# Changes needed to use my motorhome in France



## jonse (Nov 2, 2008)

Hi, I have just joined the site and have been reading some of the stories about Swift as I have just bought a Sundance 590 RL 2000reg and am going to register it in France. The first thing that I will need to do is increase the gas door to thirty plus cm as the French gas bottles are 30cm wide at the base, and the Swift fitted door is only twenty six cm wide. Also I had the immobilizer disconnected due to problems, by a Fiat garage, but now I have no 12v fridge light. So is the the wiring to the 12v side of the fridge connected to the immobiliser side of the ignition? And why is the water tank not strapped down? I will be in touch with Swift to see if I can resolve the gas door problem. Jonse France. :roll:


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## sideways (Jun 2, 2008)

It will be cheaper and easier and more useful to fit an underslung LPG tank than altering the locker door and frame and will give you an extra storage locker as well.


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## Chascass (May 10, 2007)

Or buy a Gaslow refillable gas bottle, then you can fill up in most countries not just France.

Charlie


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## Spacerunner (Mar 18, 2006)

Use Camping Gaz bottles, not cheap but must be cost effective against a major body alteration.


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## drcotts (Feb 23, 2006)

sideways said:


> It will be cheaper and easier and more useful to fit an underslung LPG tank than altering the locker door and frame and will give you an extra storage locker as well.


or fit standard refillable gas bottles

Phill


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## 97587 (Feb 6, 2006)

*mh france*

I would also look into the habitation door siting.

I am unsure of the facts but remember reading somewhere of someone trying to do the same.

His main problem was that the hab door was on the nearside of a RH drive vehicle.

I believe that he could not get it regidtered unless the door was re-positioned to the offside i.e. nearside on the continent.

Sorry I cannot offer any other info as to whom to go to check.

Pete


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## bognormike (May 10, 2005)

*Re: mh france*



PeteS said:


> I would also look into the habitation door siting.
> 
> I am unsure of the facts but remember reading somewhere of someone trying to do the same.
> 
> ...


My thoughts as well, PeteS; sure I've seen it here somehwere, but can't think where (or find it). Somebody was trying to do the same, right hand drive cab was Ok, but not the habitation door on the wrong side :roll:


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## SwiftGroup (Jun 27, 2007)

jonse said:


> Hi, I have just joined the site and have been reading some of the stories about Swift as I have just bought a Sundance 590 RL 2000reg and am going to register it in France. The first thing that I will need to do is increase the gas door to thirty plus cm as the French gas bottles are 30cm wide at the base, and the Swift fitted door is only twenty six cm wide. Also I had the immobilizer disconnected due to problems, by a Fiat garage, but now I have no 12v fridge light. So is the the wiring to the 12v side of the fridge connected to the immobiliser side of the ignition? And why is the water tank not strapped down? I will be in touch with Swift to see if I can resolve the gas door problem. Jonse France. :roll:


Hello

Not sure if we can be very helpful, especially with the gas locker door, we do not make made to measure doors if they are not part of our specifilcation.

Our telephone number is 01482 875740

Regards
Kath


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## Tmax (Aug 5, 2006)

Hi, I think before you begin to make any bodywork changes your first call should be to your local office in France of the DRIRE which is the department which deals with registration of imported vehicles. They are generally quite helpful with queries. I have heard that there are problems with habitation doors being on the wrong side for France and also that the gas systems in the UK do not meet French requirements, this in addition to having to change the headlights ( beam deflectors won't do ) could make it a prohibitively expensive exercise. In which departement do you live ? I am in 66.

Regards, Tom


Toujours a Vacances !


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## averhamdave (May 21, 2005)

You've obviously bought the wrong van. Why didn't you buy a european van?

Swift aftersales service is very good now (needs to be given their poor build quality) but I doubt they'll be able to offer much help in France. What will you do when the bed collapses or the floor rots? It's OK here because they can deal with it, but in France?

Anyway they aren't going to move the door or fit a bigger gas locker door are they? Besides there are various sizes of gas bottles available in France but as has been said, re-fillable is your best option given the availablitity of LPG at the pumps there.


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## Diver (May 15, 2005)

I seem to remember that Swift were at the Dusseldorf show aiming to enter the European market so surely they have researched the needs of this market? 

I’m sure they will be able to help you if you give them a call.


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## jonse (Nov 2, 2008)

Thanks everyone for your replies, apologies for not getting back in touch earlier.
My reply to Kath is that maybe Swift should increase the gas-door locker size to a minimum of 400mm x 500mm. What do all the owners do when on holiday abroad if their bottles run out? If they do not have re-fillable bottles it seems to me they are slightly 'up the creek'
To everyone else -this is our second English motorhome. We registered the first (a Ford Hillsider) 3 years ago. Yes, it was involved -visits to various departmental offices etc. but in the end everything went OK. The habitation door was not a problem, but we did have to have checks done on the gas fittings etc. No jubilee clips holding gas piping, and an extra vent in the habitation door at floor level. As this was a 1993 model it lacked many of the fittings as standadrd that our new van does.
Hoping for no major problems this time!
I changed the gas bottle door on the Ford myself. Able to use standard French bottles after that. 
I didn't buy a left-hand drive van as the prices in France are far higher than in UK (second hand) I bought the Ford 3 years ago, and have just sold it to a French couple for the same price as I paid for it. My reasoning is -if you don't pay a lot you don't lose a lot......unlike some of the poor Ducatto owners who are experiencing huge problems at the moment with the juddering etc.
No disrespect meant to anyone.
Jonse. France 11 -Aude. ps Headlamps 110euros the pair new


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