We'd had our 2000 Puck L for 2/3 years and loved it, but fancied something a bit bigger so we popped down to AL last year for a browse. Not wanting to be in the same situation again in a few years time, we'd decided that a Troll would be the answer, giving us a washroom and twin dinettes. Making the bed up in the Puck L was a bit of a pain, with nowhere for the OH to go whilst I got the bed poles in place etc,
Fortunately we were there only to look around and the AL guys were very helpful, showing us everything they had with no 'selling'. Initially we'd thought a 530 was the answer but we saw a mix of 550, 552, 530, 540 and more. Whilst the 530 gives a nice size second dinette, the sleeping widthways wasn't for us, potentially 'pinning' the OH in and not liking having to clamber over to get out in the night for a call of nature. So we settled on a 540.
Sold our Puck L nice and quickly a month or so ago (put it on here, the other Eriba forum and as a classified ad on eBay).
Decided our budget was £11k and started looking. We wanted to go a few years newer than yr 2000 so AL were a non starter. The market was quiet as you'd expect for early March but we saw that both Eriba Caravan Sales Preston, and Eriba Shop Norfolk were both expecting a 2003 540, both priced at £11k. Started browsing abroad and stumbled across a 2008 540 on a German website, 1 owner from new, unmarked internally and externally, fully serviced, new tyres, TUV certificate etc,. Got in touch, with the seller who was a small dealer in Denmark. Asked all the questions, got dozens more photos and decided that was the one. Agreed a price of around £10800 once converted from Euros and sent him a deposit. Got the balance out in Euros and began organising the trip.
We were delayed a week or so with Easter and our sons wedding but we sorted the Eurotunnel crossing, booked a hotel in Germany for night 1, a campsite for night 2 and back home on day 3. Got to Calais at 8.30 local time on Monday, drove through Belgium, Holland, Germany, getting to Denmark Tuesday at 11.30. The guy was fantastic as was the van. Did the deal, hooked up and away we came. Got home again at 7.30 Wednesday evening, 1363 miles later. Total cost of the trip £481.
I'll need to fit UK 3 pin socket fronts and swap the fog/reversing lights over but they're easy and cheap. Will probably want a mover but even so, well worth the trip IMO and we have a van that's in pristine condition and 4/5 years newer than we would have got here from a dealer.

I would certainly recommend importing yourself. Do your homework, get fully organised and planned. For us it all worked a dream and apart from some horrendous rain whilst over there, it couldn't have gone any smoother or better.

Happy days!

Well done it sounds like an adventure and a bargain....

Quote: Randa france wrote in post #4

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Got there before you. It's already altered

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As we use ours mostly on the continent, we never bothered to "convert" .
Dave

looks fantastic and well worth the adventure.

she looks lovely. I like the stripey upholstery.