eberspacher vs. webasto

[tactical6]

Looking to heat the 710M, and wanted info on the two listed heaters. Anyone have luck (good or bad) with any of the two? And who sells them?

thanks,

[Erik712m]

Tactical6, I have the espar for the a copule of reasons, there is a espar repair here in wichita. If i were you i would check what repair shops are located in your area. Also SAV has there prices clearly listed the webasto rep gave me three different prices. I guess depending on the mood he was in. I felt like i was talking to a used car salesmen. booth are made in German booth will give you trouble calls. just my 2cents. Erik Maybee

[grayroad]

I have a Webasto I bought from Dennis (on this forum). I have a bigger one for my 712M and it works great. I installed it with a few tips from Dennis. Worst part was Dennis' accent. No offense, Dennis.

Cory Gray

[lindenengineering]

Gents
Webasto and Espar have very little difference between them, in fact they even share some of the same components!

The difference is in the factory support and the electronics that power the unit up. Not to mention the diagnostics!

Obviously the local dealers vary from place to place on supply and product support. Its ok buying something, its another matter when it goes wrong.

I have always been an Espar fan in Europe but as I mentioned in another thread the US Espar support for us mere civis in short sucks, so I shifted allegiances to Webasto. Never regreted it once.
Dennis

[75pinz]

Never installed a webasto but did install my gasoline espar, 12 volt, from a truck i bought, traded, sold, stole. It really only took about 3 hours to install. No big deal. I really liked it but the Pinzgauer is very hard to heat in Iowa and I bet it's even harder to heat where you are going. Mine kept the driver's feet warm and that was about it when it is below 20 degrees or so. Don't get me wrong it was nice, and a hardtop may be easier to heat as well.

[ms1223]

I have a diesel Espar (and a tank) that I bought from Dennis. He's right about service. I used a palce in Canada for patrs after I buggered up my fuel pump.
If I were to do it again I would buy the larger Wabasto from Dennis. The D2 in a 710M is too small for on the road @20F. The M just leaks too much air.
I have however camped in my Pinz at @20F and the heater worked great.
I have seen Geayroad's setup and it works slick.
Swifty in Illinos

[lindenengineering]

Wow three hours!
I have a load of them to do, how's about a job flat rating 'em in my shop.

To comply with Webasto install requirements we MUST install a capillary stand pipe in the tank. No teeing into the carburetor feed like Espar .

The wiring and feed lines must comply to Webasto install procedures and after install as an install agent obliged to conduct fueling/combustion overviews by lap top interface to ensure correct burn is taking place. Since over the long term, failure to do so can lead to early coke up the combustion chamber resulting in poor performance and premature replacement of the combustion chamber and igniter.

One feature for us folk in Colorado is that the Webasto will self adjust itself for altitudes above 10,000ft PROVIDING a set combustion is verified at install. The Espar has an alternative pump you fit should you be operating above these levels. I can just imagine someone saying at the Cold Butt Camp Out "er hold on I've just got to change my Espar pump cos the heater just cut out"i Comical perhaps but a problem one customer we had who complained bitterly about that issue. Simply solved by a Webasto.

So labor times to do a simple install range between six to eight hours depending upon the state of the the truck including the crap in the cab!. I remember "fondly" hosing out the cab to remove spend chewing tobacco gob before we could see the floor! John got tired of wearing a nose pin!
Oh well life in a repair shop--Not nice at times!
Dennis

[Erik712m]

Funny how lazy and tempered we have gotten with old age. i can remember doing hunting trips not to long ago, in a tent and a sleeping bag. at temps down to -10 at night and not complaning. I have seen a couple of twinpinz pic,s were it looks like he's camping in the back with out heat in a couple feet of snow. wounder how he lived through it

[Jerbearyukon]

I think heat is a must - Even if your winter camping. I have camped lots at minus 30 celsius and I have camped in fall conditions (bow huinting with my recurve - NO SIGHTS and fishing salmon) and a good camp fire is hard to beat. I have a tipi tent that I use and I can have a camp fire or my wood stove and as long as there is wood I say use it.

see this site - http://www.tipitent.com/

I would suggest this tent as a tent anytime you can take a vehicle.

I use it on my horse pack trips and when it's cold wet and miserable it's a great place to hang out have a rye and play cards and of course NAP.

Cavemen got it right FIRE. I just can't wait. We have no fences up here and I can get to the mountains quick here and the worlds your oyster then.

Jer Bear

[Scooter]

webasto for me. I bought mine from Dennis too. He was a great help and my 710M is warn here in Wis. in winter. Some basic instructions from Dennis and I was set.

Scooter

[ExpeditionImports]

We have/had been espar dealers for 4-5 years. Stopped installing them and switched over to the Webasto based upon a number of customer service nightmares. Even with the additional 15-20% savings that I can get the Espar cheaper, it is not worth the time/effort/aggravation to deal with a company that truly has no interest in the U.S. market, and or supporting that market. It was easier for me to call Europe in the middle of the night and speak with someone that had limited english, than to use their/our own tech support.

I must say I did a couple of doubletakes when opening my first Webasto, as a number of the components are interchangeable.

I have know installed 3-4 of the webasto's and have been very pleased with the end result. Have not yet needed the webasto customer support, but I am pretty sure that when the time comes it will be more manageable.

Cheers,

Scott Ingham
Expedition Imports Corp.

[lindenengineering]

I dunno about heat/cold and toughing it in the wilderness but one things for sure I have spent many a cold night wrapped in a Persian carpet out under the Arabian sky in a past life.
A tent, a fire, a dish of lamb/goat, and cordial company amongst some Arab soldiers (Hashemites) in a lonely place was the ultimate experience with my Landrover and my regular monthly way to Egypt from Baghdad.

As one said Oh ham du le lah. God in heaven.
He favours the merciful and the compassionate. You know that Christian, it is written? It was said over the camp fire. I believe them.
Aeh wah!
Oh ham du le lah
Deniz Hadhi as I was known

[Jerbearyukon]

I think this will be the first Pinz in the YUKON.

One of my perfect pre-Pinz - day/nights is to get on my horse and ride with or without some friends in the bush up to a hillside and make a camp fire and just sit and look at the country.

In the winter it's great to ride at night during a full moon in 2 feet of snow (so quiet). Listen to the crunch of hooves and the sounds of the coyotes and wolves howling.

Find a nice spot tie the horses on a picket line feed them some oats and then start a fire. Lay back on a canvas tarp that you've shaped into a lounge chair in the snow and sip mauld wine and watch the stars.

Roast smokies over the fire. Don't know how many times I have fallen asleep with a woollen blanket over me and the dog laying on my legs. The horse/s just munching away on grass that they paw under the snow.

That's what I love about the Yukon. All of this within a 20 minute drive and a 5 mile walk on a horse. No sounds no other people just peace and quiet.

Would be good to share this with some Pinz buddies I would think. Up here you can really get away from it all.

oops - what was that song the Eagles used to sing "Last Resort"

Have a great New year everyone and to all a good night.

Jer Bear

[Profpinz]

Roast smokies over the fire

What's a smokie?

[75pinz]

Maybe I can't remember anything but it basically was just drilling some holes for the mounting screws, exhaust, intake, etc behind the seat, then running the wiring, mount the fuel pump and the switch. I don't know, I was out in the garage drinking beer with my wife out of town. Could have been three days I guess...Something I didn't do was drop the gas tank because there was a line from the tank already for the ambulance heaters. I suppose I could have spent three hours putting in a capillary tube into the tank. It probably also helped that this thing was previously installed in a Pinz and I removed it to install in mine so everything was fresh in my mind...