2016 Caravan Servicing
Are you getting your caravan serviced this year !...If you are can I remind everyone that no matter whether the service is to be done by a dealer workshop or a mobile service approved engineer, make sure that the wheels and brake drums are removed and everything
related to the brake shoes, linkages, wheel bearings etc., are fully included in the inspection/service...Do not be put off with them telling you they don't need to be checked every year as happened to me about 3 years ago at a Swift dealership workshop...This
is a load of tosh...The manufacturers handbook , certainly on my Swift, tells you otherwise and that such work must be included on every annual service....As proof they have had the drums off ask the engineer to leave the old one-shot nuts inside the door
of the caravan for you in proof said work was done....On the occasion it happened to me I challenged the workshop where the old nuts were and was told the caravan was too new to need an inspection in this area...I have ever since used a mobile engineer and
I can see him doing the work in line with what is stipulated by the manufacturer.
Comments
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Ours is always serviced in this manner, as that is what is stipulated. They always give us the old I shot nuts. I have however, never been sure why it is necessary. Is it because a caravan spends so long sitting about with its hand brake on. One of our cars
has drum brakes on the rear and these are not taken apart every service. Why the difference?0 -
Ours is always serviced in this manner, as that is what is stipulated. They always give us the old I shot nuts. I have however, never been sure why it is necessary. Is it because a caravan spends so long sitting about with its hand brake on. One of our cars
has drum brakes on the rear and these are not taken apart every service. Why the difference?Write your comments here...That may be the case, but as it a warranty item who is going to miss a comprehensive annual service and checking of the braking system. This can only be done by a complete removal of road wheels and drums. To not include this would
not alter the £180 cost anyway.0 -
There have been several (many?) threads on this and other forums where, yes, the hubs have been removed to check brakes but, strangely, both side bearings are found to "need replacing"
The thrust of the threads is that removal and refitting is not done correctly leading to damge to the bearings which are then replaced at owners cost.
Whilst I agree with the need to check braking system regularly, I feel it should depend more on mileage and the likelihood of the shoes being damaged due to age or alpine overheating.
The only thing I can think of to prevent this is to improve training and for all manufacturers to give dealers advice on the correct methods to remove and refit the hubs. The engineering alternative to be able to remove the drum independently of the hub bearings would be preferable.
I really do wonder how often the entire service schedule is adhered to and even if they keep a collection of One Shot nuts in case anyone asks for them? Servicing is often a very expensive book stamping exercise to keep the damp warranty valid but that's just cynical old me!
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I lost faith in the dealer workshop for servicing three years ago and was then convinced that a mobile engineer , fully approved, was now my preferred method. The advantage being I can watch what he is doing and discuss any queries I have as we go along..He
is thorough and does everything stipulated, by the book. He leaves no stone unturned and leaves me with no doubt that my caravan is fully roadworthy for my journeys..I am present when the hub nuts are removed and these are given to me and brand new nuts are
installed..I am not aware of him finding a problem in the correct method of installing the new nuts.......perhaps the dealer workshops are the most likely to be aware of as your property is out of your view for the entirety of the service.0 -
Just had my caravan serviced by a mcea engineer, don't think there was a part of my caravan except the toilet that wasn't inspected, over five hours on the job and didn't mind me watching or asking questions and afterwards even advised me how to do a job
I am thinking of doing.0 -
Interesting reading this, we bought a new van last year so it is coming up for its first service. We bought it at the National and collected it later from a dealer some way from our home but we thought as we always do the national it would be no real hardship
to drop it off on our way home from wherever it may be (it is always north for us) but we reckoned without health problems meaning we have had to cancel this year so we are seriously considering having to make alternative arrangements for the all important
first service. Friends have used a local mcea engineer and highly recommend him but we were still a bit apprehensive, having read this however I feel a bit better about it now so thanks.Alison
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I appreciate your views that you would not expect a one year old caravan to require a check of the braking system . Alas if only that could be the case as I have a caravanning friend who,on a first year service, his mobile service engineer found a problem
on linkages on one ot the wheels brakes and had to do adjustments to correct it. I am a great believer in preventative maintenance. With the road surfaces as they are today the road wheels, chassis and braking systems receive a fair bit of punishment what
with cambers, potholes etc., so a strip down and check annually can only be a good thing.0 -
I can understand your apprehension in deciding a change to an approved mobile service engineer.. I too was wary of changing but the lack of trust that I had in my dealer servicing workshop of my caravan made the decision for me and I have not looked back.
The fact that even before he starts on the actual service he always asks me if there are any other issues I have with the 'van. i obviously cannot comment on the mobile engineer in your area but you could ask him to tell you what other caravans he services
and 'phone them for their opinions. Another advantage of servicing in this way is that you have no outlay e.g. fuel costs and your time getting the caravan to and from a dealer. You have the caravan completed in about four hours and the engineer (certainly
in my case) is friendly, knowledgeable, and approachable. I found latterly with my dealer workshop that they thought they were doing me a favour servicing it at all....if your enquiries to others is favourable and your gut feeling about the engineer is good
then go ahead...Your price should be about £180 labour.0 -
Interesting reading this, we bought a new van last year so it is coming up for its first service. We bought it at the National and collected it later from a dealer some way from our home but we thought as we always do the national it would be no real hardship to drop it off on our way home from wherever it may be (it is always north for us) but we reckoned without health problems meaning we have had to cancel this year so we are seriously considering having to make alternative arrangements for the all important first service. Friends have used a local mcea engineer and highly recommend him but we were still a bit apprehensive, having read this however I feel a bit better about it now so thanks.
Alison
I agree with all of the comments on mobile technicians and will certainly consider using one (probably once the main 6 year damp warranty runs out)
That is the point for Firedragon, as you need to ensure that any mobile engineer is able to jump through the hoops of updating your manufacturers warranty (for Swift, I think you can use registered mobiles but you then have to send off the documents to have them updated at Swift central) This is probably critical?
Otherwise the mobile should be able to do servicing but may not be able to cover warranty work (selling dealer only unles you can find a closer dealer willing to take it on)
Sorry if Grannies & Eggs.
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Interesting reading this, we bought a new van last year so it is coming up for its first service. We bought it at the National and collected it later from a dealer some way from our home but we thought as we always do the national it would be no real hardship
to drop it off on our way home from wherever it may be (it is always north for us) but we reckoned without health problems meaning we have had to cancel this year so we are seriously considering having to make alternative arrangements for the all important
first service. Friends have used a local mcea engineer and highly recommend him but we were still a bit apprehensive, having read this however I feel a bit better about it now so thanks.Alison
I agree with all of the comments on mobile technicians and will certainly consider using one (probably once the main 6 year damp warranty runs out)
That is the point for Firedragon, as you need to ensure that any mobile engineer is able to jump through the hoops of updating your manufacturers warranty (for Swift, I think you can use registered mobiles but you then have to send off the documents to have
them updated at Swift central) This is probably critical?Otherwise the mobile should be able to do servicing but may not be able to cover warranty work (selling dealer only unles you can find a closer dealer willing to take it on)
Sorry if Grannies & Eggs.
Write your comments here...........Sorry but I must correct you.......Fully trained mobile approved and registered, they are authorised to undertake warranty work. they may not be able to offer major bodywork repairs as, being mobile, they have no workshop.
They communicate directly by laptop to the manufacturer. On completion of servicing your caravan, the engineer gives you a print out of the service and their findings including a damp test with the actual readings found in various points throughout said caravan.....Rest
assured any item causing a problem within your warranty period can be brought to a mobile engineers attention for investigation.0 -
One problem with using a mobile fitter is if you need to report any defects. Ours went in for it's annual service a month ago and we reported, at that time, a leaky locker door and asked them to take it up with Bailey as a warranty issue. Just got back
from having a new door fitted today under warranty. I assume if we had been using a mobile fitter, we would still have had the two trips to the dealer, so not any time saved.0 -
One problem with using a mobile fitter is if you need to report any defects. Ours went in for it's annual service a month ago and we reported, at that time, a leaky locker door and asked them to take it up with Bailey as a warranty issue. Just got back
from having a new door fitted today under warranty. I assume if we had been using a mobile fitter, we would still have had the two trips to the dealer, so not any time saved.Write your comments here...Obviously there will be pluses and minuses but by in large using an approved mobile engineer, in my opinion, far out ways a dealer workshop including security of your caravan, being able to talk one to one to the chap that's going
to be working on it, no cost to get the unit there and back and being able to ask their advice on a host of things on which they have great knowledge and experience.0 -
Our friends who have recommended the engineer also have a new van and said the details for their warranty were all covered, though they have a different make to ours so obviously we will have to check if he is covered for our make too.
Alison
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Our friends who have recommended the engineer also have a new van and said the details for their warranty were all covered, though they have a different make to ours so obviously we will have to check if he is covered for our make too.
Alison
I checked with Lunar on ours before using a mobile engineer and they accept any NCC approved engineer as I believe all UK manufacturers do. The only catch is if you have a Swift as they guarantee work carried out by Swift agents but not by anyone else.
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Our friends who have recommended the engineer also have a new van and said the details for their warranty were all covered, though they have a different make to ours so obviously we will have to check if he is covered for our make too.
Alison
I checked with Lunar on ours before using a mobile engineer and they accept any NCC approved engineer as I believe all UK manufacturers do. The only catch is if you have a Swift as they guarantee work carried out by Swift agents but not by anyone else.
Write your comments here...Not according to my Approved Service engineer who has been serving my Swift Challenger Sport 524SR (2012) for three years with exact cover as that offered by my Swift supplier dealership...This was specifically asked of said mobile
engineer prior to employing their services and I was informed there would be no difference in having the Swift caravan serviced by him as that offered by the dealership. ..I have no reason to disbelieve him and to date any warranty item has been fully attended
to.0 -
Have used mobile service for several years now on 4 different vans each bought new. Previously, and when I first met him, he was workshop foreman at dealers where we bought van. No problem with warranty - with Swift we had to email them copies of worksheet
for their records but not necessary now with Bailey. When warranty work identified (high moisture readings in floor), dealer/ manufacturer accepted his report as basis for initiating warranty work and booking into workshop.Cost is lower and I can watch what he does and discuss any issues as he works on van on driveway (could be done at storage place but then I would not be present). Always leaves old one shot nuts. Much easier than 2 return trips to nearest dealer
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Our friends who have recommended the engineer also have a new van and said the details for their warranty were all covered, though they have a different make to ours so obviously we will have to check if he is covered for our make too.
Alison
I checked with Lunar on ours before using a mobile engineer and they accept any NCC approved engineer as I believe all UK manufacturers do. The only catch is if you have a Swift as they guarantee work carried out by Swift agents but not by anyone else.
Write your comments here...Not according to my Approved Service engineer who has been serving my Swift Challenger Sport 524SR (2012) for three years with exact cover as that offered by my Swift supplier dealership...This was specifically asked of said mobile
engineer prior to employing their services and I was informed there would be no difference in having the Swift caravan serviced by him as that offered by the dealership. ..I have no reason to disbelieve him and to date any warranty item has been fully attended
to.Swift do not guarantee work carried out by anyone other than their agents. Not sure that it is a lot more as any engineer getting it wrong would be liable anyway but it might help if the agent went down. It is only relevant if there is a problem with work
carried out.0
