![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.vennwood.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/06\/Deffy.jpg\" "\\"Deffy\\"")
<\/a><\/p>\nWe had spent a number of years with caravans experimenting with layouts and had arrived at our ideal some years earlier so this focused out search at the outset. \u00a0For us the ideal layout involved a fixed rear bed, decent sized shower\/washroom with a lounge that we could relax in without having to clear away any beds every morning. \u00a0We also wanted the option of additional beds in case our family joined us for a few days. \u00a0The Esprit ticked all the boxes except one. \u00a0It didn’t have the Alde wet central heating system that we had come to love in our caravans. \u00a0 It did have the Truma Blown Air heating with electric and gas options and a heat exchanger with separate fan controls that kept the habitation area nice and warm when driving along in winter. \u00a0 In theory the adjustable rear bed was a great idea. \u00a0The ability of raising the bed so you could get bikes etc. in the garage then at night take the bikes out, lock them to the tow bar and lower the bed to give better headroom. \u00a0In practice it was too much hassle as it involved removing 8 bolts, adjusting the height, \u00a0then someone holding the bed in place while you rushed around re-fitting the bolts. \u00a0We simply adjusted it to the most useful height for us and left it in place. \u00a0We noticed on later models that Dethleffs fitted an electric motor so you could adjust the bed remotely – much better. \u00a0We did think of buying the conversion but other issues prevented this from happening.<\/p>\n
We travelled in our Deffy for around 6 months, completing two European trips and were really happy with it. \u00a0 In fact it could have been our near perfect camper van that we could have lived with for years had it not been for one real problem – the overall weight. \u00a0One day after reading about air suspension (the rear overhang on the Deffy was quite long and the chassis quite low causing us to ground the rear on occasion (saved from injury by the tow bar) we were alerted to a thing called “payload” so before we invested in air suspension decided to find out what payload we had available. \u00a0Disaster struck. \u00a0 The original Spanish owners did not specify the chassis upgrade yet had fitted all these options that \u00a0took it over its legal maximum all up weight. \u00a0No matter what we did we could not shed 472kgs. \u00a0It was not possible to retrofit the upgrade so became a liability. \u00a0Fortunately the selling dealer who had assured us that the chassis upgrade had been fitted \u00a0(the dealer listed the chassis upgrade in the advertisement) \u00a0reluctantly agreed after some “heavy persuasion”\u00a0to take it back without loss in exchange for our current Flair. \u00a0 \u00a0I didn’t know how we would stand but must have had a case as they sold us a vehicle that was overweight in its basic state. \u00a0 This was a real shame as it was probably the sturdiest built camper van we have ever seen – much better built than the newer model Dethleffs.<\/p>\n\n\t\t