# autotrail arapaho



## metblue (Oct 9, 2006)

hi to all,we picked our new van last week from Elite motorhomes and we are very happy with it.However the sargent psu gave up the ghost after only three days use.As i did not buy it locally (nearest dealer is Perthshire Caravan company) they refused point blank to do any warranty work.
I took it to my friend Jim an auto electrician to have him check it out,my radio,fridge and reversing camera were not working.We called Autotrail,talked to a technical "expert!!!" who could not help but,he new a man who could and that he would get him to phone us.Five minutes later Dan from Sargent (manufacturers of the PSU) called, he guided Jim on what to check/eliminate and after this confirmed that the unit was faulty.He then confirmed Jims address, (Angus Auto electrics, Forfar, tel 01307 467355) and told him that a replacement would be couriered up overnight.It arrived lunch time next day.Jim removed old one,fitted new one in about an hour,all was checked and was working fine. So credit where it's due a big thanks to Autotrail,Dan at Sargent and to Jim


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## clodhopper2006 (Aug 13, 2006)

I dont know what it is with Perthshire Caravans but they've been turning work like this away for years. Seems a bizare way to run a business. Why dont they just take somebody else on so that they can take in more work than just working on vans that have been bought from them.
Apart from that there a reasonably decent company apart from a grouchy receptionist (who makes up for this by displaying a vast amount of cleavage, shame she isn't 20 years younger)


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## 2kias (Sep 18, 2006)

Did you get any help from Elite at all?
Our gas pressure died last week and I rang them as we also bought from them. Said they would ring back. Still waiting!!!

Solved the problem with the help from the guys who know on this forum.
Who needs dealers???


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## Sargent (Feb 1, 2008)

Hi Metblue, firstly i am sorry for the upset that the Faulty PSU has caused, i will talk to Dan tomorrow to establish what went wrong. It is good however to hear that the matter has been resolved quickly. 

I hope the new vehicle lives up to your expectations and provides you with a lot of enjoyable times

Best regards

Ian Sargent


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## metblue (Oct 9, 2006)

*sargent power supply unit*

Hello Ian,re the above the story has now changed somewhat,to-day I received a call from the auto electrician to tell me that he has received a letter from Sargent to inform him that they were not going to pay his bill !! This is after being asked by a Dan at sargent if he could replace a faulty PSU.I am not amused and will definitely be taking this further as I am now having to pay the balance outstanding of £75;00 as I am not having Jim at Angus Auto Electrics out of pocket.
Story goes as this,I picked up van at Elite Motorhomes,everything is ok for three days then the reversing camera stopped working,the radio/stereo stopped working while driving and ditto to the fridge causing food in the freezer to thaw out.
Once home I took the van to Angus Auto Electrics as the local Autotrail dealer Perthshire Caravan Company will not look at any vehicle not purchased from them.I called Elite, spoke to Mark in the workshop who then talked to Jim to advise him what to check,it still did not work, I then called Autotrail direct and spoke to a customer technical advisor who then spoke to Jim again with no luck but, he advised me that he would get someone from Sargent hence a phone call to/from a man called Dan,he spoke to Jim (my wife and I listened over the speaker on the phone) he then proceeded to go over most of what had been previously been said by both Autotrail and Elite before then admitting that they have had problems with some of these units.
He then asked Jim if he felt confident in changing them over,he said yes.Dan then took Jims full address and agreed to overnight a replacement PSU, from his depot,it arrive next day,Jim called me and I went up to Forfar to have it fitted,once done all was/is ok now.
Jim sent his invoice,and received his reply which is at the start of this letter.
Now I have bought a new van with a faulty PSU,I am out of pocket for phone calls via my (expensive) mobile,I have had extra fuel costs going not once but twice (on different days) to Forfar plus the inconvience of driving all the way from Lincoln with no radio,fridge or reversing camera.If this van had been taken to a main Autotrail dealer thier hourly labour rate would be £50 per hour plus (Perthshire Caravan Company) costs.
Jim was on my van for over three hours and chaged a very reasonable £30 per hour but Sargent is saying they will only pay him for 30 minutes to swop over the PSU so muggins here will have to pay the balance.So Sargent please either pay Jim the full amount or contact me to explain why not.
If this is not paid I will contact the local office of fair trading to take this company to my local court for the failure of your company to supply goods of merchantable quality under the "sale of goods act"
I now await your reply,failure to respond will see copies of this letter going out to every magazine and paper in the land.It is time that the manufactures of motorhome and the parts therein realise that we the customers are getting really fed up of all the shananigins.

Sorry to all for the length but after spending over £60000 I want,no demand that my motorhome is "fit for purpose"


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## Sargent (Feb 1, 2008)

Hello Metblue thank you for the posting, and bringing this to my attention. I will investigate the matter but I suspect that this may be the result of an automated system, which would normally deal with a Motorhome Dealership not an Independent auto-electrician working on behalf of a customer. 
Please accept my apologies for the anguish that this matter has clearly caused, If you could either send me a PM with your phone number or give me a call on our main number 01482 881655, I am sure we can bring resolution to this matter.

Best regards

Ian Sargent


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## Rapide561 (Oct 1, 2005)

*Autotrail*

Hi

Off topic but welcome to your new van, and what happened to the Swift?

Russell


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## metblue (Oct 9, 2006)

*arapaho 1*

Hi to all, to-day I spoke with Ian Sargent regarding my problems (see previous posting) All has now been amicably settled and all involved,especially me are now happy.And the good thing thats came out of it Jim (the auto electrician) will now be able to carry out warranty work on behalf of Sargent.This will plug a gap of about 160 miles on the east coast of Scotland as the Perthshire Caravan Company still refuses to carry out any warranty work on any vehicle not sold be them be it either new or secondhand.
So smiles all round !!!!


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## metblue (Oct 9, 2006)

*arapaho 2*

Hi Russell,nice to here from you again.How is your puppy ? how are you getting on with you kontiki ?
When we were in Croatia in September of last year several more things manifested themselves in our van.I e-mail Kath Powell about them.I received a reply from her associate telling me not to go back to the factory but to go back to Cleveland Motorhomes as my fault list had been passed on to them.
On our way home we were passing the N.E.C. and found out that the motorhome exhibition was on,we stopped,went in,had a look around,struck a deal to purchase an Arapaho.Simple as that,we picked it up two weeks ago and are happier with it,more than we ever were with the Kontiki.The standard of finish is also better.
We had one small problem,now sorted,the heating is far better,which is what we wanted as we are both not good in after our numerous operations,loads of broken bones and steel inserts,no good in the cold!!
In five weeks we are of on a 12 week tour of Europe and are now counting the days.
So take care and enjoy yourself and remember the old saying "there are no pockets in a shroud" get out and about while you can.


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## panda54 (May 15, 2007)

*Re: arapaho 1*

metblue you have a pm


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## metblue (Oct 9, 2006)

*PM*

Hi Panda,please advise what is a PM ? cheers


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## 96299 (Sep 15, 2005)

*Re: PM*



metblue said:


> Hi Panda,please advise what is a PM ? cheers


private message.look at top of page,should have flashing tab.

steve


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