Caravan Show - new models!!!!!
After visiting this years show there wasn't a caravan with a 'WOW' factor or even a 'that's nice' they are all becoming clinical, non practical and all look the same, like hotel rooms - no character.
Coachman where the best build quality by far, even though the Vision 560 layout has been dropped - big mistake guys and the wet rooms are lacking storage space ie no towel shelves by the shower and the WHB is an eye wash.
Bailey look ok but have horrendous built quality and after sales - trust me we've been there. All the other UK manufacturered vans seem to be clowned - just boring !
As for the salesmen, all after one thing, a signature plus your credit card.
What is it coming to? Yes you can only do so much with a small space but please listen to the customer and if it works leave alone.
Comments
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I tend to agree with you in that there is very little wow factor around. For this reason I tend not to look at the UK makes and concentrate on the non-UK or smaller producers. I can see a UK van at any number of dealers but I have to travel a long way
to step in a Barefoot or a T@b or a KnausThis year I thought that there was more innovation and more interesting offerings than previous years but I'm not looking to buy and didn't go to check out potential purchases
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as a MHer, we wouldnt normally look at the caravan area....however we did see the new small Adria (as we had a competition form to post there) thought it was nice...
also, there was a Hymer Nova amongst the Hymer MHs on their stand and this was a mile away from the rest of those caravans weve seen at dealers....well built, solid, roomy, all the drawers actually worked.....around £25k....nice.....a really decent bit of
kit.0 -
Problem is a "WOW" factor for one is a "NO NO" for others
wow is a reaction and has no value to me. What I would prefer is comfort and above all a quality build. Im not interested in the swanky new decal or coloured alloy wheels IMO that's just shallow, but each to their own
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wow is a reaction and has no value to me.
The "WOW!" is important to me and I get it each time I step into my 'van, even though I have been doing so for years.
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as a MHer, we wouldnt normally look at the caravan area....however we did see the new small Adria (as we had a competition form to post there) thought it was nice...
also, there was a Hymer Nova amongst the Hymer MHs on their stand and this was a mile away from the rest of those caravans weve seen at dealers....well built, solid, roomy, all the drawers actually worked.....around £25k....nice.....a really decent bit of
kit.TBH I am not sure how you can compare build quality without comparing them to the obviously superior Bailey's
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Boff I hope that was a bit of tongue and cheek bailey must have the worst build quality
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Big disappointment for us. Small vans are almost in the dinosaur epoch of design thinking, ie non existent. Don't know how anyone looking at the bigger vans could remember which one was which as they all seemed boring to me. However, whatever floats your
boat.Funnily enough, AD, we noticed the Wigwam and liked the idea of the monocoque shell.
Will be hanging onto our van for a while longer.
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I think if Novas were less expensive,(less chance now) catered for the uk market
, and then did not need a tractor to tow
them
, they might start makiing a dent in the market that Bailey sell 22000 units a year to 
Although quantity and quality have very similar spellings. The definitions are very different
Though some seem to think they are synonyms.
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Boff I hope that was a bit of tongue and cheek bailey must have the worst build quality
I 'm not sure what you mean by a bit?
Although in my personal opinion I don't think that Bailey are worst built brand of caravan.
...But then as stated its all down to perspective, any company that was continually turning out LVs with "problems" would not have survived so many years or still needing to increase production to keep up with demand
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as a MHer, we wouldnt normally look at the caravan area....however we did see the new small Adria (as we had a competition form to post there) thought it was nice...
also, there was a Hymer Nova amongst the Hymer MHs on their stand and this was
a mile away from the rest of those caravans weve seen at dealers....well built, solid, roomy, all the drawers actually worked.....around £25k....nice.....a really decent bit of kit.TBH I am not sure how you can compare build quality without comparing them to the obviously superior Bailey's
oh, but i have, Boff
....See above....0 -
Boff I hope that was a bit of tongue and cheek bailey must have the worst build quality
I 'm not sure what you mean by a bit?
Although in my personal opinion I don't think that Bailey are worst built brand of caravan.
...But then as stated its all down to perspective, any company that was continually turning out LVs with "problems" would not have survived so many years or still needing to increase production to keep up with demand
I said that I didn't think that Bailey were the worst built caravans on sale today I mean it. Do I worry that if I go onto a field with 100 vans of which about 25-30 are likely to be Bailey's and ours the only Hymer that I have made the wrong decision? Fortunately I am self confident enough or down right arrogant enough, please delete as you think applicable not to care.
PS To everyone I hope whatever you have fits your needs whatever they are I wish misfortune on no one
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as a MHer, we wouldnt normally look at the caravan area....however we did see the new small Adria (as we had a competition form to post there) thought it was nice...
also, there was a Hymer Nova amongst the Hymer MHs on their stand and this was a mile away from the rest of those caravans weve seen at dealers....well built, solid, roomy, all the drawers actually worked.....around £25k....nice.....a really decent bit of kit.
I missed that, as an ex Hymer owner who still deeply regrets parting with it I would have been interested .I origionally went off Hymer when they sacrificed function for the frills that seem sell vans in the UK and also put the door on the wrong side but if the quality is anything like mine was it would be worth another look. I didnt look at any Uk offerings and the only halfway interesting thing I saw was a concept van from a company called Winghamm, much too small but a monocoque construction which to the owner of a constantly leaking traditional van looks the way to go.
yes, the 6m Wingamm MH that we saw was great, (i guess you were looking at a Wingamm caravan?) theyve been doing the monocoque for years, great quality, and actually Italian.
apso, the Nova is the sort of thing that might tempt us into caravanning in (many) years to come. its just the way the whole thing feels, solid and built to last.....
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as a MHer, we wouldnt normally look at the caravan area....however we did see the new small Adria (as we had a competition form to post there) thought it was nice...
also, there was a Hymer Nova amongst the Hymer MHs on their stand and this was
a mile away from the rest of those caravans weve seen at dealers....well built, solid, roomy, all the drawers actually worked.....around £25k....nice.....a really decent bit of kit.TBH I am not sure how you can compare build quality without comparing them to the obviously superior Bailey's
oh, but i have, Boff
....See above....Sorry missed the bit about the drawers that actually work.
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For us going to a show is often to confirm or otherwise a decision we had already half made so we are not looking for a wow factor. Its often useful to compare models as we did when we were deciding on a motorhome. We have never purchased a van from a show
but have gone on to buy from a local dealer a few months later.David
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We have never been fans of the Hobby style but they do appear better built than many.
The only make that is realy giving something new is Compass but it will divide opinion. Personally I would not trust them though.
The news this year is island beds and accross the centre washrooms. They need large caravans though or they are too cramped.
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one of the disadvantages I can see with this model - you step straight out of the shower and drip all over the carpet. I prefer designs with the bathroom separate. Still looking for something that has sensible length beds that are not in an enormous van,
and have enough space around them to make them useable0 -
Pardon?
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just got stuck into the latest What MH, the Hymer B-DL 588 got five stars, and the Mobilvetta K-Yacht MH80 (as i also mentioned earlier) was drooled over by the 'Bromleys' (writer/tester couple who normally go for something a lot smaller an more basic) awarded
4.5 stars.....a real winner (apparently).obviously, I have
a good eye, too.....0
