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Grand or not?

The Blue Merle said:
What warranty are MAN giving you on German import van?
As VW only gave 2yrs on my joker.
If I didn’t need 4m with diff then would love a Sven, nice choice:thumb
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I'm assuming 2 years (same), but I have got the feelers out in terms of factory extended warranty options to see what they can do. They need a VIN first to be able to check so won't know the answer for a little while.
 
Great choice
Just got back from a 3-week trip to Portugal in our Sven. Absolutely loved it, can’t fault the van, really great to live in. It’s worth the wait
0DBAFE05-ADF1-46DA-803B-46FF7668F9B3.jpeg
 
Looks fantastic! Did you have any little niggles or problems at all or did it just perform as expected and flawlessly? Would also be interested in fuel economy on that kind of trip too, just so we can compare against the GC600 we borrowed.

Thanks
 
CampervanTime said:
Looks fantastic! Did you have any little niggles or problems at all or did it just perform as expected and flawlessly? Would also be interested in fuel economy on that kind of trip too, just so we can compare against the GC600 we borrowed.

Thanks
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No major problems. I’d spent some time customising as few things - putting some shelving up here and there, got an outside window cover for the front windows (ours came with internal shields, but zero internal condensation with the lovely external rainbow screens one). The heating and hot water system is fantastic - diesel heating which has an auto cut-off if less than 1/4 tank so no risk of getting stuck! One importantly thing I did do was insulate the inside of the pop-out. For some reason this is bare plastic from the factory, I fitted some flexible insulation and covered with self-adhesive felt. There is a plastic insert inside of the pop out which can be removed, to allow the insulation to be fitted, and then replace the insert. Works really well.
Fuel economy was surprisingly good - 33mpg. Bear in mind we have the 140PS and I never go over 60 though!
 
Oooo that sounds like a handy job to do (the pop out). If you have any links to the insulation material you used I'd be interested. Glad to hear it went really well. 33mpg is good. I suspect the 180/auto will be more thirsty but likewise, we'd probably stick to 60ish anyway.
 
CampervanTime said:
Looks fantastic! Did you have any little niggles or problems at all or did it just perform as expected and flawlessly? Would also be interested in fuel economy on that kind of trip too, just so we can compare against the GC600 we borrowed.

Thanks
Click to expand...
I picked up my second Sven Hedin at the end of November last year. I have probably done nearly 100 nights in it already. One or two minor things like adjustments as things bed in. Although, I have a drip from the grey waste tank at the moment, nothing major and should be an easy fix.

Economy wise I have the 180. The average mpg since I picked it up is bang on 30mpg. On a long run 35mpg is achievable.
 
CampervanTime said:
Oooo that sounds like a handy job to do (the pop out). If you have any links to the insulation material you used I'd be interested. Glad to hear it went really well. 33mpg is good. I suspect the 180/auto will be more thirsty but likewise, we'd probably stick to 60ish anyway.
Click to expand...
I used this simple insulation layer attached with double-sided Gorilla tape: https://www.toolstation.com/ybs-gen...S9eWCzNCcL7mogi_YpxoC3LwQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds
Then this self-adhesive felt in ivory over the top: https://hotpinkhaberdashery.com/col...elt-fabric-by-the-meter-or-5m-roll-48-colours
 
Corradobrit said:
While the T6.1 is reaching its Swan Song, the Crafter is clearly alive and kicking. I guess this means there are no plans for an eCrafter anytime soon.
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There is already an ECrafter, Amazon use them round our way. Range at the moment is limited.
 
EV camper.
I quite like the concept, with further development who knows what's possible.
Happy with my diesel for now but in five years time would I or you be confident enough to purchase yet another diesel?

 
Well we have today finally decided having had our Cali from new for 2 years to upgrade to a limited edition sven hedin from westfalia in Crawley (estimated delivery sept). We will shortly both have retired and have so much more time to travel in a bit more comfort. We are pleased to see we are not alone. It will be sad to say goodbye but also excited to try something new. Thanks to all those that have posted comments it has helped. I hope we can start a discussion on the sven for those with or have one on order and learn together what works and what doesnt in terms of accessories etc.
 
Well done @Bill and congratulations. Good idea to start a thread on here about the Sven and there is also a couple of decent Facebook groups, one for Westfalia owners in general and one about the Sven in particular which we started and is only just gathering members, but is good for pics and questions etc.
 
CampervanTime said:
Well done @Bill and congratulations. Good idea to start a thread on here about the Sven and there is also a couple of decent Facebook groups, one for Westfalia owners in general and one about the Sven in particular which we started and is only just gathering members, but is good for pics and questions etc.
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Thanks we watch your channel which has been excellent and very informative. I've emailed you separately.
 
Not sure if the photo is good enough to warrant any discussion however the high level decal on this GC really makes a significant difference to the van’s appearance. It gives the impression that the van is a lot lower, looks good and proportionate. I’ve always struggled with the appearance of the 600 GC but I can’t stop looking at this one. Amazing what can be achieved with a well placed decal.B9CDBA4F-ED19-4DE2-87BC-447941D624CC.jpeg
 
Billylou said:
Not sure if the photo is good enough to warrant any discussion however the high level decal on this GC really makes a significant difference to the van’s appearance. It gives the impression that the van is a lot lower, looks good and proportionate. I’ve always struggled with the appearance of the 600 GC but I can’t stop looking at this one. Amazing what can be achieved with a well placed decal.View attachment 107977
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Agreed the blue decal cleverly dissociates the mass of the roof from the body of the GC. Not dissimilar to the use of camo paint schemes on wind turbines in Germany giving a visual impression of lifting what is a massive structure off the ground, and thus less dominant in the visual field
Vertical paint colour charts on the... © Chris :: Geograph Britain and IrelandVertical paint colour charts on the... © Chris :: Geograph Britain and Ireland480 × 640
 
Great thread with loads of good info, (kudos for scanning the operating manual). Having just pulled the trigger on an order with Campersales, I can't get too much info. Not surprised that my insurer, Comfort, requires a tracker but I'm amazed that there is no standard fit alarm. Otherwise the Special Edition spec is very impressive., (lets not talk about the wheels).
 
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