Keith Gooden: [00:00:00] In today’s episode of the Motorhome Matt podcast..
Matt Sims: [00:00:03] We are excited to expose some real innovation in our industry – and it’s homegrown on UK soil.
Keith Gooden: [00:00:09] And it’s your last chance to save in That Leisure Shop’s big Spend and Save sale.
Matt Sims: [00:00:16] And we answer your questions on pausing warranty cover, new versus used with a budget and tools you should carry in your motorhome.
Keith Gooden: [00:00:32] Welcome to the Motorhome Matt podcast! I’m Keith Gooden.
Matt Sims: [00:00:35] And I’m Motorhome Matt.
Keith Gooden: [00:00:36] Industry insights and expert advice for the world of motorhomes, caravans and campervans. It’s brought to you by www.thatleisureshop.com and sponsored by Ripe.
Matt Sims: [00:00:47] Now we always ask you to do this, but please, if you haven’t, could you? If you’re listening, follow on your favourite podcast app. And if you’re watching, click subscribe and that little bell on YouTube.
Keith Gooden: [00:00:56] It’s not what you require, it’s what you desire.
Matt Sims: [00:01:00] Very good. That’s not even scripted.
Keith Gooden: [00:01:01] Spend and Save. It’s the last week. How can you at www.thatleisureshop.com?
Matt Sims: [00:01:07] Yeah. So the more you spend, the more you save. The team came up with this offer. It’s brilliant. It’s a great way of saving quite a lot of money. And at the shop we’ve increased the product range significantly. I’m going to give you a couple of examples. So a Vango tailgate awning. You tie this on the back of your VW or Ford Transit van, campervan, open the back doors and you’ve got a room at the back. Normally they’re £600, but they’re reduced in the sale to just £399. And you then get a further £30 off that because – spend and save. So it applies to items in the sale. The Vango sizzle induction hob. We have sold loads of these. normally £74.99, now reduced to £49.99. Use the spend and save code and you get another fiver off the £45.
Keith Gooden: [00:01:52] And how’d you get the code?
Matt Sims: [00:01:53] There on the home page! So just go to www.thatleisureshop.com and you’ll find all the codes there. Put the code in when you’re checking out and get this extra amount of money off. So spend and save. I’m delighted to welcome Michael Douglas from Warner Shows into the studio. Welcome, Michael. Michael, last year for you guys, your shows were record-breaking in terms of visitor numbers. They were a huge success, weren’t they?
Michael Douglass: [00:02:24] Yeah, it was a brilliant year. We had more day visitors and more campers than we’ve ever had before.
Matt Sims: [00:02:29] So this year we’re going to beat that. They’re going to be even bigger and better. This year’s shows are sponsored by Autoguard, the warranty people, and we’re going to talk through 13 events, new shows that Warners are building and hosting in 2026. Now, as we release this, one has already happened.
Michael Douglass: [00:02:49] Yeah, we had the January one in Stoneleigh last weekend.
Matt Sims: [00:02:53] Yeah. So that’s done. But what’s coming up this year in terms of shows and exhibitions?
Michael Douglass: [00:02:59] So we’ve got a mix of camping and day visitor only ones. We start the year with two day visitor only exhibitions. So we’ve slightly changed the name of the shows. We’ve got the one in Harrogate, the Yorkshire Motorhome, Campervan and Camping exhibition. And then we got a brand new show in Stoneleigh called the National Motorhome, Campervan and Camping Exhibition.
Matt Sims: [00:03:22] And this is in April?
Michael Douglass: [00:03:23] This is in April.
Matt Sims: [00:03:23] So it’s a brand new show back at Stoneleigh. So both of these shows are in and outdoors, aren’t they?
Michael Douglass: [00:03:28] Yes.
Matt Sims: [00:03:29] And there’s no overnight camping at them. That’s the big key.
Michael Douglass: [00:03:32] That’s the big difference.
Matt Sims: [00:03:33] Day visitor only. Now, these are huge buying events. So if you’re in the market for a motorhome, campervan or all sorts of camping accessories, there’s loads to look at and browse and buy.
Michael Douglass: [00:03:45] And the thing that makes our shows different is we have both new and used vehicles side by side.
Matt Sims: [00:03:50] Which is unlike the big NEC shows, which are just new or very nearly new. These are a mix. I mean, there’s product there from £10,000 motorhomes or campervans up to probably £200,000. There’s a real mix. There’s something for everyone, isn’t there?
Michael Douglass: [00:04:05] Yeah, definitely. I think we noticed last year the big change. There were some more lower-end vans available.
Matt Sims: [00:04:11] There were, yeah, there were prices there from £15,000, which was quite new, wasn’t it? Dealers were bringing older stock so broadening their offering. And there’s a mix of dealers, isn’t there, from all over the country. Often they’re local to the show, but there are some dealers that travel the country doing all of the shows.
Michael Douglass: [00:04:28] That’s right. Yes. So there’s a mix of the smaller independent dealers and the larger multi-showroom dealers.
Matt Sims: [00:04:35] Yeah, we’ve got all the accessories as well. That Leisure Shop will be there too, of course. We’re at all the shows this year with a beautiful range of outdoor furniture and accessories. And then alongside the exhibition area, we’ve got the advice centre which is always a huge highlight for me. I have the great pleasure of hosting it and introducing an amazing array of speakers at every event. This is included in the price. Completely free. Free presentations all day long. What can we expect?
Michael Douglass: [00:05:01] We’re part of Out and About live, which has the website with the reviews, articles, buying guides and the magazines. So it’s kind of bringing that to the show. So there’s a mixture of informational talks – so buying vehicles, buying accessorie – and your Europe talk that you always do.
Matt Sims: [00:05:20] I’ve got a twist to it this year. So my talk on going to Europe this year is going to be all about the changes to European travel in 2026 and 2027. You need to know about them. So if you’re planning to go to Europe, make sure you come along to one of those talks.
Michael Douglass: [00:05:34] And then there’s a load of inspirational talks. So they’re usually about destinations. So like Highlands2hammocks NC 500 or Norway. Then there are some entertaining talks like the popular Motorhome mishaps one.
Matt Sims: [00:05:46] Are we going to do that again?
Michael Douglass: [00:05:47] I think so! Maybe some other guests as well.
Matt Sims: [00:05:49] Okay, that would be great. It was very funny. True stories from the experts that you see on stage getting it wrong. Me included.
Michael Douglass: [00:05:57] Yeah, and some cook alongs with Mark from Van Life Eats.
Matt Sims: [00:06:00] So we’ve got Van Life Eats there as well. Yeah, there’s loads going on. There’s so much going on. And there’s a motorhome manoeuvring course as well. So if you’re listening or watching this thinking, well, I’d love to buy a big motorhome, but I’m a bit scared of driving it – have a go at manoeuvring a motorhome at one of the shows. So let’s talk money. What do these shows cost to attend?
Michael Douglass: [00:06:19] If you book in advance, it’s £10 per adult. Children 16 and under are free. If you pay on the gate, it’s £15.
Matt Sims: [00:06:26] Okay. And that gets you in all day. And you can come for just the one day, or you can come for several days if you wish to on a day ticket.
Michael Douglass: [00:06:33] And your listeners get a discount!
Matt Sims: [00:06:35] So 20% off if you use the code MOTORHOMEMATT on pre-booked tickets, meaning they’re just £8. So those are the exhibitions, the day visitor events. What about the weekend events? I mean, I love these. These are four nights of camping. You’ve got seven of these planned for 2026. Tell us more.
Michael Douglass: [00:06:53] Yeah. So these have all of the great buying aspects that the exhibitions have. But then like you say, you can camp for four nights. There’s live entertainment each night across multiple stages. Then a big headline show on Saturday night.
Matt Sims: [00:07:07] Which does carry a small premium, doesn’t it? A small cost. We’ll talk about money in a minute. Okay. So three stages every night, including the Thursday night. You arrive Thursday and go home Monday.
Michael Douglass: [00:07:18] Yep.
Matt Sims: [00:07:19] Brilliant weekend away. Electric hook-up is available. Disabled parking is also available, but there are limited numbers, aren’t there?
Michael Douglass: [00:07:27] Yeah, the electric hook-up ones sell fast, so if people do want them, they need to book as soon as possible.
Matt Sims: [00:07:32] And as you say, same as the day events, there are motorhomes there for sale, campervans, motorhomes, a whole mix of accessories as well. And then a load of other activities going on throughout the day too.
Michael Douglass: [00:07:43] Yeah, there’s a few coach trips for campers as well. So like at Norfolk, we go to the Norfolk Broads.
Matt Sims: [00:07:48] Brilliant. Okay, so let’s talk money then. What do they cost?
Michael Douglass: [00:07:52] £94.50 for the whole weekend.
Matt Sims: [00:07:55] I still think that’s great value. They’ve gone up a little bit, haven’t they, from last year. But this includes a booking fee. You book online. It’s dead easy to book. You scan the QR code on your phone when you arrive, and then the marshals help park you up, and you’ve then got access to the show once it’s running friday, Saturday, Sunday. But the key is you can arrive Thursday, can’t you?
Michael Douglass: [00:08:14] You can.
Matt Sims: [00:08:14] Yes, yes. And you can stay until the Monday. And these shows you can also visit for the day if you don’t want to camp. What’s the day ticket cost?
Michael Douglass: [00:08:22] £10 in advance.
Matt Sims: [00:08:23] Again, 20% off if you use the code MOTORHOMEMATT. So they are actually only £8 if you book in advance, and there’s a slightly increased fee on the gate on the day.
Michael Douglass: [00:08:34] And with the new booking system that we launched last year, it means campers can book right up until the Wednesday before the show. So we don’t have to close them as early anymore. So you’ve got more time to plan.
Matt Sims: [00:08:44] So a lot of people are waiting on the weather, aren’t they, and we’ve seen this as a real trend. If that’s you, we know you’re doing it and I don’t blame you! You know, if it looks like it might rain, you think, oh, I’m not going to go. So yeah, you can book much later and much closer to the event this year. But they do sell out, don’t they?
Michael Douglass: [00:09:01] We sold out two camping fields last year. First time ever.
Matt Sims: [00:09:05] You snooze, you lose. That’s the key. So on top of all of this, you’ve also got three new events that you’re calling festivals. The first is one of my favourites of the year – Campervan Campout. Big headline acts. Just give us a quick synopsis of what’s happening at Campout this year.
Michael Douglass: [00:09:19] This is the fourth year and we have three big headliners. Got Ellie Sax, Marvin Humes and a Kevin and Perry act.
Matt Sims: [00:09:26] And which band is Marvin Humes famous for being in.
Michael Douglass: [00:09:30] JLS, I believe.
Matt Sims: [00:09:31] Now, some of you would not know that. I didn’t know that. I’ll be honest.
Michael Douglass: [00:09:35] I think he’s a radio star now.
Matt Sims: [00:09:36] Okay. So he’s gone on to a media career. So it’s a big event. There’s loads of entertainment all weekend, the advice centre as well. But there’s also things like the wellness clinic. Van Life Eats is there again. There’s loads to get involved with, isn’t there, all weekend?
Michael Douglass: [00:09:50] Yeah, it’s definitely got more of a festival vibe than our traditional show. And there is stuff from when you wake up in the morning till the evening, and it’s family-friendly. The whole site is completely family-friendly.
Matt Sims: [00:10:01] And it’s important to note with these fees that they aren’t per person, it’s per van and it’s two adults and three children.
Michael Douglass: [00:10:07] Yeah. And you can pay for additional adults or children.
Matt Sims: [00:10:10] Yes. And you can take the dog!
Michael Douglass: [00:10:11] You can. There’s even a dog swimming pool at this one!
Matt Sims: [00:10:15] The dog swimming pool. I might take Reggie. You never know. And then there’s two new events to your portfolio. The first is the Big Land Rover Fest. This is a new show for Warners.
Michael Douglass: [00:10:26] Yes. So we publish Land Rover Monthly magazine. And they currently do some small autojumble events. And they approached us about helping them launch a festival. So we’ve teamed up and we’re launching the Big Land Rover Fest.
Matt Sims: [00:10:41] And where and when is it?
Michael Douglass: [00:10:42] That is at the Newbury Showground in July.
Matt Sims: [00:10:44] So what can we expect to see at the Big Land Rover Fest?
Michael Douglass: [00:10:47] So they’ll have a trade area like our normal exhibition areas that have Land Rover clubs there, and there’ll be talks and music, live music. We’ve got Luke Coombs headlining that one. We saw him at Malvern last year.
Matt Sims: [00:11:00] Malvern!
Michael Douglass: [00:11:01] Yeah, I keep getting told off for that. Ad one other great thing. I was showing you the videos the other day – building an off road course.
Matt Sims: [00:11:09] That looked very cool.
Michael Douglass: [00:11:10] That’s for all levels as well.
Matt Sims: [00:11:13] So people can take their own four by four around that course.
Michael Douglass: [00:11:15] Yes, and drive around.
Matt Sims: [00:11:16] Yeah. But I would suggest it is a four by four! It looks pretty challenging.
Michael Douglass: [00:11:20] There are some trickier bits to it!
Matt Sims: [00:11:23] Yeah. And you’ve already built the course.
Michael Douglass: [00:11:25] Yes.
Matt Sims: [00:11:25] Amazing. Okay. And then the other big event this year is Retro Festival.
Michael Douglass: [00:11:30] Yes. So that has been going for 25 years, but we only took it on last year. It’s a festival that celebrates everything retro, and music’s really big at this one. There are three different stages. There’s one on rockabilly, rock and roll and jive, one on northern soul, and one on 1940s, 1950s swing. Then there are hundreds of classic cars and classic military vehicles. Those old Airstream hair salons and makeup. And everyone gets dressed up. Vintage fairground, wall of death. There’s lots going on. It’s a big event.
Matt Sims: [00:12:06] And this has been running, as you say, for some time, hasn’t it? And you’ve taken it over and brought it into the fold.
Michael Douglass: [00:12:11] Yeah. We’ve made a few changes to bring it into line with the kind of production level of our other events.
Matt Sims: [00:12:15] So at all these three festivals, you can camp at as well. So you can take your motorhome. They’re a slightly different price point to your other shows, but we’ll go to the web link in a minute where you can find out more. Just tell me when and where is Campout? Because we didn’t say!
Michael Douglass: [00:12:29] It is the 1st to the 3rd of May.
Matt Sims: [00:12:31] Yeah. In Ardingly’s showground near Brighton. So that neck of the woods. So to find out more about all of Warner’s portfolio of shows for 2026, just head to mhmp.info/warners. Remember, use the code MOTORHOMEMATT to save on a day ticket if you’re thinking of just going for the day, but I would encourage you, if you can, to come along and camp. They are fantastic events, they offer super value and I promise you you will be in for a great weekend. I look forward to seeing you at a Warners Show in 2026. Michael, thank you for coming in and sharing a bit more about what you’re up to this year.
Michael Douglass: [00:13:11] Thank you for having us.
Matt Sims: [00:13:12] Absolute joy.
Keith Gooden: [00:13:13] The main part of the podcast this week – it’s innovation or evaporation. We love it. We love it. We love all these little iterations.
Matt Sims: [00:13:23] That’s mine. Innovate or evaporate. I’m always saying this, aren’t I?
Keith Gooden: [00:13:26] You are always saying it.
Matt Sims: [00:13:27] It’s true.
Keith Gooden: [00:13:28] So we need more innovation. And you found some, I believe.
Matt Sims: [00:13:31] I think it was October 2024. We were at the big show in Birmingham, and we were walking down the aisles and we were looking for content. And I’m always searching for innovation and new products and creativity and stuff that I think is useful to you, the listener or viewer of this podcast. And I was stopped in my tracks by a small exhibit. It was part of another stand. And I said to Maddie, we need to feature this.
Keith Gooden: [00:13:56] Did you say to Maddie, we need to feature this?
Matt Sims: [00:13:58] I did say to Maddie, we need to feature this – just like that.
Keith Gooden: [00:14:01] Do we need to feature this, Maddie?
Matt Sims: [00:14:02] We did. And Maddie just stood there and rolled her eyes and said, what now? And I was talking to this chap called Simon, who I’d never met before, and he’d launched a control panel that engaged with all of the functionality in the van. So the water, the heating, the water levels, everything. And it was in one funky control panel.
Keith Gooden: [00:14:24] Was it funky?
Matt Sims: [00:14:25] It was very funky. And he called it SavvyVan.
Keith Gooden: [00:14:28] Did he? Not FunkyVan?
Matt Sims: [00:14:28] And I thought, this is really good. I’d never seen anything quite like it. I’ve seen lots of control systems, lots of control panels. But this was very, very integrated and I was impressed. And I wanted to find out a bit more about SavvyVan. So Simon came into the studio and we had a really good chat. Can you tell me a little bit about you and your background? How did you get to this point?
Simon Knight: [00:14:53] I started my life in cybersecurity.
Matt Sims: [00:14:58] That sounds very cool.
Simon Knight: [00:14:59] Yeah, so I’d done 14 years in cybersecurity. I then obviously got into the campervan world, really enjoyed my own campervan. I started to build out my campervan.
Matt Sims: [00:15:09] Well, you built your own van, didn’t you? You converted your own van.
Simon Knight: [00:15:12] We did. Yeah. Yeah. So we built it from a normal panel van like most DIY people do. We then obviously put the control panels in and all the switches and everything else, and then when we kind of sat back and looked at it, I really wanted something a bit more fancy. Coming from a tech background, you know, I really enjoy that. You’ve got your tablet, you’ve got your phone and everything else. So I was really keen on having that in my van as well.
Matt Sims: [00:15:36] Because there is a trend, isn’t there, for rows of rocker switches in campervan conversions. I mean, we saw lots of them here. A touch screen is not very common. Unless you’ve got a full lithium install, you know, then a touch screen is really quite rare.
Simon Knight: [00:15:51] It is. Yeah.
Matt Sims: [00:15:52] So is that what drove you to launch SavvyVan?
Simon Knight: [00:15:54] It was researching the market. So at the time, you know, we’re talking maybe four years ago, you wanted something in your van and it wasn’t available. You know, the options are that maybe we spend £1,000 for something by a big manufacturer. Obviously we didn’t have that kind of money to put into the van. I made the decision to, you know, spend a bit of a weekend – I thought, I can do something myself.
Matt Sims: [00:16:18] And developed an entire touch screen control system?!
Simon Knight: [00:16:21] I would say the first version wasn’t an entire touch screen control system! Okay, so the first version was very much tailored for me. It was very basic. I could touch a panel and it lit up. The very first version never turned off. So trying to sleep with it overnight was quite interesting. So there were a few issues in version number one.
Matt Sims: [00:16:44] And this all started from your garage at home, didn’t it?
Simon Knight: [00:16:47] It did. Yeah. So it actually started on my dining table. Right. My wife absolutely loved that, with all my electronics all over it and the soldering iron. And then 3D printers got involved. So that was on the dining table as well. So I eventually got kicked out into the garage which became a big messy workshop with bits and pieces not working all over it. Obviously, that came together for my own van, you know, my very first panel. I’ve still got it at home where the wires have been soldered and it’s just a mass of wires just all soldered together with some components.
Matt Sims: [00:17:23] Keep that safe. It could be collectable in the future.
Simon Knight: [00:17:25] Definitely.
Matt Sims: [00:17:26] It’s a bit like the Amazon story, this.
Simon Knight: [00:17:28] Yeah.
Matt Sims: [00:17:28] Yeah. So Jeff Bezos started in the dining room and then to the garage and now look where he is. So four years on we’re not quite Amazon. But you’ve now got business units.
Simon Knight: [00:17:40] Yep. So we’ve got an office in our local town and there are now four staff members. So, you know, we’ve expanded massively. You know, we’re no longer soldering on the dining table. We have a fully working product which is tried and tested.
Matt Sims: [00:17:57] And the key is you’ve got very clever developers working with you. And you’ve got a team overseas as well that you’re tapping into as well. So it’s not just that small team – near Leeds, aren’t you? Let’s talk about what SavvyVan does. It’s a control panel, a touch screen control panel. Now, the key with this is it’s completely tailorable, isn’t it? So if I want a big on-off button in the middle, I can do that.
Simon Knight: [00:18:23] Yeah. So I think to going back to the story of how we built this, I took my product to a local campervan company and they said, well that’s fine, but it needs to change. So I have this kind of setup in my van, not the same as what you’ve had in yours. We looked at how the interface is built and the key thing that we were missing was it had to be completely tailorable to each van, because every van is different. So on the interface itself, you can configure the icons, you can configure what kind of battery management you’ve got, how many water centres you’ve got in. But the key thing for the screen is that whatever you configure, it shows on the screen. You never have that button that doesn’t do anything. You know, that one rocker switch that sits in the corner.
Michael Douglass: [00:19:10] The mystery AUX button.
Matt Sims: [00:19:12] Correct. Yep, because it’s software based, obviously that’s then just removed. So you never see that on the screen. If you wanted you could have one button in the middle that says on-of and it would do nothing else.
Matt Sims: [00:19:23] Yeah. And users can tailor this themselves. Is that right? Is that easy to do?
Simon Knight: [00:19:29] Yeah, it’s very easy. So we did a recent survey and everybody found it very simple to use. We purposely made the whole thing as plug and play as possible and as easy for anybody to get hold of it.
Matt Sims: [00:19:41] So at the moment you’re working with the control manufacturers, people like CBE, Sargent, BCA. So motorhome brands that use those makes of control system are people like Chausson, Carthago, Auto-Trail, Bailey. So those models of motorhomes can take a SavvyVan control panel.
Simon Knight: [00:20:02] Yeah. Most people don’t want to completely replace all the electrics in the van – just to put a control panel to make something look nice and be more intuitive. So we’ve taken the existing panels from Sargent, BCA and CBE and we’ve made plug and play systems. So if you buy one which is CB compatible, you pull the plug out of the existing panel. And you put it into our box and everything’s done for you. So it comes pre-configured. It is truly plug and play.
Matt Sims: [00:20:35] And your panel just swaps out with the panel that was there into the same hole.
Simon Knight: [00:20:40] Yeah.
Matt Sims: [00:20:40] So everything just works.
Simon Knight: [00:20:42] The screen that covers the hole is peel and stick.
Matt Sims: [00:20:46] Easy. Very easy. It sounds too good to be true. So you’re growing SavvyVan to integrate with more and more of these manufacturers, aren’t you?
Simon Knight: [00:20:56] Yeah. We continuously evolve. So as soon as we see the need for a particular product or integration, we’ll then work with manufacturers to bring that into the system.
Matt Sims: [00:21:06] And this includes lithium battery manufacturers. So you’re already working with a number of lithium battery manufacturers. Lithium batteries have of course a BMS, a battery management system. And that’s what you tap into. And many of these batteries, they all have their own app, but you can integrate that app and functionality into this control panel, which of course the motorhome control panel can’t and doesn’t do.
Simon Knight: [00:21:30] Yeah, I think there’s quite a few benefits to that as well. So when we integrate anything into the panel, the panel knows about your water. It knows about your lights. It knows about your battery. So an example I use quite a lot is that we use a lot of logic in it. So if we see your battery draining, we can create notifications, we can flash lights. If your battery gets low, we could open your grey waste tank, because we have that capability to do it. And that is 100% configurable by the user within the system.
Matt Sims: [00:22:02] And what’s interesting for me is this is consumer demand led, isn’t it, this product development? Because what’s happening is people are buying these systems and fitting them to their motorhome or campervan or caravan and saying, Simon, can you make this integrate with this system onto my SavvyVan control panel? I’m going to give you a scenario. And this is where the future is, isn’t it, for SavvyVan. So my scenario is I’ve got a cold water tank and a hot water tank in the boiler. I’ve got a lithium battery. I’m solar charging as well. So I’ve got a solar panel with an MPPT. I’ve got Truma heating or maybe Alde heating, and I’ve got a levelling system. Your control panel can actually integrate with all of that and control all of it.
Simon Knight: [00:22:45] Correct. Yeah. So there’s a few things in there which we’re still working on. So we do need the buy-in from manufacturers in some cases. So, you know, the batteries, the solar – we bring most of that information in depending on what kind of battery you have, what kind of solar charger that you use. The heating systems – again, we can work with some heating systems, but not all. So, you know, once we have that discussion with a manufacturer, we can then start to bring that in.
Matt Sims: [00:23:12] So are you working with someone like Truma, then?
Simon Knight: [00:23:14] Not at the moment, but we are looking to work with them.
Matt Sims: [00:23:16] But you would.
Simon Knight: [00:23:17] We will.
Matt Sims: [00:23:17] Yeah, definitely. Okay, so manufacturers, if you’re listening, this is consumer demand right here that is developing this product. They are driving this innovation. And Simon is leading the charge. So I’d say to all manufacturers of electrical systems, 12 volt or 24 volt, you want to talk to them, don’t you?
Simon Knight: [00:23:36] Yes, definitely.
Matt Sims: [00:23:37] And there’s a huge benefit and a motivation for a consumer to maybe make a buying choice based on the fact that they can connect that system to their SavvyVan control unit. So you heard it here first. So I think this is exciting. Your customer base is typically self-converters or professional converters.
Simon Knight: [00:23:56] It’s a bit of both. So you know we’ve got quite a large following now for DIY installs because this is so easy to install. But because of the easy install, we’ve also got a lot of trade. We do commercial branding. So anybody who’s working for the trade, if they want to have their logo on the screen, we then do the full commercial branding for it as well.
Matt Sims: [00:24:18] Very nice. So if it’s ABC campers, you wake up to their logo when you turn the system on. The other thing I found really fascinating just chatting with you before we did this interview is that if I invest in this SavvyVan – and we’ll talk about cost in a minute, because if you’re listening or watching, you’ll be surprised how little this costs. I was surprised – but all future developments are included at no extra charge.
Simon Knight: [00:24:44] Yep. So in the units, there’s Wi-Fi built in. So you connect these to your local Wi-Fi or hotspot. And then there’s a big button that says update now. That will bring down all the new code that we’ve developed, any integrations that we’ve developed in the background. We talked earlier about the battery, the BMS within it. A very good example is, you know, that initially we had to buy one of our shunts and the shunt would give you the data from the battery.
Matt Sims: [00:25:16] This is a box that goes between your control panel and the lithium battery.
Simon Knight: [00:25:19] Correct. And so we then thought, actually, we don’t need the shunt because all these batteries have got Bluetooth built into them. So we then developed that, and then we pushed out a software update. So anybody who had one in the past, although they never bought it with this functionality, they gained the functionality. The add-ons that we do there are wireless, and they’re wireless for a reason, because if you’ve already got one of these boxes, there’s no hardware requirement for it. So you update the software, you buy the add-on, and then you can then integrate with whatever new thing is coming out.
Matt Sims: [00:25:50] Yes. So you’re already working with the levelling company M-Level. So you can control that levelling system from the control panel.
Simon Knight: [00:25:58] So that is in process at the moment. We would look to deliver that in 2026 – this year.
Matt Sims: [00:26:04] Brilliant. And if another levelling manufacturer got in touch and said, SavvyVan, we want you to have control of our levelling system as well, those previous customers would get access to that at no cost. And that’s the case across the entire development.
Simon Knight: [00:26:19] And I think then for manufacturers – obviously, everything that we build into this box, we encourage sales to the manufacturers that we currently work with. Because if someone’s looking to get a levelling system and they’ve got a SavvyVan installed already, they will be inclined to go with the ones that are going to work with the panel, rather than the ones that don’t.
Matt Sims: [00:26:38] Of course, that’s what I said earlier, that the consumer is going to make a buying decision based on what they can control. So let’s talk about cost, then. What does one of these panels actually cost me?
Simon Knight: [00:26:47] For the five-inch version, it’s £400. And for the seven-inch version it’s £430.
Matt Sims: [00:26:53] Okay. So £30 difference. It doesn’t seem a lot of money.
Simon Knight: [00:26:57] No.
Matt Sims: [00:26:58] And you’re making money at this as an independent business.
Simon Knight: [00:27:01] So because we’re fully UK, we want to support the UK market. We want to support our customers buying it. You know, we could put a £1,000 price on it, which I think we would probably still sell just as many as we are now. But we want people to enjoy it. We want to get it into the hands of all our customers. We want them to enjoy it without thinking, actually, that was a little bit too much. So yes, we keep the price purposely low because we want it to get into people’s vans.
Matt Sims: [00:27:32] Yeah. And obviously it’s working because you say. – well, at the recent NEC show, didn’t you sell out really quickly?
Simon Knight: [00:27:38] We sold out on Tuesday.
Matt Sims: [00:27:39] On the first day?!
Simon Knight: [00:27:40] The first day. So we had one of our suppliers that were going back to Leeds. I think they were going to feed their cat, then come back again. So we had a box dropped off at their house. We ransacked the whole stock, put it in a box, brought it down, and we sold out again by friday!
Matt Sims: [00:27:58] So how do you manage the rest of the weekend? Forward orders?
Simon Knight: [00:28:00] Interestingly!
Matt Sims: [00:28:01] So you sweated?
Simon Knight: [00:28:03] Yes. Basically. Yeah. We got quite a lot of people that were happy just to obviously buy it there with the deals that we do and get it delivered.
Matt Sims: [00:28:13] Brilliant. It’s fascinating. Now, we’ve got some exciting news and it’s exclusive here on the Motorhome Matt podcast. You have news of something you are launching at this upcoming NEC February 2026 show. I understand you are launching a smartphone app so you can replicate the control panel on your phone.
Simon Knight: [00:28:35] We may possibly be releasing something like that, but we can’t talk about it, I’m afraid!
Matt Sims: [00:28:40] Oh dear. I’ve already said! So at the show you are launching this new feature. What can you tell us about it?
Simon Knight: [00:28:46] Not a lot! So the feature is coming. I will let everybody wait until the NEC to look at what we’re doing. The app does work, and it is live on the system at the moment.
Matt Sims: [00:28:58] And that’s going live February 2026?
Simon Knight: [00:29:01] We’ll be announcing it at the February show, at the NEC. It will be going live in summer this year.
Matt Sims: [00:29:07] Okay. Right. So that week of the NEC, the 16th of February, the Monday, we will be launching a podcast episode. We will be allowed to launch and tell people more about this app. Will you come back on and share with people that day when I know you can talk about it? Because this is embargoed at the moment, isn’t it?
Simon Knight: [00:29:28] Of course. Yes.
Matt Sims: [00:29:29] So I’ve spilled the beans here, launching an app. Sorry about that! But it’s an exclusive here. You heard it here first. And people can see lots of shows, can’t they, throughout the year. You do the NEC show in Birmingham and you do lots of the Warners shows and other shows around the country as well. And you can find out more – whether you’re a manufacturer, converter or a consumer. Simon would love to hear from you. And Simon has very kindly given a 5% discount to consumers buying the SavvyVan Control panel. Just use the code MOTORHOMEMATT. You can find out more at mhmp.info/savvyvan. Now, just before you go, Simon, last week Daniel had a question which I considered the most first world question I’d ever heard. Daniel has a motorhome on his drive that he rents out as an Airbnb, and he wanted to know, is there an app that would tell him when his fresh water tank is nearly full, so the water doesn’t…
Simon Knight: [00:30:22] Nearly full or nearly empty?
Matt Sims: [00:30:22] Nearly full, so the water doesn’t pour out all over his driveway.
Simon Knight: [00:30:26] I can’t say I’ve ever had anybody be worried about their driveway getting wet!
Matt Sims: [00:30:31] Nor had I. I thought this was a brilliant request.
Simon Knight: [00:30:34] Yeah.
Matt Sims: [00:30:34] Could you make one?
Simon Knight: [00:30:35] Yes. We can. Yes, so using the logic in here, you can say when it gets full to send me a notification.
Matt Sims: [00:30:41] But I guess most people want to know when the water tank is getting empty.
Simon Knight: [00:30:44] I would imagine so.
Matt Sims: [00:30:45] And you do have that function?
Simon Knight: [00:30:46] We do have that.
Matt Sims: [00:30:47] So if Daniel wanted to spend some money with you on an app development, you would welcome his call.
Simon Knight: [00:30:52] Of course.
Matt Sims: [00:30:52] There you are, Daniel, there’s your answer. SavvyVan would create such an app. Simon, thank you so much for coming in. It’s great to see you. As I always say, if you don’t innovate, you evaporate – and you are innovating. And I love that you’ve responded to consumer demand to create this product. It’s not very often we see something quite as pioneering as this in the motorhome industry that we love. I take my hat off to you. I wish you every success with it. And I will definitely be following SavvyVan with great interest. So thank you.
Simon Knight: [00:31:22] No, thank you very much. Thank you for having me.
Keith Gooden: [00:31:25] And that’s Simon Knight. He’s the founder of SavvyVan.
Matt Sims: [00:31:29] Yeah, yeah. Thanks so much for coming in. And they’ve got more plans for growth, more innovation, lots of new products and development coming. And I’m very proud that they are Motorhome Matt Approved, and they are definitely one to look at. If you’re converting a van or you want to adapt your van and have a better control panel, then definitely check out SavvyVan. I’m seeing more and more of their panels being used by converters or people upgrading, and when the control panel that works with our van is available, it’s certainly something I’ll be looking at. So go and find out more at mhmp.info/savvyvan.
Keith Gooden: [00:32:05] You know it’s from Spanish, savvy. ¿sabe? means, do you understand?
Matt Sims: [00:32:16] I understand, yeah.
Keith Gooden: [00:32:17] They say it in Cockney. They say savvy. Do you savvy? Yeah, yeah. It’s like sailors being called mariners. It comes from French.
Matt Sims: [00:32:34] More language tips next week.
Keith Gooden: [00:32:38] He said tips.
Matt Sims: [00:32:39] I did.
Keith Gooden: [00:32:41] It’s the Motorhome Matt podcast with me Keith Gooden.
Matt Sims: [00:32:44] And me, Motorhome Matt.
Keith Gooden: [00:32:45] It’s brought to you by www.thatleisureshop.com and sponsored by Ripe.
Matt Sims: [00:32:49] Now remember, you can get 15% off your insurance premium with Ripe. The discount applies automatically if you click the link in the episode description.
Keith Gooden: [00:32:58] Julie got in touch.
Julie: [00:33:00] It’s Julie here from Brighton. I’ve just watched your 2025 wrapped podcast. Thank you very much. One of the things you mentioned was about people having to wait such a long time for their motorhomes to be fixed. It could be weeks. In some cases, it could be many, many months. And I just wondered if there was a company out there that with the warranty, they paused the warranty from the time the van is at the manufacturer’s or dealership, wherever it’s being fixed, because you’re unable to use that motorhome and it might be months before you then get it back. The warranty then runs out a couple of weeks after you’ve got it back, and then something goes wrong. So to me, that doesn’t seem fair, if you’ve not been able to use the motorhome. I Just wondered if there was something out there. Anyway, I really enjoy your podcast. Thank you very much. Bye.
Keith Gooden: [00:33:58] Very interesting question from Julie. So if your motorhome is getting serviced or fixed or something, let’s say it’s somewhere for a month or so, can you pause the warranty?
Matt Sims: [00:34:09] Do you know what? It’s a really, really good question and perfectly reasonable to ask it. And I’ve been asked this many times, particularly during the pandemic, when we were all locked down and nobody could use a motorhome. People were complaining that their warranty was running out. You know, it was sat there serving them no purpose at all. And it would certainly seem unfair. But of course, the challenge is that there are many other factors at risk of wear and tear that could be covered by the warranty whilst it’s parked up. So things like paint fading or windows cracking under heat, etc. I’ve mentioned this in passing to a couple of dealerships and a couple of manufacturers, who all said absolutely no. The warranty is running, and it runs out when it runs out. But we have been working with Warranty Solutions Group, who are quite an innovative bunch. I approached them to ask them their view and if this is something they would consider.
Keith Gooden: [00:35:06] So WSG say, it’s not something we would normally be able to offer, but after speaking to the team, we are happy to do it as a special request. However, we’ll need evidence such as an email from the repairer detailing that the part is on back order.
Matt Sims: [00:35:24] They went on to say, we appreciate that a motorhome could be undrivable for several weeks or months due to needing a specific part. In which case, and in the spirit of treating customers fairly, we will pause the warranty and resume it once the part is in.
Keith Gooden: [00:35:40] Additionally, we’ve also agreed to extend the normal claim timeframes in these situations to accommodate accordingly. Normally, the customer or repairer has three months from the date of claim authorisation to submit the invoice to us for payment.
Matt Sims: [00:35:58] So we’ll honour any extended times needed above this.
Keith Gooden: [00:36:02] That’s new. That’s something that the Motorhome Matt podcast has changed.
Matt Sims: [00:36:05] It is. And I take my hat off to Warranty Solutions Group again. I said to Steph, do you know what? I think you’re the first and only warranty company that I know, not just in the UK but potentially globally, that would do this. I just don’t know another one that would do it. So this question has sparked change and really positive change. So credit to the podcast. It shows that we’ve got some authority and we can influence what service suppliers and manufacturers are offering to you, the consumer. So I am delighted. Thank you. Warranty Solutions Group are Motorhome Matt Approved, and frankly, this is why. And you can find out more about them at mhmp.info/wsg.
Keith Gooden: [00:36:51] And thanks to you, Julie, for asking the question. Because without the question, nothing would have happened at all. We rely on you.
Matt Sims: [00:36:57] The questions are described as our gold, and this is why. So there we are. So if you’re thinking of a warranty, whether your motorhome has a manufacturer’s warranty or it’s second-hand and it’s out of manufacturer cover, definitely check out Warranty Solutions Group. It’ll certainly add value to your motorhome life.
Keith Gooden: [00:37:14] Tim Barnard’s in Cumbria. One thing he’d like to know is if you have a set budget of, say, £80,000, should you buy a new motorhome such as a Chausson or similar, or a 3 to 4-year-old second-hand luxury motorhome like a Hymer, for example?
Matt Sims: [00:37:34] So what he’s saying there is a slightly older motorhome that maybe was more expensive when it was brand new. So which is better? Great question and a real dilemma for those looking at new or used. The big difference, of course, with brand new is you’re the first user, whereas second hand or pre-loved, other people have slept in it, eaten in it, pooed and weed in it. That’s the reality. New offers, lots of tech. So with modern tech, you can potentially customise it. You get a brand new manufacturer’s warranty, which can give peace of mind, although maybe an aftermarket one might offer better cover, as we’ve just heard. But it’s going to cost a lot more and you’re going to lose more money in depreciation, which we’ve talked about very recently in depth. I would go and check out our episode. It was called Buying New Versus Used. We released it on April ’25. If you Google Motorhome Matt buying new versus used, you’ll find it straight away. And I unpack the differences and the considerations which I think might help you make a decision.
Keith Gooden: [00:38:36] Tim Englefield is in Didcot. Hi, Matt. We have a Benimar 231 bought new in 2019. Love the podcast, and I think I’ve caught up with most of them by now. I haven’t found one that deals with tools and spares that we should be carrying in our motorhomes, campervans and caravans.
Matt Sims: [00:38:57] Personally, having worked in the automotive industry most of my working life, I probably carry far too much. On the plus side, we’ve been able to help others at rallies or on sites that have had issues. If you haven’t done one, is this a subject for a future podcast?
Keith Gooden: [00:39:13] Wait, w-a-i-t, and weight, w-e-i-g-h-t.
Matt Sims: [00:39:18] You can spell.
Keith Gooden: [00:39:19] Yeah, I can, but. But wait…
Matt Sims: [00:39:21] I thought this was a language podcast. It’s now a spelling podcast.
Keith Gooden: [00:39:25] Wait, weight. It’s just carrying tools. It’s extra.
Matt Sims: [00:39:28] It is extra weight. That’s very true. And what’s the Spanish for wait?
Keith Gooden: [00:39:35] Waiter…?
Matt Sims: [00:39:37] No, that’s the Italian. I think it’s a great idea. Should we do it?
Keith Gooden: [00:39:41] Do what?
Matt Sims: [00:39:42] An episode on that.
Keith Gooden: [00:39:44] Oh, I thought you meant wait.
Matt Sims: [00:39:45] Do one.
Keith Gooden: [00:39:46] Yes.
Matt Sims: [00:39:47] I think we should do it. Maddie?
Maddie Elliott: [00:39:49] Um…
Matt Sims: [00:39:51] Maddie’s enthralled. I think it would be a really good answer- er, episode to do.
Keith Gooden: [00:39:57] One of those.
Matt Sims: [00:39:57] Yes. We want a good answer. I could bring in some of the stuff that I take on trips in our van, and some of the stuff I take is not obvious, but Tim makes a great point as well. Carrying stuff that means you can help other people. I think that’s lovely, and we’ve done that in the past. You, Keith, would just carry a hammer, I think.
Keith Gooden: [00:40:16] And a splodge gun.
Matt Sims: [00:40:19] I don’t know.
Keith Gooden: [00:40:20] A little splodge of silicone.
Matt Sims: [00:40:21] I’m not allowed anywhere near the silicone gun. We know that. In terms of an answer for you right now, Tim, I would say carry tools that fit within your own capability. Hence, Keith just takes a hammer and a gun. If you’re an electrician, then take some electrical tools. That’s probably a good idea. You never know what you need, but don’t go mad and pack a workmate. Do you remember those portable workbenches?
Keith Gooden: [00:40:46] Remember?! I’ve got one.
Matt Sims: [00:40:48] Yeah, of course you have. And what do you use that for?
Keith Gooden: [00:40:50] Well, every 3 or 4 years, I get it out and dust it off.
Matt Sims: [00:40:54] Put it back.
Keith Gooden: [00:40:55] Put it back again.
Matt Sims: [00:40:56] Thanks for the suggestion. I think we should make this a future podcast because there could be quite a bit to unpack – literally. So yeah. Thanks, Tim. We’ll do that.
Keith Gooden: [00:41:05] So Matt, how do people get in touch?
Matt Sims: [00:41:07] We would love it if you did. Just head to mhmp.info/askmatt. You can fill in the form with your question or click the orange button and record it. You can check you’re happy with it before you send it. Please tell us where in the world you are, and we can include you in the podcast.
Keith Gooden: [00:41:23] And if you’re looking for trusted brands and services, then make sure you visit the Motorhome Matt Approved directory. It’s at mhmp.info/approved.
Matt Sims: [00:41:33] And would you do us a favour and leave us a review, please? You can do that at mhmp.info/review – but five stars only please.
Keith Gooden: [00:41:43] Yeah! And if a fellow wants to follow, what should they do?
Matt Sims: [00:41:45] We’d love that if you did too. So if you’re listening, please follow on your favourite podcast app. Or if you’re watching on YouTube, click subscribe and that little bell.
Keith Gooden: [00:41:58] Thanks for listening to the Motorhome Matt podcast. Remember to check back here for more episodes full of hints and tips and helpful advice. We’ll see you soon for another Motorhome Matt podcast brought to you with www.thatleisureshop.com.
