Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
Where are Kevin and Ruth now? Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

Where are Kevin and Ruth going next? Kuwait City, Kuwait on March 31st.

Tuesday, September 8, 2020

Here's the spec sheet for the motorhome we're looking at

There is a big RV show going on right now in Dusseldorf, Germany and of course all of the European manufacturers are there, although in a reduced capacity to deal with Covid distancing restrictions.

And the RV dealer that I am currently speaking with has some of their people at the show checking out the new models. One of which is the 2021 Adria Matrix Access 520 ST that we are interested in.

I still can't believe that we are contemplating buying a brand new motorhome. If you’re thinking about buying a new or used RV, check out RVDealers.ca.

2021 Adria Matrix Access 520 ST.

Anyhow, the dealer sent me the spec sheet of the one that they have on order, as well as the price they are asking for it.

Their asking price came in cheaper than I was expecting.


The original list price is €54,299 for the All-In Edition which includes many of the most popular options that people want anyhow. Then there is another €150 for the radio option and €699 for their starter kit that includes outdoor table and chairs and a few other things. All of that comes to €55,148 ($85,800 CAD, $65,000 USD).


But then their asking price for all of that comes to €53,399 ($83,000 CAD, $63,000 USD), and that includes the 16% VAT (value added tax).

The guy had asked me what other options I wanted, so I have sent an email asking about the oven, and whether or not it is too late to get it factory installed, and what options they have for solar panels and batteries. I haven't heard back from him yet. I also asked to have the Starter Set removed because we prefer to buy our own equipment, although of course we will need propane (gas) bottles and hoses.

I know from my time working at the RV dealer in Kingston, Ontario back in 2010 that there is a huge markup from factory to dealer on all types of RV's. It was almost double. If I remember correctly, travel trailers had the biggest markup, followed by 5th wheel trailers and then motorhomes which have the smallest (although still far higher than an automobile) markup.

So I'm wondering if maybe the markup is not as much in Europe to begin with, which is why there is less depreciation over the years. In other words, there may not be the negotiating room available that I know exists in North America. And of course we also have to deal withe the fact that it's a seller's market. 

So, it will be interesting to see how all of this plays out.

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And in Canada...



16 comments:

  1. Kevin, do you know the payload and if the net weight includes a passenger and a tank of fuel?

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    Replies
    1. The chassis is 3500 kg maximum which is standard on many European motorhomes. This one has a "running weight"of 2784 kg which means the payload is 716 kg which is fairly high compared to most. Now, does the running weight include the driver and a full tank of fuel? I'm not sure.

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    2. The 3500kg is the maximum with everything on board (fuel, propane, water, people, and all the stuff you have). The only thing to really (REALLY) understand is the unladen weight from the manufacturer... what they include (and don't) include in that number. For instance, it should include 90% fuel and water loads plus 75kg for each passenger. But this definition is not fully codified so you need to be clear about what constitutes the unladen weight (the diagram shows it as 2840kg).

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    3. Yes, I understand all of that. I have sent an email to the manufacturer for clarification. You're right, the diagram says 2840. The other figure of 2784 I got came from the manufacturers website.

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    4. So I heard back from Adria. Apparently their "Mass in Running Order" is calculated like this: empty motorhome + driver (75 kg) + 70 kg fuel + 20 L water + 17kg propane.

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  2. Didn't open the second diagram, all is clear now, thanks Kevin and Andrew.

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  3. I'm curious why you wouldn't consider bringing it back to Canada?

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    Replies
    1. I guess the main reason is that we feel like we are pretty much done RV'ing in North America. Of course our attitude could change in a couple of years. And, if you had problems and needed parts for either the motorhome or the chassis they would be difficult to source. And, of course it wouldn't be free to get it here.

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  4. Re: your bed, do you still have to use a ladder once it's deployed from the ceiling?

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    Replies
    1. Apparently there are two stops for the bed on the way down. The first stop is for if you want to set up the lounge area as another bed. This stop requires a ladder which is stored on the wall in the shower. The second stop is low enough that it does not require a ladder.

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  5. Wow those prices are so reasonable to any prices here in the us.

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    Replies
    1. Yes, and they maintain their value because they are built so much better to begin with.

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  6. Hi Kevin and Ruth. I wondered if you would be happy to share which German dealer you went through? Our story is that we have decided to take 1-2 years out, and had originally planned to travel Europe in a camper/small motorhome, however being English, Brexit (!!!) put a stop to that so we came over to Spain after obtaining a non lucrative visa with the intention of buying a van over here - however stock appears to be low and the language barrier is a problem for us. We feel Germany is better set up for assisting us purchase one that we can import in to Spain - and we would love to know who you went through and start there.
    Look forward to hearing from you.

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    Replies
    1. Sure, no problem. We used DÜMO Reisemobile in Dulmen, Germany.

      https://www.duemo-duelmen.de/

      One of the reasons we used a dealer in Germany is because they have the largest selection in Europe. Also, Germany has a VAT rate of 19% vs 21% in Spain, however I'm not sure what the importation costs will be. I would be curious to know how that goes for you since we may end up as residents of Spain at some point.

      Our English speaking contact at the dealer is Dominik Noll and his email is [email protected]

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  7. That's wonderful Kevin, thank you very much. I will get in touch and let you know how it goes.

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    Replies
    1. You are welcome. We look forward to hearing back from you on how it all goes.

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