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Congratulations 🎉 to Andrew and Ali on the delivery of their new LeVoyageur 8.7CF Heritage. These very patient customers have waited two years to get this custom built van that was ordered specifically for them and their requirements. The Boss and Dodgie are great repeat customers and really part of the family here at Deluxe. Often just dropping by to say hello with a few packs of biscuits for the team. This new LeVoyageur is their seventh Deluxe RV supplied motorhome. They have even had a magazine article written about them by NZMCD. Click the link below to have a read. https://nzmcd.co.nz/stories/the-boss-and-dodgie/ All the best and we hope you guys have a blast!   When you purchase your RV, it is most likely a dream come true and you can’t wait to get away and make use of it. An important and easily overlooked part of an RV is the roof. It does require regular maintenance, but in most cases is difficult to access. We suggest washing the roof at least once every six months, every three months if possible is better.
By doing this it keeps any moss, mold, or lichen away from the surface and gives you the chance to clean the solar panels to help with efficient charging. You can use a regular car wash to do this. We don’t suggest any form of Wet and Forget or simple spray on solution, we have seen this damage decals on prior customer RV’s. A coat or two of typical good quality car polish applied to the roof can also help prohibit build up. The polish will assist with water run off during periods of rain. If you keep on top of this, it makes it a lot easier to do each time. If you leave the roof for 12 months of longer the job becomes a lot harder as the deposits and grime attach much harder to the roof surface. We understand that accessing the roof can be difficult, so if you are having your water ingress check done with us here in Blenheim, we are more than happy to do a roof wash for you. Please just advise us on the day of booking that you would like it done, this would just be charged at our hourly workshop rate. Most winters during the school holiday break, Daryl and his family make a trip around down one side of the South Island to Queenstown and then return up the opposite coast. This year they had to carefully plan their trip due to the wild weather that had hit the top of the South Island around the same time. Luckily they caught a break heading down the West Coast through Reefton and Greymouth to Rainforest retreat at Franz, which is one of their favourite spots to stay and we mention again below in our Great Destinations segment. A few days later this route they had travelled was closed off again with various slips and washouts. From Franz it was on to Wanaka, then Cromwell and Arrowtown to check out the Winter Wonderland set up at Ayrburn. As always Ayrburn never disappoints with its range of activities and dining. There is plenty of room for motorhome parking at the end of the main road in to Ayrburn. They visited again for brunch a few days later on their way back out of Queenstown. From there it was towards Tekapo to go ice skating and rest in the hot pools. This was not to be unfortunately as the rain set in again ending any hope of venturing outside for an evening under the stars. Leaving Tekapo it is always ideal to head to Farlie for breakfast, particularly the Farlie Bakehouse. Next stop was Christchurch to catch up with some relatives and then finally onward home to Blenheim. At this point many roads on the west coast were still closed off, so luckily this way around the South Island worked for them this time. Daryl recommends checking the NZTA journey planner before travelling on longer trips https://www.journeys.nzta.govt.nz/journey-planner this system is really up to date and includes all road closures and road works that will likely cause a delay to your journey.
 Every now and then on service checks we find customers water tank probes not reading correctly or showing 100% when the tank is actually empty.
As you will see in the image above the Pilote water tank probes consists of 5 stainless steel probes. If a probe gets covered in film, grease or dirt from dirty grey waste, they will not work like they should as the film covers the complete stainless-steel probe and prohibits it from reading correctly. What we recommend is to put some blue toilet chemical in your grey waste tank every few trips to help keep the tank clean and prohibit the build within your grey waste tank. To clean the probes yourself you can simply remove the screw cap off the top of the tank, this is accessed via the floor hatch area in the front of the van And give it a really good hose out. If you reach into the tank, you can also use a clean cloth to wipe the probes clean.
This is George - Daryl's families Mini Schnauzer who has been motor-homing since a young pup For some of us, dogs or other pets are a major reason to why we choose RV travel as our getaway of choice. For some taking an overseas holiday and leaving the dogs at home is just not an option. RV travel is an easy way to travel with your canine companions, and many of them enjoy the getaway as much as we do!
There are many things to consider and remember when taking your furry friends with you. We have outlined these in as much detail below as possible. The Essentials When packing your motorhome for touring you’ll need to think about your dog’s needs as well as your own, but some of these essential items can be left permanently in the motorhome.
Planning Travel It is important to pre-plan your travel when travelling with Pets. While many places are now dog friendly, not all are. It is important not to turn up expecting animals on any site or park over property are ok. We recommend checking the NZMCA app. The app outlines which places are pet friendly or not, and you can filter results so that only pet friendly places appear. Your RV should also be a home away from home for your dog. They are routine based animals and like to maintain habits. Try and stick to the same eating and toileting routine that you would have at home. Ensure they have their blanket or bed to give them comfort while resting and some toys from home will also help. Plan stops suitable for your dog including suitable areas to run and explore and include a dog park or two if you can. It also pays to plan for the worst and ensure you are aware of local vet locations and ensure you have an action plan should an emergency happen or your dog falls ill. Securing During Travel Much like we restrain ourselves with seatbelts, Dogs require securing to the vehicle also, we should give our beloved pets the same care and protection we give ourselves. Each RV situation is different and may require some thought for restraint options. In our Pilote we ensure our Dog is wearing his harness and then anchored to the seat using a shortened lead. Some RV's also have ISOFIX child seat restraints. These can be a great option for restraint connection. Dogs should not be left to freely roam the vehicle during travel. Unrestrained pets can be a distraction and in the case of even a small accident could give rise for a "dangerous driving" charge. Travelling With a Dog in an RV Each dog is different, some are straight into travelling with absolutely no worries. Some may present with a bit of travel anxiety. If this is the case we recommend creating a plan that eases them into it. You need to start slowly and ensure you are creating positive association with the RV along the way for them. This may mean a few nights camping in the driveway before taking to the road. Getting them used to staying in the RV over a period of time without going anywhere helps reduce the larger change of driving days and being away from home. You may then step this up to a trip to the shops in the RV and leaving them for a short period. Extending these trips over time. Essentially the more time and work you put into coaching an anxious dog into RV travel, the more you will relax and enjoy your trips away yourself. Drive carefully and smoothly and keep calm. Dogs pick up on distress and can think something is wrong if you are heightened yourself. Ensure you have adequate ventilation while parked if you have to leave them in the RV. This can be as simple as cracking a roof vent while parked. Leave them a bowl of water out while parked. The familiarity of the environment and routine will help your dog settle and build confidence. For most dogs, over time they become seasoned travelers and the sight of the RV becomes a cue that they’re about to spend quality time with you and explore exciting new environments.  Something we come across quite regularly during trade in assessments, is a lack of understanding around the requirement by Fiat for the cambelt replacement intervals on the Ducato chassis.
This is something we have to factor into our trade in assessments and many are surprised by the requirement to change the belt so soon given the low kilometers most motorhomes have traveled. Many kiwis have in their mind 100,000 kilometers as replacement interval. This comes from many years of import Japanese cars having that as their average benchmark for replacement timing. For the Ducato however Fiat advise the interval for a cambelt change as 5 years or 100,000 kilometers, whichever comes first. Motorhomes in most cases won't travel over 100,000 kilometers in 5 years, so the 5 year interval is typically the requirement. It is important to have this preventative maintenance done on time, as even if the mileage is low the belt can oxidise and degrade over time. It is wise to replace the belt tensioner at the same time and at minimum check the water pump condition. If you are looking to buy a used motorhome from a dealer or privately around that 5 year old mark, we recommend you obtain proof that this preventative maintenance has been completed. We regularly provide our prospective customers a copy of the service invoice to show that this work has been completed. It is also worth noting that most if not all Mechanical Breakdown Insurance policies will not cover any repair cost if the manufacturer required maintenance has not been completed on time. During these colder months of the year, condensation can build up inside of the single glazed glass windows of your motorhome and can be problematic. These windows are typically the cab or front side windows of your motorhome. It can delay your early morning get away by taking time and effort to dry and clean up the front and side windows. Pilote have a great thermal cover which we have been importing into New Zealand. We have options to fit low profile Fiat cabs and both Pilote and LeVoyageur A-Class motorhomes. We can courier these out NZ wide. Please contact Matt for further information and pricing at [email protected]
As many people will know there has been a change of Optus Satellites which has affected Freeview and SKY TV throughout the country, and many brands of automatic dishes are no longer receiving signal.
The Kiwi Sat dish is fully updatable and can be done by any RV shop or if you are savvy enough you can download it via this link and follow the instructions. Software: https://www.apollo12v.co.nz/ Video: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=kiwi+sat+update Alternatively if you have a Kiwi Sat and and are in the Marlborough area you can contact Jesse on 027 674 4688 and arrange it directly with him. Regarding the SamY Vision dishes we have seen some issues, as many will know RSE Ltd went into liquidation last year so getting support for this dish is a little tricky. Luckily the team at Digital RV in Christchurch are working with SamY to get an update for the SamY 60, we hope to see this soon. Unfortunately, the SamY 54 (the predecessor) is no longer able to be updated due to the tuner in the dish. The only option on the SamY 54 is a replacement dish. If you have a Southern Cross 52 or one of our more modern OptiSat dishes, then no updates are required, and they should be working as per normal.  Whilst motorhomes drive on our roads along with cars and other smaller vehicles, in reality the maintenance requirements of a motorhome are much more complex and more akin to boat ownership. They contain a combination of domestic home type systems, RV specific appliances, and automotive and safety components, all housed within a vehicle that will be driven at relatively high speeds over many years. With that in mind, it's well worth staying on top of maintaining your motorhome at regular intervals.
With a brand new motorhome purchase, most European RV brands require the owners to undertake habitation inspections on an annual basis for a limited number of years to maintain the warranty cover period. However we would encourage owners to undertake these inspections every year regardless of any warranty cover requirements. We believe these habitation inspections are crucial for ensuring the safety and longevity of your motorhome, they can also affect its future resale value by preventing small problems from becoming big problems requiring serious repair. This applies to all brands and builds, not just the brands we import here at Deluxe. If you require a habitation inspection we have a network of agents throughout New Zealand who can do this somewhere close by to where you are located. Customers who have purchased new RV's from us will receive an annual inspection reminder from our automated system that contains this list. However if you don't receive these annual reminders and wish to receive a copy of the list please just email us to request a copy. Last year our good friend Jean-Marie made the below winterisation advice video for the wider Pilote community. The video is in French but you can watch with English subtitles. Because Pilote offers class 3 insulation and sells into Scandinavian countries. The video gives detailed advice for long term winterisation advice for these cold European countries. However much of it still applies to general winterisation techniques and requirements. Even if you don't have a Pilote Motorhome. You can also check out our previous winterisation blog article at the link below. https://www.deluxegroup.co.nz/deluxe-rv-blog/winterizing-your-rv  As the sunlight hours drop this is typically when we start to see people struggle with their 12V house batteries and field phone calls with confusion on why they might be flat. Its not so much an issue with battery capacity but an issue with the recharge rate during the day.
Most of our new customers are opting for around 400W of solar now. 200W of solar during winter is a very light set up, this in turn means you may need to plug in to 230V power every few days to recharge your batteries. It is very important if you have an AGM/ Lead Acid or Gel battery you do not let the voltage drop below 12V. To assist with keeping on top of your winter travels you can always add an additional solar panel or two. Something I highly recommend is a Enerdrive E-pro Plus battery monitor, these are a very helpful device and keeps you well informed of your battery condition. A couple of tips to help. Make sure you do not run your 3-way fridge on 12V unless you're traveling. 3-way fridges are designed to be on gas as priority, 230V when plugged in to mains power and 12V when the engine is running only. Most fridges are designed to automatically determine what source is most efficient and correct to run on and shouldn't require overriding. When on the ferry, you are best to turn your fridge off completely, they work as a insulated chilly box and will be fine left like this for a 4 or 5 hour ferry journey. Once you are off the ferry, switch it back on to automatic 3-way. Another good thing to check is if you have an inverter fitted, make sure this is off when not in use. An invertor will use 12V power while switched on even if nothing is connected to it. I hope this helps and happy camping! Brett Smith  Most modern European motorhomes or caravans are fitted with double glazed poly plastic windows. While these are great for insulation factors they can be very easily scratched.
To maintain these windows scratch free we recommend you wash these with a microfiber cloth or wash mitt, use a second bucket so your dirt and grime from the body doesn’t get dragged on to the windows. Every now and then it is well worth giving them a coat of car polish to help as this will keep them shiny and hopefully scratch free. If you want to make sure your windows are looking like new all the time you can talk to your local vehicle detailer and they can apply a ceramic coating for maximum care. Key factor, keep the wash brush well away from them and take care while navigating around trees, hedges and scrub.  Many motor homer's and industry involved people have no doubt welcomed the recent news from the Minister of Transport Chris Bishop that consultations on extending the CoF inspection period from 6 months to 12 months have begun.
The NZMCA have been lobbying for this to happen for quite some years and it is great to finally see some traction. This could also be the one and only chance we as an industry get to make this change a reality. NZMCA is calling for its members to submit feedback to the NZTA on this matter. You can click on the link below to read in more detail on the proposed change and submit your view as part of the survey. The last day for feedback is April 4th. https://www.nzta.govt.nz/about-us/public-consultation-hub/current-consultations/land-transport-rule-vehicle-standards-compliance-amendment-2025-consultation/  As part of the quality assurance process by our supplier Fiat, it has been determined that some 160 & 180hp Ducato vehicles equipped with a 9-speed automatic transmission may experience a malfunction of the torque converter, leading to limp mode (reduced speed, deactivation of non-essential functions). To address this malfunction, Stellantis has initiated Service Action 6926.
This service action has been communicated by Stellantis to all Fiat Professional partners and is therefore well-known. Affected vehicles being 160hp & 180hp models only. An appointment can be directly arranged with a Fiat Professional partner so that the service action can be carried out on the vehicles accordingly. During these operations, a software update of the engine and transmission control unit will be performed, which will be completely free of charge. Further information is available at any time from all connected Fiat dealers. The Service Action can only be carried out by an authorized Fiat workshop. You can find the location of your closest Fiat Workshop at www.fiat.co.nz/en/motorhomes.html. For your information: Stellantis is the parent company of Fiat. All to often we see customers turn up on annual water ingress inspection and when we check the tyre pressures we find them at 70PSI or above. This is the Fiat factory setting for most campers and it rides extremely hard.
For the axle loading in your camper we recommend a lower pressure for a more smooth and comfortable ride. This will be a little harder on Fuel and tyre wear but in our opinion the general ride is worth the compromise. Below is the pressures we run on most models we sell:
 Ian Stevens from the Pilote owners group has contacted us asking to spread the word on this event in late January. If you aren't a member of the group or wish to join the owners group please click on the below link for details.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/165367360749767  With the changes to the Self-Contained Motor Vehicles Legislation Act 2023 now in place and the issues around venting cassette requirements now resolved. Deluxe can confirm we are now processing customer self containments as a commercial partner of the NZMCA who are a certification authority.
Please note that the existing blue self NZS5465 containment warrants issued before 7th June 2024 are valid for freedom camping until they expire or the 7th June 2025 whichever comes first. So no immediate rush to replace your warrant if it meets the above timeframes. Going forward you can choose from either a green government warrant card or an NZMCA yellow warrant card. There is no requirement for a sticker on the back of the vehicles as with NZS5465. The warrant card must be displayed in the front windscreen or passenger side window so that it can be seen from the outside at any time. Green Warrant The government issue green warrant card is the Freedom Camping standard requirement, if you currently freedom camp or plan to do so at any stage we suggest this warrant type. They last for a total of four years before renewal is required. On new purchases if you request this warrant type we complete the self containment paperwork and submit to the NZMCA. They will then process and request the $120 government levy fee from you directly. Once this is paid your vehicle will be entered on the register and your warrant posted out to you. Yellow Warrant The yellow warrant is an NZMCA issued warrant suitable for those that never intend on freedom camping. They last for a total of ten years before renewal is required. On new purchases if you request this warrant type we complete the self containment paperwork and submit to the NZMCA. There is no fee for this warrant type so once the paperwork is complete your warrant will be posted out to you. For further information on the warrant types NZMCA is handling please click here to be directed to their site for more details. This year both Gary and Brett attended the World Caravan Salon in Düsseldorf Germany. This is most certainly the largest motorhome show in the world with over 250,000 square meters of exhibition space. The Pilote Groupe display area alone is in its own separate hall and has dozens of Pilote and LeVoyageur motorhome models on display along with its own cafe and restaurant area. The motorhome industry is ever changing, attending the show as guests of Pilote Groupe also gives us a chance to meet and catch-up face to face with our suppliers and discuss new and upcoming changes, models and technology. This show is also a good chance to check out our competitors' models, installation equipment and other seriously impressive motorhomes we don't get to see in New Zealand. Please enjoy a small handful of photos from the show below.  This month we will look at the slightly larger Pilote Galaxy G781FC motorhome. The G781 is the perfect option for those who are after that little bit of extra length and space but don't want to push it too far and exceed the 8-meter benchmark. Tip: The Pilote G781 is also available in a single bed layout ....
Click on the link to check out technical specifications and further pictures...
https://www.deluxegroup.co.nz/Detail.html?id=3061191&dealerid=1177&pageNumber=1&sort=1&pageSize=12 |
Location45 Main Street, Blenheim,
New Zealand Opening HoursMonday - Friday: 8.00am - 5.00pm
Saturday: 9.00am - 2.00pm Other times by appointment only Ph: 03 578 3310 |
Telephone03 578 3310
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