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Add on the VAT for importing the van, sorting out the insurance both here and in Germany and man hours to deliver the vehicle.  Profiteering doesn't come into it.  Is it exactly the same vehicle?  I'm sure producing a RHD version incurs extra costs as well.  Don Amott probably has high overheads as well.  I'm sure if you wanted to get into it and fetch it yourself, you could save 2000 to 3000 pounds if you're lucky.  There are companies out there who help with all this but apart from the adventure you don't save a lot, in my humble opinion of course.   Each to their own I suppose.

Thanks for your reply. The price of £15,800 included 16% German vat, so you don't pay another lot on import to the UK. Insurance is no different, you arrange it here. There are many motorhomes and vans in the UK built on RHD Fiat chassis, so I can't see that the chassis would cost much more, it's not exactly a one-off. I'm aware of the ease of going to Germany to buy (see my 'Buying in Germany' in the caravan section!!) where I went to buy a small Hobby caravan for a £3500 saving.)

The German dealer also has high overheads, I'm certain, it was advertised in a very big dealership. How's your German? See http://www.wohnwagenpark.de/city/new/0101027260302.html

I think the main problem is that here in 'Rip-Off Land' we have been conned over the years and we are now used to paying higher prices than anywhere else and importers take advantage of it. Sorry, I still think it's profiteering! I expect a UK dealer selling that motorhome for £17,000 would be fighting people off with a stick!

The Joint website is at:-

http://www.jointcampingcar.com/

                    In Short ,Its called RIPOFF.

Quote: Originally posted by santiago on 11/12/2004

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                    In Short ,Its called RIPOFF.

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I agree 100%. This is Rip of Britain, and that applies to Anything you buy. Johno.

I've also found that we're ripped off across the board for most consumer items. I was just reading a UK magazine review of an HP pocket PC. The magazine is also sold in the US so it gives UK & US prices. The prices quoted are £449/$482. There are almost 2 dollars to the pound at present!

Also, how come the prices for caravan and motorhome parts are extortionate? Not in comparison with other countries, but just regarding 'value for money', or lack of it. A very cheaply made and fragile Whale mixer tap for use with a shower is about £60.  I installed a new one and the shower head shattered when dropped 18 inches.  A domestic mixer tap made from chromed heavy metal can cost less. A 'motorhome or caravan consumer unit' from a caravan retailer is about £80 but I can buy a similar one with the same requirements for less than half that from a domestic electrical retailer. Truma equipment is highly priced, for example a 4 way gas manifold is 3 times the price it can be bought elsewhere. The list is endless..

The price I mentioned above for the Joint motorhome has now gone up in Germany since I posted the first message. It's still much cheaper than the UK, though.

The sooner we change to the Euro and people can make direct price comparisons with Europe, the better. I don't believe the major UK financial institutions want to change, though. Have you ever changed a lot of Sterling into Euros? I did to buy a caravan in Germany, but ended up not buying as the dealer had ordered the wrong model. I was charged £300 on the exchange rate by the Royal Bank of Scotland to change £8500 to Euros. AND they had the nerve to also charge me £99 commission on top!! To change it back I went to Marks & Spencers as they had the best exchange rate, believe it or not, 0.8% below most others.

Hi Debbie. No, I haven't a clue, I dealt with Hobby dealers. Do what I did and find the Burstner factory home website, then look for their list of dealers, find some nearest to the UK (Munchengladbach area most likely) get their phone numbers and call them and compare prices. You will find that most, if not all will speak some English. Decide on your model first, though. If you decide to go over, it can be a little difficult going one way with a car and coming back with a caravan as the ferry companies and agents seem to want the same thing going both ways, although I did find that it just cost a bit more in the end. I found that used vans were pricey and it was better to buy new.

Regards

EF 

The best website in Germany to find any kind of motorhome is www.mobile.de. Than click on Wohnwagen/wohnmobile and you get to the motorhome site. ( they deal in cars aswell or anything that drives !) From there on you got to fill in some fields as to what you require . You can go to Altavista for translations. We have been buying our last 3 motorhomes in Germany and we have saved a lot of money. The Germans trade them in a lot quicker than here as they want constantly the latest but do use them a lot so you can get a lot higher mileage. I am lucky that I speak German ( I am Dutch) and so makes life easier and my husband leaves all the dealings to me. 

Good luck to anybody that buys in Germany.

Madeleine

Lmarchant@onetel.com