I was impressed with the handling. The automatic gear change will take a little getting used to, but coupled with the cruise control it will make long distance driving much less tiring. The ride is far superior to the Mercedes Sprinter. There was much less roll and it rode rough sections of the highway far more gently. I had specified a rear window rather than a camera system to provide rear view visibility with the intention of again fitting a fresnel lens to the back window to keep an eye on our towed car. It was on the way home I noticed the rear view mirror was missing and with the rear window being smaller than expected, I was beginning to have doubts as to whether I had done the right thing. To make a better judgement, I need to try it further with the rear view mirror fitted. I also had concerns about ground clearance. My driveway is not the easiest to get in and out of and the entrance has a nasty hump that has to be traversed. My concerns were well founded and even though I entered as slow as possible the bottom of the motorhome just grazed the top of the hump and broke the fresh water drain tap which hung just below the chassis. I ordered a replacement from CAK Tanks but the hump has got to go before I take it out again! It crossed my mind I should have had air suspension fitted to increase ground clearance? At the mid point of the wheelbase, the most likely area to bottom, clearance to the chassis is 6 inches. The tap outlet was slightly lower than this. It is possible to re-install the tap above chassis height and I intend to do this. It makes it less accessible but given access is not frequently required and that the worst highway obstructions are "sleeping policemen," which should be no higher than 4 inches, this should not be a problem. However on off road areas, care will be needed.

Over the next few days I transferred our personal effects into our new possession and made sure I understood how the habitation equipment operated. I also replaced the broken drain tap installing it above chassis height. All this gave a good chance to look at build quality in detail and assess what if any extras we needed to fit.

I could not find a spare wheel. Whilst I have only ever had one slow puncture on a motorhome in 10 years, this does cause me some concern. It is doubtful I would be able to change a wheel by myself and I will always be reliant on breakdown services. However many breakdown services do not cover the costs of this assistance if a functioning spare wheel is not carried. Further investigation is required as to options.

The build quality and styling is as expected and is excellent. Storage is more than ample with a variety of different sized cupboards and overall the vehicle is impressive. It is only let down by the finish of the IVECO cab floor and dash board which are a little too industrial, something I will be looking into to correct in the not too distant future. There is also a lack of fittings for storage of cutlery, crockery and bathroom essentials. However, for a few pounds, this can be turned to an advantage because you can buy these to suit your requirements and place them convenient to you rather than have this dictated.

There is a variety of led lighting which you can set to suit the mood. Its location and switching points have been well thought out and all but the cooker extractor fan controls and main control panel are accessible from a wheelchair

The layout is to our design and it works very well. The 5ft settee can be converted into a double bed and we can sleep five if required although the overcab bed is a little claustrophobic. Both driver and passenger seats can be turned around, which with the 5ft settee and the wheelchair, seats six comfortably. Sliding doors can be used to shut off the rear compartment from the lounge. There is ample room for wheelchair movement without getting in each others way. The Auto Trail Mohican was cramped by comparison.

To provide drainage, the wet room has a recessed floor covered by a wooden grill to maintain a level floor and comprises of a Thetford bench toilet, shower, hand basin and ceiling extractor fans. It is equipped with a folding shower door to provide access for the wheelchair.

A Tracvision R4 dual LNB dome and a Status 330 Omni directional aerial provide satellite and terrestial TV respectively to the rear fixed bedroom and the lounge seating area. The TVs have fully integated DVDs, Freeview and satellite receivers and recording facilities obviating the necessity of installing any additional set top boxes.

Energy sources are provided by 230 volt mains hook up, a 200APH maintenance free gel battery, a 750watt inverter and two 11Kgm refillable Gaslow bottles equipped with manual changeover. Ample sockets, fuses and controls have been provided although I think the battery monitor is too simple. I would have preferred a battery monitoring system which gave battery voltages and charge and discharge currents. There is also no provision for charging the engine battery, a "Battery Master" will be required. In addition to the Alde 3010 Compact boiler, which provides heating and hot water, other appliances comprise a Thetford N150 full sized fridge and a Spinflo Caprice oven, hob and grill.

The main fresh water tank holds 200 litres with a similar capacity grey waste tank. There is also a reserve fresh water tank of 93 litres.

External storage is under the rear fixed bed and is accessible from both sides. There is also a large locker on the off side. External 230 volt mains and gas sockets are available and a 4.5 metre Omnistore awning has been fitted.

Wheelchair access is provided via a Ratcliff Palfinger RUL35AW automatic lift which stows in a sealed cassette located under a double door entrance.

Apart from the problems with the heating and the concern over the lack of a spare wheel, I have discovered two further problems. Firstly, I could not find the drain down tap for the domestic hot water boiler. RS have confirmed their oversight in not providing an access hatch to this. This will be corrected when the vehicle is returned to the factory to have the missing blind, curtains and rear view mirror fitted. The heating system will also be upgraded at the same time. Secondly, I dislike the fact the cab radio is on a timer and switches off after 20 minutes unless the engine ignition is left on. This might suit white van man but it needs further investigation as to how the system can be made suitable for motorhome use. In spite of these problems and the delays we have had obtaining this vehicle, we are very pleased with the result and are looking forward to many more years of happy motorhoming.

Further information on any of the modifications or additions made to this motorhome can be monitored >here< and this report will be regularly updated with vehicle use.

The first year
February 2012 - Still not had our first trip out yet but the driveway hump has been reduced in height by a couple of inches and we are raring to go. RS have got most of the corrective actions in hand and we are awaiting a date to visit the factory. With the bad weather, we are in no hurry to make the trip. However, I did take the motorhome to the local weighbridge and had the front and rear axles and gross weight checked. I had no water, fresh food or clothing on board and was minus my passenger otherwise the vehicle was in travel trim and there was still 1200Kgms of payload available. I don’t think I have any worries about overloading! This time I got back onto the drive without grazing the underside and I breathed a sigh of relief.

The motorhome was returned to the factory for three days at the end of February. The additional curtains, blind, rear view mirror and an additional two blown air radiators were fitted. An access hatch was created to the boiler drain and I also had an addition Fiamma door lock added to make the accommodation door more secure. All work was done neatly, without question and free of charge. On the return drive home, the rear view mirror proved to offer good visibility and with the addition of the fresnel lens my tow car was clearly visible. A rear view camera will probably not be necessary.

Cost of ownership
I am expecting the cost of owning our RS Endeavour to be more than the AutoTrail Mohican. Insurance was nearly double that of the Mohican and fuel consumption is expected to be higher. Watch this space.