The Honda Stepwagon / Stepwgn Owners Club

Hi does anyone have any feedback on this company's conversions and sales? Did anyone get their SW from WEllhouse? only just discovered their website thru roaming the posts on here and they look sound at first glance.

Am quickly learning (through speaking to different companies' salespeople), that rubbishing the quality of other companies' conversions is (as I guess is to be expected!) rife.

really need some reliable testimonials from existing owners/users about their experiences with the places they got theirs from ...

any help gratefully appreciated!

Chrissie

We went to Wellhouse to get some blinds fitted after JAL refused to fit blinds as part of our so-called 'full' conversion.

Wellhouse were very professional and did a great job. We had a good look round their showroom and workshops while we were there, and their conversions were of a very good standard, with some quite innovative approaches to space-saving, but their prices reflect this - they're at the upper end of what you're likely to pay for a newly-converted used van.

Their designs are quite traditional - nothing as lovely as Imperial Cars do to Bongos - but nevertheless they're finished in a reasonably modern style.

One thing the owner did indicate was that he wasn't particularly fond of Stepwagons - he thought they were not as reliable as other Hondas, and he didn't like the fact that the floor is not flat, so they're more difficult to convert. Nevertheless, he seemed to be doing a good job on the ones we saw.

Hope this helps!

Ah thanks Rob this is really helpful!
Chrissie

Hi Chrissie

Did you see my reply to your "Wanted" posting?

Some videos you might like to watch from the "Caravan Channel" ...
http://www.caravanchannel.co.uk/2008/pl ... ouse1.html
http://www.caravanchannel.co.uk/2008/pl ... evans.html
http://www.caravanchannel.co.uk/2008/players/hande.html
http://www.caravanchannel.co.uk/2008/pl ... etest.html

Brian

Thanks to you both Rob and Brian

Rob, now I've looked at those Dorset Bongo conversions I realise that some travellers really are living in a different world from me! my wants and needs are fairly basic, thankfully, but it's nice to see how the other half live!

One problem I'm coming up against is that I've grown used to having the 3 rear seats/belts in my Jazz and all the Honda camper conversions I've seen have only two (unless I buy an old shape one and have the rear conversion only, thus retaining more seats in the body of the vehicle). I'm going to see if there's any way I could get someone to fit a central seatbelt. The real problem would be finding the anchor point in the roof I guess ...

it's all doing my head in really, I thought I'd done enough research but now I see I'm only just beginning!

this group is really helping; glad I found it/you! thanks again

Chrissie

Hi Chrissie

With regards to what you were saying in one of your other posts about Wellhouse being booked to August, David Elliot was interviewed by the Caravan Channel at the NEC exhibition and said that in a normal February they'd take 7 or 8 orders but this February they'd already taked 27. http://www.caravanchannel.tv/2010/playe ... Cfeb4.html

As I've mentioned elsewhere on this forum, what I don't like about the Bongo is that you can't swivel the front seat and can't access the rear from the drivers seat without having to get out of the vehicle because of the large engine cowl between the front seats. But those conversions do look smart don't they!

As for having done enough research, I spent 2 or 3 years researching mine then bought a totally different one. My original plan was to buy a Nu-Venture Rio Dia http://www.nuventure.co.uk/ My next idea was to buy a Mercedes Vito and take it somewhere like Young Conversions http://www.youngconversions.com/ Then I bought the Stepwgn from Wellhouse.

One good thing about the Stepwgn is that it goes under the 2 metre barrier at my local re-cycling depot.

Brian

Hi Brian
At least I don't have an issue with what kind of vehicle I want so I suppose that helps in having narrowed it down! I definitely want a Honda SW.
Maybe I'll hire one (from Wellhouse?) for a trip while I'm waiting ...
Or I could buy an unconverted one (as Rob said elsewhere) and drive that until someone has time to convert it for me. I'd still have more seats and room for our Spring and summer camping plans.
PS I looked at Elite's site briefly and will have another look today.
Chrissie

Goodness, having only just joined the group I come across something I can actually answer!

Hi Chrissie

Mine came from Wellhouse and the whole process from both the Davids has been professional and of a high standard. Unfortunately David Elliott doesn't come across too well in the videos I reckon, if only he'd smile a bit!!! However they're obviously doing well which I'm glad about, I hope they manage to maintain the standard. I agree about the Bongo, a friend has one and wishes he had a Stepwagon purely because of the difficulty in moving from the front seat to the back. Not great if you have to go out in the rain!!

My only gripe is that questions that came up after the sale, such as about touch up paint and radio aerial, were shrugged off rather and although I felt we had some sort of friendly relationship, they saw me just as another sale and when I was asking for advice rather than to buy something, I could see it wasn't that welcome. But then that's not what they're there for and I'm sure all companies are the same.

Now I've found this forum I can ask away about paint and aerials to my heart's desire! Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

Liz

Thanks Liz/zie!

I have taken the plunge and paid a deposit on a Field Deck (original) roof (same as yours I guess - rising at the front, hinged at the rear) 1998 RF1 SW with only 40,000k on the clock. It's still in Japan! and I've decided to go for a rear (not full) conversion only, as I really need the 5 seat option to accommodate my son's family while driving. That means sacrificing some of the luxuries and compromising on storage by contrast to the full conversion but for the time being I reckon it will suffice - we are used to roughing it camping and will still use our yurt for extended stays in conjunction with the camper, so any on-board equipment, seating and sleeping will feel like luxury to us! Wellhouse will do the conversion when it's my turn on the list! It's interesting to hear your point about feeling differently treated once the sale was complete and you were asking for advice ... after-sales is just as important for customer goodwill and testimonials ... I intend to do as much asking as I can before the sale and the conversion are complete.

thanks for your responses all!

Chrissie

In my early days of looking for a Stepwgn, I contacted Wellhouse Leisure about one, and went up to their 'shop' to see the conversions.
Very impressive (even though they were refurbishing the workshop/display areas), but it transpired that they would not import and supply one unconverted, as they did not want the hassle of the DVLA inspections for UK requirements - the conversions were exempt.
None the less, I had nothing but patience and courtesy from them during my enquiries and my site visit.