TECH HELP Readers’ questions answered from towing electric cars to better DAB signal
Our panel of motorhome-owning experts are here to help you solve your motorhoming problems, however small
Q Is rust and the need to weld a common problem?
I have been looking for my first motorhome and I put a deposit on a 2005 Nuevo, but pulled out when the MoT showed up a need for welding structural problems. Since then, most of the ones I have looked at around that age have the same problem.
Is this a problem that can be easily put right or should I avoid these vehicles? My budget is £30,000.
Jeff Park A For your budget it would be wise to go for something as new as you can afford. In general, Fiat Ducatos/Peugeot Boxers/Citroën Relays are fairly rust-resistant and are not the worst for corrosion problems. Rust occurs in time on anything made of steel. If it needs structural welding, you were right to avoid it. Once rust starts you can forever be chasing it.
Generally, on motorhomes, it’s the cab area that will rust first – the rear chassis is less exposed to road debris and water spray so tends to last better (and Al-Ko chassis are galvanised).
I’d suggest looking for a later model of Nuevo based on the newer base vehicle. Your budget should easily be able to get newer than a 2005 vehicle. I’d be more concerned with bodywork condition than mileage – anything under 80,000 miles will be fine. I found several Auto-Sleeper Nuevo models for under £30,000 based on the newer generation of Peugeot, so shop around to find the right ’van. At the moment, the pandemic has created a high demand for motorhomes, so used stock is limited and you may not find the right ’van on your doorstep.
I’d also look at other brands as you may get more for your money (the Nuevo is a popular model).
For example, Spinney was offering a 31,000-mile 2013 Elddis Autoquest for £30,995. Equally, I’d look at Carado, Sunlight and Globecar brands.
Peter Rosenthal
Pre-2006, Fiat and the other Sevel base vehicles from Peugeot and Citroën were known for excellent corrosion resistance on the body panels due to the galvanising processes that were employed before painting. I have seen badly damaged panels on vans that refused to rust, even after a few years. This was not the whole story, though, and beneath the surface, under the vehicle, where dirt and moisture get trapped, it was a different matter.
It is an inevitable consequence of running electricity through a metal structure (negative earth electrics) that chemical reactions will happen. Galvanising and other processes will protect the bodywork. Uunderneath, the less well protected steel and aluminium parts will sacrificially take the brunt of the reactions and deteriorate.
Vehicles made before 2006 were particularly prone to corrosion on the lower cross-member, which supports the radiator. The box sections behind the wheels were also prone to the tin worm.
These areas are in close proximity to the suspension mountings and therefore will need attention to avoid failing an MoT test. Elsewhere, inside the sills of cabs and the length of panel vans were a moisture trap that corroded from the inside out. This is also structural and would need repairing.
These were the worst affected areas and, in fact, were no worse (perhaps better) than most other makes of base vehicle, many of which suffer far worse corrosion on exposed surfaces.
The arrival of the X250 series in 2006 brought many improvements and the box sections and front steelwork are better protected. The exhaust system, including the downpipe from the engine, is a huge improvement and very rarely rusts at all. Of course, these vehicles are also newer, and only time will tell but I did find that the oil sumps were particularly prone to corrosion and benefited greatly from an application of stone chip protection if applied early enough.
Nick Fisher