Servicing for motorhomes, caravans and small buses

Most motorhome chassis specify 12 months or 10,000 to 20,000 kilometres, whichever comes first, with a fuel filter and air filter change at the same time. Use it heavily and that interval comes around quickly; leave it sitting and the calendar still applies, fluids degrade whether the wheels turn or not. Pre-trip and post-storage inspections are extra to the scheduled service.

Motorhomes under 3,500 kg Gross Vehicle Mass run a standard WOF, annual for units built from 2000 onward. Motorhomes over 3,500 kg GVM are Class 2 heavy motor vehicles and need a Certificate of Fitness every six months. We carry out repairs and pre-check inspections for both. The COF inspection itself is done by an NZTA-approved testing station.

A full service covers engine oil and OEM filter, fuel filter, air filter, coolant level and condition, brake fluid moisture test, brake pad and rotor inspection, suspension and steering check, exhaust and DPF inspection, tyre condition and pressures, lighting, wiper and washer check, starter battery test and a manufacturer-level scan across engine, transmission and ABS modules. A written report follows.

Mechanically the chassis is a Fiat Ducato, Mercedes Sprinter, Iveco Daily, Ford Transit, Renault Master or Toyota Hiace, the same vehicles that run as panel vans and light trucks. A workshop that handles those platforms can service the running gear. What is rarer is the bay height, the lift capacity for fully laden GVM, and the diesel injection know-how. We have all three on site.

Both are common-rail diesels but the systems differ. Ducato runs a 2.3L MultiJet with Bosch injection, known patterns include water pump leaks and EGR cooler issues. Sprinter runs OM651 or OM642 with AdBlue and SCR on Euro 5 and 6, known patterns include AdBlue injector faults and balance shaft wear. Service parts, diagnostic procedure and fault history are chassis-specific, and we handle both.

Yes, and short-trip motorhomes in particular. Diesel particulate filters need long, hot runs to burn off the soot they capture during normal driving. Motorhomes that only go out for school holidays often never complete a passive regeneration, and the DPF clogs. Symptoms are loss of power, a DPF warning light and rising back-pressure. We measure differential pressure, run a forced regeneration where appropriate and clean the filter before failure.

A pre-trip inspection is a multi-point check carried out before a long journey, chassis-level rather than habitation-level. Brakes, tyres including age and tread, suspension, steering, all fluids, hoses, drive belts, lights and trailer connectors, battery and charging, diesel system scan and exhaust. The result is a written report of items that should be addressed before you leave. Catching a perished radiator hose in Frankton is cheap; catching it on the Desert Road is not.

Yes, this is a wake-up service and it is different from a routine service. Brake fluid absorbs moisture while parked and may need flushing. Rubber hoses perish whether the unit moves or not. Diesel fuel develops microbial growth in storage. Tyres age by date as much as by tread. The starter battery often needs replacement after a long stand. We work through every system before the unit goes back on the road.

Light to mid-size motorhomes on a Ducato, Transit or Hiace chassis typically sit between 3,000 and 3,500 kg Gross Vehicle Mass, within the standard car-class WOF regime. Larger B-class and A-class units on Sprinter or Iveco chassis often exceed 3,500 kg GVM and fall into Class 2, which means a six-monthly Certificate of Fitness. Payload, the difference between unladen weight and GVM, is what you have available for water, gear and passengers.

Yes. Caravan work is separate from motorhome work because the chassis is unpowered. We carry out wheel bearing repacks, brake adjustments, electric brake controller testing, suspension inspection, lighting and seven or thirteen-pin connector checks, and WOF or COF pre-checks. Caravans under 3,500 kg ATM are WOF; over 3,500 kg ATM are COF. NZMCA self-containment certification is a separate process handled by approved testing officers.

Yes. Our Frankton workshop has the bay height for four-metre-plus over-cab and B-class motorhomes and the bay length for seven-metre-plus units. Lift capacity is rated for fully laden GVM on the common chassis families, Ducato, Sprinter, Iveco, Transit and Hiace. If you are running an unusual heavy chassis, phone (07) 847 3339 with the GVM and dimensions and we will confirm before you bring it in.

Three things. Contaminated diesel from a bad tank, water and dirt destroy high-pressure injection systems. Short trips that never let the engine and DPF reach operating temperature, the result is soot, oil contamination and a clogged DPF. And missed services on units that sit between trips, owners assume low kilometres mean low wear, but fluids degrade on the calendar regardless. Service to interval, run it hot, and use clean fuel.