Buccaneer Cruiser issues

andyp13
andyp13 Forum Participant Posts: 2
edited October 2020 in Caravans #1

Hi everyone 

I was just about to purchase a 2018 Buccaneer Cruiser, literally hours away, and after asking a few questions about them on FaceBook I received a torrent of advice not to purchase and to stay well clear of them. It seems the biggest issue is serious water leaking and the scariest bit is I found out that even though Eldis say it has a 10 yr water ingress guarantee in the small print the front and back is only a one year warranty 😳. I was really shocked about the comments on the problems and poor build quality particularly as the price is very high.....has anyone got any ideas of similar Caravans to look at 8’ wide, thin wheel etc.. but does not have the major problems that it seems the Buccaneer range does.

TIA

 

Comments

  • richardandros
    richardandros Club Member Posts: 2,681 ✭✭✭
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    edited October 2020 #2

    Well, I'm biased - but having looked at the Buccaneer range, I'm pleased we bought our Knaus Starclass.  Build quality is in a different league entirely.

  • asda160
    asda160 Forum Participant Posts: 87
    edited October 2020 #3

    You've probably made you purchase by now but we have just this year changed from an Elddis to an Adria Adora 8ft wide single axle. 

    This was after a myriad of issues. Damp from year one, into year 2 & 3 along with cracked panels and no support from the manufacturer.

    Previous van was a Sterling which had similar issues but excellent support from the Swift in the first 3 years.

    Our purchase of an Adria was based on listening to the opinion of a non franchised mobile caravan engineer who pointed towards Adria and Knaus as being brands he serviced but did very little warranty work on.

    Despite Covid we've managed to cram plenty trips away. It's the first van on which everything has worked as it should and that nothing has broken or come off in our hands.I

    Hope that helps.

  • iffajobsworthdoing
    iffajobsworthdoing Forum Participant Posts: 94
    edited October 2020 #4

    Have a look at the Bessacarr range. Built by Swift so they do have issues, but the supplying dealership, Couplands of Louth go the extra mile to put things right. 

     

  • Surfer
    Surfer Club Member Posts: 1,303
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    edited October 2020 #5

    Actually we have a 2018 Cruiser and are very happy with it.  Best caravan we have ever owned.  Just had its service this week and all clear.

    Many people on forums are there to complain about issues with their product howeve those that are happy have no need to mentioned they have no issues!

  • richardandros
    richardandros Club Member Posts: 2,681 ✭✭✭
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    edited October 2020 #6

    "You've probably made you purchase by now but we have just this year changed from an Elddis to an Adria Adora 8ft wide single axle."

    I didn't check the date of the OP when I replied - assuming it had only just popped up - which it had.  So where has it been for 2 months?

  • asda160
    asda160 Forum Participant Posts: 87
    edited October 2020 #7

    And I hope that continues for you.

    Unfortunately that was not our experience on our 2016 Elddis.

    Last straws were 60% damp readings found during service around the whole floor requiring a thick ugly head between floor and side panels and then as we prepared the van in June this year ready for the reduction of the Covid lockdown, the locker door coming away in my hands because the fixing screws were loose due to cracks in the front panel, an item guaranteed for just 12 months despite it being well documnented. I found further cracks in the rear panel....all in a well cared for coveted van. SOLID it was not.

    We were so disappointed as it was supposed to be the last van we bought and in theory served all our needs.

     

  • handsj
    handsj Forum Participant Posts: 117
    edited October 2020 #8

    We also had a 2016 Elddis from new. An upmarket Affinity 550, this was to be our retirement caravan. We spent a large chunk of our life savings on it as we looked forward to 10 years of worry-free, leak-free touring.

    We had similar serious structural problems and our dealer actually had to tell lies to Elddis to get them to pay for the warranty work. Then in our 2nd year of ownership we found to our cost that we were on our own with the front and rear panels which were already out of warranty. The serious problems continued. 

    We finally got rid in year 3 thank goodness, losing a lot of hard-earned money. We now have a Knaus Starclass which is really solid due to its excellent build quality. No problems whatsoever in 2 years of ownership thank goodness. We love this caravan and will keep it for a long time now. 

    I will never ever buy another Elddis.