Auto Sleepers Northants on MB chassis

Hello everyone.  At present we have a 09 Broadway on Peugeot chassis, and we are thinking of changing to a '12 registered AS Northants.
 Does any kind soul know if this model comes with a spare wheel and a solar panel as standard.
Also any advice positive or negative on the Northants would be much appreciated.
Thanyou  Eddie.

Check if it is a euro 4 or Euro 5 engine, euro 5 is better!  Before I am lambasted by Pug/Fiat drivers I have owned both, the Mercedes is a superior vehicle to drive especially in auto mode. Some seem to have spare wheels and some don't, we were told ours didn't when actually it did! Doubt it would have had a solar panel as standard but in the early days A/S fitted 30w solar panels as standard so chocolate teapot springs to mind anyway.

Northants as a model sorry can't help!

Hi Groundhog.
Thankyou so much for your very quick reply. I shall obviously have to physically check any such models before commitment to buy as I really don't fancy driving across outlandish parts of Europe without a spare wheel. Perhaps I am worrying too much, as I have always had a spare on all of the m/hmes I have owned.
Once again thanks for your reply.

Hi
  Is the Northants on the medium wheelbase? I have a Surrey and that does not have a spare wheel also the Stanton short wheelbase does not.The Mercedes is a great chassis cab,the only way is to physically check the MH you are buying as the previous owner may have made his own modifications My Surrey had a solar panel fitted and a spare wheel on the roof!!! I have since removed it
Regards
Alan

Thanks very much for your prompt reply Ademco/Alan.
This really is a super means of seeking advice and information.
Best wishes  Eddie

Northants is short wheelbase, with the end kitchen watertank is probably at rear so unlikely to have a spare wheel mount. Engine will be Euro5.

Your right 30w wouldn't melt a chocolate teapot:hugegrins:

groundhog wrote:Check if it is a euro 4 or Euro 5 engine, euro 5 is better!  Before I am lambasted by Pug/Fiat drivers I have owned both, the Mercedes is a superior vehicle to drive especially in auto mode. Some seem to have spare wheels and some don't, we were told ours didn't when actually it did! Doubt it would have had a solar panel as standard but in the early days A/S fitted 30w solar panels as standard so chocolate teapot springs to mind anyway.

Northants as a model sorry can't help!

Thanks for you valuable input Ploughlin, and indeed the other kind folk who have contacted me.
Unfortunately it looks like my plans for acquiring this very attractive looking m/hme are at an end. I 'fell' upon this model because it has a max weight of 3.5 tonnes.

Organplayer wrote:because it has a max weight of 3.5 tonnes.

are you saying you can't have this because it has a weight of 3500kg  or because it doesn't? Most coachbuilt will be around this weight.

Hello Dbroada.  I meant that this model fitted the bill as far as max weight was concerned. Being way past 70 years of age the driving licence entitlement dropped from 7.5 tonnes max weight to 3.5 tonnes. I really did'nt fancy going down the medical route to enable me to retain the higher weight entitlement. 
Best wishes  Eddie

OK. I read your post to mean that at 3500 you couldn't drive it. I have only ever been allowed this weight on my licence.

You can get any of the >3.5 ton vans rerated to 3.5 tons, so don't limit your search to <3.5 tons only. Though it will limit your user payload.

http://www.svtech.co.uk/our-services/downplating/

Good day everyone.
I am pleased to say that I have found an AS Northants 2012 registration with a spare wheel underneath.

The only question now is the payload. The vehicle is plated at max weight of 3.5 tonnes and according to dealer info, has a payload of 500kgs. My son, also a motorhomer, sent me some info on a 2011 model Northants which stated the payload was 392kgs. I am obviously planning to take this vehicle onto a weighbridge in an effort to keep legal, but can any kind soul throw any light on this discrepancy. 

Best wishes everyone and lets hope we get some sunny weather for a few months.

Eddie

According to the 2010 Handbook, the MIRO is 3049kg (3081kg Auto) with user payload of 451kg (419kg Auto). Is the spare wheel standard or added ie deduct from user payload.

http://www.auto-sleepers.com/media/2014/12/Surrey-Northants-2010-handbook.pdf

If you have the VIN, put it into http://carinfo.kiev.ua/cars/vin/mercedes to get the actual MB build infor which will say if supplied with spare or inflation kit.

Wow.  Once again Ploughlin thanks for such a speedy reply and for the valuable information you have sent  me. I will do as you suggest re checking with MB and vin number.

Kind regards  Eddie

I think you will find the Northants is on a medium wheelbase chassis not a short wheelbase, my Bourton is exactly the same interior as the Northants but on the facelifted chassis and body, it has a spare wheel and a listed payload of 392kilos.
Don

Thanks for your reply Padraigpost.  The Northants I have fallen upon has a spare wheel and the payload is as per your Bourton, 392kgs. But without the spare wheel it appears to be 419 or there abouts.

How do you find dealing with such a payload, which seems a little on the low side compared to the 499 on our Broadway?

The payload question is the only doubt I have on the Northants, which we both like very much.

Thanks for your interest and best wishes.   Eddie.

Hi Eddie,
A couple of little things we do to increase payload, as we never used the rear steadies I removed them, this gives me an extra 15 kilos and as your payload is calculated with your water tanks filled to 90%  and given the fact that a litre of water weighs 1 kilo I only run with a couple of gallons of water in the tank so you can gain a little payload here.
Don

On my van User Payload is given as MTPLM minus MRO. Weight of water in tanks and Weight of LPG tanks (90%) are to be deducted from User Payload.

Hi Peter, 
Just checked mine and MRO is given as including driver at 75kilos and also including fuel, gas and water at 90%
Don

AS must have changed how MRO is worked out, but changed it back as the 2016 Bourton handbook still shows water and gas as part of the Essential Habitation Equipment weight to be deducted from the User Payload.

"Mass in Running Order (MRO)
The Mass in Running Order is defined as the mass of the vehicle equipped to the
manufacturer’s standard specification and including the following:
•  Driver (assumed to be 75 kg, 11st 12lb)
•  Fuel tank - 90% full
•  Mains electricity connection cable
Note:
The MRO assumes that the freshwater tank is empty. If you travel with water in the
freshwater tank then the User Payload will reduce accordingly.
All other optional equipment whether on the base vehicle or part of the conversion is
excluded from the mass in running order."

http://www.auto-sleepers.com/media/2014/12/Bourton-2016-handbook.pdf

Hi Peter,
Yes I noticed that myself, it is all very confusing when they keep changing the way they calculate it, mine is a 2014 model and the water and gas @ 90% is shown as included in the MRO as well as fuel. I think Peter that Autosleepers have made a mistake on the 2016 weights for the Bourton and that it should read with fuel only but not including water & gas, there is no way that it has a payload of 517 kilos if the MRO includes fuel, water & gas, all the other models are listed as with fuel only.
Don

Yes, the 2013 Worcester handbook shows freshwater and gas included in MRO, as well, but the 2014 Burford doesn't include it?

I believe that the goalposts for MIRO have been changed to exclude the water and a few other things that are now classed as something like "essential equipment" - not sure o fthe precise words but payload now seems to be stated in two bits - gross payload and less the bits that you cannot do without.

2012 Lancashire handbook MIRO excludes water and gas as well. Seems to have changed 2012-2013 then changed back again. Very confusing.