# Autotrail Arapaho



## metblue (Oct 9, 2006)

Hi to all,update on my efforts re the bag of S*** I bought from Autotrail in March this year.Collected the van from Elite motorhomes in Banbury.Good company easy to deal with.Drove home to Scotland,loaded the van up ready for a long weekend shakedown trip,to check all was oak.Glad we went because the power supply unit packed up,no lights,no fridge,no heating crap !!!
Came home a day early called Elite guy told me what to check no joy !
called Autotrail they were about as much hell as a snowball in a fire,they told me to call Sargent,the company who makes the power supply unit,tech help said that they have had some problems with this unit.I then spoke to the owner John Sergeant who then in turn spoke to the auto electrician who was trying to fix it.Anyway P'S was knackered,Sergeant couriered a new one,leccy fitted all was the ok/working.
Two weeks later of we went to Spain for 8-10 weeks but alas only 8 days into our hols things started to go pear shaped,first the lights went out.then worked intermittently,then freezer ceased to work,then the electric step,only worked when it felt like it,then the fridge would not cool down (I had to purchase a small portable one) A few days later we meet our friends who asked if our door was ok as his had broke and would not open from within.this was the kiss of death,as the very next day the same happened to ours,And as we are both disabled,I had to go out the cab door to open the habitation door to let the wife and the dog out !!
We suffered various other small things happening throughout the van but the icing on the cake was that the floor delaminated between the door,the fridge and the toilet.It felt very unsafe and we were trying to step over it !!
Eventually we had enough,I called Autotrail,I was put through to a help tecnician who advised me that the factory was to busy to do anything and call again in several weeks time.I lost it and told him get me booked as I was coming into the factory on my way home from Dover.He told me to calm down and then advise to take to Camper UK in Lincoln to have them assess the van.This we did.the guy Dennis, i think said that Autotrail used to be a good company/good product but this was not now the case. Anyway he checked the van and confirmed that all of the faults were there and yes the floor had delaminated and in his opinion it could not be properly repaired as it has a double floor.
We drove to Grimsby to the Autotrail factory where we meet with a Mr Colin Treacher who came out to inspect the motorhome,he agreed that there were many faults but they were all repairable.I told him that as I was a time served coach builder I knew a double floor could not be repaired and also told him what the guy from Camper UK had said.
I then informed him that we would not accept any repair to the floor and that I wanted our money back and we were rejecting it under the sale of goods act as not fit for purpose.He very quickly changed his tune,telling me that they were the manufacturers and any future correspondence was to via the supplying dealer.I called Elite to appraise them of the situation and was advised to go to my solicitors.this we did and he sent a letter to Elite.
After this happened I received a telephone call from the owner of Elite a Mr Peter Maynard we talked.he agreed with me re the faults on the van,I agreed that under the sale of goods we could be offered an alternative motorhome,I argued for a cash payment for the difference,he talked with a Mr Turpin at Autotrail an amount was agreed and a new Autotrail Delaware.This was collected on the 10th of this month along with a cheque to make up the difference between the two motorhomes.
I have no problems with Elite Motorhomes however the staff and Colin Treacher has left me with a very bad taste in the mouth.The new Delaware is at a dealer to be sold (at a loss) as we will not be able to enjoy it as we would always be wondering what would go wrong next.
Autotrail,their suppliers want to get there joint acts to-gether as the so called quality control is a bloody disgrace Buy British! never again !! Over the last five years we have change our van each year with a collective total in excess of £200000 in value.The only one that was fault free was the cheapest, a Swift Sundance must have been very lucky there.
I know that there are many people out there who have/has similar problems with there van and it is a disgrace that the big two get away with mass producing such crap to sell onto the British public.Through this forum we can have our say.now only if the companies will listen we might get somewhere other than going via the courts.It's there responsibilities to get things done properly at the manufacturing base, not wait until disgruntled punters take things further.
I wish all of you the very best and I will continue to use this forum as it is the way forward to a better deal for all.
cheers


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## Rapide561 (Oct 1, 2005)

*Autotrail*

Blimey!

What is meant by "delaminating"?

Russell


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## Broom (Oct 8, 2007)

Hi Metblue (a good post not over the top)

Sorry to hear of your tale of woe, you are dead right, we are not aware of any major problems with ours but quite a few small ones which make up one big problem.

I have read quite a bit about the floor delaminated, could you explain this a bit more how did you pick up the defect any photos why and how do you think it happened.

Best Regards
Broom


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## metblue (Oct 9, 2006)

*delamination*

Hi Russell and others, not being an expert I will tell only what I do know.
Plywood (as used in flooring) is multiple layers of very thin wood layered one on top of the other and bonded using two pack epoxy resin.This is then high pressure loaded via a metal presss to squeeze out all/any are bubbles thus giving it it's strength.
Delamination is caused by various things.the resin not mixed properly,the press not held long enough (not usually the case) and finally various items fixed to the floor above or below using cheap and nasty screws instead of stainless steel ones.The former rust,become loose ,enlarge the hole making the floor like a teabag,if water gets in it get in between the layers causing the spongy feeling when walked on.
As far as I know this is delamination.The only correct way to repair is to drill part way through the floor,use a high pressure gun to inject the new resin therein and then clamp both sides of the panel until it hardens.Once this is completed fill the drilled holes with wood dowels,cut to fit,sand down and varnish.
This,from past experience is only a tempoary repair and will only last in average use for 2-3 years before reoccuring.
As I stated at the start this is from own past experience and not the anyone else's opinion.cheers.Tom


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## carolgavin (May 9, 2005)

Goodness have just read your tale and am so very sorry for what has happened. It's a real pity they did not give you all your money back which I am sure you would have been entitled to in spades!!!! Plus something for your trouble as well. I hope you sell the other new van for a very good price as I do not think you should be the one to loose out on such a defective vehicle. 
Is there any way you could sue em for the shortfall???


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## averhamdave (May 21, 2005)

Denns at Camper UK serviced my van last time. He told me that in his opinion Autotrail were by far and away the best UK built camper available. That was in June so things must have slipped since then!
:lol:


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