Any suggestion son where I might get my camper serviced?
I have just imported it from Japan, and had intended to get it serviced by the garage who collected it from the from the docks and did the necessaries to get it registered. However I haven't been thrilled with how they have handled things, and I have now lost confidence in them.
What I want done is a full service, plus change of cambelt+tensioners+waterpump (vehicle over 10 years old, so I'm not taking any chances on whether those items have been changed). Not exactly rocket-science, but while the engine in this van (3.0 TD) was used in some UK-spec Toyotas, access is a little more difficult in the mid-engine of the Hiace, plus the combination of 4WD and an automatic gearbox will be unfamiliar to those used to working on UK-spec Toyotas.
Once I decided to look around for other garages, I remembered that I know a rather impressive garage here in Bradford which operates mainly as a van and car-hire outfit. They maintain their vehicles themselves, and I have hired some machines from them which have been run up to very high mileages but still run beautifully -- I was particularly impressed with a Mondeo estate that had over 250,000 miles on the clock but still ran beautifully. My thinking is that a garage which maintains its own vehicles up to a high mileage will know what it's doing and work to decent standards, and they have given me some encouraging estimates over the phone.
However, they aren't working on a lot of vehicles like this, so I'd be interested to hear if anyone can suggest any alternatives within reasonable distance of Bradford, particularly if it's a garage with experience of this sort of vehicle.
I'm a little wary that some garages move into rip-off mentality when they see a woman owner, so anything that comes with a recommendation would be welcome.
Edited by NowWheels on 05/07/2009 at 16:08
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No replies, but just thought I would report back to say that in the end I had the campervan serviced at Poplar Motors in Chesterfield, whose main business is retailing these vehicles. (website www.poplarmotors.co.uk)
Very friendly, very efficient, and keen prices. They weren't at all snotty that I had imported my van through a rival channel, and also did the UK conversion of my electrics for me. I would happily recommend them to anyone else wanting work done on a Hiace.
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Sounds like a nice camper - any pics?
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Sounds like a nice camper - any pics?
Thanks, it is nice :)
I don't have pics of mine online yet, but there's a broadly similar vehicle at www.poplarmotors.co.uk/motors_in.php?vID=133
Ours is a little different. Our 4WD van is a bit higher off the ground, has a marginally lower roof, and has a slightly different interior layout with a bigger lounge area and smaller kitchen, as well as natural wood finish. It's a lovely machine to drive (very easy to manage, more like a Japanese car than a Transit van) and it's a very pleasant space to be in.
Unlike a European camper of the same age, these Jap imports have no rust, and have a much higher spec. The European makers just don't offer a 4WD automatic camper, and the European vans rarely had aircon in the 90s, whereas ours has front and rear aircon.
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A nice small camper van NowWheels. I remember when you were looking at getting one a while back for your business which involved travelling. A lot neater than a massive European camper for sure.
If I remember correctly too, you drive/drove an automatic Almera so I doubt you'd get anything near in terms of spec. Lucky for you Japan had the answer.
Enjoy the trips.
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Thanks, rtj70!
You're right, my daily drive is automatic Almera, and the Hiace is a bit like the Almera to drive -- the same easy, fuss-free driving experience, and it's not impossible to park. I have been surprised how quiet it is on the road, at least on the inside (the diesel engine makes a bit of a clatter outside), and overall it's a very easy van to live with.
The one downside of the Hiace is that the under-seat engine means there is no walkthrough from the front seats to the rear -- it's a choice of climb out and walk around, or scramble over the centre console. I eventually decide that I could live with that (partly because the steering wheel flips up to make the climb easier), but for someone older and and less agile that might be a more serious drawback.
I'm off now for the next few weeks to see how it all works out in practice. Fingers crossed!
Edited by NowWheels on 27/07/2009 at 14:24
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Nice one NW, I had a Hiace van in the 90's for my mobile tuning business - drove like a car, in fact I prefered driving it to my car!
I had a Hymer with the Mercedes engine about 12 years ago - LHD manual and a beast to drive, luvly interior though, centre lounge & rear kitchen.
My neighbour has a Bailey Pageant caravan (I'm in Cornwall) and he just takes it around Cornwall, when people on the caravan sites ask him where he is from - he does gets some looks when he replies Cornwall :-D
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