Possible motorhome shite-UPDATE-it all went ***** up!

[Royale80]

Afternoon all,

 

Going to have a look at this on the weekend.

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1997-Ford-Legend-Motorhome-New-MOT-FSH-33000-Miles-Ready-To-Go/323283770212?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649

 

Sold the caravan last week-been caravanning nearly 20 years. Need something we can jump into and off we go. MOT history looks good and these have a very good reputation for no damp. Will check for rust (Its a Transit) and that everything works. Not planning on paying full price-but that is what an Autosleeper goes for.

 

Will report back after viewing.

 

Steve

[Mally]

Autosleepers are good.

Had an old CF, Cab was knackered, Autosleeper bit was like new.

Price is what they go for, but not necessarily what they are worth.

Have also had a 2001 Tranny, it had very little rust, but may have been the  only one in existence.

Good luck.

[OwdChina]

Have you considered importing ?.............

 

https://sandiego.craigslist.org/csd/rvs/d/need-gone-2004-georgetown-by/6621313662.html

 

https://sandiego.craigslist.org/csd/rvs/d/1995-dolphin-30-ft-chevy-454/6621288684.html

 

https://sandiego.craigslist.org/nsd/rvs/d/1992-fleetwood-coronado-34/6621165633.html

[DodgeRover]

If the transit is a factory turbo then it will have the Lucas EPIC pump, these tend to fail electronically eventually and are generally considered not to be repairable. As it's a manual gearbox it could be replaced by a Bosch pump at the cost of a little more mechanical noise.

[Rave]

Looks pretty nice, will watch with interest as I'm still toying with the idea of chucking all my stuff in storage and clearing off in a motorhome at some point. I was looking at Swift Kon-Tikis a couple of years ago before we put the plans on the back burner.

[DodgeRover]

Have you considered importing ?.............

 

https://sandiego.craigslist.org/csd/rvs/d/need-gone-2004-georgetown-by/6621313662.html

 

https://sandiego.craigslist.org/csd/rvs/d/1995-dolphin-30-ft-chevy-454/6621288684.html

 

https://sandiego.craigslist.org/nsd/rvs/d/1992-fleetwood-coronado-34/6621165633.html

There look to be some bargains there! Remember it's going to cost more than a car to ship though.

[Royale80]

Will do a bit more research into the (not so) EPIC pump.

 

Steve

[Arthur Foxhake]

Factory Transit turbos generally have a louvre on the passenger wing for intake.

[Arthur Foxhake]

To be fair, most of the aftermarket turbo set ups I've seen have been better than Fords efforts, so maybe not a bad thing.

[cobblers]

My autosleeper Talbot express is cracking. Autosleeper really could make a useful interior, this looks ace!

Not sure its £13 grand more ace than a Talbot Express, but as above, it's what they seem to go for.

[spartacus]

I'll echo what Cobblers has said, the design effort that has gone into the interior will be far ahead of its contemporaries. The camper bodies of this design have a very good reputation too, it's a two part fiberglass moulding that has a much better chance of resisting moisture ingress than a more conventional design using flat panels with beaded seams. Any shortcomings are likely to be on the base vehicle, so that's the part to check carefully.

[taxi paul]

Looks bloody lovely that. 10 out of ten. Like has been said it's a transit so I would be looking for rust.

[DodgeRover]

Have you considered importing ?.............

 

https://sandiego.craigslist.org/csd/rvs/d/need-gone-2004-georgetown-by/6621313662.html

 

https://sandiego.craigslist.org/csd/rvs/d/1995-dolphin-30-ft-chevy-454/6621288684.html

 

https://sandiego.craigslist.org/nsd/rvs/d/1992-fleetwood-coronado-34/6621165633.html

So inspired by this post, what are the likely costs of importing one of these leviathans from the states assuming I could find one on the East coast. There would be import duty to pay wouldn't there?

[Cavcraft]

They do make absolutely crazy money, so if you're going to guff an inordinate amount on an old motorhome, it miught as well be a Transit Di. Just check very carefully EVERYWHERE underneath, plus the steps and arches.

[Saabnut]

So inspired by this post, what are the likely costs of importing one of these leviathans from the states assuming I could find one on the East coast. There would be import duty to pay wouldn't there?

 

Importing from the States is fairly straightforward, but not cheap. First there is purchasing it, then transport cost to port. Then the shipping cost. Then there is the 10% import duty on either the cost according to invoice or the customs valuation, whichever is greater. Then there is the VAT, 20% on top of the cost of the vehicle AND the import duty (yes, tax on tax). Then there is any NOVA costs. My experience is by the time you have it home it will have added 50% to the purchase cost.

[Royale80]

Had a look today. Paintwork a bit dull on the outside and headlamps needed the polishing treatment. Minimal rust-had a good look underneath-no rust. Inside was good-although my wife could smell damp -had a look under all seat cushions. Behind the rear passenger side cushion  part of the wall  was actually wet and the surrounding hardboard soft. Looked like the rear window had been leaking a while. Took it for a quick drive-drove well-if a little sluggish in 1st. Mechanically seemed ok-came with a bunch or receipts-£800 spent on diesel pump 10 years ago.

 

Due to damp problem will keep on searching. Not worth anywhere near £14500

 

Regards

 

Steve

[DodgeRover]

Big tip buy yourself a damp meter and learn how to use it

[Royale80]

Got one. Used it on the Transit. Rest of van was fine- around the skylights etc.

[andy18s]

Hows about something a bit more....substantial

[Royale80]

Update!

 

Ended up buying this piece of shit.

 

 

Lots of monies-going back for a refund soon-used it for 10 days.

One of the skylights started to leak-took it back-was repaired but still leaked. Also discovered a gas leak (van was independently checked before purchase). The van has an LPG tank not gas bottles-this was leaking. This was also "fixed". Away again and another leak happened-had enough by now-booked it into a motorhome service centre near us. Found damp and the gas system was deemed dangerous-tank rusted and isolation valve could not be turned off.

 

So all in all a pile of poo. Will have lost a few bob ion bits and pieces bought-but hopefully gone soon.

 

Steve

[davehedgehog31]

Balls - Hope you can get it all resoled with minimal loss. It certainly looks the part, just shows you.

[kinkersaab]

Shame.!  I often think i would like to update mine (1995 Boxer) and always decide rightly or wrongly that the 90s were probaly the best of them in terms of usability, build quality and reliability even if they are slower , less flashy etc.  It seems you have avoided the electrical/ modern diesel and dpf stuff which is what scares me most about "upgrading"  my one at 25 yrs old genuinely has never ever missed a beat in the 5 yrs or so I have had it.  best of luck "getting out of it" 

[mercrocker]

Sorry to hear this, hope you do indeed come out of it comparatively unscathed financially.   These things do just seem built to leak....

[Wack]

Hows about something a bit more....substantial

 

 

That needs some Playboy bunnies with drinks trays in the pictures

[Royale80]

Shame.!  I often think i would like to update mine (1995 Boxer) and always decide rightly or wrongly that the 90s were probaly the best of them in terms of usability, build quality and reliability even if they are slower , less flashy etc.  It seems you have avoided the electrical/ modern diesel and dpf stuff which is what scares me most about "upgrading"  my one at 25 yrs old genuinely has never ever missed a beat in the 5 yrs or so I have had it.  best of luck "getting out of it" 

 

I was initially looking at 90's chod. We wanted to give it "a go" so decided on this. Looked absolutely spot on-interior furnishings better than my house-3.0HDi-goes like the clappers.

 

Very big but two berth-which we wanted. 

 

But...….as kinkersaab said-the complexity-not just the "mechanicals" but the heating system-a diesel or electric (240v)  Webasto, big fridge looks good but again complicated. Control panel and charging 12volt system like something out of Star trek-these thoughts bugged me before having the extra issues.

 

Steve

[djimbob]

it's a monumental task to design and build a more or less bespoke home on wheels, capable of all the flexing and vibrations that come from hurtling along the motorways at 70mph plus, or bouncing along an unpaved country track etc!

 

I was chatting to a guy at Glossop caravans when I bought a used motormover for my shed, and he was bemoaning the build quality of the manufacturers in the industry, so many returns on brand new 'vans, but let's face it, we all expect miracles when comparing to our regular cars which don't really leak that much nowadays. Toyota for instance can afford the costs of making sure their cars are almost fault free with their hundreds of thousands of units sold worldwide, Autosleeper are nowhere near that level nor any of the other leisure home makers, they do what they can on their resources and budget, then you have what the punters can afford

 

Anyhoo, I prefer to convert my own vans, due mainly to cost factors, but I also like to have my bed in a certain place, the kitchen area the same, and so on - which buying second hand is generally not going to be possible, and also lose a lot of the needless complications in coach builts

 

best of luck finding a good motorhome Steve, the big problem as I see it when buying vehicles based on commercial vans is the metal is thin and prone to rust in  moderns, which is fine for saving on weight and purchase price, but ten years down the line tin rust seems to get them all, without exception, unless kept indoors and undersealed etc regularly, just got to be vigilant and buy well

[Mally]

it's a monumental task to design and build a more or less bespoke home on wheels, capable of all the flexing and vibrations that come from hurtling along the motorways at 70mph plus, or bouncing along an unpaved country track etc!

 

 

 

You managed it!

[Royale80]

it's a monumental task to design and build a more or less bespoke home on wheels, capable of all the flexing and vibrations that come from hurtling along the motorways at 70mph plus, or bouncing along an unpaved country track etc!

 

I was chatting to a guy at Glossop caravans when I bought a used motormover for my shed, and he was bemoaning the build quality of the manufacturers in the industry, so many returns on brand new 'vans, but let's face it, we all expect miracles when comparing to our regular cars which don't really leak that much nowadays. Toyota for instance can afford the costs of making sure their cars are almost fault free with their hundreds of thousands of units sold worldwide, Autosleeper are nowhere near that level nor any of the other leisure home makers, they do what they can on their resources and budget, then you have what the punters can afford

 

Anyhoo, I prefer to convert my own vans, due mainly to cost factors, but I also like to have my bed in a certain place, the kitchen area the same, and so on - which buying second hand is generally not going to be possible, and also lose a lot of the needless complications in coach builts

 

best of luck finding a good motorhome Steve, the big problem as I see it when buying vehicles based on commercial vans is the metal is thin and prone to rust in  moderns, which is fine for saving on weight and purchase price, but ten years down the line tin rust seems to get them all, without exception, unless kept indoors and undersealed etc regularly, just got to be vigilant and buy well

 

I completely agree! Caravan again next! Will update my Range Rover thread.

 

Steve

[djimbob]

You managed it!

 

Not sure the average punter would want to be seen in one of my creations

[Mally]

Why?

Whats wrong with a trailer tent grafted to a Tranny van and painted army green ish.