New Burstner...the bad and the good

[vi]

Hi all

We have just, this week, bought a Burstner. As we are keeping the caravan in France we have bought in France. I wouldn't recomment the experience to anyone whose French is less than good.

The table is delaminating, the large front blind doesn't fasten and the mosquito blind in the toilet was broken. All these will be changed under guarantee ( the mozzie net already is) but we think they should not have been in this condition when we bought. The dealer did not point any of these things out, we had to show him the faults. We have to wait until September for the first two to be put right. There was no handbook with the caravan and again this will have to be ordered. These aren't huge problems but I hope they are not a sign of things to come.

I had already checked one or two things out with Burstner directly, including asking them for a handbook in English. Their service was very good and we received the handbook, luckily, as otherwise we wouldn't have had a clue, this being our first caravan.

I sent an email to Burstner asking what had happened to the supposedly good Germany workmanship. What was good was that two minutes later Burstner were on the phone to me checking out the problems. That was excellent service but it doesn't make up for problems with a new caravan. They said that it wouldn't have left the factory in this condition!!!!

As we have a problem with the dealer over the Omnistore and Safari room awning he recommended and fitted (it doesn't fit our caravan) I feel it is less than politic to fall out with him. I have already contacted Omnistor in Belgium, they are very helpful but they don't seem to have an answer, though they tell me they will investigate. Consumer rights seem to be less clearly defined in France than in the UK.

I think we generally pleased with the caravan, it is a good layout for us, the aircon seems very useful in this heatwave...but as we don't go away in it until Monday we won't really know until then.

Please keep your fingers crossed for us!

Vi

 

[Ian.L]

hiya vi

hope you get sorted with your new van sorry to hear about your problems all ways ths same you have to wait for things to be done after the money has been handed over, we have just picked our new van up yesterday a bailey pageant bordeaux and we are over the moon we are going away on sunday to try it out ,every thing in it is fine touch wood so cant wait.hope you have a wonderful holiday over france and good luck to you and your family .Ian.L

 

[vi]

hi Ian

Your van sounds really good and I am sure you'll have a wonderful time in it. Let us know,

We are really very pleased with our van and I'm sure it will be fine once the bits and pieces are done. I think that had we owned a caravan before we would have had a much better idea what to look out for. It does seem that in France there is less idea of customer service which is shortsighted anywhere as surely they want customers to recommend them and to go back.

Our first trip is three days to Brittany, then further afield after that,

You will be just as excited,

Vi

 

[Ian.L]

Hiya Vi

hope you enjoy your trip to brittany and have a safe one, have you just started caravanning if you have you will wish you had done it sooner ,we are just going down yorkshire to get used to the new van we have been caravanning for 15 years and have loved every time and it takes time to get all the things you really want and what type of van anyway hope you have alot of fun on your travels and maybe talk when you get back.Ian.L

 

[RayS]

I've just bought a new Burstner in UK. The build quality is excellent, but the handbook section on electrical equipment bears no relationship to the equipment fitted to the van. E.G. the book shows 5 un-named 12v fuses. The van has 15 named 12v. fuses but only half these do what the labels actually say.

Inside the wardrobe is a large notice which may concern safety - it has a number of exclamation marks. But since it is in Danish (not even German) it is not much help. The dealer response is " Oh, they all come like that" - very helpful.

The mains input socket was incorrectly wired and not picked up by the dealer PDI. There is no certificated of electrical safety as with a UK built van.

The dealer also failed to do anything sensible on the PDI, e.g. under inflated tyres, cable fouling handbrake etc.

Great shame as the mechanical build of the van is excellent and solid.

I am in the process of taking all these things up with dealer / Burstner / CC / Trading Standards as appropriate, but this is not what I wanted to do when enjoying buying a new van.

 

[vi]

Ray

I would be really interested to know how you get on...can you keep me informed of your progress?

thanks

Vi

 

[RayS]

Ray

I would be really interested to know how you get on...can you keep me informed of your progress?

thanks

Vi

Hello Vi, I have now talked to Trading Standards. the issue really is whether the rules in UK which say that all new vans since 1995 must comply with IEE Regulations mean literally all new vans or only vans of UK manufacture.

Trading Standards have gone away to consider the matter, and may well be approaching the dealer. Unfortunately, TS have told me that they will not be able to tell me the dealer response. I guess there will be correspondence with Burstner who are on shut-down over August, so nothing will happen very quickly.

Suggest you keep very detailed notes of any problems you find, and check the handbook against the van.

In particular, the voltmeter showing the output form the leisure battery is connected across the power to the water pump in my van - from the fuse marked PUMP such that if your pump fails short circuit it may appear you have no power coming from the battery and you could waste a lot of time sorting it out.

Suggest you pull each dc fuse in turn and see which lights, radio etc. then go off - make your own fuse list as that in the book may be unreliable, and it's better to find out in your own time than in the middle of the night somewhere.