I'm off tomorrow to have work done on my motor home.

I use it as a mobile office and for getting too and from Spain. It has all the toys including satellite broadband.

I bought it about a year ago, my 50th to me present.

Have had lots of work done since then. The attitude of suppliers is amazing. There are some good ones and some really bad ones. The main dealers are worst. The whole business is over charging, overcharging, overcharging with poor service. They all send their sales teams to shows which happen weekly all summer and monthly in winter, so no one ever takes responsibility for anything.

I bought from Browhhills at Hymer UK in Preston. The Hymer UK main dealer and sole importer. The sales staff were so dis interested. I was looking at an £80,000 van. It was a 2006 model, by then the 2007 inventory was coming in. No one returned phone calls, no one returned e-mails. In the end I got an IOM dealer to contact them and negotiate on my behalf. WE agreed I would pay £70k delivered to my door and he would take his profit and all expenses from the amount he got below that price. He let slip he made £2,500 after shipping and transport.

When it arrived there were problems, which I and local dealer sorted out. I also went back to Brownhills for service and some work. Talk about expensive. They know I was coming from IOM, on arrival I was told parts not in, I had booked four weeks earlier.

I'm back again this week end. Some idiot tried to turn left through the side of the thing. Well it is 30 foot long and 10 feet high and they just didn't see it in broad day light on the inside lane. We both stopped, but before I could get details the police arrived, ascertained no one hurt and told us both off for stopping on the hard shoulder and the other driver fucked off without giving details.The damage is minor. It is not an insurance job, for a number of reasons. (Huge excess to keep the premium low, being one and not wishing to upset a 75% unprotected NCB the other, break even is £1,000) I took it in for estimate on my way to Spain on 13 March. Told them I only wanted limited work, and it was not an insurance job. The estimate was for £4,000. They had added every scuff and scratch, with an oh the insurance will cover it. I refused. I got a re estimate. 20 April I booked it in 9 July was earliest. I reminded them there was warranty work. A cable controlling the front passenger seat hydraulics, had parted. Please replace. A week ago I checked all parts were there. No cable, they could not get a cable. I suggested they got on Easyjet and went to personally collect or rang the manufacturer direct and had it sent DHL at my cost. No, have to order from main German supplier who goes to factory where they are converted who go to the actual manufacturer, no direct ordering allowed. Estimated delivery another 6 weeks and longer if holidays get in the way. All it is is a bit of bike brake type shielded cable, they wanted £158 before ordering it, that was why it was not there. They had forgotten it was warranty work.

Tuesday I am going to little man in Warrington. He fitted my air con and my satellite TV system. One air-con unit has failed. He has got the replacement and he chases me to check when I will be over to see him. He is also installing my self bought 12v DVD player in the back bed room, all for free. I have commissioned an alarm system and a security lock to be installed as well, because I want to let him have some paid work. What a difference.

Wednesday I was supposed to go to a firm in Newark who fitted a top range radio, CD, DVD and SatNav system with a Blue Tooth hands free in January. They also put in an automatic self levelling jack system so that the motorhome does not shake when parked up. It almost walks on 4 legs, eerie.

They did not supply any instruction books, I have been chasing since. On Thursday they told me that if I came down I would only be given an A4 internet download, well I did that the minute I found out it was missing, so not much point. I also want a spare remote for the self leveller. I asked at time of installation, it was promised, still not received. I was to collect that, but no, it still is not in. £120 they want and I am willing to pay, but where is it. Final point and real reason for going down all that way is that blue tooth unit has been wrongly installed. It pairs and registers, but that is lost when ignition is turned off. any way I am having that done locally for £40, cheaper than going to have it done under warranty.

I should have known, installation was a pain. I got back after two days in January to be told they had not got the blue tooth in stock, and I would have to return. They claimed to have hunted high and low. I had noticed a Halfords 500 yards down road, went, bought, and then they fitted, why they couldn't have done that is beyond me.

Stupid thing is they are nice, they do lots. I want a a semi auto selection box and cruise control fitting, but I'm now terrified of letting the vehicle near them, also I want EFOY battery chargers, they work as a continuous generator running on Ethanol, quietly topping up the huge leisure batteries. £20 ethanol lasts a year. But will I get the whole kit, and if not how long before I do and how much of my time will I waste sorting it out.

I thought motorhoming was supposed to be fun.