Broadway FB

I have only just joined this forum and have noticed several members have reported problems regarding the joining tape curling up.Is this a warranty claim and if so do they replace with better ‘stickier’ tape or do they put the same sort back which will only last 12 months! Does anyone know how to stop the rain water leaving white marks down the sides of the decals on the Motorhome. I have tried polish,beeswax rubbed in which makes the marks disappear temporarily but return as soon as it rains againThanks Dennis Holden

Perhaps you'd like to introduce yourself here...

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

There is already a thread on the jointing tape started today - see 'roof tape'.
You can use the search facility to see previous threads on this subject, search 'jointing tape'

I’d be interested in how you get on with the new Autotrail Wightman, we are reluctantly replacing our ageing Swift as we feel it is now too small for our future planned trips around Europe and beyond, so will be looking again at a new or almost new van. We did consider another Autosleeper as we really enjoyed our Broadway, but after the huge bed in the Swift, I couldn’t go back to their French bed model. We are looking at a used Cotswold EB tomorrow ( as its close by) , as well as a couple of Autotrails, an A Class Dethleffs a Bessacarr and a couple of Bürstners. Storage, payload, spacious bathroom and a large lounge area are our main priorities so whichever make fills our needs will be the one we buy.

Dennis, regarding the black streaks, first thing you need to do is make sure the roof is clean and polished. This, I found, significantly reduces new black streaks appearing and you can buy streak remover caravan wash ( can’t remember the name, but it sprays on and dissolves the streaks quickly before washing)

It isn’t black streaks that is the problem.When the rain water runs down the sides of the van down the vynil decals when the van dries there are streaks down the decals which are light grey (difficult to explain but imagine if you threw some paint at the side of the van and let it run down the sides)The rain water only affects the decal.If I use bumper trim reviver spray,polish dash shine etc etc the streaks disappear until it rains again! Very frustrating. I have looked at other vans and have never seen similar streaks! I wonder if the dealer had power washed it with a strong detergent before I got it?

ajrm wrote: so will be looking again at a new or almost new van. We did consider another Autosleeper as we really enjoyed our Broadway, but after the huge bed in the Swift, I couldn’t go back to their French bed model. 

If buying new you could consider the new Corinium, it's got the island bed. Only this week in conversation with a fellow motorhomer, I was corrected in saying Autosleeper don't do an island bed model. Yep, a lovely van but shame about not having the large fridge freezer IMO. Regards

We looked at the whole range of Auto-Sleepers yesterday, and although the Corinium was nice, we don’t like the wood colour, it’s not as nice as our old Broadway was. Also, there is not enough storage for us, we intend to be spending a long time away touring and easy storage is important. I think we will be looking at something with a garage or similar, we have our eye on a couple of different makes at the moment. The decision will be made in a couple of weeks.

Well, I’m afraid Auto-Sleepers couldn’t tempt us again. As much as we loved our Broadway FB, the new vans didn’t do it for me, the main reason was the lack of storage and quite a few new ones on display had panel damage and lifting and bubbling decals.
Anyway, we bought a new Burstner from a dealer in France so it will be French registered and £10k cheaper than U.K. dealers sell them for.

ajrm wrote:Well, I’m afraid Auto-Sleepers couldn’t tempt us again. As much as we loved our Broadway FB, the new vans didn’t do it for me, the main reason was the lack of storage and quite a few new ones on display had panel damage and lifting and bubbling decals.  
Anyway, we bought a new Burstner from a dealer in France so it will be French registered and £10k cheaper than U.K. dealers sell them for.  

Hi ajrm

Sorry didn't post back in September 

So glad you like your Burstner - we hated the AutoTrail more than the A/S and lost quite a few bob on it!!! We kept it for almost a year and then at the Lincoln show last year we saw this Pilote P740C Sensation and just couldn't walk away without purchasing!!!

Absolutely brilliant with the large fridge/separate freezer, large garage and electric height/head rest bed and so big with the ends not "rounding" off like the A/T, also the front seats actually swivel all the way round!!!!

Our decision to change was fuelled by the dealer we purchased from who managed to put more faults on it and getting a pack of lies from Sargent regarding their electrical system

But anyway that's all "water under the bridge" and think we'll be keeping this one for some time to come - can't afford to keep changing!!!!

Best wishes ALL

Stay safe and sane and keep on motorhoming

Hi ALL

ajrm posted: first thing you need to do is make sure the roof is clean an polished.


May I say NO,NO,NO you don't polish your roof - health and safety should you/someone have to walk on it!!!!


This was explained/told to us when we p/x'd our A/S - but then they had this ability to put faults on rather than cure!!  


Take care, stay safe and enjoy your motorhoming

Wightman wrote:

ajrm wrote:Well, I’m afraid Auto-Sleepers couldn’t tempt us again. As much as we loved our Broadway FB, the new vans didn’t do it for me, the main reason was the lack of storage and quite a few new ones on display had panel damage and lifting and bubbling decals.  
Anyway, we bought a new Burstner from a dealer in France so it will be French registered and £10k cheaper than U.K. dealers sell them for.  

Hi ajrm

Sorry didn't post back in September 

So glad you like your Burstner - we hated the AutoTrail more than the A/S and lost quite a few bob on it!!! We kept it for almost a year and then at the Lincoln show last year we saw this Pilote P740C Sensation and just couldn't walk away without purchasing!!!

Absolutely brilliant with the large fridge/separate freezer, large garage and electric height/head rest bed and so big with the ends not "rounding" off like the A/T, also the front seats actually swivel all the way round!!!!

Our decision to change was fuelled by the dealer we purchased from who managed to put more faults on it and getting a pack of lies from Sargent regarding their electrical system

But anyway that's all "water under the bridge" and think we'll be keeping this one for some time to come - can't afford to keep changing!!!!

Best wishes ALL

Stay safe and sane and keep on motorhoming

Nice to hear from you, glad you now have a van that looks to be a keeper now. It’s a very similar layout to ours, but we have two side facing sofas ( that convert to two travel seats with tables) instead of a dinette. 
Ours is coming up to two years old and getting its first service next week. We’ve done just over 18000 miles and unlike our Broadway, nothing has fallen off, broken or stopped working. 
Good luck.

Dennis Holden wrote:It isn’t black streaks that is the problem.When the rain water runs down the sides of the van down the vynil decals when the van dries there are streaks down the decals which are light grey (difficult to explain but imagine if you threw some paint at the side of the van and let it run down the sides)The rain water only affects the decal.If I use bumper trim reviver spray,polish dash shine etc etc the streaks disappear until it rains again! Very frustrating. I have looked at other vans and have never seen similar streaks! I wonder if the dealer had power washed it with a strong detergent before I got it?

Dennis,  you are not the only one suffering staining of the decals when it rains. I've tried everything to rectify and like you first time it rains they get white streaks which are unsightly. It was reported a  few months ago and many owners on here suffer the same. Our 2014 Kemerton did not suffer such issues but a change of  material or supplier to no doubt cheaper options leaves our 2017  current van looking tatty after a shower.Typical A/s attitude - its unheard of - never happened  before- somehow   your fault. If only they would grow a pair and take responsibility at times , admit the decals are not fit for purpose like the interior furniture and doors peeling and shrinking foil and now I read locker doors splitting in half  !  GRrrrr !

Interestingly of late, these white water marks have appeared on the decals. The van is due for a robust clean next month so have purchased 5 litres of 'Rhino Goo' that offers great cleaning properties. At £27 it's more expensive than other makes of similar quantity so hoping for a better performance to brighten up the exterior.

And our Lancashire is just over 8 years from collecting it as new.  I endorse everything that Peter has said - except that we are not away in it at present as we are waiting for contracts to be exchanged on moving house.
This year has been a dead loss for us as afr as the van is concerned - but I have done a few upgrades which have worked well.

Libraryman2 wrote:We have now owned our Corinium fb for 3 years...I’m well pleased with my choice...there have been a couple of gripes but bye and large it’s been fine, the roof tapes are n nuisance but that’s all and my dealer gave me a roll of spare tape..
I’ve been able to modify The storage to my liking  ...extra shelves etc..fully loaded.....and I mean fully loaded, I’ve just returned from the weigh bridge and I’m still legal...

Ray

"I’ve just returned from the weigh bridge and I’m still legal..."


Ray, I'd certainly hope so with an MTPLM of 4t and a MIRO of under 3300kg...

Just taken my Broadway to Marquis for them to investigate the leak reported prior, initial feedback is that it is a roof seal under the awning.  Hopefully, it will be fixed under guarantee, but Marquis do charge an investigation fee as we didn't buy it from them.

I think that two things have contributed to the reduced quality of all motorhomes, here and abroad.
1) The 2008 recession meant that materials and costs had to be reduced.
2) Manufacturers are hell bent on adding more flashing lights and computerised gizmos. Clearly they think that these increase the sales.

Have you read the latest? Thetford are introducing a remote controlled (from your phone, of course!) toilet emptying system. Their latest, undoubtedly extremely expensive to buy and certainly expensive to run, toilet has a built in macerator. Then to empty it you drag a  long corrugated pipe over to a drain and using your phone you send a command to empty it. Apart from the expense of buying and installing the thing you HAVE to use 3 of their products in the installation. Three bottles are inserted in a compartment upside down and as the toilet requires them, doses are taken from the bottles and put into the holding tank or flushing water, as required.
Next week . . . . . the New 2021 Thetford toilet that wipes your bum for you  Hip hip hooray.   Only thing is you need to have your phone with you when performing, it has to have a charge, it has to have a signal, it has to have the Thetford App installed and it has to be working properly. And don't press the wrong button on the phone or you'll set off the air conditioning which will be arguing with the app that works the heater, and the stereo will be blasting out Led Zeppelin to the other classical music lovers around you.
And you won't be able to drive away from the site because the faulty engine ECU will think there is an issue with the camshaft timing, when there is no such thing.

Personally I think that buying a low mileage one owner 2008 / 2009 motorhome now, is a better bet than a 2020 model. I bet the 2008 one will still be working fine in ten years time but not the 2020 one.

edit: I am on first name email terms with the guy in Italy who designed the Command 2000 electric beds fitted in a lot of motorhomes (it is computerised of course) and also with the Production Manager at Rapido. I will never have either of those two products again. . . . .

I might add that my Nuevo also had the 'self-detaching' joint tape, I just accepted that this is what self adhesive tape does after five years. Until that is I got an eleven year old German one where the internal panel joints are covered with lovely polished and stained tree wood strips. The cables underneath the chassis are stuck to the chassis and bodywork with some amazing tape I have never seen before. It is a thick aluminium strip with a very thick, probably 3mm layer of what seems like chewing gum. I cannot even pull it off where it is stuck to, it is so sticky. All junctions between the floor and the outer body panels outside underneath are taped over with this tape, which is so strong and waterproof there is no hope of any water getting through. The furniture inside is mostly made of tree wood with a lovely grain showing. The Dometic Fridge is not AES, that is about the only thing I have to think about when using the vehicle. It has lovely cast metal closing tabs, not the flimsy plastic ones you get now. The toilet even has a ventilator which operates every time it is flushed.. It sucks air out and sends it down a tube to the outside world - via a filter, in case you were wondering! The inside roof is covered in a soft, sound absorbing foam which makes it very quiet to drive. So far I love it, the build quality is wonderful.
The downside is the engine is a Euro4 Ford Transit, which doesn't have the low down torque of the modern Fiat Ducato/ Peugeot /Ford type of engine.

"Have you read the latest? Thetford are introducing a remote controlled (from your phone, of course!) toilet emptying system. Their latest, undoubtedly extremely expensive to buy and certainly expensive to run, toilet has a built in macerator. Then to empty it you drag a  long corrugated pipe over to a drain and using your phone you send a command to empty it. Apart from the expense of buying and installing the thing you HAVE to use 3 of their products in the installation. Three bottles are inserted in a compartment upside down and as the toilet requires them, doses are taken from the bottles and put into the holding tank or flushing water, as required."


Gassy, std fit this coming year on new 2021 Bürstner Elegance. apparently it
cant be retro fitted, too many different components that need to be built in.
i dont see it filtering down too far away from larger, more expensive vans and there need to be plenty of design work to get it into a new van, its a complex system.
for those that stay away from sites a good while and need more toilet capacity there are other easier choices, a 2nd cassette for example and other larger vans already have a 'black tank' option for this requirment.
the Thetford system seems a very complex way to solve a problem that either doesnt exist for the majority of campers (they like club sites...) or where other ways to solve it already exist.

........... or for a lot less cost you could stay in a variety of hotels . . . .

We had a Winnebago with a huge black tank.  
Benefits....it only needed emptying every 2 or 3 weeks.
The downside was there are very few places where you can actually empty it, (especially awkward if you are on a campsite with a chemical toilet point at waist height)  
I’ll stick with the standard cassette, we carry two so we can go longer between emptying..

We have caravanned for 40 years until last year when a bad back made lugging Aquarole and waste master too difficult so we sold the van! After an op the back got better so I bought an AS Broadway 2016 EK. Its been great. Unable to use it until July due to Covid its been in frequent use ever since and we are delighted!  EXCEPT  Cannot read Speedometer or Rev counter on sunny days due to no backlighting. Its OK though because I can read the date and time which are in bright orange - daft or what?

TF