# Anyone got an Elddis Aspire?



## davidgee (Jun 7, 2011)

I have searched and searched all kinds of sites on the web and cannot find anyone who has the Elddis Aspire motor-home. They look great online. I'm out of the UK so would like to chat to someone who knows this van. Is there anyone? And how is Elddis Customer Service?


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## ob1 (Sep 25, 2007)

I would not recommend that you look any further. They do look the part but sadly they will be next to useless as a motorhome for most people. With payloads of just 200/214 or 240kg, depending on which model, you will not have enough weight available to carry a toothbrush. Sorry!


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## Rosbotham (May 4, 2008)

Agree in standard guise. However, I thought they offered a chassis upgrade now...see options list.


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## davidgee (Jun 7, 2011)

Yes, the upgrade offers a very substantial payload. This is no longer an issue. But is there a single person in the UK who has bought one?


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## Rapide561 (Oct 1, 2005)

*Aspire*

Hi

I can't recall when the model was launched but it is quite recent and so will be quite rare.

There was only for sale on Cleveland Motorhome's website.

Have you tried the Elddis owners club? (If there is one!)

Russell


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## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

Rosbotham said:


> Agree in standard guise. However, I thought they offered a chassis upgrade now...see options list.


Strewth!! 1140 quid to correct what has to be considered a basic design cock-up!! 8O 8O

The image (_from the Elddis website_) that intriges me is attached. What a strange arrangement for the bed base support and the underbed storage! 8O Unless the bed base lifts easily to the vertical it will be very a inconvenient grovel to get at anything in there.

I'd be very interested to see one in the flesh, as it does look a very attractive van in most other ways. :wink:

Dave
.


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## tonka (Apr 24, 2006)

I saw an Aspire at Stratford last week but only from the outside, wife commented how nice it looked.. :roll: Didnt go in to look...
Recently it's been in a magazine (C&CC ??) and like others I noted the very poor payload and the fact it was only 3300kg gross/mam..

The link to the upgrade posted by OB1 shows £1,900 for 3500kg upgrade !!!!!!!!!!! .. I reckon thats only a paperwork exercise ( needs checking) so maybe only about £250 with SV Tech.
Upgrading the power may also be an option via a re-map or tunig box for a few hundred quid as well.. A big saving against nearly £2k..


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## Hezbez (Feb 7, 2009)

I seem to remember it was reviewed in the latest isssue of the C&CC magazine. It didn't even comment on the payload issue.
Maybe if someone's still got their copy they could rip out the page and mail it to you? (Think I've chucked ours out now).

Nice looking van, would be totally useless to us with the original payload. But if it can be upgraded then that make it worth considering again.


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## davidgee (Jun 7, 2011)

Hezbez said:


> I seem to remember it was reviewed in the latest isssue of the C&CC magazine. It didn't even comment on the payload issue.
> Maybe if someone's still got their copy they could rip out the page and mail it to you? (Think I've chucked ours out now).


Thank you. Has anyone got that review? Or is it available online? Still can't find anyone who's actually purchased this van!


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## Rosbotham (May 4, 2008)

tonka said:


> The link to the upgrade posted by OB1 shows £1,900 for 3500kg upgrade !!!!!!!!!!! .. I reckon thats only a paperwork exercise ( needs checking) so maybe only about £250 with SV Tech.


Not quite. On the smaller Aspire the £1900 buys you a chassis upgrade 3300kg-->3500kg, and an engine upgrade. You're right (I think) that the chassis is a paper exercise. I guess you could get the engine remapped more cheaply, but you'd probably also wave byebye to your warranty as a consequence.

On the bigger ones, I'm assuming the upgrade 3500-->4000 buys you an upgrade to the heavy chassis rather than just different paperwork/plating.

That's not to comment one way or the other whether these are good value for money. I'd agree that they should be standard feature, not upgrades.


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## ob1 (Sep 25, 2007)

Yes, and if you do upgrade to 4000kg then this brings into play other issues regarding driver licensing, speed restrictions, etc. This of course also moves the vehicle out of the bigger, under 3500kg, market and probably why Elldis have left things as they are. Not thinking of the poor old customer though is it?

Incidentally, both the Caravan Club and MMM gave these vans the thumbs up in standard spec - speaks volumes don't you think.


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## davidgee (Jun 7, 2011)

ob1 said:


> Yes, and if you do upgrade to 4000kg then this brings into play other issues regarding driver licensing, speed restrictions, etc. This of course also moves the vehicle out of the bigger, under 3500kg, market and probably why Elldis have left things as they are. Not thinking of the poor old customer though is it?
> 
> Incidentally, both the Caravan Club and MMM gave these vans the thumbs up in standard spec - speaks volumes don't you think.


ob1. Maybe it's not the right forum but could you explain please. I know about the License restrictions (mine is ok), but I don't know about the speed restrictions. Also, I haven't been around long enough to know what your last comment meant. I presume that you didn't mean a good review meant a good product?? Awaiting enlightenment.


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## ob1 (Sep 25, 2007)

With regard to licencing I'm glad that you will be OK but a lot of other people might not, those who will need to aquire the heavier license and those approaching 70 years of age who will need to start taking medicals.

Other restrictions with heavier vehicles are lower speed limits (really low in France now), more costly toll charges, dearer ferry fares, etc.

My last comment follows a series of 'winners' by such bodies who should know better. They concentrate more on looks, colour of upholstery and curtains more than the critical basic specs.


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## ob1 (Sep 25, 2007)

Davidgee - Sorry, but I didn't fully answer your question. Over 3500kg vehicles are restricted to 60mph on dual carrigeways and 50mph on normal 60mph roads in Britain. In France I think the speed limit on the Autoroutes is around 55mph now.


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## Rosbotham (May 4, 2008)

You see, we digress a little but I do think the >3500kg issue is on the whole overblown.

Yes there are people without C1 rights (inc my wife for medical reasons), but it's those who passed their test after 1997 (so on the whole only those under 32), and those approaching 70 who don't want to go through the cost/hassle of retaining C1 rights. In 20 years, it'll be a restrictor on the market - 10 maybe - but not at the moment.

On speed limits, over here it's 70/60/50mph (motorway/dual/single-carriageway) for over 3500kg....so only loss of 10mph on non-motorways versus the limit for everybody else. In France it's 110/100/80kph, which according to my maths is 69/62/50mph, so broadly the same. Personally I don't really want to tank it along at more than 50 on a single carriageway road so no great shakes.

Tolls, fair enough, but ferry fares are typically driven by size...and having a van replated from 3500kg-->4005kg doesn't change that.

I do agree with you that magazine reviewers should point out when a given payload is patently inappropriate. Fundamentally the issue with the Aspire on the 3500kg chassis is it's an attempt to get a quart into a pint pot...you can't really add all the luxuries and things like Alde heating without incurring a weight penalty as well...they're approx 3-400kg heavier than the equivalent Avantgarde layouts.


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## davidgee (Jun 7, 2011)

One of the main reasons I particularly like the look of the Aspire is the large sized kitchen. On the 240 rear lounge layout it's 2.18m (7'2") long. I don't know how I'd manage with the European small kitchens as I LOVE to cook and need space to be creative. A bed and a kitchen is all we need! If you know of any other motor-homes that fit this bill, let us know.


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## ob1 (Sep 25, 2007)

I think that you will find that the new French speed limits for over 3500kg vehicles are 100kph (62mph) and 80kph (50mph) on Autoroutes/Dual C and Other Roads respectively. The 55mph I incorrectly mentioned is for towing vehicles.


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## tyreman1 (Apr 18, 2008)

If i could afford one i`d have one tomorrow,west country motorhomes had the full range last time we were there and at the Birmingham show i was offered more than i paid for my van 2 years ago in part ex,just cant really justify an extra 20k.


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## DJMotorhomer (Apr 15, 2010)

Hi

We looked at one at the N E C show. Lovely from the outside but on the inside they are definatley not worth the money IMHO. It has a porcelain toilet....WHY ? 

I would not entertain one

:la:


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## Rosbotham (May 4, 2008)

ob1 said:


> I think that you will find that the new French speed limits for over 3500kg vehicles are 100kph (62mph) and 80kph (50mph) on Autoroutes/Dual C and Other Roads respectively. The 55mph I incorrectly mentioned is for towing vehicles.


Have you got a link for that at all? I'd got my 110/100/80 info from the Caravan Club

http://www.caravanclub.co.uk/media/5582430/french speed limits.pdf

who in turn used Article R413-8-1

http://droit-finances.commentcamarche.net/legifrance/24-code-de-la-route/517185/article-r413-8-1

Did I miss something?


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## pomme1 (May 19, 2005)

I have only seen pictures of one, but the rear track seems to be peculiarly narrow. I assume that this means that it's built on the bog standard Fiat chassis and not the motorhome specific one.


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