Autotrail Apache problems

[belka]

Hi we've just returned from a holiday and whilst we were away we had problems with our 2008 motorhome. Firstly we had heavy rain once or twice and the windows leaked which I found very disappointing. It wasn't a constant flow, it appeared that water collected then ran in. One morning one of the pillows was quite wet on one side!

Next we were travelling through France approaching a roundabout when we heard something dragging on the road - the Fresh Water tank was hanging off! How does this happen with a van of this age?

Has anyone had similar experiences with Autotrail motorhomes?

 

[lufcdave7]

Hi Belka,
We have a 2008 Autotrail Chieftain and our list of problems has been extensive. However, all the repairs we have been able to complete ourselves. For example, two leaking roof lights, removed and resealed. A leaking lounge window, which just needed a bead of sikaflex around the frame. Re-routing of the mains water feed from the tank, Autotrail had routed it over the tag axle wheels and it iced up when driving through snow in Scotland. The list goes on but I wont bore you.
The problem with motorhomes is....they move, fortunately and when they do the flexing, bumping, vibrating, twisting and turning upsets them a bit. They require a lot of love and attention to keep them in tip top condition.
As for your water tank, is it the tank or is it the black plastic protective cover?
Got to go now and fix the electric step which wont retract, think water got in the switch gear driving home, ten minute job!

 

[n brown]

actually more like welcome to the real world! doesn't matter what you pay,or what you buy,a human made it or set up the machine that made it,if a man can screw up the hubble telescope by reading a rule wrong,forgetting to tighten up a bolt or three is well possible.

 

[dbnosey]

I have had two new Autotrails, a Cheyenne in 2007 which was falling to bits whilst driving home from the dealers after picking it up new. Shower tray cracked which was fixed by dealer and then the gel coat started to show cracks all over the place on most of the panels. Factory said they could fix but at great expense to me. No leaks.

In 2009 I purchased a New Apache 700 which had a bulge in the front luton driver’s side. This could only be seen in direct sunlight, new panel fitted by dealer found to be over amount of mastic in the shape of a torpedo. Noise from the luton like someone crunching tinfoil. Washroom floor collapsed. After nine months wait went back to the factory. Damp was found in luton whilst doing this repair. Water coming through roof near front roof vent, all windows and somewhere around rear end (never did find). It was so damp at rear I sold it after 30 months. After four factory tours and several discussions with director David Thomas about quality control I’m of the opinion they only want your money and not customer satisfaction. If they got the quality control right I would by another but it isn’t. I bet DJ Johnny Walkers Autotrail didn’t, hasn’t had this much trouble.
Colin

 

[Bernard Jones]

Next we were travelling through France approaching a roundabout when we heard something dragging on the road - the Fresh Water tank was hanging off! How does this happen with a van of this age?

Impossible to say without seeing it. Could it have been grounded on something?

A motorhome is the most complex consumer durable there is. So its inevitable things will go wrong.

 

[Deleted member 5759]

Having only just taken on the AutoTrail Franchise for Kent and Sussex after being reassured by AutoTrail that they are now very conscious of quality control and after sales service to any purchasers past and present, we trust that the above posts are a thing of the past.

Peter

 

[dbnosey]

Thanks Peter for your faith but is this really the fact. The senior management has not changed. Also if they think they have turned a corner in quality control why do they only give a one year warranty? Year 2 and 3 backed on insurance where certain things are not covered. Also this 10 year Body Construction Integrity Warranty for Auto-Trail vehicles from 2012 model year.
Year 1 to 5 is the same as before but year 6 to 10 is a decreasing warranty which is not a full warranty. So as you say Autotrail have turned a corner they don’t seam to show much faith in the bits they manufacture and construct on site, the body!!.
I have been around the Swift factory and Autotrail is a better designed product, but unless Autotrail sort out the QC I feel they have lost everything now Bailey is in the MH manufacturing process.

Colin

 

[mitzimad]

being a self builder anything goes wrong its my fault and i am a very demanding customer

 

[wildtime]

Auto-Trail Apache

Hi we've just returned from a holiday and whilst we were away we had problems with our 2008 motorhome. Firstly we had heavy rain once or twice and the windows leaked which I found very disappointing. It wasn't a constant flow, it appeared that water collected then ran in. One morning one of the pillows was quite wet on one side!

Next we were travelling through France approaching a roundabout when we heard something dragging on the road - the Fresh Water tank was hanging off! How does this happen with a van of this age?

Has anyone had similar experiences with Autotrail motorhomes?

It is indeed very disappointing to experience the problems you were unfortunate to have.

We have a 2007 Auto-Trail Apache 634U bought from and maintained since every year by Brownhills and having traded-in our Hymer Classic 534 (only for layout reasons) we are over the moon with the Auto-Trail which has been terrific. We spent our first holiday over Christmas in France and NE Spain within months of buying it and other than the pipes freezing (it was terribly cold - much more so than we have ever experienced) we experienced no problems with the Apache.

In fact we are so pleased with Auto-Trail that we made the decision to have a dome satellite system and a Sterling Battery-to-Battery 50amp Charger and 2 x 110Ah Batteries fitted and just before Christmas 2011 we travelled the 200+miles from Anglesey to Thirsk to have a 60ltr LPG tank fitted in the enormous space mid-ships underneath. I hope to post separately our very positive experiences of Autogas2000 and their helpful and efficient staff.

I also had reason to ask for information and advice from Auto-Trail HQ and I found them very helpful e-mailing me appropriate drawings. They even supplied me the appropriate stainless steel screws and part roll of sealant for me to fit a rear ladder which another Auto-Trail owner kindly gave us (as he didn't want the ladder which was supplied as standard with his new AT).

If I was to ask for an improvement it would be to have a different habitation door closing mechanism designed that would shut more like a car door and that didn't necessitate such a firm tug and bang to close it properly. The only other improvement I would make would be with the vehicle end - on which the Continental Camper Tyres are useless for grip on anything slippy.

I would suggest you contact Auto-Trail directly to tell them about your experiences.

Did your model not come with an extended 3 year warranty? Luckily, ours had the residue of the 3 year warranty that the original owner bought and had just 1,800 miles on the clock due to being unable to get away from his business. We were able to use that warranty to solve a few minor niggles in the habitation end. The only other cost we faced was to buy a replacement starter battery which died suddenly after 3 years which is about right for most starter batteries).

James