Motorhome and camper van FAQs.
General questions
Can I buy a vehicle directly from the factory?
If you have chosen a Malibu motorhome or Malibu camper van, you can purchase it from our factory outlet or from one of our many dealers. Our local dealers are happy to fill you in on the details of your desired vehicle and your order.
You can find your nearest dealer here: Dealer List.
What can cause the delivery of Malibu motorhomes/vans to be delayed?
The limited performance of upstream supply chains, e.g. in the area of base vehicle suppliers, can lead to delivery delays.
What is the difference between A-class and low-profile motorhomes?
In a low-profile motorhome, the living area is added on to the manufacturer’s original driver’s cab in production. A low-profile motorhome can be recognised clearly by the subtle transition between the driver’s cab and the living area. In an A-class motorhome, the entire cabin structure is built on the manufacturer’s chassis. Here, even the front mask is custom-made and there is no transition like there is in a low-profile motorhome.
Does Malibu have any control in such situations, and why am I not getting a binding delivery date?
Unfortunately we have very little control in situations when there is limited supply. Sometimes our suppliers only inform us of this a few days in advance. Each and every day we strive to adapt our production capacities to the flow of goods with maximum flexibility, and to make the very best of the situation at hand.
Who can I contact if I have questions about my delivery time?
If you have already ordered a new Malibu motorhome or Malibu van, your responsible dealer is on hand to provide you with information on the status of your delivery. The dealer is your contract partner. As the manufacturers, we regularly provide them with up-to-date information on the delivery status.
What is the difference between a motorhome and a camper van?
Camper vans are a type of van that provide everything you need for your holiday in a compact vehicle length. These vans are fully fitted-out inside. Motorhomes, on the other hand, involve either the addition of a living area to the driver’s cab (low-profile), or the entire cabin structure is built on the manufacturer’s chassis (A-class).
How important is the length of the motorhome/camper van?
The external dimensions of your vehicle determine a wide variety of things. As well as influencing the costs of a ferry transfer, there may also be length-dependent costs in caravan sites. The handling of long vehicles in narrow lanes can be difficult, and in inner cities in particular, many parking spaces are not suitable for longer vehicles. However, a longer camper van obviously means more indoor space, although Malibu has also designed even the smallest space for optimal usability and comfort.
If I order now, how long will the delivery take?
Delivery times depend on a number of factors. They can vary depending on the model, base vehicle type, and additional equipment. A Malibu dealer near you will be happy to advise you on this.
Questions about booking
Couldn’t find your question in our FAQs?
We’re happy to help! Simply contact us using our online contact form and we’ll deal with your enquiry as soon as we can.
Questions on pick-up and return of vehicles
Questions on equipment and your first trip in the vehicle
Which equipment is included in rental vehicles?
Our basic equipment includes a minimum of 1 x 11 kg gas bottle, toilet chemicals, CEE electrical plug, cable reel, fresh water filling hose, service set and instructions on your motorhome. As well as this, all of our vehicles have an awning and a reversing camera. Almost all Malibu motorhomes also have a Krups coffee machine (Dolce Gusto Mini Me). Depending on the model, there may also be a TV or satellite system.
Individual equipment can be viewed on our online booking portal in the vehicle descriptions.
You should bring your own glasses, plates, cutlery, bedding and other equipment, as these cannot be provided by us for reasons of hygiene.
The basic winter equipment in our vehicles also includes winter tyres and snow chains.
Questions on spare parts and user manual
Where can I order spare parts?
We obviously want to make it possible for you to get spare parts and accessories.
However, our system does not allow orders or price information to be obtained directly from the manufacturer. Our Europe-wide network of dealers and service partners will be happy to take and process your order. Please get in touch with your closest dealer, or the one from whom you bought your vehicle.
However, if you are looking for Malibu merchandise and exclusive accessories, then visit our Malibu Shop!
Where can I find information on the order and delivery status of a spare part?
Unfortunately we cannot provide you with any information on the delivery status of an order.
We can only find this out using the order number that the dealer receives when the order is placed online. This means that only the dealer can enquire with us about the delivery status.
What is the procedure in the case of warranty claims?
The warranty provider is the contractor who can, in turn, claim the costs from Malibu. In this context it must be said that no dealer, apart from your contract partner, is obliged to carry out your warranty work. Another Malibu dealer or service partner is obviously free to carry out this work, but only on a voluntary basis.
As mentioned, you can generally also have warranty works carried out by Malibu dealers Europe-wide. However, please understand that we have no control over appointment scheduling by the local dealers, nor are we aware of the workload of the respective factories. As the dealers represent various motorhome brands, they cannot serve all Malibu customers first and will prioritise their own customers first and foremost. Of course, the dealers will also try to serve external customers as quickly as possible when they are free.
For this reason, we recommend purchasing your Malibu vehicle from your nearest Malibu dealer. This will ensure that your warranty provides you with competent care, whatever the eventuality.
Should something happen on your trip, our Europe-wide Malibu dealers will do their best to help you at short notice in the case of emergencies. However, bigger jobs should be carried out by your contract partner.
Where can I find the user manual for my vehicle?
For motorhomes or camper vans from model year 21 onwards, the user manuals can be downloaded from our website. If you have not received access data from us or your dealer, please e-mail your chassis number to: marketing@carthago.com
For vehicles older than model year 21, please contact your dealer for the user manual. Our system does not allow user manuals to be ordered directly from the manufacturer. Our Europe-wide network of dealers and service partners will be happy to take and process your order. Please get in touch with your closest dealer, or the one from whom you bought your vehicle. Our dealers also have all user manuals in PDF format. You can thus ask your dealer to send you the PDF file in advance.
How do I get an appointment with the Carthago Service Centre?
Our Service Centre at the factory in Aulendorf primarily deals with major jobs such as accident vehicles, as well as difficult, time-consuming repairs that are passed on to us by retailers.
For this reason, we ask that you have repairs and inspections carried out by your dealer. The dealers are regularly trained by us and are equipped to repair defects themselves. If the dealers require our help, they will contact us.
Where can I find suitable protective covers for the seats of my vehicle?
We recommend that you contact our supplier G+S Die Polstermacher directly.
They can help you find whatever protective covers you need.
G+S Sitz- und Polstermöbel GmbH
Hainweg 4
67677 Enkenbach-Alösenborn
Phone: +49 6701 205 26 – 0
Fax: +49 6701 205 26 – 299
E-mail: info@diepolstermacher.de
Where and how can I find the right tyres and rims for my vehicle?
We recommend contacting a tyre dealer near you. They can consult the COC paper to find the right tyres/rims for you. All relevant data that the tyre dealer needs to purchase the rims/tyres are, as mentioned above, described in the COC paper.
The tyre manufacturers specify which rim sizes need to be adhered to. These are not stipulated by us, but rather by the tyre manufacturer or the TÜV report. In addition, you can also source suitable original aluminium rims from FIAT or Al-Ko.
Questions on retrofitting
Is it possible to retrofit a fifth seat?
Retrofitting is not possible as the 3-point belt system needs to be permanently connected to the chassis and must undergo a tensile test.
Before the cabin structure is mounted, reinforcements are fitted to the chassis and the side wall.
If the vehicle is not ordered from the factory with five seats, these are not mounted when the wall is being manufactured.
Is it possible to retrofit a bike rack?
A bike rack can be installed, although there is no fixed installation point or model. The one thing to bear in mind when installing a bike rack is that spacer sleeves must be inserted into the wall. Bike racks must not be installed on GRP rear walls.
Is it possible to retrofit Isofix?
It is not possible to retrofit Isofix, as the Isofix system must be permanently connected to the chassis.
Before the cabin structure is mounted, major changes need to be made to the chassis. For this reason, retrofitting is not possible.
You can, however, get in touch with VSR Systeme GmbH & Co KG. They offer restraint systems.
Is the warranty affected by retrofits and additional structures built by third parties?
As a manufacturer, Malibu can generally only provide guarantees and warranties for materials installed by the factory. For this reason, retrofits and additional structures fitted by third parties are not included in our warranty conditions and liabilities.
For additional structures/retrofits carried out outside of our factories, and any subsequent faults resulting from such work, the company that carries out the work is generally liable. Should your vehicle suffer damages that can be ascribed to such retrofitting works, you are not entitled to raise claims against Malibu.
Can I retrofit a trailer hitch to my vehicle?
With regard to fitting a trailer hitch, we can recommend the following companies:
www.sawiko.com/de_de
www.carsten-staebler.de
www.alko-tech.com/de/kundencenter/kontakt-kundencenter-deutschland
Is it possible to retrofit corner steadies and rims?
As we generally do not retrofit electric corner steadies or aluminium rims in the manufacturer’s factory, we can only provide you with the following contact addresses for this.
For HY4 electric corner steadies:
www.alko-tech.com/de/kundencenter/kontakt-kundencenter-deutschland
www.carsten-staebler.de/
www.fl-reisemobilservice.de
Should you prefer hydraulic corner steadies, you can contact the following company:
www.fl-reisemobilservice.de
The aluminium rims are a FIAT original spare part. For this reason, please contact your FIAT professional service partner regarding these. The Malibu emblem, which is placed in the centre, can be obtained from your Malibu dealer.
Is it possible to retrofit a belt support or restraint system?
There was an article in the trade magazine Reisemobil International, where the company VSR Systeme covered this topic.
VSR Systeme GmbH & Co. KG
Lagerhausstraße 2
96052 Bamberg
Tel: 0951-40733722
We do not have any personal experience of the company or their work. On Google you can find other companies that specialise in this type of retrofitting.
Can I increase the permissible load of my vehicle?
If you wish to increase your vehicle’s permissible load, we would ask you to send a copy of your vehicle registration to your Malibu dealer. They will then submit your enquiry to us. If it is possible to increase the permissible load of the vehicle, your dealer will provide you with the respective documents.
