Trigano Tribute - Fiat Ducato
(Sleeping Capacity  2 persons)

Trigano Tribute (2004) Overview 

If you are thinking of buying a motor home but the expense is putting you off, this is an ideal motorhome to begin with. It will hold it’s price well and it has a good re-sale history if you find camping isn’t for you. It is also suitable for wheelchair access as it has a large sliding side door. I have just upgraded and sold my Tribute but enjoyed it so much, I thought others who are looking for a smaller 2 berth may be interested in hearing about the Fiat Ducato Tribute from someone who has had one for 3 seasons.

I’ll start with the downside. At first I didn’t mind building the bed up each night before getting into it but when we acquired 2 dogs, it became a problem. So you need to be aware, there is restricted space. Not a problem if there is only 2 of you. Secondly, I had to put a gulley over the sliding door to redirect the excess rain falling from the roof or else, the seal on the sliding door didn’t keep the rain out. I was told this is a design fault. Otherwise, everything else about this little workhorse was perfect.

It has a 2.3 turbo diesel engine. So it flew up hills and was very steady on motorways. Power steering meant no effort needed to turn it around. It had double glazed windows with pull-down blinds with fly screens to them all, electric windows in the driver‘s cab, an immobiliser, central locking and driver’s airbag fitted as standard. The heating system in the living quarters was blown air (diesel) but to be honest we used an oil-filled radiator when it was very cold. Mine also had an electric Omnister step but I found this sometimes stuck and needed a little push with my foot to help it along!

The driver and passenger seat were both Captains chairs which means they will twist around to make comfy armchairs when you are parked up. The other seating as a long bench and 2 separate seats; one either side of the sliding door. The larger front facing one had a safety belt so a 3^rd person can travel safely. This was boon to us as we sometimes took our granddaughter along and the roomy double bed was big enough for 2 adults and a child to sleep comfortably. It is the area of seating that converts into the bed as it has a pull out section under which there is storage at one side and a 100 litre water tank/ immersion heater tank at the other.

For cooking, I had a 4 ring hob and grill with a smoked glass lid alongside a good sized sink with similar lid. This also makes a good sideboard when not in use. There was also a fridge and ample storage cupboards and wardrobe. It makes me wonder how they fitted all of this into an 18’ van! Lastly there is a neat little bathroom with a sink, Thetford cassette toilet (flushing) and a shower. So as you can see you are really self- contained. This van has everything needed for a couple.

I hope I have covered everything. All I can say is, it never let us down, didn’t cost us a penny in repairs other than servicing and we had many happy hours in her. In some ways, my bigger and more expensive replacement motor home doesn’t have some of the things we had in the Tribute so I would certainly recommend it to anyone just starting out and wanting to give motor homing a go.

Conversion
Conversion by Trigano on a Fiat Ducato and named The Trigano Tribute

A nice conversion, and a great price for a well equipped compact campervan

Base Vehicle

Fiat Ducato 2.3 turbo diesel

Pros and Cons

The Cost
Expect to pay around £30,000 for this seasons model.

The Verdict

Worth every penny and a great buy for two people wanting to tour around.

Information and Links
Check Out More About Motorhomes
Looking for a second-hand  Motorhome or Campervan, try here  Free Ads Motorhomes
For further information on the Tribute range check out Tribute Motorhomes

Reviewed by Bellasbus and The Cricketer for 365 Camping Caravanning

Reviewed 2008