Hi everyone - I just thought I'd share my experience of Big Wave Campers. Definitely not recommended in my experience - also beware of other sales offices with different names (Deep Blue Campers, Atlantis Campers). The text below is from my Trustpilot review. I'm over this now, but just wanted to share my experience. I'm currently getting a (whisper it) Transit Custom converted to my spec so I know what's going in it and how it's being built.
I bought a camper van from this company through their sales office (Deep Blue Campers) in Romsey at the end of October 2022. I should have spotted the warning signs when it was obvious there had been no pre delivery inspection done, as the nearside wing mirrors cover was broken and the the window switch wasn't even connected. They sorted out the window switch and I fixed the mirror cover myself. I also put new screws into the folding table leg because the screws weren't sufficient for the holes that has been drilled.
The real problems started when I booked the van in to have its cam belt done. This van was 7 years old and done in excess of 115000 miles and was sold with a full service history - but the cam belt had never been changed. I booked it in with VW January 2023. Nearly £5,000 worth of repairs and 6 weeks later I got the van back. The 'no risk' sales spiel they give you is nonsense. The warranty covered about £400 of the repairs. I asked several time if they would contribute to any of the costs. The only 'after sales' contact I got from them was from their legal department, saying they wouldn't help because I hadn't followed their warranty process. While this is one argument (and not entirely correct), the lack of any customer care or after sales support was absolutely shocking.
During my ownership the list of problems are below:
- Window switch not working on delivery
- Driver side wing mirror cover needs replacing
- Needed to fix table leg because the screws weren’t long enough for the holes drilled.
- Manifold/Turbo cracked needs replacing
- EGR valve needs replacing
- Cam belt and water pump never changed on a 115000 / 7 year old van
- No documentation on 3rd party alarm
- Alarm keeps going off / rear door latch needs replacing
- Aux belt needs replacing
- Broken engine stud - VW need a specialist to look at it
- Pop top roof letting in air at the front at higher speeds. Didn’t look like it has been fitted properly.
Unfortunately, shortly after getting the van back from VW I was in an accident which wrote the van off. This also revealed that the leisure battery wasn't properly secured, as it had flown into the main area of the van. I'm just glad I didn't have any children or pets in the back.
It says something about how I feel about the experience that I was relieved for the van to be written off.
I feel a bit stupid for not doing enough research on the company before paying in excess of £30k for one of their products. Lesson Learned. Don't make the same mistake as me.
I bought a camper van from this company through their sales office (Deep Blue Campers) in Romsey at the end of October 2022. I should have spotted the warning signs when it was obvious there had been no pre delivery inspection done, as the nearside wing mirrors cover was broken and the the window switch wasn't even connected. They sorted out the window switch and I fixed the mirror cover myself. I also put new screws into the folding table leg because the screws weren't sufficient for the holes that has been drilled.
The real problems started when I booked the van in to have its cam belt done. This van was 7 years old and done in excess of 115000 miles and was sold with a full service history - but the cam belt had never been changed. I booked it in with VW January 2023. Nearly £5,000 worth of repairs and 6 weeks later I got the van back. The 'no risk' sales spiel they give you is nonsense. The warranty covered about £400 of the repairs. I asked several time if they would contribute to any of the costs. The only 'after sales' contact I got from them was from their legal department, saying they wouldn't help because I hadn't followed their warranty process. While this is one argument (and not entirely correct), the lack of any customer care or after sales support was absolutely shocking.
During my ownership the list of problems are below:
- Window switch not working on delivery
- Driver side wing mirror cover needs replacing
- Needed to fix table leg because the screws weren’t long enough for the holes drilled.
- Manifold/Turbo cracked needs replacing
- EGR valve needs replacing
- Cam belt and water pump never changed on a 115000 / 7 year old van
- No documentation on 3rd party alarm
- Alarm keeps going off / rear door latch needs replacing
- Aux belt needs replacing
- Broken engine stud - VW need a specialist to look at it
- Pop top roof letting in air at the front at higher speeds. Didn’t look like it has been fitted properly.
Unfortunately, shortly after getting the van back from VW I was in an accident which wrote the van off. This also revealed that the leisure battery wasn't properly secured, as it had flown into the main area of the van. I'm just glad I didn't have any children or pets in the back.
It says something about how I feel about the experience that I was relieved for the van to be written off.
I feel a bit stupid for not doing enough research on the company before paying in excess of £30k for one of their products. Lesson Learned. Don't make the same mistake as me.
