Avan Ovation Advice

suenami · Senior Member

Avan Ovation Advice

dave06 · Guru

just make sure they fix the problems and demonstrate to you that they are indeed repaired, the holes in the annexe I think are a closing catch alignment problem and they will enlarge, get the whole thing replaced

now the door problem, is it the door or the opening that is the problem, if it is the door just ask them if they could reinforce it somehow for you but make sure they do a neat job

the trouble with these vehicles is that they twist and buckle enormously and if this is not accounted for then the areas that will not flex will break

dont move from there until YOU are happy with the repairs, the vehicle and all accesories are under warranty, it is your right to have the vehicle in good condition, it is not very old, if you get too much of the runaround just mention consumer affairs

Cruising Granny · Guru

It sounds as though the chassis might have a kink or twisted so things don't line up after a while.
Like everything it's all pretty when it's new in the saleyard, and then you take it on the road and it doesn't stand up to your expectations.
Now I'm sure you did your homework before you invested in your lovely motorhome, and now you have been let down.
Like Dave says, don't leave that yard until you're totally convinced it's fixed.
Don't let them tell you you've taken the vehicle where it wasn't meant to go, thereby voiding any warranty. They'll try that one on, especially on a woman. (sorry, fact of life) Don't take it whatever you do.
Stand up for your rights as a customer. Don't leave until it's fixed to your expectations. It's your investment you're looking after, and they have an obligation to you as their customer, and subsequently, as an ambassador for A Van. Word of mouth is the best, or worst, publicity. Good luck. Granny

dave06 · Guru

in most of these "purpose built" European motor homes they do not actually have a chassis which is part of the problem, they do however have a "sub frame" which ends around about the door from memory, this I think could be the problem, but without seeing it I would only be guessing

hopefully it is only a weak door (cost cutting) and can be repaired with a bit of bracing, if it is a sub frame fault then the problem will never go away as the beasty will keep on twisting and self destructing

suenami · Senior Member

Thanks Dave, Granny,
Hopefully Dave is right and it is simple. I've been looking at it for 12 weeks now, as more on that section goes wrong.
Hope it wasn't too sneaky, but I did send a copy of my post to Avan (the manufacturer) in Pakenham Vic where I arrived this arvo at 1.30pm. I have a 10am appointment tomorrow with an Ian Stokes who rang me this morning - I also told him my post went "around the traps" - which may have prompted him...will keep you posted. (Granny, I even thought this time I wish I had a man to stand up for me - but after a couple of wines, I settled down) biggrin

Cheers, I think,
Sue

dave06 · Guru

sue you have many men right there with you , you have the nomads at your side every step of the way, dont let him bluff you, stand up and be strong

just let him know that the post you listed has a lot of hits from potential customers and all are waiting with baited breath for the outcome

be sure and let him know just what a powerfull lobby group the nomads could become

but it will not be a problem they will bend over backwards to help you and you will be singing their praises upon return,

ibbo · Guru

Sue I want you to know that you have a heap of men behind you who are very anxious that your van problems are sorted to your entire satisfaction..Remember the saying that "The Pen is Mightier than the Sword".The last thing that any reputable company wants is having it's products publicly lambasted.Good luck Sue.Cheers Ibbo.

PeterH · Veteran Member

suenami wrote:

Thanks Dave, Granny,
Hopefully Dave is right and it is simple. I've been looking at it for 12 weeks now, as more on that section goes wrong.
Hope it wasn't too sneaky, but I did send a copy of my post to Avan (the manufacturer) in Pakenham Vic where I arrived this arvo at 1.30pm. I have a 10am appointment tomorrow with an Ian Stokes who rang me this morning - I also told him my post went "around the traps" - which may have prompted him...will keep you posted. (Granny, I even thought this time I wish I had a man to stand up for me - but after a couple of wines, I settled down)
Cheers, I think,
Sue

Sue,
Just wish to re inforce all the comments below, especially to make sure you are happy with any repairs before you leave.
Also after those repairs are made, ask what (additional) warranty they can provide to ensure they do not happen again or what will they do if it does happen again..
Some warranty work is only covered for 90 days (maybe not this case as it should keep going under original warranty), but ask the question anyway........
Another hint....start a log of all the problems and dates, phone calls, help received, calls ignored...anything to do with it.
It may help in an eventual settlement claim. Take the time..it may prove worthwhile to note all this.
Best of luck and let us know how you go.....

Roostertales · Senior Member

Hi Sue

Also have you your original manufacturers warranty and what it covers for what period of time.Its always a good thing to be clear in your mind what this covers/no surprises and they cannot hood wink you.

Irrespective of this, faulty workmanship/ unfit for intended purpose of use will be covered by consumer affairs or ACCC.

It is not only unacceptable but completely unbelievable that this fault should have occurred in the first place -since presumably they have an Australian compliance plate and this could easily become .... a safety issue ... with severe repercussions for the manufacturere and their insurers if you get my drift .....

I would not be keen on accepting "bracing /repairs" to this problem unless they gaurantee them for the life of the vehicle under your ownership.

Let us all know how you go tomorrow -we are waiting to hear a positive outcome from the manufacturer

Mike

dave06 · Guru

if it is a problem with the manufactured strength of the door then I see no other way to fix the problem than to strengthen/brace the door, it is not the perfect solution but if there is no other door available that would solve the trouble, remembering the dealership has already replaced the door once, then honestly I cant see any other solution

it may very well be a manufacture problem conjusive with all avan motorhomes and is currently in the problem solving stage

Basil Faulty · Guru

I hope Sue gets a good result. Publicity is always a good way to get the results you are entitled to under warranty - even if it's good publicity to say that the problem was fixed proffesionally with no fuss......

The Sorrento goes in for it's first Service tommorrow, the handbrake dosen't work ( no worries , says the man we will fix that for you) Oh and the radio has gone on the fritz as well (um ha well that may not be covered by warranty sir).... OH yeah???? so would you like me to tell the world that your 5 year unconditional KM warranty is not worth the paper it's printed on? ( oh it's just that the radio is made by a 3rd party) Well it says KIA on the front of it and when you turn it on it says KIA Entertainment on the display, so someone has to be responsible for it....
Look if you can't or wont fix it I'll just post the story on the net.....

I'm sure we can look at it Sir, it may take some time if we have to get a new radio from the factory....

Roostertales · Senior Member

dave06 wrote:

if it is a problem with the manufactured strength of the door then I see no other way to fix the problem than to strengthen/brace the door, it is not the perfect solution but if there is no other door available that would solve the trouble, remembering the dealership has already replaced the door once, then honestly I cant see any other solution

it may very well be a manufacture problem conjusive with all avan motorhomes and is currently in the problem solving stage

Hi Dave -I am not necessarily disputing your point . However my point is that if there is an inherent fault with the door then the repairs /and any subsequet repairs should be warrantied for the life of the van /original ownership or until they can provide a permanent solution /fix for the problem.

Mike

dave06 · Guru

yep fully agree with that Mike and I wasnt shooting back at you but if the problem is a design fault common to all avan motorhomes and there is simply no substitute then perhaps reinforcing the door may be the only alternative until the company designs and manufactures a better door, then a replacement would be in order

yes the repairs MUST be of a proffesional standard and be warranted for the length of the standard warranty as well

I would stick my neck out a bit more and state here and now that our aluminium window and door specialist here in pirie would be able to construct a door to perfection to suit the opening that would not give any trouble over the life of the motorhome,

he has constructed plenty of one offs for me under different constructions over the years and I have been happy with each and everyone of them

suenami · Senior Member

Hi all,

Well, the "Van" has been fixed. The door frame is lining up, the screen closes and the new door seal, seals. They patched the awning, dont know how, couldnt get past the sales-speak. One hole is sealed, the other probably, but I cant physically get up to inspect, though the sun doesnt shine thru. Im satisfied it will see me out. Time will tell. I appreciated they put me in on five minutes notice. (dont know why they have security guards on the main gate, you cant get past the bull*t of customer service in the main office.) ashamed
The man I saw alerted me to "protocol". Just contact my dealer (I had) who would arrange warranty stuff to be done by someone around where I am.
Oh well, it's hard to explain to someone that not only do I not know what I am doing. Now I have the added bonus of not knowing where I'm going - OMG! and female to boot biggrin

cheers

Sue smile

dave06 · Guru

now Sue what did I say about a good outcome,

never worry about anything, if it's done then theres no point worrying about it, and if you worry that something may happen and it doesnt then you've wasted your time worrying in the first place

I am pleased that it turned out good for you

the reason they wont let you in the back is so that you cant see how rough they are with your baby, if you did then you would never let them near it again

I have yet to see a drawback to being a woman and quite frankly I get a bit upset when women talk like that, women are in every way our (mens) equal and in a hell of lot of cases our superior, dont demean yourself, you are as important or more so than the next person you will meet, please do not talk yourself down again, I hate it!! you are as good or better than anyone else, male or female, we are all proud of you!!

some of these salesmen are pricks and you should treat them as such, you dont owe them a damn thing, they are there to complete your requirements, make them know that!!

Basil Faulty · Guru

Yeah Sue most of these sales men/women are sleazy low lifes....

I alluded in another topic that as a mature person we have to really grasp life by the horns, you have no alternative to being a well informed, well researched consumer. If you chose to take the head in the sand approach to life every scumbag, Lurk Merchant and Arthur Daly type will work out some way to screw every last cent out of you. How many times to we hear/ see/ read about some poor person who paid $30000 to some low life to fix a leaky drain or whatever and are never seen again.

Sue you are trully are a credit to your sex, stand up and be counted and don't let them BS you into submission. Don't feel slighted because you broke protocol either - Id suggest that even now it's all fixed you compose a letter, lay out all the facts and send copies to the retailer and the manufacturer, just so that it's on file and keep it neutral but be calm and assertive and suggest that any further stuffing around on their part will result in some free publicity for them on your part. They hate publicity......

It's important that all disputes are documented, it's important that we all are vocal yet composed when a dispute arrises.

I'm off to ream the bum of the people who were supposed to do a service on my car yesterday and for some reason were able to do it without changing the oil or filters. I'm taking a 50mm reamer with me.

Roostertales · Senior Member

Hi Sue really pleased to hear they have done the right thing . As you say only time will tell if the repairs will stand up.

Again I would highlight the need to understand the warranty inclusions and if necessary have the van independantly inspected prior to the warranty expiring to ensure ther are no major faults/have them fixed under warranty.

Prevention in terms of money cost can be a worthwhile investment.

Mike

PeterH · Veteran Member

Sue,
Great to see you have a result. Another suggestion, as the manufacturer has suggested you should contact a "Dealer" ask them for a list of Dealers over Australia.
Keep this in your info and if you have any further troubles, you can call in on your travels to have any issue rectified as soon as it develops. Don't be afraid to ring and forewarn them you will be in the area...(date)... to have the problem rectified.
They (the manufacturer) will/should have a recored of all repairs completed to the unit, so don't be afraid to ask exactly what it is they have done. Get copies if you feel they are shirking any responsibility.
I think from what I have seen here, you have exceeded your own expectations and have stood up for you own rights.
All power to you...well done.

vik351 · Senior Member

Well a few years have passed, just found this on the net. Are Avan motorhomes any better these days...???

All motor-homes I look up seem to have tales of woe...!!! Looks like find one with the least and a mob that is 1/2 competent to fix em...

Most folks would be quick to point out problems with a new purchase,$$$ cant blame em...I would too... and most folk wouldnt post if it was all good and no problems... No news is good news,or is it luck of the draw as in cars...???

Had a first model car (sedan)release which was a lemon... My pappy said "Never buy the first release of a new model" let em sort the bugs out,which I reckon is pretty true...

But some brand names seem worse than others and are always in the poo...!!!

Is there a "Happy With My Motorhome" site...??? that would be a best seller book...!!!

vik...

vik351 · Senior Member

Is there anybody out there on this...???

vik...

Geeco · Senior Member

I would be happy to have an entry in the "Happy with my motorhome" book. I am delighted with my MH after 12 months and 24,000 odd kms it has performed as promised by the manufacturer. The couple of tiny issues I have had have been attended to without any problems. The real test is would I buy another one and the answer today is absolutely yes. I looked at all the local brands and settled on an English import Auto-trail. It had the layout and all the inclusions I wanted at a fair price. So far backup from the importer has been faultless. Thus ends chapter 1 of the best seller!
Cheers,
Gary C

chaslib · Senior Member

There are probs with all makes ... Some more than others ..... There is a recall today on a recent model Auto Trail .... anyone with one should check the Gov Recall website ..... Link is Below ....... Appears the Issue is with a ceiling bracket that may break and cause the TV to swing from a ceiling hitting the driver whilst driving .... Go figure!!!

otherwise .... We are very happy with our 2013 Avida Esperence ...... No probs and runs like a dream. One thing only seems to be a common prob with most makes is weight ...... Many, incl us, opt to upgrade to truck GVM after thoroughly researching And realising they will be overweight.

http://www.recalls.gov.au/content/index.phtml/itemId/1081493

-- Edited by chaslib on Tuesday 19th of January 2016 03:12:57 PM

-- Edited by chaslib on Tuesday 19th of January 2016 03:16:00 PM

msg · Guru

Mine has exceeded expectations. 2008 Ford Transit with KEA fitout.

vik351 · Senior Member

Well there ya go ... Happy campers... Aint the old sayin "only bad news makes a paper sell"

I have liked lots of layouts and brands on paper and in my dreams...

Only to be dashed by a bad story of the brand and after sales service

Avida for eg the Eyre, all I want for the two of us bla bla ...made by bla bells start to ring... do ya dont ya,here we go...

Auto trail ,new kid on the block,can use it as a submarine if thats the one I'm thinkin of. looks good too.

As for KEA,reckon thats what I'll hire to take SWMBO around Tassie,give her a taste of motorhomes,

Luck of the draw on what you get in the end me thinks,I bought a new car and it was a lemon big time,son got the same model and bugger all trouble...!!!

Keep the good info coming folks,lots of new troopers joining the MH club.

vik...

Splottboy · Senior Member

Hi,

I was wondering if Avan fixed your entry door problem.

We have a 2014 Avan Ovation M7, and our entry door is playing up.

The top catch in the door stays out, so it stops you closing the door, but of you push its end in you can close. I think that there should be a spring on the top catch but its come off ?

I am wondering if you had a similar problem.

I am in Exmouth WA so a long way away from Avan Pakenham, but am hoping I can fix myself or get someone to fix it for me ?

Any comment from anyone would be appreciated.