Benimar Mileo 282
Just bought one of these. Not got her home yet. The dealer says the booklet is generic, so was unable to provide some specifics. I appreciate that may be the same here.
Can anyone tell me about the sat nav in these van? It's a touch screen multi-media affair (Nav/Radio/camera). I'm wondering if this will negate the need for my motorhome specific Garmin camper 770, which is obviously loaded with Aires, CL's etc. Do I need a subscription with it?
Thanks for looking.
AH
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Is the sat nav part of the base vehicle, ie built into the dash? If so what make is the base vehicle, eg Fiat, Ford…? What age is the vehicle?
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Unfortunately the built in sat navs in vehicles are usually no where near as well spec'd as specialised sat navs. I have a sat nav in my Peugeot cab which is not to bad but you do have to watch it as it has a tendency to take short cuts which are not always suitable. My stand alone TomTom with camper maps would be much better.
David
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Fiat based, 2020 model.
My Garmin took me down the mother of all bad roads last year in Devon. I was pruning my way the entire length of the road!
AH
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Good, that’s the same base vehicle and year as mine.
We find the sat nav difficult to read because the screen is not in the driver's eyeline and it isn't very big. Consequently we use our Garmin mounted on top of the dash and find it's a vast improvement.
I'm not aware of a subscription needed for the built in sat nav but I'm not sure how you update it. You can bet it won’t be as simple as updating the Garmin via the PC!
Whatever, you'd be best trying the built in sat nav before making any decisions.
We've had Garmins for years and never had your experience. Have you got it set to select major roads?
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Thanks for the reply. Will certainly explore the Nav before writing it off.
Generally we have it set for major roads, but as others have observed many West Country roads are narrow lanes!
AH
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Tell me about it! I live here. Seriously, though, there aren't many that are unusable.
Btw, you might find info about the sat nav on the Fiat Professional website.
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Thanks, will do.
AH
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Tinwheeler:
What size TV fits in her please?
Do the U.K. models have the anti-freeze heater on the waste?
Does the Solar panel feed the engine battery?
Can you fit/do you need two leisure batteries?
Does she have an electric step?
What is the Gas bottle storage capacity?
Sorry for so many questions. We've agreed to buy on Friday and had a good look around her. Unfortunately, she's in Sussex and we're in Essex, so the next time I see her will probably be on handover.
The salesman was very competent, but I don't think he'd seen this particular MH before.
AH
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I'm sorry, AH, but I can't answer your questions as I have no knowledge of the Benimar.
Our base vehicles are basically the same but my conversion is by Auto Sleeper of a panel van while the items you list are particular to the Benimar conversion. Maybe someone else here is familiar with the Benimar, or I would think you'd find answers to most of your questions online.
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Thanks. My mistake.
AH
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No worries 🙂
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Here are details of the original specification https://www.benimar.es/en/coleccion/mileo/mileo-282/#1448457890456-6448d82c-067efb20-c6141485784008966fb6e-15eeaf15-b1d174f2-4f7d Marquis import Benimar motorhomes into the UK so it is possible there may be changes to suit the UK market.
David
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TW, a common link might be Marquis, as they determine the 'UK spec' that comes fitted to Benimars (i think they are the sole uk importers?).
as they also determine (with AS) what spec is 'best' for their AS vans, you'd think there might be some commonality. there may also be some customer based tweaks of the cab spec..
eg...my own Ducato based MH has a swathe of cab options, several refer to the satnav, screen size and the software included (specific MH or just the basic car system etc...)
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I'm not sure the commonality suggestion necessarily follows, BB, even though the two brands share the same parent company. For that reason, I’m reluctant to guess at the spec of the Benimar. I'm sure the OP will be able to establish the answers to all his queries in due course from someone who knows…..or even from Marquis😗
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Hi AH,
I have a Benimar Mileo 243, sat nav is a very small 5" Tom Tom, bases journeys on a car....
However, rear camera on the screen is spot on for gauging reversing
I've just ordered a MH specific one to hopefully be more useful....
We have a 24" tv (max)
Solar panel charges both batteries after prioritising leisure & 1 appears sufficient although there is space under driver seat for 2nd....
No electric step, gas bottles 2 x 6Kg
Waste is insulated I think, there is a heater element switch for fresh water behind drivers seat, on ours it is located under a fold up side seat that allows 2 x passengers
Marquis Leisure are the sole agents for Benimar in the UK..... our salesman was also great but their aftersales CS has been very disappointing..... companies can't keep using COVID as an excuse!
Hope this helps.
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Salesmen are usually great until they've got your money. I will never again deal with that company.
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I dont think they are unique in that TW.... can be said for most industries....
It's a shame, despite being happy with our Benimar, it's the little things that spoil the whole experience.....
However, I will be looking at every alternative for servicing so they dont get another £ out of me...
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They’re not unique by any means but they excel in their lack of both care and professionalism.
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Problems with the Marquis group are going back many years their salesmen could well be on "bonuses" when they make a sale,,we bought our Autocruise from them and according to the sales pitch , they were far in advance ,of other companies with their after sales, in reality it was even then, the opposite
Once the sale was made, you are on your own if any problems raised, the Good service we received. was from Autocruise themselves, , their sales director even then (2004) was well aware of how Marquis were very poor with aftersales but as he said," they buy a lot of our vehicles"
In the time we had our M/C from them ,we always took it to their factory for work and servicing ,
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the issue is that some companies think that making MH ownership 'better' is to add the latest gadget....mifi etc being the latest 'craze'.
folk get drawn in by the 'great spec' of a van and see this as making it 'better' than a rival...
a few weeks later when the gadgets start failing or falling off they realise that they need something beyond that glitzy sale....some good solid after sales help and service...
at this point the new owner realises how good or not his owning experience is likely to be.
adding the latest 'whizzbang' to the coming years spec is far easier for a converter to 'maintain customer interest' than addressing the real problems uncovered the previous year....
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That goes for it seems all LVs sold in the UK, people seem to want all the latest gizmo,s in the lightest possible vehicle, and still keep within their licence restrictions, how does that work?
I noted she. looking at PVCs from Hymer/Elddis they now advertise the "basic?"vehicle and then a long list of options , as with it seems most of Hymer groups other makes
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thats because the 'improvements' they make are usually to do with how the MH performs in its primary function....can they make the storage better/larger, improve external acess, could they add 'sustainability' by redisigning the water tanks to give larger capacity, more space for batteries, perhaps move the gas tanks give the customer better access/capacity....
all these things require a proper improvement budget, and represent taking the van forward in how it delivers MH functionality to the customer.....not just adding a mifi aerial.
the fundamental difference is how company's see 'improvement'. as you say, in the UK the list of included gadgets just gets longer...this obviously makes the van 'better' than last year's..
some companies look hard and deep into their product eking out real improvements each revision, leaving customers to choose the 'gadgets' that they fancy.
some, dont.
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Options disrupt the production lines so, from the manufacturers' point of view, standard is best as it enables them to roll out more vans and make more profit. On the whole, they don't worry about what individual tweaks the customer wants but know that more bling equals more sales.🙄
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Many thanks for your informative reply.
We don't exchange until the beginning of June. Just thinking ahead.
I have medical needs, so we always aim for EHU. So given more thought, I'll leave the Leisure battery situation alone. I never could figure out if the solar panel fed my Bailey engine battery, though to be fair she always started first time, until the battery finally carked it.
Will be interested to find out if she has a heating element in the waste. We are planning to use her all year round due to Grandchild-care issues. So the heating element may be required.
Our dealership is Bailey, and this is the first Benimar they have seen. So, it's not surprising that they don't know their way around her any better than I do.
AH
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Feel free to ask any further Q's.
As I have said, overall very happy with our 243, they are well 'specced' vehicles.
We have just returned from a wet & windy Wales & heading to Scotland on 1st June but I do check 'forum' occasionally whilst on my travels....
Enjoy.
The large long arm mirrors can be 'problematic' on the narrow roads in places like Cornwall & Wales as no matter how much you squeeze into your n/s, even when stationary, SUV type vehicles manage to clip the underside of your o/s mirror.... I have considered covers but that would make them a few mm lower!!!!!
Just be aware.....
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Further to my earlier queries.......does anyone know if my vehicle will need Adblue?
She was registered in August 2020, based on a Ducato 2.3 Euro 6D.
AH
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Yes, it will. It's a simple no fuss operation.
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Can anyone tell me the Tyre size on these please? I don't want to buy the wrong wheel clamp.
AH
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The link to the original spec I posted on page two of this discussion says 16 inch wheels but always best to check with the importer.
David
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