Foreign trip cut short: over 220,000 euro motorhome had long list of faults

The Pirkanmaa District Court on August 12 found a 70-year-old man guilty of embezzlement of a motorhome purchased on an installment plan. The court determined that the man failed to make payments and did not return the vehicle, claiming it was stolen. He was sentenced to three months and 15 days of conditional imprisonment and ordered to pay an 80-euro victim surcharge.

Finnish publication Moottori compared fuel consumption when towing a Kabe caravan (max weight 1570 kg) with two used cars: a diesel Volvo XC90 and a petrol Saab 9-5. The Volvo averaged about 13 l/100 km, costing 29.4 euros per 100 km at a diesel price of 2.264 euros/l. The Saab averaged about 15 l/100 km, costing 31.4 euros per 100 km at a petrol price of 2.093 euros/l. The extra cost compared to driving without the caravan was 12.5 and 10.3 euros per 100 km, respectively. The authors note that aerodynamic drag affects consumption more than weight, and that differences in consumption between cars tend to level out when towing.

On Tuesday, August 25, at about 11:25 a.m., a motorhome caught fire after a drive in Perunkajärvi, Rovaniemi, on Mustikkamaantie. Firefighters arriving at the scene found the vehicle completely destroyed by the fire. The fire did not spread, and no injuries were reported. Six units from the Lapland rescue service were dispatched to the scene.

Moottori magazine tested a used Saab 9-5 Aero as a tow car for a caravan. In July, the car was hitched to a suitably sized caravan and taken on the road to assess its towing capability and fuel consumption. The rear of the Saab appeared to sag unusually low under the load, although the nose weight was deemed reasonable. During the trip, it became apparent that many other traditional passenger cars towing caravans also had sagging rears.

German manufacturer Sealander has introduced a lightweight trailer that can be used as a camper and as a boat. The trailer weighs 750 kg, allowing it to be towed by almost any small car without additional license requirements. It measures 4.69 m in length, 1.66 m in width, and 1.93 m in height. Inside, there is a sleeping area of 205×151 cm, a table, seats, and options such as a stove, sink, shower, toilet, and solar panels. Water propulsion is provided by an outboard motor of 4–7 kW, sold separately. The manufacturer advises against going to sea in winds above 4 Beaufort or waves over 30 cm. Price in Germany is 39,750 euros.

A caravan caught fire on a highway in Oulu. The incident occurred around 5:30 p.m. between the Linnanmaa and Ritaharju exits. Despite heavy rain, the fire spread quickly, producing a tall column of smoke. Traffic heading south was affected. The fire department confirmed the incident.