motor caravan test: benimar top 7000 ldf
Family freighter
BENIMAR HAS SEEMINGLY GONE UP IN THE WORLD WITH ITS
MERCEDES RANGE BUT, DISCOVERS GEORGE HINTON, SO
HAVE ITS WEIGHTS AND PRICES
W
MAIN PICTURE: Deep
skirts cleverly disguise
above-average height
ABOVE: Rear bunk area
takes two or three bikes
RIGHT: Through-vision is
feasible with this layout
46
hen RDH Motorhomes first
began selling Benimars,
prices started below
£30,000 and, with high specifications,
they looked good value, as you would
expect from something built in lowlabour-rate Spain. Now Benimar is
owned by the huge Trigano empire and
has a much broader range, with prices
spanning £36,939 to £51,076, as well as
some fierce competition. The Top range
can be Fiat or Mercedes-based, offering
six layouts within the same 7.107m
length with a single version at 6.752m.
Here we sample the family six-berth
bunkroom Mercedes 7000 LDF model,
The Caravan Club Magazine March 2004
one of five six-berth layouts. There is also
a two-berth and a four-berth in this series.
CONSTRUCTION
Mercedes’ Sprinter 3.5 tonne is the
preferred chassis for most people
requiring rear-wheel drive in this size
vehicle, though its narrow track and
softish suspension mean it rolls more than
an equivalent Fiat Ducato; but it grips
well regardless. RDH has the vehicle
uprated to 3850kg on registration (rear
suspension is reinforced), but even so we
found payload totally inadequate.
Empty with driver, full fuel and water
tanks and two 6kg gas cylinders, the
weighbridge said 3395kg, way above the
brochure’s suspicious 3030/3040kg
empty weight for all models. Add five
75kg passengers and you reach 3770kg,
leaving 80kg for six people’s clothing and
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effects. RDH has reported our findings
back to the factory for comment, but it
seems the 7000 needs a weight-loss
programme or a chassis upgrade.
Conventional sandwich-construction
walls are skinned with high-gloss GRP,
while the tough lower skirts are easilyreplaced aluminium extrusions (£78
each). Benimars tend to be higher than
average, benefiting internal headroom
(7ft 6in up front).
Stand clear if reaching inside to
operate the electric double step, as it
rapidly projects 400mm/16in and could
attack your shins! It retracts
automatically when the engine starts.
Roof rack and ladder are
standard, with powered roof
vents for washroom and
kitchen and an electric
Remistar skylight in the main
saloon (you could barely
reach a manual one).
The layout could sleep
seven in two doubles and
three singles, but with
belted seats for six, that is
the official capacity. Two
berths are 6ft 3in bunks at the
offside rear with the lower one
foldable in a single action to form a cycle
garage. A huge top-hung side door gives
the necessary access and the outer bunk
support frame simply lifts out.
Typical Benimar touches are the
remote-controlled electric rear steadies
(but you do need to get out to operate
them), remote electric dump valve on
the waste tank (operated internally),
0.35Ah solar panel, external h/c shower
(handy for muddy dogs and wellies),
barbecue gas point and outside mains
electric point with TV and satellite aerial
connections.
Benimars are not NCC-approved and
lack standard smoke detectors, with fire
extinguishers and mains hook-up cables
listed as options. As well as a handbook,
you get a box-file full of equipment
manufacturers’ leaflets.
The cab has electric windows and
mirrors plus air conditioning, and
captain’s seats with armrests,
upholstered to match the caravan. The
fitted swivels seemed fairly pointless
with this layout. A driver’s airbag is a
package option together with ABS and
stability control for £2203.
Cab stowage is inferior to Fiat’s, with
very slim door bins. The loose boundedge Britrish carpet set, £265 extra,
extends the length of the van. In nonwoven plain charcoal grey, it shows every
mark but is washable. However, there
are several alternatives at the same price.
Inevitable cooker rattles are muted by
their distance from the
cab, and overall the
vehicle felt remarkably
tight and solid.
A clear rear
washroom window
would offer limited
through-vision, were
there an interior
mirror: all you need is
a clip or bungee to
hold the washroom
door open. Rear-view
camera systems and/or
reversing sensors are available.
Rear travel seating is at the dinette,
which has three-point belts facing
forward with lap belts opposite. The
table would stow in the Luton, which has
a safety net.
ON THE ROAD
The 156bhp 2.7-litre five-cylinder
engine gives lively performance
(0-50mph in 13.2 seconds) and is easily
capable of cruising at the French
motorway limit, where 20mpg seems
quite reasonable for its size. There are
two automatic gearbox options, though
this was a five-speed manual. With under
1000 miles recorded it had a slightly stiff
gearshift, helped by double-declutching,
and the clutch needed gentle
engagement from rest. At least it bodes
well for a long life? Quick, light steering,
good brakes and excellent lights
complete the package.
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BUNK BEDS/GARAGE
TABLE
PULL-OUT
CAB BED
SEAT
BED EXTENDS
SEAT
FRIDGE/
FREEZER
LIVING ABOARD
The interior makes its best impression at
night when the multiple halogen
downlighters (three per side in the
lounge) and cherry-colour foiled wood
effect furniture create a richly pleasant
ambience. The only real timber visible is
the table/worktop edging. Light switches
are all easily reached, including one inside
the entrance.
Like the mock wood, the Ibiza cut
velour upholstery does not look as though
it belongs in a £50,000 vehicle; it is only
one of 13 options,the others being mostly
quite subdued (every Benimar is built to
order). On its plus side it is Scotchguard
treated and said to be almost stain-proof.
As a six-berth likely to contain children,
that’s a good selling point.
The 130mm/5in foam on springy
beechwood slats works well for sitting or
sleeping, except the forward-facing
backrest is higher-density foam, best
reserved for the foot of the bed. The
front dinette seat conceals 125 litres of
fresh water, with the Alde wet central
heating system’s gas/electric boiler
beneath its partner. A 98-litre insulated,
heated waste tank lives ‘below stairs’.
This was our first live-in experience of
SHOWER
“Mercedes
motorhomes
don’t come
cheaply, but
they do have a
reputation for a
long life”
ABOVE: Kitchen is good,
apart from the height of
the microwave. Big gas
locker is beneath worktop
Alde heating and we drew mixed
conclusions: ‘free’ heating and hot water
from the engine on the move via a heat
exchanger is a great asset, but from cold,
it takes longer to heat up than a Truma
blown-air system partly, we suspect,
because a lot of heat is trapped under the
settee and lower bunk, where most of the
radiators are positioned. Heat pipes also
surround the Luton bed (which has a
slatted base). Once warm, it creates a
pleasant atmosphere and can be safely
left on low all night.
All the offside settee base and rear
bunk base are for storage, though the only
access to the former is highly
inconvenient, by removing both cushions
and lifting a string of rubber-linked slats.
When both rear bunks have slats on alloy
frames (one hinged, although the ‘wrong
way’ for easy internal access, to allow
bikes to be loaded from outside), this is
hard to understand.
Other storage is in the five single and
double-width top lockers and on the
overcab bed and top bunk, which both
have luggage/occupant nets. The
wardrobe, 50cm (20in) wide and 71cm
(28in) deep, also houses the Alde
heating’s slim header tank/pump unit on
the left and the aluminium bunk ladder
clipped to the right wall (the longer Luton
ladder clips inside the washroom). The
drop from the high-to-reach rail is 107cm
(42in) when clothes hit a 36cm (14in)The Caravan Club Magazine March 2004
47
motor caravan test
TECHNICAL: Benimar Top 7000 ldf
RRP/as tested:
Engine:
£50,031 otr/£50,298
2.7-litre 5cyl in-line turbodiesel, 156bhp (115kW) @
3800rpm. 243lb ft (330Nm)
torque @ 1400-2400rpm
CO :
228-252g/km
Transmission:
Five-speed manual. Option:
six-speed Sprintshift
automatic with ABS brakes,
ASR traction control and
driver’s airbag, at £2770
Overall length:
7.107m (23ft 4in)
Overall width:
2.24m (7ft 4in) exc mirrors
2.56m (8ft 8in) inc mirrors
Overall height:
3.024m (9ft 11in)
Internal floor length 4.79m (15ft 9in)
behind cab:
Internal height:
2.050-2.285m
(6ft 9in-7ft 6in)
Internal width:
2.105mm (6ft 11in)
Fuel/economy:
Diesel/19.7mpg
Tank capacity:
75litres approx/16.5gal
Mass In Running
3395kg (66.8cwt) (inc driver,
Order :
100% fuel, 100% water)
Payload:
455kg (8.96cwt)
Max Technically
3850kg (75.8cwt)
Permitted Laden
Mass:
Fresh/waste water: 125/98 litres (27.5/21.5gal)
Club insurance:
(Approx guide only)
£341 rural area (EX6), £100
Excess, £1500 contents
cover. City (N6) £480
NCC approved:
No
Options:
Fiat 18 Maxi chassis:
£46,806
Dometic A/C £1585
Towbar (2000kg) £807
Bike racks £241 to £283
Vehicle supplied
RDH Motorhomes Hire
for test by:
& Sales, 2 Castle View, Lilac
Grove, Beeston, Nottingham
NG9 1PF. Tel 0870 758 5050
2
VERDICT
Construction
On the road
Living
Kitchen
Sleeping
Washroom
VERDICT
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP
LEFT: Electricity, gas, a hot
shower and satellite TV
can all be enjoyed outside;
TV viewing is reserved for
the few with the view;
Luton ladder only fits when
dinette bed is not
extended; good
washroom, but with
ultra-low basin to make
through-vision possible
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deep rear shelf, but there’s still 36cm of
height below. A bit mean for six, though.
The table, which fits to a wall rail and a
single leg, is 670mm x 915mm (27.5 x
36in) and is claimed to seat five, but the
extension was missing. That still leaves it
a place (or two) short for a full
complement, but if one or two are
infants, there should be space enough.
The TV cabinet, above the 135-litre
Electrolux RM7505 fridge-freezer, is
comfortably viewed from the front
dinette seat – so hard luck, the rest of you!
Lighting usefully works with the engine
running, unlike in most British
conversions.
KITCHEN
The 1475mm x 915mm (58in x 36in)
L-shape worktop spans the 2 x 13kg gas
locker, so there’s plenty of it. The full
cooker has four gas rings in a stainless steel
hob with a roomy, stepped pan locker
beneath, while the stainless steel sink has
a hardwood half cover/chopping board –
but no drainer mat supplied.
Two sets of double (plastic) tambour
doors above conceal shelved storage space
surrounding the flue for a second kitchen
extractor (remember the roof
48
The Caravan Club Magazine March 2004
powervent?) and a mains microwave
oven, but these are both so high you need
a step to use them safely.
There’s no specific
crockery storage, but
two good plate-sized
open shelves behind the
awning light complete
the upper cabinets.
These have an extractor
fan/light switch panel on
their lower edge, with
mains and 12V power
outlets safely
positioned over the
worktop.
Lower storage is restricted to the
short piece of the ‘L’, comprising a deep
undivided cutlery drawer and a good
shelved cupboard with the gas control
valves beneath.
A large rubbish bin is attached to the
entrance door, but the restricted width of
the entry makes this a hindrance at times.
It’s also just possible to bump your head
on the top lockers as you get in.
double bed is not extended into the aisle.
Headroom here is good at 670mm
(261/2in) max while the mattress is
90mm (31/2in). Two halogen spotlights
are recessed over two generous shelves.
The dinette double bed (6ft 6in x 3ft
91/2in) uses the table for its centre
support, with two additional hardbacked cushions supplied to bridge the
tubular pull-out extensions.
Net curtains as well as pleated blinds
and flyscreens cover the windows. The
rear bunks are cosy, with a radiator
beneath, individual curtains, windows
and bulkhead lights.
WASHROOM
Located across most of the rear, you step
up 15cm (6in) to this, then find the
generous basin nearly at knee height
(70cm/271/2in). Ideal for a sit-down
wash? A separate curtained shower area at
the opposite end has a corner tap and shelf
unit, riser rail with soapdish, twin drains
and the swivel toilet between. Plastic
duckboard mat covers both parts of the
floor, but be warned: it tends to tip and
skid if you rush into the shower section.
The shower itself works well, but its
curtain runners tend to jam and part on
over-tight curves in the rail. We noted the
silicone panel sealant was parting in some
joints. The wall mirror alone is lit, by two
downlighters, leaving the shower slightly
in the dark. A high-level plastic storage
cupboard has elastic straps inside its stayup lid, there’s a big cabinet below the
basin (with half-inch plug) and a toilet
tissue holder.
Ventilation is best-in-class with a
powervent and an opening window.
“With this VERDICT
Mercedes Sprinters don’t
cheaply, but they do
Benimar you come
have a reputation for a long
life. Match one with a wellget what
built body and you have the
appears to recipe for a family
motorhome that should be
be sound around – and holding its value
a long time.
construction” – forWith
this Benimar you
SLEEPING
The ladder for the overcab bed (6ft 4in x
4ft 6in) is usable only when the dinette
get what appears to be sound
construction all round and stacks of
features, but a few glaring downsides –
payload, dining places and storage access
– which ought to be urgently addressed.
The two-berth version is probably fine
payload-wise, as may be the four-berth.
Our main issue at this price level is an
interior that lacks a ‘wow’ factor, unlike
some of its rivals, such as Laika, but
nonetheless it’s pretty impressive.
quotes:0800 028 4809
☞ Insurance
Info:
www.rdh.co.uk
☞
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