Review. They had imagined everything so beautifully, what anticipation for the new family member. The cattle paths took away part of the garden wall, felled rhododendrons, and piled up white gravel for the parking space. And then this.
AND MOISTURE!
Inventory: Our reporter Andreas May notes what is wrong with the Viehweg vehicle.
“We picked up the camper from a dealer in mid-September,” says Bertram Viehweg. The retiree is a qualified electrician, skilled in his trades and immediately got to work. Cleaned up the bathroom, painted the walls, got a new mattress, removed the colorful 90s upholstery and had it reupholstered.
Everything rotten through
But then the big rain came in October, and then there was this musty smell. Viehweg took out a cupboard right next to the side entrance: “All rotten!” Then he picked up the covering on the front door: wood below, polystyrene on top, the floor covering. But everything is rotten here too. He almost fell through between the bed and the toilet, it’s so rotten.
The floor in the entrance area: everything rotten, rotten, dilapidated. The expert says: Total loss.
A clear case for appraiser Oliver Hallix from Wilhelmshaven, who is also Vice President of the Caravaning Expert Association (CGF) and inspects mobile homes throughout Germany with his colleagues on behalf of the ADAC.
Unfortunately, this one only after purchase. Hallix is at 180 when he sees something like this, such a botch: “Due to the high demand, the mobile home market is so overheated that such moving scrap is offered – and people also buy it because they trust dealers and fresh HU stamps .” The appraiser specializes in caravans and mobile homes and sees such damage four to five times a year. “But it’s never been that bad.”
Mr. Viehweg has already renovated the bathroom.
dealer reacts
At first shock, the Viehwegs hired a lawyer. Ralf Rosenbäck immediately put the pressure on, says: “An improvement is not reasonable because the relationship of trust has been destroyed.” Then AUTO BILD REISEMOBIL intervened, and a day later the dealer responded by email: “Of course we are still willing to fulfill the warranty claims and take the vehicle back if the customer so desires and reimburse the purchase price.”
The 2.5 liter diesel from the Fiat Ducato has no turbo and lasts forever. An oil change was not included at 17,500 euros.
Fair move! In addition, the retailer wants to check its quality standards so that something like this doesn’t happen again: “I can no longer understand why the moisture damage obviously could not be adequately identified and eliminated during the inspection.” Maybe he should think about the ADAC camper check. Hallix and his CGF appraiser colleagues check for all damage throughout Germany from 199 euros – for business and private use. The Viehwegs now also rely on the professional check, because they want a new old mobile home again!
