# The £2000 door handle!!!



## airstream (Jan 7, 2009)

Hi All,
Part two of the broken door handle saga
Interior door operating handle on my Ace Airstream failed a few weeks ago 
The aly casting snapped at the lever point which I have since confirmed through MHF and OAL is a common failure on this model of Hartal door fitted to Autotrail,Rapido and latterly Swift as a warranty replacement for all the delaminating Hartal doors fitted by them circa 2007-9

Autotrail/Rapido and Swift have been rectifying this problem under warranty but due to the number of failures and as my door is only 17 months old I contacted Swift requesting that they send me a replacement handle and I would fit it myself under warranty as the part is “not fit for purpose”

The answer from Swift was to say the motor home was now out of warranty and that the door handle was not available as a spare part but they would supply a NEW DOOR at a cost of £ 1400.54p delivered to my dealer so with fitting and VAT say £2000 !!!!!!!

£2000 to fix a broken door handle!!!!! I replied that such a suggestion was ludicrous and that as Swift claim to provide spare parts for 8 years that they should contact Hartal and supply a handle as to spend £2000 on a door that was only 17 months old was outrageous 
Swift replied offering to supply a new door at £800 plus fitting and VAT say £1500 

I had by then info from both forums not only confirming the high failure rate of these door handles but that AutoTrail had the part in stock 

I contacted AutoTrail who confirmed they stocked the door handle (as a complete unit with back plate, locking lever and operating handle ) and emailed a photo to confirm we were talking the same part, the part number AFT08WIN0005 and the cost £96.75 inc P+P and VAT 

I then emailed Swift with this information as it would be of benefit to them as well as myself also again stating that if they provided the replacement to me (sale of goods act etc) I would fit it myself to save both party’s time and money 

Swift reply stated AutoTrail do not supply this part but they would supply the new door at “only” £700 so say £1400 with fitting and VAT as the door handle was not available

I emailed copies of AutoTrails information re the part, the part number and costs to Swift on the 8th September and have had no reply 

I had great respect for Swifts customer care until this issue as they have eventually resolved most of the continual failures and problems we have had with the motorhome since buying it new 
Perhaps they figure that given the shameful history of component failure, poor workmanship and construction that we would never buy another Swift product and to sort out the door handle has no benefit to them 

History of problems in no particular order
Rotting floor, wheel arches dropping off, cracked roof where awning fixings over tightened, basin fixings failing, 6 x control panels, 3 battery chargers, 5 fuse boxes, 3 x faulty hab doors, decorative foil peeling from boards, trim edges detaching, 230 volt sockets working intermittently, bubbling trims on cooker. rear skirtings losing colour, shower trim detaching, no support under front edge of shower tray, door handles on adjacent doors 30mm out of line, 3 x gas regulators, missing fixings to furniture, etc etc and aprox 6 months out of action/at dealers for warranty work

I will update if Swift respond 
Regards to All
Ray


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## GEMMY (Jun 19, 2006)

Not a good advert for Swift. 8O 

tony


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## gj1023 (Feb 23, 2010)

Sounds like you bought a right Monday morning van or as the Americans say a right lemon. 

Hope you get this resolved 

Gary


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## Pusser (May 9, 2005)

I have often said on here how I fail to understand how these vehicles leave a factory in the conditions that we see almost on a weekly basis.

Is the motor home industry the only one that has no pride in its creations? Do they employ visually impaired inspectors or simply ones with dementia.

It simply is disgusting that a manufacturer can just sit by and expect his\her client to simply put up with the cost, inconvenience and in some cases danger as part of there deal and only provide a cheery voice with forked tongue as a remedy.


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## Sprinta (Sep 15, 2010)

I think you should consider obtaining the part yourself, that way at least you have it there at hand, then raise an invoice to Swift to cover your cost. Then advise them that you intend to pursue them for the total value through the small claims court if they don't pay up.


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## GEMMY (Jun 19, 2006)

Why are you dealing with Swift? Your contract is with the supplying dealer.

tony


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## GEMMY (Jun 19, 2006)

Nice one Peter, :lol: 

tony


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## airstream (Jan 7, 2009)

*History*

Hi, 
Ended up dealing direct with Swift as due to the number of electrical failures, Swift put me in direct contact with Nordelettronica who provided a door to door collect/fix/return service saving me constant journeys to and from the dealer

When my dealer could not obtain all the required components for one of my replacement hab doors I had to get involved with Swift direct to resolve this as I was one of many waiting for parts

I then had issues with the above door and Swift put me in touch with Hartal to attempt a solution (again parts not available to Swift but used by AutoTrail on the same door) - Hartal supplied the parts direct to me once I sent a picture the parts on an AutoTrail )

Floor rotting issue is not dealt with by the dealer as it requires a visit to Swifts factory for repairs so I dealt with Swift direct on this as well

So when the handle failed I thought a simple email to Swift requesting a handle be posted to me (the actual part cant cost more than £5 seemed a quick easy low cost solution) 
A call from Swift to Hartal pop it in the post everyone wins

In this case no Joy

Regards Ray


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## JohnsCrossMotorHomes (Jul 21, 2007)

GEMMY said:


> Nice one Peter, :lol:
> 
> tony


Thanks Tony but it looks like some one deleted it, how sad, the post merely said that it was very interesting and had been noted that as an AutoTrail dealer we would be getting the locks from them to solve any future problems that we might encounter

I do wonder sometimes why I bother to be on this forum when posts get deleted like this for no reason whatsoever.

Peter


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## kaacee (Nov 29, 2008)

JohnsCrossMotorHomes said:


> GEMMY said:
> 
> 
> > Nice one Peter, :lol:
> ...


Can anyone at HQ enlighten us as to why Peter's post was deleted?

Keith


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## kc10 (Jan 28, 2010)

Swift should be made to supply leads with their vans as they all seem to be dogs.


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## Spacerunner (Mar 18, 2006)

kaacee said:


> JohnsCrossMotorHomes said:
> 
> 
> > GEMMY said:
> ...


Looks like they've all gone to ground. 
It would be rather nice if our active tradesmen weren't victimised so much and a bit of common sense was displayed. :roll:


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## emjaiuk (Jun 3, 2005)

kaacee said:


> JohnsCrossMotorHomes said:
> 
> 
> > GEMMY said:
> ...


I'd also like to know why the post was deleted. I thought all that nonsense had stopped.

Malcolm


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## aps1 (Apr 27, 2009)

I've just picked up this thread on the forum, apparently I'm not the only one with a failed door handle.

The habitation door on my Bessacarr E540 on a 58 plate, was replace under warranty about 18 months ago. 

1 week before the 3 year warranty expired, whilst on holiday in Poland the locking mechanism seized so the door could not be opened from the inside (safety risk ?).

Its going back to the dealer next week hopefully to be replaced under the warranty along with a repair to the reversing camera which also failed on holiday.

The dealer has inspected the vehicle 1 day before the warranty expired so hopefully no suggestion that its out of time. 

Adrian


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## 96299 (Sep 15, 2005)

kc10 said:


> Swift should be made to supply leads with their vans as they all seem to be dogs.


I was talking to a guy last week who drives motorhomes for a living and I had to ask him what was the worse marque in his opinion. I think you all know the answer. :wink:

Steve


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## JohnsCrossMotorHomes (Jul 21, 2007)

kc10 said:


> Swift should be made to supply leads with their vans as they all seem to be dogs.


Depends on what kennel they come out of, we just try harder to make sure they come out as pedigrees


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## spatz1 (May 19, 2011)

JohnsCrossMotorHomes said:


> kc10 said:
> 
> 
> > Swift should be made to supply leads with their vans as they all seem to be dogs.
> ...


Thats a bit of a "gerald ratner " statement.... :lol: :lol:


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## Pusser (May 9, 2005)

I do think it unfair to delete posts from dealers on here who have put themselves out to help many times providing of course it is not a blatant advert.

I appreciate one cannot pick and choose whom can get away with spam and who cannot but when the post refers to a fact and not sales line or gratutious self adulation it should be allowed.

It almost deserves an apology even though it may have happened with the best intentions.


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## JohnsCrossMotorHomes (Jul 21, 2007)

Not at all, merely a play on words. 

All motorhomes whatever make require a proper PDI before hand over, not just kick the tyres and give it a wash.

If the dealers workshop did a proper PDI these complaints would not happen.

They are not a robot mass produced item on an automated assembly line like cars and vans but handbuilt by humans full of quite complex systems which have only been tested maybe once before delivery to a dealer.

I always sugest that purchasers stay locally for a couple of days so that any niggles which may appear can be sorted straight away. Vans need a settling in period.


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## spatz1 (May 19, 2011)

JohnsCrossMotorHomes said:


> Not at all, merely a play on words.
> 
> All motorhomes whatever make require a proper PDI before hand over, not just kick the tyres and give it a wash.
> 
> ...


you do seem to be contientious and have a good reputation on here    
Any chance i could buy my next MH from you ...

:idea: :idea: :idea: :idea: :idea:

Any chance of a 25% discount And a spare door handle :lol: :lol:


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## bazzal (Apr 15, 2006)

Hi all,
I had the inner hab door lever snap a few weeks ago, apparently due to it being from the early supplied parts, I had to buy the complete new inner door handle unit when it would have been easy to fix with just a new lever, anyway it cost me £95 inc p&p. The new levers are much stronger as they have not been cast so thin.

Cheers Baz.............. :?


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## airstream (Jan 7, 2009)

*No Contact from Swift*

Hi All,
Update on Handle saga 
No contact from Swift since last offer of £700 plus fitting and VAT

Why they dont just say OK its realy £98 for a new handle set?

Surely it makes sense for them when doing the job under warranty that they spend £98 than buying and fitting a new door as AutoTrail do

I would even go 50/50 with them if pushed win win?

Regards Ray


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