Keith Gooden
In today’s episode of the Motorhome Matt podcast…
Matt Sims
We discuss the recent changes to Calor Gas cylinder offerings, including a U-turn on the discontinuation of the smaller bottles.
Keith Gooden
In the news, we discuss whether the Red Sea issues have an impact on component and product deliveries.
Matt Sims
And we answer your questions on price protection and the use of wood in new motorhomes.
Keith Gooden
Welcome to the Motorhome Matt podcast. I’m Keith Gooden.
Matt Sims
And I’m Motorhome Matt.
Keith Gooden
Industry insights and expert advice for the world of motorhomes, caravans and campervans, brought to you by www.thatleisureshop.com.
Matt Sims
And remember to follow on your podcast app and subscribe on YouTube. Click the little bell – sponsored by www.arobasecreative.co.uk.
The NEC Caravan, Camping and Motorhome Show 2024
Keith Gooden
Straight into the news then, Matt – the NEC Caravan, Camping and Motorhome Show 2024, 13th to the 18th of February.
Matt Sims
It’s going to be a big one. It’s the annual February show back at the NEC in Birmingham and I’m on the Ask the Expert panel, stand 3120, on Wednesday and Thursday. So each day, Wednesday and Thursday, there is a panel. 11:15 and 2:45 I’ll be on that panel. And then throughout the week, I’m on the Expert Advice stand, Tuesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. So basically I’m on there all week.
Keith Gooden
Fantastic. And by the way, did you notice the date? He’s there on Valentine’s Day girls – well, and boys.
Matt Sims
My Valentine’s card will be going in the suitcase. I guarantee she forgets.
Keith Gooden
Okay, then – you’re on stand 1062, That Leisure Shop and Maypole.
Matt Sims
Yes, so the team from That Leisure Shop are running the Maypole stand. So if you need security or motorhome or caravan cover, any of that great stuff that Maypole sell, then head into Hall One, stand 1062 and look for the Maypole at That Leisure Shop stand. And John and Tasha from Life Beyond Bricks are running that for us.
Keith Gooden
Will you have any of these?
Matt Sims
The stickers.
Keith Gooden
You can be a sticker nicker if you’re at the show. Just come along and pick them up.
Matt Sims
A sticker nicker? They are free. You haven’t got to nick them. “I’m listening to the Motorhome Matt podcast.” There we are. Stick that on the back of the van or on your habitation door. It seems to be a popular location. Or on the toilet cassette, as I’ve known a few people do. So yes, come and grab one. I’ll have these on the advice centre, so come and grab a, “I’m listening to Motorhome Matt,” sticker.
Keith Gooden
There’s also a stand for 180, That Leisure Shop and Crespo and Bo-Camp as well.
Matt Sims
Indeed. Yeah, so again, the team from That Leisure Shop are running the Crespo Bo-Camp stand. I don’t know if you’ve seen their products. They are beautiful. An amazing array of chairs, tables and accessories from the Netherlands and from Valencia in Spain.
Hall Four, stand 4180, some of the team from the shop will be there helping you browse through an amazing array of outdoor accessory products. And we’ve got stock. Stock is arriving every day here, so you can choose your product at the show. And we will dispatch it the same day or next day for delivery within a few days.
Keith Gooden
And if you are going to the show, you can save a little bit of money by getting your tickets at www.ccmshow.co.uk. Use the code MATT to save some pennies.
Matt Sims
Absolutely. Why not? Use the code MATT, save a few pence.
Keith Gooden
And don’t forget whatever stand you go to, be a sticker nicker and say, “I am a Motorhome Matt listener. I claim my free kiss on Valentine’s Day.”
Matt Sims
No, don’t do that. Not with this 100-day cough I’ve still got. Honestly.
Is the Red Sea crisis impacting motorhome lead times?
Keith Gooden
Okay, then. Let’s get more serious, shall we? The Middle East crisis seems to be escalating over recent weeks with Houthi rebels firing on ships, which they say are linked to Israel, but they don’t seem all to be.
The Royal Navy and the US Navy have been involved as indeed the RAF as well as the US Air Force in bombing what they say are ammunition dumps. Basically, the Houthis are launching drones and missiles at ships going through the Red Sea. It’s a narrow strait. A huge amount of world trade goes through it. Is it having an impact on vehicles, components and product deliveries?
Matt Sims
It is. So what’s happening is, of course, these ships are not going through that strait and through the Red Sea. They’re going all around South Africa, which is adding two or three weeks onto their journey times.
Keith Gooden
Around the Cape of Good Hope, which is one of the stormiest seas in the world.
Matt Sims
And adding… I heard a ridiculous number about the fuel. Millions and millions and millions of pounds or dollars for the fuel costs for these huge super tankers to get into Europe going that route.
So it’s definitely had an impact on stuff coming from the Middle East and from the Far East, particularly accessories, so chairs, tables, and so on. So we’re seeing some delays already for stock that’s coming from there.
I did ask Ford. I asked my friend Ryan at Ford – he’s in charge of leisure vehicles for Ford – what impact this is having for them. Obviously, lots of componentry, I imagine, comes from the Far East. And the Ford Transit’s built in Turkey. He said no impact at all.
So we’re not expecting any delays to Ford chassis. So if you’ve ordered a motorhome and it’s on a Ford chassis, and you’re worrying about if there is going to be another delay, then apparently according to Ford, no.
I haven’t had any response from the Stellantis group. We never do. So what impact it’s having on Fiat, Citroen and Peugeot, I have no idea. I did ask, but no response. So there is some impact. So I think we might see shops stocking up possibly on some products slower than on others.
Keith Gooden
So get onto www.thatleisureshop.com and make sure you buy well in advance for this year’s motorhoming and caravanning and camping season. Because the thing is, Matt, whenever we do have a hiccup in supply, it’s the consumer that pays in the end.
Matt Sims
That’s right, yes. And the other big impact this is having is the cost. So I was talking to one of the brands that we’re looking at selling in the shop, and they said that a container used to cost £740 to bring to the UK.
During COVID, it jumped up to nearly £20,000. And they’re seeing it drop back down to around £6,000 pounds. And currently it’s up around £13,000. How on earth do you manage this and spread that cost across all this product that you sold months ago?
So they’re having to just kind of put a finger in the air. Some of it they’ll suck up and just absorb and other costs will be passed on. So it’s a very turbulent time at the moment where prices in the short term are going up. And I guess they’ll hope for some stability to recoup that through the year.
Keith Gooden
You were talking about being at the show with some of our partners. Will it affect prices of the things that you’re selling at the show?
Matt Sims
Well, that product is already here. We’re fortunate that the product we’re buying is coming from Europe. So if it came from the Far East or Middle East, then it’s already arrived. So it’s already here in our warehouse. The price there is fixed and the manufacturers have been honouring that and not putting the price up.
Keith Gooden
See you at the show, then.
Matt’s product of the week
Keith Gooden
Okay then, the That Leisure Shop product of the week. This week, what is it, Matt?
Matt Sims
I love this. So this is new into stock. This is from Maypole. We will have these at the show. This is a little air compressor that will blow up a car tire.
Keith Gooden
Inflate a car tyre.
Matt Sims
Inflate a car tyre. Bang! To a much higher pressure than you need. I can’t remember the actual number. 150 psi, I think. It’s significant. And it will jumpstart your car. And I’ve done both with it and it’s brilliant.
So we jump started a very, very flat car and it took about 20% of the battery to do it. And we reinflated a car tire on a Range Rover from flat and it took a third of the battery. So it recharges in a very short space of time. What’s great about it is it’s USB rechargeable. It comes with three pin plug as well so you can plug it in at home. And it has a torch, so it does everything. And it’s under £100.
Keith Gooden
£99.99.
Matt Sims
Don’t forget, if you use the code in the shop as well, MOTORHOMEMATT, you get 10% off. So it’s actually £90.
Keith Gooden
That’s not bad, is it? Well done.
Matt Sims
Really good. Fits in the boot. A must have, I’d say.
Keith Gooden
They’re really handy to have. They really are, and not just when you want to jumpstart your car. I’ve got an older version of one of them at home and I use it to power a telescope.
Matt Sims
Why does a telescope need power?
Keith Gooden
It needs 12 volts. These days, telescopes, you don’t just point them. You press a couple of buttons and they find stars and planets.
Matt Sims
Lazy telescoping?
Keith Gooden
That’s the one.
Matt Sims
Love it. 120 psi. I mean, that’s way more than any motorhome. Very handy to have. You know, you get to the motorhome, it’s been stored all winter. Click, click, click, won’t start. Brilliant.
Calor Gas small bottle discontinuation u-turn announcement
Keith Gooden
It’s the Motorhome Matt podcast. I’m Keith Gooden.
Matt Sims
And I’m Motorhome Matt.
Keith Gooden
Brought to you with www.thatleisureshop.com. Today, we’re talking about Calor Gas and yet more changes that they’ve announced. Is this good or bad for the consumer. Matt?
Matt Sims
Well, it’s potentially good. Frustrating is probably how it feels. So Calor last year announced that they were withdrawing a number of bottles from their portfolio. So the six kilogramme light – that’s been talked about being withdrawn for… a decade? A long time.
It’s finally been withdrawn. The bottles have expired and they’re no longer recycling them. They also announced they’re withdrawing – key for us little motorhomers – the 3.9 kilo propane and the 4.5 kilo butane. So these are the small ones, which if you’re marine or your VW campervan, they are the ideal size.
And they were going to withdraw them based on cost and simply because they were saying it costs the same to refill one of those as it does a huge oxygen bottle in a hospital. So they just weren’t viable. Well, it created a massive response from their consumers, their customers saying, “This is not on. What am I meant to do?”
Their option was to go to an alternative supplier. Lots of people went to Flogas. The Flogas bottle is actually slightly taller. So it doesn’t fit in all the cupboards or to Campingaz, which is much more expensive. And so there were lots of unhappy people.
And then Calor have announced they’re reintroducing them. They announced this at the beginning of the year. And they are bringing both those small bottles back into circulation. And they still haven’t. So they said they were going to and now they’re saying it’s going to be some time in late spring when they reappear. So pretty frustrating.
Keith Gooden
Late spring is frustrating because the season gets underway before that, doesn’t it? So people want to know where they are and have their stocks and all the rest of it.
Matt Sims
Most annoying is if you thought, “Oh, well, I can’t use these bottles anymore. So this empty one I’ve got, I’m just going to recycle it or take it to the tip.” Well, that bottle now has a value. So to get back on the ladder, you’ve now got to pay another deposit to buy another one.
It’s really annoying, and you can’t exchange the Campingaz one for one of these because they’re different make. So yes, it’s been very annoying. So that’s the first source of frustration from Calor.
What is the future of Calor Gas?
Matt Sims
But what’s interesting is what their plans are for the future.
So I’ve stated before that I think we will see gasless motorhomes. We’ll all go electric, electric drive train, solar panels on the roof, big lithium ion batteries in the leisure side. So we’d all have induction hobs and electric microwaves.
And Calor, I’ve been talking to them about this. I said, “How are you future proofing your business?” And their plan is to go for a completely renewable gas. So they will keep the bottles in circulation and start replacing the gas with a non-fossil fuel gas, because burning stuff, we’ve got to stop doing it. And ultimately to get to zero emissions, we have to stop burning stuff. And Calor are going to be doing this with a renewable gas. It’s called DME.
Keith Gooden
That’s catchy.
Matt Sims
It’s catchy, isn’t it? I can tell you what it stands for as well.
Keith Gooden
I’ve got one here on my piece of paper that I use because I’ve got a bad memory. It says small r DME. rDME.
Matt Sims
Renewable.
Keith Gooden
I’ve got a small “Rs”.
Matt Sims
Dimethyl ether. I’m not sure how you pronounce it. That’s probably why it’s called DME. So it’s renewable DME. So this is a phrase we’re going to start seeing.
Keith Gooden
Little tip for Calor here. You need something a bit more catchy.
Matt Sims
A bit punchy.
Keith Gooden
Flamey, something like that.
Matt Sims
You can’t use “Flamey,” can you? Well, you still burn it. But it has absolutely zero soot, zero CO. It is a completely net zero emission product. And what’s fascinating about it is how it’s made. So we’ve got some facts here.
Keith Gooden
It’s fascinating facts time.
Calor Gas investment in renewable DME gas
Matt Sims
So this is a synthetic gas. So there’s something called Bio LPG, which is different. And you’re going to start seeing that term. That’s been around for a little while. But what’s interesting about DME is it can be used as an alternative to diesel fuel, so you can run your car on it. You could run your car on it. You have to adapt the vehicle.
Keith Gooden
How much adaption?
Matt Sims
New tank, new fuel pump, new fuel pipes.
Keith Gooden
About £5,000 worth?
Matt Sims
Yes, probably. But what I find fascinating is this is still a relatively new product, and we feel like we’re being very much railroaded down the EV route, so a battery powered power plant for our cars and vans.
What I think this journey to zero emissions is going to create is new products and new conversations. And this is going to be one of them. But you know, I’m not seeing anybody talking about this in our industry, rDME, renewable DME.
I think we’re going to see more and more people start to talk about it. And potentially we could see vans running on it. It’s interesting that Volvo and Total, the fuel company, own this stuff. There’s a few other fuel companies in the mix as well. But they own this stuff. And there’s a new plant being built in Teesside where they’re going to start producing it. And Calor is investing into it.
What is renewable DME?
Keith Gooden
How’s it made? What’s it made from?
Matt Sims
What’s interesting is it is made from animal waste. Sewage. Poo. Sewage sludge, renewable power and CO2, forest residues, municipal waste, agricultural residues and energy crops.
Keith Gooden
So you grow some crops. And you’ve got a bit of poo and you’ve got some sewage and all the rest of it.
Matt Sims
Methane
Keith Gooden
I was going to say methane.
Matt Sims
You could offer your services.
Keith Gooden
Christmas is over, thankfully.
Matt Sims
They’d welcome you with open arms. More sprouts. Unlike natural gas, LPG, which we use now, when vented it releases methane which is harmful, global warming and polluting. DME does not exhibit the same problem. DME is a cleaner fuel, biodegradable, non-corrosive, and it’s minimal to zero soot.
Keith Gooden
So it seems like it’s a perfect product, but LPG didn’t catch on, did it, even though it was cheaper? Because it was a real pain. You couldn’t get it in enough petrol stations. You know, it was another career trying to fit right where you were going to fill up. This could go down that same route unless they get that right.
Matt Sims
It could do. I guess it’s going to be about commercial take up, isn’t it? And as I say, what’s interesting is who owns it. And they will undoubtedly want to push it on to the consumer. And I think it’s fascinating. We could see vans running on this stuff.
I don’t know, it’s complicated. But I think it’s one to look at. And as I say, I think the journey to zero emissions, to net zero, as it’s called, is going to create an interesting range of topics. And I’ve got here the timeline we’re on. I’m going to bore you with this, because I find this fascinating.
Keith Gooden
It’s a long list, by the way.
When could renewable DME be introduced?
Matt Sims
No, it’s not. 2022, the first pilot plant producing renewable DME opened. So that’s happened. And Liquid Gas UK members increased investment to over £200 million. So these are the companies behind this.
In 2024, the UK’s first commercial rDME plant opens in Teesside, producing 50,000 tonnes of it per year. That is already on track. So I think that’s open and it has happened. So we’re on the timeline. And the Phillips 66 Humber refinery expands to producing 5,000 barrels a day of biodiesel and bio LPG. So this is a similar product.
In 2030, the Paris Agreement target is to reduce carbon emissions by 68% compared to 1990 levels. I don’t know where we are now compared to 1990. But by 2040, the LPG industry aims to deliver 100% renewable solutions, and Calor are on that journey. Now, that’s only 16 years away. That’s not very long. And that’s a big change in terms of our Calor bottles, which means Calor has a future.
Keith Gooden
But it’s not just the bottles, is it? The interesting thing, the point you made early on, is that it’s suitable for diesel engines. And of course, one of the classes of vehicles for which electric power isn’t really practical is lorries.
Matt Sims
Yes, absolutely. Well, what’s interesting is lorries are starting to go electric. So we’re seeing cars now. And cars are viable, with all the complications around residuals and so on. The next to come, I think, is articulated lorries, and we’re seeing more and more of those. And then will come the van and then will come the motorhome once the van has been sussed.
If the van has an alternative to electric which is more viable and cheaper, then we could be looking at gas-powered vehicles. So it’s a fascinating topic, and a change I’m going to see in my lifetime. Possibly yours, Keith. No, we will!
So I just think it’s a brilliant time to be alive because we’re going to see some of the biggest changes we’ve ever seen in modern times – changes to how we drive and our behaviour. What’s also interesting is that the LPG pumps are disappearing.
So MFG Fuel Group have taken them away in place of EV charger points. Will they start reintroducing them if this becomes viable? Maybe. So it’s more change and I think a conversation worth having. So there you are – you heard it here first.
Keith Gooden
rDME. Flamey.
Matt Sims
Flamey! We’ll pitch it to the brand team at Calor and see what they say.
How can renewable DME be used in motorhomes and cars?
Keith Gooden
What changes do I need to make as a consumer? You’ve already said if I’ve got a diesel vehicle, it’s likely that if I wanted to, I could make some changes to the fuel delivery system. But if Calor are using it, what about my barbecue?
What about in my motorhome? Is it going to be like when we went to unleaded? You needed to make adjustments to the engine in order for it to burn properly. Are we going to have to do any or all that stuff?
Matt Sims
Nothing. Nothing at all. That’s the best bit about it. You haven’t got to change the regulator. It can be transported as liquid and used as a gas. And you don’t have to change anything. I think it burns slightly colder than diesel, so it needs slightly more pressure. So you need more of it than diesel. But in terms of your barbecue, so a direct replacement, this is it. So in our motorhomes and caravans, it’s just a gas bottle. It just hasn’t got a fossil fuel in it. It’s rDME.
Keith Gooden
How much is it going to cost me, then?
Matt Sims
Well, there’s the question. That I don’t know, probably it’s going to go up, isn’t it? Everything’s going up. Too early to say.
Keith Gooden
But it doesn’t apply to Calor, does it? I mean, when I’m putting fuel in my vehicle, I’m paying a lot of duty and VAT on the duty. This, from what you’ve said, won’t have any duty on it.
Matt Sims
Well, potentially it shouldn’t. I mean, gas carriers at the moment are 5% VAT versus much higher on fuel. But governments want to step in and capitalise on it.
Keith Gooden
You’ve got to pay for the roads and the hospitals and the street lighting.
Matt Sims
So undoubtedly, there will be taxation on it. It’s still early days and we would love to get someone from Calor or from SHV who own Calor to come on. We have invited them, but we haven’t heard back from anybody yet. And it’s probably because it’s so early in the conversation that they’re nervous about going public.
Keith Gooden
Yes, making promises they can’t keep.
Matt Sims
But we will certainly be watching this. I think it’s a big topic and one we’re going to keep an eye on.
Keith Gooden
It would be great, wouldn’t it, to have a tour of the factory where they make it?
Matt Sims
Trip to Teesside.
Keith Gooden
Yes.
Audience Q&A
Keith Gooden
It’s the Motorhome Matt podcast. I’m Keith Gooden.
Matt Sims
And I’m Motorhome Matt.
Keith Gooden
It’s all brought to you by www.thatleisureshop.com. It’s the Q&A, the questions and answers. He’s the expert. You ask the questions. I’m sort of in the middle stopping a fight breaking out.
Matt Sims
Like a pig?
My dealer has gone back on our price protection deal, what can I do?
Keith Gooden
Lynne Blackwell’s in Bath. “Help.” she says, “We have £140,000 sat in the bank.” Hey.
Matt Sims
Lucky lady.
Keith Gooden
I live near Bath, “We put a deposit on a Hymer 570 ML-T CrossOver in August last year with price protection due for the latest model. We have now been told by the dealer that is not price protected, nor is there a date confirmation of details.
I understand Hymer have released little but we’re feeling robbed of a timeline. Please help us, Matt, we’re so upset.” This is about treating the end user, your customer, properly. And it seems from what she’s saying that that’s not happening.
Matt Sims
No. And of course, there’s a supply chain here, which is passing the increased costs up. And it gets to a point where it ends up with you the consumer, I suppose. I’ve not looked into the detail of this with this particular model. Lovely motorhome choice, by the way. We saw them in Düsseldorf. They’re great. I share your frustration, Lynne.
There really is not a lot you can do about it apart from march with your money, I suppose, and buy something else. But the ML-T, of course, is so unique. There isn’t really anything else out there like it.
And I can imagine… you haven’t said which dealer, and rightly so, you bought it from, but the only thing I can suggest is whether it’s worth going to another dealer and seeing if they have supply coming through at a lower cost and seeing what they can do for you. But I’d be very surprised if they can.
But yes, I hear what you’re saying. You feel robbed of a timeline. So many people are in the same boat as you, Lynne. It’s been a really, really difficult four years for that reason. Really frustrating. People like you have been waiting a year or even longer – two years. I was speaking to a Range Rover dealer.
And he said, “If you ordered a brand new Range Rover right now,” because I asked him about his supply chain, “It’s three years to get one.” It’s ridiculous. But interestingly, that’s not because there’s a lack of parts. Range Rover is actually capping the supply. So to keep their residual prices high, they’re capping the supply, which is not what’s happening here.
Hymer are not doing that. Of course, the ML-T is a niche product, and they don’t sell loads of them. But you know, you’re spending six figures, £150,000, £200,000. The supply of them is limited, and not because Hymer are trying to cap the supply to keep the residuals high, which is what Range Rover are doing. And of course, we’ve seen in the news, Porsche flooded the market with cars, and the used values have all plummeted.
Keith Gooden
But the thing is, it’s not about the difficulties that dealers are having. We have a customer here who went into a contract, whether it was signed or whether it was a shake of a hand, with price protection, and the dealer is not standing behind that.
You know, my advice to you, Lynne, is to take your money and go somewhere else where you can trust the people you’re buying it from. I know dealers and manufacturers have had a hard time, but you don’t pass the hard time on to people who are spending £140,000. You just don’t do it.
Matt Sims
No, that’s true. And what’s the point of price protection if it’s not going to be price protected?
Keith Gooden
It’s closing the deal at the time, isn’t it? And then you don’t stand behind it.
Matt Sims
And that’s where Lynne’s frustrations come from, the amount of time that’s passed. And to get it they’ve got to spend more money. It’s very frustrating. Very, very frustrating. Lynne, as Keith suggests, you could talk to another dealer and see what they can offer you.
But of course, the problem is with this product, Keith, that there aren’t that many dealers who sell it. There aren’t that many who have got the credit line or are brave enough to actually buy this product with a view to selling it because they probably only sell six or seven a year.
And it’s a big chunk of change. So it’s a huge product on their credit line. So there are literally a handful that Lynne can choose from here. So it is very, very difficult, Lynne, and I feel your pain. But I don’t have a silver bullet for you. I’m sorry.
Why are some motorhome manufacturers still using wood in the flooring?
Keith Gooden
Barry Murphy is in Dublin. “Hi Matt. I recently upgraded my 2010 Sunlight motorhome to a newer model from 2020. One thing that surprised me was that the chassis floor was still constructed using wood.”
“With modern construction techniques, I assumed all motorhomes were reducing the use of wood in their construction. Are there many manufacturers still using wood such as Sunlight in their chassis construction?”
“Are there any steps I should take to maintain the wood floor? And what sort of lifespan could one expect from wooden flooring? Regards,” says Barry. Well, the thing that springs to my mind Matt is of course water ingress. That is the enemy of wood in motorhomes.
Matt Sims
It is, yes. And often it’s not a marine ply that’s used. It’s just regular timber. The key here, Barry, is that a lot of manufacturers have been stopping using wood in the construction of the walls and the roofs. But for some reason the floors often still contain wood. Chausson are still doing it as well.
And we have this product on our hire fleet. And often by the kitchen, there’s a strip that goes across and it gets damp from underneath or from the shower and kitchen area that gets into the floor, and it weakens the floor. So we’ve had to repair a few. It’s quite common. I think we’ll see more and more manufacturers not using wood at all as we go forward.
But of course, wood has historically been a cheap product to use. That’s not quite the case anymore. It’s gone up in price. So in terms of protecting it, under sealing it would be a very, very good idea. There are lots of products out there.
You’ll see them online where you can spray the underside. With Sunlight, there is an underspray that Dethleffs who owns Sunlight issue. And they want you to underseal every year as part of the habitation check. And this is why – to stop water ingress, as you say, coming up through the floor and ruining the floor. Because the first thing that goes down in a motorhome is the floor, and everything else goes on top of it. If you’ve got to replace the floor…
Keith Gooden
You’ve got to take the top off.
Matt Sims
Yes. And it’s a nightmare. And trying to get through from underneath can be really hard because you’ve got all that mechanical stuff underneath the floor. So it can be a very, very involved repair. So undersealing it is very, very good idea.
Yours is going to be now… if it’s 2020, it’s still probably got a year of water ingress warranty left. But I’d definitely look at getting it done by the dealer as part of the habitation check or doing it yourself.
Keith Gooden
I’m really surprised that you said early on in that answer that they don’t use marine ply. What is it, double the price for a sheet to the normal ply? When you’re looking at the cost of these motorhomes, surely that’s a sensible precaution against water ingress.
Matt Sims
It’s weight as well.
Keith Gooden
Oh, is it heavier?
Matt Sims
Much heavier. Payload is the number one topic of the year, probably. That’s a big consideration. Wood is light, and compared to some manmade products it’s much lighter. So Adria, for example, use a product that’s completely manmade in their walls and roofs, and I believe in their floors. And it’s something they’ve invested a lot of money into, which is lightweight and completely non-absorbent. So yes, underseal – that’s the answer.
Keith Gooden
Barry in Dublin, thanks very much for your question.
Ask Matt your questions
Keith Gooden
If you’ve got a question, what should people do, Matt?
Matt Sims
Easy. Just go to mhmp.info/askmatt. Hit the little orange button and record your question. Tell us where you are or fill out the form.
Keith Gooden
That’s mhmp.info/askmatt. You can subscribe on YouTube. And that’s sponsored by…
Matt Sims
www.arobasecreative.co.uk.
Keith Gooden
And you can share this episode with a friend.
Matt Sims
Do share with them and help us spread the word of the podcast. We’d love that.
Keith Gooden
And don’t forget to be a sticker nicker at the show.
Matt Sims
See you there.
