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Subject Topic: Buying a van from Mainland Europe
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Personbilly
11/10/2020 at 10:25am
 Location: North Essex
 Outfit: Caravelair Alba 400 View billy's Profile View Profile   Reply to billy Reply   Quote billy Quote  
Joined: 19/4/2002

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I got the Alba 400 which is bottom of range series. It has got no front window which I actually like & whole caravan has only 3 windows so more insulation in my view. There is a long list of factory options right up to aircon I you want it. I tried to get this caravan supplied in UK but Marquis simply would not. The salesman at the Ipswich branch nr me was very apologetic but he said head office would not budge.

The layout has been around for about 2 decades & the Sterckeman brand does exactly the same caravan. Not many about secondhand in the UK. They have been sporadically imported into UK over the years but only Caravelair in just UK specific models are imported now.

FYI Fran I recently swapped my butane cube in France for a propane cube as it will be getting cold when we come back through France so that confirms you can swap your propane cube for butane no probs.

Blue those top of range Fendts are absolutely beautiful. Methinks though if you owned one in the UK you might have to sleep in it permanently armed with a shotgun.

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Every day should be a holiday!


PersonFrancais
11/10/2020 at 12:25pm
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Thanks for sharing billy, some great info there, looking at the Alba 400 the dimensions of the van are the same as the Antarès 400, the layout looks the same for fixed bed etc, just less std stuff and options from what I can tell, I had not come across the Alba until you mentioned it, so that model is now on my radar.

What did you do about the fridge, as I guess a 3 Way comes as std, and I would prefer to have a compressor fridge installed if that’s an option.

Good news about the Le Cube, I did think about sticking with the Le Cube 5kg Propane cylinder which I already have albeit empty, but I doubt I will be out in the winter months, so will still go for the 6kg Butane a little more bang for my buck when it comes to run time, as I guess both refills are close on the same price 20€ last time I checked.


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PersonFrancais
11/10/2020 at 1:06pm
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Edit = looks like the Alba 400 comes with a compressor fridge as std, and the 3 Way fridge is an option, which I find quite refreshing if I am reading the Caravelair info correctly.


Personbilly
11/10/2020 at 5:06pm
 Location: North Essex
 Outfit: Caravelair Alba 400 View billy's Profile View Profile   Reply to billy Reply   Quote billy Quote  
Joined: 19/4/2002

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Mine came with a 3 way as standard which is fine for me as I sometimes use non electric sites. Compressor fridge is definitely a factory option though. I also had a leisure battery option as well. As standard it just comes with a Nordelectronica unit which give you 12v supply on hookup & If you only intend to be on hookup then no point in leisure battery unless you are having a mover fitted which I did not.

The transformer unit fitted as standard can be used with or without leisure battery & is fully automatic. No switching required. For example with no battery fitted but hitched to car you can use interior lights & electric toilet flush during a lunch stop.

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Every day should be a holiday!


PersonKelper
14/10/2020 at 12:37pm
 Location: Northern Ireland
 Outfit: Sterckeman Alize Concept CP480 View Kelper's Profile View Profile   Reply to Kelper Reply   Quote Kelper Quote  
Joined: 21/4/2011

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Quote: Originally posted by iank01 on 08/10/2020
Quote: Originally posted by Kelper on 08/10/2020
I bought a Sterckeman in Germany ....

Towergate insure.

No problem with warranty ... had a faulty fridge unit replaced a month after buying

Have never bought it back to the UK ... store it in France.

Saved a lot compared to buying in UK.


So how have you saved as you need to pay to go to France to use it?



Well ... if I had the caravan in the UK, and wanted to holiday on the continent (which we always have):

1. I'd have to store it in the UK ... indoors would cost an arm and a leg (in France , secure, indorrs: 195 euros per annum). I'd want Indoor storage from a security and maintenance point of view.
2. I'd have to pay considerably more to ferry it back and forth (UK - France) ... as opposed to just the car.
3. Extra fuel costs to tow from home to ferry port, then ferry port to a third of the way to South of France (where we store) ... a not inconsiderable distance (approx 700 miles round trip)
4. Buying a similarly spec'ed caravan in the UK would have cost us about 25% more ... we carried out considerable research.

So ... all in all ... we save/ed lots!


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PersonFrancais
14/10/2020 at 6:55pm
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I think it’s great that Kelper and Billy have been through the process, and thanks to both for sharing, hat’s of to you both.

Even after Brexit and with COVID-19 in the past I can’t see there being and issue, in fact if the pound picks up, striking a deal in euroland could even be more beneficial.

Buying a brand new caravan for £12k or so certainly ticks my box’s, hardly even worth buying used at that kind of money, especially if the plan is to keep it until it drops to bits, which would be my plan, having never owned a caravan before.


PersonKelper
15/10/2020 at 9:25am
 Location: Northern Ireland
 Outfit: Sterckeman Alize Concept CP480 View Kelper's Profile View Profile   Reply to Kelper Reply   Quote Kelper Quote  
Joined: 21/4/2011

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This is the one we bought in 2016 ... when it was six months old ... and in perfect 'nick' ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v873APMrDhE

We added a full length Fiamma 45 roll out awning and an insect barrier door ... I've also put in a mains socket on the exterior side for 'al fresco' cooking ... it came with a double bike rack on the front.

Total purchase price in Jan 2016 was £12,500.


PersonFrancais
15/10/2020 at 2:23pm
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Save me going back through your posts Kelper, which dealer did you use, I seem to remember that you went a caravan show abroad at the start of the process.

That video shows the van well, very interesting fridge set up, is it a 3 way or compressor, never seen a large draw fridge like that before, makes a lot of sense.


PersonKelper
16/10/2020 at 12:37pm
 Location: Northern Ireland
 Outfit: Sterckeman Alize Concept CP480 View Kelper's Profile View Profile   Reply to Kelper Reply   Quote Kelper Quote  
Joined: 21/4/2011

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You can have either compression or absorption fitted ... our is the latter ...

The drawer sert up is brilliant ... and more logical ... 'cold loss' being reduced, compared to opening a upright fridge/freezer door.

We bought from: Wohnmobile Bieger ... just outside Hannover.

We found it online ... requested full details and lots of pics ... decided to make a final decision when we saw it ... flew over, inspected and bought in November ... collected in April ... they stored it for free until April and made the various upgraded requests (awning etc).


PersonFrancais
via mobile 16/10/2020 at 2:57pm
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Thank's for the info Kelper, it's much appreciated.



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