To buy or not to buy....?

 I feel I have betrayed "Bertha van", called into Marquis while out giving her a run and ended up putting a deposit on a brand new Benimar 201.  It just ticked soo many boxes in our list of things we would change after a year and a half and lots of great times in Bertha. 
 Admittedly we can get the deposit back still at this stage and is subject to a test drive on one on Monday and a second look.   Still not sure I want to say goodbye to Bertha van as she has done us so well but I was impressed with the functionality of the Benimar 201. Not so keen on the fiat base but maybe it will be ok, will i wave good bye to being a full on Auto Sleeper Motorhome Owner. Do I get to keep my account and become a post Auto Sleeper Motorhome Owner, or am I banished to out and about for posts to read. 
Not traded Bertha in, I will sell her privately as quite frankly too old for a new van dealer to be keen on stocking.   Salesman hinted he would send anyone looking at below their price range our way, so I expect will find her a new home. He looked her over and said, she was in remarkable condition, but I still feel guilty of betrayal even thinking of letting her go. 

We have a few members who have sold their A/S vans and still post on the forum.
my son has Fiat and he loves it, his previous van was a Mercedes sprinter.
Boaby

I hate changing cars & vans. I normally do it when they are just short of costing me money to have them towed away.

We looked at the Benimars when we were at Marquis but they didn't tick the right boxes for us. I had a test drive in one as I wanted to try a Fiat. I was happy with it but I know you warned me off them when I first arrived here.

Whatever you end up with, enjoy the journey.

umm I am still very skeptical about the fiat base van, it really does depend how one in coach-built copes with the road as one in van build was awful. Sales man said van builds are a harder drive, (not sure I believe him) I am very much of a mind to walk away if I hate the drive tomorrow. The Benimar does however tick all our needs boxes, the 201 has a full sized transverse double bed. It has easy steps up to it which are very clever design wise. It has comfortable seating for two which is all we ever need. It has worktop space, full cooker adequate for our needs. Electric and gas hob, microwave built in satnav and reversing camera. A garage big enough for our folding bikes and all the other clobber we struggle to accommodate in bertha.  Has a toilet and shower compartment with a real window. Fits in our driveway. In fact the only thing I did not like about it was its a bloody fiat based van hahahaha!!!  I am still unhappy about that and its so called automatic will bother me, but if its comfortable to drive then...   much as I love Bertha van...... There are no rich people in graveyards are there ...

 looking for a hat to eat as have to say the deed has been done, the new fiats coach builts are not as bad as the van conversion one we originally test drove which put me off no end.   Afraid this finalizes the decision has been made the full deposit paid   no going back its a new benimar in a months time now. Reluctantly no longer destined to be an autosleeper owner once someone comes along and wants our much loved bertha. 

at least you have made me happier to have ordered a Fiat.

Does it have the 130 or 150 engine as standard, 2016 models come with the 150 std. Had a Fiat base with a Burstner for 10 years, no problems.

Enjoy and good luck.

It has the 150 engine as standard its a 2016 model although impressed with the 201 we decided to go up a size in the end. Went for the 243 in the end. I just hope we don't regret doing it, but much as we love Bertha I am just not well enough to tinker about doing things like I used to be. It is difficult learning to accept limitations forced upon you with disabling conditions causing gradual loss of ability. Our recent winter trip to Portugal was lovely but my arthritis played up and Bertha really needs better insulation. I would love to be able to take her apart and insulate and get underneath and insulate her flooring and maybe upgrade the heating. But I am just past doing these jobs, have no where to do them indoors or even on a level driveway. Then the lack of a fixed double bed, means afternoons when sometimes I need a lay down involve moving everything rather than just going and having a siesta in a comfy bed. The other reason for going up in size is if I end up losing my ability to walk, we can get a mobility scooter in the rear garage. The rear bed is also easier to get in and out of.
But I still wish it was the ford 150 automatic rather than one of these frighteningly full of electronics things we get these days. Best engine ford ever made and the classic mechanical autobox will be sorely missed, I guess because I understand the mechanics and can pretty much know what needs doing when and wherever.  Hate things that need plugging in to computers to find the fault, but its the age we live in and the main reason for the motorhome is to spend time away visiting places I never had the money or time to do when working. 
Well no good leaving money in the bank so might as well have a new van, no kids to leave money to here. The world awaits us and I am dam sure going to see as much as I can while I still can. 

I know how you feel. It is so frustrating not being able to do even the easiest of tasks when you have been used to getting on with things.  
You are lucky being able to get over to Europe - they have put the blocks on that for me although touch wood and all being well I propose sneaking over to Ireland this year.
I do hope you enjoy your new van when you get it and stay on this forum.

roli wrote:I know how you feel. It is so frustrating not being able to do even the easiest of tasks when you have been used to getting on with things.  
You are lucky being able to get over to Europe - they have put the blocks on that for me although touch wood and all being well I propose sneaking over to Ireland this year.
I do hope you enjoy your new van when you get it and stay on this forum.

Thanks roli, Ill stay on the forum as enjoy reading all the posts on here. Thank goodness for the E11 and enough savings to cover Europe. Had always said I wanted to do Australia and New Zealand. But health insurance and possible medical costs because even with insurance they don't cover existing conditions means I have given up on that at present.    At least with a fixed bed the new one can get me home if needs be if other one does all the driving.   Ain't it awful having to even think about these possibilities and yet at some point we all will as aging is inevitable, some do better than others but in the end we all go downhill at some point.. Not complaining, (just saying) we only get one life, no one can see how long it will last just have to be grateful for the time we do have. They say creaking gates last longer.   I hope the new van gives us 10 years trouble free use as that is time I budgeted for with buying new.    What worries me is my laptop is packing up at 7 years.. Who can tell how long the gizmos will last built into modern mechanics or more frighteningly how much they will cost to replace? Always equity release I guess if the savings run dry before then!  

M8form8.
I have a confession  to make, I havn't mentioned this before on the forum as I was too scared.
I guess we will have to form a 2016 Benimar owners club, as we also bought a Benimar 286 at the NEC show last October. Delivery for us is March 31st.
Like you, this ticked all the boxes for our requirements.

We have had to wait all this time and more until delivery, so the excitment will build as it gets closer.

If you see us anywhere, give me a shout, we can share a beer or two.

Best of luck with your health and have a great time in your new van.

Regards Leighton.

HaHa!! Leighton were trend setters I guess lol!
Perhaps we can have a sub category on the forum as the Benimar forum exists but apparently does not work due to server problems. After all we have bought from the Autosleeper group importing as they identified a gap in the market. Well that's what the marketing blurb says! 
Good luck with yours, 2016 models are it seems going pretty quickly ours has apparently only just been delivered to the Tewkesbury branch only to be snapped up by us. It is apparently now on its way to Sussex. We could have had the 2015 model for a few less quid but the extras in the newer speck for 2016 made it seem illogical as add up the extras and the eventual cost is not so different.   Also did not like the camera and satnav position in a box on top of dashboard. 
Good luck with your benimar I have to say I find them pretty attractive price for price and layout wise suits us.

M8form8. 

first thing, enjoy your new van.

I don't have the same requirements as you but my desire for an auto - yes even a Fiat auto - was driven by possible future medical needs. I'm hoping it won't become a necessity but if it does we won't have to swap vans.

We may have to swap vans to get a fixed bed at some time in the future but hopefully by then we will have a longer parking spot and can look for a longer van.

And, I was in Saltdean today visiting an old friend. I was tempted to message you to ask if you were available for a coffee somewhere but somehow the time just flew by and I only just got home in daylight. (My eyes don't like dark driving these days.)

dbroada I have a confession to make too.
I decided any auto was better than no auto so went for the comfortmatic box too. I have learnt a lot more about them since we chatted before. 
The salesman at marquis was extremely helpful and patiently explained to me that possibly the van conversion we tried elsewhere may have had a lot of short trip shunting about.  The comfortmatic adapts to recent use and can take up to 500 miles to relearn different driving conditions. That would explain why the formerly tested comfortmatic kept changing up and down every time I took my foot on the accelerator.    I guess if it gets used and driven by someone not shunted about for 500miles then it wont be so bad. We were planning to move so we could have a bigger van, instead going to get front garden dug up and leveled so it will fit where we are.   Just waiting for quotes to come in for the work. 
I happen to live in Woodingdean, you probably passed the end of my road on way home lol. Cuppa always available, maybe when i get the benimar I will dare to go inside the M25 ring again with fear of 500 in LEZ fines

Good  luck with your new van and hope you have many happy years in her / him.
Regards,
Margaret

Thanks Margaret   not got a name yet, I still have to think twice before I call it the Benidorm 

m8form8 wrote:dbroada I have a confession to make too.
I decided any auto was better than no auto so went for the comfortmatic box too. I have learnt a lot more about them since we chatted before. 
The salesman at marquis was extremely helpful and patiently explained to me that possibly the van conversion we tried elsewhere may have had a lot of short trip shunting about.  The comfortmatic adapts to recent use and can take up to 500 miles to relearn different driving conditions. That would explain why the formerly tested comfortmatic kept changing up and down every time I took my foot on the accelerator.    I guess if it gets used and driven by someone not shunted about for 500miles then it wont be so bad. We were planning to move so we could have a bigger van, instead going to get front garden dug up and leveled so it will fit where we are.   Just waiting for quotes to come in for the work. 
I happen to live in Woodingdean, you probably passed the end of my road on way home lol. Cuppa always available, maybe when i get the benimar I will dare to go inside the M25 ring again with fear of 500 in LEZ fines

I tend to drive my Smart in "manual" mode (push the lever) and it has just learned to change up a moment before I do. This effectively means I am changing from 2nd to 4th. Not good at times - I hope the Fiat doesn't learn that trick.

It sounds like you will get yours before we get ours. The A/S auto is a long delivery item and we have gone for a few extras too so we still have a long wait. You never know we might meet at Marquis one day.

I'll remember the cuppa if I'm ever down that way again and you are safe from the LEZ here - even with an older diesel, although do have to be careful where you turn.

m8form8 wrote:Thanks Margaret   not got a name yet, I still have to think twice before I call it the Benidorm 

Now I have said it, guess it will be the Benidormobile 

Why not name it Mileo after Mileo !!!! 

By the way,  did you buy a sun awning for your 243, that was the only extra we had to pay for.

Leighton.

Bad Penny wrote:Why not name it Mileo after Mileo !!!! 

By the way,  did you buy a sun awning for your 243, that was the only extra we had to pay for.

Leighton.

No its going to be Benidormobile now   
But yes we had to pay extra for the sun awning, we originally put a deposit on the 201 however discovered we could not fit the dog car box in it easily. Our rescue dog is mad and has to travel in a plastic dog carrier or he is all over the place. He loves being in the van and runs out if I go outside barking to get in the van and then jumps in his travel box. Dog loved the salesman who was showing us the van and he sort of just transferred the order over so we got same price on the awning. I think we got the 4 for the price of the 3   and the free years insurance thrown in. Not at all unhappy with the deal we got. I also got it in writing that the Fiat warranty side is 3 years.  Less than 51k on the road with all the 2016 upgrades and a 4 meter awning. Also got them to fit the external gas it fitting so the 5years water ingress warranty is still covered, will do the pipe stuff myself and get gas it refillable cylinders. 

Excellent.

Leighton.

Good luck with the new van and look fwd to you still being around on the forum. 

Thanks Jaytee

Well I still feel I have done the dirty on Bertha and feel really down in the dumps today because she has found a new owner. In a day or so's time and subject to cleared funds she will have been sold. I have got very attached to the old girl and hope her new owners cherish her as she ought to be in the years that come.   I ought to be feeling happy to have sold her and made a little profit after 2 years of trouble free motoring. Not often these days you get a little more than you paid out. I have no doubt we got a bargain and have sold for what she was worth when we got her.   But I feel far from happy and in a day or two will no longer be an Autosleeper owner. I will stay on the forum and keep up with the posts as I do now. Love this forum the benimar owners one is very quiet although its working now no new posts since last week. 

I feel your pain.

When I realise I could no longer get Schnecke (our VW T25) working I had to decide whether to go for money or let him go to somebody who would cherish him. In the end I went halfway by (almost) giving him away to somebody who would repair him and sell him on. Heather checked last year and he had been SORNed recently so he had a couple of years life and not broken down into bits (yet).

I haven't quite got so attached to Vincent (the Transit) and the fact that the fridge went wrong and spoiled our last outing will lighten the deed but I am not looking forwards to getting rid of him - even with the brand new AutoSleeper on the horizon.

I think you will always be welcome here all the  time you have an AutoSleeper in your heart.