05 April 2012

Carasellecampers & Midlandcampers2011

The short version - AVOID AT ALL COSTS

The longer version...

There is an old adage that "when something seems too good to be true it probably is".

We have spent several months trying to find the right camper van and I have come across several vans from Carasellecampers and Midlandcampers2011 on ebay and autotrader. These look very nice and are always extremely low mileage compared to the others in the same price range. 
I did think it was odd some of the pictures were obviously not the same van but I contacted the guy (a man called John) and he assured me that they were legit and that they had such a high turn over of vans that they just kept a couple of vans advertised on ebay to pull in the punters. 

I spoke to him several times over a period of about a month and eventually arranged that I would go down to Nottingham and he would collect me from the airport in the van we were going to buy. I bought my ticket (£186) and then texted him the flight details. I heard nothing back until the evening before when he texted to say sorry the van was sold. He then didn't pick up his phone or reply to a text to call me back. We had had a very clear arrangement that if I booked to travel down then he would hold the van. This was re-iterated several times and then he had reneged on it. 

Now he has not broken the law or anything but I do think that was a pretty shitty way to conduct business so I started digging and I found a few things that just don't add up. 

1. Carasellecampers and Midlandcampers2011 do not exist on the internet, anywhere (until now) 
2. It's also odd that the same people trade under two names. 
3. Midland Camper Conversions have a website www.midlandcamperconversions.co.uk  but its just a holding site - no info and I think that is a different company based in Birmingham, but who knows.
4. The guy changed his (mobile) phone number when he texted to say the van was sold. As a general rule avoid buying stuff from people who only use mobiles and change them regularly 
5. They do not have a premises, they seem to work from home. Again not illegal but does raise a flag when the claim to have such a high turn over of vans. 
6. The photos of the vans are never consistent 
7. There is a reference to Midland Camper Conversions on a discussion board which says how great they are, right up to the second page when one of the moderators flags it as suspicious because all the postings are by rookies. This is suspect behaviour.
8. They have an ebay rating of +61 but the comments are not consistent with somebody dealing in vans

All in all none of this is conclusively a scam and if it is I don't understand the point. So while I am not saying that they have done anything wrong, I am suggesting that it's all a bit suspicious and also that they are not nice people to do business with. So given that karmasotra gets a couple of hundred hits per day I thought I would take the opportunity to 1) vent my frustration, 2) give carasellecampers the web presence they seem to be lacking, 3) save someone else from wasting time and money dealing with them.

And if John or anyone else from that company wants to contact me and correct any of the statements above, you have my phone number.

Finally they are currently using the phones 07837068396 and 07939566711 although these will probably change soon. 
_____________________
VW T5, T-5, VW T5 Camper van, low mileage, van to campervan conversions, Midlandcampers2011, carasellecampers, Caraselle Campers,  Nottingham, Derby 

Postscript
They contacted me via ebay about three weeks later and said they had another van if I was interested. No apology, but they did offer to repay the money I had spent on the previous airfare if I bought a van from them. I declined. 


37 comments:

Joe said...

Thanks for this, I too looked for them on the web as I liked the look of a couple of their vans on e bay and wanted to check them out first. I only found this posting. I'm not convinced they're altogether legit and don't feel comfortable about buying from them.

Anonymous said...

That's enough info for me, I'll go somewhere else. Thanks for taking the time to post

Anonymous said...

They messed me around as well, as the man says - avoid!

Unknown said...

Paul posted........
Great finding this site to comment on!
Have dealt with Margaret & John ourselves.
1)Please double check all agreements, before handing over final payments - very different service once payment is complete (very busy, moving premises etc. etc..)
2)Please do not allow them to 'colour code' your vans bumpers - horrific consequences!
3)Be very wary of so called 'service' prior to handover!
4)In a nutshell very dodgy & go elsewhere!
Regards Paul.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the info, I came within inches of booking a conversion with them but something just didn't feel right. Will be looking elsewhere now!!!

Anonymous said...

Warning they are now using the name Hilton Campers. They are on eBay as hiltoncampers and using the vat number GB114655329 which is the vat number of midland campers. Look at the seller sellers legal information on one of hiltoncampers items on eBay!

Anonymous said...

Yes very bad eggs. I'm amazed at the length of the lies people go too!

More bad stories at www.vwt4forum.co.uk. Please can people who have had bad stories to tell search that forum and comment and warn other. Thats also the forum with the suspect "yes they are great" messages even though every poster had just joined and only sent the one post.

Anonymous said...

This site is utter rubbish. I honestly think this blog is by another Camper Van Company as they are threated by Midland Campers. I have bought a Camper Van from this Company and I am highly delighted and everywhere else was £6,000 or more. I have just bought a 2010 new shape VW Camper Van from this Company for £21,995 utter bargain! The chap who has started this blog has even never bought a Camper Van from this Company so what is he going on about? They offered his flight money back. Did he put a deposit on the Camper before he booked the flight? I can only praise this Company! I have never put any comments on anything before but I feel this site is utter rubbish! Don't go by other peoples so called experiences as I feel they are from other Camper Van Companies.

Anonymous said...

seems to me its mainly communication has anyone said anything bad about conversion end off day thats what you pay for and through other people the workmanship is off good standard i will be visiting them soon

John said...

Ha ha - I love the fact that you think I would go to the effort of creating a spoof blog with 800 posts on it if I was a camper van company that was threatened by you. Nope I am just a humble geologist who works in a University who was pissed off when you lied to me and messed me around. It's that simple - No conspiracy at this end Perhaps if you treated your costumers better you wouldn't need to sneak around posting fake positive comments about your own business

Kim said...

I bought a camper from them last year and am very satisfied with the build and service given they even delivered it to my house serviced b4 delivery by a VW approved garage.

Anonymous said...

I bought a camper and I can say the list is endless, like sorry doing vat return, oh I got to go out.. Or I have got to call you back etc etc .
My van rusted all over the body where the sub contract company cut out the windows. Holes in the seats, clips broke off , roof does not fit well. Bumpers painted badly,
Rock and roll bed not fitted correctly. Avoid these people like the plague . MIDLAND camper or Hilton this week ,,,who are they next week... Avoid avoid ..

Anonymous said...

i agree with the above comments i have had the same conversations with margret. who cares if she doing vat return its not customers problem. think they should leave lads in shop to run the place they seem to be the brains behind it

Anonymous said...

i heard the sub contract company is ex elite man callin himself kampervan or something like that and from what i hear they are all elite camper rejects doing the work stay well clear i had van from elite last year what a mess that was went to take back and company shut down not surprised

Anonymous said...

Ah reading all this makes sense now i have seen the vans on ebay and went to visit them at there show room the vans looked good and i thought i would buy from them. But over the last week the the place has shut down 91 Portland Road hilton and noboby answers the phone 0115 963 8506 or the mobile anymore. ( suspect )

Anonymous said...

Shame really they had two good lads working for them

Anonymous said...

...

Anonymous said...

How do you know they had two lads working for them??

phil said...

As came in to look at vans few times at beginning off year and only two lads were there as every time left phone message got no reply so had to come down to speak to someone but never bought van due to wanting a few changers and the owners said they only did what they have not got time to change things but lads said things could be changed easy enough when spoke to them first so it put my wife off buying one end off day there loss

tom said...

People should read the t5 t4 forum people on there think they are a waste of time to see what name they come up with next for the company just beware of any van bein sold around that area what about the other people who bought vans leading up to closure feel sorry for them. The company seems like real con artists should not be in business ever

Anonymous said...

Have you seen the pictures on eBay they are not pictures of the van they are selling they are old pictures of old vans that's why number plates are blanked should be kicked off eBay for false advertising bet it's not first time they have done it no wonder people get disappointed after travelling to see something different to what is advertised

Anonymous said...

Reading this comments have really opened my eyes I as also had the unfortunate pleasure off meeting Margret about a camper and got no sales communication or since out of women I had been to see lots of cammper companies and got a brake down on the process of van at Hilton got nothing wish I had read comments before going did not know off this site the only thing they had going for them was the workmanship of the fittings and from comments above that must have been down to the employees if they read this site leave comment if you as are doing vans and your web page would like to come have a word thanks sue

Anonymous said...

Ha ha looks like changed name to lake view side how many more names they are back at the place were first started I went there years ago how stupid can someone be warning to everyone stay away well away bad eggs a company that had to keep changing names must be dodgy and the cow boy hats are well attached

phil said...

Yes they have advertised on eBay this needs posting on t5 forum straight away they still have not been in touch with me about sorting my van going to make life hard for them in business what goes around comes around no bad feelings really

Anonymous said...

Yes they have closed in there old name and started again with new name by the looked off it they have really screwed a lot of genuine customers over really bad business and should not be allowed to get away with it they are having there conversions done by kampervanz now as I have seen the same conversion on that website kampervanz is ex elite company another one who has set up in another name that's two company's who have changed there names working together that seems a big risk for buying any conversion from either companies the big word I keep reading about them seems to be avoid avoid avoid people should take note and not risk getting riped off by this company now selling on eBay as Lakeview side read the t4 t5 forum people are already talking people should do there best to Get this company to stop trading and takin genuine peoples hard earned money they are proper con artists anyone reading these comments need to start putting more if they have delt with these people and the bad experience. They have had with them
T

Anonymous said...

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/my-new-toy-1

Check this out!

Anonymous said...

For all you Campers wanting insurance look no further. Get discounted rates by quoting this reference D1308 and call Adrian Flux on 0800 089 0045. Example VW T5 Camper converted Van only £220 Fully Comp. Remember to quote ref D1308. A Happy Camper is an insured Camper :)

Anonymous said...

Spindle is there new eBay name how many more and bet they have something to do with insurance thing above

Anonymous said...

That kit shown in picture off single track world was not made by Hilton only fitted by them the company that made it is from Southampton check that out they are On eBay

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Anonymous said...

Lakeview side On eBay is Hilton campers still the same two useless people running it with the same people skills nothing changes you will still get the same service as before (bad) they know nothing about the vehicles they are selling get a garage to check them out before you buy and not one they recommend as you will come across the problems before they take your money and run again

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Anonymous said...

Just had a conversion off Pete who used worked there fantastic job and a one off conversion never new could do so much to a Van highly recommend

Anonymous said...

Also trading under spindle 129 be warned

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Uncomfortably numb said...

I'm trying to contact these people. Has anyone got their tel no or email please.

Anonymous said...

Also now trading under mis-autos they will try anything avoid like the plague