Latest Motorhome News

Choosing a motorhome, or even deciding if the motorhome lifestyle is really for you, is a topic that needs careful advice.

And for the best advice, motorhome users with many years’ of experience are often the best source, especially if they also happen to work for a motorhome dealership where they have access to information about all the latest products.

Some dealers – among them Freeborn Motorhomes - also offer a “try before you buy” scheme to test whether this major lifestyle change is for you.

“I regard our information services as probably the most important that we offer to potential motorhome owners,” says James Saint, director of Freeborn Motorhomes in Godalming, Surrey, and its associated Romahome Centre at Freeborn Motor Village in Southampton.

“Well-informed future owners have real potential to become happy owners once they have discussed what they think they need from their motorhome and how matching their aspirations can best be achieved.

“Because my sales team is made up of enthusiastic motorhome users we have a real fund of knowledge for customers to access. And giving customers access to our trial scheme reassures them that they are making the correct lifestyle choice before they make what, for many, is regarded as a major investment.

“Motorhome magazines are a great help as they give lots of ideas. It’s a bit like researching where you want to live and the house you want to live in – it’s just that this house will have wheels attached and will go where you want it to!”

Freeborn holds franchises for Auto-Trail, Elddis, Excel, Trigano, and the Romahome range, made by another Freeborn Group company at Cowes on the Isle of Wight and offered through around a dozen dealerships nationally.

But not everyone wants a new vehicle, so outlets like Freeborn with a choice of 40 to 50 used vehicles mean it’s possible to survey a wide range of possibilities in one place.

“Time is an important factor,” adds James. “You want to set aside uninterrupted time so you can browse a dealership’s stock and see what different combinations of size, layout and interior fittings will suit your needs.

“It may be that you see different things, like an end kitchen or end lounge in one design and a large bathroom or fixed double bed in another, that appeal. Take the right advice and your motorhome sales adviser will find a vehicle that has the right combination.

“If you want it, there’s little doubt that a design team has beaten you to it and created your dream home already. All you need is someone with the expertise and contacts to find it for you and outlets like mine can search the UK to source the correct vehicle. Rarely do you need to compromise.”

James’s advice is to:

• read up about motorhomes before you set out to buy one

• go to an outlet such as ours that will advise you, at no cost, on what choices you have and let you try before you buy, as Freeborn will

• think about where you will take your vehicle as size really does matter – will you be able to park it easily, store it at home, or use it as an everyday vehicle, as many owners do?

• think about finance – dealers such as Freeborn have access to lenders offering favourable rates over longer periods because motorhomes are assets that hold value better than cars

• many motorhomes now have diesel engines as standard and automatic gearboxes among their options but with used vehicles a petrol engine may save you a significant amount on purchase but not add greatly to running costs on the typical low annual mileages covered

• there’s a vast range of after-market accessories like bike racks and roof boxes but remember that everything you add reduces payload, restricting what else you can take

• set aside sufficient time to make your choice.

A Romahome R20 Hi made a fleeting television appearance when it featured on Dragons Den on the 9th August 2010.

And no, it wasn't anyone from the Freeborn Group asking for £750,000 for 5% of the company (though if they'd like to make such an offer...).

A supposed new invention involving satellite navigation and tracking designed especially for motorhomes had been fitted to the Romahome R20 because it was one of the few vehicles compact enough to fit into the BBC studios near Slough.

Sadly the 'invention' went down like a lead balloon with the Dragons but we're delighted to say they loved our Romahome.

Now let's see if we can persuade Peter Jones to drive our smallest model, the R10, just to see how well his 6 foot 5 inch frame fits in!!

That would be a definite hit.

Private pilot Bob Woolford has decided to spread his wings – by trading in his plane for a motorhome.

Bob, a former part-time air traffic controller at Sandown and Bembridge Airport on the Isle of Wight, almost gave up flying when a runaway plane struck him five years ago, causing serious injuries.

After five weeks in hospital and a further six months convalescing, he decided to carry on with his hobby with the aid of Jim Birnie, who had originally helped Bob gain his licence.

But Bob’s wife, Margaret, has decided she doesn’t want to fly any more so Bob (57) is going to see more of the world by driving to his destinations rather than dropping in on them.

“When you arrive places by aeroplane you are either stuck on the airport or have to find transport,” said Bob. “Our new Romahome R25, made close to where we live on the Isle of Wight, will give us much more freedom to get where we want to be.

“Margaret and I have also just got a new rescue dog, Charlie Bear, and he will be coming with us for Continental tours once we have his pet’s passport.”

Bob says that, apart from other running costs, fuel approaching £2 a litre and consuming 38 litres an hour meant his Piper Cherokee was becoming expensive to keep in the air. But his Romahome should go much further for the same money, making it easier to see the world.

“When I spoke to Andrew Harris at the Romahome Centre in Southampton, I said I would do a deal for a new R25 if he would take my plane in part exchange. Within half an hour he was back on the phone, having found a buyer, to provide me with the deal I wanted.

“The R25 has been adapted with wheelchair ramps at the Cowes factory and they have also installed a television for me but otherwise it was already perfect for what I want.

“I’ll start off by nipping from one end of the Island to the other to have a cup of tea but once Charlie’s passport is through we’ll be going much further afield!”

Andrew said that during several years in the motor trade he had never been asked to part exchange a plane before, although he had once taken a longboat in a motorhome deal.

“When Bob said what he wanted to trade in I thought it might be a challenge,” he added.

“But I only got as far as our parts department at the Freeborn Motor Village in Southampton where I mentioned the problem and Victoria Ward, who was visiting from Citroen UK, put me in touch with a buyer. I’ve had more trouble trying to shift Jeep Cherokees than I did the Piper!”

Bob won’t be losing the link with his plane entirely, though. Its call sign was G-ATVS and the number on his new Romahome is B7 TVS - but at least his travel costs won’t be sky high any more.

“This is definitely my home – if I’m going to go camping this is where I want to be,” said Phillip Schofield, host of “This Morning”, on ITV as he took to the wheel of the latest Auto-Trail Cherokee, courtesy of Freeborn Motorhomes, live on air.

Wisely, the Freeborn team had taken the key out of the ignition when parking the £55,000 Cherokee with its leather interior, fixed double bed, superb kitchen, and luxury bathroom on the lawn outside ITV’s London studios. A disappointed Phillip turned to co-presenter Holly Willoughby and said he would “definitely” have driven away, given the chance.

The popular ITV team had been presenting a feature on camping and getting away with the family but none of the tents and gadgets they saw before entering the motorhome could persuade them that a life under canvas was an easier option.

Holly and Phillip readily agreed that with the motorhome the world was at their doorstep. It could literally be driven anywhere they wanted to go at the drop of a hat.

“When I was asked to provide a vehicle at the studio it was a chance too good to miss,” said Freeborn Motorhomes director James Saint.

“Our website address was shown on a caption during the programme and the hits started straight after the feature had finished.

“While we sent a top model to ITV, there are many more options for people with a tighter budget – or a bigger one! We have both new and used motorhomes covering a wide price spectrum and will happily guide potential owners inspired by the broadcast through all the options.

“Freeborn Motorhomes has a team of experts, all of whom are motorhome users, just waiting to impart advice and share their knowledge. We are only a phone call away on 0800 211 8 211 in Surrey or 0800 311 8 311 in Southampton – it’s a free call, so it’s literally free advice.”

To watch the feature on This Morning (the best bit with the Auto-Trail is towards the end, but worth waiting for), click below.

LEISURE EVENTS SHOW THEIR VALUE TO FREEBORN

The value of attending motorhome and leisure shows has been driven home to the Freeborn Motorhomes and Romahome team in a big way this year.

After attending their sixth event when they pitched up at Stratford last weekend for The Motorhome Show, James Saint, newly promoted to director from general manager at Freeborn Motorhomes, is reporting a sales total approaching £3 million – with the biggest shows at Shepton Mallet and the NEC still to come later this year.

At the Stratford show, the Romahome R40, the Isle of Wight firm’s largest model, was voted Best Coachbuilt Motorhome by the motorhome press and members of motorhome and camping clubs and associations.

The R40 offers fourth berths plus belted seats for six passengers, making it versatile yet still true to the Romahome principle of compact dimensions.

“Business volumes for Freeborn Motorhomes at the shows have been very good for us in 2010, with the year getting off to a great start with sales worth £1.5 million for Freeborn Motorhomes and Romahome, a Freeborn Group company, at NEC in February” says James.

“Since then, we have been at the British Leisure Show at Windsor, plus events at Peterborough, Romsey, Newbury, and Stratford and seeing strong sales of new vehicles at them.

“The Romahome Centre in Southampton is enjoying its best year ever while at the Guildford motorhomes centre, where I am based, we sell at least one vehicle a day.

“There has been a great team effort but the value of the business we are doing reflects the superb positioning of the brands we sell in the current market plus the effort we put into sourcing the right used stock for sale at realistic prices.

“AutoTrail is serving us well at the top end, while Elddis, Excel and Trigano are also strong performers for both new and used sales.

“The Romahome range, which sells through a network of national dealers as well as directly through Freeborn, has also turned out to be very much the product of the moment at a time when buyers are emphasising the need for both value and quality. These, along with great design, were the virtues assigned to the R40 in making its award for best Coachbuilt.

“The new Romahome R25 is very popular and building on the success of the R10 launched for the 2009 market. Meanwhile, R20 is drawing strong orders, showing how much people still appreciate the marque for its unique qualities. There have been imitators, but the genuine product has seen off all of them and I can’t think of a year when at least one Romahome product hasn’t picked up an award.”

SLAY THE COST OF YOUR HOLIDAYS

As many people probably know, but few seem to remember, April 23 is St George’s Day.

It’s also the opening day of the National Motorhome Show, which runs from April 23 to 25, at the East of England Showground, near Peterborough, where the team from Freeborn Motorhomes will be offering visitors the opportunity to slay the dragon of future holiday costs.

Freeborn Motorhomes General Manager James Saint is promising a comprehensive display of 22 vehicles at Peterborough, among them the full range of Romahomes created on the Isle of Wight.

“As well as the full complement of Romahome models, which suit a variety of size and budget needs, we will also have the 2010 Autoquest, AutoTrail, Elddis and Trigano motorhomes to show.

“But I also realise that not everyone necessarily wants a new motorhome so we will also have a good selection from our stock of used vehicles, too.

“This is billed as the largest outdoor motorhome show and we aim to have the most impressive array of vehicles from which to choose. Freeborn means freedom when it comes to quality, budget, and choice and visitors to our stand will not be disappointed.”

NATIONAL ACCLAIM FOR MOTORHOME
LAUNCHED IN SURREY

A motorhome launched during a private event in Surrey before it went on to be revealed nationally at the NEC in Birmingham has won a top award.

The Romahome R25, based on the second generation Citroen Berlingo and launched last October, has been named small motorhome of the year by Motorcaravan and Motorhome Monthly, the UK’s best selling motorhome magazine.

“Romahome leads the small motorhome field and since introducing the Outlook and Hylo models on the Citroen C15 base vehicle in the mid 80s has consistently been getting awards for its products,” said James Saint, general manager at Freeborn Motorhomes at Guildford Road, Godalming.

“Outlook and Hylo graduated to the first Citroen Berlingo chassis and have been replaced by the R20 Hi and R20 Lo, both still on that chassis and winning awards until 2009. They now sit below the R25 in the current Romahome range of six models.

“It’s very pleasing that the new R25 won its first award so early in its life but I’m not surprised. Romahome is part of the Freeborn Group and we organised the launch event for R25 at Loseley Park, where I was privileged to sell the very first example before the national reveal at NEC soon after.

“One of the main aims of the new design was liberating interior space and this feature wowed the judges and helped sway the decision in R25’s favour.

“The new layout moves the beds forward to provide more living, kitchen, and bathroom space behind without more than a few inches being added to the overall external dimensions.

“The big thing about the R25, and the Outlook, Hy-lo and R20 models before it, is that it’s compact enough to be used as everyday transport, a role enhanced by R25’s four full seat belts.

“The current recession has not done much to dampen owners’ enthusiasm for the motorhome lifestyle – in fact at the many shows we attend there is ever more interest but owners have to be careful how they spend their money.

“Here at Freeborn Motorhomes we keep a large stock of other brands and hold dealerships for AutoTrail, Elddis, Excel, and Trigano as well as Romahome.

“I have also just bought a good selection of very low mileage late model motorhomes to meet the demand we see in Surrey. We are now the county’s major motorhome outlet and have a constant stream of customers for both new and pre-owned vehicles.

“I am conscious of the need to have a good choice of vehicles and there are now more than 40 used motorhomes on site as well as a selection of new demonstrators and special offers.”

Caption: Brian Bailey of Romahome receives the first award for the new R25 from Jane Jago, editor of Motorcaravan and Motorhome Monthly magazine

Caption: Brian Bailey of Romahome reveals the R25 at Loseley Park during its first public viewing.

FREEBORN OPEN WEEKEND 6TH - 8TH NOVEMBER 2009

MOTORHOME TEAM ATTACKS
TAX RISE DEADLINE

Motorhome buyers keen to beat the VAT tax rise that comes into effect at midnight on New Year’s Eve are getting special help courtesy of an open weekend at Freeborn Motorhomes in Surrey.

At present, VAT is levied at 15 per cent but after the deadline it returns to 17.5 per cent, bringing a £1,500 price rise on a brand new £70,000 motorhome.

But James Saint and his team at Freeborn Motorhomes at Guildford Road, Godalming, have lined up some of the latest 2010 super luxury models from AutoTrail as well as the whole of the Romahome range made right here in the south by a separate division of Freeborn.

One of the stars of the open weekend, which runs from Friday, November 6, to Sunday, November 8, is the Romahome R25, which made its public debut recently during the International Caravan and Motorhome Show at the Birmingham NEC.

But it was first revealed to invited guests at a special party for Romahome enthusiasts held at Loseley House just a month ago where James was the first person to sell one. His colleague, Steve Barnes, followed up by selling the first at the NEC and now a friendly rivalry has developed to see who can secure the first order during the open weekend. Hoping to beat them both is fellow salesman Andy Davies.

“We will be showing the whole of the Romahome range, including the R10 Solo that was the star of the motorhome world last autumn and has never looked back since,” said James.

“We had our best show ever at the NEC, with Freeborn Group selling vehicles worth £2.25 million, including 32 orders for new Romahomes. Nine of them were R25s, eight were R10s and even the flagship Romahome, the R40 four berth coachbuilt, achieved five orders.

“Romahome is current Motorhome Manufacturer of the Year, reflecting the quality and innovation of its designs. I’m sure everyone who visits our showroom will warm to them – and we have seasonal fare available to help if the weather’s cold.

“The AutoTrail models are also popular with our customers, who obviously appreciate the class-leading abilities of these super-size vehicles. They are truly luxurious but we still sold 13 at NEC. Hopefully we can add to that at the weekend.

“I know that not everyone wants a new motorhome and we are blessed with a very good selection of used vehicles at the moment. I’m sure there will be some good offers available on them, too.

“But really there’s no pressure to buy anything. People who are only just thinking of motorhome ownership are welcome to come along and have a chat with a team that enjoys owning our own as much as selling our firm’s vehicles.

“We have plenty of advice – and it’s free. Newcomers always have lots of questions and we have lots of answers covering everything from purchase to insurance and even the best way to save money on ferry tickets by taking care over vehicle dimensions. If you need to know it, we should be able to tell it!”

Freeborn Motorhomes is at Guildford Road, Godalming, opposite Guildford Rugby Club. For details call free from a landline on 0800 2118211 or for other callers the number is 01483 429999.

SURREY TEAM’S BIG PART
IN ‘BEST SHOW’ BONANZA

Sales staff from Freeborn Motorhomes in Surrey played a big part in a £2.25 million orders bonanza during a six day show.

Sales manager James Saint, along with Steve Barnes and Andy Davies from the branch in Guildford Road, Godalming, won significant orders in the face of strong competition during the International Caravan and Motorhome Show at the Birmingham NEC and won huge praise from their boss.

Freeborn Group managing director Andrew Jones, who worked in the sales team at the show, said the result was remarkable for both Freeborn as a whole and its Romahome manufacturing division based on the Isle of Wight.

“As well as a dedicated Romahome stand we also had James, Steve, and Andy working on manufacturer stands, as a result of which we sold 13 high-end AutoTrail models and six from Elddis,” he explained. “While the show was in progress, three more vehicles were sold from the Godalming base, including one of the trade-ins that will be arriving from the NEC!

“Our staff placed on manufacturers’ stands were competing against possibly 30 rival firms’ salespeople around the show presenting the same products so to win customers for 19 units is fantastic, especially when one order alone was for a £72,000 AutoTrail.

“They also took orders for three of our own Romahome models – Romahome is current Motorhome Manufacturer of the Year and launched its new R25 nationally at the show after a private viewing event at Loosely Park a couple of weekends before. Other makers have been laying off staff while ours have been working overtime.

“Overall, Romahome received 32 orders at the show, nine of them for the R25, and the order book at the Cowes factory more than doubled in size as a result of the show.

“It’s a fantastic achievement when many motorhome manufacturers and retailers are groaning under the effects of the recession and laying off staff.

“But we are not complacent and realise we have to go on delivering top level service. Motorhome buyers are very loyal and the strong demand for used Romahomes also helps owners can get good trade-in values to keep new sales buoyant.”

Caption: Plenty to smile about – Brian Bailey (left) of Romahome and Andrew Jones, managing director of the Freeborn Group, on the Romahome stand at the NEC beside the new Romahome R25

Romahome Ltd will launch the latest addition to its Micro Motorhome range the "R25" at the International Caravan & Motorhome Show to be held at the Birmingham NEC from 13 - 18th October 2009.

BIGGER, BETTER BUT STILL COMPACT

Romahome launches third generation
‘Swiss Army Knife’ of motorhomes

Romahome is launching the third generation of its compact motorhome conversions, now built on the new Citroen Berlingo, at the NEC International Caravan and Motorhome Show today.

The new R25 carries on the tradition of one piece monocoque bodies that started with models built on the Citroen C15 from the mid 80s, still in huge demand today as used vehicles, and then carried through to the highly popular Citroen Berlingo with models that were recently renamed the R20 to be consistent with the latest nomenclature for the line-up.

The arrival of the second generation Berlingo chassis has enabled the Romahome, based on the Isle of Wight and current Motorhome Manufacturer of the Year, to increase the exterior dimensions by a small degree that belies the huge advantages to be found inside the new body.

“The Romahome has become the Swiss Army Knife of the motorhome world because it manages to pack so much in the way of useful detail into such a compact form,” said Romahome managing director Brian Bailey as he revealed the new model.

The arrival of R25 means Romahome now has a range of five models, starting with the innovative and still unique R10 launched this time last year as a conversion of the diminutive Citroen Nemo van. It became a knock-out product in quick order, placing the factory at Cowes onto overtime to keep up with demand.

The R20 continues in production at present, relaunched at the NEC in two versions as the R20 Hi and the R20 Lo, with the R25 slotting between it and Romahome’s second van conversion, the R30 built around the Citroen Relay. The range tops out with the R40, a coachbuilt using the Citroen Dispatch chassis and with a body that can sleep four and transport six passengers in seats with three point safety belts.

“I know that R25 has been keenly anticipated by Romahome customers, the dealer network, and the specialist motorhome press and I am confident that no-one is going to leave the NEC disappointed by what they discover about our new model,” added Brian Bailey.

“We have consistently picked up awards for our other motorhomes as well as for ourselves for our design and manufacturing standards and I don’t see any change in that with the R25.

“Other people started to imitate the R20 but ultimately it was the Romahome that always won the acclaim and continued to do so as its competitors fell away.

“The quality of our product is never in any doubt and I would suggest that the R25 builds on this significantly.

“We have produced a new model at a competitive price, starting at £29,995 on the road. There is a generous standard specification plus a thoughtful list of options that will allow owners to tailor their R25 exactly as they want it.

“Motorhomes are very much bespoke items and very few people choose a standard model. But for those who do, they will find the R25 contains more than enough equipment.”

Among the contents is a generous amount of storage, with two wardrobes and four overhead lockers. There is flexibility in bed layout and the option to have two three point safety belts in the back, increasing the versatility for owners who don’t want the inconvenience of buying a car to augment their motorhome when they need to carry friends and family.

“One of the beauties of a vehicle like the new R25 is that it is compact enough to be usable every day. With this in mind, the option of the extra seat belts negates the need for a second car especially among buyers who are retired and may want to watch their budget – or who spend a lot of time enjoying their motorhome and therefore have a car sitting around doing nothing for much of the time,” explained Brian.

“Many of our owners are extremely active people so R25 even brings the option of a wet room with upgraded fresh and grey water tanks (increased from 34 litres each to 70 litres), a removable shower tray, and vanity locker with mirror. The R25 already contains a cassette toilet compartment.

“Hot water and blown air heating systems are also in the standard specification, there’s an ample 60 litre fridge / freezer and all the items you might reasonably expect, plus plenty more you might not but would still like to see!

“We’ve also designed a retractable bike rack that simply slides back to allow you access through the rear door without having to remove the bikes. We have even been asked to enter this into the NEC ‘Innovation of the Year’ competition.

“The R25 is powered by Citroen’s 1.6 litre HDi 90 bhp turbodiesel engine so the van has good levels of performance for those who like to spend their holiday where they want to be rather than on the road struggling to get there.

“This is intended above all else to be a very usable motorhome, not one afflicted by compromise due to its size. Naturally you can’t expect all that you would find in an American RV but the R25 is an affordable motorhome that will really be going places!”

For more information, contact Maurice Hardy, PR for Romahome, on 01264 771661 / 07831 272220 (maurice@mauricehardy.com) or Brian Bailey, MD of Romahome, on 01983 292451 / 07795 642120. See the new R25 and the rest of the Romahome range on Stand 10-15 in Hall 10 at the NEC between October 13 and 18.

SHEPTON SHOW IS GREAT SEASON START FOR FREEBORN

The Autumn show season is off to a good start for Freeborn Motorhomes with sales approaching £500,000 at Shepton Mallet alone.

James Saint, sales manager of Freeborn Motorhomes Surrey, at Guildford Road, Godalming, says the Motorhome and USRV Show at Shepton held from September 11 to 13 brought 11 sales, including a high specification 2010 model AutoTrail Arapaho worth more than £70,000.

“It was a tremendous show – really buzzing with a good turnout or potential buyers across all three days,” adds James.

“I was amazed by how many people seemed to have bigger budgets this time. As well as that 2010 Arapaho we also sold four more 2009 AutoTrails, seeing off the last of our stock, two new Excels, a new Elddis, a Romahome R10, and two used motorhomes, one of them for well over £40,000.

“It bodes well for the NEC in October, where we will be concentrating on 2010 model ranges with a special emphasis on Romahome and its new R25.

“This model, based on new Berlingo, is still under wraps and NEC visitors will be in the first show crowd to see it. Romahome, part of the Freeborn Group, has also made revisions to the rest of its range for 2010 and I was being pressed all the time for details of what we will be bringing to the NEC. In fact we have three potential orders for R40 and another for R30 from Shepton Mallet, but before committing the customers want to see R25 first.

“I can promise the R25 is something very special. Brian Bailey and the Romahome team have worked hard on it so, without giving too much away, there is the innovative Romahome design and layout you will expect with very clever thinking bringing brilliant galley and storage solutions.”

BE THE FIRST SHOW GOERS TO SEE SECRET NEW ROMAHOME

Romahome has moulded its first body for the R25, which launches at the NEC.

It is also making important changes to the specifications and options on its other models, R40, R30, R20, and R10 which befits its status as current Motorhome Manufacturer of the Year.

“When we split the mould for the new R25 for the first time we were very pleased with the results,” said Romahome managing director Brian Bailey at the company’s plant at Cowes on the Isle of Wight.

“The R25 is based on Citroen’s New Berlingo with a monocoque rear body and is being eagerly awaited both by existing Romahome owners and people who will be new to our brand.

“We have vast experience of building compact motorhomes on Citroen base vehicles but we have also taken notice of feedback from existing and potential new customers in creating R25.

“The new model will have more internal space than R20 but not with the penalty of a big rise in external dimensions. We have also been innovative in our galley and toilet / shower designs as well as creating valuable extra storage. The galley is now twice the size of that in the R20.

“The new model will be revealed in full at NEC in October and R20 will continue in limited form alongside it for as long as we have build capacity.”

But Brian said the company had also been busy making upgrades to its other models, all of which will be present on the stand.

New to options lists are external fittings that include mains power outlets, gas points for barbecues, and showers, just right for washing off sand after a day of the beach, cleaning muddy bikes, or washing muddy boots (and dogs!) after a country walk.

“We are all very excited at the factory about the R25 and the changes we have made across the rest of the range. This has been a busy year for us, with staff working as much overtime as they wish to fulfil orders, especially for the R10 Solo, which has been a knockout from the day we launched it at NEC last year,” added Brian.

“I’m hopeful – confident even – that we will see equal enthusiasm for the R25 which takes the quality and planning of small motorhomes to new levels.”

Romahome will reveal prices and full specification for R25 at NEC.

GOOD DEALS BRING GOOD BUSINESS
FOR FREEBORN AND ROMAHOME

Strong interest during the National Motorhome Show at Peterborough over the last weekend in April saw Freeborn Motorhomes in Surrey taking orders for 11 vehicles with a value approaching £500,000.

“We were inundated on the Saturday, when we sold seven of the 11 total orders,” says James Saint, general manager of the Freeborn Motorhomes branch in Guildford Road, Godalming.

“The great news for the Freeborn Group as a whole is that our three Romahome sales were part of 10 achieved for Romahome in total through ourselves and other dealers over the week, showing there is still strong interest across the broad spectrum of motorhome types.

“Even better news is that we only have one 2008 model motorhome in stock, an Elddis Autoquest 100, which is available on very favourable terms.

“While other dealerships are trying to tempt people with deals on last year’s stock, we can offer really attractive pricing on 2009 ranges from AutoTrail, Elddis, Excel, Romahome, and Trigano which means people are not buying vehicles that may have been languishing in a compound for maybe 12 months or more. We are selling factory-fresh product.

“What was interesting at Peterborough was the amount of interest from people new to the world of motorhomes. Of the 11 deals we did, only five involved taking part exchanges. This echoes our experience at the NEC in February.

“We found a lot of people coming across to our stand after being recommended by their friends and we achieved sales that were beneficial to both the customers and our business.

“Customers winning stupendous deals sounds great, but ultimately dealerships have to earn from their sales to survive and provide the service that owners want.

“We always try to strike the happy medium and set out transparent details of the figures involved and at Peterborough one customer signed with me purely because he could understand the sums, something he just couldn’t manage with his regular dealer who was supposedly offering a marginally better deal!

“On the stand we sold one each of Romahome R20, R30, and R40 with other dealers also performing strongly on the R10 Solo, a product that seems to have created its own ever-growing niche. Customers viewing the R40 appeared very keen on the new trims available and I’m sure we will see business from some of them soon, too.

“We also sold three used motorhomes and new vehicles from Elddis, Excel, and AutoTrail as well as Romahome. It was a great team effort with Steve Barnes from Godalming, Neville Peachey from the Romahome Centre in Southampton, and Brian Bailey from Romahome on the Isle of Wight staffing the stand alongside me.”

Caption: The Romahome R40 – new interiors for 2009 are sparking strong interest, with a good level of enquiries on the Freeborn Motorhomes stand at Peterborough.

End

ROMAHOME HITS HIGH AS AWARDS,
ORDERS FLOW IN AND STAFF
INCREASE WORKING HOURS

Award winning Romahome, the South’s only motorhome manufacturer, has won orders for six more vehicles during the National Boat Caravan and Outdoor Show, which has just finished at the NEC.

They were part of a total of 18 sales made by the Southampton-based Freeborn Group as a whole during the show, which brought in £500,000 revenue.

“In ordinary circumstances such a figure for orders at a major show might not be seen as remarkable,” said Freeborn Group managing director Andrew Jones.

“But these are exceptional times and Romahome is performing strongly in an industry where other manufacturers are laying off staff and cutting the working week.

“At Romahome’s Cowes factory, we have just gone onto a four day working week, too. But this is because the staff are now working 10 hour shifts instead of eight hours so they can come in on Fridays and weekends as overtime.

“The company seems to have hit the perfect blend of products at the right time, so as the recession bites for other makers we have suddenly become very attractive.

“One of the stars of the NEC show for us was the new R10, a single berth motorhome based on the small Citroen Nemo van. We sold four of these innovative vehicles, as well as an R20 two berth and R40 four berth.

“These are additional to the forward work under way which will already see the factory busy well into the summer despite the increased hours.

“And as well as Romahome vehicles, we also sold six Auto-Trail vehicles at the high end of the market – one of them was valued at £54,000 – four vehicles from the Elddis range plus two used vehicles. All were good value sales that earned money for Freeborn and not just a case of moving volume.

“I felt very sad to see the gloom on some stands at the show. Dealers in the big American RVs might as well have stayed at home and other makers I spoke to were very despondent and talking of renewed staff lay-offs.

“But recent awards for Romahome helped lift our profile, as did the constant mentions for the R10 that have been cropping up on BBC’s Top Gear programme as it repeats across different channels.

“Romahome is currently Motorhome Manufacturer of the Year for Motorcaravan and Motorhome Monthly magazine, which also gave a bronze award to the R10. More recently, Which Motorcaravan gave an award as top Compact Motorhome of the Year to the R40 and made it runner-up in the overall Motorhome of the Year. On top of that, R10 was runner-up in the Multi-Purpose class.

“Awards bring prestige and visitors to our stands, and as well as the firm orders we received we also gave out close to 1,000 prices lists and booked a good number of test drives through our own Southampton and Godalming motorhome outlets as well as through the other 10 Romahome dealerships across the UK.

“Invariably, the customer profile is one of older, retired people who are taking cash out of savings and spending it on lifestyle items because interest rates are now so low that cash in the bank is effectively eroding in value.

“The success of R10 at the show clearly demonstrates that Romahome continues to develop the right product at the right time. Everyone buying at NEC was downsizing but they still wanted quality allied to value, which Romahome provides.

“The show was a microcosm of what’s happening in the UK economy. Younger people were not spending because of job uncertainty while older people were keen to dispose of cash that would be unprotected by FSA compensation.

“Foreign travel has now become very expensive with the result that camping and caravanning in the UK have increased in appeal, with bookings up 40 per cent at campsites around the UK. This has also helped bring our most affordable models more into focus.

“Romahome and its SVP commercial vehicle building operation are helping the whole Freeborn Group have a healthy outlook although car sales have also started to revive in the last few weeks.

“The success of Romahome is largely down to its managing director, Brian Bailey, and his team reading the market and bringing forward models that will appeal for size, price, and quality – the latter borne out by the recent spate of awards.

“Another exciting product will be launching in the summer which I’m sure will help lift Romahome’s fortunes even further.”

MOTORHOMES TALENT DANCES FOR JOY
AS JOHN SERGEANT HANDS OVER AWARDS

Directors and staff at Romahome, the South’s only motorhome manufacturer, are dancing with joy after receiving two top industry awards from none other than John Sergeant.

And while John pulled out of Strictly Come Dancing in case he should win the BBC talent show at the end of last year, Andrew Jones, managing director of Southampton-based multi-franchise Freeborn Group, Romahome’s parent company, and Brain Bailey, managing director of Romahome and special vehicle builder SVP, which has its factory at Cowes on the Isle of Wight, were more than happy to have their talents assessed and then quick step to the podium at the Dorchester Hotel in London to receive two awards from John.

Motorcaravan Motorhome Monthly named Romahome the top UK motorhomes manufacturer in its prestigious 2009 awards. It also gave a bronze award to Romahome’s new R10 Solo, a single berth motorhome that has just launched.

The MMM awards, in association with the Caravan Club, are now in their fifth year, recognising the best of the motorhome industry. Each motorhome and service considered by the judges has to be nominated by a reader to make the shortlist.

“Manufacturers face a tough challenge in trying to create individual motorhomes to cater to the needs of widely differing markets. Any manufacturer who manages to be creative whilst retaining good quality control and a high level of customer satisfaction merits high praise, so the winner this year should be very proud of their achievements,” said Mike Jago, Editor of MMM.

“Balancing innovation with knowledge of customer requirements allows Romahome to bring a clever and focused product to the marketplace.

“This year, the company has re-branded to provide clearer model ranges. The classic rising roof and overcab models are now branded R20, while R30 is the GRP capped van conversion.

“Since the launch of the monocoque R40 coachbuilt last year, Romahome has not rested on its laurels, but has further developed R40 and launched the cheeky little the R10 campervan at October’s NEC show. It impressed us so much, we had to recognise it in this year’s rising roof category.

“This relatively small company is forging ahead and moving with the times and doing a great job in this increasingly tough economic market.”

Andy Jones said the awards were a great reflection on the company and its ability to move with the times.

“Other motorhome manufacturers have been cutting back on whole ranges as the recession bites but we have actually been expanding production at Cowes,” he explained.

“The judges are right that we are in tune with what buyers want. They love the motorhome lifestyle and those who want new vans at more affordable prices find the ideal package of quality and value in Romahome products.

“Much of this is down to the market awareness and product planning of Brian Bailey, Neville Peachey, of the Romahome Centre at Freeborn Motor Village in Southampton, and James Saint at Freeborn Motorhomes in Surrey.

“Some improvements result from Brian, Neville, and James talking to customers and incorporating their requests so in a way our customers have helped us win, and they deserve some of the credit and plenty of thanks.

“We will keep up the good work and I can promise that 2009 will bring some more exciting new products from Romahome.”

Caption: Freeborn managing director Andrew Jones receives the MMM UK motorhome of the year award for 2009 from John Sergeant

Caption: The brand new Romahome R10 – already a prize winner in the MMM’s prestigious UK motorhome awards

End

BIG THINKING BRINGS THE
ULTIMATE SMALL MOTORHOME

The ultimate in miniaturised motorhomes is coming from Romahome, masters of the genre who are sometimes copied but never bettered.

The company, based at Cowes, on the Isle of Wight, is launching its new R10 Solo at the International Caravan and Motorhome 2008, at the NEC between October 14 and 19 and it brings fresh and innovative thinking for those who love their motorhome to be compact rather than colossal.

Romahome’s larger R20 is still winning awards and has been named as Micro Motorhome of the Year this year – the third such award in consecutive years and just some of many gained in its 17 year history. Other makers have copied its concept, but it’s the R20 that still wows the judges.

“We have based R10 on the Citroen Nemo, which is the new international van of the year, and I’m sure that Romahome fans are going to love it,” said Romahome managing director, Brian Bailey.

“Regular customer feedback showed that many people who buy our R20 conversions actually only wanted a single berth motorhome but still a vehicle that they could use for everyday transport.

“As a result, we created the R10. It has two seats in the front cab plus another sideways seat in the rear living area for which a seatbelt is available as an option.

The New Romahome R40 is now here.
Launched at the NEC show in February 2008 now is in stock.
Romahome and all their concepts of Small micro Motorhomes have now set the goals to a new high Introducing the New R40 has brought the Romahome into a new playing field.The R40 based on the Citreon Dispatch has put Romahome now into the Large Motorhome league and offers the whole experience of Motorhoming but still keeping with the compact concept that Romahome have alway offered.
This 4 Berth Motorhome offers all the luxuries that customers would expect but still keeping within that 6m mark.Compact and luxurious.Starting price £37995.00