# Autosleeper Quality Comments Please



## Tucano

Busily trawling through the Autosleeper topics on the forum and would also appreciate anyones comments on their build quality, reliability etc etc.
Thinking specifically about the Sandhurst on the VW chassis because I was sickened by the Fiat woes with my previous Autotrail.
All thoughts gratefully accepted although will be awhile actually committing to a purchase, lead time for the model I like is six months so that being about the winter period I will probably commit myself this time next year, or not :roll: 
Thanks again,
Norman

Must get the wallpapering finished so I'm off :roll:


----------



## hblewett

A friend of ours has one (I forget which model) it was his second, and he had NO problems with it at all. It was built before the company went under and re-emerged in new form, so its worth getting more up-to-date feedback on whether the build quality is still as good. They have had it about 3 years now, and are still delighted with it.


----------



## Mike48

Mine's nearly 7 years old. I never have a habitation service and not a single thing has gone wrong except for the Hekki stays which I must get around to fixing.

I spend 4 to 5 months a year away in the van and it still looks like new. Excellent quality throughout.


----------



## CaGreg

We have an Autosleepers Topaz 2001 model on a VW, and we are really impressed with the build quality and reliability. Everything is finished well and very solid. We have had it for two and a half years and would highly recommend it, even though they can be a bit more expensive. We are about to do a 24 day trip to France, Spain and possibly Portugal starting next week so will keep a diary and write it up when I get back.

Autosleepers Rock!! (and roll!)

Ca


----------



## Steamdrivenandy

Hi Norman,

You mentioning the Sandhurst got me thinking and I checked the 2009 range on the A/S website and as I suspected it doesn't feature. Mind it is in the current brochure, so I'm not sure what that's all about.

We looked at the Sandhurst several times when we were looking for a new van and we liked it a lot (apart from the circular shower which was sized for a racing snake, not an elephant like me) and we felt there was little floor space for dogs at night.

Hope you are well.

Was it one of yours that fell out of the sky a couple of weeks back? How's the pilot, all they said was that he was taken to hospital but not seen any further info.

Andy


----------



## Tucano

Thanks for the replies to date, much appreciated,
CaGreg, enjoy your tour,
Andy, I have the brochure and the Sandhurst is in there but don't know about the information on their web site. It was one of ours that came down recently, finger trouble by ##### but I never said that :lol: 
Jockey is okay after he banged out but the aircraft is finished.
Norman


----------



## richardjames

When did Autosleeper 'go under'?


----------



## Patchworkqueen

Hi We are on our third AS having just collected a Broadway 2 weeks ago.

The build quality is first class as far as I am concerned. 
I can understand your reluctance to buy on a Peugeot base but we have done just that. We traded in our Clubman which was on VW T4 and bought the Broadway because it was the layout we wanted.
My husband does not drive the MH so it's down to me and I must say so far the Peugeot is just as good if not better to drive than the VW.
I know there have been issues with the base vehicle but I have not experienced any reverse judder so far and the water in the engine compartment has been dealt with.

The Sandhurst is still available but it has not been a huge success for AS so I think they are built to order. There are a number of low mileage / pre registered ones about if you do an internet search. Martins of Exeter had a couple and Marquis has some.

We would have preferred to buy on VW base but the layout is also important and we are very happy with our decision to buy the Broadway.

Chris


----------



## ingram

richardjames said:


> When did Autosleeper 'go under'?


Someone is getting confused between Autosleeper and Autocruise perhaps .... not so difficult: as I was reading this *I* was thinking that I have an Autosleeper but I haven't ....... :?

Harvey


----------



## Steamdrivenandy

Patchworkqueen said:


> We traded in our Clubman which was on VW T4 and bought the Broadway because it was the layout we wanted.
> Chris


Slight aside but in the new issue of Pract. Hotormome there's an article on the history of Auto-Sleepers.

I noticed that the author wonders why they never carried on building the Gatcombe/Clubman on the VW T5 when it superceded the T4.

We were dead set on a Clubman at one time but couldn't find a recent one, people must hold on to them. Seems silly not to carry on with such a popular combination.

SDA


----------



## Mandi

We have an 03 Rienza on a Transit from the old Autosleeper. We bought second hand and have had no problems and very pleased with the build quality. Although first MH so nothing to compare with other than caravans. Last one was an Abbey twin axle and the AS is better build.

:lol:


----------



## zappy61

*AS Quality*

Been very pleased with ours no complaints (as yet). After sales has been very good also. Yes I would buy another.

Graham


----------



## Jagman

More praise from me  

02 transit based Pollensa; excellent quality with lots of nice touches including comfortable seat/beds; cupboard doors that fit and stay shut; quality fabrics; excellent cooker and decent fridge; great if smallish washroom. Just had annual service/habitation check at a new place - fitter very impressed and described it as a genuine 'coachbuilt'.

I'd buy AS again.

They haven't 'gone under' but didn't they say on here that they were going to stop manufacturing new vehicles for a bit from about now ?


----------



## Tucano

My thanks to you all again, very impressed with this topic so far, everyone who has replied has only happy tales to tell. 
Patchworkqueen, I also liked the Broadway, except for the Fiat side of it, but I thought that it was maybe too big for a single guy. My original intention was to buy a PVC but I have decided that there is too little storage area in them. I must compromise somewhere so goodness knows what I will eventually finish up with.
Regards,
Norman


----------



## pneumatician

*Autosleeper*

We have had two Autosleepers a "Trident" and a "Polensa" the build quality on both was good but the base vehicle on the Pollensa was unimpressive. We would probably have had a third if we could have got a Clubman or similar. 
We were told the reason they stopped the clubman was because it was much more expensive/labour intensive than the coachbuilts to produce.
We purchased a van built on roughly the same principles as the Clubman a "La Strada" on a Mercedes.

I don't think they have gone certainly hope not.

Steve


----------



## Steamdrivenandy

Tucano said:


> My thanks to you all again, very impressed with this topic so far, everyone who has replied has only happy tales to tell.
> Patchworkqueen, I also liked the Broadway, except for the Fiat side of it, but I thought that it was maybe too big for a single guy. My original intention was to buy a PVC but I have decided that there is too little storage area in them. I must compromise somewhere so goodness knows what I will eventually finish up with.
> Regards,
> Norman


Norman,

If you want storage AND under 6m (like most PVC's) with enough room for one or two people (plus two beardies in our case), then consider a Van van.

Good size double bed in the back with masses of storage underneath, kitchen and washroom amidships and a half dinette - lovely.

We happen to have the Adria version on the dreaded Fiat X250 and there's lots of other brands with the same size/layout eg Burstner, Hobby, Autocruise and then there's the Hymer, Chausson Flash and Sunlight on the Tranny base.

If you want to have a look round one to get a 'feel' for the layout then we'll be happy to see you and provide a cuppa and cake.

Cheers

Andy


----------



## linal

Hi Had an A.S. executive before the Hymer & I think the build quality is every bit as good.

Alex.


----------



## foll-de-roll

Hi I have had two Autosleepers. First one was the Trident ,excellent, but a bit small for long trips, and the bed was a bit of a struggle,also wife found the Porti Potty a bit "infra dig". I now have the Duetto which is still very compact and very well fitted out. The quality of the A/S build is second to none, and certainly more substantial than our Eriba(Hymer). The S/H prices reflect the demand for Autosleepers and deservedly so, IMHO. Cheers Andy


----------



## Greggy

Hello,

I can kill two birds on this thread, firstly I've had two AS vans, a 1980 Bedford CF SB 43 and a 1991 VW Trident. Both vans although older and very different were excellent, the old Bedford especially with all that real wood but everything worked and wore well. Had the Bedford for two years and the VW for fourteen.

A couple of times I contacted Auto-Sleeper with queries and they were very helpful, nothing was too much trouble. 

I'm waiting on my third, a Duetto and that's my second bird so to speak, as I'm glad to read from folks who have posted here saying the quality is still good on newer conversions so here's hoping. I believe they are now part of the Sea Group but I may be wrong.

Cheers,

Greg.


----------



## HH66

I've had a Symbol (52 reg)since November. Haven't done a huge amount of touring in it yet but very impressed with everything about it. It feels surprisingly spacious and we find there's plenty of room for bedding, food, clothes and our all important walking gear (rucksacks, boots, poles etc). I recently bought a trigger shower head after reading good reports about them on MHF but it didn't fit my shower. No problem - emailed Autosleepers' service dept and a helpful chap called Charles had a hunt around and found me an adaptor. Fantastic service!

HH


----------



## sunbeams

Had an autosleeper clubman changed to an autotrail cheyenne not nearly as good build quality so have just got a autosleeper wilton on a ford base and a very happy man again


----------



## vardy

My Harmony is 14yrs old and I still find when looking at many newer slightly larger vans that the autosleeper conversion compares well if not better for quality and layout.


----------



## Tucano

Many thanks for your comments to date, enjoying the hunt,
Norman


----------

