We have recognised the best motorhome dealers and manufacturers in Britain for 2011, as voted for by you, in our special Practical Motorhome Awards issue (on sale until 27 September 2011).
We invited readers who bought either a new or pre-owned motorhome since January 2009 to rate their motorhome and their supplying dealer. Inside the Awards issue, we’ve named all the dealers and manufacturers that impressed you enough to earn them one of our coveted Gold or Silver Awards.
The Awards are now in their eighth year, and don’t forget, it’s the UK’s most in-depth motorcaravan satisfaction survey and the only one to feature pre-owned motorhomes.
We’re delighted to announce the winners, with their customer-satisfaction score this year (and in previous years).
New motorhomes
The awards assessing new motorhomes from manufacturers and supplying dealers has run in 2005, 2008, 2010 and 2011.
Gold Award winning manufacturers
Vantage 95%
Auto Roller 94% (75% in 2005)
MURVI 94%
Elddis 92% (83% in 2010)
Bessacarr 88% (81% in 2010, 65% in 2008, 66% in 2005)
Auto-Trail 87% (90% in 2010, 75% in 2008, 66% in 2005)
Rapido 87% (92% in 2010, 83% in 2008, 84% in 2005)
Bürstner 85% (84% in 2010, 86% in 2008, 74% in 2005)
Auto-Sleepers 81% (70% in 2010, 70% in 2008, 70% in 2005)
Romahome 81% (93% in 2008, 69% in 2005)
Silver Award winning manufacturers
Autocruise 77% (81% in 2010, 60% in 2008, 78% in 2005)
Swift 73% (81% in 2010, 65% in 2005)
Chausson 71% (78% in 2010)
New ‘van manufacturers: trends analysis
- Several manufacturers have featured in all four of our new ’van awards league tables. Of these, Rapido has the highest satisfaction rating at 87%. Bürstner is second with 82%, followed by Auto-Trail (80%), Bessacarr (75%) and Auto-Sleepers (73%).
- Auto-Sleepers’ very first Gold Award for new ’vans shows the company is very much back on song, now it’s back in British ownership following a management buyout in 2009.
- In Our 2008 report, 50.3% of respondents bought UK-built new ’vans. Our 2011 report shows this figure has grown to 67.5%. Why? The pound’s fall against the euro has decimated budget-priced imports to the UK.
Gold Award winning supplying dealers
Heart of England 94% (98% in 2010, 91% in 2008, 97% in 2005)
Tyne Valley 90%
Marquis 89% (94.5% in 2010, 62% in 2005)
Richard Baldwin 89% (99% in 2010, 95% in 2005)
Travelworld 84%
Davan 83 (78% in 2010)
Direct sales from manufacturers:
Vantage 99%
Murvi 94%
Silver Award winning supplying dealers
Brownhills 78% (86% for Hymer UK in 2008, 70% in 2005)
Emmbee 73% (66% in 2005)
New ‘van supplying dealers: trends analysis
- Heart of England is the only dealership to feature in all four new motorhome dealer league tables, with an average satisfaction rating of 95%. Marquis was our highest rating multi-site dealership for the second year running, with 89%.
- All credit to first-time Gold Award winners Travelworld and Davan.
- Of those manufacturers retailing direct from the site, Vantage and MURVI owners were exceedingly happy with the whole purchasing experience, yet we had fewer responses than usual from IH, Timberland and Devon customers.
Pre-owned motorhomes
The awards assessing new motorhomes from manufacturers and supplying dealers has run in 2006, 2009, 2010 and 2011.
Gold Award winning manufacturers
Bessacarr 97% (86% in 2010, 78% in 2009, 85% in 2006)
Auto-Sleepers 96% (96% in 2010, 89% in 2009, 86% in 2006)
Hymer 96% (92% in 2010, 90% in 2009, 76% in 2006)
Auto-Trail 94% (87% in 2010, 92% in 2009, 73% in 2006)
Elddis 93% (88% in 2010, 89% in 2009 as Explorer Group, 81% in 2006)
Dethleffs 92% (100% in 2010)
Adria 91% (93% in 2010)
Lunar 91% (93% in 2010, 88% in 2009)
Pilote 91% (98% in 2010)
Bürstner 89% (78% in 2006)
CI/Granduca 89% (85% in 2010, 79% in 2006)
Swift 87% (86% in 2010, 78% in 2009, 82% in 2006)
Silver Award winning manufacturers
Autocruise 77% (86% in 2010, 78% in 2009, 76% in 2006)
Pre-owned ‘van manufacturers: trends analysis
- Auto-Sleepers is held in very high esteem when it comes to buying used. They do stand up well to the passing years, and Auto-Sleepers’ spares back-up is second to none. They finished second in this year’s league table, but overall, they have the highest average satisfaction rating spanning the four pre-owned motorhome awards, with 92%
- Lunar’s management team may with to question their decision to stop motorhome manufacturing, and concentrate on touring caravans. For the third year running, they’ve received a gold award: respondents nearly all had Roadstars, and most of those were longer ones.
- Auto-Trail and Elddis both improved market share and satisfaction scores in the pre-owned sector. Most Auto-Trail buyers went for big Frontier range models, while Elddis customers favoured 6m models with mult-berths and rear travel seats.
Gold Award winning dealers
Three Counties & Countrywide 97% (95% in 2010)
Heart of England 96% (97% in 2010)
West Country 95% (84% in 2009, 83% in 2006)
Richard Baldwin 94% (96% in 2010)
Southern Motorhome Centre 94% (97 in 2010%, 86% in 2009, 89% in 2006)
Marquis 93% (76% in 2010, 76% in 2009, 65% in 2006)
Davan 83% (92% in 2010)
Silver Award winning dealers
Webbs 76% (83% in 2010, 85% in 2009, 63% in 2006)
Travelworld 73%
Pre-owned ‘van dealers: trends analysis
- Single site dealers have always stolen the show in this sector. Southern Motorhome Centre has the highest average satisfaction rating spanning the four pre-owned motorhome awards, with 92%
- All seven of our gold award winners have won gold awards in previous years.
- Down the years, the top three complaints have recurred: sloppy pre-delivery inspections, dealers failing to return phone calls, and difficulty obtaining spares.
- Former winners, such as Johns Cross, Motorland and Pullingers are still going strong, but we received too few responses from their customers to include them.
- £20,000-£30,000 has been the most popular price-point for a pre-owned ’vans for three years in a row.
Related story, October 11, 2012.
