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#1

QUALITY ISSUE - Caravan & Motorhome Club - Eriba Troll review - June 2018

in Anything Eriba-related Sat May 26, 2018 1:43 pm
by eribaMotters • | 5.562 Posts

I have just seen this and upon reading a 97% glowing build quality result I have sent in an e-mail expressing my concerns to enquiries@camc.com

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I've just received my monthly magazine and note the review on pages 98,99,100 of the Eriba.
Whilst I appreciate your comments are based upon observations of this one van I believe the 97% Build Quality score is misleading to potential buyers.

I have owned these vans since 2003, currently on my 4th, a 2017 Triton. I am an active member of two forums dedicated to these vans, http:**********/cgi-bin/forum_show.pl and https://www.eribafolk.com/.
Since production of Eribas moved to Germany from France in 2010 build quality issues have been a major concern with owners. Things have declined significantly, with the majority of owners experiencing common problems. If you access these forums and spend a little time you will find the unfortunately common occurrences of:-
- bathroom and some wardrobe doors falling off, usually in transit.
- significant flex in bathroom cabinetry meaning door will not close.
- overhead lockers falling away from hinges due to poor quality/low density plywood being used with screws not able to get a bite
- bed frames collapsing.
- excessive mastic blocking rain gutters and equally voids in mastic.
- water ingress issues.
- touch lights not working, or doing so when they like.

You could be justified in taking these comments as the rant of an individual with a grudge to bear, but if you access the two forums and will find other issues affecting these newer vans. Owners are not happy and generally believe Hymer are living on a long gone reputation for excellent build quality Dealer support for issues is rather hit and miss and direct contact with Hymer extremely difficult, usually without success.

I look forward to your comments - Colin

Membership No - XXXXXXXX

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Would anybody else like to join in?

Skoda Yeti diesel 2wd _ ex 430, 552, camplet trailer tent, 310, now a nice white 2017 430.


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#2

RE: QUALITY ISSUE - Caravan & Motorhome Club - Eriba Troll review - June 2018

in Anything Eriba-related Sat May 26, 2018 2:21 pm
by Randa france • | 13.239 Posts

Not from me guv. Looks good to me.

Membership No XXXXXXXX ? Does that mean you're banned from the other forum too?

Randa

ERIBAFOLK POP UP EVERYWHERE 1999 Eriba Troll 530 pushing a VW Touran 2L TDi Match
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#3

RE: QUALITY ISSUE - Caravan & Motorhome Club - Eriba Troll review - June 2018

in Anything Eriba-related Sat May 26, 2018 2:22 pm
by Steve and Debbie • | 1.105 Posts

Hymer do seem to be cashing in on their (past) reputation, but once lost it is hard to get back. The Puck has been dropped as I would presume it no longer fits in with their desire to provide more expensive models with lots of extras and variations, which is where the quality suffers.

Puck 120 GT - Nissan Pulsar 1.5DCi


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#4

RE: QUALITY ISSUE - Caravan & Motorhome Club - Eriba Troll review - June 2018

in Anything Eriba-related Sat May 26, 2018 2:48 pm
by eribaMotters • | 5.562 Posts

Quote: Steve and Debbie wrote in post #3
Hymer do seem to be cashing in on their (past) reputation, but once lost it is hard to get back. The Puck has been dropped as I would presume it no longer fits in with their desire to provide more expensive models with lots of extras and variations, which is where the quality suffers.


Its not the extras and variations that are causing owners problems, but the basics of all vans including cabinet work, electrics and damp ingress.

Colin

Skoda Yeti diesel 2wd _ ex 430, 552, camplet trailer tent, 310, now a nice white 2017 430.
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#5

RE: QUALITY ISSUE - Caravan & Motorhome Club - Eriba Troll review - June 2018

in Anything Eriba-related Sat May 26, 2018 2:54 pm
by Steve and Debbie • | 1.105 Posts

But concentrating on standard features on less models improves quality.

Puck 120 GT - Nissan Pulsar 1.5DCi
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#6

RE: QUALITY ISSUE - Caravan & Motorhome Club - Eriba Troll review - June 2018

in Anything Eriba-related Sat May 26, 2018 3:21 pm
by gattim (deleted)
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‘fewer’ models please, not ‘less’ models (pedantic I know......)


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#7

RE: QUALITY ISSUE - Caravan & Motorhome Club - Eriba Troll review - June 2018

in Anything Eriba-related Sat May 26, 2018 4:07 pm
by Blueyonder (deleted)
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Our Troll 535 arrived this morning and, so far, just a touch light with a mind of its own and a couple of door catches that could close easier. We are hoping to have fewer issues this time, than we did with our 2014 Triton. Fingers crossed!

Eribaless with a 2017 Land Rover Discovery Sport HSE, waiting for a 2018 Troll 535 to arrive.
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#8

RE: QUALITY ISSUE - Caravan & Motorhome Club - Eriba Troll review - June 2018

in Anything Eriba-related Sat May 26, 2018 4:46 pm
by eribaMotters • | 5.562 Posts

Quote: Steve and Debbie wrote in post #5
But concentrating on standard features on less models improves quality.


These are standard off the shelf parts, materials and components we are dealing with in the form of plywood, hinges, catches, lights etc. It should not make any difference on which model they are fitted to, or even how many different models are being built, even down to a one off van. They take them out of a box and screw them into place. Panelwork is a little different, but they are CNC cut panels used in all vans in different combinations like kitchen units.
If we were looking at a bespoke van of a different design using specially designed and made components, not used on anything else I would agree with you.

Colin

Skoda Yeti diesel 2wd _ ex 430, 552, camplet trailer tent, 310, now a nice white 2017 430.
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#9

RE: QUALITY ISSUE - Caravan & Motorhome Club - Eriba Troll review - June 2018

in Anything Eriba-related Sat May 26, 2018 6:10 pm
by Aaron Calder • | 3.834 Posts

Fixed it for you, Colin.

Forum Administrator
2003 Triton 420 and Audi A4 2.0Tfsi S-line SE Cabriolet
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#10

RE: QUALITY ISSUE - Caravan & Motorhome Club - Eriba Troll review - June 2018

in Anything Eriba-related Sat May 26, 2018 10:36 pm
by Poptop320 • | 2.631 Posts

I agree that its not great finding faults on a new expensive Eriba, however I suppose the danger of forums is that the when faults are found an assumption will be made that all the vans quality are the same. I would have thought that most Eribas in ownership are on at least their second owner and the vast majority of the new owners will not be aware if their van has had to go back at some stage for remedial work within its warranty period.
I'm still confident of the Eribas overall quality and I'm sure that there are a lot of people out there who have bought an Eriba from new and they have never experienced any problems....

However as for my experience my 2015 Famila had two touch lights replaced, my fridge needed a new element (a Domtec fault not Hymer), an external side light surround and the front plastic hitch cover replaced. My 2012 had an electric issue where it did not charge the battery from the car. All these were fixed without any dramas from the dealer. As this a fairly new forum it will only be the New German vans that are reporting quality issues, if you go on other older Eriba forums you can also find disgruntled French built Eriba owners with water ingress and furniture splitting etc...

When I go on holiday I like to pop my top!
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#11

RE: QUALITY ISSUE - Caravan & Motorhome Club - Eriba Troll review - June 2018

in Anything Eriba-related Sun May 27, 2018 7:08 am
by steamdrivenandy (deleted)
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Quote: Steve and Debbie wrote in post #3
The Puck has been dropped as I would presume it no longer fits in with their desire to provide more expensive models with lots of extras


For the record, the Pucks were dropped from the range because they were a major cause of the French factory being unprofitable and the judgement was that charging a profitable price would totally kill sales, so it might as well go.

They did not share any common furniture or panelling etc with any other Touring model and were a major cause of an over large and costly parts inventory. Prior to the Puck's departure the large range of other Touring layouts, which reached its zenith a couple of years before, had been cut down to more manageable levels.

So you can see a pattern of the French factory offering more and more layouts in a bid to become profitable and when that didn't work they gradually retrenched to a smaller and smaller range.

When production moved to Germany the range was pruned even more with even the 540 being dropped for the first year. Since then the range has grown back a bit but it's still nowhere near the size it was in the mid noughties.

Middlesex 29 years
Hertfordshire 15 years
Essex 2 years
North Yorkshire 15 years
North Staffordshire 9 years


Awaiting collection of a Horizons Unlimited Innovation 3 MWB Ford Transit panel van conversion.


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#12

RE: QUALITY ISSUE - Caravan & Motorhome Club - Eriba Troll review - June 2018

in Anything Eriba-related Mon May 28, 2018 11:08 pm
by PooleDweller • | 754 Posts

I've had my Eriba 430GT for 3 years. Over that time I have read many accounts of poor build quality on this Forum. Initially I was feeling rather smug as except for a few warranty claims - expected in new vans, I have not been troubled with anything coming lose. However, over the last few trips the toilet/washroom door hinge screws have loosened and have been retightened when noticed. The screws in the locating lug on the door are always coming loose. On returning home from the recent EOC Spring Gower Rally we immediately set about clearing the overhead and seat lockers of food, clothing, shoes booze etc. 'Bring the bag in from the washroom' the boss called out. On opening the door I was horrified to find it dragged on the floor and was held in place by only the two screws in the top hinge. The 6 screws in the remaining 3 hinges were either half way out or in the case of the bottom hinge had completely come out lying flat twixt hinge and cabinetry. The damage that could have been caused had the door become completely detached does not bear thinking about.

I am also going to respond to the CAMC report. 97% build quality? what was the other 3% about!

Robin

2015 Eriba Triton 430GT pushing 2011 VW Golf Estate DSG 2L Diesel


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#13

RE: QUALITY ISSUE - Caravan & Motorhome Club - Eriba Troll review - June 2018

in Anything Eriba-related Tue May 29, 2018 8:20 am
by eribaMotters • | 5.562 Posts

Robin,
to put things in perspective I have experienced on a 2017 van:-
- non existent/poor pdi before collection.
- FILTHY van on collection.
- stone chips to front touched in with tippex.
- bathroom door working loose.
- significant flex in bathroom cabinetry meaning door will not close.
- overhead lockers falling away from hinges due to poor quality/low density plywood being used with screws not able to get a bite - 4 locker fronts replaced, all refixed with longer screws glued into place.
- corner rubber buffers/pads on locker fronts missing.
- excessive mastic blocking rain gutters and some areas lacking mastic.
- entrance door not fitting correctly.
- touch lights not working, doing there own thing in middle of night - two over bed and two over sink replaced twice, one bathroom replaced once, front dinette replaced once with a second replacement being of a different type.
- seat stays on floor locker to right of door pulled out.
- lack of back boxes on some electrical points.
- electrical hook up flap poorly fitting along with internal push fit incorrectly fitted.
- exterior water intlet - petrol cap type filler cap broken. [design fault of tiny index lugs]
- work surface flap to left of kitchen collapsed

I am speaking from experience on this one. My previous three vans, 12mths old 2003 Triton, new 2007 Troll and 5 yrs old 2006 Familia experienced collectively:-
- window stay replaced,
- poor sealing around gas locker.
- exterior light diss-coloured with age.
- two faulty lock barrels.

Colin

Skoda Yeti diesel 2wd _ ex 430, 552, camplet trailer tent, 310, now a nice white 2017 430.
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#14

RE: QUALITY ISSUE - Caravan & Motorhome Club - Eriba Troll review - June 2018

in Anything Eriba-related Tue May 29, 2018 8:54 am
by Pepé Le Pew • | 2.752 Posts

Quote: PooleDweller wrote in post #12
Initially I was feeling rather smug as except for a few warranty claims - expected in new vans...
I can't help wondering just how low the bar is set as far as the standard of workmanship on caravans is concerned.

Why do you expect a few warranty claims?

Why should you expect a few warranty claims?

If I buy a new car I don't expect that there'll be a few warranty claims.

I expect that there won't be any.

You're spending a not dissimilar amount of money after all, and a car is an infinitely more complex thing assembled from many thousand more parts.

What exactly is it about caravans that makes buyers far more tolerant of faults than they would be with a car?

What exactly is it about caravan dealers that means they can get away with sending out brand new vans with the kind of pre-delivery inspection that belongs in the dark ages?

It's completely indefensible.

.


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#15

RE: QUALITY ISSUE - Caravan & Motorhome Club - Eriba Troll review - June 2018

in Anything Eriba-related Tue May 29, 2018 9:08 am
by swa49 (deleted)
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Wow Colin, that's a ton of things wrong with a £20K+ caravan which trades on a reputation of build quality and innovative construction techniques. We have not (yet) had a locker or bathroom door actually fall off, but they come loose regularly, and I can imagine the consequences. I do find myself checking all the screws and fittings before, during and after each trip (pain in the neck), but on the occasion that I forget, something will fall off and damage itself, plus whatever it comes into contact with.

I can add window blinds to the list (I understand they are non-Hymer components), and a dodgy washroom tap connection (which masqueraded as frost damage). I'm just grateful to not have any water ingress/damp issues. I think I'd go back to a tent if that were the case.

Triton 430GT + Golf mk7 2.0TDi DSG


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