Thinking about buying a motorhome but can’t manage an initial visit to the showroom? No worries! At Derby Motorhomes, we’ve made it super easy to explore your perfect motorhome from the comfort of your own home.

Here’s how we’ve got you covered.

Online services that bring the showroom to you

Thanks to today’s tech, getting a real feel for our motorhomes online is almost as good as being here in person.

On our website, you’ll find some video tours that show you everything—from the cosy interiors to the sleek exteriors—so you can really picture yourself in your future home on wheels.

But that’s not all. We also offer fully guided virtual tours where one of our friendly, knowledgeable team members will take you through the motorhome in real-time.

Got questions about the storage, kitchen layout, or where you’ll be sleeping? Fire away! We’ll give you all the answers you need to feel confident.

Personalised consultations, just for you

We know that buying a motorhome is a big decision, so we’re here to make the process as smooth as possible. Beyond the virtual tours, we offer personalised consultations over video or phone calls. Whether you want to talk motorhome finance optionspart-exchange deals, insurance, or warranties, our team is ready to help.

Think of it as a chat with a mate who knows motorhomes inside out, you’ll get all the info and advice tailored to your needs..

Take your time in our virtual showroom

Once you’ve had your video tours and chats, you can keep browsing our virtual showroom at your own pace. See a motorhome that catches your eye? Go back to it as many times as you like. Compare models, check out key features, and weigh up your options without any pressure. One of the best bits? No queues, no tired feet—just you and your laptop or phone, browsing at your leisure.

Easy payment and hassle-free collection

We’ve made paying for your motorhome as simple as possible. Once you’ve made your choice and sorted out the details, you can pay for your motorhome by bank transfer prior to collection.

When it’s time to collect your new motorhome, our aftersales staff will arrange a morning or afternoon collection slot for you and we’ll even walk you through its full operation and features, so you’re all set to hit the road.

Ongoing support whenever you need it

Buying a motorhome is just the start of your journey, and we’re here to help you every mile of the way. Our servicing team is on hand for maintenance to keep your motorhome running smoothly. Got questions or need advice? We’re just an email or phone call away.

We’ve also packed our website with useful resources to help you keep your motorhome in great condition. From routine maintenance tips to seasonal prep guides, we’ve got everything you need to stay ahead.

Why choose Derby Motorhomes?

We know buying a motorhome is a big investment, and we want to make it as straightforward and stress-free as possible. Our focus on customer satisfaction, backed by our innovative online tools, makes us stand out. From browsing to collection, we’re here to make your motorhome purchase a relaxed and enjoyable experience.

Start your motorhome adventure today

Check out our wide range of motorhomes online and see just how easy it is to make your dream a reality. With Derby Motorhomes, expert advice, virtual tours, and personalised support are just a click away.

Start your adventure today and discover the freedom of motorhome ownership with complete peace of mind.

If you love travelling, touring and exploring the great outdoors or want to find out about how to get started, this is the event for you. Join Tim and Paul at the NEC, Birmingham this October to get a first hand look inside our extensive range of Auto-Sleeper models.

This is a brilliant opportunity to step inside the latest vehicles from Auto-Sleepers and get a real understanding of what a motorhome is all about and a feel for which layout suits you.

You will be able to find Auto-Sleepers in HALL 8 STAND 8.25

Event Opening Times: 

10.00am – 6.00pm 15th – 20th October 2024

Location Address – National Exhibition Centre, North Ave, Marston Green, Birmingham, B40 1NT

Lincoln Motorhome Show September 2024

Lincoln Show September 2024

Looking for a day out, a weekend away, your first motorhome or upgrading your existing motorhome?

Why not visit the Lincoln motorhome show taking place over three days in September; Derby Motorhomes will be amongst the exhibitors at this year’s event with a fine selection of motorhomes on display for sale and we’ll be delighted to see you there.

Outdoors events such as these are a great way to see different dealers, different brands and different layouts, so why not pop over to the showground and catch up with Tim, Brian and Paul, share a coffee and pick up a great deal too?

Motorhome shows though, aren’t simply all about dealers selling motorhomes, you will also find stalls selling everything a person could possibly imagine, from pots and pans to towbars and tow-cars, and everything in-between too!

There’s great evening entertainment shows each night, lots of good food outlets and very reasonably priced pitches for those staying for the weekend.

For more information on the Lincoln show, follow this link

https://www.outandaboutlive.co.uk/shows/show/the-motorhome-campervan-show-season-finale

Derby Motorhomes would like to wish all of our customers both new and old a very merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Our 2023 Christmas hours are as follows:

Derby Motorhomes will be closed all Sundays during December.

SERVICE/AFTERSALES DEPARTMENTS

Our Service/Aftersales close on Friday 15th December.

Our Service/Aftersales reopen on Tuesday 2nd January 2024

SALES DEPARTMENT

Monday 18th – Thursday 21st of December 10.00am – 4.00pm

Our Sales will close on Friday 22nd December.

Our sales re-open Tuesday 2nd January 2024

We would like to thank all our customers for their business this year

and look forward to meeting you all again in the future

The Derby Motorhomes Team

Christmas Opening Hours 2022

SALES DEPARTMENT

Monday 19th December           10.00am – 4.00pm

Tuesday 20th December           10.00am – 4.00pm

Wednesday 21st December      10.00am – 4.00pm

Thursday 22nd December         10.00am – 4.00pm

Friday 23rd December               Closed for Christmas, sales will reopen on Tuesday 3rd January 2023

Contact Sales at:    sales@derbymotorhomes.com

SERVICE DEPARTMENT

Final working day prior to Christmas will be Friday 16th December,

the department will reopen Tuesday 3rd January 2023.

An end of year message from our M.D.

2022, What a year!

Well, hasn’t Christmas come around fast? It must be almost a year since I was last thinking about what to say to our customers in December, and here we are again……………………!

Challenge

It has been a challenging year in the leisure industry, for customers, for dealers and for manufacturers. New vehicle supply has been limited, delivery delays have been long, and prices have risen. These have all been frustrating and disappointing challenges for us all to face but some-how we’ve managed to work our way past each challenge and make it to the end of another year.

There have been a multitude of reasons for the issues dealers have faced this year – the worst of these being delays in supply or manufacture combined with price increases, but there really isn’t one single thing, alone, that’s been the cause of all our problems.

Cause

We could look to blame component or parts supply, or raw material delays or transport logistics issues or energy costs but the reality is, it’s all of these things and more; worse than this though is the fact that there’s nothing that any of us can do to make these issues any better in the short-term, we simply have to get on as best we can.

This is however, easier said than done for a customer who may have waited 9 months for their new motorhome, only to find out that the price has increased or someone who needed their motorhome for a special event or particular holiday and has missed out, but there isn’t anything your dealers or manufacturer can do to mitigate this; dealers and manufacturers are all working on reduced sales volumes with increased overheads; believe me when I say, we feel your disappointment and we are, actually, all in this together and anyone who may have suffered delays or price increases has my deepest sympathy and my greatest respect too for their understanding.

Information

We have fielded lots of requests for information and updates this year and have tried very hard to get the information required, but this hasn’t been easy. Every day there will be, quite literally, hundreds of prospective customers, from all over the country and from every single dealer, asking for the same information, and manufacturers simply can’t respond because they don’t have the staffing and even then, can’t get the information required from their suppliers either! So, I thank everyone for your continued patience.

Better news

There is some good news though, supply is (slowly) improving, although I must point out that we aren’t awash with motorhomes, and we certainly aren’t going to see supply back to previous, more normal levels any time soon. Customers are though now seeing their new models arriving and from our perspective, we are getting some factory fresh showroom models we can display, something that has been missing for the last year or more.

So, things are getting better, it will take time and the watchword for this year must be “PLANNING”; if you know you want to change or buy for the first time, please plan well ahead.

NEC Show

I have to say that the NEC show this October was a stunning success for us, so thank you to everyone who placed an order with us; we took the decision to only sell models that we had visibility of, i.e., we know the chassis are built so will arrive for conversion and our customers appreciated this.

Before we know-it, the February show will be upon us again too so, we’ll look forward to meeting customers old and new again then.

Buying used Auto Sleepers  

This year, more so than ever before due to the severe shortage of new models, I’ve been concentrating hard on buying as many used Auto-Sleepers as possible so, if you’re giving up motor-homing and have an Auto-Sleeper that’s under 10 years old and in lovely condition, why not give me a call? We pay top dollar for the right models and I’m happy to travel to you if needs-be to collect; payment is always on delivery/collection and via faster payment bank transfer, so funds are in your account before we leave!

The Derby Team

One final word for the team that work here in Derby, you have all been wonderful this year and without your hard work, dedication, and willingness to “go that extra mile”, we couldn’t enjoy the success that we have, so thank you.

Merry Christmas

It just leaves me to thank each of our customers for your continued support and wish you a happy and peaceful Christmas.

Tim Lemon – Managing Director

For anyone who already owns a motorhome, is thinking of buying one, or is just itching to find out what makes them so popular, a motorhome show offers a showcase of everything you could hope to find out about these leisure vehicles.

Fortunately, the UK boasts a fairly full calendar of motorhome shows across the country and throughout the entire year. The biggest and probably most popular of these is the Caravan, Camping, and Motorhome Show held at Birmingham’s National Exhibition Centre (NEC), towards the end of February each year.

But there are plenty of other shows, too, so that you’re never likely to be far from one coming soon to where you live. Because of the range and variety of everything on display at these shows, it makes good sense to spend a moment or two thinking about how you can make the most of your time there:

Why are you going?

  • it might seem like too obvious a question, but if you have sorted out in your mind just why you are heading off to the show, it may help you to make the most of the day;
  • if you have a definite plan to buy a new motorhome soon, for example, you might find discounts and other deals being offered by suppliers at the exhibition – so you might want to line up any finance for your new motorhome before you go;
  • if you are going just to browse, you might want to give yourself that extra time and space by organising a weekday visit, when there are fewer crowds, and you can wander to your heart’s content;

What’s there?

  • of all the many motorhome shows around the country at various times of the year, just remember that every one of them is different;
  • most have a website where you can find details of what is going to be on display and perhaps even a site plan of exhibitors;
  • before show day, make a note of those manufacturers of motorhomes, suppliers of accessories, and any other exhibits in which you are likely to be interested;
  • this is to help make sure that you cover everything you want to cover, in a place where you are almost certain to be side-tracked and distracted by the new or unusual – your list of “must sees” may help to provide some focus;
  • the reason for going and knowing what’s there may help you to devise a plan for the best use of your day;
  • you might want to regard it as a list of intentions, though, rather than any hard and fast schedule that you must stick to at all costs – allow for sufficient flexibility in your planning;

Motorhome show or permanent exhibition?

  • although it is easy enough to find a schedule of different motorhome shows that are going to be staged at various times of the year in different parts of the country, remember, too that there are also more permanent displays and exhibitions;
  • our own exhibition centre here at Derby Motorhomes in Derby, for example, offers year-round displays of a huge selection of new and used vehicles, supplemented by a comprehensive, user-friendly and personalised website and social media experience for anyone interested in buying their next motorhome;

What type of motorhome?

  • it’s a motorhome show, so you might want to give some thought beforehand to the type of motorhome you want;
  • where are you likely to be driving one, for example – how long do you plan to be behind the wheel and how long inside your motorhome once you’ve set up your base;
  • what standard of accommodation are you looking for and how many people does it need to sleep – something as simple as adequate headroom for the tallest member of the family could make all the difference;
  • where are you going to park or store your motorhome when it’s not in use and where can you take it for repairs, servicing, and maintenance;

A family day out?

  • a motorhome show can make for a great family day out – and the kids are likely to be just as excited as you about the next holiday adventure;
  • remember, though, that their attention span may be less single-minded than your own and you might want to be prepared to offer them other distractions, too – soft drinks and munchies for starters.

Your visit to a motorhome show is likely to prove a fun-packed and absorbing experience – but a little forethought and planning might help you make the most of it.

Bank Holiday Opening Hours 

                                Service                                 Sales

Saturday 27th        Closed                       10.00am – 4.00pm

Sunday   28th        Closed                       10.00am – 2.00pm

Monday  29th        Closed                      10.00am – 2.00pm

 

When buying a motorhome the motorhome weights are to some customers, a little confusing. They are essential parts of motorhome information, to assist in motorhomes being driven safely.

You may have seen the Police pulling lorries and large vehicles of the roads at weigh stations. To check that everything is compliant with the regulations, motorhomes can also be required to take a test.

So, lets investigate what motorhome weight calculations are all about. And don’t forget your motorhome also has limits for its front axle and rear axle too.

Before we start, just a reminder to also make sure you understand what driving licence you need when driving a motorhome.

Motorhome weights

How heavy?

First things to remember is that on a new motorhome, every additional optional items must be subtracted from your available payload. From removable carpets to outside awnings and bicycle racks. They all have a weight that has to be taken into consideration.

When buying a motorhome with a modest payload, with extras, this will reduce the remaining payload available to use.

Safety first

Keeping legal

When using a motorhome it is important to stay within the limits of the motorhomes capability. Also, it is extremely important not to overload your motorhome. In fact, doing so will have a detrimental effect on handling, and performance of the motorhome. Especially the stopping distances, so the overall safety and stability of the motorhome is very important to your safety.

In addition, Insurers may take a dim view if your motorhome is outside the limits recommended for the motorhome. If you have an accident that is down to this, they may not even pay out.

How heavy is the motorhome?

More than you thought?

Quite simply to find out, load up as if you were going away and pop along to a public weighbridge. There are many throughout the UK and they are easy to use. Drive the motorhome onto the weighbridge and you will then have an official certificate of the weight of your motorhome.

MTPLM – Maximum technically permissible laden mass.

This stands for the “maximum technically permissible laden mass” of your motorhome. Sometimes known as “maximum authorised mass” (MAM) or “Gross vehicle weight rating” (GVWR).

This information is usually found your owner’s manual and on the chassis plate. Basically, this is the maximum amount that the motorhome is allowed to carry in total. This typically also allows for passengers on board and any extra stuff you are carrying.

MIRO – Mass in running order

This weight calculation stands for the “mass in running order”. The motorhome’s MIRO typically includes a full tank of fuel and an estimated driver weight of 75kg.

Still not sure?

Please ask us! We will be delighted to help.

We understand that getting the weight within legal and safety parameters may be a concern. Our service department will be happy to help you on any motorhome weight calculation issues.

There’s a very good chance that you spent a tidy sum when buying your motorhome.  Just like any expensive asset, therefore, it makes sense to protect it by ensuring that it’s regularly serviced.

Professional motorhome servicing is the way to do that, and both part-exchange and private motorhome sale values may typically be increased if you can provide a full-service history for your preloved vehicle.

It’s not only a question of finance

Important as the financial considerations might be, we don’t want to labour too much the financial logic behind regular motorhome servicing. That’s because we believe there’s another far more critical imperative for regular and attentive servicing – and that is safety.

In several important respects, there is simply no comparison between a standard car and a motorhome. True, both machines need attention to matters such as engine and basic mechanical servicing and maintenance. It would be dangerous and possibly even illegal to drive any vehicle on the road that was not in a safe, roadworthy condition.

However, in the case of a motorhome, you’re not just driving it but living in it at times too.

So, you’re typically going to have electrical systems for lighting, possibly heating, and cooking. It’s also possible that you’ll be using gas for some or several of those purposes. You’re also going to have water systems aboard and possibly some waste disposal functionality.

Water, electricity, gas, heating, and waste – taken together they represent pretty much the whole package of household-type infrastructure services.

The mechanics

As with any motor vehicle, the law says that you must arrange for an MOT test on the third anniversary of your motorhome’s first registration and every year afterwards. It is illegal to circulate any vehicle that requires one without a valid MOT certificate – on penalty of a fine of up to £1,000.

But just as with the MOT certificate for any motor vehicle, it confirms the basic roadworthiness of your motorhome on the date it was tested only. It is your responsibility under the law to make sure that it remains in a roadworthy condition throughout the rest of the year – if you do not, you risk invalidating your motor insurance as well as attracting the unwanted attention of the police.

Regular servicing and maintenance by a reputable dealer, therefore, may spot any potential problems before they develop and keep you and other road users safe on the highway.

Maintenance

In our view, a thorough service isn’t something that can be done on a quick-and-cheap or DIY basis. It must be done right – leaving little or nothing to chance. So, of course, there is some cost involved. Yet avoiding that cost might prove to be dangerous. We don’t think it’s even worth contemplating.

From our extensive experience, we know just how much effort modern motorhome and campervan manufacturers go to when trying to ensure their vehicles are safe to drive and occupy when in use.

Yet all of us know that it doesn’t matter what design and engineering excellence have been applied to machines and their systems, normal wear and tear can still cause problems to arise. Maintenance is ideally all about spotting potential problems and removing that potential rather than fixing a problem once it has occurred.

That’s why a thorough professional motorhome servicing needs to examine:

  • all the electrical systems including pin plugs, cables, your road lights, earthing systems, and so on;
  • your fire safety provisions, potentially covering smoke) and carbon monoxide) detectors, fire blankets, extinguishers, appliances, and the like;
  • the water systems, including pumps, pressure devices, filters, taps, any water tanks, WC, drainage, and so on;
  • very importantly – your gas systems. As the UK’s Registered Gas Engineer advised in a posting on the 26th of May 2021, checks should cover looking for any potential gas leaks, all appliances, regulator valves, cylinders, hoses (and clips) plus flues and ventilation;
  • the bodywork – including the vehicle’s windows, doors, roof, number plates, all furniture, blinds, flooring, screens, and while you’re at it, you might also test for damp penetration; and
  • the basic mechanics of the vehicle including its undercarriage, chassis, coupling head, all tyre pressures and depth of treads, and so on.

Living in comfort – the interior

The process of keeping the interior of your motorhome spick, span, healthy, and hazard-free is known as a habitation service – and the Wandering Bird website weighs up the pros and cons of having such a habitation service done each year.

It involves a thorough servicing, inspection, repair, and maintenance of the electrical, gas, heating, and water systems in your motorhome, together with an overall service of the whole of the living and sleeping areas.

In that process, a habitation service provides an essential health and safety check and may also help to detect longer-term issues – such as mould and damp – before they spread to become especially expensive problems to resolve.

If you have a slightly older motorhome – or one that you are not using regularly – the drinking water system is likely to be especially vulnerable to the build-up of potentially harmful bacteria. Your habitation service, therefore, is likely to include flushing out the entire water system with an antibacterial solution.

In between services, you may help to keep your drinking water somewhat safer by using it regularly or at least running off some of the stored water and refilling it.

Motorhome servicing by specialists

When it comes to making sure your motorhome is in tip-top condition, you want someone you can trust. And here at Derby Motorhomes, we are big on servicing. We want to ensure your motorhome is above all safe, but that everything from the mechanics to the onboard electrics and gas is also working correctly. Winning your peace of mind is paramount.

The very nature of a motorhome makes it a specialist vehicle and second home. That calls for specialist attention, of course, and you might want to make sure that you commission a known and trusted dealer – such as ourselves – to take care of your servicing and maintenance requirements. We can do just that whether or not you bought your motorhome from us.

If you are fortunate enough to own an Auto-Sleeper, for instance, you may want the reassurance and confidence of knowing your servicing is being carried out according to the manufacturer’s specifications.

Peace of mind

Ensuring things are as they should be with all gas and electric appliances is our first port of call. Having a service is one thing, and mechanical servicing is straightforward. Or at least it should be.

We want to put your motorhome to the test and make sure that all the habitation checks are carried out professionally. Also, in a manner that will give any of our customers’ real peace of mind.

Regular servicing and maintenance – of both the mechanical and interior aspects – of your motorhome is, therefore, an important route to prolonging its working life and keeping you and its occupants safe and free from potential harm to your health.

It’s a question we’re often asked – just why do we like Auto-Sleepers?

It’s a straightforward enough question, after all, and at least part of the simple answer is because we recognise the skill and experience that has gone into manufacturing motorhomes these past sixty years or so. That fact alone speaks volumes about them and just one reason why we like Auto-Sleepers.

The long road to producing what has become probably Britain’s leading caravan marque began with the application and dedication of a young family business back in the early 1960s. Through a commitment to superior craftsmanship and design expertise, the business eventually evolved into the manufacturer you see today – producing the very best of British in motorhomes from its factory based at Willersey in the Cotswolds.

We like and respect the enormous amount of time, talent, and effort that continue to be applied to the manufacture of every single Auto-Sleepers motorhome. They are the qualities that shine through every motorhome produced.

Just take a look into the interior of any Auto-Sleepers motorhome and you’ll see once again why we like them so much. Not only is all the furniture, the fixtures, and fittings top-rate quality but it is also stylish and modern, handcrafted to ensure it gives you many years of pleasure and pride.

It’s clear that the people at Auto-Sleepers not only know every inch of the vehicles inside-out they must actually live with the motorhomes they produce. Only such first-hand familiarity can inform the evident knowledge of what’s going to work and what makes the fullest possible use of every corner of space within a motorhome.

There are many other reasons – many of them stemming from the fact that the range of models offers something for everyone. From the top of the range Mercedes Benz luxury motorhome to the very flexible Peugeot van conversions. Alongside those, you have the Peugeot coach-built range and the all-new Peugeot built on the AL-KO chassis.

We love Auto-Sleepers – coming up for sixty years in business

Another reason for our having taken so fondly to Auto-Sleepers is the fact that the manufacturer is a UK-based business – and that makes life just so much easier. Parts and servicing issues just disappear most of the time. Yes, there is always an exception but with Auto-Sleepers, there are not many to be concerned about.

Factory collections and a destination that is easy to get to, situated in a beautiful part of England. The English Cotswold’s take some beating for a taste of real England. Also, there is a matter of residual values and whilst every motorhome devalues over time, Auto-Sleepers remain extremely popular and sought-after.

Wanted second hand – good Auto Sleeper motorhomes

In fact, they hold that desirable appeal second hand and the trade likes them as well! We tend to find that they really do sell well. This is also an important factor for all our customers who have an Auto-Sleeper. It’s probably why so many of our customers keep coming back to us.

Selling well – great residual values

Having the ability to sell any model in the Auto-Sleepers range quickly is another good reason for choosing this marque. If a customer’s circumstances should change, for example, and cash is needed in the bank, then we would always be a potential buyer.

Need our help? Just ask, happy to help anyone

A final reason – a financial one at that – for our continuing love affair with Auto-Sleepers is that they are now part of Trigano one of Europe’s largest Leisure groups and leading European manufacturer of motorhomes.

So, there you have some of the reasons why we like Auto-Sleepers.