2019 Swift elegance 645 vs Coachman laser 675
what experience / views do people have on comparing these two caravans , construction/ build quality/ fittings / functionality I can see desirable and drawbacks in each
currently have a swift elegance 480 but really want a fixed bed and more room for longer trips
coachman has longer bed and fraction wider also a nice fridge and more contemporary look inside but
loo not as good as the Swift Thetford from what I can see heavier overall too I think we tow ( experiences ) with a BMW X3 2019 model so ideally don’t want to be over 1800kg
The swift elegance with all no wood construction sounds perhaps better that the coachman build method but who knows?? seems to have more wardrobe space and better electrical gear inside or perhaps rather familiar elect kit eg with Swift command .
swift internal fit out seems a little more fragile , we have had quite a few little screws drop out and hinges going wonky but nothing major
just wondering what people who have these models think as there is not much around commenting on
2019 models
thanks for taking the time to comment should you do so
Comments
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We have just pruchased an Elegance 645, brand new 2019 model. We previously purchased a 580 in March, but having had a Conqueror 645 in the past, never really settled into a single axle, hence we changed it after 3 months (a beautiful caravan for someone, better than new!!) for a 645 delivered a week ago. Both these caravans were/are superb, the 580 needed one new window because the Dutch window manufacturers did not set it in the frame correctly - changed under warranty (Swifts Aftersales/Customer Services superb by the way). The new 645 has not been used in anger yet (off Monday), but after a 100% PDI, everything works perfectly, so I hope it stays that way. With regards to Coachman, I don't know much about them, but they certainly look nice. My preference for the Swift model is considerably swayed by Swifts construction system with no wood involved whatseover, GRP body, floor and roof. Also, according to videos I have seen, they use much automation for cutting materials very accurately. Early days for our 645, but on the face of it, the quality is very good, and if anything like the Conqueror and our short time with the 580, it should cause us no problems whatsoever.
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Swift and Coachman use the same glue to bond their caravans and according to the workshop manager at our repair centre, it is a bonding agent which is regarded as the best on the market, lasting longer than any other glues in use today. I like the Swift but I found the build quality not so good as the Coachman and I feel that Swift is becoming very ‘technically ‘ complex- not a bad thing in itself but the more complex they make them the bigger the possibility of things going wrong. We settled on the transverse bed Coachman VIP 575 model and so far it’s proving a good van. If I had one moan, Storage is at a premium but after a Bailey, perhaps I’m spoilt as that had oodles of room. The large roof window is very nice but at the expense of lockers. Like the old saying goes- you pays your money and takes your choice.
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The surveys make Coachman a clear distance ahead of Swift on customer satisfaction and quality. After that everything else is down to personal preference and what the car will tow. If everything else is near equal I would say Coachman but if the Swift is ahead on design then it is still a viable choice.
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I think the choice is a personal thing as we all have different ideas on what we want in our vans I do not like layouts that mean you have to put tv in front of van as this means 99 times out of a 100 somebody got no backrest when watching tv
I would like to know what bright spark thought of putting entrance light switch on my Swift Elegance on front console instead of by door no wonder i could not find it never give it a thought that i would have to enter van walk to front to put light on there are other light switches by door just not entrance light???
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Things with caravans are never that easy.
we bought a new coachman vip 575 in 2016 and it was by far the worst caravan we have owned and we’ve had 7 from various manufacturers. I went for a coachman based on research showing that build quality was the best of uk manufacturers.
the list of faults over two years included a detached bathroom window, solar panel flattening battery, alarm issues, a leak on the Alde boiler but most annoying a 100 damp leak on the offside wall, necessitating a return to the factory for a reseal.
i never could get comfortable with the layout or the way the lighting was switched, which was very odd, so I changed back to a twin axle, with a swift elegance 650 and have found that fine over the last 12 months. It’s still dry, everything works. Yes I’ve had to fit a resistor to stop the lights flashing when the pump stops and I’ve relocated the inboard pump as it’s very noisy but I’ve got more confidence in it than with the coachman.
its a shame as the interior fit and finish on the coachman was excellent but the overall build was poor. Perhaps a one off.
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I have a 575 Coachman so a little bias.
To be honest the swift would have been my other choice.
Both are fully bonded bodies and have little issue with build quality and a good track record for longevity.
To be honest you are overthinking it. They are direct competitors in the same segment and have virtually the same build method and chassis.
Basically, which one do you like best.
Never had a Swift and now on my second Coachman. Have had a few minor niggles but nothing has broken down and it seems pretty well put together as was my last one.
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