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Quote: Originally posted by Skatty on 28/6/2008

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Import vans can be harder to trade in too as some dealers dont want them or will only offer you a percentage of what the british counterpart would be

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So that would make them bargain second-hand buys then. 

I suspect that it's also the case that people with german caravans will keep them for longer, as they tend not fall to bits so easily.

Cheers
Andrew

the manufacturers dont want vans to last they want them to be rotten after 15 years max so you buy a new one. if they wanted to they could go down the eriba route with ally z frame section tig welded to ally panelling, any joints tig welded. monocoque construction, lighweight and built to last.

if I could afford it I would have that eriba fixed bed job, looks like a braw van

I think eriba look well engineered.  It would be interesting if they ever expanded out to larger vans.

Brian

I have a Burstner Belcanto 2007 van.

Had no problem insuring it before I CRIS registered it.Its insured through the Caravan Club, found they were a lot easier to deal with than some of the other insurers, who required far more security devices etc than the CC.

In order to first register a brand new German van through the CRIS the supplying dealer has to notify them that they have sold you the van.CRIS then contact you and supply the stencil kit and security chip.From memory it cost £30 or so.

As regards water ingress problems I think the build quality of the German vans is top class. On my van the awning rail strips are approx 3-4 times larger in their dimensions than those used on British vans and therefore cover the roof/wall joins with far greater overlap than I have seen on my previous UK vans.

Dave

Quote: Originally posted by Davebelcanto on 28/6/2008

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In order to first register a brand new German van through the CRIS the supplying dealer has to notify them that they have sold you the van.CRIS then contact you and supply the stencil kit and security chip.From memory it cost £30 or so.

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You can also contact HPI directly yourself and ask for the registration and stencil kit - I did.  

Cheers
Andrew

I wouldn't have thought an electric dehumidifier was any use in a caravan as the air is constantly being replaced by fresh air throught the air vents. Its damp in the frame thats bad and that needs fixing and re sealing

Regards

Robin

Quote: Originally posted by robin52 on 29/6/2008

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I wouldn't have thought an electric dehumidifier was any use in a caravan as the air is constantly being replaced by fresh air throught the air vents. Its damp in the frame thats bad and that needs fixing and re sealing

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Yes, agreed, though a dehumidifier cannot do any real harm - apart from possibly hiding damp created by rain penetration, that should really be identified and fixed.

Cheers
Andrew

our 19 year old Lunar Club man has a one piece fibre glass boat shaped roof ,one piece fibre glass end panels .Wonder why they are not built like this any more.

I do like the idea of an Eriba if they built a larger van

David

Dont know if this covers damp issues but an interesting read anyway

http://www.caravanclub.co.uk/NR/rdonlyres/6C84E378-4F81-4B65-B85B-D709DF784D2E/0/newsqualityandreliabilitysurveymay05.pdf

Quote: Originally posted by Paul + Wendy on 29/6/2008

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I must agree that continental vans are better made where leaks are concerned, the only real negative is if the door is on the wrong side when it comes to pitching on hard standings as it means that the awning would also be on the wrong side and a lot of sites wont allow you to pitch A frame in for safety reasons, you can get some hobby's and the like made in a uk version.

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Yes, on sites with minimum width pitches, pitching in compliance with fire regulations and the site's licencing and insurance small print can be impossible if UK and continental layout vans are in adjacent pitches - unless the continental layout vans pitch nose first.

Some Hymers have a UK layout.   Burstner made UK layout vans for a few years but stopped last year, because they didn't sell enough for it to be profitable. 

I own a 2006 Burstner S500TS caravan which is UK layout and which I bought new from MG Caravans in Todmorden.  I was talking to the proprietor a couple of months back when the van went in for service.  He has decided not to stock the continental layout Burstners because he doesn't think they'll sell - even though they are a couple of thousand pounds cheaper than a virtually identical but handed continental layout van.   I cannot imagine that Burstner will find it more profitable not to sell vans at all in the UK.

Cheers
Andrew

Quote: Originally posted by Skatty on 29/6/2008

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Dont know if this covers damp issues but an interesting read anyway

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Indeed, yes.   Seemingly owners of german vans are far happier with them than owners of UK built vans, with one honourable exception - Vanmaster.

Cheers
Andrew