Getting F**ked Without Being KissedGetting F**ked Without Being KissedSince this web site went up I have been getting e-mails from people who have or are having very real problems with BW Camperrentals buyback scheme. I can't publish all of them as people ask for confidentiality for various reasons. When I can I will post these stories, but often they may be anonymous to protect the individuals privacy or because they are currently knee deep in a conflict with BW Camperrentals.
Subject: Boiled in Amsterdam
Date: April 3, 2011 7:01:36 PM PDT
To: webmaster@bad-experiences-buying-selling-campers-in-amsterdam.com
Webmaster,
I too, fell into the trap of buying a used camper van overcome with the romantic notions of cruising around Europe by car. However, in my case I purchased the vehicle from BW so that I'd have a Westy on my annual returns to Portugal. After dropping 6000 euros for the car I was assured by Rene it had recently been serviced and was in good mechanical order. Apart from a visual inspection I trusted Rene was being honest. Admittedly, I did check the oil and noticed it was dirty and black but considered that easily fixable. However, when I rolled into Paris the next day the car was stalling at every stop. I called him on this but he smugly said I should have stayed in Holland so that his mechanics could have a look at it. Eventually, I made it to Portugal but immediately had to service the car for basic tune up issues.
Upon my return the following year, the transmission failed, the underside was rusting away (even though I had it parked in a garage) and several latches and cosmetic damages in the interior from the previous year. Although the car was in my name but was considered a Dutch export vehicle (all very confusing), Rene said I could only take out insurance from him, which I did prior to knowing about the problems. Within 24 hours of taking out the insurance worth about 300 euro, I asked for a refund because of the problems but was denied. Money down the drain!
The moral of the story is to beware. I put too much trust in BW Campers simply believing they were reputable - just like the book previously mentioned espoused. Also, a previous letter mentioned having a 3rd party inspect the vehicle. That would be ideal if I'd known if one existed. I was buying from overseas, which I had never done before especially a purchase as significant as this. Of course I was fraught with apprehension about the purchase but I had my wife and kids waiting for me and start our magical journey across Europe. And yes, I heard Rene's sarcastic humor in his office and thru his emails which came across as odd and condescending yet again I dismissed it as the way of the Dutch humor. In the end, I was left with hefty mechanical repairs . . . and was definitely boiled!
Best of travels not travails.
-Anthony, from California
Subject: The Amsterdam blues
From: E-mail Address Withheld
Date: 11/29/08 4:59 PM
To: webmaster@bad-experiences-buying-selling-campers-in-amsterdam.com
Greetings Webmaster !
I am most sincerely thankful for your post, I am an Australian and have planned to go to the continent in the new year, I have read all manner of books and forums and blogs in order to gain some useable knowledge for my upcoming trip.
One of the reference resources that was mentioned was "Rick Steve's Europe through the Back Door" which is a moderately useful and interesting read but not focused on van travel, however, it does mention "Europe by Van and Motor home" which I went on to buy and read, in it's recommendations is this "BW" mob as a preferred supplier for people wanting to do the whole buy back thing, so off I go to Google and type in BW etc and VOILA ! that's how I found your website ! if not for finding your website and reading ,with a great deal of dismay, the shenanigans of this company, I would, more than likely, have contacted them with intention to participate in their buy/ buy back scheme.
So now a whole re-think of procedure is required but I am eternally grateful to you and your website, so many thanks and my sincere condolences to you and best of luck in the future, it's refreshing to see someone take a stance in something that would, more often than not, be swept under the carpet.
more power to you
kind regards
Name withheld
I bought a cab-over camper from BW Campers and had to trade it in almost immediately because even though the camper had passed the Dutch governments "safety" inspection, I soon discovered (about 1,000km away from Amsterdam) that the floor was rotted out in several places. You would think this would be disclosed by a reputable business, but it wasn't. If you are going to enter into the not so consumer friendly world of buying a camper in Holland, be advised that it is best to have a 3rd independent party inspect what you are considering to purchase… like any other used car sales business, these companies make decisions based on their profiting from the sale, and not if you the consumer are being fairly represented. Again, I would say that this doesn't represent a big deal in your own country, but when you're thousands of miles away from home, you need a company that will look out for your interests as well as their own… that's called integrity.
At the end of the second year, I returned "my" camper to BW Campers to be stored for the Winter. I had written out a short list of repairs that included replacing a broken latch for the upper window in the fiberglass top. I went over this list with Rene and was told all would be repaired when I returned in late Spring.
When I arrived to pick-up the camper some 6 months later I found the interior full of water… it was pretty bad actually as the rain had entered on one side and had run all the way around to the other side dumping water all over and ending by saturating the area between the stove and refrigerator, and I spent hours in their repair yard trying to dry it out. The window latch had not been repaired and during the heavy storms that come in off the North Atlantic high winds had forced the window open allowing the heavy rains to enter.
Now, I stood in disbelief as the real owner of BW Campers, René Kluver, told me with a straight face that the broken latch wasn't the cause of the water damage and even if it was, there was nothing he could have done about it as a new or used window latch simply wasn't available… "they don't make them anymore" is what he said as he walked away.
While I was dumping water out of the interior of "my" camper, one the the guys in the repair shop wandered by and I told him what René had told me and asked if there wasn't a junk yard nearby where I could salvage a latch. He held up his hand in a gesture of "wait a sec" and walked away… he returned a couple of minutes later with a replacement latch and screw driver in hand… I took them and replaced the broken latch. I asked him what I owed… he smiled and said "it's free" and walked away laughing.
I had heard Rene say "we're not in business to lose money" more than once. Okay, that's a great philosophy, but when you have to lie in order to avoid responsibility, then you go beyond that philosophy and have entered another domain. A reputable business will resolve the problems it has created... it's just good business if you want to maintain a good reputation. But, these days, when a good deal of business is done via the internet and e-mail, a well crafted web site substitutes for an fair and well earned reputation.