# Laika 400I only lhd available??



## Jimbotdy (Sep 7, 2005)

Hi,looking to replace my Talbot Autosleeper Rambler 1991 next year.So far the only van i have seen that ticks all the right boxes is the Laika 400i on the Iveco but i can only find it in LHD.
Two questions really ,is it easy to adapt to using LHD in uk .
Is there any other model that has similar layout as most low profiles seem to be designed with couples who travel without the family.
Any help ,advice would be great.


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## trek (May 1, 2005)

Pre year 2000 the Laikia A class Motorhomes on the IVECO chassis were only available in LHD 

Post 2000 I seem to remember that the new IVECO Daily Laika AClass was available in RHD


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## snailsontour (May 1, 2005)

Hi.
We've got a Laika 400i - a superb motorhome that suits our lifestyle very well. It has a massive payload, good storage, the wonderful marine tank (make sure you get one with the UK cassette option), and of course rear wheel drive.

As far as I know there might be a few late model (say 2001 onwards) RHD models around, but the majority like ours are LHD. 

We wanted an LHD as we use it abroad for around half the year. It was fairly easy to get used to driving it in the UK. We just put some small pieces of electrical tape on the bottom of the windscreen to mark where the kerb and centre line are. After a couple weeks we didn't need them any more. You have to be careful at angled junctions and roundabouts, and overtaking (not that we do that often) and the co-driver is usually there to double check.
Bob

PS - if you want to wind up other A class owners just ask them how many doors they have? How many electric windows? Central locking, with remote?


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## Don_Madge (May 1, 2005)

snailsontour said:


> Hi.
> We've got a Laika 400i - a superb motorhome that suits our lifestyle very well. It has a massive payload, good storage, the wonderful marine tank (make sure you get one with the UK cassette option), and of course rear wheel drive.
> 
> As far as I know there might be a few late model (say 2001 onwards) RHD models around, but the majority like ours are LHD.
> ...


How long have you had your 400i? We had a new one in December 2000 and it fell apart slowly over the next six months. It started of bad and got progressively worse. 8O

I took it back to the factory twice 8O for repairs.

good luck.

Don


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## PAT4NEIL (Jul 21, 2007)

Hi we have an A class ecovip 100i, it has a great payload and the layout we wanted it is LHD, but this was what we wanted as hoping to spend a lot of time in Europe.

Just have to be careful at junctions and roundabouts, I tend to navigate so its down to me to see if the coast is clear.

Rear wheel drive is a real bonus, as when it is wet and muddy we dont seem to struggle, also has a tight steering lock, great for mountain roads.

Rgards Pat


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## snailsontour (May 1, 2005)

> How long have you had your 400i? We had a new one in December 2000 and it fell apart slowly over the next six months. It started of bad and got progressively worse.


Hi Don
You saw our 400i at a Motorhome List meet a couple of years ago!

We have had the van for nearly 5 years (it is now 10 years old), nothing has ever broken or fallen off. It is an extremely well designed and assembled van. Apart from routine servicing we have only ever suffered from water leaks on the fresh water side, either caused by frost damage, or old age. Either way we have replaced the pump, the shower tap, the toilet water valve and the tank drain valve. I am now a lot more careful about draining down, and blowing through the circuit!
Bob


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## Don_Madge (May 1, 2005)

Hi Bob,

I remember you now.  

We were very unlucky with ours it was definitely a Friday afternoon Monday morning job.

Don


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## citroennut (May 16, 2005)

snailsontour said:


> PS - if you want to wind up other A class owners just ask them how many doors they have? How many electric windows? Central locking, with remote?


two, four inc. garage, one, two inc. skylight, yup, yup. having said that it is now 8yrs old so doesn't have all the mod cons. :lol:

driving a lhd here is fine, you quickly get accustomed to it. you will probably tend to sit on the centre line to start with and apparently passengers tend to flintch when something passes. 
simon


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## Laikadriver (May 1, 2005)

You can definitely get a Right Hand Drive 400i from 2001 onwards on the 'newer' Iveco chassis (I knew a bloke who had one)

As previously mentioned, driving a LHD in the UK is not as trumatic as you might at first think, you have lots of visibilty, it's not so bad....


My van is 10 years old now, I've owned it just over 5. In my experience there are a couple of design flaws which can rectified, but you need to keep an eye out for them early on.

1. The shower-tray is poorly supported around the drain areas (the hole cut in the fllor to allow access for the pipes are oversized) this can cause the trays to 'punch through' if weight is directly applied over the drain.

2. Watch for corrosion around the straps which secure the underslung waste-tanks. I caught corrosion on mine early, but there was movement of the tanks which needed sorted.

3. There is a 'wet' heater matrix located beneath one of the lounge seats within the dinette. Careless storage in the locker in which it is situated can cause pressure on the rubber pipes which supply coolant from the engine, which can cause plastic inlets on the matrix to stress and crack. Laika do not provide a replacement matrix if this happens.

4. Use of the oven, which is situated directly above the refridgerator, creates a lot of 'trapped heat', which affects the fridge. Nothing really can be done about this (that I can see anyway)

The rest of the 'habitation/ Laika' side of things is not to bad. Parts availability is nothing short of atrocious, so order any essential items way in advance of any planned tour!

Hell-mend you if the windscreen gets damaged!

One creeping and expensive problem my motorhome (1999 Iveco Daily 3512) has developed is continuing problems with the brakes. I have had the entire braking system overhauled at £1,000+ including new calipers/ discs/pads/shoes/drums etc... however problems still persist in various forms. It's seems there is a design fault with the 'automatic adjusters' which service the rear brake shoes. A modification/replacement to these are available from Iveco which reduces, but does not eliminate, the problem of 'brake binding'.
If laying the van up for any length of time, I have to leave the van in gear, and chock the wheels, leaving the handbrake off. I've actually dug depressions in the driveway which the van's wheels are reversed into, and use 'aircraft' style wheel chocks on all wheels. The ground is perfectly flat, even so, I don't feel too comfortable with the situation....

I have been to three different independant garages with regard to the brakes, and they all have experienced trouble with Iveco 'daily' brakes on vehicles which are seldom used.

Worth checking if it's been sitting at a dealer forecourt for months!!


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