards IanG

Thanks Ian, I am certainly going to buy one and one for a friend Allan

Hi, I also would be interested for the cab cover I don't now if you would like to get an extra. Les

Sure Les,

I will check on the cost and shipping arrangements, my brother is going over to Quessland soon, could be cheap freight Lol .

Allan

This is what we brought in UK also keeps one warm in winter taken at Hamner Springs

Cover is now fitted to Tracker FB

Wow, this cover looks fab and way better than a tarp in Welly winds.  I will order one also, have previously purchased the interior screens for winter, solar screen are a great company to deal with, highly recommend.

................................................................................................................................................

Hi,

Alan I have just purchased a NRF cabiin cover from Aussie thanks for your offer to get one.

Les

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

SOLAR SCREEN

NRF CABIN COVER  $280 AU  DELIVER TO NZ

Ring 09 8876977 NZ to ring Aussie

Les

 

That is very reasonable, I paid about $350 here in the U.K. for a popular Yorkshire brand.  However very few European screen covers address the water ingress issue, i.e. few people know of the issue and the covers don't extend over the trough.  I have seen just one guy making obvious efforts to cover the water trough with a plastic sheet pushed up under his screen cover to extend it.

 

I shall suggest though that the screen cover needs to have a pull down flap to "open" the windscreen for daytime use.  Removing the cover is a PIA as the height of the doors makes it an effort for many people to fit the covers, especially when on ramps.  Realise that in Europe these screen covers are mainly to keep the night temperatures comfortable in the van.

 

John

Costa Blanca 

I have also ordered my NRF cover. The agent was great to speak to & my cover is now on the way. Thanks to all those that contributed to this subject and to you Les for providing the direct dial phone number. Very much appreciated. 

Cheers, Ray. 

Just ordered a cover.

i was told only 1 left.

Cheers Glenn

Arrived yesterday so good chance to test it's effectiveness in todays almost 35 degrees... worked great.

 

 

 

Been in contact with them and they are sold out till Feb 2018. Thank goodness summer is here so hopefully no rain.

Ian can you send me your email at ics.ltd@xtra.co.nz

 

Purchased this on the 22/10  from Ebay UK seller pioneerleisureukltd  Fiamma Coverglas XL for Ducato Shade/Protector end cost with shipping to NZ was NZD $333 but considering the cost of the Comanche I consider it peace of mind even though the dealer assured me ingress problem has been addressed cannot be to careful with your home

Yes gives added warmth as well. And covers like this are available in Palmerston North from “DYMX” . Great covers, nice people to deal with, UV stabilized for NZ , cost $350, these have fold down Centre section to provide a view when parked up without removal of cover.

After getting another significant repair bill for our Delaware, I've gone through all my service and running costs to work out what these beasts really cost to own. Just for good measure, I've factored in the anticipated depreciation covering the 4.5 years that we've owned it. 

 

Service and repair cost per km	$0.22
Diesel cost + RUC cost per km	$0.26
Depreciation over 4.5 years and 60,000 km	$0.50
Total cost per km	$0.98

 

 

So, going away in our Delaware costs us around a dollar a km before adding in food, drink, gas and campsites.

 

That's the bad news! However, it's worth comparing it with the alternative of driving your own car and staying in motels. The following is for a 30 day holiday spent travelling around either the North or South Island.

 

 

Motorhome (mostly freedom camping)
Running cost:	$1,960
Gas (refill every 5 days):	$156
Food and drink (including some eating out):	$500
Campsites (5 nights):	$200
Total Cost:	$2,816

 

Motels and our own car
Running cost (typical of my old Honda Accord):	$900
Motels (average $120 per night):	$3,600
Food (mostly eating in motel room):	$1,500
Total Cost:	$6,000

 

So, the good news is, that even though motorhoming is not cheap, it's still way cheaper than staying in motels.

 

Happy motorhoming!! 

Hi chris, That's very interesting... I'll stick to motorhoming. LES

Hi Chris

 

If everyone on here was a beancounter the membership would be very small indeed so I'm glad its not about the money. What I am interested in though is why your Delaware has cost over $13000 in repairs and maintenance in such a short time. Considering that initially it would have been under warranty that seems like an exorbitant amount of money... in two years and 8000kms I have had one home service at less than $300 and one warranty item (fridge) fixed for free. What have I got to look forward to!!

It does not take long to add up, we have done 13,000 kl in 3 years. 1. Annual service is around $500k x 3 2. Replace glow plugs $1500 3. Replacement truck battery $600 4. Replacement leisure battery $350

Hi Mike & Chris, Our Delaware was 12 months old when I bought it, so there was only another 12 months of the 2 year Fiat international warranty. Service costs at Andrew Simms is not cheap, and added up to around $4,500 in the 4.5 years that we've owned it. The rest is for replacing glow plugs that were corroded in place, a diff axle seal, plus front and rear disks and pads. The big one was replacing the turbo, which failed just over a year ago.

 

Bear in mind, we've added over 60,000 km to the original 12,000 when we purchased it - which is way more than your 8000 km. Also, the new models include a 5 year warranty on the Fiat, which would have made a significant difference our costs.

 

I posted the above figures as a general guide based on our experience. If you leave depreciation out, and factor in a 5 year Fiat warranty, then the service costs drop down to around 8 cents per km, which is quite small compared to the 26 cents per km for diesel and RUC. 34 cents per km is cheap motoring for any vehicle (except electric!).

 

We've loved the opportunity that motorhoming has given us for exploring all the nooks and crannies around our country. Plus we've made some great friends along the way. Worth every cent...

 

 

 

 

Hi , has anyone got one of these with this option?

I'm just about to close on my order and my wife is having doubts and making me re-think my decision to reject the Scout ...

I'm not convinced it's such a big deal losing the seats and replacing it with the seat-belted seats but regardless of what it looks like there is NO choice if you want to carry more than two (we have a one child with us)

Would be useful if anyone has any practical experiences .. lounge/table/dining/sitting etc and if they have spent any major time  in their van with this config.

 

thanks very much

 

Elliot

Elliott, side-facing seat belts are still allowed in NZ and you can get them added here (to offside of the van). We decided to go that way to avoid the loss of living space for a function only rarely used. When the side belts are unused they live under the seat squab.

Have a look under Auto-Trail Issues >> Seatbelts. Quite a lot of info there.

Again, thanks for this information - I wasnt aware side-facing belts were still possible, they are not allowed in the European Union any longer for safety reasons.

Do you think it lessens the resale appeal with the belted front facing seats ?

I'm unsure...

 

https://www.facebook.com/practicalmotorhome/?hc_ref=ARRZF7p0oVgHF_sPPOdIXDWq3EWKmgTyidqtdMEtAxjJWgcNjT-1eIaDZHADpM2iM_8

 

you will have to scroll down to find the page

http://autotrailusers.nz/ForumFiles/1010/Motorhome%20manufacturer%20Auto.doc

 

The latest on 2018 models

As mentioned in a previous post I am interested in moving to an Autotrail Imala 730 from our current Jurgens caravan.  Can any forum members give me an idea of why they Chose Autotrail (any model) over other Manufacturers Motorhomes?

 

Any feedback good or bad welcome.

 

Kind regards IanG

I live in the UK and on with my second auto trail first on a merc Cheyenne 630 now a fiat Cheyenne 696g I wouldn't buy another as the build quality isn't what it used to be if you set on an auto trail I'd look to buy an older model as those were exception in quality  now they are trying to keep the weight down with most people having restriction in the UK on their driving  licenses and what weight they can drive  I don't know when they started importing them to NZ but if you can get a low mileage well looked  after before 2006 you won't go wrong from 2007 on I wouldn't bother. look at the autotrail tribute range it's their budget range about £20000 less same build,same engine,same layouts  just different decals but you don't get the scatter cushions though but for twenty thousand pounds less who cares.

Sorry just looked on web site you do get the scatter cushions on the new models

We have just recently bought our Tracker EKS and so far its meeting our needs.  We chose Autotrail due to the quality, interior design, dimensions, storage, price and available warranty cover when compared to other brands.  We live in NZ, and have noticed that the Tracker is extremely insulated [I suppose made for the UK winters].  Perhaps it will be very hot in the summer, but yet to be fully tested.  Still early days, but so far reasonably happy with our purchase.  This is  our second motorhome and that also helped us decide what to prioritise in our search for a motorhome.  Good luck in deciding as there is plenty to choose from, which makes this decision challenging.  It will come down to personal preference I guess.

Thanks Joanne and Bman for your feedback.

I think the reduced weight Joanne mentioned is possibly related to fuel consumption and pollution rules as well as reduced pricing for competition.  A bit different with caravans in Australia they tend to be bigger and heavier.

I'm pleased to hear 'insulation' being mentioned, it is high on my priorities ... I feel the cold and 40mm wall and roof insulation is better than the 23-30mm of other brands I have researched and often there is none in the roof.  Unless sandwiched construction I have found insulation very scant in wooden framed units.

Kind regards IanG

Hi Ian,

Im on my second Autotrail Delaware and think the Autotrail is without doubt the best on the market, I have been in the Motorhome/ Caravan industry for the last forty years and looked really hard before I bought an Autotrail, frankly I wouldn't touch anything built in NZ as the quality is not there and because of small production numbers they are very expensive,take for example a Trail-Lite, grossly over priced with a flat pack kitchen you could buy at Mitre Ten.

Autotrail have a great finish and the Fiat drives like a car, NZ built Motor Homes are mostly built on trucks which drive like a dog.

I carry five 150 watt solar panels and 400 litres of water and the Delaware has no problem in any respect,coupled with the best insulation money can buy,and the habitation door is on the proper side for resale.When I sold my last Autotrail Delaware it was on Trademe for one day then sold.

cheers,

Richard

Hi Richard,
Thanks for the positive feedback much appreciated.  Apart from seeing them on the road and an external look around a Delaware recently I have not seen inside apart from sales brochures.  I'm justifying an expensive trip to Queensland to the Australian importer to view an Imala 730 to make a decision in a few weeks. I picked the Imala 730 as we prefer the island bed version.  My wife has severe arthritus, and beds against a wall are not her favourite plus climbing over one and other to get out of bed is needed in some models.  We need to limit overall dimensions and weight for economical Bass Strait ferry crossings to visit our daughter living in Canberra and other travel.
I have a technical and electronics background and a bit fussy with electrical stuff so will modify to suit my requirements, stand alone power via solar is my choice and I prefer free camping.
Are you happy with the truma gas heating and how often do you fill gas cylinders during winter?  How do you find the wiring and plumbing in general?  Thanks.
Kind regards IanG

The reduced weight has nothing to do with pollution people who passed their driving tests after jan 1997 in the UK can only drive up to 3.5t or have to take another test people who passed before this got to keep c1 on there licenses which allows them to drive upto 7.5t but once they get to 70 years old they loss that entitlement and have to have a medical and if they have certain health conditions it is disallowed so the UK motor caravan industry are losing how many people can drive over 3.5t hence why they are trying to keep the weight under the 3.5t mark. my van is 4.5t so my daughter who's 25 can't drive it unless she takes another test.

Well there's some useless information for you.

but as I mentioned have a look at the tribute range that autotrail make the build quality is the the same just autotrail is blue decals tribute range yellow and silver 

a lot of our friends that have had autotrail in the past are buying the tribute range if you go on auto trail UK site you can see both ranges a few years ago when the tribute range started they looked basic but now they look impressive  

to be fair we were at a show a few weeks ago and I can't see where autotrail can justify the price diffrence.

I know which one I would buy

if you are wanting a UK import why not look at elddis Or swift  they have really good vans built to UK standard thick wall insulation well built.

 

 

Hi Ian

The island bed is so good,very hard to beat and in my past experience in the industry it is the overall best seller in a caravan or motorhome(Resale etc) I run a 3000 watt pure sine inverter with a battery bank of five 130 amp hour agm batteries so we never use our stove just use a jug and toaster,air wave cooker,microwave etc etc,just like at home,the reason we carry so much water is we have a Camec front loader washing machine in the rear garage which is fantastic.

Everybody has their own way of doing things and their own budget,but I believe do it once and bite the bullet as I find a lot of people don't do it at the start and then don't get around to doing it at all,if you know what I mean,we find you can't beat having as much water as poss.The Delaware only carries 135 litres which for us is not enough.

we are very,very happy with our second Autotrail,off to Raglan by the sea in the morning, with the Yamaha Waverunner Jet Ski behind.

Great To Be Alive.

Cheers,

Richard

 

 

 

Hi Ian

Sorry, forgot to mention the Truma heating etc,very,very good and very economical on gas

cheers again

Richard.

Hi Joanne, Not useless info at all, the licensing issue is a factor.  Here in Tasmania the general drivers licence is up to 4.5t then 'Light Rigid' I think its called, covers from >4.5 to 9 Ton and so on, and it may vary between states in Australia too.

I have not heard of Autotrail Tribute in Australia maybe it's not imported, someone else on the forum might know.  Elddis seem to have caravans here but not spotted Motorhomes as yet.  I have looked at Swift Motorhomes but they are more expensive and outside my budget.

Thanks again for your feedback.

Regards IanG

Hi Richard,
Thanks for the additional info.  Interesting your water capacity, where have you added the additional storage tanks? We have learned to be very water-wise but if it is easy a little extra never goes astray.
In relation to your banks of 130AH batteries did you consider LiFePO4 (Lithium Iron Phosphate)?  I have had a 200AH drop-in replacement in my caravan for nearly 3 years, very happy, and see it as the future with less than half the weight of lead acid, nearly the full capacity can be used and they charge up to 30% faster having a charge efficiency of close to 100% compared to LA of approx 80%.
Regards IanG

It's not just the weight and efficiency, lithium batteries have a minimum 10 year lifespan and a 200 AH lithium is roughly equivalent to 400 AH lead acid in capacity. They are significantly more expensive, but if you factor all of that in, they are worth it.

Ian, the Tribute range is not imported into OZ. The Auto-trail range is and now so is the Imala Ange. I think that the OZ importer EliteRV imports a selection of both ranges. The English like a large wrap around rear lounge as they spend more time inside due to the weather. The AT range soles here in AU has been optioned up to suit the local market, so aircon is standard as is solar. One of the excellent benefits is the class 3 (UKspec) insulation that will come in handy in Tasmania. We have a 2015 Tracker FB now with 40,000 klms. IMHO it is much better value for money than any of the local product with lots of great design ideas such as the location of the TV to make it a real treat to own. We have not experienced any major issues with either the Fiat or the back end. I would buy the better speed AT rather than the cheaper Imala, both good but the AT has more kit, eg bigger frig etc. The product brochures have a list of standard equipment to help make the cost comparison. I have just recently looked at all the motorhomes on display at the Sydney show and the only other brand I would consider is the German Knaus. Imported by Avan in Victoria. Hope this helps.

Hi Geeco, thanks for your comments much appreciated and supports my findings too.  I have a friend in Adelaide with a Knaus Sun Ti 700 and he loves it, as my wife and I did too, but we found the Autotrail suited us better with toilet and bed access as we are taller people and I'm not supposed to mention it but my better half has chronic arthritis and also sports a set of metal hips, so an island bed is almost essential for ease of getting in/out plus the ability to make the bed, hence our lean towards the Imala 730.  If the comfortability is right I can look after the rest within reason.
I've decided it might be worthwhile to take a trip to Burleigh Heads Elite RV and look over the models to finalise our decision if I can find some discounted fares.
You mentioned no 'major' issues with your Motorhome, is it possible you may be able to elaborate on any 'minor' issues you encounted?
Kind regards IanG

Hi Ian, I'm on my third consecutive new Delaware, which says something for the quality of these motorhomes. With any brand you're always going to get the odd teething problems but ours have been very minor. Like Richard we have gone for a lot of extra solar capacity, plus lithium batteries, to ensure that we can be independent of EHU. With each new version we have been initially doubtful about the changes introduced by AT, but ended up loving them. I doubt there is such a thing as a perfect motorhome, but we have been very pleased with ours and would certainly buy another. 

Ian the minor issues have been mainly screws working loose. Where possible I have replaced with a nut & bolt. The brackets that hold the small round table on the front N/s lounge is a good example. The cord that holds the flyscreen mesh on the habitation door broke and the mesh stretched. A local screen company replaced the mesh and cord for just over one hundred dollars. The window mesh on some of the windows has stretched but not causing any real concern. One of the habitation door hinges came off after a trip to Cairns via a bumpy inland route. A replacement hinge under warranty and a drop of Locktite has fixed that issue. Not much else I can think of to mention. Good luck with your purchase if you have as much fun as we are having with ours then you will not be disappointed.

Hi we have just taken delivery of our Imala 730. Apart from a few screws that needed tightening every thing was fine. It is a good size  and everything has its place but not the bigest motorhome but very good at the price. We bought ours at Auckland motorhomes in Drury. Fiat Ducato drives like a dream. Still getting to know it a bit though. We are having a lot of fun with it.

Picked up our Imala 730 from EliteRV at Burleigh Heads QLD Thu 15th Jun and drove back to Tasmania on a 7 day vehicle permit arriving yesterday 21st Jun.  Very happy although my wife is coming to grips with the smaller toilet/shower unit compared to our previous caravan ensuite.  Still finding out how things work.  Happy with fuel consumption we covered 2,255Km and returned 11.39 L/100k overall calculated.  Unfortunately cool and wet in Tas today with snow forecast to 500 metre level so no crawling around underneath to check things out.

Congratulations on your purchase.  With those weather conditions in Tas you will definitely feel insulated in the AT. We were out last weekend in Auckland and the temp outside at night was 8 degrees and we were very comfortable inside with the temp reading 20 degrees.  We didnt even have to turn on the Truma heating to achieve this.  Its very well insulated.

Hi Richard. Does the front load washer fit through the existing garage doors or did you have to enlarge? 

Cheers

Grant

Hi Steve

 

You may find your answer in the topic below under "Fiat Issues"

 

Uconnect 5 inch Radio Nav Tom Tom maps for NZ

 

Cheers

Mike

Hi Steve-What year is your EKS?- I have a 2013 model with an Igo 12EL2000 GPS with a removable SD card in it. I am in the process of investigating changing this for a SD card with Aus|NZ maps. I have spoken to a chap who has succesfully done the change with self import Burstners and I am just waiting for him to send me links to possible solutions. 

My research so far on UK forums indicates that basicaly all Autotrail GPS systems are a dead duck- The new Tom Tom appears to have only 2013 Euro maps with no upgrade even for UK users so after I look at the posssible solutions for mine I may just stick with the stand alone unit I have now.

 

Regards Rob

 

 

 

 

 

Rse have NZ maps

Hi guys. Just a thought out of left field, but we used the built in GPS for a while, and then bought a standalone Garmin GPS, which suits us much better. It includes NZ maps with lifetime updates, and I can angle it so that it is easy to see and doesn't get obscured by bright light. Plus, you can play the radio simultaneously, without any fooling around getting the GPS and radio to work together.

 

But the killer advantage for us is being able to load all the RV Explorer (or NZMCA) custom locations. This allows us to go to any location by just keying in a 5 digit number. This can also available for Navman GPS units, and will soon be available for Tomtom as well. 

Can anyone help me please to run both the GPS and the radio at the same time please? I heard that  there was a way, but from memory it was to do with the sequence of turning these on? (RB Tracker). We seem to either have one or the other, but not both at the same time?

If it's the same radio multi system as in our 2014 Delaware, turn radio on then push and hold the Nav button until the GPS comes on - the radio will remain on as well. 

Does anyone know if we can use the truck stops for refuelling with diesel? I've been told that they pump diesel more rapidly, and can blow back if the fuel intake is not designed for it. I've never tried, but now see that FnF fuel cards offer a bigger discount if refuelling at truck stops.

In most cases truck stop fueling depots have a high and low setting switch on the side of the pump, I use the regularly Mobil & Shell

Good to see this conversation, we have used these and had no problem.. 

Chris, I am not getting emails to the forums I have subscribed to. I used to. Is there something I am doing wrong?

Hi Chris, you can use all of the truck stops. Look for the smaller nozzles when you pull up. These still pump faster than normal but will auto shut off if it fills too fast. Just pull the trigger less to pump less fast. Cheers Nigel

And the truck stops can be way cheaper!

 

 

Copied from my Kiwi Fuels statement

Click on link and then Just Subscribe

 

( Free Magazine IMOTORHOME )

 

http://www.imotorhome.com.au/

 

click on link then click on download

 

 

https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0B_zzvL4dRAeSQW5MRFJtQjBVWWc&usp=drive_web

 

Link for Manual

 

http://library.docent.isvor.it/upload/lmsfa.docent.isvor.it-2151/016393-Traccia%20Didattica%20Fiat%20Ducato%20seconda%20fase_GB.pdf

Hi....we have just joined Autotrail Users as we have just ordered an Apache 634 to be picked up from the UK in May.

 

We have a query regarding insurance whilst driving in the UK. It has been discussed in parts in some other topics but we still can't find any company that will fully insure us. We are non-UK residents with non-UK drivers licences although I am a UK citizen and have access to a UK address.

 

As has been discussed previously in other topics, most of the insurance companies require you to be either a full UK resident or have a UK drivers licence for a certain period (at least a year).

We have been in touch with Down Under who at first would not insure us because the value of our motorhome exceeds their 55,000GBP limit but they have now come back and said that they would insure us for the value ex-VAT as we are purchasing it ex-VAT to ship it back to NZ. All the other specialist insurance companies that we have looked into also have a maximum limit on the value of the motorhomes they will insure.

 

If we go with Down Under, and it was written off or stolen, we would still be liable to pay the UK Govt VAT as it would not have left the country.

 

The main problem we are having is finding an insurance company that will cover the full replacement cost of the vehicle and not have any maximum limits. Has anyone else had this problem insuring their new motorhome in the UK before shipping back to NZ? I find it surprising that some companies have such a low limit on the value of the motorhomes considering the cost of them nowadays.

 

By the way, the information in the forums have been fantastic and very useful so far.

We look forward to any help or advice.

 

Thanks, John and Wendy.

Try Vantage.  They initially declined us with this

I have offered your information to our panel of insurers but unfortunately they are insisting that a motorhome or similar leisure vehicle has been owned and insured by yourself within the last 2 years.

I did explain your situation but they have said they must following their underwriting criteria.

 

But I reapproached them after Downunder pricing blew me out of the water and they relented.

 

They quoted 2,811.35UKP for a 43,000UKP camper, we were advised to insure for full retail replacement in case she gets totalled.  They only offer prices on a yearly basis but when you are finished motorhoming you can cancel this insurance and be refunded back a percentage of the premium.

I tried for discount based on being members of the Auto-Trail Owners Club or Camping Caravanning Club UK or both.

Unfortunately memberships will not reduce the cost further.

They like to see previous ownership and insuring of a motorhome within the last 2 years.

 

See vantageinsurance.co.uk

 

Also

http://www.tourinsure.de/international-vehicle-insurance/camper/europe9b85.html?L=6

 

I've no experience or affiliation with either lol

 

Please let us all know who you go with and your experience dealing with them.

 

 

Hi Mark....thanks very much for your reply.

 

We had already contacted Vantage and as you mentioned they insisted on us having motorhome experience and proof of previous motorhome insurance from our country of residence within the last two years.

 

Unfortunately, our motorhome experience included 6 weeks in the North Island last year using a converted Toyota Coaster on loan from my partners parents but we used their insurance therefore have no written proof but we also did a 5 month motorhome tour in the UK two years ago having bought a second hand motorhome and selling it again once our trip was over. I was sure that would have been relevant but after consulting the underwriters, Vantage came back saying that it had to be previous experience from our country of residence! I would have thought that having experience in the UK would have been more relevant. Still cant get my head round that one! The broker tried a few times but couldnt get the underwriters to take us on.

 

The company we used two years ago was BeWiser but when we approached them this time they insisted that we have to be residents and as we are purchasing a motorhome vat-free we are actually declaring that we are non-residents as residents are not eligible for the vat-free purchase.

 

As for Tourinsure....I had a look on their website but for a years insurance for a vehicle valued at 50,000 euros, the premium would be 6,729 euros! I didnt go any further than that!

 

We're sure there must be someone who has insured non-residents for using motorhomes with a value in excess of 55,000 GBP from all the motorhomes that have been privately imported to NZ.

Actually Tourinsure do the insurance by the month, so although it's eyewateringly expensive it's not quite as bad as having to pay for a whole year. They do however have an issue with insuring a vehicle in UK which is not already registered, and UKDVLA won't issue registration without insurance so bit of a chicken and egg situation there. I assume that your Apache is no more than 3.5T as you can't legally drive heavier vehicles without an actual UK driving licence. Kiwi/International licences no good! 027 444 1256 if you wish to discuss further.

Hi Avocadopicker....thanks for your comment.

 

Yes.....our Apache is under 3.5T so no worries with driving it in UK on my licence.

We are planning on touring UK/Europe for about 10 months so the Tourinsure option works out to be too expensive for us.

 

Starting to run out of Insurance companies to try....but will keep looking.

Hi John,

 

in June/July 2015 we picked up a new Apache 634 in the UK and toured for 6 weeks before shipping it back to NZ. The vehicle was insured for 55,000 UK pounds which was the purchase price we paid plus 20% VAT.  The insurer was DownUnder who were underwritten (?) by Unicom Insurance Services Limited, a division of Tradewise Insurance Company Limited.

 

We had to pay a full 12 months premium which (inclusive of all fees including credit card fee) was 2,385 UK pounds. We received a credit for the un-used portion of the 12 month period according to their sliding scale.

 

This was the only insurance company we could find that met our needs.

 

Happy to send you some information and/or arrange a time to chat about our experiences  chrisbushnz1@gmail.com

 

Regards,

 

Chris

 

PS.  Yes you do need the Rego number before the policy will be issued; so leave yourself plenty of time in the front end before planning to drive off in your fabulous Apache 634 !

Hi Chris....thanks very much for your advice. We were hoping that you would leave a comment as we noticed in some of your other topics that you have recently imported the same motorhome that we are planning to this year.

 

Yes....Downunder is the only company that we have found so far but as mentioned previously, they have a limit of 55,000 GBP and the Apache 634 has increased in value since your purchase pushing us above this limit.

 

This is also due to adding some options like Automatic, an engine upgrade and the Media Pack2 (which I wouldnt mind having a chat to you about as I'm thinking of leaving that out and maybe purchasing an aftermarket system). The full purchase price only just puts us above 55,000GBP but Downunder insist that they cant underinsure the vehicle and yet they are prepared to insure it for ex-VAT price which would leave us considerably short if we were to write it off or had it stolen!

 

Would love to take you up on your offer to email and chat further.

 

Regards,

John.

Tourinsure also offer 3rd party only cover which satisfies the legal requirements although of course it may not satisfy your personal ones! Just another thought, your dealer could exclude the options from your vat-free export invoice to keep the value down, although you would have to pay the vat on the options on a separate invoice. Just sayin'

That's a good point about not having the options included in the vat-free price.

Will look into that....thanks Avocadopicker!

This may be too late but I have only just joined this site, now living in New Zealand. We are British and traded in our small VW camper and caravan last year for a new Autotrail van conversion. However, we had been living in France and had French driving licences as well as the camper and caravan being insured in France. Buying the van was no problem as it is registered at my sister's address in England and the van is kept in England at present. Insuring it was another matter! I spent about two weeks trying to get insurance as we weren't permanently living in the UK. I tried all the insurance companies available as well as several brokers. Downunder wouldn't help due to the driving licences. Eventually I obtained insurance through Milestonehouse (Ian Scott was very helpful) with ERS which is part of Lloyds (co-incidentally who we had as our very first car insurers over 50 years ago) at a price of £3000.

I am about to go through the whole process again so I was interested in the quotes that other members had had from Downunder.We'll see what the renewal quote is.

 

By the way this is all after living in the UK and having driven there with clean licences for about 40 years.

 

We were thinking of bringing the van here in the next year or so but having visited Auckland Motorhomes the other day to find out what was needed, we are beginning to wonder whether it is worth it. Maybe I need a new thread for this conversation.

Hi all, on Chris's recommendation I approached AA (which I've been a member of since 1982) to insure my motorhome and include the roadside assist.  I was given a very favourable quote, however on checking they advised that as I live in my moho they wouldn't cover me - seems strange, wondering if anyone else has encountered this?  AA staff member said I could add the AA Plus to my car cover but seems I will no longer need AA.  I am currently with CamperCare for my moho insurance.  Thanks

Hi Sue, that was a bit unexpected for me as well. What is the difference between travelling extensively in your motorhome, but still having a home address, or being committed to living in it permanently? Maybe your 'home base' could be the home of a son or daughter... Unfortunately, you are more likely to need roadside assistance because of a breakdown than because of an accident, so it's good to have some cover, given some of the places that we motorhomers get to. Have you checked with Campercare as to what they cover for breakdowns?

Just insured our new Delaware S. Thought I get another couple of quotes to make sure I wasn't paying too much.

Covi was the most expensive with Campercare coming in 2nd. Surprisingly AA Insurance were the least expensive with a $400 excess. Saving overall $277.30. Certainly worth the exercise!

Hi Just done the same exercise with our new Delaware, been with NZMCA insurance 30 odd years Covi $550 dearest next was Campercare $420 dearer, so we went for AA Motorhome insurance saving the above and that included AA motorhome Plus. Les

Just completed same with our Dakota saving $400 annually with AA. I did have to change over my car insurance, at the same rate however to get the deal with AA insurance as you need to have more than one asset insured with them. That was no problem. Also changed up to th AA Plus for 24/7 road side assistance for the motorhome.

Is everyone happy with their AA policy, there are a whole bunch of motorhome specific items in the COVI policy and I need to check that these are covered under the AA, which is coming in at over $500 less for me .. i.e 50%!

 

Covi breakdown is pretty cheap though -- I need to check that this can only be added onto a policy and not purchased seperately. I've not yet had a quote for breakdown with the AA.

thanks 

Hi Elliot, go with AA motorhome Plus at cost of $75 breakdown. Enjoy your travels, and hope to catch up at the A /T rally on 26 Oct. Les

Hi Les, when I last attempted to get the AA motorhome plus breakdown cover there was a maximum length restriction of 7 metres. Does anyone know whether this is still the case? I am currently ensured with the AA but without breakdown cover unfortunately.

Thanks, Grant

Hi, you must ask for AA Motorhome Plus which covers over 7 meters at $75. With Covi I am told it is only $100 for a tow. I am with AA Insurance saved $550 no problems

2017 Imala 730 with AA  for $770 without breakdown cover.

I am looking to find were i can purchase a new Thermocouple for my hob and oven. It is a thetford spinflo CK 13000. Can any one help I am in Orewa Auckland. Many thanks Kevin.

Both UK Caravans (https://uk-caravans.co.nz/) and Affordable Caravans (https://www.affordablecaravans.co.nz) in Christchurch list various thermocouples as a parts.

Rob 

If not available, most UK companies will have it and will send to anywhere.  We, the RV fraternity, get things delivered all over Europe in no time at all.

Try Thetford UK, or a great parts dealer is Brownhills Motorhomes in Newark.  They told us they could send anything for our AT, just send the description and the vans number engraved on the windscreen.

JohnM

Vila Joiosa

Thanks Rob and Pat, and John for your help about were I can purchase the thermocouple. Many thanks.

 

Put this on the ATNZ facebook page but wondering if people don't like to respond there are it's too public?
 

Would love to hear from you if you've had your moho done, thoughts, pro's/con's, is it worth it?  Are all operators/applicators created equal?  Do you know if it's as effective when the moho is three years old as opposed to new - anything else?  Want to check before commiting to this investment, thanks so much

 

For those that do the South Island in winter- what do you use for front cab window insulation. I suspect the fitted Remis blinds may not be up to the task. Thoughts and recommendations please.

Have a look at Auto-Trail Issues >> Auto-Trail Accessories >> Solar covers.

 

They work very well, not only keeping the heat in but also stopping condensation on the windscreen.

 

Mike

My research on the web shows Milenco as the only supplier of ready made external blinds and NZ agents for this product say that they wont be bringing these in as they have found NZ (and OZ) high UV degrade them very quickly. Hence I will be looking at internal sets. Again, Milenco make them and sell through various RV retail outlets and I seek advive on these. Solarscreen in OZ have also stopped sale of ready made externals but will make custom build ones at some cost. Price wise-I could import an internal set from UK but with the current exchange rate and shipping via YouShop it works out very similar to NZ prices. Same as from OZ.

 

Rob

They work well and haven't had any issues so far. Might do some research to see if I can easily add an additional UV protective layer to the outside before it starts to deteriorate.

Mike

Just adding to the discussion, I think that the interior ones are a right pain!  Not easy to fit, I witness people struggling with them.  Take up space visually, clutter the cab.

 

We have an external Silverscreen brand from Yorkshire, not cheap, but we bought it because it seemed to be the most popular.  

 

An advantage of this brand is that the windscreen portion can be folded down during the day in summer to reveal the view or to allow light in during the day and put back up in the evening. Very simple quick fit.

Another advantage is that for full timers staying put for a while the inner blinds can be closed which makes the cab brighter and more homely, uncluttered.

 

Ours has survived two years of extreme summers, 45 degrees in Italy, while our Kampa tent totally persished.

UV may still perish it through the windows would it not?

 

I do get the UV issue, but I’d rather replace the screen occasionally than have internal thermal blankets!  Most use messy suction caps to hold them in place, so the thickness becomes bulky.  They never look neat?

 

As an aside, the heat last year melted our van awning while it was rolled up! The aluminium outer panel got so hot on the shady side (North side up here) that the fabric against the bar shrank over 100 mm!

 

JohnM

Yorkshire, farmyard pitch, somewhere? 

 

What about something like this?

 

https://www.amazon.com/303-Products-Inc-Protectant-Refill/dp/B000XBCURW/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1343493475&sr=8-2&keywords=303+aerospace+protectant

 

Mike

Hi Looked at Burnsco Marine. They have Thetford RV Awning Cleaner $18. Blocks UV Ray's on vinyl and fabric. Les

Trying to be more scientific about this (!).

If you insulate the inside, you allow the great expanse of glass outside to become a built in refrigerator attached to the cab. That will help to suck heat out of the surroundings. 

 

If you insulate the outside, and the exterior covers do cover more glass and metal than the interior ones which don’t fit precisely, then the glass is never super cold and shouldn’t effect the living area so much?

 

Another thought, Fiamma do a full windows and bonnet cover, I have only seen a couple, and I wonder how much more effective they are in snow conditions?

 

Also, you know to seal off the cab vent below the van in region of the fuel inlet pipe. There is a serious draft comes up through there into the living space.  

 

JohnM

 

Check out

 

Silver Screens

 

www.silverscreens.co.uk

Totally agree with the view that exterior is superior. It's worth it just to avoid the windscreen condensation which I presume would still be present with an internal blanket unless it fitted very precisely.

Mike

Thank you all for your comments. Russeli Lowther has very recently posted on Facebook an extremely good and NZ made solution to the UV degradation problem which I will really consider once the product goes into production.

If the price remains the same then this product will be more than competitive against OZ made units and well suited to the Ducato chassis.

In my current work I have , over the years, supplied highiy UV resistant outdoor electrical enclosures to the likes of Auckland Motorways etc and have learnt that there are 3 things that make the UV rays much more intense here than the Northern Hemisphere 

!. The Earths orbit is eliptical so in summer here we are much closer to the sun than the Northern Hemisphere in there summer

2. We have less Ozone above us which allows more UV to strike the earth 

3. Lack of Pollution- the clearer air also allows more UV rays through.

 

Probably very boreing but these are the reasons NZ has the worlds highest skin cancer rates, relative to population and your stuff falls apart if its not made for NZ conditions. Except your MH of coarse which is white for a very good reason

 

Cheers

 

Hi 

We have ordered our AutoTrail Comanche for full time living expected  delivery September and wondered if anyone has or knows of any brands that are suitable for use with this model unsure of heights we were looking at the Kampa Rally Air Pro (DriveAway) Tall

 

Cheers 

Colin

Hi Colin

We are living around Europe in our Comanche, now into our third year and second Kampa 390L.

 

The tent is excellent, and over the past year I think it has become the most popular in the UK and is very popular in Europe.

 

The 390L gives us space for our summer living room and makes a great entry hall in winter.  The 2016 model we first had has three windows while the 2017/18 modifications reduced that to two wider windows.  Unfortunately the early version is stronger in gust winds due to its four air bladder design.  The newer model can collapse in gusts but always rebounds.

 

We are at our 91st camp now which I estimate means we have erected the awning about 60 times.  The first one lasted about 15 months before we realised it had perished.  We were back in the UK and able to replace it at 20 months and by then it was totally kaput!  

 

Apart from its short life it is the best tent available for touring vans!

We also have an annexe which we used as sleeping quarters when our daughter visited us in Sicily, but we now use it as a store room when laying over in Spain for the winter.

 

Height, the van awning is actually low, so you need an L size.  A snag is that the door rubs on the tent roof lightly.  On the 2018 version you will need to shift the plastic roller on the van awning by 100 mm.  Easy to do. 

You also need the packers Kampa suggests to push the air bladers off the van sides by 50 mm.  But better than the Kampa Packer is to cut chunks of swimming pool noodles to size.

 

Erecting the tent takes about 20-30 minutes but about 45 when nail it down neatly(?).

Two people are needed to fit the Tent awning to the van awning, ours being the permant type, but I can drop and pack it myself in about 30 minutes or less.

 

In conclusion, I’d never buy the metal pole type!

It is 0530 here and raining, I’m just about to drop our awning now!  We packed the furniture last night ready to depart.

 

John, 

Glasgow.

Thank You John for your response we are in NZ and will see what is available here

 

Regards

Colin

Comanche has arrived went to the Motorhome show in Hamilton and purchased Vango Galli II Tall Inflatable Driveaway Awning will put it up and see how it goes seems pretty cool and suits our needs

 

One great optional mod offered by Kampa and maybe by Vango is the limpet system of suction cups that hold the side panels firm against the van.  Absolutely recommend you get a set! About $30 in the UK

JohnM

Comanche

Albuferia

Cool will look into that thanks John

Hi there, has anyone heard if it is still possible to park at Ray's Rest? We have been told that there is no camping there anymore.

Many thanks, Warren & Carol

Freedom Camping is allowed, and still very popular, at Rays Rest. You can check it out on the Hauraki District Council website: http://www.hauraki-dc.govt.nz/services/parks-reserves/rays-rest/

Rumour has it, that it is closed due to storm damage. Just rumour mind you.

JAS

Stayed there Waitangi Day...everything was fine

ALE

 

Has anyone found a good way to watch downloaded Netflix movies while on the road? It seems they can't be transfered to memory stick and the mini HDMI converter that I purchased does not work on my Samsung s6 phone.

I thought about chromecast but can't seem to find out how much data it uses to stream  an already downloaded movie? If it uses huge amounts that will gobble up my 1 GB per month very quickly.

I am pondering the same thing, before we leave... here in the UK I use an Amazon kindle fire HD tablet, download at home on wifi and store them on the tablet then watch 

beauty being it uses sd cards so I can fill up a few and bring with me

unsure how that's going to work in NZ with my Amazon account .. give it a try?

If you have a video or whatever LOADED on your phone or tablet, and send it by Wifi to an AppleTV or Chromascast, you are not using your "data allocation".   You are using only the WiFi network within your van.  To use WiFi with in the van we assume that you have a router and the TV is connected to it.  You are not using your device's 4G account.

So no cost!

 

But if you watch YouTube or Netflix for example on the phone and send it to the TV then yes that uses 4G data.

 

If I remember correctly you can't connect your iPhone via HDMI to the TV because Apple requires you to buy an AppleTV box.

 

Using Apple AirPlay you can watch recorded material or photos on the TV, if you have a WiFi network in the van.

 

I am full time (in Spain) and other Brits here buy local SIM cards and dongles that enable them to have typically 100Gigs of data for £20 pm, $42 pm.  With that they watch U.K. Free to Air programmes on their devices and don't run out of data.  Is Mobile data that cheap yet in NZ?

 

John

I had a similar problem connecting my Ipad and Iphone to our home theatre which I solved with an audio chromecast and it only requires wi-fi to initially set it going then the wi-fi connection can be turned off (unless you are downloading music)... presume that the video capable chromecast would be the same. A Belkin Miracast would also appear to be compatible with Samsung.

Thanks for your help everybody. I don't think I can use an SD card. 

I have not used chromecast and unsure of how it works...I guess on the road my phone will be the router (it can be a portable hot spot if necessary) and maybe I can play the downloaded movies on my tablet??

So virtually no data needed, thanks John. BTW my 1 GB of data (and 300 minutes +unlimited texts costs $30 PM)

Will check out the Belkin Miracast also thanks Mike and Chris.

Clarifying a couple of things here for other readers-

Data and WiFI are not the same thing, "Data" refers to having a contract to down load computer data over the Internet.

WiFi is the radio link between your internet connection and your portable device, i.e. Laptop phone or Tablet.  

So you can do things on your WiFi network without having or using "data"

 

If you have an Autotrail Motorhome with the flip down TV from more than three years ago you will not have the connections on those early TVs to accept the recent internet based TV systems.  You need a modern HDTV.

 

John M

Thanks very much John for that explanation. So Noel Leemings had it wrong when they said Chromecast would use all my data if I used it to play my downloaded movies on wifi. I have replaced my drop down tv with a new RSE TV which is great...especially the satellite finder.

Yes Dave, they were wrong, you only consume your data allocation when downloading from, or uploading to the internet.

There is one other consideration if using a laptop, there is a high risk that the laptop will be doing things you are not aware of and it can consume data behind your back, for example doing updates automatically.

But you phone and tablet will not use much data on its own accord.

If concerned you can turn data roaming off.

Just a thought out of left field on this - we replaced our home phones and broadband to a Netspeed wifi router which we can use at home or on the road. It saves us money, and means we get access to over 120 GB of data anywhere. Search on Netspeed under Autotrail Issues if you're interested.

what's the coverage like Chris? Is there a coverage map you're aware of? great having the allowance but if the signal is rubbish because you've decided to park "off-piste" somewhere ...not much use!

But it certainly sounds good...

Hi Dave

I think the Noel Leemings staffer was probably thinking that you would be live streaming not streaming previously downloaded movies. Remembering that I only cast music to an audio chromecast not video this is my understanding. You can only cast from a chromecast enabled app in your portable device so if you have a movie library then you will probably need to download an app such as "videostream" https://getvideostream.com/. Do a bit of googling, there is a lot of good info out there. If you can find a way of getting your movies onto a storage device it might be an even tidier solution.

Mike

Hi Elliot, with the occassional puzzling exception, the coverage is pretty good. It uses the Vodafone farm network, which often gives reception even when their mobile phone network is patchy. You get a reasonable idea of coverage using the Vodafone coverage map. You can also fit an external aerial, which might help a bit. I haven't needed to so far. Anyway, if you're out of reception, your mobile phone won't work either, and the only additional downside is not being able to live-stream movies. However, you still have the option to play previously recorded ones. Personally, I really like not having to be concerned about running out of data...

Hi I use ,"Wireless Nation" and a short time ago where we stayed, I coud not use my 2 Degrees Mob Phone, however with my Internet I could phone contacts on my Messenger.

Just been away for 6 weeks with several netflix movies downloaded on my Samsung Android phone and tablet to watch while away. It only seems to work when I use my phone as a wifi hotspot and run the movie from my tablet to the chrome cast. The problem is that it uses about 1 GB in less than an hour that way (even though I downloaded the movies at home.) I rang netflix and they said because I am apparently streaming it will use data....but that is a huge amount of data for my already downloaded movies. Any ideas?

Firstly I don't believe you can actually download movies from Netflix.

 

However if you have found a way to do that, why not copy them to your tablet (or to a storage device) when you are at home using your wifi network .

 

Sounds like you were in fact downloading the movie from Netflix as using the phone as a hotspot lets you connect to the internet via your phone which will use your data allowance unless you are connected to a wifi network ie at a caravan park for example. However you usually only get a limited amount of data over those, certainly not enough to watch movies. 

 

Alternatively you may be able to "mirror" your phone to your tablet but for that you will need to have a network to join and be able to share the files between devices ie your phone and tablet.

 

Alternatively try plugging your modem into your motorhome and, even though it wont have access to the internet, you should be able to access your network from your devices if they can be shared.

Dave

The problem is that you have no WiFi network within your van, instead you are effectively connecting the phone and TV to the 4G network and doing a fresh download of the movie, using your phone data.

You need to create a LAN, Local Area Network, in you van.  

One way of doing that is to bring your router from home, power it up to 230volts, and your phone with connect to it automatically, then connect the TV, and it will enable the two to communicate.  Or buy a mother router. The router won’t go on line to the internet without a landline connection. 

Or you can buy 12 volt WiFi networks designed for use in your Motorhome, which will also access local camp WiFi.

 

We are at a Caravan Club Site in Wales, the charge for WiFi here is $5 per day, $20 per week, or $50 per year, and can be used at any club camp. Speed varies but they plan to go fibre.

 

Our Vodafone mobile phone accounts give us unlimited phone and Txt but only 4Gig of data per month in the UK but 6Gig in Europe with free roaming.  That costs us $36 per month, each. 

John

Festinog

Thanks John and Colin for all your help. I will work through your suggestions. The router is a good idea and I have a spare one that I can try ☺

Netflix has a download button on some of their movies but they have control so tte downloads  are only available for about a month and they can't be put on an external storage device unfortunately.

We prefer to carry our entertainment around with us, so have a tiny WiFi server (OpenMediaVault) hosting a 1TB disk, loaded up with our library of films and music. That way we can view them on phone or tablet, or cast to the TV, without being dependent on bandwidth or even the availability of 3G connection.

Avocadopicker, yes that is the best and really only option other than DVDs.  

BHere in Europe we buy second hand DVDs for $2-4 each from markets and second hand charity shops.  As the majority of movies are made in English they usually have an English sound track.

John

Snowdonia

Avacadopicker, I googled open Media Vault but didn't find anything. I am very interested in your setup. Is the 'server' a router? (Sorry for my ignorance). How does it communicate with the disk? Do you use Chromecast? Can you do it without using mobile data? Where do you find movies to download to your disk? Thanks in advance for your help 😊

OpenMediaVault is a piece of Linux-based software which also runs on a Raspberry Pi (RPi) platform - a very cheap tiny processor, which can be bought with a ready-made plastic box container, powered by a USB cable. You can find the (free) software package here: http://www.openmediavault.org and you can download a readymade software package specifically for the RPi which then needs to be configured..... it's rather technical but the instructions downloadable from the Internet are very good. I've plugged a WD Elements 1TB USB-connected disk into the processor. You can connect the RPi to your network, either via cable or WiFi and then the little server shares the disk to your network. I have mine connected to my home network, running through my Netspeed router. When I hit the road in the motorhome I just shift router, RPi and disk into the van and there's my portable network and storage. The Netspeed router (Huawei B315, which pretty ubiquitous now) provides your WiFi hotspot so you can connect your phones/tablets/laptops etc to it easily and thus access the shared disk. Whilst at home you can download/copy music/films/ebooks etc onto your disk from whatever sources you have and take them with you. For example I have my whole CD collection stored so my music moves with me, likewise DVD films etc. The beauty of it is being able to have complete network setup seamlessly portable between home and motorhome. Of course any data consumed off the disk doesn't hit your mobile network at all - it's all done via WiFi or network cable.

TOM TOM

 

With regards to have my details on your Forum, it has caused an overload of calls coming to me, could we please keep the communication line between you and I, with question or concerns via email, it would be much appreciated.  

 

Thank you

Regards

João 

My apologies, did receive it, just been flooded with calls with regards to TOM TOM units.

 

TOM TOM

 

All units do work, like any computer it may need to be updated and set up, which can be connected to any computer with the cable supplied. With the cradle, it will not fit on the newer vehicle because there is no portal for it. A basic cradle can be purchased from Harvey Norman or JB hifi.

Once its fully charged, no need to have it connected to power all the time, but if wish to, it can be connect to the USB portal or cigarette lighter via the supplied cable.

I have managed to get my tom tom working OK. I went to tomtom.com/get started. I opened a new account, clicked new device, you then go to updates ,pick your device, the blue&me is under in car device, I then managed to download new maps of Australia and nz for free. I'm not sure the exact sequence but if all the above goes in then you are all set to go. I have bought picture hanging Velcro strips and stuck it to the interior rear vision mirror. It is no longer needed,then used an USB extension cable added to the cable that comes with GPS and routed it around the screen down the pillar behind lower dash and over to the USB plug. Hope this helps

I have tried what you have described but just get'Your device is not responding' on the PC and 'something has gone wrong' on the TomoTom. Please would you phone me on073767646 or text your number to 0211087711 David 

Hi David,
I had this problem as well, but noticed that the Tomtom was continuing to process the update even though my computer thought it wasn't responding. It eventually completed the update, and then did another update before advising me that it was safe to disconnect.
 

However, I used Tomtom MyDrive Connect to do the update, which I already had installed for my existing tomtom. When I went to www.tomtom/getstarted there was no option for blue&me tomtom 2. Maybe I needed to register a new account. 

 

 

Yes you may need a new account and you will find the blue&me under in vehicle navigation. I also found I needed to change the plug in point for the usb cable

Yes you may need a new acc. I also found nothing happened until I used a different USB position and that kicked it going ,thanks for the reminder David. Cheers roy

Likewise I had to create a new account and the PC interface window complained that the device was disconnected, however once the download was started it ran to completion anyway (you can see progress bar moving). All good now and tested out OK. You will also need to change some settings, like display KPH instead of MPH, but easily done via settings menu.

Click on link or paste

 

http://www.netspeed.net.nz/index.php?page=rbi

 

Excellent for the motorhome, used for 4 months in the South Island, then at home the signal is received into your Lounge.

 

 

 

Les

 

 

Are there folks who could tell me what living full time in a motorhome is like? Any tips thoughts and comments would be most appreciated. Thanking you. JohnR

Do it. Don't over think it. If you read my thread below on leisure batteries, make sure you have plenty of juice. I don't. There are lots and lots of people on the road, so you are never alone!!

Hi just wondering if anybody has a recommendation to park/camp overnight in Wellington we are members of nzmca

but it seems they don't have anything yet? 

Thanks for you help

 

We stayed at the Evans Bay Marina last summer, it was the nearest stop for an early morning ferry departure. Thought it might be a bit noisy but it worked fine and only a few minutes from the ferry terminal.

There is an article in a recent issue of iMotorhome NZ on this very topic. If you are not aware of this publication it is a free download. There is an AU version and both are good reads.

Evans Bay has worked well for us (free!) and you can also stay at the Te Papa carpark for between $12 and $24, depending on how long you stay. Te Papa is about as close as you can get to the ferry, and it's cheaper than the nearest campsite.

Ngatitoa domain at porirua is ok

Petone Working mens club is great. 15 minutes to ferry $10 a night with power. You can use facilities at club when open.

Following on from our Kaponga Rally, I ordered a Netspeed WiFi router and have been astonished at how good it is compared with what I had before. Broadband access is important for us as I run my web design business while on the road, and Shuping likes to stay in contact with friends and family around the world. These are the basic stats:

 

PREVIOUS

 - 100 GB per month home broadband - cost $77 per month

 - 10 GB per month mobile Spark open plan - $100 per month

 

NOW

 - 120 GB (+ 50 GB offpeak) per month Netspeed Rural Broadband plan - $100 per month

 - 4 GB per month base Spark open plan = $56 per month

 

So, we're getting more data (especially while on the road), have backup mobile data when out of range of the router,

and we're spending $21 less each month. We might even get better coverage, but haven't tested that yet.

 

BUT, I did a speed comparison, and the best I could do with my home broadband (copper wire) was 10 Mbps. Netspeed is giving me around 40 Mbps while at home in Auckland. That is a serious WOW!! Of course, that's likely to vary as we travel around the county, but it's still amazingly impressive.

 

So, thank you Les for bringing this option up. The NZMCA data option should also be a good solution - but won't give the same data speeds.

Just a quick update as I've found out that I can also port our landline phone number across to Netspeed, which means that it can travel with us as well as being available at home. The extra cost is $20 per month, and I've cancelled the Spark landline.

A big hello to everyone. I am live in the UK, we have an Autotrail Cherokee, Ihave made very brief enquiries about shipping to New Zealand, but it seems quite complicated and expensive. My sister lives in Rotorua, Ihave never seen her since she left and I am desperate to come over to see her and do some touring. Ideally I would spend time with her , tour around, spend time again with her before returning, as obviously she still works and I am retired , so time for me is no problem. So has anyone any idea how much a Motorhome would be to hire , I or would it be cheaper to ship my own over, or maybe there is a pissibility of doing a swap with someone if they wish to tour the UK,  Thankyou everyone for reading, any ideas appreciated, Iam 65 in December and if I don't see my sister soon I fear it will be too late.

Retired. We came to NZ nearly 3 years ago brought our new Delaware with us and lived in it for the first 2 years. To make a better assessment. How old is your motorhome, would you plan to sell at the end of your visit, how long do you intend to stay in NZ before returning to UK, when do you plan to arrive

Sugest that you contact the below re import he can also sell for you

Alan

 

Paul Graveling

Castle European Limited

Tauranga, New Zealand

Telephone: +64 7 5481112      Fax: + 64 7 5481174      Mobile: +64 211570047

Email: Paul@castle-european.com       Website: www.castle-european.com

Good moaning Theresa

 

I would say that it is definately "pissible"... my apologies to Officer Crabtree from "Nipples"

Yes, we used Castle-European to import our Delaware. 

Hi Has any body got experience of the Coromandel NZCMA site at this time of the year, April 2017 re grass parking and not wanting to get stuck in the site.

 

I suggest you phone the Coromandel iSite and ask them if there could be any problems with wetness. 

Has anybody been caught in the last three years trying to import using Mr Stewert Clay

This is our first post since joining the Autotrail Members Forum. Firstly we are so impressed with the forum and the info available. It has helped our process hugely. We have purchased an Apache 634 and are due to pick it up in England the first week of May. Have finally sourced insurance (what a mission) and now starting to look at getting it shipped home next January. Does anyone have any recommendations/experience with shipping companies/agents that would be helpful. In our brief look at this so far there seems to be quite a discrepancy in the prices quoted by various companies so any suggestions gratefully accepted.

Talk to Aimée Blandford at Wallenius in Southampton. You won't get a better deal than from the actual shipping company.

Craig Stapleton 3
027 5176853
09 3739801

all of the charges can be paid in NZ when it arrives

If you contact the above he will be able to help I have used him several times to import motorhomes

any thing else please ask

 

Alan

Autohub.co.nz

$9600 excl GST (just landed (7.06M long) so bear in mind exchange rates will alter this figure) 

This includes insurance, customs etc, Southampton dock to Auckland dock

$180 excl GST to deliver to VINZ Mt Wellinton for compliance

We imported our Apache 634 in December 2016.After lots of research we used McCullough, specifically Joe Steele, joe@mmnz.biz. We (and therefore Joe) were messed around with delivery dates and DVLA admin issues in the UK. Joe was brilliant, making all necessary changes, arranged for the camper to be taken for its WOF (mot) and liaised with the guy managed our compliance as we live in Nelson. Good price too. Highly recommended.

McCullough , Joe Steele worked for us , car and motor home. Cannot fault the service. 

Many thanks for all the advice.

Just a thought: are you aware that as an Apache 634 has 4 berths it must have 4 fitted seat belts or be reduced to two birth before it can be registered in NZ? We opted to remove the overcab bed which is very easy. This approach has the benefit of providing safe and dry storage space for bikes!

We brought our new Tracker FB from the UK to NZ a few years ago.

We used Castle European (Paul Graveling) who organised absolutely everything.

He liaised with the Autotrail agent in the UK and we got a phone call to come and collect our new motor home.

There is so much to organise if you are trying to do it yourselves, it may be slightly more expensive but you eliminate all the hassles and most of us don’t even know what’s required.

I imported a new autotrail imala  it arrived in Auckland in september 2017, importing it was so simple no hassels at all,with it fully complied on road, self containment,electrical,and gas certification fiat warranty .ended up over 13000 dollars cheaper than the price i got from Casstle European 

Hi John,

That $13k more expensive through Castle European is a surprise, we thought their fee was very reasonable for the work they did.

$13k more than doing it all yourself you mean?  Paul's fee isnt that much so I am surprised ... what else was marked up? (I ask because I'll probably be using Paul in due course)

Thanks

 

Hi Elliot,

It cost us about $9k for shipping+insurance and another $10k for all the local charges including Paul's fee, gas, electrical, sel-containment, port charges. RUC, rego etc.

He also organised for a solar panel, Satellite TV, reversing camera to be fitted which we paid seperately.

Obviously, the Customs GST & Duty are not included here as they are related to which vehicle you are importing.

Thanks for this.

I'm importing a Delaware in a few months - after we have imported ourselves :)

I've had a quote off Paul and I agree his fees seem reasonable for the "stuff" he has to do...on face value at least, I am sure if you know what you're doing it would be cheaper to DIY but I don't and I don't want to mess up!

Yes 13000dollars is correct, my exchange rate was the same as castle european, I used Castle European 3 years ago to import a motorhome for me. And thought i would do it myself this time ,My new imala 734 was purchased by me directly from westcountry motorhomes in the Uk,I used shipmonk in the Uk for shipping, picked it up in Auckland in September 2017 fully complied from vtnz, got gas cert,electrical cert,self containment done in my home town.westcountry motorhomes got in touch with shipping agent shipmonk and arranged everythink.customs clearance was all done by shipmonk agent in Nz....no hassels at all so very easy, I am bringing another new  Autotrail motorhome  from Westcountry motorhomes into the country for a friend,its arrival is March

Tuesday we head to London for the start of our big adventure...seven months touring Europe in our brand new Apache 634.

 

Would just like to say thankis to everyone who has responded to our queries as we have navigated the tricky waters of private motorhome importing and touring Europe.

While we have owned a motorhome previously (just sold it a couple of weeks ago) this is our first foray into Autotrail ownership so all your help has been invaluable.

 

It is a great site and everyone contributes such worthwhile information...it is really impressive.
 

Just a quick shout out to West Country Motor Homes in the Uk (particularly Steve Taylor). Right from day 1 he has been a gem to deal with;really helpful and full of information and most imnportantly his communication has been first class. We recommend him highly.

 

Will be back in late November...hoperfully knowing  an awful lot more about Autotrails and touring Europe than we do now. Cant wait for it to being.

Regards

Jim and Jill

 

 

Hi There, I have asked before but no one seems to be able to tell me where I can obtain a Gas compliance certificate around the Turanga Area. Is there anyone out there who can help?    Many Thanks.

Try below he will know who to use

 

Paul Graveling

Castle European Limited

Tauranga, New Zealand

Telephone: +64 7 5481112      Fax: + 64 7 5481174      Mobile: +64 211570047

 

Ashby gas will come to your home in Tauranga and certify on the spot, change and supply new regulator etc. Very fair price.

Phone 021416225

Just FYI for those would-be self-importers. Our Delaware was (today) refused entry to the docks as it had travelled through Italy. The bill for certified fumigation to eradicate the remote possibility of Brown Marmorated Stink Bug travelling with the van: £2070! Priceless..... so if you travel through Italy and bring your van back to NZ there is now a non-negotiable extra cost. Just sayin'

Holy smoke, thanks for the heads up, that's expensive beyond belief!

 

Apparently it has been reported in Switzerland, Italy, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary and Romania.

 

See https://easin.jrc.ec.europa.eu/NewsAndEvents/DetailNews/cb464db4-77c3-4701-ac3d-9219ba8373c1?AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1

 

Note: I rang MPI and asked if Italy is the only country they are concerned about and also if their website could show what countries are on their list.  They said Italy is the only country so far on the list and they don't advertise what countries are to be avoided because some people will tell porkies when it comes to what countries they have visited.

 

 

I hope this bug doesnt make it to the UK! is that £ or $ ? you said £2070 ... ouch!!!!

Yes, that was pounds!

A further fyi... MPI have now extended the list of 'actionable' countries to include most of Europe. This implies (you'll need to check further) that if you visit any of these countries with your nice new motorhome, you'll have to get fumigated before you'll be allowed to land it here (or even get it onto the docks of your port of departure).

1. Austria
2. Bulgaria
3. France
4. Georgia
5. Germany
6. Greece
7. Hungary
8. Italy
9. Liechtenstein
10. Romania
11. Russia
12. Serbia
13. Slovenia
14. Spain
15. Switzerland
16. United States of America

 

 

See https://www.mpi.govt.nz/importing/other/vehicles-and-machinery/requirements/brown-marmorated-stink-bug-requirements/ for further details

Hi Auto Trail owners /enthusiast. I joined your forum several months back as a Kiwi living in the UK who wants to have a motorhome to use when we are back in NZ visiting family. I am now due to retire and am in the process of self-importing a new 2017 highline Tracker FB through Castle European. The forum has been really helpful thus far but also daunting to read of concerns and frustrations especially with regards to self-imports and warranty issues. We are about to visit the dealer, Steve Taylor of West Country Motorhomes to inspect our Tracker before it’s shipped later this month. Castle European of Tauranga are handling the shipping arrangements and work related to the vehicle being drive-away NZ compliant when we arrive. I do have a few queries though and would appreciate comments or advice from those who have had recent experience of importing or ownership of the Euro 6 Ducatos. My queries are; • Are the vehicles supplied with 2 sets of keys? • What is the current situation regarding seat belts? The Tracker being a highline is regarded as a 6 berth and we have gone for the HD layout to have 2 seat belts for the Grandchildren but certainly don’t want to be having to fit a further 2 belts. Obviously there would be weight issues as well potentially with 6 travelling even though we have ordered a 3650kg chassis. • In reading forum comments from “Avocadopicker” he’s made reference to having a UK Savvy dealer? I’m keen to know what that constitutes and what I should expect from mine? • With regards to the correct Engine oil, I’ll be checking to see that the Handbook is Print Number. 603.91.187 – 03/2017- 3rd edition and specifies the correct oil, and thank you Les for your valuable information on this. Any suggestions where to buy the correct oil for the Euro 6 engine would be appreciated given that these engines are supposedly designed to use a litre or so every 600 miles. • Fitting a bicycle rack to the rear wall of the new Trackers is not advised by Auto Trail so my thoughts are to fit a cycle rack that’s extended out from the chassis. Has anyone done this and as the vehicle is COF I’m assuming it’s not something I myself am legally allowed to make and fit? That given can anyone suggest a Canterbury based Engineer to make and fit a compliant rack? • I would also like to fit a second house battery and solar panel so suggestions on who in the Canterbury region to use for this would also be appreciated. • LPG cylinders, can anyone tell me what size NZ cylinders will fit into the Tracker locker? • Finally, insurance; which company have owners found helpful and what is the likely annual cost for no claims history cover on a Tracker? Phew, that’s me done. Thanks in anticipation of your responses, UK Kiwi. 

Hi UK Kiwi, my 'UK Savvy' dealer (Dolphin Motorhomes in Southampton) have just done quite a few exports, so know the ropes regarding the requisite paperwork (which isn't all that difficult anyway) and also have provided me with good aftermarket support even at a distance. You get two sets of keys, but only one remote-keyfob-key. Shell Helix 0w-30w is good for oil We have the (Witter, UK-supplied-and-fitted, which we will need to get certified in NZ) towbar fitted on our 2017 Delaware with towbar-mounted bike rack - works OK although it's rather low so increases likelihood of grounding. Replacement insurance, see discussion elsewhere - suggesting AA Plus is a good deal.

Hi

Congratulations on your new Tracker and reaching retirement age!

Paul Gravelling will handle all your compliance but we found the 6 berth van requires 6 seatbelts issue alarming at first.  There is a discussion on this - use "berth" as your search to find it.

In our case we only wanted 4 seatbelts so a chat with the NZ compliance people allowed us to certify a HiLine as 4 berth simply by "removing" 2 of the berths - a tabletop removed from the van.    If 6 are travelling in the van then 6 seatbelts will be required.  Again there is forum advice on cost to add more seatbelts - not cheap.

 

There are advantages for COF vs WOF.  We went for WOF because cheaper, first is for 3 years, can drive using std drivers license, extra checks for COF - extra cost.  BUT can easily exceed weight if restricted to 3,500kg.

 

Our dealer fitted a 4 bike rack to rear of Tribute T-720 no questions or concerns raised.  This doesn't mean it's a good idea but just saying.  UK dealer do the first habitation check so should be ok?

 

Again our dealer fitted extra house battery and solar panel, I'd be checking cost benefit b4 fitting in NZ.  Our dealer didn't connect up 2nd battery so you might need to ask for this.

 

Agree with AA as best priced insurance with lowest excess combo. 

 

 

 

To overcome the seat belt problem screw the lounge seats so they cannot be pulled out which then gives you 4 berths 4 seat belts  also make sure that you have a PDI done buy the supplying dealer in U.K.  When on the road in NZ contact Fait NZ and get the warranty active

Thank you all for your comments and suggestions. We visited our dealer last Friday which enabled us to check over the things we were most anxious about. We now won't see the Tracker until mid November in Tauranga. This forum continues to be a fantastic support so thank you again to those of you who responded as well as those of you who keep posting queries or responses, I think this forum is fantastic!!!!!

We have just returned from a trip to the UK where we purchased and holidayed in a 2015 Apache 634.  This is now being shipped back to NZ and will arrive in 6 weeks time.  So far the process has been straight forward and we have scheduled the conversions and certification work to be done when it arrives in NZ.  We are also looking for some guidance on a couple of items which we still need to work through.

- What is the best set-up for LPG cylinder sizes in NZ?  (Issues being cost and fit into the locker).

- Will the manual digital TV antenna work in NZ or do I need to get this changed out possibly to a sat TV system? 

- What size generator is required to power the microwave (particularly considering the in-rush current on start-up)?

 

I appreciate any help and other guidance you may be able to share with me and am happy to share our experiences on importing from the UK.

Chris, If your new motorhome is more than 3.5T you will need a Chassis Rating Certificate in order to complete the registration process.  You can apply for it now so that you'll have it when the van arrives. We didn't do it first time through and it cost us a couple of weeks downtime and inconvenience. If you need any help completing it just shout. 

 

We found that microwave on inverter used a lot more than the rated wattage (like 2-3 times) so I would err on the high side - 2 or 2.5kw (we've also got a 2.6kw Kipor which we don't use due to 3kw inverter and lots of batteries.) 

 

I would fit an automatic dish, we did,  can't fault it (Mecatronics). 

Thanks for the feedback and suggestions.

 

The Apache is specked at 3.5T but plated at 3.25T so that we could drive it in the UK on a standard car license.  Hopefully that won't be a problem on entry.  May get it re-plated / registered at 3.5T if that is possible on arrival in NZ.

 

We have picked up a Honda EU20i off TradeMe at a reasonable price ($1520).  Rated 1.6 kW continuous / 2kW peak.  Will see how that goes and upgrade if necessary - nice unit !

 

Thx for the suggestion on automatic dish.  Will look into it.

 

Our Appache arrives in Auckland in 2 weeks time and we are really looking forward to having her back again !!!

 

Cheers and thanks,

 

Chris

 

Hi Avocadopicker

 

On filling in the Chassis Rating request form I have 2 Questions .

 

I have a Mohawk with two axles and four wheels .

 

Axle types in the questionair  1 will be SD (steering and drive ) is axle 2 T (tag) ???

 

Axle configuration not sure what this should be 2X2 ???

 

thanks in anticipation

Frank C

 

Bit late now, but for the purposes of CRC, you have a driven axle (I. e. the front) and one axle. Only Comanche would have two axles.

It appears that at the last meeting 22% of those attending have imported there own motor homes. There is a lot of interest in importing and the savings to be made. At present my brotherinlaw is in the UK  investigating the pros and cons of importing. The pros far out way the cons. I would be interested in any comments on the subject. 

 

We've got a privately imported Delaware. Fiat will provide you with a 2 year warranty - but it is far less that what you might expect, and depends on your local Fiat dealer. We had to replace a dpf filter under warranty while in Christchurch, and we had to pay the whole cost up front and then wait 8 months for Fiat Italy to reimburse the dealer before we got paid back about half of what it cost. Euromark made it abundantly clear that we were more trouble than it was worth to them.

We've imported two Delawares now and found the process very straightforward.  Our friendly local dealer has made it very clear that you'll get no support whatever from him, however if you choose your UK dealer carefully, (there are a few who are pretty export-savvy), you can get some support remotely.

Chris the same thing happened to me and I purchased form AMH. Pacific Motor Group made me sign a doc to say I would pay and be reimbursed if fiat spi accepted the warranty claim. Fiat NZ told me they consider them to be a parallel import. So the warranty is the same.

 

It varies depending on the dealer. Andrew Simms in Manukau replaced the alternator and a battery at no cost to us - other than having to wait 4 weeks for the alternator to arrive from Australia. However, I would never use Euromark in Christchurch again if I had any other alternative. Personally, I think that Fiat NZ need to get their heads around the fact that motorhoming is a rapidly growing business opportunity for them as well. They don't carry spare parts, and having to wait for 2 to 4 weeks is a massive problem if you're away from home. Our Fiat's may be parallel imported, but they will be on the road, and will need to be serviced and repaired for many years. That has to be good business for them.

In defence of AMH, I am pleased I bought from them as we have had a major clutch repair only after few hundred km, break switch and now break switch wiring problems, and fridge problems. AMH supported us with the clutch issue by battling Fiat for the very expensive repairs to be covered by warranty and then Fiat didn't pay the full amount and AMH covered the remainder. Without this support we would have had to pay the garage (Farmer Auto, Tauranga) up front and possibly would not have not anything from Fiat. Farmer Auto are now dealing with the break switch and wiring problem and are covering that under warranty. I find them very good, however it's a pain and a big expense having to go so far to get warranty work done. Fiat need to have more approved garages in NZ. 

Our fridge problem is being difficult to solve and AMH have been very supportive with that. They have also done a few other minor repairs under warranty for us. 

We considered importing ourselves, and I found a UK dealer who would play ball. It appeared that there was at least $10k worth of savings on our Comanche, and perhaps even up to $20k. A lot of money to save. 

And AMH are not the easiest firm in the world to deal with.

However we bought off AMH, using their 3 step payment system, which knocked $10k off the yard price, and really I am pleased we did.

I have peace of mind warranty and general questions/issues wise, and to be fair whenever I have contacted AMH since they have been very helpful.

Whatsmore, the more we support the local agent, the more he will support us.

 

We imported a new Cherokee almost five years ago uusing the services of Castle European, who advertise in the mags. They effectively acted as project manager for the whole process and we picked up a totally NZ compliant vehicle from them in Tauranga 2-3 weeks after it arrived in NZ. We found their service to be excellent and as we were new to motorhoming were relieved to have that level of expert management. I can't remember what they charged but we still managed to save around $25k on the quoted AMH price at the time. We accepted that we would be carrying much of the warranty risk. In the event the only real issue we had was with the Thetfor fridge which stopped functioning. I got back to the UK supplier who suggested I go straight to Thetford as they offered a direct guarantee on the fridge. Thetford in NZ knew nothing about fridges then so I went back to UK Thetford who put me in touch with their Australian office who were very helpful. They gave me an Auckland company who could fix it and agreed to send them a replacement control panel and also cover all of the costs. It was sorted and I was very impressed with Thetford's support. Since then - and some 42,000km later there have been a number of niggling wear and tear type issues. AMH have lived up to their reputation - totally disinterested, but I have established a great reputation with Taranaki RV Centre, who I would totally recommend for all things Autotrail.

For those who have imported privately can you tell me if you have achieved any discount from the UK Dealer?  My spreadsheet shows the lower the UK price the bigger the impact on what you pay in NZ Duty and GST, so I'm keen to avoid paying the full UK price if possible.  

 

So far I've noted the following:

When buying new from UK we can use the Personal Export Scheme which means the purchase price is exclusive of VAT (currently 20%) - VX302 form supplied by Dealer.

When dropping off at Southampton docks (the only place RORO ships to NZ leave from) we have the following list:

1: ensure the fuel tank is near empty to reduce fire risk

2: disconnect the leisure battery

3: remove gas bottles, food (the fire extinguisher might get chucked at NZ but most get through)

4: clean inside and out, wheel arches and awning

5: remove personal items to avoid hassles with customs

6: take lots of photos

 

Does anybody have any comments/additions?

 

 

If you're importing a heavy (COF) vehicle don't forget to get a Chassis Rating Certificate before it lands, so you will fly through the initial registration checks.... VTNZ can't complete the registration without it. It's free to get, there's an application form you can download, and you'll need certified copies of photos of the VIN/Engine plates. 

 

Yes, we did get a discount from the UK dealer.

 

We had to make up a separate pallet for all our personal belongings as they're not allowed to be shipped in the van.  About an extra GBP250 for a 1.1CUM pallet.  If you leave stuff in the van there is a risk that it may vanish during the journey - we haven't had that experience but we know others who have.

 

On both occasions, even though we had the van completely power-washed underneath in Southampton 30 minutes before leaving it at the docks, MAF still insisted on another steam-clean this end.

 

Use a good customs agent at this end - we have an excellent one who manages the whole process of landing the vehicle and getting it delivered to VTNZ for its registration inspection. Can't rate them highly enough and their charges were very reasonable.

 

Deal with the shipping company directly - they're very helpful.

Hi All, we are new members emigrated from England, and shipped our 1015 Mohawk with us.

I have read some of the comments re importing and have some information which may be of interest, and some questions if anyone can help?

 

Brett and Kerri, did you find the NZ socket inserts for the electrical conversion?

 

Buying in the UK- My dealer told me that “Kiwis” on holiday in the UK can buy a new camper and not pay VAT (GST) and use it in the uk for not more than 12 months, then ship it to NZ, benefitting from the sliding tax scale based upon the age of the camper.

 

My Mohawk has just cleared customs and is going to VTNZ on Monday 23rd May. I have been told about having to have it converted electrically and the association put forward Kieran Hawke ? as a person who could do that and certify it, but he is down in Patumahoe. Does any one know of a person nearer to Auckland central ?

 

My camper has a “whole vehicle certificate” which may not require a chassis rating document as the labels affixed have all of the required information, True or False ?

 

We are not likely to use the camper for six months as we have loads of work to do on the house etc, can I put electrical conversion on the back burner for a wile ?

 

Cheers all

Joe & jane Island Electronis

For power sockets try PDL 570S in black or white

 

Hi guys,

We buy all our 230 volt socket inserts from K Simpson Electrical in Albany and them fit them into tth original frame,takes two minutes,they bring them in for us we fit them to all our caravans and fitted them to my Delaware, no electrical cert is required in NZ as long as long as you don't have to plug into power,it is a requirement of a camping ground owner to make sure you have an electrical WOF before they let you plug in.

Richard Woods Caravans

Hi guys,

We buy all our 230 volt socket inserts from K Simpson Electrical in Albany and them fit them into tth original frame,takes two minutes,they bring them in for us we fit them to all our caravans and fitted them to my Delaware, no electrical cert is required in NZ as long as long as you don't have to plug into power,it is a requirement of a camping ground owner to make sure you have an electrical WOF before they let you plug in.

Richard Woods Caravans

Folks,

ZK-RMM is correct you do not need a WoEF unless you connect to a Low Voltage supply (240VAC) in NZ.  

 

But be careful, if you are connecting your Caravan or Motorhome to a 240VAC supply you must have a current WoEF, even at home!

Many of the imported connectable installations that I have inspected had the wrong type/size of RCBO (This safety device that protects against Over Current and Earth Leakage).  A different type of RCBO is used in UK against that required for NZ.

 

I have checked and failed motorhomes on the 2nd inspection as they do not comply with AS/NZS 3001 and AS/NZS 3000.

 

The Electrical (Safety) Regulations 2010 state,

Regulation 78, Issue of warrants of electrical fitness for connectable installations (Caravan and Motorhome)

(2)  Every warrant of electrical fitness for a connectable installation must be issued in accordance with AS/NZS 3001, except that a warrant of electrical fitness for a connectable installation -

(C)  that has been imported must be issued in accordance with AS/NZS 3001, but only after an assessment for compliance with Part 1 of AS/NZS 3000 (Wiring Rules).

 

Please feel free to phone me if you want some electrical technical advice;

Allan Hill 021 613 448

Registered Electrical Inspector

Hi there, we are new members, Rose and Dave Clark. In the research stage at the moment and after information on the Comanche. Does anybody own one and if so why did you choose the Comanche, likes, dislikes etc. Thanks in advance, Rose.

 

Hi Rose, we live on the road in our Comanche, the reason we choose the Comanche is we wanted an apartment for 2 on wheels. We have no regrets, every motorhome will have it's compromise, this model just had the least compromise for us. 

 

Hi both,

tag axles a friend of mine told me to avoid in NZ , because of RUC charges ? Is that correct 

I can’t say I’ve looked at it in detail 

The Comanche  is a lovely van having seen a few on the roads here in the UK

Thd big Birmingham annual show is up in October and I’m going to lust after one there !

Difference is $33.00 between 2 axles and 3 axles

Over what km distance? ...

Sorry you meant per 1000km?

 

It's very confusing RUC actually- since there is a rate for Motorcarvan here:-

https://www.nzta.govt.nz/vehicles/licensing-rego/road-user-charges/ruc-rates-and-transaction-fees/#RUC-rates-for-distance-licences-motor-caravans

 

but only references 3 axles and 4 axles but not 2....

For my Dakota (between 3.5 and 6 tonnes) it's $68 per 1000kms. Commanche with 3 axles (3 axles less than 12 tonnes) the fee is $90, so for a "similar" weight vehicle it is an additional $22 per 1000kms for the third axle. I recently bought 5000kms online and was charged $344.80 so presumably there was a small charge for the label.

 

http://www.nzta.govt.nz/assets/resources/road-user-charges/docs/road-user-charges-handbook.pdf

Just read a little more from the link in my post above and there is indeed a transaction charge, but doing it online is the cheapest option and by phone the most expensive. As a matter of interest I have done all of my vehicle registrations online for many years and it is cheaper than over the counter.... there is always a discount applied at the point of paying the account.

 

Regarding the thread about the cost of a tag axle, if your motorhome is between 6 and 12 tonnes RUC is actually cheaper for a vehicle with 3 axles and at some weights cheaper with rear dual tyres. 

Thanks for this 

must be my ignorance in understanding what a motor caravan is by NZTA definition...

 

NZTA's loading rules and licence, WOF and COF rules are important reading. I suspect many WOF vans are over 3.5 tones when fully loaded with passengers, fuel, people, water, food, "toys" and personal belongings.  I wonder what this does to insurance cover if involved in an accident. 

Here's the relevant website link:

 

http://www.nzta.govt.nz/assets/resources/new-motorhomes-information-for-importers-traders-and-private-purchasers/new-motorhomes.pdf

My wife & I are planning to buy a Delaware in the UK & spend about 4 months touring UK & Western Europe before shipping it back home. There is some useful information on the Forum already & we would really appreciate any feedback from 'avocadopicker' or others, who could recommend 'export savvy' UK dealers to contact.

Our query, though, concerns the validity of a NZ HT licence in Europe. It looks as though the Delaware exceeds the 3.5T limit for legal driving in Europe with a standard NZ car licence, so we were wondering if anybody knew if we can drive the Delware with a NZ HT licence.

Love this forum - so useful. 

Hi beedee. It is not possible to drive legally in the UK on a NZ license in a vehicle in excess of 3.5T. You will also fail to get insurance which is another legal requirment. Sorry,nice plan but cant be done without breaking the law. Believe me, I was planning the same thing but decided it

wasnt worth the risk so bought my RB straight back here using Paul at Castle  European, well known to many self importers of this Club. However, if you where to buy any Motor Home less than 3.5T then apart from the hassle of getting insurance you can drive anything anywhere you like,provided your under 70 but thats another story

Thanks so much for clearing that up. I had a feeling that was the case but was hoping there was a way round it.

I will follow your advice & contact Castle European. Thanks again, much appreciated.

Hi

Many years ago I was offered a job in Europe driving Contiki Tours but turned it down at the time to persue another career at home. Ever since I have often wondered about the requirements for licence equivalency as I still have a class 5 licence in NZ with a P endorsement. This post caused me to do a bit of research... it seems that to obtain an LGV licence for private use shouldn't be too difficult, expensive or time consuming, if you were keen. More difficult and expensive would probably be getting insurance. I have purchased a couple of cars in the UK for holiday use and insurance is always a hassle and the cost for a few weeks has always been more than I pay at home for a year. LGV is good for up to 7.5 tonnes and it could be that they will grant you one for a limited period and for specific single vehicle use. As an example, I ferried a couple of airline aircraft from the UK to NZ, both under British registration and both times I was granted a UK licence for 6 weeks but valid only for the aircraft concerned.

 

It would certainly be worth enquiring about.

Hi-Sorry, no , still cant be done. To get a license to drive a vehicle in excess of 3.5T .First you need a UK license, to get a UK license you need a UK address, you could use an address of a relative but by the time you sit your standard Class B license and the upgrade to a Cat C1 to drive >3.5T your holiday would be over. NZ licenses are not transfereable to UK licenses and only give you 12 months local authority to drive cars, motorcycles and vehicles <3.5T. If you are still unsure, check the DVLA website at GOV.UK. The only people lucky enought to do this are previous UK residents with UK licenses and even then there are some weird exclusions

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hi, if you phone me on 07 549 3620 I can give you chapter and verse on the whole sorry issue - yeah, what they said above really, the biggest issue is with insurance - you must have it - the rego and insurance databases are linked in the UK so the police can check not just your warrant and licence status, but also your insurance, just off the number plate. Most (all?) Insurers insist on UK residence status so no status =no insurance = no drive >3.5T in Europe! 

(all?) is certainly not correct, I have bought and insured three cars in the UK over the years, each time for about six weeks whilst on holiday.

Yes you can buy and insure a second hand car in UK but

to buy a new one they need a rego number to get insurance cover and insurance cover needs a rego number

both of these need Uk address so it just keeps going around in a circle

we got around it buy the dealer giving us the rego number of the last vel he sold the same and then told the insurance company tha it was a temp rego to get a insurance cover note then could use the cover note to get the rego done then gave the correct rego to the insurance company

insurance company was Down under insurance

3.5 tonne and less is easy and we have done it !  Here's how:

 

-  We purchased a new Apache 634 from a dealer in Southampton.

-  Once we had the VIN we registered over the Internet from NZ using the address of our daughter who was living in London at the time

-  No need for an HT license as NZ driver's liocense is OK up to 3,500 Kg.

-  Registration documents were sent to the London address

- Once we had these (electronically) we arranged insurance with "Down Under"

-  Plates were printed by the dealer

-  We travelled for 4 weeks around UK with no problem (and legally)

-  We exported the vehicle to NZ

-  Once it arrived we had it registered in NZ at 3650 Kgs (Autotrail helped with this)

And we are so happy with the experience RVing in UK (by pub car park) and final outome !!!

 

PS.  Dont forget to bring the UK registration documents (hard copy) home with you as otherwise there will be significant delays  . . . . .

The issue is Delaware >3.5T requires a specific class of licence which is not included in International Permit and not covered by visitors licence (NZ Class 2 doesn't count in Europe).

I am considering purchasing an inflatable boat and outboard to store in the garage of my 2014 Delaware.  The Takacat Lite 3m appeals to me paired with a 6hp Honda short shaft outboard.  Has anyone got this combination (or similar)?  I would be interested to know if it is possible to store all this in the garage, or if there are other storage solutions (rack etc).  I would prefer not to tow a trailer.

Hi Tim

I too was researching this and had similar concerns.  Things I was told to watch out for are the glued vs welded seams. Glued only lasts 5-10yrs, handles fall off then the seams go.  Of course you can repair but who wants a leak while you're off shore?  I was told best makes are Southern Pacific, FOrce 4, Aquapro, Zodiac, Bombard,X-3 and Achilles.  I was adamant I needed a boat with multiple inflated areas in case of deflation!   The weight of the boat and motor concerned me also.  Motors start at 20kg and go up from there.  I looked at air cooled motors which are lighter but completely exposed to salt water spray.  There is a move to ban 2 stroke motors on lakes overseas so to future proof I'd started leaning towards 4 stroke despite the extra weight.   

You can add a hydrofoil to the motor which increases lift and speed apparently.

The boats come in all sizes of bags and IMO the best bag was one which folded up from 4 sides.  Both the motor and bag sizes need to be seen, measured and lifted before committing - who needs a back strain on holiday or one that won't fit in the garage.  Youtube has reviews which show you speed comparisons.  Good luck and let us know what you end up doing and your experience.

Mark

Hi, We have a Delaware with a 10foot.8 inch Porta bote on Roof and a 6 hp suzuki 25 kg in boot, use rope pulleys to get boat down... Look further up to see boat on roof under 2017 Delaware Project.....Les Ps I tried cheap china 4 hp 4 stroke air cooled from trademe just rubish hard to start !!! Also tried inflatables Aakron 30 kg it stayed in boot as I found you get to lazey to blow it up ......Les

Thanks Les and Mark, very helpful indeed. Les how do you stow the motor in the boot.....have you manufactured a bracket for it? Any photos would be much appreciated.

Hi Tim and Sheryl, The 2017 Delaware has four tie down points on the boot floor, your model just fit four s/s eye bolts through boot floor with washers and nuts purchase from a Marine Shop.......Les

Or even better if you wanted to fit some flush or semi flush tie downs or cargo track go to this website. The cargo track is the same as the seat track which runs through the cabin and cargo holds of an aircraft so the tie down points are infinitely adjustable. Two strips through the garage, a cradle to sit the motor in and a handful of anchors would do the job nicely

 

https://www.comac.co.nz/U/Cargo-Control-Rope-Rings

 

I have bought a lot of hard to find fittings from Comac over the last few years... they are truly one of NZ's hidden treasures, their range and service are second to none.

 

Mike

We have ordered a Tracker FB and want to travel with a 10 foot paddle board...I hope on the roof...any ideas of roofracks??? or something???....does anyone travel with a paddle board???... thanks Michele

I remember seeing an ingenious device invented by a Nelson? motorhomer  on utube whereby the canoe in this case was hauled up from the side and parked on top. 

I went for the inflatable SUP option and also an inflatable kayak. All fit nicely in my RB. Got to have the toys! Not having a head for heights and not wanting to put any more holes in my roof-these were the only options

Hi Leith, re wanting to lift your paddle board on to the roof of your motorhome. I built a system to lift my 29kg kayak on to the roof of my Dakota. Although it may be too elaborate for what you require it may give you some ideas of how to safely place your board on to the roof without having to climb up there (dangerous when your wet). Go to YOUTUBE and look up KAYAK LIFTING BUDDY and you can see it in operation. If you want any more advice I am willing to give you some help. Safe motoring. Buddy

 

Wow...thats amazing Buddy...thanks...we get our new Tracker in September and will be in touch....Thank you...Michele Leith

Very ingenious and well thought out. Congratulations Buddy. I'm sure you will get plenty of enquiries. 

Im interested to see what you did...Im trying to acommadate a paddle board...thanks Michele Leith

Sorry I must have missed seeing that ingenious idea? I'd be very interested in seeing it.

 

You Tube look for Kayak Lifting Buddy System. Les

HOB GLASS EXPLODING
AT NZ Facebook Post:    A caution for those who are not aware that there have been cases of the Glass Hob Cover exploding showering the motorhome with glass fragments. The majority of cases were caused by the electric element being accidently turned on while not plugged into the power, and when hooked up to power the element heats up while the glass cover is down. There are other reasons: Grandchild played with the knob; knob turned on instead of grill, etc. 
The best precaution is to turn off the switch for the electric hob which is located under the oven, in the space accessed by the drop down glass door. It is easy to switch it back on when specifically required for cooking.
Comments:
-  We had one shatter on our narrow boat when living on it in the U.K. the hob had been used that morning, I sprayed a glass cleaner on to clean it and it just exploded - not a great experience
-  There is also a recommended fry pan size to avoid heating the glass.
-  Thank you for the warning
-  Thanks for the warning. I am going to look for that switch now. I know it's easy to turn that element on by mistake...
-  Found the switch and turned it off yesterday, easy enough to turn on when we need it, which isn't very often!
-  Turned ours off also
-  We always lift the glass up as the first thing we do when we park up and then there is no risk.
-   It happened to us - 2 year old grandchild had fiddled with knobs.

 

As a cyclist I appreciate the way that most drivers of motorhomes give me at least the recommended 1.5m when passing. I was therefore both concerned and shocked when at about 11.00am this morning an NZMCA member driving an Autotrail passed myself and 2 friends at Woodstock (between Motueka and Tapawera) giving us between 30 and 50cm space!

It's a quiet road and the incident was on a straight section. We are all experienced cyclists wearing bright clothing who ride in single file on the white line so taking up the minimum amount of road space.

I know that most of you do this as a matter of course, but please remember that motorhomes cruising at 80 - 100km cause singificant drag which can pull a cyclist into the path of following traffic.       

Take a Look at the Cyclist bottom picture as I approach and past them, one was pushing me out into the head on at a car, I had a car on my bum !!!! Narrow Road from Clevedon down the coast to Kaiuau.

To be fair, they have equal rights to the road as you have... I would suggest that you shouldn't have attempted to pass them until the way was clear. Passing a group of cyclists aproaching a blind corner with oncoming traffic is more than a little foolhardy and I wouldn't want my photo doing it out in the public domain.

 

Mike

After waiting our turn on long straight where I was having to go slow to pass, due to the bunched up group of cyclists and the front cyclist riding out near the middle of the road holding up my manoeuvre. Which took longer, by that time an approuching car came causing extreme danger to us and the car following behind me who was trying to pass the cyclists like we were. 

 

I am warning other members and I am a Cyclist !!!

I don't believe it is actually safe, wise and indeed even lawful for cyclists to ride abreast like this especially on narrow or busy roads. 

There is a section in the Road Code called "Taking the lane" whereby cyclists are allowed to move toward the centre line to dominate the lane making it difficult or impossible for other traffic to pass (to keep themselves safe). I do it when I am crossing a narrow bridge or approaching a corner on a narrow road just like the photo above. The rationale is that it stops following traffic overtaking when it isn't safe. The narrative goes on to say that as soon as the way is clear then the cyclists should resume single file to allow other traffic to pass. I would say that is exactly what the cyclist in the photo is doing, trying to stop you from overtaking because it wasn't safe. As for the following car, that's what hazard lights are for... this all works wonderfully well in Europe, but in NZ motorists have an attitude and to hell with cyclists, horses and pedestrians, they only thing they respect is size, big trucks!!

Mike and Chris, thank you for that update. It does indeed make sense in that instance. I guess it depends on the behaviour on the straight. 

Im a cyclist too, I love it, no better way to maintain cardiac fitness IMHO. But I am scared of the roads. The sooner we get the "Cross the Bridge" and more safe cycle paths, the better for me! 

Europe has a long history of accommodating cyclists with many wonderful pathways ( eg the Netherlands) hopefully we will get there too 🙂

'Share the road' is a very common sign in Tasman and perhaps this is a mantra we should all adopt. There are legal 'rights and wrongs' and recommendations,  see http://www.nzta.govt.nz/resources/roadcode/cyclist-code/about-cycling/cyclist-responsibilities/ , but these are just a framework for safe road use. Personally I always try to err on the side of caution whether riding or driving and this doesn't seem to slow me down significantly, and certainly by much less than an accident would!

 

However, no matter what road rules say, overtaking anything when you cannot see a clear road that offers enough space to complete the manouvre is dangerous, and I'm sorry Les, I don't understand why you would want to endanger yourself and others, which clearly you were doing when the photos were taken.

 

Could / should the cyclists have been bahaving differently? It depends, but from the photos it appears to me that overtaking a single cyclist in that situation would have been potentially dangerous, and if they had all have been strung out in single file then you would have needed much greater length of free road space to overtake, perhaps they shouldn't be allowed to be on the road at all?. 

 

Yes it would be good if there were cycle lanes everywhere, but that just isn't viable in the short term.

 

One other thought, if every cyclist were in a car, what impact would that have on traffic congestion, parking and the environment?

 

When we're on the road we all take up space and, it could be said, get in each other's way, but roads are ours to use and enjoy, not mine of yours!  Let's just share and be safe!

 

Martin T, thank you for your post. I note that under " Your Responsibities as a Cyclist" general considerations for group cycling, it does state that " there must never be more than 2 cyclists next to each other. When the road is narrow or vehicles cannot pass, everyone should cycle in single file". 

Yes Leonie it does and in most situations this makes perfect sense to me. However my aim is not to find definitive rights and wrongs, but to raise awareness and encourage all road users to show due consideration to others. Sadly however I recognise that are people in all walks of life who are selfish and behave in ways that take no account of others: perhaps they make short term gains, but at what long term cost?

Hi Martin,

 I will try and explain what we saw ahead with cars trying to pass the weaving cyclists.

My aim was to post the photo's to bring awareness of what some cyclists behave like on country roads.

I Probaly didn't explain myself clearly, We had about 100 metres of clear road ahead on a straight, So I started my passing manovevre where the cyclists were weaving, then they moved to single file to the left, Except one near the front that kept weaving towards the centre of the road Dangerously. So my passing manoevre was held up as I found I was very close to that rider due to an approuching car.

My mate was behind in his Motorhome recording all this and could not belive the behaviour of the cyclists and emailed the two photo's to me.

I was trying to bring this side of awareness to your orginal thread

Thanks Les: understood and appreciated. For me the whole thread has had the potentilly valuable benefit of reminding us to consider how we treat others on the road and that our presence can and does affect others in a way that can have significant consequences.

I have a 2017 Tracker EKS. When you enter the motorhome there is a step up from the electric step into the inside of the motorhome.

I have had a situation where someone who had never been in the motorhome before wasnt watching and actually fell into the step and fell out the door - how she didn't break her leg was amazing.

 

Has anyone else experienced this and if so any suggestions to solve the problem. 

 

Janice

Janice just let people know to watch their step. And there's a good old saying look before you leap😎👍

I have yet to drive my Apache 700 in snowy conditions. Do otheres out there have advice to offer? ie Snow Chains.

You will now appreciate the benefit of front wheel drive in snowy conditions but always heed the warning of the AA and if they say "fit chains " then fit them-mind you the thought of unhooking from power and travelling in snow is not appealing so stay put. Snow is not too bad, its ice you have to worry about

Fit a round hatch cover 120mm seal in place, This enables you to turn off the gas bottle in a case of an emergency FIRE seeing the locker is locked, purchased at Burnsco ltd.