Would we recommend a make of Caravan or Motorhome
Comments
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David, if we actually decide to downsize from the 3-0 D4D Hilux and the 580 GL, to probably a Skoda Superb it well may be another Hymer, probably the 470. I'm sorry to say though it won't be another UK manufactured caravan.
Happy caravanning, indoors.
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Motorhome. Hymer on a Mercedes cab. 1 year on. Been brilliant. Excellent quality and dealer Becks Motorhomes equally as good. Would highly recommend both.
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Since 1980 we have had 7 caravans all different makes, never had any issues with build quality just the usual little niggles that you get with most things.
In 2012 we bought our first motorhome, a make that we never had as a caravan. While we like our motorhome we have have had more 'issues' with it than ALL the caravans put together.
The many annoying silly badly fitted items shows bad workmanship no pride in how the job should be done, what is more annoying is the water ingress which we have suffered twice in 4 years. What will it be this year we wonder when it goes in for habitation service in October. The fact that we have a 10 year ingress warranty is a comfort, what would be better is for the manufacturer to sort the issue once and for all.
Maybe the time has come to go back to a caravan
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Welcome to the shabby world of caravans and motorhomes, Chrystal.
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If the "problems"with leisure vehicles were as bad and widespread as some would like us to believe, the industry would not be as buoyant as it is, as the great british LV purchaser is not that gullible? and it is always the agreeved who shout the loudest, rather than the satisfied majority
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I beg to differ, JVB. I wouldn't just 'like you to believe' but it's a fact that there are a great many aggrieved customers out there.
UK customers have no option but to buy the same old stuff our manufacturers churn out (unless they buy imports) and the manufacturers get away with it because they can. I fear a great many purchasers are indeed gullible and, as long as manufacturers are on a level playing field in terms of build quality, they will continue to get away with it. What incentive do they have to improve when we carry on buying the stuff they produce now?
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TW, i agree with what you say
...but i wonder why a customer wouldnt select your stated alternative (buy an import) when many on here (and no doubt other forums) give glowing references to the likes of Hobby, Fendt, Hymer, Knaus, etc..?
...i guess one thing must be the handiness (in location, not necessarily workshop ability...) of the dealership......certainly helps if it has to go back regularly.....
when at shows, i often look at caravans (no lust, just being nosey) and i am pretty horrified as to what the levels of 'quality' seem to be....
i stumbled across the Hymer caravans at the NEC (looking for their MHs....) and was truly impressed by a Nova and how well it was bolted together......even down to cupboard/drawer catches etc....
compared to the average Eldiss/Swift type offering, it was a mile away...
buying an import......(do we still think of Audi/BMW as imports.....?) might mean a longer trip to a dealer but also a lot fewer trips.
i also dont agree with JVB that aggrieved customers are a figment of our imagination....i suggest reading a few forums, its heartbreaking at times.
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I think, BB, that a lot of vanners - especially first time buyers - are taken in by the surface gloss of the vans on sale. The more savvy will have researched the market and studied forums etc but an awful lot of people are naive and believe what they see and are told at dealerships.
I hold the whole UK industry, both manufacturers and retailers, in the lowest possible esteem.
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On the other hand:
1997 Elddis Crown Superking ( sceptre dealer special ).
2001 Sterling Elite Sapphire.
2006 Sterling elite Onyx.
2012 Bailey Unicorn Valencia mk1
2014 Bailey Unicorn Valencia mk2
2016 Elddis Crusader Mistral.
Each change was down to either an upgrade in quality or new features ( the last one being the longest island bed we could find ) but not one of these vans had any major issues.
Just lucky ? Well my lottery numbers havn't come up yet
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True, its almost like you have to be 'bitten' at least once before this bets logged in the 'experience' locker.
as you say, for many, there are willing Swift salesmen close by and the 'flannel' can be convincing to a novice.....
many vans appear to adopt the approach, where the addition of something like ALDE heating (a premium accessory) causes blindness in all other areas of the offering.....eg does the bed actually fit you and not fall apart when in use.....?
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When we bought our Lunar Clubman ES in April 2012 it was near the bottom of the list for considering. However we bought it simply because it was the most comfortable of the models with our chosen layout. Also the front benches, in addition to being comfortable to sleep on had a width and length ideal for us as singles. I do not even need to remove the back rest from my side. So much so that I would order a new one for next year if they had not raised the damned seat hights. I have asked a sales person to keep an eye out for a 2016 model to possibly replace ours as by next April it will have had the equivalent of two years full time use in six years.
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We have owned 2 second hand Autosleeper PVCs and and a second hand Elddis coachbuilt. These were followed by a new Elddis coachbuilt dealer special and 3 new coachbuilts from Swift. Non of these British vans has given us any major issues nor have any failed a damp test.
It would seem that we should all aspire to a continental built MH or caravan. Whilst we are not averse to buying a continental van we have yet to find a layout that suits. If we buy a continental van just because it is built better we would have to live with a layout that doesn't work for us.
Before we bought a new van last year we looked at many continental vans but there was just too many compromises to be made with the layouts and functionality that we kept coming back to the Bolero. It has lots of what some people refer to as bling but that wasn't what persuaded us to buy, we can see through that.1 -
The big downside to continental vans is the assumption that you don't want to do any serious cooking.
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I hope I am not speaking too soon, but I have a 3-year-old Elddis dealer special and am really happy with it both in terms of layout and performance. I can't vouch for it long term yet but so far so good. I like the simplicity of the controls too, I feel that all the complex control panels etc. create too much opportunity for mistakes or things to go wrong.
Thought I'd say because I know Elddis don't have a great reputation.
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Enlighten me cyberyacht as I seem to be missing out. We're on our third continental motorhome over 17 years so what is this serious cooking I've been missing?
Current cook only uses up to two gas rings and occasionally the oven. Should I change the motorhome or replace the cook with a chef?
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The continental van I was taken with had neither oven nor microwave and the hob only had two rings. It was vetoed by the cook.
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Agree with Cyber, or should that be his cook. Many that do have ovens have them fitted at unsafe heights, too high or too low and often in cramped situations. Some are not proper ovens, just an oven/ grill combo.
Before someone comes on here and tells me that some continental converters now offer slot in cookers as an option, yes I know.
After cooking comes the washing up and requires planning in a lot of continental vans that have small sinks and no drainer.0 -
Thanks, cyberyacht. Sensible cook! The Niesmann & Bischoff Smove is £80k+ [over a £100k if the option list is abused] and has two rings and no oven or microwave.
An increasing number of Hymer coachbuilts/A-classes come with ovens as standard - most UK dealers will fit one if not. It seems the Hymer BDL 444 was designed specifically for the UK market and includes an Aspire UK gas oven, three rings. It also has masses of kitchen worktop space. There's hope the continentals are adapting to our market.
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