# Bentley Motorhomes in Trouble..



## peejay (May 10, 2005)

Bentley Motorhomes enters liquidation....

http://www.outandaboutlive.co.uk/Mo...Motorhomes-enters-liquidation/_ch1_nw2280_pg1

Pete


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## Mrplodd (Mar 4, 2008)

Bu**ger !!


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## geordie01 (Apr 20, 2006)

Good grief they did not last long!!


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## bognormike (May 10, 2005)

oh dear, fairly conculsive, and not just administration. as geordie says, they didn't last long.


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

Interesting quote from the liquidator;

_"It is particularly disappointing to be called into such a well-run company and one that has an excellent reputation for the quality of its products.

"The market in which the company trades is extremely competitive and the recent poor weather has done little for sales. We have received considerable interest in the business, which, at this early stage, is encouraging."_

that may just be window dressing as he is trying to interest potential investors, but if it is a genuine comment then the folding is even more of a shame.

Not that we would have been able to afford one.......

Dave


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## stewartwebr (May 27, 2005)

Goodness me, this is such a shame. I can't help but think that a lot of Bentley customers were loyal customers of Autocruise and many of them suffered when they folded loosing warranties, such a shame that many may now find themselves in the same position again.


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## pete4x4 (Dec 20, 2006)

Dissappointing yes but what was the box on wheels in the photo. I would have hoped the construction would have been a little different.


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## Rapide561 (Oct 1, 2005)

*Bentley*

Nothing on Bentley's website to indicate anything amiss, and the most info I could find at the London Gazette...

http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/60222/notices/1638898/all=bentley+motorhomes;sort=newest

Russell


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## carol (May 9, 2005)

Peejay just sent it to Dave as well to be posted in the News bit, but you beat me to it here. We have some friends we met at Dusseldorf in 2007 who bought one in April, and then had damp problems within a week. Asked for advice etc and in the end decided as they liked it, they would key them fix it, p,us get some extras thrown in they had wanted. They also got a lifetime warranty and habitation checks included. No use to them now. Sad for all the owners. They did receive excellent reviews. Wonder who will be next? 

Carol


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## nukeadmin (Oct 10, 2003)

shame, they seemed very nice vans


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## SilverF1 (Feb 27, 2009)

Peejay, thanks for the heads-up on this. A friend of mine is about to swap his current van for a Bentley one.

Were the Bentley brothers involved when Autocruise were taken over by Swift?


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## carol (May 9, 2005)

Mike, I am curious what is the difference between liquidation and administration then

Tks in advance

Carol


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## ob1 (Sep 25, 2007)

SilverF1 said:


> Were the Bentley brothers involved when Autocruise were taken over by Swift?


Yes.


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## bognormike (May 10, 2005)

Silver F1 - I think it was Bentley and son? I think they left after a venture capital company bought out Autocruise. It was after that when Swift bought the company out of administration.
I think Bentleys had gone into the old Autocruise factory that was closed by Swift after they moved production to their main factory.

Carol

administration - sometimes called receivership is where an expert is called in to manage the company with a view to selling it as a going concern to new owners. There is often an arrangement with creditors whereby they forego some of their debt for instalment payments over a number of years on the balance. The administrator is normally called in by the directors under pressure from creditors / banks when they can't meet their day to day commitments. It is an offence to trade while insolvent, and directors can be held personally laible if they do so.
This - receivership - is what happened with Brownhills, (2 times?) they reconstructed and left creditors with large debts written off.
Liquidation is where the company is totally woulnd up - it normally means that there is no hope of restructuring / recovery, and there would be probably nothing for creditors. (investors would lose the lot, unless secured by directors' guarantees.)


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## rosalan (Aug 24, 2009)

They were not the first and will not be the last that give a high quality product outside of the 'average' market, which sadly limits their customer range. I guess that the possibility of being re-financed is there and I truly hope that it is, for the range of motorhomes produced in this country seems ever to be shrinking. Germany on the other hand seems to be increasing its quality output leaving us mainly with Swift, about whom these threads seem to indicate several shortcomings. 
I for one, would have bought a Bentley but they were more expensive than the foreign equivalent and loyalty is one thing and price is something quite different.
Alan


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## trevd01 (Oct 26, 2007)

I was talking to someone in the motorhome trade (in the South Yorkshire area where Bentley's production unit was) who told me three weeks ago they had 'gone under'.

Here's some guides to various terms used when companies fail:

_Administration

This takes place after a company, its directors or one of more of its creditors have asked the courts to step in. The court will appoint administrators whose powers are very broad and replace the existing directors. Administration also protects a company from an legal action. The administrator's primary objective is to keep the company operating as a going concern to achieve the best possible returns for creditors before going into liquidation.

• Liquidation

If companies cannot keep operating as a going concern, liquidation may the only option. This is intended to release as many assets as possible to pay off creditors. Crucially, though, companies in administration cannot be forced into liquidation.

• Receivership

While administrators are appointed the court, an administrative receiver is called in by a bank or other creditor who has a charge over all or most of the assets of a company. The receiver's goal is to act in the interests of the holder of the charge. Legal actions can still be brought and liquidators can still be appointed._

Source:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2009/jan/05/recession-retail


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## tuscan30 (Feb 19, 2012)

That's sad news - my piggy bank was aiming at a Bentley when we come to change next time.
Commiserations to all involved with the company and to the owners of their products.


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## suedew (May 10, 2005)

Sad news, especially for those who bought on the 'lifetime warranty'.
am i the only person who didn't like them very much? Interior fairly well thought out, but i have seen more attractive horse boxes.

am sure there are many people who feel the same about my van though.

Sue


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## pomme1 (May 19, 2005)

This is very sad, but regrettably wholly predictable. If you take into account the previous history with Autocruise, add the breakneck speed at which they extended their range and factor in the current financial climate, then there was a certain inevitability to the whole thing.

The Bentleys appear to be good designers, but competent businessmen? ... I think the jury's out on that one!

Roger


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## cabby (May 14, 2005)

I thought that the Father & Son Bentley team had some good ideas over the years, but the design I thought was very oldfashioned.Not too sure about quality after my dealings with them over the Mustang.
Maybe they will move onto building boats next.

cabby


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## GROUNDHOG (Mar 7, 2006)

Funnily enough I have been discussing with a friend who builds luxurious boats about building motorhomes, they too are suffering in the World recession have the facility, capacity and the skill to produce bespoke motorhomes for the 'top end' of the market.

Very sad about Bentley, innovative and would love to have seen them succeed, this Country needs people like Bentley.


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## kaacee (Nov 29, 2008)

2 companies both gone under, not a very good advert is it.

Maybe good designers but appear to be lacking in business acumen.


Keith


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## CliveMott (Mar 10, 2008)

Is this not the management that sold Autocruise to Swift then after waiting for the prescribed period just started again under a different name??


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## aikidoamigo (Aug 11, 2011)

I saw their new vans and thought they were nothing too special... I just wonder whether the owners were following their heart more than their head when they started out a few years back


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## Andysam (May 10, 2005)

CliveMott said:


> Is this not the management that sold Autocruise to Swift then after waiting for the prescribed period just started again under a different name??


Yes it is mate. I had 3 Autocruises over 3 years. The quality declined over that time. With warranty issues that the dealer could not sort it meant a trip to the factory where the Bentleys made LOTS of promises. None of which appeared.

I feel sorry for anyone with a recently bought one. Corner will have been cut in efforts to remain afloat.


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## turbodes (Nov 28, 2006)

We personal know Gordon & Richard Bentley cant imagine any other directors in the motorhome business that is as genuine, hardworking and who put in there all to get Bentley motorhomes up and running with a good reputation from quite alot of there customers, it is a real shame if they do fold in such a short time due to these bad times, the father/son team will be gutted if this happens after all there efforts
Des/Lynn


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## aikidoamigo (Aug 11, 2011)

sometimes there is nothing that can do, especially when the market turns against you.

I am sure there intentions were 100% but every market is tough these days and pride is painful sometimes.


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