For those of you who remember the warranty recall last year regarding the window seals, thought I would give an update. Particularly if you are considering using the Nottingham Lowdhams for purchase or subsequent service/repair.

Bought van last summer. Spent two weeks in September, in Scotland - gale force winds and torrential rain for most of it! We were dry as a bone and toasty.

October - Van to Lowdhams for replacement of all window seals under warranty as directed by Hymer - despite us not having had any issues 🙄

February - weeks holiday, which was the first time we used the van following replacement. Water pouring - literally, through back window. And had been doing so since their botched repair in October. On examination you could fit your hand inbetween the window seal and van. They clearly hadn’t checked their work standard or for leaks.

Repair done on return from holiday. Damp test showed a couple of spots with readings of 30 near window edge. Complaint re their appalling work - first service was given FOC.

Been out in it since, but weather has been dry whilst using - and we stupidly trusted they had fixed it.

Fast forward 11 months since they originally botched it and we’ve just returned from two weeks in van. Rain = same leaking window, same place, so clearly it’s continued to leak since their original job. The interior rear wall is now wet through to touch in places.

Complaint made again to Lowdhams. They assured me that it would be sorted on our return and the van moved from outdoor storage to their dry service area when they opened first thing Monday morning. I checked today and they had left it in outdoor compound in torrential rain. Having complained again today it was apparently being moved on receipt of my email, in which I said I would be contacting Hymer directly to let them know the standard of their so called approved dealership.

I am only communicating with their customer care manager and service department by email so that I have a paper trail, since I don’t trust them further than I can spit.

Despite the wall being wet through they are trying to say that it will dry. Everything I have read - and was indeed corroborated by their previous complaints person, was that readings over 30 cause structural damage to the walls and needs work. Given that the readings of 30 were on a wall dry to the touch, I have suggested they revise their decision to dry a wall which is soaking wet on a brand new van!

My advice? Don’t touch them with a long barge pole.

Has anyone contacted Hymer directly regarding warranty/water ingress issues or problems with dealerships?

We bought our 2017 Triton from Lowdhams. It was returned for the window seal issue (luckily no ongoing problems) but the few warranty works required took weeks because they did not order all the parts. We also ordered an awning and was given the wrong version. The free carpet offered to make up for this was changed at the last minute to a can of waterproofing spray! When collecting the van I was handed the keys and told “its over there at the back of the yard somewhere”. It had been parked on an excess road and was filthy.
Our complaint to the Customer Services Manger resulted in the offer of a free coffee and cake.
Needless to say we have not been back and now use Travelworld, the Staffordshire Hymer dealer. They are very customer focussed and after the last service, washed the van and talked me through all the service points. They are a bit pricey but with the van under warranty we recon it’s worth it.

That's reassuring our 540 is booked in with them with a warranty problem (van bought from ALV Tebay but it's a 240 mile trip and I've lost confidence in them)

Denise & Phil

Depressing that they take so little care and the lack of consistency. And frustrating as they are ten minutes from us but I just don’t want to use them once this is sorted out. Tippex..!!?? 🤦🏻‍♀️

Thanks Captain Calamity - I will look travelworld up. Staffordshire is doable from us. Free coffee and cake eh. Poor old show but we’ve been offered nothing at all for our two ruined holidays and damaged van. I now have email address for Hymer head office and will be feeding back my experience to them this week. They should know how crap their approved dealers are.

for what it is worth, I just had my Triton 420 (2015) serviced with Lowdhams Nottingham. Just had their normal full service and overall am satisfied with their service, and didn't need to get anything fixed.
Their drop off system worked very well, kept it for just under a week, and phoned yesterday to say it was done. Collected this morning and found it clean and tidy with a plastic sheet covering the carpets and floor.
I probably will use a local mobile next time as warranty won't be an issue and save quite a bit of cash, but overall pleased with how this went.
They are obviously very busy on the service side. They seemed to be taking in about 7 - 10 caravans a day, so can understand how things could slip not that that is any excuse for wonkeywifey's experience of course.

I can sympathise with the OP, however to keep a balance and add more dealer feedback , I have used Lowdhams at Huddersfield for the last 8 years. I bought an Eriba Familia , Awning and used them for servicing and warranty work. I have had not had any issues with them.

Having had the window seals changed under warranty last year not having any problem before, work carried out by Lowdhams at Huddersfield. On checking that everything was ok found water leaking through the seal of the back window so not a happy chap at the moment.
I will be contacting them to get it sorted and arranging to take it in.

I use Lowdhams for my Airstream , having traded in my previous Eriba Triton420. To be fair the service that I have received from Lowdhams has at all times been excellent with friendly and professional responses.I note that you only communicate via email . Why? what's wrong with the phone ? Sometimes I think it more helpful all round to meet face to face or at least to call. Emails can get impersonal and it is easy to rub people up the wrong way inadvertently . Based on my own experience I would not hesitate to recommend Lowdhams .

Its good to talk!

You would not be the 1st person who did not have a problem before the recall replacement only to have a problem after, makes me wonder how many of these vans actually needed all the window rubbers replaced? Do we know what the specific issue was resulting in the recall?

Follow up from an earlier post. I spoke too soon about the window seal issue. The rear window seals replaced by Lowdhams following the recall work failed and I now have phenomenally high damp readings under the rear window. As others have said there was no issue before the work required as part of the recall was carried out.
Adventure world at Stafford re-fitted the window seals correctly (no cost). There is apparently a right and a wrong way to fit the spacer clips between the inner and outer seal. Perhaps someone with more technical nous than me (not difficult) could elaborate.
Still a big supporter of Adventure World crew.

Apologies for the negative post, I shall keep it brief. Bought our 530 from Lowdhams early November, taking collection on 13/11 when I towed it home. This was our 1st caravan experience. On reflection I realise things weren't right at handover, which became apparent when trying to manoeuvre the van onto our drive when we established that the reich motor movers were not correctly fitted. Fair play to Lowdhams they took it back (300 mile round trip) to fit correct brackets 'at no inconvenience to ourselves' - it soon become very inconvenient! . I had to get the branch manager involved to get it sorted and returned in time for our booked excursion on the 27th December. Despite the warranty/guarantee we will not be entrusting Lowdhams to fix/service or interfere with anything in the future. The customer experience was sadly very poor.