Take out or Leave in.

[starlightdj]

Hi all I am after advice,

We have come to the end of the first year with our new van and had some great times but now its come time for its first service.

The problem I have is what can you leave in or do you have to stip it empty.

I know it sounds daft but the van is a twin axle double dinnete and between me and my better half plus kids, have pretty much kitted it out with all its own items ie bedding, kitchen equipment,TV, caravan clothes/shoes(Snow Boots), toys etc.

If I empty it It will probably take two / three car loads back and forth to the storage compound let alone where we will put it once home.

any advice greatfull

Thanks

John

 

[Guest]

Everything stays in our caravan. Clothing, shoes, bedding, tinned foods the whole lot. All we need is our paper work, computer and phones and we can be up and gone in minutes.

Our caravans are garaged under our house, so we have no cold or damp issues.

Providing you warm and air the van you should have no reason to strip it out.

 

[Rita1]

If our service centre cannot get in to the boxes with out moving things jobs do not get done like Damp testing Its your things and they have been blamed so many times for breakages this is now there policy we empty the bedding out as its an opportunity to wash quilts/sleeping bags and give all a thorough clean

So ask your service centre what they prefer

 

[Jennifer_374461363]

Our dealer has a sign up requesting vans are emptied, but we do leave in pots, dishes and cutlery. Maybe a few other odds and ends, but never anything that would stop them doing their work.

 

[Martin_E]

John,

Best advice is to empty your van, you could/can be charged an hourly rate or just a flat charge to remove and put back all of your clobber, most places will tell you this before you take your van in.

As Rita says....if the engineer cant get to the cupboards etc then they have no duty to remove your kit, but can and will still charge for a full service.

When booking just ask what you can or cant leave in the van.

 

[thursdays child]

Hello,HIMSELF always empties the van before the annual service.This is to save time for the service team and keep costs down.We don't remove the upholstery though.The Fleetwood is kept at home with the electric supply connected.

Thursdays Child

 

[Lord Braykewynde]

We have ours serviced at home so have never removed anything and the mechanic charges his standard fee. He's never asked us to remove anything yet.

 

[Dustydog]

We only remove things that are likely to get in the way of the Service technician.

Out come the aquarolls , awnings etc thus leaving all floor surfaces clear. Tv is removed plus the glass microwave turntable. Pretty well evrything else remains in the lockers.

Cheers

Dustydyog

 

[Lord Braykewynde]

We only remove things that are likely to get in the way of the Service technician.

Out come the aquarolls , awnings etc thus leaving all floor surfaces clear. Tv is removed plus the glass microwave turntable. Pretty well evrything else remains in the lockers.

Cheers

Dustydyog

Oh I forgot some people keep stuff like AquaRolls in their van. We keep that kind of stuff in the garage, just what garages are for :O)

I couldn't get the tug in the garage if I wanted with all the stuff in there. Going to have a sort out when decent weather arrives.

 

[Tapestry]

Hi

We have always emptied our van as requested by the dealers we've had our vans serviced by. Its a good opportunity to re check what you have, need and don't need. Our stuff gets kept together in the garage then put back into the van. Our van is kept in storage.

Annette

 

[Heethers]

I think its only fair to make sure the van as little as possible in, don't forget the technician would be the first be blamed if something untoward happened, its not is responsibility to struggle with bedding in bottom lockers or empty cloths from wardrobes move waste masters and water containers.

He has a service schedule to complete and no doubt a time to do it in.

I know it can mean few trips to the van and back fetching and carrying but it's the owners responsibility to look after his or her own ancillary equipment.

NigelH

 

[Pat_374304630]

I agree with NGH.

Take it all out.

 

[starlightdj]

Thanks for all your suggestions,

My plan was to take most of the items out but I was hoping to get away with it however thinking logically as mentioned in one post it is a great time to de cluter.

I am just amazed just how many items we seem to have accumulated in a year and all at the time seemed very necessary.

Cheers

John

 

[Sedo]

John

We empty but try a Kia Sedona, we can even get all the upholstery in as well.

Used to require 2-3 trips but 1 suffices now.

Tom

 

[Surfer]

We clear all the floor area but otherwise leave a lot of stuff in like blankets, cultery, crockery, bits and bobs. Everything of value comes out.

 

[jewells1]

Just a thought, do you leave a gas bottle connected so they can test heating, cooker etc or do they use their own?

Also does the battery need to be connected & charged?

john

 

[Martin_E]

Shouldn't make any difference

 

[Michael_374349176]

I have had our 'van serviced yesterday. We took out everything of any value and personal kit such as clothes and bedding, but left in crockery (do you say plastic-y?) and cutlery. We also left the gas connected and the battery in it. Yes the service people must have their own items, but it isn't a lot of trouble to leave them "in situ".

I suppose that it comes down to personal taste and how much you trust the company doing the service. If they can't be trusted to look after your "stuff", can they be trusted to do a proper service?

I have to add that I have complete faith in the people we use who are located near the Nottinghamshire-Derbyshire border.

Michael - Derbyshire