More on caravan versus motorhome
I have an unscientific observation not supported by any accurate analysis with regard to the endless caravan versus motorhome debate. Having suffered, along with so many, the issues of damp and build quality in caravans it appears to me that there are fewer complaints on Club Together of quality issues among motorhome owners than caravan owners. Has anyone noticed this phenomenon?
I have been following comments on motorhomes closely having made the decision to switch.
Comments
-
My take on it is that the c/van "issues" are it seems, that some are "historical"(past models) by some trying to justify?a change, whereas the motor caravan has only in the past few years "taken off"so there are maybe fewer as yet "problems" to surface,when it is noted for instance Bailey produce is it 7000 units a year?how many have had a "problem" and Swift group produce even more,
0 -
MHs tend to be more robustly constructed as they can travel thousands of miles in all weather conditions on various road surfaces at higher speeds than most caravans are towed at.
At the build stage, weight is more important in a caravan and this can only be kept within limits with a lighter construction. Most caravan faults seem to be due to poor construction methods and lack of supervision on the build line.
MHs have to comply with the motor vehicle construction regulations while caravans have no official build regs. The NCC recommendations are not enforceable as it is a trade body formed mainly for the benefit of the caravan industry.
Caravans tend to leak from the top down whilst most MH damp problems are mainly due to poor sealing between the floor and vehicle body and they can suffer water ingress due to road spray.
2 -
I agree that the only real dampness problem experienced on a coachbuilt motorhome is the seal between the walls and floor. ( A couple of our aquaintances have had to have small sections of the damp floor replaced ) However this phenomenon is not experienced on a PVC which uses the original van bodywork and floor.
Caravans on the other hand are built down to a price and are not subjected to the stringent testing and standards of Motorhome construction, so dampness can occur anywhere from ceiling to floor.
It is a choice we all have to make. Caravan or Motorhome !!
K
0 -
Extreme damp in our Bailey Caravan was one of the reasons that we switched to a Motorhome. Three out of the four caravans that we owned over a 25 year period had damp. I am sure motorhomes are more robust for the reasons stated above, however, you will see from other forums that there are problems albeit not so severe.
Of course, damp in a Motorhome costing up to £70-80k new might be considered more of a worry than a caravan at a quarter of the cost. Extended damp warranties in motorhomes are quite usual which might indicate the level of concern.
0 -
If you can afford it, buy something new or nearly new. The modern, in the last two years with the big firms, dont use any wood anymore in the construction, its all modern poly plastics and specialist sealing of joints, so damp is a thing of the past. Our dealer told me that most damp in the past was found in the woodwork of vans. Thats both caravan and MH.
However, given the difference in the cost of buying a caravan and a MH, I am surprised that damp is the main reason for changing.
If you go to the Swift-Talk web site you will find plenty of whinging about modern MH build quality and that follows in most brands. This is covered more conprehensively on other parts of this site.
BillC
0 -
Caravans can also suffer from this.............! Our caravan showed some damage to the ply floor at the rear not too long after we bought it. There were wet areas, and some 'flaking' at the edges of the play, so my OH modified it to prevent further damage - mudflaps, 'underseal' over the whole floor area, and a plastic L shaped trim 'drip' inserted between the body of the caravan and the floor to ensure that water running down the walls didn't run on to the floor but dripped off. Sixteen years later the floor is still in good shape with no signs of any further problems.
We realised it was a Swift problem when we looked at the caravan on the next storage pitch and realised that his rear floor had almost rotted away (probably unseen)!
0 -
Qashqai66, dedicated motorhome forums have plenty of stories about damp and water ingress both British and Continental. I wonder whether motorhomers tend to air their problems on those forums rather than this one.
BB is right about PUAL from Hymer. It is a polyurethane material which is almost impervious to water so if the water tries to get in, it cannot go anywhere. Hymers now have GFQ [I think it is a resin/fibreglass coating] underneath to protect the floors.
It's unfair to compare a typical UK motorhome with a higher end continental one because one will be almost twice the price of the other. Even a top notch Swift with all the gadgets will be considerably cheaper than a Hymer specced to the same level. A top end Swift needs few additional options added, a Hymer can easily clock up tens of thousand pounds of extras to bring it up to the Swift spec.
I'm not convinced there is a significant difference between damp in caravans and motorhomes because some manufacturers have problems with both [design and manufacturing problems], other manufacturers have little problems with either. It tends not to be damp caravans and not motorhomes or vice versa.
I buy Hymer motorhomes because the three haven't had damp issues. I take it for granted my Hymers will pass the damp test with ease.
2 -
Hymers now have GFQ [I think it is a resin/fibreglass coating] underneath to protect the floors.
Like Elddis then.......?....
http://www.elddis.co.uk/solid-construction/frequently-asked-questions
0 -
Tintent, like Elddis? No idea as I haven't looked under an Elddis for many a year. According to Hymer, it bought Elddis because of Elddis' experience in building bonded motorhomes. I hope the del works out for Elddis and its staff.
I don't know when Hymer started using GFK. My 2013 Hymer has so it must be 2012 or earlier.
0 -
I suspect caravans are more likely to leak. Assuming the construction methods are similar i.e. materials and bonding then the most likely issue is flex. MH have a big floppy box stuck to a chassis, as do caravans but there is one essential difference. The MH has load distributed across 4 corners i.e. an axle at the front and one at the back. The longitudinals are hard fixed to the axles (actually the cab and the rear axle) but in terms of simple shapes it is a box with a wheel at each corner. This gives a very rigid platform on which the box sits.
Caravans have 1 axle in the middle. The longitudinals run front to back and at the corners they flex. You are now much more reliant on the ends of the box to keep the rigidity in the box. The ends are generally glued on but the top corners will be subject to significantly more flex and stress than a MH back panel. Any slight defect in the bonding will open up the joint and give damp, in some cases the end panels crack.
0 -
I just happened to read an article in the April 2017 Practical Motorhome Magazine following a survey they'd carried out.
To quote " And yes, mainland European M/H do leak as well as UK manufactured ones, even " premium" German brands - not quite as frequently but still too often at 1-in-10 sold new to respondents. The average across all new vans regardless of country of origin was 1-in-7. Swift group has set the bar high.
0 -
Blimey this is terrifying we are looking to make the change in 2018 .
Had 3 caravans currently pull a 2012 Swift and we have had no problems
Disciding on a lay out is differcult , do we buy a new entry range ?
Do we spend the same on a 2 , 3 year old more expensive model ?
I read about Bailey issues along with Eliddis its a minefield !
0 -
Just the first family who were willing to admit they had bought a well known brand ,that was not what the "marketing" of them would like you to believe( and built in their own country
As so few are noted in the UK compared to UK built LVs it was good to hear the views of an honest owner
0 -
Having changed to a motorhome, from a caravan, five years ago I would suggest you need to decide two things initially. One is obviously the layout and the second is the approximate size/length. I think a common mistake is to try and replicate what you have in your last caravan. This is what we did and now with the benefit of hindsight feel that we should have purchased a shorter motorhome rather than the 7.5 metre one we did. Once you have made that decision I think it easier to make a choice from the many and varied motorhomes available. I should also add that I have a Bailey and I would be perfectly happy to buy another.
David
1
