Loss of Value
So back in Feb 2020 we purchased a brand new Elddis 554. Since then we have been battling with the dealer, the manufacturer and the bodyshop to get it in for repair, due to severe damp issues throughout most of the vehicle, upto 70% in some places.
We have been assured by the manufacturer that once repaired then no one will be able to see the severity of the damp repair via records however I know this is untrue. Any Elddis agent can log on and see all warranty repairs and history via their system and the vehicle chassis number. Also if we come to sell and the buyer asks if it has any damp issues in the past them we cant lie and will have to declare the problems.
I need to establish what the loss of value to the van will be, has anyone ever had experience of this problem before and what was their outcome, how did they deal with it. We had to get a solicitor involved just to get it in for repair but that cost a fortune and really want try and avoid further legal costs.
Cheers
Matt and Michelle
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I had purchased a twin wheel caravan where the braking system despite several trips to the dealer could not be resolved. I ended up in France with the caravan stuck fast when the brakes again siezed on. Thanks to Mayday recovery it was repatriated to the dealership. On legal advice I told the dealer that I was intending to sue for Recision of Goods. It was too late to reject the caravan but I could take them to court to recover the difference in value between what the caravan should be worth and what the caravan in that state actually was worth.
The dealer probably realised that the difference would be large and instead offered to swap it for a new van.
This was in the 1990s but maybe it is an avenue for you to explore. Good Luck.
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Based on my experience, if you trade it in to a dealer they will not be concerned about previous history and will sell it on, probably with a limited warranty. If the damp warranty is transferable then that would give peace of mind to a private buyer.
We had a Bailey which had severe damp problems. After the second time that it was sent back to the manufacturer we traded it in. We learned that after the dealer sold it on there were further extensive damp problems, considerably in excess of the limited warranty.I would try and trade it in.
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So sad to hear this is still going on with Elddis.
We bought a 2016 Affinity 550 as a special retirement gift to ourselves, ordered at the 2015 Show. It was supposed to be a special treat.
That caravan ruined our lives in our two years of ownership until we traded it in for a Knaus. It is disgraceful that they are still treating their customers with contempt, by producing shoddy products. We're so pleased with our Knaus, the build quality is in a different league.
My advice to you is to trade it in as soon as you can, as it's just not worth the mental anguish. I wish you the best of luck.
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"We're so pleased with our Knaus, the build quality is in a different league."
Couldn't agree more, handsj
Best move we ever made!2 -
HI
Anyone had any problems with damp in Auto Trail Imalas? We are having trouble getting our van, purchased new at the end of December 2018, repaired under warranty. Have been waiting for some positive action on the part of Auto Trail for nearly a year!
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You might be better off starting a thread in the motorhome section with a relevant title as your post is buried in a caravan thread and probably won’t attract attention.
However, you need to pursue the dealer who sold you the MH as it is their responsibility to sort it out, not AutoTrail's. Follow the legal process if necessary and have a word with the club's legal team for advice.
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Thanks for your advice Tinwheeler.
We have also spoken to both the legal team and Trading Standards and they have said that as the dealer has gone out of business we have to go directly to Auto Trail as the warranty provider under the warranty contract.
I will post up as a new discussion as you suggest.
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It will be worth including that gem of info about the dealer and your actions so far or others will post the same response as I did.
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It's time that the industry was taken to task to ensure that their contractual responsibilities are adhered to in a proper and correct manner. The impression I have having owned three different brands so far is that once sold, the purchaser is of no further interest to the dealer/manufacturer. It really is not good enough.
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Some times you have to take drastic action, About 3 years ago on my 2015 Swift Elegance the external locker doors were of the lift up type, Held open by a spring. After many letters to Swift asking them to deal with the danger that this type of locker door was causing, you only had to touch the spring and it fell on your head. The action that i took was to go online and down load the papers to issue a summons against Swift ,My claim was for £1000.which i emailed to Swift, Bingo my caravan was collected from my dealer and transported back to the factory, where the 2 side lockers were changed to drop down type as they are on all new swifts, They also replaced the toilet locker because it had not been sealed properly.
So sometimes you have to do things you might not want to.
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I think that is what we will end up doing. It really is high time that all these sorts of problems were brought right out into the light and manufacturers'dealers' behaviour/attitude exposed.
We were originally told that the Auto Trail repairer was waiting for replacement parts and have now been doing for nearly a year. What I don't understand is that if there is a shortage of all these parts, how come the manufacturers can continue to churn out new vehicles onto the market. Surely if parts are short, new vehicles cannot be completed.
Most of the vehicle brands marketed in the UK are now owned by one huge leisure industry company, Trigano, and they are based in France.
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We had major damp problems with a 554 as well. It took ages for it to be repaired - firstly due to the lack of spare parts which Elddis seemed unable to source and then Covid came along and everything shut.
When done I did exactly what others have suggested - I traded it in with the dealer from whom I purchased a new Coachman.
Maybe a valuation of its worth from another source would be a good idea - to make sure you are not being penalised.
Wish you good luck with whatever you do
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I can now report that two strong letters to Auto Trail later, the last giving them 14 days to make progress to honour the warranty, we now have a date for repair early in January.
It has been very stressful but I would advise anyone who has similar problems to hang on in there and like the dog keep tight hold of the bone even if it means letting them know that you are prepared to go down the legal route which was what seemed to provoke some action.
Our thanks to Caravan Club legal team for their advice and also to our local Trading Standards.
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That is the only way to go unfortunately these days as it seems many companies that try not to hontheir obligations hope the person with the problem,/s will give up
It took me seven years of perceiverance to get a problem solved and it was the company who agreed to my demands eventually
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