How far ahead do I need to order a new motorhome in France?

June 12, 2019

It feels to us a though we are always telling our clients to start planning their trip well before they think they need to but we have good reason. For some years here in Europe, motorhome manufacturers have only produced vehicles to order so there is a permanent shortage of new stock for spontaneous purchases. This lack of vehicles being produced speculatively combined with dealer reluctance to hold high priced vehicles in stock means the typical delay from order to delivery is six months.

This year, as diesel engines evolve to comply with increasingly stringent emissions regulations, the base chassis used for all new motorhomes and campervans is changing and as a result, manufacturers have ceased production of 2019 specification models early. This has created somewhat of a perfect availability storm. No 2019 specification models have been available since May but the first available 2020 models won’t be produced until November and the queue of clients waiting for vehicles on the new chassis is rising.

In addition, the large motorhome shows of Europe are held from August to October and the increased orders they generate will add to production delays. Finally, many French clients are waiting for the release of the 2020 models because of the new engine developments and this has the potential to cause a serious bottle neck.

This is a very long way of saying, if you want to buy a new motorhome and have it before Christmas, order it right now and if you want to have one for spring 2020, you don’t have long! There will be immense pressure on the available new chassis from here on in.

The good news is, you only have to place a 20% deposit when ordering a new vehicle so you might have to plan a little further ahead to get your state of the art, 2020 specification motorhome or campervan but you can secure one with a very small commitment.

One last thing to mention in case you are considering a second hand vehicle and are concerned about the emissions status of it. Don’t worry, the regulation changes do not affect existing vehicles in the same way and any of the very recent, used vehicles that we sell will comply with the rules for many years to come.