Damp caravans
I keep seeing and reading all these post about new and nearly new caravans with damp issues.
We have just returned to the fold after a very long break (over 25 years) we wanted to make sure it was still for us, which to our delight it is, but we didn't splash out on a caravan just in case. We found a 2012, very well looked after Coachman Amara 530/4
for a little over £5k. It came from a dealer with a 6 months guarantee. It is in fantastic condition (IMO) everthing works as it should and there is not a trace of damp after 14 years.
The point of my post ?, we planned to use this one as a taster and then invest a lot more £££ in a newer one in a year or two but with what I read I am beginning to wonder if that is a wise move
Ian.
p.s. I hope all those that post these issues get them resloved.
Comments
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What will a new one do that your present one doesn't? Probably nothing. Except leak.
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I keep seeing and reading all these post about new and nearly new caravans with damp issues.
We have just returned to the fold after a very long break (over 25 years) we wanted to make sure it was still for us, which to our delight it is, but we didn't splash out on a caravan just in case. We found a 2012, very well looked after Coachman Amara 530/4
for a little over £5k. It came from a dealer with a 6 months guarantee. It is in fantastic condition (IMO) everthing works as it should and there is not a trace of damp after 14 years.The point of my post ?, we planned to use this one as a taster and then invest a lot more £££ in a newer one in a year or two but with what I read I am beginning to wonder if that is a wise move
Ian.
p.s. I hope all those that post these issues get them resloved.
Write your comments here... Sorry that should read 2002 and not 2012
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If you're happy with the van I'd suggest sticking with it until it falls apart.
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CY does have a point. If you have found a decent van that is sound, comfortable and you like the layout, why bother replacing it? Older vans may lack a few of the snazzy extras, but generally, they were better constructed, a bit more pride in the quality
and workmanship. Big decision parting with a lot of money, but hope you are lucky.0 -
Personally, I'd run what you have next year (to get really 'bedded in' as it were) and then if you feel it's worth it get another.
Sure, you hear lots on here about damp but consider that if it were as prevelant as all that the manufacturers would be out of business, considering they all (I believe) have 6 year bodyshell/water ingress warranties now.
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Most of the latest caravans ,UK anyway, if a few get water ingress out of the thousands that are made each year, it is unlikly to as in the past to get damp/rot, as thay are now do not have any wood in the body construction,it should be just a case of resealing any leaky joint
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One comment on your original and corrected posts.
When I read the first post I thought the price was VERY good foe a 2012 van. But on reading the corrected post the I thought the opposite and it seems (to me) a high price for a 2002 van.
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Most of the latest caravans ,UK anyway, if a few get water ingress out of the thousands that are made each year, it is unlikly to as in the past to get damp/rot, as thay are now do not have any wood in the body construction,it should be just a case of resealing any leaky joint
There are at least two people posting in this forum just now who are looking at 10 week projected times for Bailey factory repairs and one on a 2012 model.
Write your comments here...
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One comment on your original and corrected posts.
When I read the first post I thought the price was VERY good foe a 2012 van. But on reading the corrected post the I thought the opposite and it seems (to me) a high price for a 2002 van.
Write your comments here...
you could say that, but it was from a dealer with 6 months guarantee. and is in great condition. We did look around but prices are higher in this part of the country. Also when I insured it with the club they quoted a market value of £4500 for it so all in all its not that far off. The dealer also gave gave us a starter kit (Aqua roll, waste master, new battery, hook lead, etc) it also came with an awning, albeit I have replaed it with a Bradcot air awning. So I don't think it was a bad deal for peace of mind until march next year?
I have seen Year 2000 Vans with an asking price over £4000,and late (90's ones over £3k
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Most of the latest caravans ,UK anyway, if a few get water ingress out of the thousands that are made each year, it is unlikly to as in the past to get damp/rot, as thay are now do not have any wood in the body construction,it should be just a case of resealing any leaky joint
There are at least two people posting in this forum just now who are looking at 10 week projected times for Bailey factory repairs and one on a 2012 model.
...If any van goes back to any makers its a long lead time, and as our dealer has told us,there are very few that need to go back as majority of any work can be done locally,they think a lot of "returns"are not needed ,just poor dealer workshops,
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What will a new one do that your present one doesn't? Probably nothing. Except leak.
Write your comments here...All the old caravans i've owned also leaked, and very badly.
The first one had a foot pump for water and gas lights for lighting, the toilet was a bucket with a lid.
So i now go for all the modcons.
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What will a new one do that your present one doesn't? Probably nothing. Except leak.
Write your comments here...All the old caravans i've owned also leaked, and very badly.
The first one had a foot pump for water and gas lights for lighting, the toilet was a bucket with a lid.
So i now go for all the modcons.
Write your comments here...
Ditto.
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Most of the latest caravans ,UK anyway, if a few get water ingress out of the thousands that are made each year, it is unlikly to as in the past to get damp/rot, as thay are now do not have any wood in the body construction,it should be just a case of resealing
any leaky jointThere are at least two people posting in this forum just now who are looking at 10 week projected times for Bailey factory repairs and one on a 2012 model.
Write your comments here...
Two isn't many is it, considering the number sold each year.
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Our first two vans had some damp back in the late 70's early 80's. we had an Eccles which was later replaced with a Lunar.
Both had Gas lights and a rubber foot pump on the floor. and just a cupboard to put a porta pottie in.
I fully expected to be greeted by a musty damp smell when we went looking at older vans in October but that wasn't the case. The Coachman we ended up buying is like a Palace to what we had back then. to have instant hot water, flushing toilet, hot shower,
heating other than a tiny gas fire and mains lighting etc etc is amazing to us retunrees
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Most of the latest caravans ,UK anyway, if a few get water ingress out of the thousands that are made each year, it is unlikly to as in the past to get damp/rot, as thay are now do not have any wood in the body construction,it should be just a case of resealing any leaky joint
Write your comments here...We have had our 2012 Swift repaired twice for water ingress under warranty and a further set of corner panels attached to prevent further ingress due to cracking. Our daughter had similar issues with her 2012 Swift and I have lost count of the number of people that have talked to us on site about the problems they have had with their Swift vans, across the group. It would appear that other manufacturers have similar issues.
There was a post on this forum a couple of years ago that put this into some perspective, from a member who lives adjacent to the Swift factory, who stated we would be amazed at how many vans are returned to Swift for repairs. Add this to the number that are repaired by dealers and a true picture may be more that just a few per thousand.
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Most of the latest caravans ,UK anyway, if a few get water ingress out of the thousands that are made each year, it is unlikly to as in the past to get damp/rot, as thay are now do not have any wood in the body construction,it should be just a case of resealing any leaky joint
Write your comments here...We have had our 2012 Swift repaired twice for water ingress under warranty and a further set of corner panels attached to prevent further ingress due to cracking. Our daughter had similar issues with her 2012 Swift and I have lost count of the number of people that have talked to us on site about the problems they have had with their Swift vans, across the group. It would appear that other manufacturers have similar issues.
There was a post on this forum a couple of years ago that put this into some perspective, from a member who lives adjacent to the Swift factory, who stated we would be amazed at how many vans are returned to Swift for repairs. Add this to the number that are repaired by dealers and a true picture may be more that just a few per thousand.
Write your comments here...
We don't need to use generalisations like ' more than a few' This years CC Leisure vehicle survey identified that an average of 13% of the vans reported on suffered some sort of water ingress. Clearly most will have been dealt with by the dealers. So 130 vans in 1000 had a problem, but most won't have been returned to the factory. Interestingly the 2002 survey identified 11% water ingress over vans first three years and was an improvement on the 2009 survey. A major difference/improvement is today's longer water ingress warranties.
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Most of the latest caravans ,UK anyway, if a few get water ingress out of the thousands that are made each year, it is unlikly to as in the past to get damp/rot, as thay are now do not have any wood in the body construction,it should be just a case of resealing
any leaky jointThere are at least two people posting in this forum just now who are looking at 10 week projected times for Bailey factory repairs and one on a 2012 model.
Write your comments here...
Two isn't many is it, considering the number sold each year.
No but its two too many
v9
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The number with damp problems is apparently about 12% but Coachman and Swift are both under 10%. I have seen no figures for foreign built ones though. Some of these will have minor problems rather than serious damps but that is no consolation if you are the unlucky person with the one riddled with damp. You are the exception though.
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The biggest problem is that there are few independent tests of caravans. If we had someone like Which giving us an indepth report and recommending a best buy it would put pressure on manufacturers to improve. The new construction methods have many problems
according to reports and getting things rectified takes a long time. I am dismayed by the number of owners who have serious Problems with new caravans it reminds me of the car industry in the 1970s.0 -
The biggest problem is that there are few independent tests of caravans. If we had someone like Which giving us an indepth report and recommending a best buy it would put pressure on manufacturers to improve. The new construction methods have many problems
according to reports and getting things rectified takes a long time. I am dismayed by the number of owners who have serious Problems with new caravans it reminds me of the car industry in the 1970s.It would help but we are in a minority as caravanners whereas most people have a car. You can read the annual Practical Caravan owners survey which does name names and could make you think twice about buying at least one make.
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