# £123 for a bulb



## ThePrisoner (Jan 13, 2009)

Hello All

I have just had my van in for its first habitation check. I let them know that the awning bulb has never worked from day one. They put a new bulb in and charged me £ 123 for this. The work involved removal of casing, insertion of new bulb and resealing of casing. 

When I queried this they said that bulbs were not covered in the warranty. 

Is this correct?

I am absolutely gutted. The habitation check and this gave me a bill of £318 that I was not expecting.


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## GEMMY (Jun 19, 2006)

Consumables (such as bulbs) are never covered under warranty. Next time ensure that no chargeable work is carried out without you being informed and an estimate given.

tony


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## lookback (Dec 4, 2005)

Where was this in "gods country"?



Ian


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## ThePrisoner (Jan 13, 2009)

GEMMY said:


> Consumables (such as bulbs) are never covered under warranty. Next time ensure that no chargeable work is carried out without you being informed and an estimate given.
> 
> tony


Hi Tony

I gave them what I thought was a snag list. You would have thought they would ask me before carrying out the work, knowing it was going to cost so much.

Rip off spings to mind.

Lesson learned also springs to mind.


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## ThePrisoner (Jan 13, 2009)

lookback said:


> Where was this in "gods country"?
> 
> Ian


Marquis. Need I say more.


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## ttcharlie (Nov 29, 2011)

Name and shame them.

I got the headlight bulb changed on my car last week, which is quite a task. It cost me £5..


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## jonus (May 1, 2005)

MY GOD!!!!

Sympathies.

Did you query it?


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## ThePrisoner (Jan 13, 2009)

jonus said:


> MY GOD!!!!
> 
> Sympathies.
> 
> Did you query it?


Hi Jonus

Yes I did. But they had me by the you know what's. They had done the work and there was nothing I could do about it.

What annoys me is the fact that I could live without this bulb as it is outside.


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## mikebeaches (Oct 18, 2008)

That is an amazing charge for changing the bulb. Can't understand why it was so much.

Like an earlier poster - I had a front side light go on my Citroen car. I tried to replace it myself, but after a lot of messing about, couldn't manage it. Asked the Citroen garage and they took it in the workshop and ten minutes later charged me the grand sum of £5, inc the bulb.

Mike


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## TIM57 (Feb 11, 2012)

You do know how much a bulb, a full tube of sealant and 30 mins labour costs? Not £123-00.
Tim


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

There is another thread about that company and customer service - or lack of it.......

IMO if it had never worked from day 1 I would have informed them of that as soon as I was aware of it and asked them to fix it pdq.....

to lump you with a £123 bill for a bulb that costs less than £1 seems to e to be exorbitant and I would have queried it before paying.....

I think they should have made you aware of their potential costs - but removing the casing and changing the bulb takes literally seconds. AFAIK the sealing is entirely within the casing for the light and does not require the addition of e.g. Sikaflex - there is a rubber seal inside the light that is clamped down onto when the two screws are tightened.

I would query that, did you pay by credit card because if you did I would take it via that route?

It is an exorbitant charge IMO.

But fairly typical of the sort of non-service we got from that company and their warranty only has one use - and that is in the smallest room in the MH............

Don't let it stand - query in writing and check with other dealers about the costs of replacing that bulb.......

Dave


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## ThePrisoner (Jan 13, 2009)

Penquin said:


> There is another thread about that company and customer service - or lack of it.......
> 
> IMO if it had never worked from day 1 I would have informed them of that as soon as I was aware of it and asked them to fix it pdq.....
> 
> ...


Hi Dave

Yes I did pay by credit card.

I didn't really think about it till later today and it has really got on my wick since. I will put it in writing as you say and see where I go from there.

I think most of the cost was taken up in labour costs. As you say, exorbitant.


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

but what are they charging at per hour - it is literally a 5 minute job (I have done ours twice so far) and at that rate they must be charging several thousand pounds per hour.........

the bulbs are about £1 in Halfords and considerably less bought in bulk as a garage or dealer would do - the same bulbs are used in many places for sidelights etc and our local garage sold them to us for about 50p a shot - and was happy that such a price covered his costs.....

Dave


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## cabby (May 14, 2005)

you say you put in a snag list, does this mean you gave them a list of work that needed doing, surely this is giving them permission to do what is on the list.
does your bill cover the cost of doing all the snags as well as the light.
what were all the other things.are we getting the full story on this.

and NO I am not a shareholder in Marquis. :lol: :lol: 

cabby


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## eddievanbitz (May 1, 2005)

The cost of the bulb is immaterial. The labour cost is immaterial
Why do people pay for habitation checks???

What time did the banana boat land?

We knowwe now have six year warranty on anything sold in the Euro zone. 

I accept that there are certain terms and conditions that we have to adhere to to benefit from this but an expensive yearly check is not one of them.

I have water pissing through the bathroom window of my GonnSyph Beaut 2009 bathroom window and this is not acceptable

"Did you get it damp checked last year?"No, Ah your warranty is void as is may have been leaking then"

"Wouldn't that have been covered under warranty anyway? :roll: 

Habitation checks are there to make dealers money nothing else. You waste your time and your money jumping through these hoops!

Eddie


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## eddievanbitz (May 1, 2005)

Another relevant question?

Did you buy the motorhome from this dealer? If not why not?

So many times people save money buying from dealer hundreds of miles away, and then expect A1 service from the dealer that they didn't buy from (the other dealer was cheaper) and then get outraged that the service from the local dealer isn't what was expected!

Well I guess that the "local" dealer is human too! If you don't want to do business with him/her perhaps their not too keen doing business with you either!

Many year ago we used to sell Benimar motorhomes and we could never compete with RDH. "A" they were our supplier and "B" their customer care was appauling and "C" they were incompetent and dishonest (hence why I say "used" to)

People would try to batter us down to do a deal, buy from RDH (at a price that we couldn't hope to match) and then candidly tell us that they were expecting us to carry out their warranty work.

We would reply, that we would, if we had time but that they would be at the bottom of our pecking order as we give 100% priority to Van Bitz customers. 

We would get all the old diatribe and rhetoric about being "short sighted" and that if you look after us, next time we "may" buy from you but the reality was that they had the chance to buy locally, they could have bought locally but they chose to save a bit of money and risk inconvenience and buy on price.

We couldn't see any compelling argument to suggest that they would behave differently next time, in fact we would make matters worse. 

Buy on price anywhere in the UK get great service locally, where is the incentive to do anything any differently?


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## greygit (Apr 15, 2007)

Unfortunately Eddie with a new van you have to have the yearly habitation check to comply with the warranty, rip off yes but what can you do? :evil:


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## Spiritofherald (May 18, 2012)

I don't think by law you have a leg to stand on as you didn't ask for a quote and you didn't give any instructions on your maximum budget (did you?), but I still wouldn't take that lying down. First I would speak to CAB or similar for advice, but even if that didn't go in my facour I would then write a letter of complaint pointing out what would be a reasonable charge. My idea of reasonable would be up to 1 hours labour (£50?) plus the price of the bulb (£10 - being VERY generous) = £60 max - and probably still a lot more than it's really worth, and ask for a refund of the difference.


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## annetony (May 1, 2005)

reminds me of when our fridge wouldn't work in our first van..took it in to local dealer and they got it working for £85...all they did was take it out turn upside down overnight then put back..as they were putting fridge back Tony asked them what the loose wire was and they said it was just a dead wire..he believed them. after all they were the experts

when we tried fridge again the 12v wasn't working but had before it was only the gas it stopped working on :? 

so Tony said I am not paying another £85 and he took it out again, tested the wires..and yes the loose wire was live and had not been connected..he connected that and the 12v worked

so we don't take ours for habitation checks cause all they do is check everything works..which we can do ourselves..any gas or proper electrical problem we couldn't sort then it would have to go in..

our garage ( not the dealer we took van to )
charges you for exactly the time he spends..if its 1 and a quarter hour then that's all you pay for where some round up to the hour :roll: :roll: 

Anne


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## eddievanbitz (May 1, 2005)

greygit said:


> Unfortunately Eddie with a new van you have to have the yearly habitation check to comply with the warranty, rip off yes but what can you do? :evil:


Refuse! I have had 14 motorhomes privately and used to sell Benimar motorhomes a few years ago.

It is simply an unfair contract to insist that you pay money to ensure shoddy workmanship is picked up and corrected.

I took delivery of brand new Gulf Stream Sun Voyager in May. I have no intention of having it checked to make sure it doesn't leak or that the gas system is safe, and to be fair neither does the dealer

If you have a warranty claim and it transpired to be a design fault or shoddy workmanship there is no way that anyone could hide behind the fact that you didn't pay a third party to run round with a damp meter!

Eddie


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## peribro (Sep 6, 2009)

I agree with Eddie on this. I can't see what the legal basis is for insisting on a habitation service and I can't see how failing to have one carried out can invalidate a statutory (under EU legislation) warranty. If manufacturers / dealers want an annual check carried out so that any problems that they may be liable for can be identified, then they should pay. A distinction has to be drawn between a check and a service, the latter being something that can be insisted upon in order to maintain parts etc in a serviceable condition. So saying, I will be taking (and paying for) my van's third hab service at the end of the year. The reason is that if there are any problems then I will not have to prove that they were the result of defective workmanship during the construction of the motorhome - I will simply claim under the warranty. It avoids the need to have an independent survey carried out along with the inevitable wrangling that would ensue were a claim to be made without the hab services having been carried out.


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## greygit (Apr 15, 2007)

eddievanbitz said:


> greygit said:
> 
> 
> > Unfortunately Eddie with a new van you have to have the yearly habitation check to comply with the warranty, rip off yes but what can you do? :evil:
> ...


Eddie our Rapido warranty stipulates that we must return our van to the dealer (very near to you) for the next two years for the habitation check and the paperwork stamped to comply with the warranty, are you saying this is not necessary?


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## erneboy (Feb 8, 2007)

I do agree that the requirement for these checks seems absurd, especially if something not remotely connected to anything that forms part of the check happens to go faulty. But my experience has been that warranty claims will not even be considered till you produce proof that the checks have been done.

Now that may be wrong legally but I don't think it's really going to be worth the fight to establish that and it seems to me that you may not win if it's in the T&Cs of the warranty, Alan.


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## csmcqueen (May 12, 2010)

WOW... I'm in the wrong game!

That's horrendous for a simple job, I've just bought an awning light for my Autoquest 155 (identical to the ones they factory fit now), an architrave switch, back box, conduit and two core cable and it only cost me £35 for the lot.

Oh and the awning light came with a bulb, they're having a laugh!


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## bigcats30 (Aug 13, 2012)

I would have refused to pay and made them take it out!! No way can they get away with this price...I would contact the manager straight away and complain.

*Name the dealers please so to ensure people aviod them!*


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## greygit (Apr 15, 2007)

Personally I would have told them to take the bulb back out as that is a total rip off, needless to say I won't be going anywhere near Marquis.


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## greygit (Apr 15, 2007)

Snap! :wink:


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## csmcqueen (May 12, 2010)

I couldn't understand why they needed to seal it as the awning light fittings they use, have a clip on outer cover/shade and the lens is held in place with two screws, the lens also has a rubber gasket/seal on it. You remove the lens and the bulb is easy to change. The back section is sealed and screw to the body of the van (or should be).

That's how it is on the Autoquest, on the Aspire I believe they are LED Awning Lights so they would have to remove the whole unit and replace it, sealing it to the van. Unfortunately LED awning lights are not cheap (yet).

I would phone and ask them if it was me.


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## eddievanbitz (May 1, 2005)

greygit said:


> eddievanbitz said:
> 
> 
> > greygit said:
> ...


In my opinion yes. If I buy a boat I don't have to take it back to pay some one to make sure it doesn't leak. If I buy a house I don't have to have a survey done every year! If I buy a car I don't have to have it tested until it is three years old and then it is mechanical to ensure that it is roadworthy.

If you decide not to pay for a habitation check and then your refused warranty work/assistance what grounds would they have to deny you your legal rights?

Eddie


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## Philippft (Feb 16, 2008)

I'm of the view it's a contractual requirement to have habitation checks undertaken to validate warranties issued by the manufacturer and the Dealer on a new motorhome.
It is quite feasible that a motorhome is handed over in a defect free condition when new and will develop minor (and in some cases major) faults during its warranty period. A habitation check may find these defects which can be corrected under warranty and save considerable costs later on. In addition, a habitation check gives the customer peace of mind that a check has been undertaken by a competent person against a defined checklist.
With respect to products/items being covered for a period of 6 years under the Sale of Goods act, this is correct. However, it is not a warranty. There is a requirement for manufacturers to ensure the built quality/reliability of products is of good quality and a figure of 6 years is recommended. In practice what usually happens is: say a television breaks down after two years (outside of the statutory 1 year warranty) When approached by the customer and reminded about their obligation under the sale of good act, the manufacturer will normally go some way to help with repairs or repair at their cost. The problem is many buyers and sellers are not aware of this detail in the sale of goods act.
I agree £130.00 to change a £1.00 bulb is outrageous and hopefully Marquis are following this thread and realise how much damage they are doing to their reputation........or perhaps not.


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## eddievanbitz (May 1, 2005)

Philippft said:


> I'm of the view it's a contractual requirement to have habitation checks undertaken to validate warranties issued by the manufacturer and the Dealer on a new motorhome.
> It is quite feasible that a motorhome is handed over in a defect free condition when new and will develop minor (and in some cases major) faults during its warranty period. A habitation check may find these defects which can be corrected under warranty and save considerable costs later on. In addition, a habitation check gives the customer peace of mind that a check has been undertaken by a competent person against a defined checklist.
> With respect to products/items being covered for a period of 6 years under the Sale of Goods act, this is correct. However, it is not a warranty. There is a requirement for manufacturers to ensure the built quality/reliability of products is of good quality and a figure of 6 years is recommended. In practice what usually happens is: say a television breaks down after two years (outside of the statutory 1 year warranty) When approached by the customer and reminded about their obligation under the sale of good act, the manufacturer will normally go some way to help with repairs or repair at their cost. The problem is many buyers and sellers are not aware of this detail in the sale of goods act.
> I agree £130.00 to change a £1.00 bulb is outrageous and hopefully Marquis are following this thread and realise how much damage they are doing to their reputation........or perhaps not.


It is an unfair contract in my opinion. It should be expected that when one buys a motor home that the thing is fit for purpose IE using as a mobile home for weekends and holidays

If the manufacturer feels that their systems are such that they are liable to become dangerous after a period of use, they should factor in a free of charge health check!

However, that is unlikely to happen as so many dealers cannot even get the PDI's right.

I would love to sit in Court and see a company hide behind a clause, that they inserted, suggesting that the warranty is null and void as the buyer didn't pay to have the vehicle checked!

If is were regal requirement, why does it not apply to all motorhomes and why doesn't it apply to anything else?

I have bought many boats, all new, all having far more complicated operating systems than motorhomes and it has never been suggested that I would need to have "checks" done every year!

Eddie


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## rosalan (Aug 24, 2009)

My van is over three years old. It comes with a one year warranty from the dealer. The dealer will extend this warranty for three more years if I have a manufacturers habitation check annually at the agents garage. They will affix the top of a spray sealant to my warranty handbook to verify work has been carried out. In this case I would be very reluctant to miss this service, which could rebound on me when I come to sell it.

I feel furious with Marquis in the way they have dealt with a customer but delighted that I did not buy my van from them; it was a near thing!

Alan


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## ched999uk (Jan 31, 2011)

I don't know what the legal rights are but it's the legal rights that are the issue and not what anyone thinks are the legal rights. 

I know that a few years ago car manufacturers used to try an dvoid warantees unless cars were serviced by the manufacturers dealers. This was challenged and I understand that now as long as the car is serviced to the manufacturers spec using parts as good as or better than manufacturers and the service garage is VaT registered then your warantee is not invalidated but you still need it serviced.

I do know that some car manufacturers still reject bodywork warantee claims if the 'regular inspections' have not been carried out.

So it does appear that 'service' and 'inspection' have different legal ramifications in terms of warantees.

It's a minefield!! Anyone know anywhere that details the customers legal rights relating to motorhomes and 'service' and 'inspections' relating to warantees?


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## ThePrisoner (Jan 13, 2009)

A quick update as things are still being sorted.

I should have used a better phrase for the "snag list". In actual fact these were problems that have been on the van since we got it but thought we would wait till the habitation check was due to get them sorted. Therefore we would not be driving back and forth to the dealers.

We have since found out that all the work they have charged us for is included in the first years' warranty. I have spoken to Elddis about this, which they have confirmed. For example, the microwave made the most horrendous noise when in use. we asked the dealer to look at it. They put in a new set of wheels and charged us. I now know this was covered under the warranty, as where all the other "snags" we told them about. They did confirm that the actual bulb itself was not covered but the light unit itself was. 

I am still trying to sort this out with the dealer so will keep you posted when I know what is happening.


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## Gary1944 (Feb 21, 2009)

eddievanbitz said:


> Another relevant question?
> 
> Did you buy the motorhome from this dealer? If not why not?
> 
> ...


I agree with everything you say Eddie, but admit to buying from a dealer (at a show) many miles from home. The Dealer, Simpson's of Gt Yarmouth were great. Did everything right, and on time, but, and it's a big but, they were about 200 miles from home.

We now use John's Cross, who have been great. Never quibbled about doing any warranty work, and never made us feel less valued because we didn't buy from them. We did ask a very local dealer if they could help and the answer was a very definite NO!

So yes, I agree, but we are very lucky having a dealer closer to home who are willing to help.

Regards, Gary.


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## Tavira (Mar 18, 2011)

*bulb*

Glad I don't live in Gods country !!!


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## fastanlite (May 5, 2006)

It's always a worry that you might get caught in the spiders web of dealer workshop charges which I believe are around £80 per hour.
However I recently had to have a job done by Brownhills at Newark which I thought was covered by warranty, sadly it wasn't, and I agreed that it wasn't, as it was not actually a defect just a poor connection on my solar panel.
Fearing the worst I went to settle the bill and to be fair they only charged me for the actual time that the electrician spent looking for the problem, and fixing it a total of 20 minutes.
So I did not feel that I was ripped off.


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## Bagshanty (Jul 24, 2005)

[quote="csmcqueen"

Unfortunately LED awning lights are not cheap (yet).

[/quote]

Because I managed to leave the awning light on overnight, when not on hook up and trying to conserve battery, I replaced the halogen bulb with an LED equivalent for a couple of quid, off ebay.

In the Rapido, access is from inside the wardrobe. No seals to break


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## letsgoforit (Jul 1, 2008)

Now here's a funny thing...
This thread seems a tad familiar.... 
When we bought our Autotrail from Marquis Sussex in April 2012 we ordered a top inverter to be installed and were quoted £178 plus fitting (total = 248.) 
Will that do you? the Manager asked. 
Yes! We said that should do the job. 

A few months later the inverter packed up. Marquis Northampton (where we were for leaks etc) told us that we had not got the inverter we thought we had installed but a cheap £50 one.
Oh dear! But what would you call that? 

A bit cheeky? Trying it on? Theft? 

We had to wait 10 days for another inverter to be ordered and fitted. But Marquis is our 2nd home now. We have been there 15 times since April and they have the van again as I write. She is still leaking like a shower head and all holidays this year have been cancelled. 
Still their hot chocolate is really nice - and hot. 
We are past boiling point now. 
Complain complain complain - they still wont care - but there are ways to deal with this shower.


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## Gretchibald (Jul 22, 2011)

The Prisoner, as a financial man yourself you will be familiar with ,and may even have preached the phrase ' Every pound's a Prisoner'. I am a non-complaining , no fuss type of person myself but it is hard to imagine accepting and paying a bill of £124 for a bulb change without complaint. Sorry but I had to say it.
I do sympathize though and while a legal pursuit of this matter may be considered lengthy , costly and fruitless in the end, perhaps you could try a watchdog type organisation. eg Here in NI we have a local radio presenter who takes on cases like this. He contacts the other parties live on air-- usually ends with apologies ,refunds and satisfactory outcome for all.
There is no way any garage should be allowed to get away with such an overcharge, please don't let them.


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## carprus (Jun 22, 2008)

eddievanbitz said:


> The cost of the bulb is immaterial. The labour cost is immaterial
> Why do people pay for habitation checks???
> 
> What time did the banana boat land?
> ...


Spot on NEVER had a hab check in 8 years and never had any problems .
A mate of mine took his van to a dealer to sell they did a hab test told him he had damp in most panels , they then knocked off £8000 off of the price they had first offered .........9 days later he was passing and his van was on the front for £18,000 , they could not possibly have removed and renewed the panels in such a short time, they had lied to him to get his van cheaper .

Rob.


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## javea (Jun 8, 2007)

I use Camper UK for servicing, they always ring before undertaking any work additional to the service scedule with a price.


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## letsgoforit (Jul 1, 2008)

That is dreadful! Could you name and shame please them for the benefit of others?


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## Spacerunner (Mar 18, 2006)

Bagshanty said:


> [quote="csmcqueen"
> 
> Unfortunately LED awning lights are not cheap (yet).


Just been to Go Outdoors to buy some trainers.
They have a complete, and smart looking, LED awning light for £39.99.

Led awning light


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## carprus (Jun 22, 2008)

Self same thing on ebay £19-99 plus £4.99 p+p :wink: 

Rob.


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## drcotts (Feb 23, 2006)

It should be the case that if its a "consumable" and therefore subject to wear or the need for periodic and regular changing changing, then it should be

1. Possible to be done by the owner with reasonable skills and minimal tools
2. Easily accessable and replacable

You wouldnt find a light bulb in the headlight that inaccesable.

I wouldnt accept that it was a consumable. A letter of complaint may work for you.

shame on marquis


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## drcotts (Feb 23, 2006)

[/quote]

Spot on NEVER had a hab check in 8 years and never had any problems .
A mate of mine took his van to a dealer to sell they did a hab test told him he had damp in most panels , they then knocked off £8000 off of the price they had first offered .........9 days later he was passing and his van was on the front for £18,000 , they could not possibly have removed and renewed the panels in such a short time, they had lied to him to get his van cheaper .

Rob.[/quote]

An old trick that i heard of many times sespecially by brownhills when you go to pick your new van up and take your old one in.....


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## letsgoforit (Jul 1, 2008)

I thought it might be Marquis, after what they did to us.
Its not nice is it. When we we found out about the inverter fiddle, £248 for a £50 cheapie, the glass really shattered with this lot. We had put up with 25 faults, 16 return trips, recurrent leaks and toxic fridge, but this was something else. It is now November - seven months of owning a van unfit for purpose it is being looked at for still leaking like a shower head (10days)


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## Cyclewalkbob (Oct 18, 2011)

I had changed all my own interior lights to LED and could not find how to do the awning light.

Went to Southdown Motorhomes, where I had bought the van from' and Andy changed the bulb for me to an LED one - he showed me how to do it as it was accessible from the inside - they only charged me £8 for the bulb!!

I have had a few other minor issues with the van - some of my own doing!!! 

Southdown's service have been fantastic fitting me in at short notice.

Because of this excellent service I know that when I want to replace the van then I know where I will be going!


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## oldun (Nov 10, 2005)

ThePrisoner said:


> Hello All
> 
> I have just had my van in for its first habitation check. I let them know that the awning bulb has never worked from day one. They put a new bulb in and charged me £ 123 for this. The work involved removal of casing, insertion of new bulb and resealing of casing.
> 
> ...


So it's not just for a bulb.

It's for the bulb and a lot of ectra work.

It may well have been cheaper to get a new loamp complete.


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## chiefwigwam (Jan 23, 2013)

Why did you pay it? Jeeeezzzz, you asked for a hab check and that's what you should only pay for, if you gave them a snag list did you think this would be completed free? You should have asked for prices for any work over and above the hab check, am not getting at you but the rip off dealers that prey on good natured folk like I'm sure you are, they shouldn't get away with it


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## 1302 (Apr 4, 2006)

ThePrisoner said:


> What annoys me is the fact that I could live without this bulb as it is outside.


Honestly mate - I wouldnt have paid it - that is crazy!

I would have insisted that they took it back out o=and put the duff one back in.


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## 1302 (Apr 4, 2006)

Sorry for reply - didnt realiseit was fromway way back


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