Is the delay normal?

I was just reading a recent Buying Advice feature and wondered if you could advise on waiting times for new motorhomes.

We ordered ours last July for week 43 build last year. It is now scheduled for week 17 build this year. Is this normal?

Our patience is being severely tested!

It is also incapacitating as I am waiting for a hip replacement and cannot drive our current manual ’van. The new one is automatic so would be possible for me to drive if necessary.

We don’t have a massive ‘must have’ list – primarily auto with a drop-down bed and either under, or very close to 6m in length, with a max width of 2.30m.

Do you know of any other models that would fit this bill?

We nearly bought a Benimar Tessoro, but the table was so massive that my (admittedly rather large) husband could not move into the ’van from his driver’s seat!

The other problem with cancelling our order is that prices have risen alarmingly since last July, although I presume our part-exchange Auto-Sleeper Nuevo II will have increased in value.

Jenny Anderson

ED Unfortunately, the current huge demand, plus component and chassis supply issues, are all joining forces to disrupt the usual motorhome manufacturing process.

We have seen the Fiat factory shut due to the pandemic twice in the last six months and there is a microchip shortage for some of the engines. We understand that you can’t currently order a 160bhp automatic.

There are two options open to you – stick with your current order or cancel it and look for a ’van that a dealer has in stock that you can live with.

The likelihood of finding an automatic that suits most of your needs in stock at a dealer forecourt is going to be low, especially if you have a lot of other requirements.

Things like tables can always be removed and replaced with smaller versions.

One MMM reader reduced his large table by half and made it fold, while another just removed the tabletop and replaced with a smaller one.

It is always worth asking a dealer if something can be adapted to suit you, if there’s something you don’t like.

If you do need an automatic, then Ford and Mercedes both offer these and there are now quite a few models built on either.

Peter Vaughan, MMM’s

Road Test Editor, has the following recommendations: there’s the Roller Team Pegaso 590 (A-class), which is 6m long but we can’t see any dealer that has one in stock.

Also, what about the latest Mobilvetta A-class – the K-Yacht 59 – which Marquis should have coming into stock about now?

Adria, Bürstner and Rapido all did those 6m drop-down bed models, but all are now 7m with a garage. I’d go for a Chausson on Ford, probably.

Jenny replied: Yes, we really wish now that we had bought the Tessoro and modified the table. We had just started looking for our next motorhome then and had no idea it was going to be so difficult to spend £60k!

The Mobilvetta is way out of our price range, sadly.

We have now been told ours is due for week 16 build, so brought forward a week.

Fingers crossed for us, please!