From first call to handover.
The typical lead time, from deposit to handover.
The time your van spends in the workshop being built.
Three payments: 10% deposit, 70% when your base vehicle arrives, 20% on completion.
Eight steps, one team throughout
The people you speak to on the first call are the people who design and build your van, so nothing is lost between a sales conversation and the workshop.
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01
A discovery call
Your discovery call is with Chris or Heather, the owners of Onyx. We build the vans ourselves, and one of us will be your point of contact from this first call onwards.
It is a relaxed conversation about the trips you take, who travels with you and what you need to carry. We use it to work out which model suits you and which options are worth having.
After the call we send you an indication of pricing and an initial quote.
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02Optional, and encouraged
A workshop visit
A visit to the workshop in Kingsfold is not essential, but we like to meet face to face. Commissioning a van is a personal process, and time together is the surest way to check that we all have the same van in mind.
It is also your chance to see a van in person and to talk through colours and finishes with it in front of you. Visits are by appointment.
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03
Your specification and quote
We go through your initial quote with you in depth, either at the workshop or on a call, until the specification and the price are right.
If you have built an estimate with the configurator on a model page, that is our starting point. Each model page has one, if you would like to try it before we speak.
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04
Deposit and build slot
Once the specification is agreed, we set it out in a written order agreement together with the price and the timescale. A deposit, normally 10% of the quoted price, secures your build slot and allows us to order your MAN TGE.
Payment is in three stages: the 10% deposit, 70% when your base vehicle arrives with us, and the final 20% on completion.
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05
The build
The build itself takes around two months in the workshop. The lead time from deposit to handover is typically four to six months, because your base vehicle has to be ordered and build slots are taken in turn. The second payment, 70% of the price, is due when your base vehicle arrives with us.
We typically set up a group chat with you, so that we can ask questions, pass on information and keep in touch. While your van is being built we send photographs every week or two, and you are welcome to visit once or twice by arrangement to see it take shape.
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06
Approval and your inspection
As standard, we take every van for Individual Vehicle Approval so that it can be registered from new as a motorhome. Panel van registration is available by prior agreement.
Once the van has been approved, we invite you in to see it finished and to make sure you are happy with it.
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07
Final payment and registration
When you are happy with the van, we ask for the final payment, the remaining 20%. We then register the van in your name and take it to MAN for its pre-delivery inspection.
Any final additions, such as upgraded speakers or a tracker, are fitted after that inspection and before you collect.
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08
Handover, and afterwards
Before your handover we send you the owner’s manual, so that you can get to know the van and its systems and come to us with questions. There is a lot to take in, and on the day most people are simply excited to collect their van, so reading ahead makes the handover far more useful.
On the day we walk you through every system, electrics and water included, and show you each feature of the van.
Handover day at the workshop. The group chat stays open after you drive away. If you forget how to switch on the inverter, or a small snag needs fixing, that is the easiest place to sort it out.
The MAN TGE carries a three-year manufacturer warranty, which can be extended to five years at the time of order. Our build is warrantied for 12 months, and each product fitted to the van carries its own manufacturer warranty. Every build also comes with a free three-month check-up. We take pride in our builds, and we want every owner to be happy with theirs.
“The team have been great to deal with throughout the process and their after sales service has been outstanding.”— Paul & Joan, Summit owners
Questions about the process
How long does it take to get an Onyx van?
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The typical lead time is four to six months from deposit to handover. The build itself takes around two months; the rest is the time it takes for your MAN TGE to arrive and for your build slot to come round. We give you a realistic timescale for your own build when we quote, and keep you updated as it progresses.
Do I have to visit the workshop before ordering?
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No. Everything can be done by phone or video call if that suits you better. We do encourage a visit, because it lets you see a finished van, talk through colours and finishes in person, and meet the people who will build yours. The workshop is in Kingsfold, West Sussex, and visits are by appointment.
When do I pay?
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In three stages. A deposit, normally 10% of the quoted price, is paid when the specification is agreed and secures your build slot. A further 70% is due when your base vehicle arrives with us. The final 20% is paid on completion, after the van has been approved and you have seen it finished, and before it is registered in your name. The full payment terms are set out in your written order agreement before you commit to anything.
Can I see my van while it is being built?
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Yes. We send photographs every week or two during the build, usually through a group chat we set up with you, and you are welcome to visit once or twice by prior arrangement.
What warranty comes with the van?
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The MAN TGE base vehicle carries a three-year manufacturer warranty, which can be extended to five years at the time of order. Our build carries a 12-month Onyx warranty. Each product fitted to the van, such as the electrical components, carries its own manufacturer warranty, and the length varies by product.
How is the van registered?
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As standard, every Onyx van goes through Individual Vehicle Approval and is registered from new as a motorhome, in your name. Panel van registration is available by prior agreement.
Is the process different for a bespoke build?
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It starts the same way, with a discovery call. A bespoke build then adds a design phase before the build slot is confirmed, so it takes longer overall. The Hors Catégorie page explains how that works.
Start with a conversation
Tell us about the trips you have in mind and we will help you work out which van suits them, and what it is likely to cost.
We are at the NEC from 13 to 18 October, Stand 11.50. Book a viewing at the show.
Not sure which van yet?
The range page compares all four standard models side by side, with prices and layouts.