# Frankia Caravan Body Damage Repair



## cavs (Mar 15, 2009)

Greetings all,

Yesterday while travelling along a dual carriageway in lane 1, I was hit from behind by a car. Damage to the motorhome, a Frankia Holiday class, is to the rear offside corner. At the very least, the rear moulding, the rear wall, the side wall, one locker door and two locker door frames are damaged, with the insulating board filling visible from the side wall. (I'll try to post a picture or two.)

My insurer, Saga, is trying to tell me that they will send the vehicle to Cougar Accident Repair Centre in Luton. Its website suggests that this company is a high quality repairer of marques such as Aston Martin, Jaguar and Peugeot, but it does not mention motorhomes at all. I pointed this out to the insurer's claims "handler" but was assured "they do motorhomes". I'm sceptical, to say the least.

Does anyone have any knowledge of a good repairer with the knowledge, skills and equipment to effect a good repair? I live near Bedford, so somewhere local would be handy. I vaguely recall someone recommending a company near Peterborough, but I can't presently locate the information.

Any advice, recommendations or experiences to pass on would be most welcome. Thanks in anticipation.

(BTW, as I know you will ask, there were no injuries to us in the motorhome!)

Regards,
Stephen


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## cavs (Mar 15, 2009)

*Photos of damage*

Showing damage to caravan body. Any guidance/advice welcome, please.


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## cabby (May 14, 2005)

Have you thought to telephone them and ask if they have had experience at repairing motorhomes.I would say that 95% at least of their business is with cars, hence no mention of motorhomes/caravans.Offer to send them photo's.

cabby


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## Bill_OR (Feb 6, 2010)

Stephen,
I rate these guys as the experts in motorhome repair - http://www.motorhome.co.uk/ - and they're pretty close to you. They did a great job for me a couple of years ago. Send them an email with photos and see what they say. Peter Ayles will probably want to come and see the damage in order to give you an estimate.
Hope you are able to get it repaired quickly so you don't lose too much motorhome time!
Bill


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## cavs (Mar 15, 2009)

Cabby,

Thanks - yes, I intend to ask them some pertinent questions! I'm waiting for the claims handlers to contact me this morning.

Bill,

Thanks for the contact. I've just spoken to Peter and sent him some pictures; sounds quite promising.

This forum is outstanding for help and advice! :grin2:


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## trek (May 1, 2005)

Possibly Serious damage. To rear and side walls. As I can see the blue insulation foam from the wall so the corner is damaged and will be visible from inside the garage 

I would ONLY want Frankia themselves to repair this damage

I have been to their repair centre at the factory in Germany and seen some of the damaged motorhomes going through their workshops I was very impressed

Contact them and email the photos to them



or if not possible I would want the parts supplied via frankia so you have OEM replacement parts


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## camallison (Jul 15, 2009)

Bill_OR said:


> Stephen,
> I rate these guys as the experts in motorhome repair - http://www.motorhome.co.uk/ - and they're pretty close to you. They did a great job for me a couple of years ago. Send them an email with photos and see what they say. Peter Ayles will probably want to come and see the damage in order to give you an estimate.
> Hope you are able to get it repaired quickly so you don't lose too much motorhome time!
> Bill


+1 vote for Motorhome.co.uk from me too. They are reckoned to be one of the best motorhome repair businesses in the UK. VERY switched on and professional to the last.

Colin


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## cavs (Mar 15, 2009)

Trek,

Yes, I was wondering about this myself, especially since the side is a single piece of board with no seams/joins until the front. How would a repair be joined to the original?

Thanks for your advice - I'll get in touch with Frankia.


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## cavs (Mar 15, 2009)

Thanks, Camallison, that's good to know.


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## NormanB (Sep 8, 2005)

Hi,


We have a Frankia 8400GD and it was damaged whilst being broken into in the "secure Storage" compound last May (2014). There was roof damage where the Oyster had been pulled off; locker frame damage where they had been levered open; and rooflight damage where the thieves had stood on the large, electric Heki roof. The Elektroblok had been taken too!


The insurers booked us in immediately to a firm who specialised in lorry coachwork repairs near Wakefield but we insisted on a specialist motorhome repairer and they agreed. SMC had just taken on the Frankia dealership at Newark. We took the van there and were very pleased with the standard of repair (but parts were slow to arrive from Germany, and SMC were a little too conscientious - it took 3 months overall!). SMC were expensive for the insurer but good to deal with.


PM me if you need more. Norman


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## trek (May 1, 2005)

Frankia Service Centre

http://www.frankia.de/index.php?id=190&L=1


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## cavs (Mar 15, 2009)

Thanks for the helpful info, Norman. I'll approach Frankia then come back to you if it looks like it can be done in the UK.

Stephen


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## cavs (Mar 15, 2009)

*Repairs in hand*

Hi all,

Thanks for your advice. I've been in touch with Frankia in Germany - prompt response advising me to go to SMC, and had also conferred with SMC by the time I arrived there. Quite impressive.

I also contacted motorhome.co.uk, who were helpful and planned to come to do the inspection promptly.

However, I have decided to go with SMC due to their contacts as a dealer with Frankia. I took the vehicle to them last Friday and was impressed with the staff and the facilities.

Regards
Stephen


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## suedew (May 10, 2005)

Glad you are getting it sorted out, but what a time to lose use of your van, can you claim for a hire one from the other persons insurance?


Sue


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## camallison (Jul 15, 2009)

cavs said:


> Hi all,
> 
> Thanks for your advice. I've been in touch with Frankia in Germany - prompt response advising me to go to SMC, and had also conferred with SMC by the time I arrived there. Quite impressive.
> 
> ...


:thumbup: Good news.

Colin


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## trek (May 1, 2005)

How are the repairs progressing ?


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## cavs (Mar 15, 2009)

Hi Trek,

Thanks for your interest. My tardy reply is due to struggling with subscription renewal.

The repairs have been authorised and parts are now awaited from Germany. We've resolved the loss of use by buying another wagon and we'll be selling the repaired one when it's finished. It's another Frankia, tag axle this time, and several longer trips have been booked! Thus we have made the best of a very bad job!


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## cavs (Mar 15, 2009)

Evening all - a quick update:

The insurance repairs have been finished and I hope to collect it tomorrow to bring it home to prepare for sale. I saw the rebuilt corner before the doors and frame arrived from Germany and I was very impressed with the standard of that part of the work, so I hope to be suitably chuffed when I see the finished article!

Stephen


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## Jezport (Jun 19, 2008)

It will be interesting to see how it comes out


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## NormanB (Sep 8, 2005)

Good news. Which Frankia did you get to replace the one being repaired?
Norman


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## fletton (Sep 19, 2014)

I hope you'll be kind enough to post some pics of the repair - once you are back home and have time - when things are sorted  ... I'm sure folk would like to see the difference


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## cavs (Mar 15, 2009)

Hi all,

Thanks for your interest. The repair is excellent and I attach some pictures showing the finished article. The only way I can see the repair is that it is cleaner/shinier than the rest; I genuinely cannot see the join! The service was very good and SMC even recreated my storage of the awning handle, which is distinctly non-standard (using pipe clips from the plumbing stock!).

It's now up for sale at SMC Motorhomes in Newark, see http://www.smcmotorhomes.co.uk/details.asp?id=637

Cheers
Stephen


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## cavs (Mar 15, 2009)

Hi Norman,

This is the replacement wagon. We've had a couple of weekends and are now preparing it for a longer trip. I've been updating it with the enhancements we had put on the white one - pulling cables through teaches you a lot about how the thing is put together!

All the best
Stephen


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## Tezmcd (Aug 3, 2009)

Cavs


We recently picked up our new 740+50 - I noted your rear bike rack on the old beast - what was it and where di you get it fitted - looks like just what we need


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## Spacerunner (Mar 18, 2006)

Totally excellent job! I'd buy it.


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## cavs (Mar 15, 2009)

Hi Tez

The motorcycle rack was on it when we bought it. It was probably fitted by or at the factory since it is a German SMV make. Here's another view of it.

The ramp channel nearest the bodywork is easy to detach from the horizontal supports, and then hooks on to the rearmost channel to form a ramp up which you can push the bike. The whole rack slides into two channels bolted to the chassis rails.

I can't presently find the web site on which I previously found some information about it, so at the moment I can't tell you any more - i haven't even got a manual for it.

Cheers
Stephen


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## cavs (Mar 15, 2009)

Re the motorcycle rack, the relevant website appears to be http://www.smvmetall.de but my anti-virus is warning that it is infected with something nasty, so I'm not going there to find out more!


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## NormanB (Sep 8, 2005)

Stephen,,


Well done and congratulations on your new van. (When you saw the standard of finish of the repair did you wonder whether you would have been happy without changing the van?)


We have the same metallic silver finish on ours and it looks brilliant.


Norman


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## cavs (Mar 15, 2009)

Norman,

Thanks for your good wishes.

Yes, we did have the discussion about whether to keep the old van, and we would have had no reservations whatsoever given the quality of the repair. If we could have been sure of the repair finish date we might not have gone for the new one! However, we decided that having taken the plunge and with the extra facilities aboard (generator, air con, fixed bed) we'd stay with the newer van.

We're now in France in it and I am pleased to say it's marvellous. We're at Le Clos de Ferrand presently on the Mediterranean, where it is hot and sunny.

All the best
Stephen

PS I suppose I need a new avatar, now!


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## cabby (May 14, 2005)

Yes indeed to the new avatar, so get the camera out again.:wink2::wink2:Glad all is well.

cabby


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## mikebeaches (Oct 18, 2008)

cavs said:


> Norman,
> 
> Thanks for your good wishes.
> 
> ...


Glad to hear you're pleased with the new van.

Hope you're enjoying Clos de Ferrand! We stayed there for about five days last year, and looked in again last month when we were staying at Serignan Plage Nature; which as you know is almost next door and now owned by the same company. Presume you've used the balneo there?

I think we'd probably stay at Clos de Ferrand again next time.

Cheers, Mike


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## cavs (Mar 15, 2009)

Hi Mike,

We've arrived home now, and we did indeed enjoy Clos de Ferrand. The take over/merger with Serignan Plage seems to have delivered the best of both worlds: quiet friendly campsite plus access to the balneo, shop and restaurant at the bigger site. So it was balneo in the morning, shop for bread on the way back and return to the pitch via the beach.

The small restaurant on the smaller site is presently being run by a Dutch couple who give personal service and very good food. The restaurant at Serignan Plage has improved markedly since we last tried it several years ago. We would definitely return and adopt the same approach, although probably in a cooler season!

Cheers
Stephen

PS, sorry about the thread drift - this conversation should probably be elsewhere.


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## NormanB (Sep 8, 2005)

Hi Stephen,


Pleased you enjoyed your trip away in the new van. You mentioned having a generator in the replacement van - a) where did they install it b) is it gas or petrol c) how noisy is it inside/outside when in use?


( I assume it's a Honda generator?)


Norman


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## Jezport (Jun 19, 2008)

I was wondering how much the repair cost the insurers? Do you mind letting us know?


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## cavs (Mar 15, 2009)

NormanB said:


> Hi Stephen,
> 
> Pleased you enjoyed your trip away in the new van. You mentioned having a generator in the replacement van - a) where did they install it b) is it gas or petrol c) how noisy is it inside/outside when in use?
> 
> ...


Hi Norman,

It's installed at the rear nearside behind the axles at the 'between floors' level, with an access hatch on the outside. It's a Honda petrol engine badged Dometic with an automatic switchover relay near the electrobloc. The petrol tank is on the offside exterior below the floors level directly behind the ROS wheels.

I've no experience of generators so it's difficult to express a view on the noise. It's certainly noticeable from inside and I wouldn't want to run it all day, but it's not intolerable.

As to the outside noise, we backed into a riverside are with the generator running and a German lady approached just as I was switching it off. She then thanked me and suggested that she was going to ask me to turn it off, so she was obviously concerned. (Having said that, I thought the cicadas were louder :surprise

I envisage that we'll use it only for ten minutes or so at a time to run a specific piece of kit - coffee machine springs to mind. :grin2:

All the best
Stephen


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## cavs (Mar 15, 2009)

Jezport said:


> I was wondering how much the repair cost the insurers? Do you mind letting us know?


Greetings, I wouldn't mind letting you know but I don't actually know myself. I think it was of the order of £4.5 k but that's only a vague memory of some paperwork I saw at the repairers, so I wouldn't place any reliance on it at all!


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## cavs (Mar 15, 2009)

Hi all,

We're now selling this van privately and seeking £42,950. See in the Classified section http://forums.motorhomefacts.com/40...frankia-i680-ed-2008-fiat-3-0-litre-auto.html

All the best
Stephen


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## Tezmcd (Aug 3, 2009)

Lovely van - hope she gets a new home and I'm sure the new owners will love her

Now spill the beans on what new model Frankia you have - I have had our 740 50+ for 6 months now and I have sworn I'll only look at Frankia's again as she is perfect for us

(Well unless I win the lottery and get tempted by Morello!)


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## cavs (Mar 15, 2009)

Tezmcd said:


> Now spill the beans on what new model Frankia you have -


Hi Tez,

Beans were spilled on post http://forums.motorhomefacts.com/75...caravan-body-damage-repair-2.html#post1530818 above. We have an i840 FD tag axle, 2010 model, which we're enjoying immensely. (But I still haven't got round to updating the avatar:frown2

Cheers
Stephen


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## Tezmcd (Aug 3, 2009)

cavs said:


> Hi Tez,
> 
> Beans were spilled on post http://forums.motorhomefacts.com/75...caravan-body-damage-repair-2.html#post1530818 above. We have an i840 FD tag axle, 2010 model, which we're enjoying immensely. (But I still haven't got round to updating the avatar:frown2
> 
> ...


Now that's pretty and resplendent in silver too!

You know in 6 months (and we go away most weekends) and several thousand miles of business driving I have never seen another Frankia on the roads or on a site (I kind of like that)


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## cavs (Mar 15, 2009)

I saw one in France recently coming in the other direction. The usual wave was amplified with headlamp flashes and vigorous hand flapping all round as though we were long lost friends.

In Spain on the same trip we saw another pull in to the site we were on. It was German and very similar to the i680 we're selling. I felt obliged to go for a chat and we agreed that meeting another Fankia was unusual. Perhaps we should start an owner's club or have a meet or something. :surprise:


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