# Leaking coachwork on 2007 Compass Avantgarde 120



## johnc (May 1, 2005)

Just to add to my misery over this crap van, I am sure I have a leak over the cab area. Initial signs were kitchen roll and towels feeling damp. 

Took it back to the dealer who said that it was OK as the dampness level on the wood (MDF) was only 14%. I have measured the dampness with a multimeter and a couple of needles and get readings of around 5 M ohms, rest of the van is infinity. 

Think I am being told a load of horse manure. Can anyone give me what % is acceptable for a new van. 

John C


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## Marian (Oct 20, 2007)

*damp*

We had leaks on our Auto-Trail Dakota. Chelston told me anything below 25% is OK. Ours was above that areas and they have fixed it. Can you see where it is coming in from. Ours was from a) the heki light and b) the pull out blind box. Both were the result of poor quality sealant in manufacture.

Best of luck. Take it back to the dealers and demand a proper check. You may take your van to any authorised dealer and they are able to carry out repairs under manufacturers warranty. If you feel you are being palmed off ask another dealer to take a look.


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## johnc (May 1, 2005)

*Re: damp*



Marian said:


> We had leaks on our Auto-Trail Dakota. Chelston told me anything below 25% is OK. Ours was above that areas and they have fixed it. Can you see where it is coming in from. Ours was from a) the heki light and b) the pull out blind box. Both were the result of poor quality sealant in manufacture.
> 
> Best of luck. Take it back to the dealers and demand a proper check. You may take your van to any authorised dealer and they are able to carry out repairs under manufacturers warranty. If you feel you are being palmed off ask another dealer to take a look.


Thanks Marian,

Can't believe that 25% is OK, seems very high. Was thinking of taking the van to another Compass dealer but there is a clause in the warranty that states that whilst we can take the van to another dealer, they are under no obligation to carry out the work. (great warranty)

John C


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## Rapide561 (Oct 1, 2005)

*Warranty*

Hi

Sadly, in my opinion, the motorhome warranty situation is a shambles compared to a car warranty.

Case 1 - My Corsa, originally supplied by a Vauxhall dealer in the Norwich area. Car comes to me via a car supermarket. I had a bit of warranty work done in Italy at an OPEL dealer, and a fault fixed with an electric mirror at a Vauxhall agent in Ripon. No questions, no fuss, no terms and conditions.

Case 2 - a motorhome. You have already discovered the problem with your warranty. Equally, some dealers will not carry out warranty work on a vehicle they have not supplied.

It is a shambles. Any Explorer dealer should be authorised to carry out warranty work on an Explorer product.

Under UK law though, the warranty provider can impose what ever terms and conditions he likes.

Russell

I pray for the day TESCO start selling motorhomes. I have emailed them again.


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## Marian (Oct 20, 2007)

*Leak*

We had major problems with our suppliers, Chelston, which are now happily resolved. I phoned Auto-Trail and they said it was Ok to take it to another dealer. I then phoned round and explained my problems and got work done by someone who was very helpful. Try ringing round and see how far you get.

You can of course contact the manufacturers direct like I did.


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## johnc (May 1, 2005)

*Almost certain there is a leak.*

Just carried out a further test on my van. Place a hygrometer in the locker where I think there is a leak and within 1 hour, the reading was 70% RH. Moved the Hygrometer to another locker which I know to be dry and the meter dropped to 65% within 30 mins. I am now positive I have a leak in the overhead cab area.

What really makes me angry is that I left the van with the dealer for a further week so that they could monitor the moisture level as I told them I was not happy with their findings. From my home made unit the dampness level is now far worse than it was two weeks ago when they said it was 14 %.

My own suspicion is that the dealer who sold me the van does not want to have to do the work as they will not get paid very much from Compass Motorhomes.

I am now faced with a third round trip of about 500 miles to get the van back to them(motorhome and car to get there, car back home, car back to dealer, car and motorhome back home) . Makes you sick of the whole Motorhome Industry.


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## JohnsCrossMotorHomes (Jul 21, 2007)

*Re: Almost certain there is a leak.*



johnc said:


> I am now faced with a third round trip of about 500 miles to get the van back to them(motorhome and car to get there, car back home, car back to dealer, car and motorhome back home) . Makes you sick of the whole Motorhome Industry.


Hi sorry to hear of your problems, but please dont tar all dealers with the same brush, there are good dealers out there who strive to satisfy their customers.

Try running a hosepipe over the areas where you think there might be a leak, check for water ingress ABOVE the line of the locker as water goes downhill mainly although it can run along a line or ledge. It can only get in where there is a join, possibly the cab top to body. Ok you shouldn't have to do it but its easier than taking it back.

I had a leak on my boat and it was a s*d to find, turned out to be a corner of the windscreen rubber which I though I had already sealed.

Regards


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## carolgavin (May 9, 2005)

I am asking this but feel I already know the answer. Have you contacted Explorer? Now I know that during the whole scuttlegate saga they have been as much use as a chocolate teapot but you could try. Lets face it explorer is a whole other subject, one which I may post on at another date.
I have the e-mail of their homolgation, homologotions or whatever it was manager bloke of you want it. 
Really hope you get it fixed John maybe you and I will form that convoy yet. Maybe time we got our picture in the paper!!

John bring it over here and maybe Gavin and you can find it by using Johncrosses suggestion!!


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## johnc (May 1, 2005)

*Re: Almost certain there is a leak.*



JohnsCrossMotorHomes said:


> johnc said:
> 
> 
> > I am now faced with a third round trip of about 500 miles to get the van back to them(motorhome and car to get there, car back home, car back to dealer, car and motorhome back home) . Makes you sick of the whole Motorhome Industry.
> ...


Thanks JohnCrossMotorhomes

Spent a lifetime tracing leaks in yachts and mobos so know the drill. Problem is that there is no apparent signs of actual water ingress, just the front section of wood trim in the overcab locker has very low resistance values and the area is damp. The readings on my meter are actually worse than some of the areas in our old 1991 Holdsworth Ranger.

Tragedy of this entire episode is that we traded in our old Ranger to avoid the problems of potential leaks by buying a brand new van and what have we got, a Peugeot base unit which has more "leeks" than Cardiff on St David's day and coachwork which has all the hallmarks of being a colander.

John C


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## sergeant (Jun 7, 2006)

Hi John C, At this time of year it is perfectly normal for damp readings to be between 8 & 18%. In the summer I would expect 4 to 16% depending on location within the van. You have been told the truth, 25% & above is when you have problems. What is more important than the actual reading is the reading relative to other areas. ie 14% is normal, but if you have 20% in an area but 6" away it is 14% then there MAY be something wrong, Steve


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

John...PM on way.

G


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## johnc (May 1, 2005)

sergeant said:


> Hi John C, At this time of year it is perfectly normal for damp readings to be between 8 & 18%. In the summer I would expect 4 to 16% depending on location within the van. You have been told the truth, 25% & above is when you have problems. What is more important than the actual reading is the reading relative to other areas. ie 14% is normal, but if you have 20% in an area but 6" away it is 14% then there MAY be something wrong, Steve


Thanks Steve.

The part of the van I am concerned about is right at the front of the over cab area in the fibreglass section. What is odd that the resistance figures I am getting change on a day to day basis. As I said I can only measure the electrical resistance but it can be infinity one day and after it rains can drop to 5 M ohms. Rest of the van is infinity. Even the side of the overcab area are OK. The other pointer to it being damp is the fact that towels felt really damp and cold and that documents curled up.

I am planning to take it to another dealer tomorrow and pay them to carry out a dampness test on the suspect area.

Grizzly. Got you PM, thanks for the thoughts, have kept a record of mileage. turns out to be almost 500 miles (for the van and a car) each time we have to take the van back to the dealer and leave it with them,

Regards

John.


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