Fiat cancelling Ducato orders

[fiona b]

So having made the painful decision to sell our pop top campervan last July, we placed an order for a Wildax Pulsar and sold our van Build date was Jan/Feb 22. Time ticked on until Thursday when the dealer phoned us to say Fiat had cancelled the order as couldn't fullfil this year. 18 of their 40 orders had been cancelled and not just Wildax vans.
Option was deposit refund or possibly get a 2023 one with about 10k price increase.

Lot of soul searching this weekend and now seriously thinking about demountable on second hand pickup.

Good luck to anyone with a Ducato on order.

Fiona

 

[Colinc]

I just read that some colours are restricted. Presumably they didn't suggest a different colour?

 

[Budgie]

Was at Auto-Trail factory a couple of months ago got talking to the service girl she said it's a 2 year lead time for vans now.

 

[wildebus]

Is there not usually a choice of platforms with many motorhome models? Sprinters and Transits are nice cabs and just as capable I would imagine (albeit at a greater cost, which is why the Ducatos are the standard)

 

[mistericeman]

Is there not usually a choice of platforms with many motorhome models? Sprinters and Transits are nice cabs and just as capable I would imagine (albeit at a greater cost, which is why the Ducatos are the standard)

I'm sure I remember that there was some tax/duty loophole that came, about (or was exploited)
Due to the way that Ducatos chassis cabs etc were shipped... Siamesed together.

I used to love the transit (mk7 Has one of THE best commercial cabs ergonomically wise IMHO)
However the transit seems to look VERY dated these days...
AND lack of security is pitiful (transit is one of THE most commonly stolen vehicles, second only to landrover products)
Means I wouldn't want anything transit based...
Love the ruggedness of the Ivecos though.

 

[1807truckman]

It's not just Fiat Ducatos, I've had the order for my new sprinter delayed, was due to be built last week of October 2021, one week before due build date dealer emailed to say Mercedes had delayed build due to the shortage of micro processors until sometime in 2022, still not heard when, I will be contacting dealer after the bank holiday to find out whats going on.

 

[fiona b]

Is there not usually a choice of platforms with many motorhome models? Sprinters and Transits are nice cabs and just as capable I would imagine (albeit at a greater cost, which is why the Ducatos are the standard)

Unfortunately not. The Pulsar is on the short wheel base (4.99m), so just the Citroen (manual) or Ducato (automatic). Fiat will actually discontinue the van in 2023 so Pulsar will be 5.4.
No options given re different van/colour just cancel or try next year at higher price.

 

[TJBi]

<snip>

I used to love the transit (mk7 Has one of THE best commercial cabs ergonomically wise IMHO)
However the transit seems to look VERY dated these days...
AND lack of security is pitiful (transit is one of THE most commonly stolen vehicles, second only to landrover products)
Means I wouldn't want anything transit based...
Love the ruggedness of the Ivecos though.

It is possible to add aftermarket security to the Transit Mk7. More than one thread about the options.

 

[mistericeman]

It is possible to add aftermarket security to the Transit Mk7. More than one thread about the options.

Disklok (ideally modified with extra welding)
OBD port relocate (or secured)
Fuel cut off
Electrical cut off
Standard tibbe locks are woeful and picked in seconds with a £30 pick
Hykee ones not much better as picks available for around £50...
And besides which the rest of your doors/windows probably wouldn't put up much of a fight...
Cheap tracker for th to, find and rip out
AND a, more expensive one we'll hidden....
Would be the bare minimum for me....

Basically you are trying to make your more pfaff to steal than the next nearest one....
Layers layers layers...
More time it takes to defeat the more they will likely look elsewhere.

 

[1807truckman]

It's not just Fiat Ducatos, I've had the order for my new sprinter delayed, was due to be built last week of October 2021, one week before due build date dealer emailed to say Mercedes had delayed build due to the shortage of micro processors until sometime in 2022, still not heard when, I will be contacting dealer after the bank holiday to find out whats going on.

Just an update, had an email from the dealer this morning, the Sprinter is at the dealer, just got to get it scheduled in at the converters so it could be another 6 or 7 months.